章 52: Pekko and the Treasure Trove ( 52 )

"Ohhhh!!! This is fun!! Hahahahahaha!!" Javier's laughter echoed through the forest as his Pekko dashed forward. With a mischievous grin, he loaded his magic crossbow.

"Yeah!! Next crafting project... Mana gun!! Hahahahahaha!" He fired another shot, the bolt hitting a fleeing goblin square in the back.

A small group of goblins tried to regroup ahead, but Javier was having none of it. "Oops! No, you don't!! Keep running, goblins!! GYAHAHAHAHA!!"

His Pekko joined in the fun, happily stomping on a goblin trying to hide under a bush. The goblin didn't even have time to scream before it was flattened.

"This is fun, buddy!!" Javier patted the Pekko's side, urging it forward. "Let's finish off all these goblins here before they get any bright ideas about raiding a village or town nearby. Ours!! Bwahahahaha!!"

The Pekko squawked in agreement, leaping into a group of goblins with a powerful jump. Goblins scattered, some tripping over each other as they tried to flee.

Javier spun his crossbow, taking aim at the leader of the pack, who was barking orders in a desperate attempt to rally its minions.

"Oh, no you don't! Your speech time is over!" With a quick pull of the trigger, a glowing bolt zipped through the air, striking the leader between the eyes.

As the goblin fell, Javier stood tall on his Pekko, surveying the remaining chaos. "Buddy, this is the life! Adventure, danger, and goblin stomping! Let's clean this up and head back for lunch. Maybe I'll let Liana scold me later... eheheheheh!!"

The Pekko squawked in triumphant agreement, and together they dashed into the fray, leaving no goblin behind.

Javier's sharp eyes caught the hulking forms of a hobgoblin and a goblin shaman standing behind the scattered remains of the goblin mob. The hobgoblin snarled as it raised a crude iron club. The goblin shaman, draped in tattered robes, began chanting in its harsh, guttural language.

Javier smirked, his eyes glinting with excitement. "Oh!! Hobgoblin and goblin shaman, huh? This just got interesting! Buddy, you clean up the weaklings. Leave these two to me. Kekekekeke!!"

The Pekko let out a fierce squawk and lunged at the remaining goblins, stomping and pecking with gleeful ferocity.

Meanwhile, Javier,after dismounted, landing lightly on the forest floor. He watched the shaman carefully, tilting his head mockingly as the creature continued its incantation.

"Oh no, you don't!" he said with a mischievous chuckle. He raised his hand, his fingers glowing with a soft blue light. "Dispel!"

The goblin shaman's magic fizzled out mid-air, the glowing aura dissipating like smoke. The goblin shaman screeched in frustration, glaring at Javier.

"Not so scary without your fancy magic, huh?" Javier teased. He reached into his magical storage, pulling out a massive two-handed sword. The blade gleamed menacingly, etched with runes that pulsed with golden light. Javier rested it casually on his shoulder, grinning wickedly.

"This," he said, pointing the blade at the goblin shaman and hobgoblin, "is what you get when you mess with the village nearby!"

The hobgoblin roared, charging at Javier with its club raised high.

"Kikikiki!!" Javier laughed, sidestepping the charge with ease. "Nice try, big guy!" He spun around, his massive sword slicing cleanly through the hobgoblin's side in one swift motion.

The shaman, realizing its dire situation, tried to flee into the forest. Javier raised a hand, summoning a small but precise bolt of lightning that struck the shaman in the back, sending it sprawling to the ground.

"You're not going anywhere, asshole," Javier said, walking toward the writhing shaman. He raised his sword, the runes flaring brightly. "This is the end for you!"

With one final, decisive swing, the goblin shaman's struggles ceased, leaving the clearing silent except for the contented squawks of Javier's Pekko, which was finishing off the last of the goblins.

Javier sheathed his sword, breathing deeply. "Well, that was fun! Good work, buddy!" He patted his Pekko, who chirped happily in response.

As Javier wiped his sword clean, something caught his eye—a faint gleam from the shadows of the ruined structure nearby. His heart skipped a beat.

"Ohhh!! What the hell is that shining over there?" he muttered, his curiosity piqued.

He cautiously approached the source, weaving through the remnants of what appeared to be an abandoned outpost. Broken walls and moss-covered pillars. Behind a collapsed section, he discovered a hidden stash of chests.

"Jackpot!" he exclaimed, prying open the first chest. His eyes widened as he saw it packed with gold coins, jewels, and shining green ore that glowing with light.

"Andamite!!! YEAHHHH!!!" he shouted, his voice echoing in the empty ruins.

He opened chest after chest, uncovering an absurd amount of wealth. Gold coins, glittering gems in every color.

"Time to loot EVERYTHING!!"

He extended his hand, activating his magic storage, a swirling vortex of energy opening up beside him. With a wide grin, Javier began dumping the entire treasure hoard into his storage. Gold, jewels, and ores disappeared in seconds.

"Gyahahahaha!!! I'm RICH!!!"

Just as he thought he had cleared everything, his eyes landed on a particularly massive mana crystal, about the size of his torso, glowing brighter than anything else.

"Uoooooohhh!! BIG MANA CRYSTAL!! Hell yeah!!"

He carefully lifted it, marveling at its flawless, shimmering surface.

"This alone is worth more than a noble's estate!" he said, practically drooling. "I could craft weapons, enchant gear, or... or maybe just flex on everyone at home. Kekekeke!!"

Satisfied with his haul, he patted his Pekko, which had wandered over to nuzzle him.

"Well, buddy, looks like today's ride turned into a treasure hunt. Let's head back and figure out how to spend all this loot! bwahahahaha!"

With his newfound riches safely stored, Javier mounted his Pekko.

Javier tilted his head in confusion as his Pekko squawked happily and veered off the path, striding purposefully toward a dense thicket nearby.

"Buddy? What's wrong?" he asked, patting the creature's neck.

The Pekko responded with more cheerful squawks.

"We going somewhere?" Javier raised an eyebrow, glancing around cautiously.

The Pekko didn't answer, but its enthusiasm was infectious. It bobbed its head and flapped its small wings as if beckoning him to trust it.

"Well, buddy," Javier said with a chuckle, leaning back in the saddle, "lead the way.... don't get us into trouble now! Ehehehe!"

The pekko pushed through the undergrowth, easily crushing branches and clearing a path. Javier kept a hand on the hilt of his sword, alert for any surprises.

After a few minutes, the Pekko stopped abruptly and squawked louder, its beak pointing at something up ahead. Javier leaned forward to peer over its head.

Through the foliage, he spotted a hidden cavern entrance, half-covered by vines and overgrowth. The faint glimmer of something metallic reflected the sunlight streaming through the trees.

"Whoa... what do we have here?" Javier muttered, his eyes narrowing with intrigue.

The Pekko let out a triumphant cry, clearly pleased with itself.

"You're full of surprises today, aren't you?" Javier said, sliding off its back and patting its beak. "Alright, buddy, you earned some extra snacks later. Let's check this out!"

Drawing his sword, Javier approached the cavern, ready for whatever might be waiting inside.

( End of Chapter )