"Next, you will go alone and eliminate every goblin inside this cave. Can you do it?"
"Th-this…"
That simple question made the Sword Maiden's expression change drastically.
Though she had resolved to obey all of Eriri's commands, she knew her own limitations very well. As a cleric, she was purely a support-type—she had no power to face an entire goblin nest by herself.
Just as hesitation began to fill her mind, Eriri's calm voice sounded again.
"Don't worry. Before that, I will grant you the power to defeat the goblins."
"Hah… I see. In that case, I promise I'll complete your mission!"
The Sword Maiden exhaled in relief, her eyes filled with determination as she made her vow to Eriri.
Not for a moment did she doubt that Eriri could bestow upon her the strength needed to destroy every goblin within the cave.
"Good. Then I shall grant you that power now."
Eriri nodded slightly, then placed her right hand upon the Sword Maiden's head. A moment later, she released a beam of energy that sank directly into the girl's body.
Feeling a sudden warmth spreading through her body, the Sword Maiden's curiosity stirred. But before she could even process it, she began to clearly sense the transformation taking place within her—her physical abilities, vitality, and spirit all surging under the nurturing warmth of this strange energy.
She instinctively knew that this was the "energy seed" Eriri had spoken of.
"So this is the energy seed? Incredible! I can already feel that my strength surpasses that of most melee adventurers!"
The Sword Maiden clenched her fists, astonished at the newfound power coursing through her. Her eyes widened in disbelief.
Seeing the innocent surprise on the girl's young face, Eriri's lips curved upward into a faint smile.
"Don't be too amazed. This is merely the most basic effect of the energy seed. Once you fully absorb it, you'll understand—so-called gods are nothing more than insects that can be crushed at will."
Eriri chuckled softly, removing her hand from the Sword Maiden's head and lightly pinching the girl's smooth, tender cheek.
The energy seed she had infused into the Sword Maiden was no ordinary one—it was an enhanced version, powerful enough to let her step into the Level 5 realm before full absorption, with even a faint chance of reaching Level 6.
Feeling Eriri's unexpectedly affectionate touch, the Sword Maiden's heart began to race uncontrollably, her cheeks rapidly flushing red. Eriri could even sense the rising heat of her skin.
Yet despite her embarrassment, the Sword Maiden didn't ignore Eriri's words. Beneath the shyness, her heart swelled with awe at the strength she had been given.
"Alright," Eriri said at last, withdrawing her hand. "Now, go and slay every goblin in this cave. Leave none alive. We'll be waiting for you at the entrance."
Before the Sword Maiden could even respond, Eriri vanished along with Frelia and the High Elf Archer, leaving the cave silent once more.
For a moment, the Sword Maiden stood there dazed. If not for the overwhelming power now surging through her body, she might have believed everything that had just happened was nothing more than a dream.
She reached up and gently touched the spot on her cheek where Eriri's hand had lingered moments ago. A sweet smile appeared on her lips.
Then, her expression hardened. With a firm grip on her staff, she rose to her feet.
Without hesitation, the Sword Maiden raised her head and strode deeper into the cave.
...
The goblins' ability to reproduce was terrifying. If a single goblin appeared in a cave, it meant that within it existed not just dozens—but thousands—perhaps even an entire goblin kingdom.
The ones who had attacked the Sword Maiden and her companions earlier were nothing but a small fraction of the vast horde lurking within.
When Eriri vanished, she also withdrew the light she had conjured with her energy.
As the Sword Maiden ventured deeper into the cave, her only source of light came from the half-burnt torches scattered across the ground.
The place where the goblins had previously attacked her party wasn't far from the goblin stronghold. It didn't take long before she once again encountered the hideous creatures.
At the sight of them, fear instinctively flashed across her face, and she took several steps back. The earlier trauma still lingered deep within her heart.
But the goblins didn't care. The moment they saw her, they screeched wildly and charged forward in a frenzy.
In panic, the Sword Maiden swung her staff at them without any form or control. The instant it struck the nearest goblin, a tremendous force exploded from the blow, shattering the creature's body into pieces and splattering blood everywhere.
Only then did the Sword Maiden realize—she was no longer the weak and helpless girl she once was.
Her fear quickly dissipated, replaced by growing confidence. Her strikes became more deliberate, her movements more controlled.
For nearly half an hour, she continued her relentless assault. Each time her staff swung, another goblin fell. With every strike, she could feel her power growing stronger and stronger.
When she finally stopped, hundreds of goblin corpses lay piled at her feet. Her once pristine robe was soaked in their dark green blood, yet not a trace of exhaustion appeared on her face. Instead, she looked more invigorated than ever.
Her torch had burned out long ago, but the energy seed's blessing had granted her night vision. Even in complete darkness, she could see perfectly.
Her staff, however, was covered in cracks from the repeated blows, and it looked ready to shatter at any moment.
As a cleric, she had only learned the Earth Mother's supportive miracles. She hadn't even considered using magic offensively—she had relied purely on physical attacks to crush her enemies.
