(Part 2) “We’ve been discovered!” In a flash, Selene retreated to Celeste’s side, her shield raised once more in a defensive posture.
“Sis, they finally realized half their buddies are gone!” Celeste’s gaze swept over the cluster of goblins, who were huddled together, shivering yet trying their best to look fierce.
A flicker of regret crossed her face.
Just a little bit more.
Just a tiny bit more, and she could have pulled off a “perfect infiltration” in the truest sense of the word.
Still, having already culled half their numbers, the pressure on them had been drastically reduced.
[Ding!
The “Perfect Infiltration (Physical)” plan has been interrupted because the enemy’s mathematical skills suddenly performed exceptionally well!
You have created a dramatic turn of events from a plan that couldn’t keep up with reality.
Elation Coins +50!
Host, never underestimate a creature that needs its toes to count!] “The plan’s changed,” Celeste said calmly, her hands tightening around the deceptively harmless-looking pink staff.
She paused, her tone taking on an icy, matter-of-fact quality.
“Since stealth failed…” “…then we’ll just have to turn the remaining witnesses into corpses.” “As long as there are no survivors to see us, it still counts as a perfect infiltration.” Selene blinked, stunned for a moment.
Then, she nodded vigorously, a brilliant smile blooming on her face as she raised her longsword and shield.
“That makes sense!” she chirped.
“Sis, your logic is always so rigorous!” [Ding!
Redefining the “perfect infiltration” standard with self-consistent logic!
Elation Coins +99!] Celeste gripped her staff, her eyes fixed on the suspicious, huddled goblins.
“They’re all gathered together.
This is perfect…” Her gaze swept past the noisy mob and settled on the glittering pile of treasure.
Thanks to the Blessing of Wind, she could practically “hear” the faint vortices of air swirling just above the hoard.
A bold plan instantly took shape in her mind.
“Selene,” she said, her voice low and her eyes glinting with a cunning light, “what do you think would happen if we made their treasures ‘come alive’?” Selene’s eyes widened.
“Come alive?” “Exactly.” Celeste materialized a handful of lightweight wasp stingers and colorful pebbles she had previously collected into her hand from the system space.
“Let’s put on a little show for them.
A ‘flying treasure’ spectacular.” She closed her eyes, focusing her entire being on sensing the flow of air.
The paths of several weak currents crisscrossing the cavern hall appeared in her mind with perfect clarity.
She couldn’t command the wind, but she could become its friend, finding the perfect trajectory to let her projectiles borrow its strength.
Now!
Her eyes snapped open.
With a flick of her wrist, the stingers and stones shot from her hand at an impossibly precise angle.
They didn’t fly in a straight line.
Instead, they traced bizarre arcs through the air, cleverly riding the natural air currents as if guided by an invisible hand.
They struck the small, light sequins and crystal fragments resting on the very top of the treasure pile with pinpoint accuracy.
Clatter, clatter—ding, ding, clang— A sharp, dense cascade of collisions suddenly echoed through the cavern.
Countless shiny little objects were knocked into the air.
Illuminated by the glowing moss, they looked like a shower of exploding fireworks, flashing with a fatally seductive light as they scattered in every direction.
The cavern, once filled with guttural chatter, fell instantly silent.
Every single goblin, including the Level 25 Goblin Chieftain brandishing its warhammer, froze in place.
Their beady, mung-bean-sized eyes widened, glued to the “flying treasures” that were tracing glittering paths through the air.
The next second, a deafening chorus of “Quack!
Quack!” nearly blew the roof off the cavern.
“Quack, quack, quack!
The shinies are flying!
They’re flying!” “Mine!
Those are my shiny sequins!” “Catch them!
Don’t let them get away!” “Get lost!
I saw them first!” The Goblin Chieftain’s roar was completely drowned out.
Discipline?
Orders?
In the face of flying, shiny things, such concepts were utterly worthless.
The goblins descended into absolute chaos.
Like a swarm of ants whose nest had just been kicked, they lunged madly for the treasures soaring through the air and skittering across the ground.
They pushed, they fought, they scrambled over one another—the scene was a complete and utter madhouse.
“Now!” With a low cry from Celeste, two figures tore through the air, bursting forth from their hiding spot.
Their target was the Goblin Chieftain, who was still roaring in a futile attempt to restore order.
