The forest surrounding the city was not particularly dense, at least not within the designated boundaries.
Beyond the outer danger line, however, the trees grew thicker and the wilderness became far less forgiving.
The boundary had been established precisely for that reason, serving as a clear warning to residents and travelers alike about where they should not venture without proper preparation.
The city governed by the Governor was situated relatively close to the County and happened to lie along the main route connecting the County to the capital.
Its convenient location had once made it an ideal stop for travelers, turning the town into a popular destination where tourists could rest, replenish their supplies, and spend a few days before continuing their journey.
Recently, however, fewer visitors had been willing to stop there.
There were several reasons for the decline, but goblins ranked among the most significant.
With its dense forest, favorable climate, nearby water source, and abundance of wild beasts, the region had become an almost perfect environment for goblins to establish themselves, multiply, and spread.
The deeper parts of the forest provided them with everything they needed to survive, while the surrounding wilderness made it difficult for hunters to eradicate them completely.
To make matters worse, goblins reproduced at an alarming rate. Unlike humans, who required roughly nine months to give birth, goblins could reproduce throughout much of the year, allowing their numbers to recover almost as quickly as they were reduced.
No matter how many hunting parties ventured into the forest each day, their population never seemed to fall by any meaningful amount.
Bran was one of those hunters.
He had finally crossed the safety line and entered the forest, leaving the relative security of the city behind.
The moment he stepped beyond the marked boundary, he kept his Assassin Clan active.
He was venturing into unfamiliar territory, and that meant he could not afford to rely solely on his own senses.
The instincts of an Assassin were invaluable in such circumstances, particularly when an unseen enemy could emerge from the trees without warning.
If something attempted to ambush him, he wanted those instincts to react before his conscious mind even had time to recognize the danger.
Naturally, that ability did not come for free. By now, Bran had already consumed five Lumina to maintain his Assassin Clan, but he considered it a worthwhile expense.
As long as he could safely hunt down the goblin lurking within these woods, every bit of Lumina spent would be worth the reward.
Scruff.
A faint rustling came from somewhere inside the bushes even though he wasn’t that deep in the forest yet.
Bran immediately stopped.
His footsteps had been nearly silent, so whatever was hiding within the foliage had most likely failed to notice his presence.
But still...
He refused to stand in the open like a fool. With utmost caution, he slipped behind the thick trunk of a nearby tree, keeping his body concealed while his eyes remained fixed on the trembling bush.
The rustling grew louder.
Something was clearly struggling inside.
Then, without warning—
"Graaah! Ehehehe!"
A grinning creature burst out from the bushes, clutching what appeared to be a fully grown rabbit in one hand.
It stood no taller than four feet, with a slightly swollen belly, short crooked legs, and unusually long arms that nearly reached its knees. Its nose was flat and pig-like, while rows of sharp, pincer-like teeth gleamed whenever it opened its mouth. Licking its lips greedily, the goblin raised the rabbit as if preparing to tear into its meal.
Bran quietly drew his knife.
His expression remained calm as he studied the creature from behind the tree.
Then he bent down, picked up a small stone, and trusted in the goblin’s notoriously low intelligence.
With a controlled flick of his wrist, he hurled the rock far to the opposite side.
Thud.
The stone struck another rock with a sharp impact.
The goblin instantly snapped its head toward the sound, its attention completely stolen by the unexpected noise.
That was Bran’s opening.
Activating Stealth, he moved swiftly yet silently through the forest, closing the distance with measured steps while never allowing his gaze to leave the monster.
He kept careful track of the goblin that had become entirely absorbed by the fallen stone.
He shortened the distance in the span of a few blinks, moving with such speed that even Bran found himself momentarily surprised. The dense forest, which should have hindered his movements, seemed almost effortless to navigate now.
His body slipped between trees and under branches with instinctive precision, barely disturbing the foliage as he closed in on his prey.
"Grrr?"
The goblin tilted its head in confusion as it crouched to pick up the stone.
It never realized that death had already reached it.
In the next instant, Bran’s blade swept across the creature’s thick nape. Dark purple blood spilled from the wound as the goblin’s eyes rolled back into its head, its body stiffening from the sudden strike.
Before it could release even a single cry, Bran clamped a hand over its mouth.
The goblin thrashed violently in his grasp, kicking and flailing as it desperately fought against the inevitable. Its struggles gradually weakened, however, until its movements became little more than faint spasms.
Then it went still.
The rabbit had already fallen from its grasp and scampered away, escaping the fate that had nearly awaited it.
Its predator had become prey, and in the end, the creature that had been preparing to devour another life had lost its own instead.
[Congratulations on your first stealth kill]
[Reward: 50 CP]
[Congratulations on your first goblin hunting.]
[Reward: 30 CP]
[Current Balance: 210 CP]
Bran was elated by the sudden reward as he smiled in satisfaction.
He cleaved the goblin’s head and hung it on the wall for the blood to pour out.
Just then,
"AAAAAHHH!"
He heard a woman scream from behind.
And remembering the map, "It’s coming from the goblin’s nest."