After clearing the area of goblins, she didn't stop to rest. Instead, she pressed forward, deeper into the cave.
Not long after, a new horde appeared—this time far larger than before.
Among them were several unusual goblins. They were massive, towering well above normal goblins—and even most humans—radiating a sense of dreadful power.
But after slaughtering so many of their kind and feeling the strength coursing through her body, the Sword Maiden no longer felt fear. She stared at the large goblins coldly, gripping her cracked staff tightly.
The goblins roared and charged.
Minutes later, the Sword Maiden stood before a stone gate, surrounded by the mangled corpses of goblins—among them, the bodies of those massive ones as well.
Her staff had finally given out, shattering completely after smashing through the skull of a large goblin.
But she no longer needed it.
Through the battle, she had learned to channel the power within her body—to release pure energy attacks at will. With them, she could kill goblins dozens of times faster. A single wave of her hand unleashed blasts that obliterated entire groups in seconds.
She had annihilated the latest horde in half the time it had taken her before.
...
A short distance behind her—floating invisibly—were Eriri, Frelia, and the High Elf Archer.
In truth, they had never left the cave. They had only gone invisible, watching from the shadows.
Eriri had done so not only to witness the Sword Maiden's growth with her own eyes, but also to ensure her safety.
Though the energy seed granted her enough strength to crush all the goblins in this lair with ease, Eriri still wouldn't risk her chosen heroine coming to harm.
Even with all her confidence, Eriri knew that no one—no matter how powerful—was immune to mistakes. As the Sword Maiden advanced through the goblin nest, unexpected accidents could always happen. When that time came, Eriri would be ready to intervene.
Of course, she hoped such a moment would never come.
Watching the Sword Maiden mercilessly slaughter goblins, Eriri couldn't help but feel deeply satisfied. She didn't want her chosen heroine to be a naive saint who showed pity toward such vile creatures.
...
Before the Sword Maiden stood a massive stone gate. Without hesitation, she pushed it open and stepped inside.
Beyond the gate, she found herself in a vast underground hall—its architecture far different from the rough tunnels behind her. At the far end of the chamber, a wide corridor stretched deeper into the darkness.
The hall was eerily quiet. Not a single goblin could be seen. It was clear that the horde she had annihilated earlier had come from here.
The Sword Maiden quickly crossed the hall and entered the corridor beyond.
But she had taken only a few steps before she froze in place, her eyes widening in horror.
Along both sides of the corridor stood enormous iron cages—and within each cage, huddled countless human women. Some stared blankly, others trembled in terror, but all of them were completely naked.
The cages had no locked doors, and the women weren't restrained. There was no need. This was the goblins' den, crawling with monsters—they had no fear that their captives would dare to escape.
Every woman's body was covered in wounds—some pierced by sharp weapons, some torn by claws, others bruised and battered by blunt force. If the goblins hadn't needed them to breed, they would have long been devoured.
For these women, death might have been a mercy.
As the Sword Maiden gazed at the pitiful sight before her, a surge of killing intent erupted in her heart—pure, burning hatred for every goblin that existed.
At the same time, a cold realization struck her. If Eriri hadn't appeared when she did, she, the young swordswoman, and the mage might have become captives just like these poor souls.
That thought filled her with an even deeper gratitude toward Eriri.
Suppressing her emotions, the Sword Maiden hurried toward the nearest cage.
Because the underground hall was pitch-dark, the imprisoned women couldn't see her clearly. Hearing footsteps, they trembled in fear, retreating as far back as they could, believing another goblin had come for them.
With her night vision, the Sword Maiden saw their reaction clearly. She immediately spoke, her voice gentle but firm:
"Don't be afraid. I'm here to save you!"
The moment they heard her voice, the women froze. Goblins couldn't speak human language—someone had come to rescue them.
Realization dawned, and many of them began to sob with relief.
Seeing this, the Sword Maiden didn't waste time with words. She extended both hands toward them and cast Healing Light.
A soft radiance bloomed from her palms, filling the cell with warmth and illumination.
The sudden brightness made the women flinch and shield their eyes—they hadn't seen light in days. Only after several moments did they slowly lower their hands and gaze at their savior.
When they saw the Sword Maiden—her golden hair shining in the light, her blue eyes calm and resolute—their fear melted away entirely.
Thanks to the energy seed's power, the Sword Maiden could now channel divine spells effortlessly, even without a staff. The potency of her miracles had grown beyond anything she had ever imagined.
Under her healing light, wounds vanished, bruises faded, and the women's pale, malnourished bodies regained color and vitality.
Once she finished healing the first group, the Sword Maiden didn't stop. Without pausing to rest or reassure them, she rushed to the next cage and cast her healing again.
One by one, cage by cage, she restored every broken body within the goblins' lair. Even those who had been on the verge of death were brought back from the brink.
But though their bodies were healed, their hearts remained scarred—wounds no magic could mend.
—
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