“Take the leader, and the rest will fall!” Seeing two “ugly giants” rushing straight for him, the Goblin Chieftain was both shocked and enraged.
Its warhammer scythed through the air with a vicious whistle.
“Quack!
Kill the ugly monsters!” Without a moment’s hesitation, Selene stepped forward, shield first.
“Holy Light Barrier!” BOOM!
The warhammer smashed into the translucent shield, producing a muffled, thunderous impact.
The barrier rippled violently but held firm against the blow.
Celeste slid low across the ground, her figure a flicker in the shadows, instantly closing the distance and entering the massive opening on the Goblin Chieftain’s flank.
The pink staff struck like a viper from its den, piercing straight into the joint of the arm holding the hammer.
The Goblin Chieftain grunted in pain, its movements freezing for a split second.
Seizing the opportunity, Selene slammed her shield forward, staggering the beast back half a step.
Her right hand blurred, the knight’s sword transforming into a beam of white light that stabbed toward its throat.
The chieftain dodged in a panic, but the tip of the blade still grazed its neck, drawing a spray of dark blood.
It was now both furious and afraid, and a violent red light began to emanate from its body.
“He’s about to go berserk!
Finish it, quickly!” Celeste called out.
With a thought, the hidden blade on her left arm snapped into place.
She dropped even lower, sliding directly under the chieftain’s swinging warhammer.
The blade glinted with cold light as it precisely sliced open the creature’s unarmored ankle.
“Quack-ah!” the Goblin Chieftain shrieked, its balance completely shattered.
How could Selene possibly let such a perfect opportunity slip by?
She charged forward with her shield, the Holy Light on her blade condensing until it seemed almost solid.
She delivered a swift, peerless thrust.
“Crusader Strike!” Pfft!
The knight’s sword, burning with Holy Light, punched clean through the Goblin Chieftain’s chest and erupted from its back.
The chieftain’s roar came to an abrupt, gurgling halt.
It looked down in disbelief at the blade embedded in its chest.
Its massive body—relatively speaking—swayed for a moment before collapsing to the ground with a heavy thud, kicking up a cloud of dust.
[Ding!
Killed Goblin Chieftain Lv.
25.
Gained Points +100!
“Decapitation” operation complete!] Their leader was dead.
The remaining goblins, just beginning to shake off the hypnotic allure of the treasure, turned to see this horrifying scene.
“Quack?!
The boss is dead!” “Shinies…
boss…
wuwu…
run!” After a brief, stunned silence, the surviving goblins let out terrified screams.
Their will to fight completely evaporated, and they scattered like headless flies.
“Pursue,” Celeste ordered, her voice concise and her eyes cold.
Kindness to the enemy was cruelty to oneself.
The ensuing battle became a one-sided slaughter.
Selene, shield and sword in hand, was like a heavily armored chariot plowing through a flock of sheep.
Amidst brilliant flashes of Holy Light, the fleeing goblins were struck down one by one.
Celeste, meanwhile, used her superior speed to become a ghost on the battlefield.
Alternating between her pink staff and hidden blade, she precisely reaped the lives of any stragglers who tried to hide or escape down side tunnels.
The screams of goblins rose and fell within the cavern hall, but soon, they too faded into silence.
When the last goblin fell under Celeste’s pink staff, the entire cavern was still, save for the sound of the two sisters’ breathing.
Celeste leaned on her staff, her chest rising and falling slightly.
Selene also wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead.
She looked at the messy aftermath, at the silent bodies of the goblins, and let out a long sigh of relief.
“Sis, this infiltration of ours…” Celeste scanned the cavern, confirming there were no survivors.
She nodded in satisfaction, cutting her sister off.
“Was very perfect.” “We used the environment to create chaos, executed a precise decapitation, and eliminated all witnesses.” “This,” she declared, “is textbook-level infiltration.” Selene was speechless.
[Ding!
Successfully executed the “Treasure Stirs a Goblin’s Heart” tactic.
Completed decapitation and total annihilation.
Redefined “perfect infiltration” once again!
Created double Elation Coins from tactics and logic!
Elation Coins +250!
Host, your tactical literacy (and thickness of skin) is increasing by the day!] Ignoring the system’s teasing, Celeste cast her gaze toward the closed metal door at the far end of the cavern hall.
“Let’s go.
It’s time to collect our ‘spoils’.” [Elysian’s Note: Having a good time with the story?
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