Alara was sitting beside Kyle, with her back straight, arms crossed, staring out the window.
Mira sat in front of them with Leo, chatting casually—as if they weren't heading toward a dangerous, unknown cave.
The sun climbed higher as they traveled, warming the air and the leather seats beneath them.
Kyle opened his shop screen again, browsing the enchanted weapons and armor on display. His gaze lingered on a dagger with +10% damage—but the price made him wince.
`300 points... I'm not even halfway there.`
The thought made his jaw clench. How many more kills would it take to accumulate enough points for decent equipment?
The carriage hit a stone, jostling everyone in their seats. Alara stretched out her hand to steady herself, but her eyes widened when she realized that her hand had landed on Kyle's thigh.
She pulled back immediately, her flush deepening.
`Avoiding me won't save you.` Kyle thought, suppressing a smirk.
The forest began to thin as they approached the cave's location. Alara pulled out the map, studying it with narrowed eyes.
"We're getting close," she announced. "Keep your eyes open. I want everyone alert."
The road curved sharply around a cluster of trees, and suddenly the cave entrance came into view. The entrance was large enough for an elephant to enter, and it was also dark.
Alara stood, peering out at the opening. "Well... There it is."
Weston brought the horses to a stop, and they all dismounted.
"Everyone," Alara said, her voice steady and clear. "Formation is simple. Leo and I take the front, while Mira and Weston support from behind."
"Kyle—" she glanced at him, "—cover our backs... and stay close."
Kyle nodded. "Understood, leader."
"Good." Alara took a deep breath and stepped toward the cave's entrance. The others followed.
Soon, the darkness swallowed them whole.
The cave stretched ahead, the walls narrowing as they ventured deeper, carrying the damp scent of earth.
"Stay close," Alara commanded quietly. "No telling what's lurking down here."
They pressed forward in a loose formation. Alara led, with her sword pointed forward. Leo stayed close beside her, shield raised, his armor clanking with every step.
Mira walked behind them, using her magic to create a ball of fire to light the way. Weston walked beside her, alert to any movement.
As for Kyle, he lingered at the rear, his dagger glimmering in the firelight.
"Goblin tracks," Weston murmured, crouching down to examine the ground. "Fresh ones. Maybe an hour old."
Alara's grip tightened on her sword hilt. "Then we should move faster."
They continued walking forward cautiously, and the sound of their footsteps echoed in the cave.
"I see something ahead," Leo whispered, after noticing a strange figure from afar.
Alara nodded, gripping her sword tighter. "Everyone, be alert."
They crept forward slowly. When they reached the strange object, the foul smell crept into their noses.
"This—!" Weston clenched his teeth, his voice tight with anger.
Everyone's expressions darkened.
It was the corpse of one of the guild's adventurers who had accepted the mission earlier. It was mutilated, and a long time had passed since his death.
Alara looked at the corpse for a moment, then turned her head to the rest of the group. "Let's keep going forward."
They all nodded, becoming even more cautious after realizing the danger of this cave.
The cave continued to stretch on as they advanced, maintaining their formation. Then, without warning, they stepped into a massive cavern.
The area was very large, with dozens of dark side tunnels. The ceiling rose high above them, jagged and uneven.
A strange sensation crawled up Alara's spine. "Something's—" she started.
Rustling—
"Leo!" Alara shouted.
Leo reacted instantly, raising his shield just as a dark shape lunged from the side.
Clang!
The impact echoed through the cavern as the creature slammed into his shield and bounced back.
Its twisted face snarled as it scrambled to its feet, clutching a crude weapon made from sharpened branches bound together with leather.
Then another appeared.
And another.
From the side tunnels, shadows poured out—short, green figures with yellowed teeth and wild eyes, wielding primitive spears and clubs.
"Goblins!" Weston barked.
They rushed in all at once.
"Kill them here!" Alara shouted, charging forward.
Her sword flashed as she cut down the first goblin, her blade cleaving cleanly through its neck. Leo followed close behind, smashing his shield into another and crushing it against the stone wall with a sickening crunch.
Mira raised her staff, flames spiraling into existence around her palm. She hurled the fire forward, the blast engulfing two goblins in a burst of heat and smoke.
The cavern filled with screams.
Kyle remained near the rear, watching.
`So this is what goblins look like... ugly little bastards.`
Not a single goblin rushed him. They were focused on the front line—on Alara, Leo, and Mira.
`My skill [Mind Control] worked on animals without any problem... but I haven't tried it on monsters before.`
His eyes narrowed at the short green creatures, then his lips curved into an evil smile. `Goblins are considered monsters... right~?`
He didn't hesitate, his gaze snapped to the side just in time to catch movement.
A goblin was slipping through the chaos, crouched low, its eyes locked on Mira's unprotected back. Its spear was raised, poised to strike.
Kyle's eyes flared crimson as he activated his skill [Mind Control].
`Attack me instead of her.`
The goblin froze mid-step. Its body jerked unnaturally, then turned away from Mira and rushed straight toward Kyle instead.
Kyle smirked. `It works!`
Kyle stepped forward calmly. One clean motion. His dagger pierced the goblin's throat, silencing it instantly.
A system notification appeared.
[You have slain a Goblin]
[Unused Stat Points: +2 | Shop Points: +20]
`Damn it... Why am I still getting so few points? It's a damn monster!`
He thought about it for a moment, then sighed. `I still don't understand what factor the system uses to classify the creature.`
He pushed the matter out of his mind and turned his attention to the battle. This time, he didn't wait for the goblin to rush at him.
He slipped into the fray, his movements sharp and controlled.
He ducked beneath a clumsy swing, kicked a goblin's knee out from under it, then drove his dagger down into its skull.
Another goblin lunged—only to stumble for no apparent reason and fall right in front of Kyle, who killed him immediately.
Kyle was using his skill to control the goblins and make them stumble and make mistakes to make it easier for him to kill them.
He moved again, positioning himself between Mira and another incoming goblin, parrying its strike and finishing it before it could recover.
"Thanks!" Mira shouted, breathless.
Kyle didn't respond. He was already weaving through the chaos, never overextending, never taking unnecessary risks.
His commands were simple—stumble, hesitate, turn—just enough to create openings and divert suspicion from him.
The others spared him brief, startled glances as goblins kept falling dead at his feet.
"There's more coming from the left tunnel!" Alara's voice cut through the chaos, sharp and urgent. She was engaged with two goblins now.
She was right. The sound of more creatures echoing through the cave suggested reinforcements were on the way.
Mira's flames blazed brighter as she hurled another barrage of fire. "How many are there?!"
"Too many..." Weston grunted, dodging a direct hit from a goblin's club.
Leo fought beside Alara, his armor dented in several places. He swung his shield, protecting the leader while she struck.
The goblins weren't coordinated, but they were numerous. They swarmed forward in waves, forcing the party to defend in a tight circle.
Even so, the party members were strong. They quickly took control of the battle. Goblins fell one by one at their hands, and their numbers dwindled.
Soon, only a handful remained, retreating toward the side tunnels, snarling and shrieking as they backed away.
Alara wiped the blood from her blade, breathing hard. "Don't let them regroup—"
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Heavy footsteps echoed through the cavern, interrupting Alara's speech.
Everyone froze, and their eyes turned toward the source of the sound.
From one of the deeper tunnels, a massive shadow shifted—far larger than the goblins they had just fought.
The footsteps grew closer. And whatever was coming... It wasn't weak.