Chapter 125: Fight Against The Goblins 1

This time, Lyriana finally turned to him.

"A lot."

A High Goblin led a tribe.

But a Goblin Queen could transform a simple tribe into a veritable colony.

She would unite nearby groups.

Organize reproduction.

Have more tunnels dug.

Rapidly increase the population.

And above all...

More powerful evolutions would gradually begin to appear around her.

Warriors.

Shamans.

Specialized archers.

Guards.

Leaders.

Adam looked at the goblins.

"So if we leave it alone..."

"In a few months, there could be several hundred more," Lyriana replied.

Elaria added:

"And the villages around this mountain range would probably start to come under attack."

Adam looked at the road behind them.

He remembered seeing several small communities the day before.

Not immediately at the foot of the mountains.

But close enough.

"We could just warn the knights." "

Lyriana nodded.

"If it were just a High Goblin, yes."

She observed the cave entrance.

"But if a Queen has truly been born... it’s best to deal with this now, before the colony grows too large."

Adam remained silent for a few seconds.

Then he looked at the hundred or so monsters.

"How do we confirm this?"

Lyriana untied her reins.

"I’ll go see."

Adam immediately turned his head toward her.

"Alone?"

She gave him an almost amused look.

"Adam."

He remembered.

Hidden from All.

Child of the Night.

Espionage.

And stats probably still far above his own.

"Okay. Stupid question."

"A little."

Elaria smiled.

Lyriana handed the reins of her steed to Adam.

"Stay here."

Adam took the reins.

"What if they attack?"

Lyriana looked at the hundred or so goblins.

Then at Adam.

"You wanted to practice."

Adam remained silent.

"You’re really terrible."

Elaria calmly corrected him:

"It was mostly Selene’s idea."

"Even when she’s not here, it’s her fault."

"Often."

Lyriana chuckled.

Then her expression changed.

Her presence seemed to fade suddenly.

Not vanish visually all at once.

It was stranger.

Adam’s gaze drifted almost naturally away from her.

As if his brain was gradually ceasing to consider her presence important.

Eyes of the World reacted slightly.

But even with his blessing...

He immediately understood how terrifying Hidden from All could be.

A few seconds later...

Lyriana had vanished among the rocks.

Adam looked back at where she had been just a moment before.

Then at the hundred or so goblins in front of the cave.

Elaria settled calmly onto her Steed.

"She won’t be long."

Adam slowly drew two short swords from his inventory.

"I suppose I should wait patiently."

"Yes."

Several goblins began to stir.

Some had clearly spotted them.

Adam twirled a blade in his hand.

"These ones, however, don’t seem to agree."

Elaria looked at the group.

"Then consider them the warm-up."

Adam sighed.

Then a smile gradually appeared on his face.

The first time he had encountered this species...

He had barely arrived in this world.

He had almost no experience.

A simple dagger.

And a ridiculously low level.

Now...

He was level nineteen.

He possessed Weapon Mastery.

Dozens of weapon types in his inventory.

Stats that far exceeded his apparent level.

And months of experience condensed into a few weeks of intensive training.

Adam gently tightened his fingers around the hilts.

"Very good."

Ahead of him...

The first line of goblins began to advance.

And somewhere in the mountains...

Lyriana was trying to determine if what had seemed like a simple tribe had already become something far more dangerous.

For a few seconds, Adam remained motionless.

Before him, the first goblins advanced hesitantly.

They had clearly spotted them.

Some were shouting.

Others were brandishing their weapons.

Further on, near the cave entrance, one of the creatures stood out distinctly from the rest.

Larger.

Better equipped.

Reinforced leather armor covered part of its body, and a heavy blade rested in its hand.

Probably one of the leaders Lyriana had mentioned.

Her gaze flicked over Adam.

Then over Elaria.

Then over the three Wind Riders.

She raised her weapon.

And let out a particularly high-pitched scream.

The reaction was immediate.

All the goblins in the front line began to run.

Adam sighed.

"There."

He put away the two short swords he had drawn a few moments earlier.

Elaria turned her head slightly toward him.

"You’re changing again already?"

"I have a better idea."

Adam quickly dismounted.

He handed his reins to Elaria, who was already holding those of her own mount and the ones Lyriana had left behind.

"Here."

She calmly took the third pair.

"Are you going to fight alone?"

Adam looked at the approaching goblins.

Then he smiled.

"Lyriana already told me."

Elaria raised a slight eyebrow.

