Fuck. I could not believe that this boy would be this reckless. One-versus-many is different from the one-on-ones which he is used to. While he slayed two from the initial shock of the goblins, they have since regained their calm. They began to slowly tire him with their numbers and hit-and-run tactics. He fell for each and everyone of their feints and was pinned by arrows. The goblins truly knew how to work as a team.

While I would try to save him, I would not do much by being rash. So, I put up my spear and pulled out my dagger. The archer goblin I set my sights on was too busy aiming its shots to hear the slight rustling of bushes and crunch of leaves coming ever closer from the forest. Coming right behind him, I plunged my dagger into him and backstab him. In a pleasant surprise, I got a critical hit. Should have worn a razorback, you repulsive monster. A series of pop-ups appeared before me after the green midget expired.

‘Goblin has been defeated.’

‘You have gained “Sneak attack” skill’

‘You have gained “Stealth” skill’

‘Skill “Dagger Proficiency” has leveled up.’

Focusing on what is before me rather than oohing and aahing over new skills, I picked up the corpse and hid it in some bushes before any of the enemy noticed. Then, I equipped the goblin bow with some of their flimsy arrows and went back into the forest. I placed myself in some brush a short distance away from another archer. Drawing my bow, I carefully aimed at the green gremlins harassing Tom, who looked to be wearing out. Loosing my arrow, the archer a bit in front of me is taken off guard as an arrow passes him. While I did not hit the one I wanted to, my arrow hit another green skin. I duck out of sight in the brush and watch what unfolds.

The goblin that got hit looked at the arrow in his left arm and ripped it out. Seeing that it was of goblin craft, he slowly turns to the archer with scorching hot anger on his face and screeches. The poor archer kept pointing at the brush and said something in goblin-speak, though it’s easy to guess what it was saying. However, the pain train was already in motion and hate poured out of the goblin warrior as he clocked the other with a club. On the ground, the archer pulled his backup knife and stabbed into the warriors, embedding it deep into the warrior. Coughing up blood, it beat the archer to death only to find a dagger in its back. Unfortunately, I missed any of the vitals.

The warrior batted me away with its club, sending me back a ways before taking out a vial with red liquid. They must have looted weak healing potions off some previous victims. Before I can reach it, it downs the potion. The wounds of the goblin close but not fully. The green skin swung hard hitter after hard hitter. I managed to dodge away from his hits with it only grazing me a few times until there was one I could not dodge. I put my dagger up and put my free hand on the end side of the dagger to support the block.

Fun fact, with weapons like clubs or maces, if you have enough strength, you can crush through blocks, myself being the case and point of that as my dagger split in two under the pressure of the club. Using the momentary shock of another of my beloved daggers lost in combat, I got the wind knocked out of me as the goblin gleefully impacted my stomach with the sheer force of his club. I got sent through countless bushes into a tree and fumble around struggling to breath. Some blood leaked from my mouth while I used the distance gained to lay my spear on the ground out of sight from the gremlin.

It came at me with a wide grin and breakneck run. The goblin species love bullying the weak after all. When they have the supposed advantage, they become quite careless. Though that lack of any sort of caution is what will lead them into this trap.

As he closed in, my nerves became more and more on edge. If this did not work, I do not know if I can last the slugging match that will come after. Doubts set in if this will work but such thoughts were repressed. It is already set in stone. I crouched and put both my hands on the spear.

As the goblin came within a close distance, I swung the spear up. Although the midget’s face showed distress, the momentum of his all-out charge did not allow him to stop. I grip the spear tight and braced for impact. The goblin could only watch as it skewed itself on the spear. It just stood there in shock of what happened before a stream of crimson trickled from its chest. Then a blade of steel appeared to cut the head of the goblin in a streak of light. The body dropped when I withdrew the well embedded spearhead as the head rolled.

‘Goblin has been defeated. Sharing experience between Tom and Nicolas.’

Tom spoke with an expression of a puppy who just peed on the carpet, “Are you okay Nicolas? I’m very sorry that I allowed you to get hurt. I am very, very sorry!” Sighing, I responded, “It is fine, but perhaps listen to me next time? I was afraid you would get hurt.” His eyes would become big and watery upon hearing that I worried for him. Sighing, I patted him on the head before turning to go home. I cannot help but care for this kid and look out for him. I had already forgiven him for what he did. He is too pure to not forgive. Following behind and burning the back of my head with a gaze of admiration, we go back to the order.