Tootling was overconfident as he charged forward, the quest was for a level 5 player, but bringing 5 level one players wasn't going to make up for it.
Ray also had no idea what level the rest of the group was, only their player names were visible, nothing else.
In the group, he already knew who the healer was, and they had another knight, making two knights in total, plus an archer.
It was a balanced party with two frontline fighters, two ranged, and one healer. From the way they interacted, it was clear they were friends in the real world. Three of them were boys, and one was a girl.
The group walked for a while, with Ray staying a bit behind. He kept looking around at the trees, the tall grasses, and the surroundings.
This wasn't his first VR game, but the attention to detail in this world was impressive. The rustling of the wind, the way the sunlight filtered through the trees—it all felt so real.
After a while, the group stopped.
Ray looked ahead, spotting a small clearing up ahead. He could see a few goblins lurking, their green skin and jagged teeth standing out in the sunlight. They were crouching low, watching the group.
[Goblin]
[Level 1]
Ray couldn't wait to experience a battle for the first time, most of the goblins were level 1 but some of them were level 2.
Tootling drew his sword, grinning. "Alright, let's get this over with. Stay close!"
The healer, a girl named Lyra1, moved to the back, preparing her healing spells. The archer, a player named Dart, nocked an arrow, aiming it at one of the goblins. The two knights stepped forward, shields raised.
Without warning, Tootling charged, yelling as he swung his sword. The first goblin blocked with a crude wooden shield, but the strike still sent it stumbling back.
Ray watched closely, calculating. The goblins might be weak individually, but there were enough of them to cause trouble if they weren't careful.
He wasn't a frontliner so his job was to support from afar but he was definitely going to get in on the action.
"Fireball!" Ray muttered under his breath, his hands glowing with magic as he picked out a target.
He raised his hand and fired a quick shot of flame at one of the goblins, catching it in the side. The goblin screeched, falling to the ground, and the others snarled, charging in.
Lyra quickly cast a healing spell, sending a wave of light over Tootling, who was taking the brunt of the damage. Dart loosed another arrow, striking a goblin in the eye.
Ray felt a rush of excitement. This was the real deal. Even though the goblins were weak, the adrenaline of the battle made everything feel more intense.
He fired another Fireball, this time hitting a goblin in the chest, and it collapsed with a puff of smoke.
The battle was chaotic, but it was clear the group was working well together, covering each other's backs.
Ray was content to hang back, letting the knights take the brunt of the fighting while he provided support from a distance. It wasn't exactly the kind of playstyle he enjoyed but he was just starting out.
The goblins were getting more aggressive now. With Ray's Fireball taking one more down, the remaining goblins charged forward, bellowing their guttural war cries.
Tootling, the knight at the front, raised his shield and braced for impact as the first goblin lunged at him, its rusty dagger slashing through the air. With a heavy grunt, Tootling deflected the blow with his shield and swung his sword in a broad arc, aiming for the goblin's side.
The blade connected with a sickening thud, and the goblin was knocked back, rolling on the ground before scrambling to its feet again. The goblin's screech echoed through the clearing as it quickly regained its posture, but the damage was done. It was wounded, staggered, and vulnerable.
Behind Tootling, Lyra, the healer, kept her focus on the front line, hands raised, preparing a healing spell. A soft blue light wrapped around Tootling's body, mending his wounds as he squared off against the next goblin charging him.
"Thanks, Lyra," Tootling called out, barely taking his eyes off the goblin.
On the other side of the clearing, Dart, the archer, was already nocking another arrow, his fingers precise and steady.
He aimed a goblin approaching from the left, pulling the string taut. His bowstring snapped, releasing the arrow with good accuracy. The arrow flew straight, lodging itself deep into the goblin's chest, he was aiming for the head but this had to do.
The goblin let out a strangled cry before crumpling to the ground in a heap.
Ray watched the group's movement, almost all the goblins were focused on the knights in front.
He could tell they were not much of a threat individually, but the group had to stay sharp.
He quickly assessed the situation, his mind ticking as he calculated his next move, killing beasts was the best way to gain experience, but they also had group experience which resulted in being in a guild.
Anyone can create a guild but not every guild gets to be registered.
The two knights were keeping most of the goblins focused on them, while Dart provided support from range, and Lyra ensured the group stayed in fighting shape with her healing.
But there were still several goblins left, and they were starting to encircle them. One of the goblins break away, aiming straight for Lyra.
The healer was focused on casting a healing spell on Tootling, her back turned to the attacking goblin.
Without hesitation, Ray raised his hand and dashed towards the goblin as he cast another Fireball. The flame flew toward the goblin that was about to strike Lyra.
It collided with the creature, engulfing it in flames. The goblin shrieked, flailing as it was consumed by the fire, falling to the ground.
Lyra spun around in shock, her eyes wide, but she quickly saw the goblin had been eliminated.
"Thanks, Raze!" she called out.
Ray nodded, focusing again on the fight. The battle raged on. Tootling and the other knight were keeping the remaining goblins at bay, their swords flashing with each swing.
One of the knights slashed through another goblin's defense, cleaving it in half with a clean strike.
"That's the last of them," Dart called, lowering his bow and looking around.
Ray took a deep breath, his heart still racing with adrenaline. The goblins weren't the strongest opponents, but the group worked together well to defeat them.
Tootling grinned as he looked around; the dead bodies of the goblins were starting to disintegrate and turn into pixies, leaving behind their crude weapons and beast crystals, along with their ears.
"Not bad, Raze! You've got some serious firepower. That was a clean hit"
Ray smirked but didn't say anything.
"Let's head back to the village after collecting the crystal, we've got our loot to collect." Tootling spoke as he bent down to pick the first crystal. A whistling sound was heard, and an arrow was sticking out of Tootling head.