"Kraaaaa!"
"Kiiiieeekkkk!"
The Goblins kept screeching in agony as the sharp net tore through their skin the more they struggled.
They were dumb monsters, and probably the weakest of what the dream world could offer, but they weren't as weak as they seemed to be.
*Crack*
Soon, Alex heard a crisp sound of cracking from the net, making him squint his eyes.
'This is unexpected.'
He frowned as he could feel his weapon cracking already, but he didn't seem very panicked because he knew that even if the net were to break, it could just mend itself.
His weapon had an auto-mending ability. No matter how many pieces it broke into, it could just get attached.
'Alex, be aware that the monsters are supposed to be challenging for you, so even if you are stronger than a normal just-awakened person, the creatures would be the same.'
It was then that Sophie's words echoed through his head, making him realize why this was happening.
The sword was ranked at start formation level one star, the same as his power level, as he was a star formation level mage and knight with one star formed. The goblins in front of him were probably the same, and with all of them attacking his weapon, it's cracking was not uncalled for.
But this was just something that came in unexpectedly for Alex, it didn't make him concerned about his victory. The weapon was never his main weapon in this battle, he was still not used to the mana abilities of his weapon, so he had wanted to play safe.
And just when he needed it the most, he got an ability that let him win a fight even without physically engaging with his enemies.
'Let's see how strong this ability is...'
Alex mused as he raised his palm, as if preparing for something, and the goblins for some reason stopped struggling at that exact moment, making Alex frown, but the next second...
*Woosh*
He heard the sound of something moving toward him at a very fast pace, making his eyes go wide as he ducked without a second thought, rolling forward as that was the only place he could feel safe.
*Baam*
In the next instant, as Alex's eyes snapped sharply toward the attacker, a loud baam was heard, making some debris fly about as a wooden club hit the floor of the cave.
"GRAAAAAAA!!"
The sunlight that filtered from the crevices in the cave focused on the monstrosity that attacked Alex, and as he saw the creature, Alex couldn't help but tense up.
It was a monster with a height of 1.76 meters, much larger than the goblins that usually range from 1.2 to 1.3 meters in height.
The creature was just a larger version of a goblin with more defined muscles and a tummy that made it seem pregnant for 8 months. That thing looked uglier due to its features being more defined, and the clothes it wore were just enough to cover its neither region, not at all covering its hideous features.
"What is this thing?"
Alex couldn't help but growl under his breath, only to see a new series of text floating above the monster's head.
[Hobgoblin. Star Formation—✴(Peak).]
That was all it said, but just with that, Alex knew that this beast was not something he could just test his theories on.
It was a beast with one-star peak power, higher than Alex's, and from the looks of it, the beast looked like the boss monster of this dungeon.
'Thank you, love.'
Alex, on the other hand, thanked Sophie mentally, knowing full well that it was probably her doing that he could see the name of the monster.
Sophie was trying to help him—something he didn't want her to do—but he got where she was coming from. He wouldn't even let her fight a battle where she might have a chance of getting injured, much less stay back and watch.
Her love for him was just as much as he loved her, so just the fact that she wasn't making a major move was enough for him.
[Be careful, Alex. That beast can command the other goblins!]
The next moment, however, Alex heard Sophie's voice in his head, and unlike what he had hoped to receive—a love-filled reply—her words were filled with warning and concern, making Alex's instincts kick in right in time to roll to the side...
*Rustle*
*Clang**Clank**Tink*...
The moment he did that, the sound of metal crashing against the cave's floor was heard, and Alex, with his eyes squinted, saw how the goblins, still trapped within the net had thrown their weapons at him.
He could already see the green gooey stuff on their weapon so he was well aware of how dangerous even a single scratch from those weapons could be, but right now was not the time to think about it.
This moment was the exact moment where he had the chance to eliminate all of the goblins inside the net as they didn't have their weapons protecting them from being completely sliced.
"GRAAAAAAA!"
He could already see the hobgoblin rushing toward him with its yellow eyes filled with killing intent, wanting to kill him now that he was some distance away from his weapon. The hobgoblin's intentions were probably that, but the creature was underestimating Alex a bit too much.
'Here goes nothing.'
With a deep breath, Alex cleared his mind, closing his eyes, imagining himself in a plain grassy field with no monster rushing at him and no annoying screeches in the background.
All he imagined in that place was him, the air, and a boulder. The next second, he clenched his fist hard, and as soon as he did that...
*Boom*
The boulder shattered, making Alex open his eyes, only to see the goblins sliced into pieces of disgusting green meat with puss-like green blood polled around it and the hobgoblin frozen in its spot.
"Grrrr..."
It struggled to break free grunting as it found it hard to take a single step, its eyes, however, remained fixed on Alex, glaring at him as drool dropped from the corner of its lips but Alex, knowing full well that he didn't have much time rushed toward the net soaked in the disgusting blood of the goblins.
*Tap**Tap*...
His steps echoed through the cave, making veins pop up on the hobgoblin's head as it roared in frenzy.
"GRAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!"
Its body felt heavy, but it clenched its club harder, almost making it crush before it turned toward Alex, wanting to throw the meter-long club at Alex, but the moment it turned...
*Swish*
The beast's eyes caught sight of a line made of stars, blinking in front of its eyes, as one end of the line was somehow attached to its neck, causing it to frown.
"Grr?"
It tried to touch the star with its hand, but the moment he did, he saw an ink-black blade, cutting right through its hand which was trying to touch the line, and even before it could scream in pain, it found its world turned upside down.
The last thing it saw was Alex, with his sword held in one hand, standing back-to-back with its headless body before its world darkened, coldness embracing its consciousness.