Chapter 92 – Second Night Raid on the Goblin Settlement

Chapter 92

Second Night Raid on the Goblin Settlement

Date : Day 10 of Grimleaf 1024 Aethellgard Concord Year.

The morning came, and Hyoren and Elise woke up at the same time today. The dual suns were already high in the sky. They woke up late because last night they pulled an all-nighter and only slept at dawn. Their bodies were heavy. Their minds were sluggish. But the rest was necessary.

Then, their morning routine came fast. They washed their faces and fixed their appearance with practiced efficiency. Elise cooked breakfast. The aroma of grilled meat filled the air. Then they sat on the edge, overlooking the quarry below.

Hyoren bit into his sandwich which Elise made. The flavor was rich and satisfying.

"Elise, look at the quarry."

Elise scanned the quarry. Her emerald eyes swept across the settlement below.

"They are... Quite... Too quiet, Hyoren."

The quarry was different. The frantic, desperate energy of the previous day was gone. It was quieter. More disciplined. The few goblins they could see moving about were purposeful, not panicked. They walked with clear direction and intent.

Hyoren grinned. His expression was knowing.

"Elise, We already killed a total of 165 deserters. The weak and discarded goblins. They deserted because the Lord thought feeding them would be useless. The Lord would not feed the weak."

He bit the last chunk of his sandwich before looking at Elise. He chewed slowly and thoughtfully.

"And from now on. I predict there won't be many more deserters, Elise."

His voice was low and certain. He looked at Elise, who was finishing her own sandwich, her expression questioning. Hyoren decide to give explanation to her.

"Think about it. We've culled the weak and the disloyal. The ones who were hungry because they didn't receive rations have fled. And we've dealt with them."

He gestured towards the quarry. The settlement stood silent below them.

"With their numbers drastically reduced—from nearly four hundred down to maybe a hundred and fifty—their food situation, while still bad, should be a bit better. Fewer mouths to feed. The pressure is off."

Elise nodded. Understanding dawned in her eyes.

"So the ones who are left... they're not the same goblins we were fighting yesterday."

Hyoren looked at the quarry again. His cold gaze was analytical.

"Exactly, Elise."

He nodded slowly.

"The ones who remain in the settlement are the hard core. The stronger ones, the fighters or warriors, the ones who are loyal to the Lord. They'll be more organized, more disciplined, and more dangerous."

He leaned back. His expression was grim but focused.

"The easy part is over. We've thinned the herd. Now, we're left with the strong ones. We can't just wait for them to starve anymore… their rations would be enough to feed those smaller but elite numbers. We're going to have to go in there and finish the job."

The dynamic of their campaign had shifted once again. They were no longer just predators culling the weak. They were now facing a cornered, desperate, and more organized enemy. The final phase of their mission was about to begin. And it would be the most dangerous part yet.

Elise's eyebrows furrowed. Her expression was troubled.

"So, what should we do, Hyoren? We already killed 85 on the first two days. Then another 165 yesterday. We already killed a lot. 250 goblins in three days. But that means, in the settlement, there's still around 150 goblins left. Plus, the ones left are the stronger ones."

She shook her head. Her silver hair swayed with the motion.

"It's suicide barging into the settlement now. We need to thin them to under 100 goblins..."

Hyoren's lips curled into a predatory smile. He already had a perfect plan. And he would lay it bare to Elise.

"I know... that's why we change tactics, Elise."

His voice was low. A whisper that commanded Elise's full attention.

"No more waiting. No more ambushing. But it's not yet time for a frontal assault. That would still be suicide against a more organized force."

He began to pace their small ledge. His movements were sharp and full of energy.

"We go back to night raids. But not the silent, surgical strikes we did before. We'll use a hit and run tactic."

He stopped and looked at Elise. His eyes burned with the fire of a new plan.

"We rest during the day. We conserve our energy, we watch, we wait. Then, when it's dark, after midnight, when their focus is at its absolute weakest... we will attack."

He stood on the tarp again. His eyes were predatory. Looking at the prey in the quarry.

"Tonight, we will hit them hard. We hit from one direction. Cause a ruckus. And before they converge, we disengage."

He looked at Elise. His dark eyes met her emerald ones.

"Then we continue. Changing our direction. And repeat."

