As he loaded the last magazine he had, the number of goblins dropped to a couple of dozen.
"Just a bit more...!" He exclaimed while aiming forward and pulling the trigger.
However, life isn't always that easy.
*THUD!* *THUD!* *THUD!*
Heavy footsteps echoed within the dim forests, causing Kali's and Cassy's ears to perk up in attention. "Damn it! They really had one...!" Kali cursed as she came to a realization.
"Another one incoming!" Cassy exclaimed while dodging another attack from a goblin. "It's too big! Is that still a goblin?!"
Of course, although Aster's scouting ability was nil, he didn't miss such a large enemy coming closer. Ahead, about 100 meters away, a tall goblin, about two meters tall, was marching with heavy stomps.
Although it was the same green color as the other goblins, it had a muscular body, completely dissimilar to the skin and bone goblins they were fighting.
Kali jumped back, regaining distance while raising her daggers at the ready, calling the name of the new enemy. "A goblin chief!"
*BANG!* *BANG!*
Aster pulled the trigger twice, but the bullets merely left sparks as they brushed past the goblin chief's body. His eyes opened wide after seeing this unbelievable phenomenon before Kali reprimanded him.
"Don't waste your bullets on that thing! It's immune to projectiles like bullets or arrows!"
"Immunity to projectiles?!"
Aster did read about it before—how monsters could be immune to two out of three methods of attack: magic, projectiles, and melee. However, he didn't expect to see one on the very first floor of the dungeon!
"I'll handle that big oaf, weakling; you take charge of the remaining goblins!" Kali explained right as she rushed forward, meeting the goblin chief before it could come close.
With her speed, the normal goblins could only watch as she passed by, unable to even touch her shadow. However, they quickly ignored Kali and turned to Cassy, who was still busy handling her fair share of mobs.
Aster quickly realized that he couldn't delay, or Cassy would get surrounded and be exposed to even greater danger. With a grim expression, he rushed forward with the pistol in one hand and his sword in the other, while raising his voice and calling toward the goblins to gain their attention.
"Over here, you green midgets!"
Aster waved his sword, cutting down an unsuspecting goblin. The texture of hitting the enemy, with his sword cutting through meat and bones, returned to his hand and made him feel repulsed. He almost threw up from the view, feeling, and smell after cutting down the goblin!
Of course, he had no time to be sissy. Aster gulped down whatever was trying to come out, gritted his teeth, and pulled the trigger, planting bullets into a nearby goblin's face.
With only one hand holding the pistol, his aim became a little shaky, but it was hard to miss with the enemy being a few meters away.
*BANG!* *BANG!* *BANG!*
He pulled the trigger nonstop, mowing down the enemies before him. When one got too close, he would swing his sword and cut them down before pulling the trigger once more.
In less than fifteen seconds, his last magazine ran empty, but at the same time, only three goblins were left on his side. Aster returned the pistol to his waist holster before fixing his hold on the sword's hilt and lowering his stance.
*KIEEE!*
The last goblins moved at the same time, lunging with their crude weapons at the ready. Aster found that their charge was uneven, so he decided to meet them halfway, taking a big step forward while bringing the sword down.
*SLASH!*
As if firewood cut by a lumberjack, the goblin's body split into two halves and fell!
*TANG!* *SLASH!*
For the second one, he parried its rusty sword and connected it with a diagonal slash, opening a large, bloody wound across its chest. As for the last, it managed to take advantage of Aster pulling his sword back and lunging forward.
*Squelch!*
Its dagger hit Aster, embedding itself in his armor. Thankfully, the goblin didn't target his exposed limbs but rather his stomach, protected by the armor he bought from the guild-approved shop!
"Nice try...!"
Aster exclaimed before kicking the goblin away and stabbing the sword right down the center of its body while it was lying prone on the ground.
Of course, he didn't rejoice after hunting down his enemy, but rather was slowly getting used to the sensation of cutting down flesh and bones. "Cassy!" He roared while turning around, but he realized that she didn't need his help.
Cassy just kicked a goblin's face in, killing it instantly!
"Kicking them is easier than stabbing!" She grinned as she continued to chase the last five on her side.
As she discovered how lethal her own body was, Cassy no longer remained the same. She jumped forward in a flash, coming before two of the three goblins with their stupid faces staring forward, unable to react to her speed.
*SWOOSH!* *CRACK!*
As she reached the optimal distance, Cassy did a half-spin before letting out a deadly back-kick, crushing the enemy goblin's ribcage as it sent it flying across the air, smashing against a far-off tree.
"HAAAAP!"
*THUMP!* *CRACK!*
Using the raised leg as a pivot, she then launched a spinning kick, smashing the side of the face of the other goblin.
The remaining three moved in panic, trying to run away. Compared to Cassy waving her dagger, her kicks were scarier to them!
"Where do you think you're going?!"
Of course, they couldn't run far, as their legs were shorter compared to humans. Rather, their speed was merely a fraction of Cassy's, so it was a futile attempt at best.
In under five seconds, three more goblins with smashed heads were added to the list of casualties!
"Only one left..."
Aster whispered as he turned to the last enemy, the goblin chief that Kali was facing. But as soon as he got a good look, he wondered if they even needed to provide help.
Kali's movements were so fast that the goblin chief could only hit empty air with his giant wooden club. On the other hand, her daggers were adding more and more wounds to the monster's body, gradually sapping its energy.
The fight was already as good as over!