Chapter 47: Fierce Battle Against the Goblin Tribe (Part 1)

The Goblin Lord stood frozen in place for a full three seconds before he finally reacted.

“Gaoh——!!!”

After letting out a thunderous roar,

The dozens of green-skinned goblins inside the Tribe, who had been at a loss just moments ago, all froze for an instant. Then, all of them started shouting “Gah, gah” as they sprang into action.

Some ran to grab thick wooden clubs, some reached for Stone Spears, others fetched bows and arrows, and still others climbed up the rickety Watchtower, where they blew the Horn.

“Wuuu——!”

With the Horn’s long call echoing through the forest, the dozens of goblins who had not been Poisoned gradually gathered before the Goblin Lord.

At the same time, hidden in the shadows, Hurem was staring intently at the Goblin Lord.

“The drug didn’t work? Don’t tell me this Goblin Lord is so strong that even this Poison can’t hurt it… …”

The Goblin Lord, being the one who ate the most among all the goblins, had naturally ingested the most Poison. Yet, while all the other Poisoned goblins clutched their stomachs and fell to the ground, it alone showed not a single sign of being affected. For a moment, it was impossible to determine whether the Poison could truly affect it.

“No, I can’t leave things to chance. The moment could slip by in an instant. I already have a good shot at winning now… …”

At this moment, the dozens of green-skinned goblins had not fully gathered. If she waited until they formed ranks and the Goblin Lord truly resisted the Poison, her chances of victory would drop drastically.

Thinking this, Hurem’s eyes grew sharp. She no longer hesitated, gripped the Tree Demon Staff tightly with both hands, and strode toward the goblins. All the concealment spells on her faded, and she began chanting a new incantation.

“[ᛋᚷᚺᛜᛈᚠᛞᛃᛡᚪᛚᛏᛗᚠᚺᛜᛖᛄᚠᚳᛜᛃᚾᚪ]”

“Enhance!”

A faint white light shimmered faintly across her body.

“[ᛒᚠᛏᛋᛜᚻᚠᛏᛖᛡᛣᛏᚠᚳᛜᛖᛄᚠᚳᛜᛓᚠᛃᛖᛚᛜᛓᛃᚱᛗ]”

“Lighten!”

Her speed increased instantly.

“[ᛃᛒᚺᛏבᛤᛜᛈᚠᛞᛃᛡᚪᛚᛏᛗᚠᚺᛜᛖᛄᚠᚳᛜᛓᚠᛃᛖᛚᛜᛖᚢᛋᛜᚪᚠᛖהᛤ]”

“Guard!”

A more dazzling layer of white light covered her body.

“[ᛗᛜᛈᚠᛞᛃᛡᚪᛚᛏᛗᚠᚺᛜᛋᚷᚠᚺ]”

“Battle Cry!”

A layer of red light flared up, immediately eclipsing the white glow… …

“Ga——!?” The Goblin Lord stared blankly at the handful of green-skinned goblins slowly gathering before him, confusion flickering in his eyes.

Then, his face twisted with intense fury.

Among the goblins still standing, not a single Greater Goblin was left. Most crucially, the few Goblin Mages were nowhere to be seen!

This Lord had always treated them second only to myself, yet they dared flee the battlefield!?

“Gaoh——!!!”

The Goblin Lord roared at the sky, wishing he could slaughter those Goblin Mages on the spot.

But in truth, the Goblin Mages couldn’t be blamed. Though they were high-level goblins, they specialized in magic and intelligence, with such poor physical prowess that they were even weaker than the lowest green-skinned goblins.

Because of their high status, each Goblin Mage had their own House, and except for the Lord, other goblins didn’t dare enter at will. As a result, when the Poison took effect and the Goblin Mages fainted in pain, not a single goblin noticed.

“[ᛓᚠᛟᚾᚲתᛖᛜᛖᚾᚠᚲᚢהᛤᛜᛚᚲᛜᛣᛃᛗᛡᛁ… …]”

Just then, a strange voice sounded within the Tribe, steadily drawing closer.

The goblins looked toward the sound, spotting a petite human woman approaching, staff in hand and chanting incantations under her breath.

“Tidal Surge!”

Rumble!

A massive wave erupted out of thin air, surging toward a group of goblins dashing over with bows and arrows. In an instant, it scattered them in all directions.

The sudden turn of events left the goblins stunned.

“Gaoh——!!!”

But with a furious bellow from the Goblin Lord, the green-skinned goblins finally realized the enemy had invaded the camp.

“Ga!”

“Galu!”

“Galu!”

“Ga… …”

The horde of green-skinned goblins shouted wildly, brandishing thick wooden clubs or long stone spears as they charged at Hurem.

Yet Hurem paid them no heed. Her target was clear: take out the most threatening ranged attackers first!

With her array of pre-cast buffs, Hurem maintained her distance from the goblins with melee weapons. She leveled her staff at the bow-wielding goblins scattered by the wave, rapidly reciting another spell.

