The air in the clearing was thick with the copper scent of blood and the low, agonizing whimpers of the broken plunderers.
The Tomboy Archer lay completely paralyzed on the grass, her body twitching uselessly under residual shocks. The Bald Martial Artist screamed continuously in raw torment, his severed legs leaking blood into the dirt, while the Knight sat slumped against a root, his shattered knee making him completely incapable of standing.
Standing a few feet away, the Shinobi’s eyes darted frantically across the clearing. Seeing his entire squad incapacitated, his survival instinct flared. He abruptly spun on his heel, diving headfirst into the brush to make a run for it.
He didn't even make it two steps.
Alister had already closed the gap, materializing directly behind him with a crackle of static blue electricity.
"Phew," Alister muttered, grabbing the back of the assassin's tunic. "You ain't going nowhere, plunderer and rapist."
Before the plunderer could thrash, Trevor’s briefcase shifted with a series of sharp, internal clicks, deploying a heavy mechanical grappling hook that shot out and wrapped tightly around the Shinobi from behind, pinning his arms to his torso.
"Please... have mercy..." the Shinobi choked out, trembling in sheer terror.
"Mercy is just for the innocent," Trevor replied flatly, his cybernetic eyes locked onto the captive.
"And justice is for the guilty," Alister added, grinning coldly.
"If you kill us, you will become criminals just like us!" the Shinobi cried out, desperate.
"Who said that we are going to kill you?" Trevor asked.
Alister smirked, raising his wand. "The goblins are going to kill you."
With three swift, precise motions, Alister pressed the tip of his wand against the napes of the Knight, the Martial Artist, and the Shinobi, discharging a focused, low-voltage current.
Zap.
All three slumped forward, plunging into unconsciousness. Moments later, using heavy-duty binding cord from his tactical pack, Trevor trussed all four plunderers tightly together, tying them into a single, immobile human knot in the center of the clearing.
Leaving the bound plunderers tied to the dirt, Trevor scooped up the terrified Priestess in his arms, leaping upward to secure her safely on a thick, high branch away from the ground.
"Stay here," Trevor instructed quietly.
Alister nodded, turning away to hunt for bait. Sprinting through the damp undergrowth deeper into the Goblin Region, Alister tracked a roaming scouting party until he rustled a thick bush.
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A collective screech echoed through the trees. A pack of fourteen goblins—armed with crude spears, short swords, and poisoned daggers—burst from the foliage, howling in rage as they caught sight of an intruder. Follow the newest chapters on g.com.
"Come and get me, you little runts!" Alister yelled over his shoulder.
He bolted back the way he came, sprinting at full speed with the baying pack of fourteen goblins hot on his heels. As he neared the clearing, Alister veered wide, letting the horde stream directly past the tied-up plunderers.
To ensure they were awake for what was coming, Alister swept his wand through the air. "Water Cannon!"
A high-pressure torrent of freezing river water blasted directly across the four bound plunderers.
The plunderers jerked violently awake, gasping for air—only to find themselves staring directly into a pack of fourteen bloodthirsty goblins charging right at them.
Screams of unadulterated terror tore from their throats.
"Shit! Help!" "Please... don't do this!" "Oh god, we're bound together!" "Fuck, I don't wanna die like this—!"
The goblins descended upon them in a frenzy. Chittering and laughing shrilly, the creatures began hacking, stabbing, and tearing into the helpless, bound humans, killing them slowly and cruelly as the clearing filled with blood-curdling shrieks.
High up in the branches, Trevor and the Priestess witnessed the entire brutal massacre unfold below.
Alister stood a short distance away from the carnage, watching the cold execution with a detached expression.
When the last of the plunderers finally stopped screaming and went completely still, the goblin pack turned their attention toward the surrounding trees, sniffing the air for more prey.
Trevor stepped out from the branch, carrying the Priestess gently as he dropped down to the forest floor. He set her down behind a solid oak trunk, his right hand snapping across his briefcase housing.
[Weapon Mode Shift: 6-Barrel Organ Gun]
The modular case reconfigured into a heavy, multi-barreled rotary weapon. Trevor pulled the trigger, unleashing a devastating blunderbuss spread of magic missiles.
BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM!
A wall of compressed kinetic energy swept across the clearing. In less than a second, all fourteen goblins were caught in the crossfire, their bodies shredded into pieces before they even realized what hit them.
Silence descended upon the blood-soaked clearing once more.
Trevor lowered the smoking organ gun, turning his gaze toward the trembling young woman. Read this novel at g.com for the best experience.
"They're all cleaned up," Trevor said normally. "You got a name?"
The Priestess pressed her torn robes tightly against her chest, her breathing shallow as she looked from the decimated goblin horde back to her saviors. "M-My name is Thea."
Alister walked over, wiping a speck of grime off his sleeve. He looked down at her with a wry smile. "As a disciple of the church... what are you going to call this? Justice or a crime?"
Thea stood frozen, completely speechless. Her mind couldn't process how to categorize the absolute, unforgiving brutality she had just witnessed.
Trevor looked at her steadily. "I believe you won't be able to tell the inspectors what happened here."
Thea shook her head frantically, her eyes wide. "No... I won't, I swear! I want to thank you both for saving me."
"We'll escort you to the stronghold," Alister said, gesturing down the trail.
"Hey, Alister," Trevor called out, turning toward the wreckage. "Don't forget to pick up all the drops. But don't include the items of the Plunderers."
Alister knelt down, efficiently sweeping the goblin corpses for harvestable gear and materials, tossing them into his spatial magic bag.
[Acquired:]
Goblin Spears (3x)
Goblin Bows and Quivers (4x)
Goblin Shields and Swords (7x)
Goblin Poison Bottles (4x)
[Misc]: Goblin necklaces and bracelets with metal coins, gems, and animal bones.
Back at the stronghold, Thea was treated and comforted by elven women inspectors. Trevor and Alister had saved her from a horror that she would never forget.
Outside, sitting on a long stone chair, Alister stretched his arms. "Well... that was fun."
Trevor looked down at his hands. "I feel more human again."
Alister smirked, glancing sideways at his partner. "I see you staring at her torn clothes... gazing on her boobs."
Trevor blinked, turning his head sharply. "Huh? You dirty-minded freak."
Alister laughed, leaning back against the stone wall. "I sense perversion in you, humanoid. Hahaha."
"Fuck you, Alister." end of chapter