章節 47: Hobgoblins (8)
"Crack! Crack!"
The Hobgoblin chieftain began to gesture and give orders. Clearly, they were preparing for an attack. It seems they might have gathered their troops from elsewhere to launch a combined assault.
Considering the size of the dungeon, this was an obvious decision. At least the entrance had been considerably widened. They probably assumed there was something big inside.
But were there no bears or something like that here? Even with such an army, it seemed they'd be entirely wiped out if they came across a bear. Thinking of attacking upon seeing such a large den was quite a mystery… No, they might have discovered traces of the goblins.
If they thought it was a goblin den, then it was reasonable for them to attack.
"Sharan, stay still."
"Sha-a."
Sharan and I quietly lay in ambush, watching the outside. I made up my mind. Once this war was over, I would ask for a feel in a heartbeat.
How much time had passed?
"Crack!"
The chieftain ordered the attack, and following his command, the Hobgoblin army, armed with stone axes, began to slowly walk into the dungeon.
Thump thump.
Thump thump.
Thump thump.
There was tension, but they had a somewhat relaxed demeanor. They did not march in formation. What's more, all of them were armed only with stone axes.
A stone axe would never beat a spear…!
So, we could win!
We shall!
Thinking this, I tried to count the number of those who entered. For now, ten had entered. Did that mean there were about five more outside as a backup?
And then,
"Crack."
"Crack."
The chieftain had not entered yet. He seemed to be planning to command from behind.
Good.
Come in a little more.
The corridor of the dungeon wasn't that wide. If we maintained our formation and fended off the attack as practiced, we could win!
"Sharan, let's retreat a little."
"Sha-a."
We carefully stood up and retreated. From the other side, the cries of the Hobgoblins could be heard.
"…!"
As they moved deeper inside, Sharan's spirit sharpened. Sharan was my trump card. She would be deployed as a reserve force in case our formation broke. Given the narrow passage, she wasn't suited for fighting alongside the phalanx.
"Crack."
"Crack-crack."
When the Hobgoblins had come to an appropriate distance,
"All forces!"
I shouted immediately!
"To positions!"
At the same time.
Rumbling noises!
Yelling and cries of pain!
Growling noises!
From deep within the dungeon behind me, the roar of goblins echoed! My subordinates! My soldiers! My phalanx! They were coming forward, just as they were trained!
And then,
"Crack!"
"Craaack!"
Perhaps having heard the cries of the goblins, the Hobgoblin bunch suddenly sped up their advance with renewed fury. Goblins were their prey. Knowing this, they charged forward without fear! They believed they would win!
Such a delusion!
I should shatter it!
"Form the phalanx!!!"
This way, my goblins took their respective gear and bypassed Sharan and me, who were hiding in ambush, and formed a formation in front of me.
Wham!
The front line consisted of shield-bearing goblins!
The rear line was filled with spear-wielding goblins!
A perfect phalanx formation was completed!
"Grooaaar!"
"Groooooooooar!"
The rallying cries reached my ears. I stood up from my position, leaned forward, and looked straight ahead. Hobgoblins, wielding their axes, were charging towards us…! The clash was imminent!
Shudder…!
Buril, who had spears pointed at him, seemed to tremble in fear. It was their first battle. I was also nervous, but it was expected for them to feel the same. However, we trained for this. No need to be scared!
"Maintain the formation!!!!"
I shouted with all my might.
Crash!
The hobgoblins collided with the phalanx.
Thud!
Stab!
Plunge!
Whack!
For a moment.
It felt as if time had stopped.
Choke…?!
The advancing hobgoblins. The three at the forefront stopped, each having been impaled in the chest by a spear!
Groan…!
We did it! We took down three of them in our first clash! But we were desperately short of spears! There were many of them behind!
"Pull out the spears! Retrieve and thrust again! Damn, stab them! Keep stabbing!!!"
"Gasp, choke!"
"Choke!"
I shouted as we had practiced.
Swish!
As the spear goblins retrieved their spears, hobgoblins fell. The shield-bearing goblins, clearly in panic, pushed away the fallen bodies.
"Gro, groaaar!"
"Groooooooooar!"
Simultaneously, the hobgoblins at the back, too, became excited and raised their axes high! Did they not realize the situation? An axe couldn't break through a wall of spears! But if they recklessly charged, they eventually would!
It was time for me to step in!
Dash!
I took a strong step forward.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!!!!!!!
I unleashed a battle cry to instill fear and thrust my long spear!
Swish!
At the same time, one of them was impaled by my spear, and without missing a beat.
"Demon Breath!!!"
I unleashed a jet of flames towards the hobgoblins.
Whoosh!
The released flames swept above the heads of my goblin spear-wielders and engulfed the hobgoblins in front.
"Graack?!"
"Gro, groan!"
"Grooooooar!"
Suddenly, a huge figure appeared. A bursting battle cry. A long spear. And the jetting flames!
Boom!
The stunned hobgoblins scrambled in confusion, turning to flee. They jostled against each other, preventing a clear escape!
"Stab them!"
"Gasp, choke!"
"Choke!"
Seeing this, the goblins gained courage and thrust their spears again.
It happened.
Swoosh!
Bodies fell.
Boom!
The hobgoblins fell as they tried to flee.
"Break formation! Kill all those bastards!"
Quickly giving the command, I leaped over the phalanx and pierced the fallen with my spear!
"Keck! Kekkek! Keeeeeek!"
"Keereeeeek!"
"Roaaaar!"
