Outside the castle gate, a vast plain awaited us, teeming with hundreds of goblins.
“Kia, Kia!”
They watched us from a short distance beyond the flickering flames.
Their eyes glowed with an ominous red hue as they swung their swords threateningly.
Creak, creak.
The gate behind us began to close.
One of the soldiers, who had recovered from injuries, pulled the lever.
It worked as planned.
Our escape route was sealed off.
Our only choice remained to push forward.“Take your positions!”
“Yes!”
Emerging from the fiery inferno, a fearless goblin sprang forward.
With a swift slash of my sword, I decapitated the goblin.
We quickly established the formation—a triangular arrangement centered around the mage. I stood at the apex, Jenna on the right, Aaron on the left, and Eolka in the center.
Though the encircling flames prevented the goblins from approaching easily, we couldn’t recklessly charge out either. We needed to carve a path through their ranks.
“Eolka, use Tier 1. Focus less on firepower, but disperse the flames as widely as possible.”
“Understood.”
With closed eyes, Eolka commenced the casting.
“Keep the goblins at bay!”
The initial blaze ignited by the first spell gradually weakened.
The intensifying downpour played a role. Some goblins managed to slip through the wavering flames and infiltrate our defenses.
A swift thrust of my blade pierced the goblin’s throat, painting the rain-filled air with spurts of blood.
Aaron gripped his lance, methodically dispatching them one by one.
Although his skill level wasn’t the highest, his extensive training shone through. His thrusts displayed flawless precision.
“Kyarurur!”
The crossbow-goblins’ gaze flickered. Bolts shot forth from three crossbows. Their target: Eolka. Two bolts were deflected by the shield, while one was expertly parried by a sword. Simultaneously, I threw a stone, sending it hurtling toward one of the goblins. The frontmost crossbow-goblin staggered, blood mingling with his pained exhales.
“20 seconds.”
As the heat reached its climax, the scorching sensation reached us from behind.
“Reversal!”
We swiftly shifted from a triangular formation to an inverted triangle.
I took the left flank, Jenna occupied the upper right, and Aaron positioned himself below.
Clearing the front, we created a firing lane for Eolka.
【La Gran Integio!】
Whooooosh!
Flames surged forth from the opening. The flickering inferno danced and dispersed in all directions.
“Kiaaaa!”
The acrid smoke and the scent of burning flesh assailed my nostrils.
“Break through!”
We swiftly reverted to our initial triangular formation and surged through the blazing plain. The goblins were thrown into chaos, desperately struggling amidst the engulfing flames.
Although we felt the scorching heat seep through our leather armor, we could endure it to a certain degree.
We hadn’t needlessly thrust our hands into a raging furnace.
‘Goblins are vulnerable to fire.’
They possessed an instinctive fear of flames.
Having Eolka on our side turned out to be a stroke of luck.
If it had been just us, breaking through the encirclement would have been a far more grueling task.
‘But of all weathers, it had to rain.’
Before long, hundreds of goblins surrounded us once again.
Scattered traces of fire lingered, but the pouring rain swiftly dampened their vigor.
Eolka swept her wet hair aside and nervously bit her lip.
“Shoot again. One shot, one sip of mana. Conserve and savor it.”
“I know!”
Eolka took a swig from a vial of mana potion, promptly swallowing it.
Then, she chanted the incantation once more.
Goblins surged forth from areas where the fire hadn’t fully spread.
They emerged near Jenna’s position.
“Aaron, provide support on the right. I’ll handle this side alone.”
“Understood!”
Despite the left side being engulfed in intense flames, goblins still sprang forth. Some of them were ablaze from head to toe, yet they fearlessly charged at me.
Their attack patterns were well within my grasp.
I deflected their swords with my shield, piercing their hearts. Bolts were deflected, spears evaded. With the edge of my shield, I crushed skulls and tore through necks.
Another 20 seconds.
“Reversal!”
Whooooosh!
The second barrage was unleashed.
A temporary gap appeared within the encircling horde of goblins. We seized the opportunity, dashing forward with the flames serving as our backdrop. Though our bodies tingled as if singed, there was no time to hesitate. Once the breach was created, it swiftly closed up. We had to cover as much ground as possible within that fleeting opening.
“Kira, Kirara-ro!”
On one side of the plain, a goblin stood atop a towering rock, vigorously waving a flag.
Draped in iron armor and adorned with a crimson cape, it was a goblin commander.
“Jenna!”
“Target acquired. I’m on it!”
Jenna swiftly plunged her dagger into one goblin’s forehead, then swiftly drew her bow and released an arrow.
The arrow found its mark, accurately piercing the goblin’s brow.
“Kki?”
“Kiki!”
Two goblins, appearing as bodyguards, stood nearby, uncertain of how to proceed.
Jenna swiftly dispatched the goblins, sending them to the realm beyond.
Ping! Ping ping ping!
The crossbow-goblins focused their shots on Eolka.
“Don’t you dare interrupt her!”
As the bolts were released from the crossbows, my mind swiftly calculated their trajectory, speed, and the optimal way to deflect them. It was as if I had a computer in my head, analyzing the situation. This was the effect of the projectile defense skill. My body moved accordingly, and the shattered remnants of bolts fluttered in all directions.
Whooooosh!
The third barrage.
This time, we covered an even greater distance.
The absence of their commander seemed to have thrown the goblins into prolonged disarray.
Their original goal was likely the northern gate, not us.
Out of the flames, a spear suddenly thrust forward.
I deftly sidestepped it and then pulled the goblin toward me with my left hand. The hapless goblin was engulfed in flames, turning into a charred spectacle.
There was no need to mention the state we were in—it was utterly filthy.
The rain poured incessantly, burdening our leather armor. The flames, stubbornly refusing to be extinguished even by the downpour, left burn marks scattered across our bodies. The combination of raindrops and smoke obscured our vision, and the muddied ground impeded our movements.
‘One moment it was scorching, the next bone-chilling. It’s enough to drive anyone mad.’
With a swift stroke of my sword, a goblin’s forehead was cleaved in two.
It was time for the fourth barrage.
With a swift sidestep, I evaded the flames sweeping through the front.
Aaron gasped for breath as he broke through the wall of fire.
“If we hadn’t followed your instructions, we would have been roasted by now.”
“That’s precisely why it’s important to follow orders.”
“Understood.”
Aaron swung his lance vigorously, striking down two goblins.
The flames engulfed them, consuming them from head to toe.
“It’s about time.”
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