He grinned. Triumphant.

"We will repeat until we kill more than 50 goblins, reducing their total number down to under 100.."

Elise leaned forward. Her own strategic mind already seeing the beauty of the plan. Her emerald eyes now mirrored Hyoren's. They were a predator's eyes.

"We hit them fast, kill a few goblins, and retreat before they can organize a proper response."

Hyoren nodded.

"Exactly, Elise."

He gestured over the surroundings. The hills. The ridges. The paths.

"We won't stay to fight. We'll strike from the shadows, cause chaos, and vanish. We'll make them wonder if we're a phantom army, attacking from all sides at once."

He looked at Elise. A confident, challenging smile on his face.

"We'll make their quarry a prison. We'll turn their night into a living nightmare. We'll be the ghost that comes in the dark. We become the true Ghost in the Hill. And when their numbers are low enough, when their morale is shattered..."

Elise nodded.

“We will do the frontal assault!”

Elise's own lips curled into a matching predatory smile. The plan was audacious. Risky. But she thought it was perfect. It was a strategy of terror, and she couldn't wait to deliver it.

"I like it... Ghost in the Hill. Let's go haunt some goblins, Hyoren."

The new plan settled between them. A thrilling and dangerous promise of the night to come. But first, there was the long, slow wait of the day. Hyoren and Elise decided to relax. They ate fruits. Chatted with each other. Observing the still and quiet settlement. The hours passed slowly. Peacefully. Then when the dual suns set, they decided to eat and sleep early, to prepare for a night raid.

"Good night, Elise. Let's sleep early. We have work to do after midnight."

Elise smiled. She then kissed him on his lips. Quick, but full of affection.

"Night, Hyoren. Let's sleep."

They then snuggled together. Content. Connected. They would attack the settlement after midnight. But for now, they were enjoying the time together. Safe. Warm. The night awaited them. But the morning would bring terror to their enemies.

***

They woke up at midnight. The three moons hung in the sky, casting three combined light across the hills. They quickly prepared themselves. The familiar ritual of armor and weapons. Not long after, they already stood on their ledge. Hyoren with his Ramtauro armor and his Mithril-alloy Yari in his hand. Elise with her Green Leather Tunic, her bow slung over her shoulder, and her quiver secured on her back.

Hyoren looked at Elise. His dark eyes were focused.

"Ready, Elise? To become a phantom army. A Ghost in the Hill?"

Elise nodded. Her emerald eyes were focused on him.

"Ready, Hyoren. Let's go."

They left their base behind, melting into the night. The new plan was direct, audacious, and relied entirely on the element of surprise and their overwhelming individual skill. They marched straight towards the quarry, towards the settlement's main gate. Two shadows gliding through the moonlit hills. Their footsteps were silent. Their breathing was controlled. The night wrapped around them like a cloak.

They stopped at a small rise a few hundred yards from the main gate. The settlement was quiet, but not asleep. Torches burned on the walls, casting long, dancing shadows that flickered and swayed. The orange light pushed back the darkness. The flames hissed and popped in the night air. Somewhere below, a goblin coughed. The sound carried on the wind.

Hyoren scanned the main gate. His Aethell Sense, now level two, provided a clearer image of the Aethell. The magical signatures pulsed in the darkness. Small. Faint. But visible. The skill gave him a crystal-clear view of the enemy's positions. He could see the goblins as blobs of light.

"Fifteen goblins at the frontal gate, Elise."

His voice was low. A whisper that barely disturbed the air.

"All awake, but they look tired. Sluggish."

He shifted his gaze towards the watchtowers on the side of the gate. The structures rose against the night sky.

"Three in the watchtower on the right, and three in the one on the left."

Elise nodded. Her expression was calculating. Her mind worked through the numbers.

"A total of twenty-one goblins. It's manageable, as long as there's no reinforcement."

Hyoren gestured over the main gate. The torchlight below flickered.

"We'll run before reinforcements come, Elise."

He tapped his chin. His mind turned over the possibilities. The risks. The rewards.

"Our goal isn't to wipe them. But harassing them. If we can wipe every one of the guards before reinforcement came, then good. But if not, we still run. And repeat attacking from different directions."

Elise looked at the main gate. And to the two watchtowers. Her emerald eyes traced the fortifications. Then she looked back at him.

