“How many are there?” asked Piercer.

Six Sense responded, “About 60 in total, three of them are all hob, and the majority of them are equipped with all kinds of weapons.”

“60?!”

Six Sense also noticed something else but it wasn’t clear enough to confirm it and thus she wanted to keep it for herself, not until Siola asked her about it.

“Anything else you can tell us?”

“…” swallowing her saliva, “I couldn’t see it clearly, but it looks like there is some kind of an entrance beneath the crack. There might be more in there, but I’m not sure.”

“Hmm…”

Misty Fang asked Piercer, “What’s our move? Do we abandon the Quest? I’m sure B-Rank parties will be able to handle this if we just gave it to them.”

Conflicted.

Kian then said, “Th-There’s still that other Quest we can do, so…”

“…” Piercer clenches his fists as he grinds his teeth, “Right… then we’ll have to—”

“There might be captives in there.”

Siola’s words split his eyes once more. Sweat started running down his cheeks. Right when he already came to a decision, she had to say it.

Now, a second wasted time brings the possibility that it might result in casualties. Then suddenly, when he glances at Siola, he found her grinning from ear to ear.

“Come on, Captain, what do you think we should do?”

Nervous, something within him has started to burst, the emotion of anger.

“I heard goblins really like to have beautiful woman warming their hay bed. Do we just abandon those innocent girls to be their plaything?”

Another sweat, the emotion grew stronger with each word spoken out of her mouth, toned so lightly.

“Ah, never mind, they might have already been pregnant anyway.”

His eyes widened in a split, “You,,,”

“Ohh?”

“Why… why did you say all of that, huh? You think it’s funny when those innocent people got tainted by those things?!!”

“Heheh, it’s funny to see your reaction, ‘Captain,’ come on, time is running out!”

The other members are troubled by the situation too when Siola brought up the topic of captives. Conflicted by the situation, annoyed by the lax expression on Siola, Piercer clenches his fist and launched himself to remove that expression from her face.

*BAM*

Punching himself in the stomach.

“Ngh…”

Siola’s mouth that is still grinning finally opens with a slight burst of laughter.

Slowly yelling to himself, “Fuuuuuuck!”

The whole party was shocked by the sight they just witness, their captain on all four, grasping the sand with his gloves. After a moment of silence, he grinds his teeth with a stern expression in his eyes, “Fine. Let’s do this.”

Upon hearing the words of their captain, light beaming in their eyes, Warmth filling up their chest, and as their confidence grew, they began constructing a plan to handle the extremely difficult situation on their hand.

An hour passed, and they have come up with a solid plan.

It starts with a lost girl screaming at the sight of goblins, “Kyaaaaaaaaaaaah!!” – and it was performed by none other than Siola herself.

The goblins were attracted to the voice and the scent of that woman.

*Ko *koo *Kreehh

None of them are spouting even the slightest comprehensible language.

Taken aback, “Wh-Why is there so many g-goblins here?”

*Kreeeeeehehehe*

They all started charging at her with their weapons sheathed. Instead of killing, they intend to capture her instead.

“N-Nooooooooo! Don’t come closer!” with her staff in an overhead stance and as soon as one got near, “Kyaaaaaaaaaaah!”

*BAM*

Its head was crushed.

Even though one of their comrades is no longer functioning because of the concussion it just experienced, they didn’t notice it and started swarming the defenseless girl like a group of ants on a crumble of bread.

Siola flails her staff around in full strength for each strike, stunning many goblins in the process until they overwhelmed her.

“N-Nooooooo!”

Her staff was acquired by one of the goblins.

“No! Don’t touch that!”

It was about to be split in half by the use of its thigh, but not only that it wasn’t broken at all, but the goblin also took damage from it. Siola cracked a grin a little, it’s subtle but unnoticeable.

With all four of her limbs are now pinned by the goblins, they brought them closer inside and toss her on the ground.

*Gegehkgehk*

They’re laughing, especially the three huge goblins holding a club.

“Please, no…” crying in tears, “Let me goo…”

*Ge-gege-gehk*

As their intention was fixated on the defenseless girl, the small goblins on the outer swarm disappeared one by one.

Tongue, the three big goblins’ tongue are leaving their mouth as they couldn’t contain their laughter at the sight of the premium meal that has just fallen to their lap, and when they loosened the cloths beneath their waist.

“Ah, they’re tiny.”

It was said at the perfect moment.

“April, now!!”

Piercer’s signal narrowed her eyes down. When all three hobgoblins jumped on her, she repelled herself back, leading to all three stumblings and kissing each other.

*Bang*

Siola’s gloves, the lining is glowing brightly as a flow of magical energy is running on both of her arms. She smashed her fists together and punched the ground with all her might as she yelled, “Wall of Stone!”

*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM*

Rising the ground all the way to the top, multiple goblins were caught in it and they were all flattened as they reached the ceiling, except the hobgoblins who are trying to leave the position they are in.

Dim, there’s something going on behind her, but what’s in front of her takes priority, “Well, there’s a lot of ways for me to cut all your limp dicks. But well, I have no need for your pathetic number of Exp.”

Sparks of ember appeared on her gloves, “Great Combustion.”

*Bwoooosh *BOOOOOM

They flew backward and crushed the stone wall behind them, but unfortunately, because of the low output she put onto her flame, the hobgoblins are still alive.

