"Is that all of them?" Chloe asked as the group convened after clearing all the bodies. They noticed that even just touching the pale monsters was enough to make some disintegrate.
"That's all of them from this area... but I think there are more," Logan said, pointing to the fox who was still actively looking for monsters, her ears constantly twitching and her nose sniffing around.
"Well, the strange goblins were fast, but they weren't too hard to deal with. Tell the fox to lead us to them after everyone's ready," Chloe ordered, taking out a mana potion while the others did the same.
Logan, who had not used any skills and didn't need to drink a potion, had the time to think. He wondered if he should continue as such. Both Chloe and Kai seemed strong enough for the mission ahead, and Rubina did not look too worried.
He noticed that during the small skirmish, he had gained three whole levels. His Falcon had done most of the killing, while his fox had helped Kai deal the final blow to three blue goblins, gaining two levels as well.
"I'm ready," Rubina said. She stood beside Logan, her expression revealing her hesitation in joining in on the fight. Despite her apprehension, she did not mention wanting to leave the team.
"Alright Logan, we should follow you this time, I shall take rearguard for now. Let's go!" Kai suggested, the others nodded, and the team began to follow the fox.
[Master, I kill, wait] his falcon sent a message. It flew a good half kilometer in front of the others, and as it rushed through, the sound of trees falling and squeals, like those of pigs, echoed through the forest.
Logan's mind was flooded with a few pings as the invigorating feeling of leveling up surged through his body. He almost yelled out from the intoxicating sensation of gaining two levels almost at once.
"Are you alright, Logan?" Rubina questioned. The boy seemed to experience something that would normally never happen with the world's inhabitants.
Logan shook off the sensation, taking a deep breath. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just... felt a rush from leveling up so quickly. It's not something I'm used to."
"He's probably experiencing a power high," Chloe remarked, examining Logan's state. "It's something that happens in war, but it usually takes someone killing a few hundred enemies at once. It's weird, but heroes seem to gain faster experience from monster kills than we do."
"I did hear some of the other heroes get a little addicted to the feeling. One of them is even entering monster fights in the afternoon…in town," Kai mentioned.
"Kai, aren't you supposed to arrest those who enter those fights? Your family is basically in charge of patrolling the town," Chloe responded, raising an eyebrow.
"What are those crazy guys doing?" Logan mumble to himself, curious about the activities of the other heroes.
Kai sighed, shaking his head. "Well they're heroes and they're not exactly… doing something the kingdom cares for unless one of them gets seriously hurt. Some are even getting into paid street fights, thinking it's just another way to train."
Rubina frowned. "That's reckless."
While following the fox, they used simple skills to cause any leftover bodies to disintegrate. Soon, they reached a large dwelling of sorts. The area was covered with mud, sticks, and leaves, with an opening that looked like a rabbit's burrow.
"That is clearly where the goblins live" Kai remarked with disgust.
"Ugh, what is that smell?" Rubina yelled out, covering her face with her hand.
Logan didn't want to look around. The place was dirty to the brim with excrement, and he was reluctant to take another step, even as the fox pointed towards the entrance of the dwelling.
"Let me try something then. It seems we have no choice but to enter," Chloe said. She began to form small balls of dirt and gave Rubina a command. "Torch the ground, I will cover the remains with dirt," she ordered, while also covering her mouth with her hand.
"Wait, let me do this," Logan said, sending his tamed fire beast to do the cleanup work. It only took a few moments for the salamander to unleash a torrent of flames, scorching the ground and burning away the filth. The acrid smell of burning excrement filled the air, but it was a necessary step to clear the path.
As the flames died down, Chloe quickly released her dirt bombs which prevented fire from continuing, muting the smell and leaving a cleaner path.
"Much better. Now, let's proceed with caution," she said, signaling the group to move forward.
The fox led the way, its senses on high alert, as they were about to enter the goblins' dwelling. The dark, narrow entrance opened into a larger chamber, filled with more of the pale, blue goblins who came to inspect the noise outside the cave.
The team prepared themselves for another fight, knowing they needed to be thorough and efficient.