"So, what's the plan, Hyoren?"

Hyoren's lips curled. His mind already formulating the plan. The pieces fell into place.

"Wait until I creep closer, Elise."

He gripped his spear tightly. The Yew-wood shaft was smooth beneath his fingers.

"I'll get into position just outside their effective range. With my signal, shoot them. Kill as many as you can. Focus on the ones in the towers first. Then, support me after that."

He looked at Elise. His eyes burned with the confidence of his new power. His voice was steady.

"And retreat when I retreat. We hit them, we break them, and we're gone before they can organize a proper response."

Elise nodded. Her expression was a mirror of his own focused intensity. Her hand found her bow.

"Understood. I'll be ready."

Hyoren moved out. A ghost in the night. He crept closer, his spear held low, his body ready. His footsteps were silent against the stone. Each step was deliberate. Careful. His breathing was controlled. His heart pounded in his chest, but his hands were steady.

He stopped behind a large boulder just twenty meters from the gate. A perfect position to observe and to strike. The torchlight cast long shadows around him. The goblins' voices drifted on the wind.

He took a deep breath. Calming his racing heart. He looked back towards Elise's position. She was a faint, almost imperceptible movement in the darkness. A shadow among shadows.

He then raised his spear high. Their signal. The hunt was on.

The signal dropped.

In the same instant, Hyoren burst from his cover. His legs pumped. His body moved like water. A blur of motion in the torchlight. Elise activated her skill in quick succession. Her voice was a whisper on the wind.

"Double Shot."

And another one.

"Double Shot."

Her first arrow was a master of archery, a single, perfect shot that flew to the left watchtower, only to be followed by three more in such rapid succession it sounded like a single, continuous thrum. The sharp and deadly sound cut through the night. The arrows hissed through the air.

From Hyoren's perspective, he saw the four goblin heads in the left tower snap back in unison. The arrows struck true. Their bodies slumped over the ramparts. Limbs dangling. Lifeless. The sound of their bodies hitting the wooden floor was a dull thud that was immediately swallowed by the sudden, sharp shrieks of alarm from the gate guards. The night erupted in chaos.

But it was too late.

Hyoren was already charging. He covered the fifteen meters to the gate in a heartbeat, his new status as level eight giving him quicker movement. The wind rushed past his face. His armor clinked softly. His spear was ready. Just a few meters before he reached the fifteen main gate guards.

He didn't hesitate. He activated his newest skill in his arsenal. The words already felt natural on his tongue.

"Magic Blade."

His Mithril-alloy Yari was now enveloped by glowing blue light. The blade hummed with energy. It almost looked like it was a blade of pure light.  The glow illuminated the goblins' faces.

He then raised his spear forward. And used another skill.

"Piercing Magic Thrust."

His Piercing Thrust. Powered up with Magic Blade. Creating a new kind of power. He propelled forward five meters instantly. The air cracked around him. A sonic boom echoed through the quarry. A crater formed beneath his feet.

In heartbeat, his magic spear tip not only pierced the nearest goblin—it left a gaping hole in its chest. The kinetic energy of the attack even created a shockwave which knocked back the goblins behind his target. The goblin was thrown back a few meters, its head hitting the wooden gate at an impossible angle.

In one motion, Hyoren successfully killed two goblins.

The goblins around the gate shrieked seeing two of their comrades killed. They started raising their weapons.

Hyoren quickly swung his spear. The magic blade effortlessly bisected four goblins on his right. The cut was clean and precise. The goblins didn't even have time to scream. Their bodies fell in pieces. Blood pooled on the ground.

He widened his eyes, expecting only to kill one, but actually killed more than intended.

"The heck? It's like cutting paper!”

He blinked. Realizing what his situation is.

“ Whoops. Can't be distracted in the middle of a fight."

He gripped his spear, ready to take the other goblins' charge. His stance was solid. His weapon was ready.

But the goblins also paused in their charge. They didn't expect the attacker to kill them effortlessly. Fear rooted them in place. Confusion clouded their beady eyes.

Hyoren used that chance to peek with the corner of his eyes. Elise was already done clearing the other watchtower, and she started shooting goblins at the gate. Arrows flew like death. One after another, goblins fell.

"Can't lose to Elise."

