[+10 EXP]
To reach level 2, Arthur would need a significant amount of experience. It wasn't easy to level up.
But with so many wolves charging at him? If he managed to kill them all, he would surely rise in level.
The thought thrilled him. For the first time, he could become the person he had always dreamed of being. All those who mocked him for not having a class would regret it.
"Hahaha!" Arthur laughed. His mind wasn't thinking straight in that situation.
He sprinted toward the nearest wolf. His boosted strength and agility made a huge difference—his movements were sharp, and every thrust of his spear carried tremendous force.
Another wolf was impaled, its agonized howl making the others hesitate to rush him.
The goblins watched from a distance, but they weren't idle. The archers drew their bows and fired at the wolves closest to Arthur.
One wolf took an arrow to the leg. It wasn't enough to kill, but it gave Arthur an opening. He hurled his spear like a javelin, striking the wolf in the head.
He dashed forward, reclaiming his weapon before another wolf could pounce. But then five wolves moved together—three from the front, two from behind.
They were using their numbers, their hunting instincts, to overwhelm him. With that formation, it would be nearly impossible to defend against every attack.
"Damn it," Arthur thought. "Did I get too carried away?"
Perhaps his inexperience and adrenaline rush had cost him. He was used not having friends, never expecting help from others. But then he heard the goblin leader's voice roar across the battlefield.
"Move! Let's help our friend!" the leader shouted, raising his weapon toward the wolves.
The goblins didn't want to stray far from the safety of their fence—after all, it was their stronghold, with only one entrance to defend. But seeing Arthur surrounded by wolves, they had no choice but to act.
A group of goblin warriors rushed to his aid. The wolves closing in on Arthur's back were forced to fight them, and they couldn't withstand the goblins' assault.
Sword strikes, spear thrusts, even crude clubs—the goblins wielded a variety of weapons. Though rudimentary, they were more than enough to bring down those wolves.
With his back now clear, the goblin leader shouted, "Return with us to the tribe. It's not wise to fight in the middle of the pack!"
Arthur's mind sharpened. He realized the leader was right. Fighting in the open against so many wolves wasn't ideal. His mission was to protect the tribe, not to wander recklessly.
In the open field, he would be an easy target. Near the village, he would be safer.
Together, they retreated in formation. It wasn't far, and soon they reached the gate once more.
The wolves hesitated, uncertain whether to continue their assault. But then their leader appeared.
A wolf twice the size of the others stepped forward. Its eyes glowed crimson, contrasting with its dark, bluish-black fur. Each step made the ground tremble.
[Black Wolf King]
[Level: 8]
Its level was far higher than the goblins'. This was a true monster, one that would be difficult to face.
Arthur's breath caught when he saw the creature. And when he glanced at the goblin leader, he noticed fear in his eyes as well.
"I don't know if we can defend against that," the goblin admitted. "We may die here today…"
What had seemed like an easy mission had turned into something difficult—almost impossible. With so many wolves still prowling, and now their powerful leader revealed, victory felt out of reach.
Arthur didn't know what to do. Was he really going to die on the very first day he awakened his class? The thought made his chest tighten.
"I'll become an even bigger joke…" he muttered, clenching his fists in rage.
At that moment of despair, the system delivered a new message.
[New Skill Unlocked]
[Goblin's Roar: Use this ability to shout and summon additional goblins to aid you in battle. The number of goblins summoned depends on your mastery and your Spirit attribute.]
A new skill! Arthur had no idea how he had learned it. Perhaps it was born from his bond with the goblins—and his desperate desire to keep them from dying here.
Arthur drew in a deep breath, puffed out his chest, and screamed with all his strength.
The skill transformed his cry into a beastly roar. It didn't sound human at all—it was the thunderous bellow of a giant goblin ten meters tall.
The roar was so powerful that the treetops shook, and goblin children inside the huts began to cry in fear.
Even the goblin leader was stunned.
"What was that?" he whispered. It felt as though the roar had pierced his very soul.
Seconds later, movement stirred in the forest. More goblins appeared—five, ten, fifteen… until thirty-five in total had gathered.
Each carried crude weapons, their levels ranging from 3 to 5.
They assembled before the tribe, surrounding Arthur. Their eyes fixed on him—not as an outsider, but as their leader.
The goblin tribe's leader was no longer afraid. He looked at Arthur as though gazing upon a savior—or perhaps the being destined to change their future.
Arthur, feeling the weight of leadership, raised his spear toward the wolves and commanded, "Attack!"
All thirty-five goblins charged forward, and in their midst was Arthur, wielding the same crude spear.
With goblins guarding his back, he could fight without fear of being ambushed. The wolves stood no chance.
One managed to sink its teeth into Arthur's arm, but before it could tear away flesh, his spear pierced its skull. The wolf collapsed, and Arthur gained EXP along with a drop of its hide.
As the wolves' numbers dwindled, their king realized defeat was inevitable. It howled, summoning the survivors to retreat into the forest.
Arthur chose not to pursue. It wasn't wise—and even if he tried, the wolves were far too fast.
In the end, only four goblins had fallen, all of them those summoned by his roar.
Arthur expected the summoned goblins to vanish, like temporary constructs. But they didn't. They remained, becoming part of the tribe itself.
Then he noticed something remarkable. He had gained EXP even from wolves slain by the goblins.
At that moment, a thought struck him:
"What if I can expand this tribe… and conquer the entire dungeon?"
The idea thrilled him.