Chapter 3: Goblin Attack
In the dimly lit alley, two figures walked—led by Freya, followed closely by Hal. They soon reached the spot where they had met before.
"Master, please wait a moment," Freya said. "I need to retrieve the cloak I threw onto the roof earlier."
Hal nodded in response.
Freya sprang into action, jumping and stepping on the building wall, then making a second leap, and on her third step, she reached the rooftop.
She picked up the black cloak and unfolded it. Inside, she found a pouch, which she opened to reveal a large number of bronze and silver coins.
With a satisfied smile, she leapt back down to the alley, holding both the pouch and the cloak.
"I'm back, Master," Freya said, glancing at herself. Surely, wearing this maid outfit would draw a great deal of attention.
She looked at Hal, silently asking if she could wear the cloak.
Hal understood and nodded in agreement, then asked, "What kind of weapon do you prefer?"
Freya paused for a moment. "Actually Master,I'm not skilled with any weapon, but I'm particularly interested in a scythe."
"A scythe? Let me check if there's one in the system store."
Hal searched and found an epic-grade scythe priced at 100 system points.
He purchased it, leaving him with 900 system points remaining.
With a thought, the scythe materialized in his hand.
"Here, take it," Hal said, tossing the weapon to Freya.
She caught it swiftly and admired its craftsmanship. At first glance, she could tell it was epic-grade. Without hesitation, she bit her finger and let a drop of blood fall onto the scythe.
The scythe was known as the Silver Crescent Scythe, capable of transforming into a ring for easy carrying. It was incredibly sharp and crafted with precision.
In the open area of Riverhill Fortress, hundreds of people gathered—men, women, young and old. They were refugees from Maple Village, Hunter Village, and the people of the Riverhill territory, all under the control of Sir Melnard, a Third Tier Knight and lord of the fortress.
Meanwhile, the capable men and fighters prepared to defend against the impending invasion of Abyss Darklings.
Near a nearby wooden building, a seventeen-year-old woman with long crimson hair leaned against the wall, anxiously scanning the crowd.
"Where has my sister gone?" she wondered.
She was deeply worried. Their mother had recently died during the Goblin invasion. Although a Second Tier Water Magician, she had sacrificed herself to ensure her daughters' survival.
If anything were to happen to her elder sister, she didn't know what she would do.
Her stomach gurgled with hunger. She and her sister hadn't eaten for almost two days.
During the attack, they hadn't had time to gather food or even pick up a single bronze coin. Now starving, she feared that her elder sister was making a reckless mistake — something she couldn't afford. A heavy sigh escaped her, her face clouded with sadness.
She had been searching for her sister since morning, scouring nearly every corner of Riverhill Fortress, but to no avail. Finally, she decided to return to the gathering area, hoping her sister had already come back.
As she stood there, worried and lost in thought, she suddenly heard a familiar voice beside her — the voice she knew so well: her elder sister's.
"Sister, follow me," Freya whispered, grabbing Freesia's hand and gently pulling her along.
"You're finally back!" Freesia said excitedly, letting out a sigh of relief.
Freesia looked at her elder sister, now cloaked, and followed her quietly. She worried her fears might be true—that her sister had done something reckless.
Once they were away from the gathering, Freesia asked anxiously, "Elder sister, did something happen?"
"Nothing serious," Freya replied. "I just want you to meet someone."
"Who?" Freesia asked.
Her attention shifted as she noticed a man nearby, wearing a black cloak. The attire wasn't ordinary; the cloak resembled the wings of a dragon from a scroll she had seen before.
"Master, this is my little sister, Freesia," Freya introduced, removing her cloak to reveal her maid outfit.
"What? Master? What's going on?" Freesia asked, confused.
Her elder sister had left not long ago and had become a maid for someone, and judging by her smile, she seemed willing to take on the role.
Just as Freesia was about to speak again:
Ting! Ting! Ting! Ting! Ting!
The sound of an alarm rang out, signaling that the fortress was under attack.
Hal and Freya exchanged glances. "For safety, it's best to conceal our identities for now."
Hal quickly checked the system store and found the Concealment Mask—a rare magical item rated Excellent Grade, costing only ten points each. It concealed the wearer's strength, making them undetectable to anyone up to a Fifth Tier powerhouse.
