[Hidden Quest accepted]

[Find Vivian.]

[Reward, unknown]

That's it?Eldrian asked, confused at how little information the system was giving him. Normally the quest log told him what was needed and what would lead to a failure. This one did nothing close to that.

Is it because it is a hidden quest? Eldrian pondered over this while subconsciously following the rest of the group. Deep in thought, wondering what a hidden quest even was in this game. This was the first time he had ever heard of it.

"You better start focusing, what direction are we even heading?" Terlas asked, his bow ready in hand.

"What?" Eldrian looked up finding that they had just left the division and started setting off on their own.

Eldrian took a few seconds to understand just how long he had been in his own thoughts. After which he called up his map and determined the direction they needed to go. The group following his directions without question.

All questions which could have been asked had been asked. Everyone in the group knew that needless doubt would just make everything more difficult.

The start of this quest went smoothly. The NPCs easily managing to deal with any monsters they encountered. Eldrian would often not be able to even follow what was going on.

"Group of 9." Andreas whispered as they approached an area with some monsters. Eldrian had no idea how Andreas knew about them, he completely failed to see anything.

The entire area they were in now was grassless and trees were scarce. Eldrian had no idea where monsters could be hiding.

"Right, this should be quick." Terlas joked as he pulled back his bow's string, letting loose an arrow. Followed by another and Cadriel also letting loose.

Eldrian still failed to even see anything, but suddenly he heard a cry of pain as the dirt seemingly stood up. As it did this dirt creature received another arrow, causing it to fall right back down.

The creatures did not even manage to charge them, all dying as soon as they started standing up.

"Goblins!" Sabrea spat this in disdain, revulsion clear in her eyes and voice.

That was goblins? But they were normal-sized... Eldrian did not quite understand, the creatures were easily his height. He felt goblins were supposed to be small, waist height at max.

Later on, they encountered an even larger group of almost 30 goblins, but even this was easily dealt with. Cadriel and Terlas, the archers, would focus on those who were faster than most or split from the main group. While Evapius would let loose a rain of fire into the group, Sabrea going through after to kill all the burning goblins that were still alive.

Eldrian quickly started thinking that the quest was going to be really easy. This group of NPCs were all really good, so good in fact that Eldrian even had time to feel cheated of XP. He wasn't able to join the fight and as a result got no XP for kills.

They continued to move, never even bothering to loot the dead goblins. Mostly due to them unlikely having good items, but also because the commotion likely attracted the attention of other monsters.

In such a manner they continued to move, talking very little. Other than coordinating.

With the little talking they did do, Eldrian did manage to get the gist of what type of people a few of the NPCs were. Evapius was very hot-tempered and easy to anger, much like the magic he used.

Andreas was silent, just like when he escorted Eldrian. Floyd was talkative and constantly being shushed by the others.

The only person Eldrian really connected to was Sabrea, which was weird. He generally struggled to simply talk to girls, but he somehow found it easy to talk to Sabrea.

It was through her that Eldrian learned a bit more about the monsters they faced after each fight. He also learned that they were likely going to face stronger and stronger monsters as they continued to travel.

The army was actually following a path often used by merchants, meaning it was one of the safer areas in these lands.

Eldrian quickly confirmed her suspicion, the goblins had all been Tier 1 before. But as they continued, more and more would be Tier 2. Causing the fights to slowly last longer and longer.

In the last fight there had been three different types of goblins. Normal goblins were small, childlike creatures. Easy to deal with, Eldrian even found that they had less HP than level 1 Tier 0 players, almost half what players would have at the start.

Following the normal goblins were hobgoblins, much larger and stronger. But only to the extent of being comparable to normal humans.

It was the last type which had been giving the group trouble. Goblin knights, resembling orcs more than goblins or humans. These goblins often looked like well-toned men, their muscles the envy of most.But their green skin and general lack of hygiene almost managed to hide their fit bodies. Giving people a weird impression when looking at these goblins.