He smirked. Then he charged at another group of goblins. His feet pounded against the stone.

The goblins finally woke from their stupor. And raised their weapons again. But it was too late. Hyoren already finished his stance. His spear was already in motion.

"Piercing Magic Thrust."

He used another skill, and he propelled forward with another sonic boom. The air screamed. His spear pierced two goblins simultaneously. The blade erupted from their backs. Then another wide arc swung. Killed another two.

He scanned the surroundings. There were two more goblins at the left of the gate. And another two at the right.

He charged at the left one. While he ran, Elise's arrow met with the two at the right side. Two clean shots. Two goblins fell. He was thankful for her. Then with quick motion, he also dispatched the last two of the goblins.

He scanned his surroundings. There were no more goblins at the main gate. Blood pooled around him. A total of twenty-one goblins' corpses scattered around. The smell of iron and waste filled the air. The ground was slick with red.

But at the same time, a loud, metallic clang echoed through the quarry. A goblin, somewhere in the camp, had managed to sound the alarm bell. It was a deafening, discordant sound that shattered the night.

"Damn it, they started to ring their bell. But it was good timing. All twenty-one goblins are done."

He saw more goblins pouring out of the main buildings, their torches like angry, moving stars.

He had to go. He turned and ran. He didn't look back. He just ran towards Elise who was waiting at the slope, his enhanced level eight stats making him faster than he had ever been. The wind rushed past him.

He met Elise on the slope. She was already moving.

"Let's go, Elise. Quick. We need to run toward the forest, we need to confuse them."

Elise nodded. And slung her bow. Ready to run. Her eyes were sharp.

"Let's go, Hyoren."

They turned and ran, not back towards their base, but in a completely different direction, towards the dense, dark forest to the east. They vanished into the night, leaving behind a scene of utter chaos and a slaughter that would haunt the goblins' dreams.

They ran.

It wasn't a panicked flight, but a disciplined, high-speed retreat. The forest was a blur of dark trunks and whipping branches, but they navigated it with an instinctual grace.

Behind him, he could hear the faint, distant sounds of chaos—the blaring alarm, the angry shrieks of the goblins. But the sounds faded with every passing second, swallowed by the vastness of the night.

They ran for what felt like an eternity, covering several kilometers in a few short minutes. Their lungs burned. Their legs ached. But they didn't stop. Then, as planned, Hyoren sharply changed direction, angling north-west, back towards their base. They doubled back, using a small stream to mask their scent and their trail. They were ghosts, erasing their presence from the world.

***

After running for a while, they finally arrived at their ledge again. The familiar rocks welcomed them. The overlook was unchanged. The quarry below was different.

They could finally catch their breath. Their lungs burned. Their hearts pounded. But the feeling was good. The feeling of victory.

Hyoren leaned against rock, his chest heaving, not from exhaustion, but from the sheer, adrenaline-fueled intensity of the assault. His blood sang with the aftermath of combat. His muscles hummed with energy.

They looked at each other, and a slow, triumphant grin spread across both their faces. The night had been theirs. The quarry had been theirs. The goblins had been theirs.

Hyoren produced water skins from his storage bag. The leather was cool against his palm. He drank deeply. The water was refreshing. After he drank half, he then gave the water skins to Elise.

"Thank you, Hyoren."

She then drank and emptied it. The water dripped from her lips. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.

His thirst was quenched. And Hyoren laughed, a laugh of victory. The sound echoed across the ledge.

"Hahaha. It worked, Elise. We hit them hard, we broke their spirit, and we got away clean."

He looked back in the direction of the quarry, a predator's gleam in his eyes. The settlement was now busy. Torches moved erratically. Shadows darted across walls. But they couldn't spare any manpower to look for them. The goblins just huddled in their settlement. Watching the surroundings more carefully. Trying to find the ghost that had slaughtered their kin.

"They're going to spend the rest of the night terrorized. They'll be exhausted, terrified, and even more demoralized. We didn't just kill twenty-one goblins tonight. We broke their hearts."

Elise looked at the quarry. Her eyes mirrored Hyoren's predatory gaze. The flames below reflected in her emerald irises.

"And this is just a start."

Hyoren grinned.

"Exactly. We will repeat this for two to three more times, Elise."

He sat down on the edge. The stone was cold beneath him. He stretched his legs.

