Free Web NovelChapter 9: Hobgoblins
After killing the last three Lv.2 Skeleton Knights, Vyral headed into another corridor. To his surprise, he immediately encountered new monsters, though there was a noticeable difference this time.
Lv.3 Hobgoblins. Yeah, they were evolved versions of goblins, possessing far greater intelligence and sturdy red builds.
Vyral instantly lowered himself into a fighting stance as the three hobgoblins approached. All of them wore makeshift gear made from leather and rusty steel, looking like savage thugs from some lawless zone.
One of them lazily stepped toward Vyral after recognizing the tiny figure standing in front of them.
The squinted-eye hobgoblin spat in disgust as it looked down at the short goblin.
"Grak-grak, grak-grak." (A goblin?)
Another monolid-eye hobgoblin pointed at the tuft of hair on Vyral’s head, grumbling in jealousy.
"Look at that. He has hair! That makes no sense."
Vyral raised one side of his brow in amusement while running a hand through his hair, causing the three hobgoblins to frown in annoyance.
"Are you guys jealous?" He smiled while gazing at the three bald heads in front of him.
The two hobgoblins clenched their jaws in anger. One of them raised a fireball in its palm.
"I’m gonna burn your hair off. A goblin shouldn’t have hair, shorty."
But a faint laugh rang out as the third hobgoblin spoke up.
"Very good. Strong will. Let him join our team."
Then he walked past Vyral, urging the two hobgoblins.
"Hurry up. We need to find that woman. She’s hiding somewhere around here."
The two hobgoblins suppressed their resentment in their hearts before following their leader.
"Watch yourself, son of a bitch."
Vyral rubbed his chin while assessing the hobgoblin’s earlier words.
"A woman?... Arthea?"
That’s right. The last time Vyral logged out, they had been facing a horde of hobgoblins. So Arthea was still fighting them.
Vyral thought for a moment before following the three hobgoblins. From their words, it seemed Arthea was currently under attack, and it was very likely she was in a dangerous situation.
He absolutely couldn’t let her die – especially not after receiving such a convenient item from her mission. If he kept protecting and staying near her, he believed he would run into plenty more opportunities like this.
And more importantly, he needed a good relationship with her. A key to receive her mission.
’’I must have her trust at any cost. She’s a key for me to become stronger without background.’’
Vyral stared at the three goblins with a calculated gaze. He had to prepare a perfect plan to save Arthea when that moment came.
First, he was unable to use weapons at his current level. And after seeing the hobgoblin’s thick, toned muscles, Vyral could tell he was powerless to take them down with bare hands. In addition, they even possessed well-crafted gear and magic for combat.
In fact, he had no chance of fighting them head-on, but an ambush was another story.
’’I need something to attack with... a rock isn’t a bad idea.’’
When Vyral approached a rock and stretched his hand over it, he suddenly froze for a few seconds.
’’My claw?’’
Vyral’s lips slowly formed a wicked smile. Without hesitation, he opened the list of basic evolutions. His eyes darted back and forth as he searched for a suitable basic evolution. freewёbn૦νeɭ.com
As time went by, the corner of his lips rose.
’’I see you.’’
[Claw Morph Lv. Max] – 1 Mystic energy.
Your claws can grow longer or shorter at will
Mystic Energy: 2,65 → 1,65
Vyral strengthened his claws by more than 5 centimeters, forming sharp talons typical of the reptilian race.
’’What the hell are you doing? Shorty.’’ The monolid-eye hobgoblin asked in a taunting voice.
Vyral retracted his claws and smiled gently.
’’Nothing.’’
The monolid-eye hobgoblin snorted, issuing a warning.
’’I’m keeping an eye on you, so don’t do anything stupid.’’
Vyral shrugged and nodded in silence.
’’For sure.’’
Ten minutes later, they finally found Arthea sitting wearily by the wall of the corridor, about four meters away. Around her lay the scattered corpses of monsters she had killed; the scent of blood filled the air.
As soon as she sensed their presence, she struggled to stand. With a rusty sword already soaked in monster blood, she lifted it up while her sharp, lifeless eyes locked onto the enemies. freeweɓnøvel.com
The hobgoblin leader roared.
’’Kill her.’’
A near-instant second after that roar, Vyral leaped into the air, his two sharp claws aimed at the hobgoblin leader.
He moved with ridiculous speed, even causing the hobgoblin leader himself to be stunned. That speed should not have existed in the weakest race of the world.
He had made two mistakes from the start.
Firstly, underestimating the goblin.
Secondly, recruiting him into his team.
Luckily, his subordinate was not. The monolid-eye hobgoblin who had been keeping a close eye on the green goblin for a long time roared in rage.
’’I told you I was keeping an eye on you, you damned shorty .’’
He instantly tossed a fireball at Vyral.
No surprise showed on Vyral’s face as he dodged the attack, curling up into a ball at once and launching himself at the monolid-eye hobgoblin.
Stretching his long claws, he clamped down on the goblin’s head with his limbs before stabbing his claws into the hobgoblin’s eyes, sending painful, sobbing screams echoing through the corridor.
’’You die.’’
He used all of his muscle power to tear into the enemy’s face, leaving bloody, gaping gashes – the blood overflowed, brutally running down to the floor like a waterfall.
[You have slain a hobgoblin lv.3]
[+5xp]
[+0,5 Mystic Energy]
Two hobgoblins remained, quickly regaining their calm as their eyes flashed viciously. At once, they hurled two fireballs at their comrade, intending to erase the green goblin.
Arthea, with the instincts of a knight, did not let this chance slip away after noticing the enemies falling into chaos. She gathered speed before dashing forward and, at the same time, delivered two precise, brutal slashes through the two hobgoblins.
The two hobgoblins’ shoulders slumped as their eyes went hollow. Both of them slowly knelt down before collapsing – streams of blood spilling from their necks and flowing across the stamp floor to Arthea’s feet.
They died.
Arthea slowly glanced at the short goblin, who was crazily rolling on the floor to put out the fire on himself, her expression fixed in quiet concentration. No one knew what she was thinking, but she definitely liked the scene.
Just as she was about to move in to save Vyral, he had already put out the fire on his own, lying on the ground and gasping for breath.
Arthea simply let out a relaxed breath. Her voice was full of provocation.
’’You look fine.’’
