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Stars became visible as the sun quietly went into hiding, the two moons out with all their glory. Hiroshi and his new little friend walked through the forest when suddenly, his nose caught a whiff of something.
Smoke.
Something’s… burning?
“Fire. Close.” The goblin croaked out, covering its nose.
Hiroshi grunted in agreement.
They stopped in their tracks, looking around for the source of the fire, but all they could see were trees and bushes.
Nothing… I should get higher…
“Do not move.” Hiroshi ordered.
With a few leaps he was atop of a large tree. Most of the entire forest was visible from here. His eyes caught on a light in the distance from where he came from before.
He squinted.
It was the village he escaped from. A house was on fire, and there seemed to be a commotion, the villagers gathered outside.
Something's happening there. I can't make out what though, but a house is on fire.
He leaped down from the tree, landing beside the goblin who jumped with surprise.
I should investigate.
“Let's go, right now.”
He took the goblin by its neck and flung it to his shoulder and began to sprint.
The goblin tilted its head sideways.
“Why? Human. Bad.” it said, almost annoyed.
I know… but I've got a feeling something is wrong.
Hiroshi's face was serious; but he didn’t answer the goblin.
He dashed through the woods, avoiding branches and fallen trunks alike until he made it to the barrier. He came to a stop and let his little friend down to the ground.
“This way, stay close,” he ordered.
Hiroshi walked through the dimly lit blue wall with ease. As the goblin walked forward, he bumped into it as if he had just hit a stone wall, falling backwards to the ground.
He stared at the goblin who was on the ground, surprised.
Is it because he's a goblin? No… the wolves also couldn't pass it. Is it because he's a monster?
“Tch.” Hiroshi clicked and pointed at a thick bush nearby.
“Hide in that bush. Do not come out until I say, understood?” He demanded.
The goblin nodded.
“Gobu. Wait.” He replied.
Gobu? Is that his name? So even some monsters have names? Interesting.
Hiroshi nodded and turned, then continued his run to get closer, the fire growing as he approached closer. A thick cloud of smoke permeated the air as it blew towards Hiroshi.
“Lesser sneak,” a whisper escaped.
Hiroshi's body glowed a color as the spell activated, and crouched down.
Seven men amongst the villagers stood out from the rest of the villagers. Six of them were wearing hulking white armor, it looked polished, new. Thick helmets hid their faces with slits big enough for them to see. They held torches in their hands. One of them had a leash in his hand, with a dog beside him who never stopped barking.
One of them was beside the burning home.
They're not villagers for sure. They look like they're part of some sort of group.
Hiroshi's eyes scanned the men. One of them was different, he wasn't wearing bulking armor like the rest of them but instead wore robes. Wrinkles covered his face; his hands were slightly bony. He was holding a whip. He appeared to be shouting as he was brutalizing one of the villagers, as if questioning them.
So, he's their leader huh. Is he interrogating the villager publicly?
The entire village was out of their homes, one of the women was on their knees, crying hard whilst clutching her child. Behind her was a man with dark green hair who stared at the clothed man with fury.
Hiroshi's brow furrowed, staring down the old man in robes. He stopped and straightened his posture, then looked towards where Hiroshi was hiding behind a large rock. Hiroshi quickly moved behind the rock, his heart racing.
Shit. Did he see me? How did he notice me?
The old man gestured at one of the men in armor and pointed in the general direction where Hiroshi was.
Taking a slight peek, he noticed one of them walking over. Clanking sounds got louder and louder. He stopped peeking and pressed himself as close as he could against the rock.
The torch roared as it was moved from side to side as the man in armor checked the surroundings.
Then it went quiet.
“Muts've neeb eht wnid.” He spoke to himself.
He turned and left.
That was close… I should try to get closer… maybe I can hear what they're saying…
As Hiroshi was about to move, the system spoke to his thoughts.
“Lesser Sneak has reached level 2.”
Great timing, I just hope it'll help. That old man has sharp senses despite how he looks.
“Status,” he ordered.
He checked his Lesser Sneak. The reduction of his presence was now 40%.
Closing the window, he dashed quickly to a nearby house, pressing his body right up against the cold stone wall.
He closed his eyes and concentrated on hearing.
“Erehw si siht vamirep ouy spaek fo?”
The old man shouted out, sending out another lash against the villager’s already bleeding chest. He was sobbing badly.
All he could muster was “I dno't wnok!”
Are they talking about me!?
The man let out another cry as the whip connected with his body once more.
Hiroshi leaned from the corner ever so slightly to catch a glimpse at one of the soldiers standing there
“Status Inspect,” he commanded.
The system’s voice came on without fail.
“Status Inspect, failed.”
Damn it! They must be much higher level. In this state I can't help them.
If they catch me, it's over for sure. I better leave for now. Wait a second.
Squinting his eyes, Hiroshi looked harder. A symbol, like the one he saw back in the goblins' huts was etched into the soldier's chest piece.
Oi oi, seriously!? It's exactly like the stick figures back back there. What's their connection to the goblins?
I need to leave while I still can…
Hiroshi turned and snuck away into the quiet of the night.
Moments later, he passed through the barrier once more.
“Gobu, come out right now,” he commanded sternly.
