Of course, milio didn't know about Reibar's secret and she just couldn't process what had he done... thrusting the sword at his comrade? Were all those past months of being together just an act? Was this all ambush a set-up by him? Her cat ears shivered out of this thought and she lost that last ounce of strength that was making her stand in front of those goblins just left her body as she hugged the ground getting unconscious.
On the other hand, reibar had broken a promise to himself that night that he wouldn't be using this curse of the ability again under any situation.....
'it is not the time to think of this matter' reibar threw out all those thoughts and focused on the goblins in front of him. he could feel the strength of a knight in his body, and the sword...it was like he had known this sword from years. He never felt this strong in his life.
Eric was a D-rank adventurer after all, the son of the lord of willowfield, the city where Reibar's journey of being an adventurer started a few months back. Whereas, killing some lowly E-ranked goblins should not be a problem with his skill or so reibar thought.
The cool night air clung to Reibar's skin as he stood, bloodied sword drawn, under the pale moonlight. Around him, the wreckage of abandoned tents and the rustling fields painted a haunting scene. Fifteen goblins closed in, their wicked grins glinting as much as their crude daggers. Nearby, Milio lay still, her breath shallow, unconscious but alive.
Reibar's grip on his blade tightened. He could feel the raw power coursing through him—new strength sharpened senses, and an instinct for battle. But it wasn't just power that filled him. It was the weight of responsibility. If he failed, Milio would not survive the night.
The goblins cackled, their voices sharp and grating. One lunged, dagger raised high. Reibar shifted, faster than he'd thought possible, and brought his sword up in a clean arc. The goblin's attack was cut short as it fell, lifeless, to the ground. Blood splattered the dirt, and the other goblins snarled in rage.
Two more rushed at him from opposite sides. Reibar spun, his blade flashing in the moonlight. He caught one goblin in the chest, sending it sprawling, but the second slipped under his guard, slashing at his side. Pain seared through him, and he gritted his teeth, stepping back to steady himself. Warm blood soaked his shirt, but he couldn't afford to falter.
He glanced at Milio. The boy hadn't moved. Reibar turned his focus back to the fight. There was no running, no retreat. He had to stand his ground.
The goblins pressed their advantage, circling like wolves. One leapt at him, a dagger aimed for his throat. Reibar ducked, his sword cutting upward in a deadly stroke. Another goblin fell, its scream cut short. A third goblin darted in, slashing wildly, but Reibar sidestepped and drove his blade through its chest. The creature gasped, clawing at him before collapsing.
More blood stained the ground, but the goblins didn't stop. They were smaller than him, weaker, but they were relentless. For everyone he cut down, another two seemed to step forward, their daggers gleaming with murderous intent.
Reibar's breath came fast and shallow. His side burned from the wound, but he fought on, each movement fueled by determination. He slashed and parried, his blade a blur. Two more goblins fell, their bodies hitting the ground with dull thuds. He sidestepped another attack, and then drove his sword into a goblin's back, ending its life.
That left eight.
But Reibar's strength was fading. His body screamed for rest, yet he refused to stop. One goblin darted forward, slashing at his arm. He blocked the attack, but the motion cost him. Another goblin lunged from the side, its dagger carving into his thigh. He cried out, stumbling but catching himself before he fell.
The goblins saw their chance. They rushed him all at once, daggers glinting. Reibar roared a mix of pain and fury and swung his sword in a wide arc. Three goblins fell in one sweep, their bodies crumpling like broken dolls. Another lunged at him, but he brought his sword down, splitting the creature's skull.
The remaining five hesitated, their confidence shaken. Reibar stood before them, bloodied but unbroken, his chest rising and falling with laboured breaths. His sword dripped with the lifeblood of their kin, and his eyes burned with defiance.
One goblin stepped forward, only to stop when Reibar raised his sword. It looked at its comrades, then back at him. Fear flickered across its face. Without a word, it turned and fled into the forest. The others followed, their shrieks fading into the night.
Reibar waited, sword still raised until the forest fell silent once more. Then he dropped to one knee, exhaustion crashing over him. His side and leg throbbed with pain, and his hand trembled as he wiped the blood from his blade.
But Milio was safe. That was all that mattered.