[Scorch, burn them all!] Logan commanded. The salamander unleashed another wave of flames, the fire roaring as it consumed the goblins and their surroundings. The team watched as the inferno cleared the entrance, leaving only charred remnants in its wake.
"Calm down, Logan. We should be careful," Chloe advised. "Kai, how about you make yourself useful and enlarge the entrance?"
"Sure thing!" Kai nodded, stepping forward. He raised his hands and began using his earth manipulation skills to widen the entrance, making it easier for the group to move through.
"There doesn't seem to be any more guarding the entrance, so let's proceed with care," Chloe said, her eyes scanning the area for any hidden threats. "Also, tell your falcon to keep a watch outside."
"Alright, let's get going," Logan said. His fox was already running inside the hole.
As the team cautiously advanced, they found themselves in a dark tunnel that seemed to wind deeper underground. The air was thick with a musty scent that made everyone falter with each step.
Being prepared, they took out various types of tools that produced light. As for Logan, his salamander did the perfect job, its scales emitting a bright radiance. The only problem was the slight heat it emitted, which was bearable in the cold underground environment.
"This is very strange," Chloe finally spoke after the team had been walking for two minutes. "The cave is getting bigger; it seems it's not just a normal goblin dwelling but the work of another creature."
Kai nodded, his eyes scanning the expanding tunnel. "I'd say it's the work of some larger earthen mole colonies. That would explain the great ventilation system—they create a few ventilation shafts to produce a constant clean airflow."
The team continued cautiously, after a few more minutes the path began to split, the only one that kept them on track was the small fox who killed off any lone goblins who would get near the team.
"That fox is pretty smart. Are you sure you're not commanding it?" Rubina chuckled softly, trying to keep her nerves in check.
"You should know the monsters of this better than me," Logan responded with complicated feelings. He knew that her creator Ferra could speak perfectly, so he wondered just when Luna would do the same.
"Silence, I hear many squeals up ahead. By the sound of things, there are more than ten goblins," Chloe whispered urgently.
The group immediately fell quiet, their senses heightened as they prepared for the imminent encounter. Luna moved ahead cautiously, its ears twitching at every sound.
As they got to a room of sorts where all the noise was coming from, the sounds became clearer. The squeals and chatter of goblins echoed through the tunnel, growing louder with each step.
Kai signaled for the group to stop and whispered, "Get ready. It sounds like there's a whole nest of them up ahead."
Chloe nodded, her grip tightening on her weapon. "We need to be strategic. Let's take them by surprise."
The team readied themselves for the fight, knowing that they had to move swiftly and decisively.
Before entering, they checked what the commotion was about. The room was actually a large dome-shaped area where various green and some blue goblins seemed to be arguing.
Unlike the others they had met, there were six blue, pale goblins who seemed to have a sense of self, not mindless and wild like the they had met before. They were protecting a blue-skinned, robed goblin who was a little taller than the rest, with a more intelligent appearance.
"A hobgoblin, that is rare," Chloe whispered, her eyes widening in surprise. "And a goblin matriarch to boot." She pointed to a corner in the room where a much larger green goblin lay, guarded by a dozen goblins with primitive weapons.
Logan noticed the hobgoblin had a staff. One of the guards suddenly picked up a short green goblin and pulled it towards the blue hobgoblin. The hobgoblin began casting some sort of spell that made the green goblin convulse. Next, she grabbed a small jewel and placed it on the green goblin's forehead, making the stone glow blue.
"What is it doing…" Rubina murmured, watching the grotesque scene.
The small green goblin's veins bulged as its body began to turn blue, pulsing with power a few times. Whatever the hobgoblin was trying to do seemed to end in failure, as the goblin's head suddenly exploded.
The green goblins who were cornered seemed frightened by the display of one of their brethren being killed. They huddled together, their eyes wide with fear, as the hobgoblin continued its ritual.
"As much as I hate those little imps… this is just cruel," Rubina murmured, her voice filled with a mix of anger and sadness.
Chloe's eyes hardened. "We can't let this continue. We need to stop that hobgoblin and protect those green goblins from further harm."