Man, couldn't you have said it nicer?!
The large bush beside the tree rustled and Gobu hopped out, confidently looking at Hiroshi. His eyes widened and mouth opened in surprise as his belly growled.
He's hungry huh? Figures, who knows how long he hasn't eaten in that cave.
“Follow. We're acquiring meat,” he turned and began to walk, Gobu following.
Gobu's ears twitched at the sound of the word meat.
Both of them walked through the forest. Hiroshi spotted a mushroom at the base of a tree. It looked a little funny, a huge base pearl white in color and a tiny brown cap.
Another mushroom…
His expression was still, remembering the previous mushroom encounter.
“Status Inspect,” he ordered.
The window appeared before him.
Forest Cap. Aids the user in fatigue and stamina recovery. Valued among villagers for its fatigue remedy effects.
Finally, something that doesn't sound like it will kill me.
He ripped it out and tossed it to Gobu
“Don't you dare lose that,” he ordered.
Gobu's eyes lit up, the massive base of the mushroom barely fit in his hands.
After walking a short distance, they came out of the woods into a small clearing.
This looks like a nice space to set up a temporary camp.
“Gobu. Search for some firewood, now,” he commanded.
Gobu turned to Hiroshi and nodded confidently and ran off into the bushes. Hiroshi moved a nearby fallen log to the middle of the clearing.
Alright, that's the seating secured.
A while later, Gobu returned with so many twigs it was above his head.
How'd he even see where he was going with that much!? Silly goblin.
He threw them down near the log and before long, they had a campfire going with a spit crafted out of sticks.
The only thing missing now is… meat!
“Don't leave this place. You better be here when I'm back,” Hiroshi barked out.
I just wanted to say I'd be back in a moment…
Gobu nodded in approval, stretching out his tiny fingers near the fire
Hiroshi leaped up a couple of times and was atop the tree quickly.
This is getting pretty easy!
He squinted his eyes, looking outward for anything moving. A couple of paces away lay two dire wolves, munching on a dead rabbit
Smirking, he cracked a branch off the tree and sharpened the end with his claws.
Let's end this in an instant.
He leaped from the treetop towards the dire wolves.
Muscle veins popped out in Hiroshi's arm and wrist as he clenched the stick, and pulled back. With all his might, he blasted the stick toward one of the dire wolves.
Zero Distance!
He appeared before one of them and drove his claws into its neck, grinning. The one behind Hiroshi stood up, snarling at him.
His head turned slightly to the side as if he went to look behind him, then a loud crash. The stick blasted into the wolf’s body with such velocity it made the wolf slide sideways a pace.
The system announced.
“Dire Wolf Defeated,” it repeated, twice.
Heh. I've got the upper hand this time.
Hiroshi's smile was smug as he took each wolf into a hand and tossed them on his shoulder and dragged them towards camp.
Gobu stood up from the log, mouth and eyes wide open. Saliva drooled from his mouth as he stared at the wolves behind Hiroshi.
“Make a stone knife, Gobu. We have work to do,” he ordered, and Gobu grunted in agreement.
A while later, they sat together by the fire on the log, munching meat on bones with a side of forest mushroom.
Gobu kicked back onto the log lying down, his belly huge, full of meat.
Hiroshi looked at him, letting out a slight chuckle.
He's full already huh? Silly goblin. This meat is good though.
Hiroshi turned his head towards Gobu while warming his hands at the fire.
“State how you were captured,” Hiroshi asked sternly.
Gobu sat up, looking down at the ground with a long face.
“Enemy tribe. Large attack. Green goblins. No friend.”
“Why are the red and green goblins enemies?” Hiroshi asked.
“Red goblins. Speak. Green goblins. No speak. Brutal.”
“So, you're saying all your tribe can speak? The green goblins are total savages huh?” he scratched his head.
“Yes. Their king. Attack too. Red goblin lose fight. Captured.”
“Captured? But why?!“
“Sacrifice. For king goblin. More level,” Gobu put his hands together, which were shaking.
I see. So, they attacked their camp with the aid of their king and were overrun. As well as being used as a funnel so their king gets stronger.
“What's the location of where they're held captive?”
“Far. King lair. New goblins.”
“Far?” Hiroshi was surprised. “How far?”
Gobu looked around to get his bearings and pointed outward.
“Long distance. Big camp. Older goblin. Strong.”
So, the camp they're held at has stronger enemies huh. The king's lair must've been some kind of breeding nest for the young.
“How long will it take to get there?” Hiroshi demanded an answer.
“Maybe. One week? At—”
“A week!? That's too long!” he stood up shouting.
“What if we're too late?”
“Yes. Long time. Hope.”
Hiroshi let out a sigh and fell back onto the log.
After a moment he clapped his hands together.
“Alright. We better get moving then, we don't have time to waste.”
Gobu nodded in agreement, both standing from the log. They took the remaining cooked meat and kicked the fire out.
“Let's move.”
They began to walk, disappearing into the bushes.
Meanwhile…
Several figures stood at the collapsed cave. A man in robes with his guards behind him was crouched down, staring down at the blood-mixed goo trail that led out of the cave.
“Yes. It was here.”
Grinning, he stood up and turned around, then walked away.
“It is close."