Luther, adrenaline coursing through his veins, ventured deeper into the forest, his breathing steady and his senses razor-sharp. The towering trees and dense foliage made visibility difficult, but he pressed on undeterred. With a dagger in each hand, he moved like a predator in his domain, prepared for whatever the forest had in store.
It wasn't long before he spotted his first target: a small goblin rummaging through a pile of fallen branches. Without hesitation, Luther crept up behind it and, with a swift and precise motion, slit its throat. The creature let out a faint whimper before collapsing to the ground, lifeless. Luther quickly crouched, searching for the magic stone within its body.
But a low growl made him freeze. Looking up, he saw a group of five goblins staring at him with rage-filled eyes, their yellowed teeth bared. One of them, wielding a makeshift spear, screeched and pointed at Luther, signaling him as their next victim.
"Come on, free points," Luther taunted with a laugh.
Before the goblins could react, Luther hurled one of his daggers straight into the head of one of them. The blade sank in with a dull thud, and the goblin fell backward, dead instantly. The remaining four paused briefly in shock, but their anger reignited, and they charged at him with renewed fury.
Luther dashed toward them, deftly sidestepping a clumsy swing from one of the goblins and using the momentum to leap. Both feet slammed into another goblin's head, knocking it to the ground. He landed on top of it but felt movement behind him. Instinctively, he rolled to the side, just in time to see another goblin stab its fallen comrade in an attempt to hit Luther.
"Not the sharpest tools in the shed, are you?" Luther thought, taking advantage of their confusion to rise and drive his dagger into the throat of the attacking goblin, silencing it for good. Now there were only two left.
The remaining goblins exchanged a nervous glance before charging simultaneously, their shrill cries echoing through the forest. They attacked from both sides, attempting to corner Luther. Moving quickly, he dodged their clumsy strikes, retreating while studying their movements. They were uncoordinated, but their combined aggression made their assault harder to predict.
Luther countered, slashing one of them across the arm before spinning to land a shallow cut on the other. Though the wounds weren't severe, they were enough to slow them down and frustrate them further. Seizing the opportunity, Luther ducked and spun low, sweeping his leg to knock both goblins to the ground.
Without hesitation, he plunged his dagger into the chest of one, feeling the resistance of flesh give way to steel. The goblin let out a final screech before falling silent. The last goblin, now desperate, scrambled to its feet and charged at Luther with a guttural roar.
Luther wasn't in the mood for games. In one fluid motion, he yanked the dagger lodged in the first goblin's head and flung it at the charging enemy. The blade flew straight and true, piercing the goblin's skull and dropping it instantly. The creature's body hit the ground with a dull thump.
Breathing heavily, Luther surveyed the scene, his adrenaline still pumping. The danger was gone. He methodically began collecting the magic stones from the goblins, ensuring he left nothing behind.
"This brings back memories," he muttered to himself, wiping his daggers clean on the grass.
With bloodied daggers and a pouch full of magic stones, Luther moved cautiously toward the sound of a commotion. Every muscle in his body was tense, ready to react. As he approached, he saw a scene that demanded immediate action: a fellow summoned woman, visibly exhausted, was surrounded by a group of goblins attacking her relentlessly.
Without a second thought, Luther sprinted toward the fray. His footsteps were swift and silent, and before the goblins realized his presence, he was upon them. His first dagger struck one of the attackers in the neck, and before the others could react, Luther spun and slashed another across the chest. The remaining goblins tried to counter, but their clumsiness gave Luther the upper hand, allowing him to dispatch them within seconds. As the last goblin fell, the woman looked up at him, panting heavily.
"Thank you… thank you so much," she gasped, struggling to catch her breath. "If it weren't for you…"
Luther raised a hand to gently cut her off. "Don't mention it. But you need to be more careful. What are you doing out here alone?" he asked, quickly scanning the area to ensure no additional threats were nearby.
"I was looking for stronger monsters… to get more magic stones," she explained, still trying to steady her breathing. "But there were too many of them."
Luther nodded, sheathing his daggers. "Alright. Then you'd better watch yourself from now on."
Before she could respond, her expression shifted. Her eyes widened with panic, and she began speaking hurriedly. "You need to be careful too. I was being chased by a—"
A massive crash interrupted her warning. Both turned toward the sound, just as the ground beneath their feet began to shake. Trees toppled one by one, as if a colossal force was tearing through the forest. Each step of the approaching entity sent tremors through the earth.
Luther's grip tightened on his daggers, his gaze fixed on the direction of the noise. "What the hell is that?" he muttered, though he already knew the answer wouldn't be pleasant.
From the line of fallen trees emerged the source of the chaos: a giant orc, at least four meters tall. Its blue skin glistened under the faint light filtering through the canopy. The grotesque creature was bald, with massive tusks jutting from its lower jaw and eyes that appeared slightly crossed, adding an unsettling edge to its monstrous presence. Resting on its shoulder was a massive wooden club, as large as a small tree.
The woman, visibly trembling, took a step back. "That's… the one chasing me…"
Luther didn't take his eyes off the orc, which was glaring at them with a mix of fury and hunger. "Can you fight?" he asked quickly, keeping his stance defensive.
She swallowed hard and nodded slowly. "I'll try."
"Good," Luther replied, adjusting his posture as the orc let out an earth-shaking roar that reverberated through the forest. The creature raised its massive club with both hands, preparing to strike.
Luther tightened his grip on his daggers, his mind racing to formulate a strategy. "Stay calm," he told the woman. "I'll distract it. When you see an opening, attack."