My soldiers were madly spearing the fallen hobgoblins. Those still alive swung their stone axes in resistance but couldn't effectively counter while lying down.
Thud!
I thrust my spear into another hobgoblin.
"Woooooooooo!"
I screamed aloud.
I counted the number of bodies. In total, nine hobgoblins were on the ground, bleeding excessively. All incapacitated in battle! The first skirmish was a complete victory!
"Keruuuug!"
"Kereeeeeek!"
The overly excited goblins screamed and hopped around crazily. This…needed to be controlled. There were more enemies. If we wasted our energy with such ceremonies, we would be disadvantaged in stamina!
Just as I was about to make a command,
Roaaaaaaaaar!
A scream was heard.
Thump, thump, thump!
"The Chief! Damn it!"
The hobgoblin chief was charging from a distance! He was leading the rest of his underlings in a furious rush!
"Kerek?"
"Kerkekek…?!"
Seeing that, the morale of the goblins dropped instantly. Indeed, it was freaking intimidating! It was only natural to be scared when such a creature charged at you while screaming!
But it was a test of their training!
"All in position! Form the formation!"
"Kerek!"
Upon my command, the goblins started to form the formation again. But their movements were slow. Their brains seem paralyzed by excitement and fear.
It was time to play the trump card!
"Sharan! You scream, too!"
"…!"
The excited and trembling Sharan,
"Shaaaaaaaaaaaah!"
She screamed out loud!
Then,
"Gr, Grak?!"
"Grrak!"
The charging hobgoblins suddenly hit the brakes. Yes! A dryad must be scary to them! It was only natural they were shocked since they didn't expect such an enemy. This gave the goblins time to form their formation.
"You bastards!"
To make the most of this opportunity, I grabbed a stone axe lying nearby and threw it with all my might!
Shreeeeek!
I aimed for the chief!
"Grak?!"
But the quick-witted chief bastard dodged immediately.
Thud!
"Grak…!"
So the one behind him died in his stead. Such a fragile creature. But he must have a strong spirit because he immediately screamed!
"GRAAAAAK!"
The chief was advancing again.
This was the moment they were waiting for.
"Sharan."
"Shaah."
"Tie his feet."
"Shaah!"
"GRAAAAAK!"
—PAPAPAPAT!
The chief, with his followers, charged forward. His face was twisted with rage and hatred. It meant his vision had narrowed.
Sharan was planning to attack when there was a break in the formation, but if those who accompanied the chief were coming with full force, the formation would inevitably be broken.
So, now was the perfect time.
—PPODEUK!
Suddenly, a vine pierced through the dungeon floor.
It beautifully caught the foot of the chief, who did not see it.
"GRACK?!"
—BOOONG!
The massive figure, almost like a scene from a cartoon, toppled forward. The faces of the other hobgoblins were seen, filled with shock.
—KWANG!
As the chief fell,
"EVERYONE!!! Attack while advancing!!!!"
I commanded.
"KERUUUK!"
"KERUK!"
The phalanx began to move forward slowly.
"GRAAAK!"
The hobgoblins ran to save their fallen chief, but —POOK! All were skewered by the spears. We won. Now, just pierce the chief…
Kill him! The moment I decided that.
"GRAAAAAAAAAK!"
—HWAAK!
The fallen chief attempted to get up, causing a commotion.
"KYEOK!"
At the same time, two shield bearers in the formation lost their shields and fell over! The chief, while still down, swung his arm, striking the shins of the goblins!
"But now, you're the only one left, you bastard!"
—PAAT!
I kicked off the ground.
"KERUK?!"
I pushed Buril's shoulder.
"Dieeeeeeee!"
"GRACK?!"
My body charged and slammed into the chief, who struggled to rise!
—KOONG!
With that, I became tangled with the chief as if wrestling. The bastard might be muscular, but I weighed more! If I grappled with him, I could buy enough time!
"GRAAAAAK! GRACK!"
"This bastard's strong!"
Holding onto him was damn hard! Literally going back and forth, I wrestled with him in a show of strength.
"Sharan! Quickly! Pin him down hard with your nails!"
"SHAAAAA!"
But in the end, I was the victor.
As Sharan lunged towards me, the moment the chief overpowered me in our strength battle and pinned me down…
—CHYAAK!
Blood splattered.
"SHAA! SHAA! SHAAAA!!!"
"He, he…!"
Sharan clawed madly at the chieftain's back. A powerful claw that tore through flesh. Pieces of blood and flesh splashed frantically in all directions.
"Grrr…"
With that, the chieftain…
He collapsed on top of me.
There was no way he was still alive after being slashed across the back by Sharan.
Thud.
I pushed his body aside and raised my upper body.
All I could see was.
"Kerk…"
A squad of exhausted goblin phalanxes and hobgoblins, bleeding to death. Finally, the dead body of the chieftain, all flesh gone from his back.
We had won.
"Shaa!"
A bloodied Sharan hugged me.
"I won!"
I declared victory!
"Ooooooooooooooooooo!!!"
The euphoria of victory seemed to swallow my brain whole. My spirits were high! I could fly all the way back to my home on Earth if I wanted to!
I thought about it for a moment, and then a strange impulse struck me.
"Hmm?"
The corpse of the Hobgoblin chieftain.
Looking at it made my mouth water. At the same time, some sort of instinct and impulse welled up within me quite violently.
"Extract."
Extract his power.
每周推薦票狀態
-- 推薦票
榜單 
-- 推薦票