It was like seeing a bodybuilder who had spent months without bathing. Giving them a real barbaric look, which actually worked well with their lack of clothing.

...

"Shaman!" Floyd shouted as he cast a healing spell onto Sabrea who was holding back five goblin knights.

Andreas was weaving through the horde of goblins while Terlas and Cadriel constantly let loose arrows. Their quivers already half empty, which was insane since their quivers could hold over three hundred arrows.

Evapius and the shaman were in a fight of wills, both stopping the other from casting any offensive magic. Waiting for the right time when the other let slip.

Looking around Eldrian could feel that their situation was not good. They had landed here because of avoiding a fight. They had first seen a group of a hundred goblins and tried to avoid them. But the shaman had seemingly spotted them and directed the goblins to follow them from behind.

Later on the group had found themselves surrounded on all four sides by nearly a thousand goblins.

"Fucking hell, how can a shaman be here!" Evapius bellowed, sweat dripping off his head. It was well known to all NPCs that shamans were as rare as actual mages. It did not make sense for one to be here with such a weak group of goblins.

Eldrian had no idea what Evapius was doing, his battle against the shaman had been mostly flashless. Which was very unlike Evapius. But he could see the concentration on Evapius's face, causing Eldrian to wonder just how strong this shaman was. Tier 5?

Eldrian made sure to not think too much keeping an eye out for any goblins trying to get past Sabrea.

No you don't! Eldrian shouted internally as he charged a goblin which was trying to get past her. She was unable to stop it as the 5 goblin knights kept her pinned, they were even slightly winning against her.

The goblin did not even react in time as Eldrian's spear pierced through its eye, straight through its head. But Eldrian did not feel happy after seeing the XP, a group of goblins was charging them. Meaning that what Evapius and Andreas had done right at the start of all this had failed to work.

Knowing that standing and watching would do nothing Eldrian directly charged the group. He did not want to find himself blocked by teammates, needing space to fully use his spear. Luckily for him goblins were not strong monster type, allowing him actually fight against many. For once.

"Haru no!" Sabrea shouted, causing her to get another wound. She did not care as she tried to break through from the goblin knights. Old Sword's words ringing in her ear, that if Eldrian died, then the mission would be a failure.

Floyd cursed as he found Sabrea's distraction allowed a goblin knight to break past her. Luckily Terlas quickly intervened and stopped it from reaching Evapius.

"Get her to focus. We can't do the mission if we all die!" Terlas shouted as he blocked the goblin knight's greatsword with his dagger. Trying to end it quickly with his other, but the goblin's vitality was more than he expected, causing him to lose his other dagger inside its side. "Fuck!"

Eldrian was so focused on his task that he missed what his action had caused, not having expected Sabrea would want to protect him.

Charging Eldrian made sure to not get surrounded by the group of twenty plus goblins who were charging the group.

Eldrian knew that his spear would give him a large advantage against the goblins if he could manage to not get overrun. As such he made sure to keep to the edge of the group, thrusting his spear into them all without even aiming also not stopping his movement.

As Eldrian pulled back his spear he felt it was unnaturally heavy, looking to the spear tip Eldrian found that a dying goblin was desperately clutching onto his spear. Dragging itself into the spear as it tried to reach Eldrian. Blood dripping down and quickly forming a puddle under Eldrian's spear's blade.

The sight of the goblin dragging itself further on his spear freak Eldrian out. Almost causing him to trip, he managed to stabilize himself but this caused him to come to a stop. The goblins gave him a grin as it kept pulling itself further onto Eldrian's spear, trying to reach him.

Eldrian cursed, this one goblin having ruined the advantage he expected to have from his spear. Irritated Eldrian cast Frost Needle, the spell forming in the blink of an eye and killing the goblin. Yet its corpse was stuck on his spear.

The hell is this!Eldrian let loose internally as he let go of his spear and instead pulled out his greatsword. Not having enough time to get the now dead goblin off of it.

The greatsword was the next best thing Eldrian had. Giving him a reach and speed advantage.