*Goooogh*

Veins popped in their heads. Once they rise, they started yelling while pointing at the one who smoked them, but nothing happened.

*Hoogh?*

When they looked around, none of the smaller goblins can be seen, but when they look behind, they saw one of the small goblins bleedings alongside three shadowy figures hidden by the light, they’re standing on their corpses.

One who has pierced a sharp spear to the goblin’s head pulled his weapon away, and loudly yelled, “Horgan!”

The three hobgoblins saw their life flashing before their eyes when a swirling ball of flame appeared within their sight.

*BOOM*

They exploded and killed one of them in the process. The rest noticed the situation they are in, the comrade they have lost. Grinding their teeth and fangs. They charged towards all three who are on sight.

*Grooooooaaaaaaaaaah*

But then, the shadowy figure on the right threw something at them. A small pouch of constant ashes leaking from the inside. Followed by the dashing light, revealing the beastly figure of that shadow. In a deep voice, he mumbled, “Smokescreen.”

*Bwooosh*

It blinded them both. When the one holding the spear rapidly approaching them, he tapped the ground with the back of his weapon before swinging it widely as he yelled, “Power Strike!”

*Slash*

The hobgoblins’ neck was cut deep.

“Assassinate.”

*SLASH*

Their head flew and their body soon fell.

Six Sense appeared on the center ground where the hobgoblins’ heads fall. She cleans the blood coating her blades full with a leftover cloth.

“Good work,” said the woman on the other side of the wall.

Both Piercer and Six Sense were speechless at her recklessness, to come up with such a dangerous plan which is also highly susceptible to risk. Nonetheless, their view of the new member has started to change for the better.

Kian popped and hurriedly went over, “A-Anyone injured?”

“April?” asked Six Sense.

“Hmm… Well, if anything, my shoulders felt kind of stiff.”

Kian nervously let out laughter. Instead of doing the healing with a spell, she massaged Siola’s shoulders instead while the others are busy looting the goblins as they regroup.

[Siola]: Heeey, can you guys cut the other ears too?

[Six Sense]: Hm? But we only need one for each body as proof.

[Siola]: Not that, I just need them for myself. Goblin ears can make an excellent alchemy ingredient, especially when making toxins.

[Horgan]: On top of being a Mage, are you an Alchemist as well, miss April?

[Siola]: Ahh no, not me actually Um, a… friend of mine asked me to bring whatever alchemy ingredients that I can find, so… think you can help me with that?

Horgan and Six Sense looked at one another before agreeing to help her.

[Piercer]: April…

[Siola]: Mm?

[Piercer]: …

Bowing greatly.

[Piercer]: I’m sorry. What I did back then was unbecoming of a leader of the group. If you want to leave our party, it’s your choice.

[Siola]: …

[Siola]: Come now, our job is not done yet, and besides, it was me who riled you up.

Looking at her straight.

[Piercer]: No, if not for you, I would’ve abandoned the Quest without even trying. Next time I promise, I’ll do better than that.

[Siola]: Well, you have the chance to prove that now. I heard a lot of noises coming from the other side. What do you think we should do?

[Piercer]: …

[Six Sense]: If my fear is right, this place might be the entrance to a dungeon.

[Piercer]: What?

[Siola]: No, it’s just a cave.

[Six Sense]: …

[Six Sense]: How do you know that?

[Siola]: Echoes. If it were a dungeon, it’ll be just hollow. Again, I’ve heard something is going on inside. We might be a little too late if we were to delay any more than this.

[Six Sense]: …

[Piercer]: Then, Horgan, prepare the torch. We’re going in.

[Horgan]: Mm.

[Piercer]: April, think you can remove your wall?

[Siola]: Unfortunately.

[Kian]: Why?

[Siola]: Err, because it’s the nature of the spell. It’s not quite an alteration type magic, but conjuration.

[Piercer]: Well, alright, guess we’ll have to drop some [Stone of Marking] then. Let’s move in, everyone.

Horgan lit up two torches and gave the other to Misty Fang. The party is moving with the captain at the front and Misty Fang accompanying him on the side while Horgan, Kian, and Siola are on the back with Six Sense guarding them from behind.

The darkness inside was light up by the torch, and there’s only one path that they can take but it’s spacious. Both width and height. Horgan periodically leaves out the stone that is light up in different colors, and they’re showing the way out.

[Piercer]: I’m not liking where this is going. It’s like your ordinary caves alright, but since we now know just how many goblins outside, the inside might be just as bad.

[Misty Fang]: …

[Misty Fang]: Regardless, if there are indeed captives in here. Our priority should be saving them, clearing out the cave is secondary, and if we cannot do that too…

[Piercer]: Then our best option is to retreat with the captives and let other adventurers dealt with them.

[Misty Fang]: Yes.

Soon he caught a glance of a shadow far upfront. Signaling the rest to stop walking, made Six Senses asked him, “What’s wrong, Fang?”

Piercer has already been able to tell the signal, “Looks like we’re here. Lights off. Can you check what’s up ahead, Six?”

“…” nodding, “Leave it to me.”

In the darkness, it’s even harder for her to be spotted. Others may not be able to see her but now she can see, the terror on the other side.