“[ᛖᚢᛋᛒבᛤᛜᛖᛓᛃᚺᚾᛜᛣᛈᛏᛡᛣᛃᚾᚠᛏᛁᛋᛚᚪᛜᛗᛜᛣᛃᛗᚢᛜᛖᚲהᛤᛜᛞᛈᛃᛡᛚᛖᛋ]””Lightning Strike!”

Boom——!

A bolt of lightning crashed down from the heavens.

It landed squarely among the goblin archers.

“Ga——!”

“Ga!”

“Ga!!”

The terrifying current raced along the damp earth, instantly making the goblin archers scream in agony.

As the thunder faded, only a pile of scorched, still-smoking corpses remained.

“Gaoh!!!”

The Goblin Lord was completely enraged.

Thud!

He swung the Stone Axe into the ground, leaving a pit as he howled and charged at Hurem.

Any green-skinned goblin blocking his way was crushed underfoot or swept aside by the Stone Axe.

But for Hurem, this was not yet the time to face him head-on.

“[ᛏᛈᛒᛜᛖᚾᚠᚲᚢהᛤᛜᛚᚲᛜᚢᚪᛖᛡᛞᚠᛟᛃᛜᛓᚠᛏᚱוᚠᛃᛖᛜᛓᚠᛒᛖᛚᛡᛚᚢᛡᛣᛃᛜᛖᚾהᛤ]”

Fierce flames burst from the ground, forming a towering Fire Wall.

Several of the leading green-skinned goblins were caught in the blaze, writhing in agony as fire consumed them.

The Goblin Lord slammed on the brakes, stopping just short of crashing into the Fire Wall.

His bloodshot eyes blazed with fury.

“Gaoh——!!!”

With a mighty roar, the Fire Wall trembled violently from the force.

Then, in an exaggerated movement, the Goblin Lord swung the Stone Axe behind him, gathered strength for a second, and hurled the millstone-sized blade forward in a horizontal sweep.

Whoosh——!

The gale kicked up by the Stone Axe instantly tore the Fire Wall apart.

But when the Goblin Lord looked closely, there was no trace of anyone behind the wall.

“[ᚷᚲᛏᛓᛖᛚᛜᚻᚠᛏᛖᛡᛣᛏᚠᚳᛜᚾᛃᚲᛟᛖᛡᛓᛏᚠᚱᛜᚾᛟᚲᚠᛚᛜᛖᛗᛃᛞᛋ]”

“Wind Blade!”

A familiar voice rang out from his right. Turning his head, the Goblin Lord saw the intruder continuously casting spells, cutting down the remaining goblin archers.

“[ᚣᚠᛟᚪᛚᛜᛣᛃᛗᛡᛁᚾᛗᛚᚪᛜᛣᛃᛗᛡᛃᚱיᚺᛜᛖᛋᚢהᛖᛜᛏᛖᛗ]””Water Arrow!”

A transparent water arrow pierced through a bowman aiming at her from the Watchtower. Immediately, Hurem twisted aside, dodging a thick wooden club swinging in from the side.

Then, with a horizontal sweep of the Tree Demon Staff, she tripped her assailant.

She caught the thrusting Stone Spear, wrenched it forward using her momentum, and kicked the stumbling goblin, forcing it to let go of the weapon.

Whoosh——!

The Stone Spear spun in her grip, the tip aligning in her favored stance.

Hurem drove the spear straight into the goblin before her.

“Ga——”

The goblin spewed blood and fell.

Without hesitation, Hurem wrenched the Stone Spear free and spun to stab the goblin she’d tripped earlier.

“Ga!”

In the blink of an eye, two close-range goblins were dealt with.

Swish——!

A Stone Arrow whistled past her ear.

Hurem instantly shifted position, quickly locking on to the archer.

“[ᚷᚲᚠᛏᛗᛜᚢᚪᛖᛡᛞᚠᛟᛃᛜᛃᛏᚠᛞᚲᛜᚹᛚᛖᛗᛜᛖᛗᛃᛞᛋ]”

Boom!

A blazing fireball smashed into a Watchtower, blowing it apart and sending the two goblins atop it tumbling down, wreathed in flames.

“Gaoh——!”

Suddenly, a deafening roar erupted behind her, followed by an intense sense of mortal danger.

Hurem’s pupils shrank. Without time to think, she immediately cast a spell.

“[ᛓᚠᛏᚱוᚠᛃᛖᛜᛖᛗᛞᚪᛡᛖᛞᛃᚺיᛤᛜᛖᛚלᚠᛟᛜᛃᛋᛄᚠᚪᛜᛖᚾהᛤ]”

Rumble!

A Stone Wall rose up from the ground.

Yet almost the instant it appeared, a massive Tree Stake smashed through the Stone Wall, barreling straight toward Hurem.