"Let's rest for fifteen minutes, then we will hit them again."

Elise sat beside him. Resting her head on his shoulder. Her warmth was comforting. Her presence was grounding.

"Fufu. I can't wait to terrorize them again."

Both of them then rested. Watching the restless goblin settlement. The torches below swayed. The goblins milled about in confusion and fear.

Then they spent the rest of the night terrorizing the goblins. They became a phantom army. A ghost in the hills. The quarry became their hunting ground.

Next one, they hit the northern part. The goblins were sparse here, only eighteen in total. They repeated their strategy. Elise thinned the numbers and attacked from shadow. Her arrows flew like silent death. One after another.

And Hyoren became a charging warrior. With Magic Blade skill, he effortlessly killed multiple goblins in a single strike. The blade hummed with power. The goblins fell like wheat before a scythe.

Then after the main camp was alerted and goblins started to pour to the place they attacked, they ran away. They always used different retreat paths. Using a small stream to mask their scent, before going back to their ledge to rest and planning the next attack.

The water was cold. The stones were slippery. But the trail disappeared.

They repeated this two more times. Nineteen goblins were dead on the western side. And another twenty-four goblins were dead on the eastern side. Now they had already successfully attacked from four directions. Dismantling the goblins' settlement piece by piece. The bloody night was long.

The dawn broke when they were back at their ledge after their fourth assault. The dual suns of Kresneger started to peek from the horizon. The sky shifted their color. The first light touched the quarry below.

Both of them crumpled on the floor. Their breath was fast. Their heart rate had increased. Adrenaline was being pumped through their veins. But exhaustion was catching up.

"Phew. I'm so tired, Hyoren."

Elise leaned back into the rock. Her body shivered from the tiredness. Her muscles protested. Every movement was heavy.

Hyoren grinned. His face was covered in sweat. His armor was stained with goblin blood.

"Same, Elise. But, we did it."

He looked at the now still and very quiet settlement. There was almost no sound. There was no movement of the torch. The goblins had retreated into their holes. The goblins were broken and defeated.

"We actually dismantled the goblins' settlement..."

He quickly calculated in his head. The numbers added up. The bodies. The kills.

"Today night raid successfully killed eighty-two of them. Their number is definitely less than a hundred now. Or even less than fifty..."

Elise finally caught up with her breath, then peeked over the silent quarry. Her silver hair fell over her shoulder. Her emerald eyes scanned the settlement below.

"You're right. From the predicted four hundred goblins, we successfully killed three hundred thirty-two goblins..."

Her grin widened.

"And their morale has definitely plummeted... they don't even have energy to do night watch anymore. And just... huddled in their base."

Hyoren nodded. His body sagged with exhaustion. But his spirit soared.

"Yeah Elise. And to make it even better. My level actually went up on our last assault."

He took his guild card to check. The numbers glowed.

Level : 9

Experience to next level up : 49/1,944

He grinned. Level nine. He started this campaign as level six. And he became level nine at the end. The progress was real.

Elise smiled at him. Her eyes were warm despite the exhaustion.

"Congratulations, Hyoren. Slowly, but surely, you start to catch up with my level. Fufu."

Hyoren scratched his cheek. A little embarrassed. A little proud.

"It's still far though, Elise."

He then stood. His legs protested. His body wanted to collapse.

"Okay Elise. Let's sleep? My eyelids are already so heavy..."

He offered his hand to help her stand.

"Yeah... same, Hyoren..."

She took his arm to stand. Her grip was weak.

They then went to their tent, and collapsed onto their sleeping bags, the adrenaline of the night's raid finally giving way to a bone-deep weariness. They were unharmed, but the intense focus, the sheer expenditure of energy, had left them drained. The sleeping bags enveloped them.

Hyoren's eyes closed almost immediately. His body shut down. The darkness claimed him.

Elise snuggled close to him. Her arm draped across his chest. Her breath was slow. Even.

"Night, Hyoren..."

Her voice was barely a whisper. But Hyoren didn't hear it. He was already asleep.

The tent was quiet. The suns rose over the quarry. The goblins huddled in fear below. And two hunters slept. Ready for the final push. Ready to finish what they started. Without knowing, something sinister already waited for them. At the middle of the Old Quarry.