He handed the masks to Freya and Freesia, then put one on himself.
Hal and Freya wore their masks immediately. Seeing that Freesia hadn't put hers on yet, Freya urged her until Freesia reluctantly complied.
With a few agile leaps off the walls, Hal jumped onto the rooftop. Freya followed, carrying Freesia, and together they rose to safety atop the fortress.
Meanwhile, at the northern wall of Riverhill Fortress, knights, mages, and soldiers were already stationed, awaiting the invaders' arrival.
Lord Melnard himself led the defenders—knights, mages, and soldiers—ready to resist.
At the foot of the hill, goblins swarmed, tearing down the wooden outer wall that protected the fortress.
The defenders, including the Tier-three lord Melnard, were shaking. The goblin force numbered over five hundred, many of them high-tier combatants, while the fortress defenders numbered just over seventy.
Melnard shouted, "Do not be afraid! Fight for our families, for our loved ones, for our people!
We will not allow these foul darklings to humiliate us. We will fight to the death!"
His words lifted the morale of those on the wall, determination shining brightly in their eyes.
The first wave consisted of ordinary goblins, seemingly used to absorbing arrow volleys and exhaust the soldiers on the wall.
After breaching the wooden fence, they surged forward relentlessly, carrying about ten ladders without hesitation—clearly driven by a giant goblin who mercilessly crushed those who hesitated or disobeyed.
Atop the wall, Melnard shouted, "Archers, ready!" Around thirty soldiers raised their bows and released a volley of arrows. But the hail of arrows was insufficient to halt the hundreds of goblins attacking simultaneously.
Many goblins suffered only minor injuries from the arrows. Frustrated, Melnard called out, "Mages!"
Two second-tier mages cast their skills —his subordinate and the chief mage of Maple Village, a second-tier fire mage—alongside eight first-tier mages specializing in earth, water, and fire magic.
Soon, fireballs, water spheres, and stone projectiles launched in rapid succession, while archers prepared for the next volley.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Goblins were thrown back; some exploded from the fireballs, while others were pierced by stone bullets.
Still, their numbers were overwhelming. Despite the relentless assault, the goblins pressed forward, prompting the archers to release another volley of arrows.
Soon, the goblins reached the fortress wall, which stood about five meters high. One ladder after another was placed against it.
Seeing this, Melnard shouted, "Draw your swords! Ready for battle!"
Meanwhile, Hal and Freya, carrying Freesia, had reached the rooftop of the tallest building near the fortress wall.
From their vantage point, they had a clear view of the battle below. Freesia, now set down by Freya, trembled in fear.
"It's okay, sister," Freya whispered, holding her close.
Melnard, commanding the defenders on the wall, sensed something unusual.
"Who's there?" he called, turning his head to see three figures standing atop a nearby roof. He couldn't gauge their strength, but his intuition warned him these individuals were dangerous—especially the masked figure at the front.
"No need to worry," Hal replied calmly. "We're just passing through and witnessed the battle."
"Apologies, Sir, that we cannot properly welcome you and your companions," Melnard said, placing his hand over his right chest and bowing respectfully.
"No need," Hal waved off the formalities. "Actually, one of my subordinates could use this for practice. Would you mind letting her join your battle?"
Upon hearing this, Melnard visibly relaxed and grew excited.
"Feel free to practice as much as you like, my lady!" he said, gesturing warmly as he saw the masked woman in a maid outfit step forward.
Of course, Melnard wouldn't refuse—the more help, the better. Hal's arrival was perfectly timed.
"Master, thank you for giving me the chance to annihilate these foul creatures," Freya said eagerly as she already stepped forward, having heard the conversation.
"Go," Hal encouraged her.
Freya bowed once more, then with a thought, the ring on her right middle finger transformed into a massive silver scythe.
Without hesitation, she leapt onto the fortress wall and swung the enormous scythe at the goblins who had already climbed atop.
One goblin was sliced in half instantly. Freesia and the nearby knights watched in amazement, their eyes wide with disbelief.
Though the knights could also cut down goblins, the sheer speed of Freya's scythe left only a silver flash in their eyes.