"What?"

"It’s my training."

He opened his inventory.

A halberd appeared in his hands.

"No need for you to tell me again."

This time, it was Adam who charged.

Elaria watched him leave.

Then her gaze shifted to the three Steeds.

"At least he learns quickly."

The distance vanished rapidly.

Fifty meters.

Forty.

Thirty.

The goblins accelerated in turn.

The first group was equipped mainly with small swords, rudimentary spears, and maces.

Adam observed their formation.

Not really a formation.

Just a compact mass.

They were simply trying to overwhelm him.

He kept running.

Twenty meters.

Ten.

The first line was already preparing to raise its weapons.

Adam slowed abruptly.

His right foot planted firmly in the ground.

His body pivoted.

All the energy he had accumulated during his run transferred to his waist, his shoulders...

Then to the halberd.

The long weapon described a wide horizontal arc.

The first seven goblins were swept aside before they even had time to understand what had just happened.

The problem for those behind was even worse.

They were running right behind.

Those in front had just stopped abruptly.

Those behind didn’t have time to brake.

A general collision occurred.

Several stumbled.

Others collided.

Shouts erupted from all sides.

Adam observed the chaos.

"That’s why we don’t all charge in the same place."

The halberd vanished.

A sword appeared in his hand.

He immediately entered the disorganized front line.

One step to the left.

A parry.

Counterattack.

Pivot.

A second opponent eliminated.

Adam was no longer trying to produce grand, spectacular movements.

Each gesture was short.

Precise.

Direct.

Selene had repeated something to him dozens of times during golem training.

A useless attack is a useless opening.

Today, he was really starting to put it into practice.

He advanced through the midst of several goblins.

Then—

A faint sensation crossed Delimiter.

Adam immediately inclined his head.

An arrow whizzed past him by inches.

"Ah."

He looked behind the female fighters.

Nine archers.

Positioned near the entrance.

"Okay. You first."

His sword vanished.

A large shield appeared on his left arm.

Adam took two steps back.

Then he ran off again.

The goblins in front of him were clearly expecting another attack.

But this time...

He didn’t confront them.

Adam placed one foot on the shoulder of the first one.

Then the other on another.

And continued.

He was literally running over the mass of goblins.

Elaria, who had been observing from several dozen meters away, adjusted her glasses.

"Selene will be pleased."

A few weeks ago...

Adam would probably have lost his balance at the first step.

Now, his body control, his agility, and especially the hours spent shifting position amidst the golems allowed him to treat the movements beneath his feet like unstable ground.

Not comfortable.

But perfectly exploitable.

The archers raised their bows.

Adam saw the strings tighten.

"Now."

He placed the shield in front of him.

The first volley arrived.

THRINT!

THRINT!

THRINT!

Several arrows struck the surface.

Adam continued.

The shield vanished for a fraction of a second.

A loaded crossbow appeared.

He aimed.

He fired.

An archer fell.

The crossbow vanished instantly.

The shield reappeared.

Second volley.

Adam blocked.

Then he started again.

Shield.

Crossbow.

Fire.

Shield.

The transitions had become so rapid that he barely needed to think about them anymore.

In about ten seconds...

Two archers were neutralized.

Two volleys had been stopped.

And Adam was now less than two meters from the seven remaining ones.

He jumped.

The shield vanished.

A large axe appeared in his hands.

Adam used the full momentum of his fall to deliver a powerful attack that instantly knocked the first archer unconscious.

Before he even fully landed...

The axe vanished.

A spear appeared.

Two archers stood side by side.

Adam thrust forward.

The weapon’s long range forced them both out of the fight before they could retrieve their bows.

Four remained.

Spear sheathed.

Two daggers.

Adam moved on.

The first two tried to draw their bows.

Too late.

He slipped between them.

His daggers severed their strings before they could fire.

Two swift movements then incapacitated them.

The sixth archer had managed to create enough distance.

Adam grabbed one of the goblins he had just neutralized and shoved it toward him.

The creature had to dodge.

That was enough.

Adam rolled to the side.

The last nearby archer fired.

The arrow flew over him.

A throwing knife appeared in his hand.

Adam threw it almost immediately.

The archer collapsed.

Only one ranged fighter remained.

The one Adam had forced back.

He closed the distance in a few steps.

She tried to pull out a small blade.

Too late.

Adam neutralized her.

Then he stopped.

He looked behind him.

The main group was only just beginning to regain proper organization.