Reibar crawled to his friend's side, checking his pulse. Still steady. Relief washed over him, though his wounds screamed for attention. He tore a strip from his tunic, pressing it to the gash on his side to staunch the bleeding. The fight was over, but the night was far from done. He had to get Milio to safety before more threats arrived.
As he stood, wobbling slightly, he cast one last glance at the moonlit battlefield. The goblins' bodies lay scattered, their daggers glinting in the pale light. Reibar clenched his jaw, gripping his sword tightly. He had survived the night, but he knew this was only the beginning. This day he lost a dear friend of his and to top over the guilt he was the one who killed him.
He couldn't care much about his injuries right now, the night was far from over. Few of them had escaped which could mean there was a high chance of them bringing reinforcement with them.
He stood up and tore the piece of clothes covering his and Milio's wounds. Milio looked so calm right now but he knew he had to answer a lot of things when she woke up and didn't know whether he could look her in the eyes after she witnessed what he did.
He wanted to arrange a proper burial for Eric but the time was not giving him any leverage. He had to make Milio safe. Lisana was still nowhere to be seen, it was like she just vanished, The only thing reibar could do was hope that wherever she was, she was ok.
He lifted Milio on his back and started moving towards the house of Mr. Oolong. There were woods all across and he needed to alarm him of the dangers lurking around. But on second thought he stopped. What if Mr Oolong was involved in all of this?
It was the first time he was put under so much pressure that he was just unable to think straight.
'whatever, I will see through it' he thought and started moving again.
As Reibar reached the back of the house, he crouched low, hiding behind a stack of broken barrels. He laid Milio gently on the ground, his ears straining to catch any sound from inside. The old wooden walls were thin, and voices carried easily. On top of that reibar got the hearing sensitivity of a certain husky.
At first, he only heard Mr. Oolong's familiar grumbling, but then a second voice—a woman's voice—cut through the stillness. Reibar's blood ran cold. It was Lisanna.
Her words were sharp and commanding, a tone he had never heard from her before. "It had to be done," she said. "Eric was a threat, and now he's gone. The goblins served their purpose."
Reibar's stomach churned. Eric. The name hit him like a blade to the chest. He'd been forced to end Eric's life during their last skirmish, believing it a tragic accident of battle. But now... had it all been a setup?
"What about the lord?" Mr. Oolong asked, his voice trembling. "Killing Eric was one thing, but his father? That's... that's madness."
Lisanna's response was icy. "Madness? No, it's justice. The lord's time is over. Once he's gone, Willowfield will belong to those who deserve it. Eric was just the first step."
Reibar Squeezed his hands, his knuckles white around the hilt of his sword. Lisanna, one of his trusted companions, had organized this entire nightmare. She'd left the safety of the tent during the goblin attack, not out of fear or to ask for help, but to put her plan into motion. The goblins hadn't ambushed them randomly—they had been following her orders all along.
He fought to keep his breathing steady, his sharp hearing catching every word. Mr. Oolong, it seemed, was hesitant. "Lisanna," he said, "this... this is dangerous. If anyone finds out—"
"No one will find out," she snapped. "Eric's dead, and so would be that good for nothing DOG reibar by now he cant even lift a sword by himself And Milio? her brain is as small as her chest .The lord will fall soon after. Everything is going according to plan."
Reibar's jaw tightened. The weight of the truth bore down on him. Lisanna's betrayal cut deeper than any blade. Eric had been the son of the Lord of Willowfield, the sole heir to the town's leadership. His death wasn't just a tragedy; it was a calculated move in a dangerous game. But why? What drove Lisanna to such lengths?
The urge to storm inside burned within him, but he knew he couldn't. He was injured, Milio was defenseless, and Lisanna wasn't alone. He needed to think, to plan his next move. For now, he had the advantage of knowing the truth, even if the reasons behind Lisanna's betrayal remained a mystery.
Quietly, he lifted Milio onto his back once more. The girl stirred slightly but didn't wake. Reibar turned and slipped into the shadows, retreating into the night. The betrayal had shaken him, but it hadn't broken him. Lisanna might have fooled everyone else, but not him—not anymore.
As he disappeared into the darkness, one thing was clear: he couldn't trust anyone, not even those he once called his closest allies.