Chapter 57: Satisfying

"Ring ring ring!"

Urgent ringing came through the night.

My wooden bowl fell to the ground, the orange-red stew I'd only drunk half of splashing onto the meadow.

Whoosh—

Accompanied by the crisp sound of metal trembling as I drew my sword, the iron-gray cold light flashed momentarily through the air.

The next second, the beheading longsword was already gripped in my hand.

Beside me, Alton reacted just as quickly.

Just a moment ago he'd been smiling and sharing stories of his hometown with me, but the instant the bell rang, his expression suddenly froze.

His two short legs practically left afterimages.

In a flash of dodging and weaving, he'd already jumped atop a roadside wagon.

While looking toward the direction the sound came from, a miniature and delicate lute had appeared in his hands.

Halflings were cheerful, enthusiastic and lively—that didn't mean they were fools to be bullied.

A strong sense of responsibility in their hearts meant these small folk, when defending friends and villages, could often display outstanding courage and firm will far beyond their stature.

Their compact bodies without any excess bulk also gave them agility exceeding ordinary people, and stealth abilities similar to rogues.

In fact, that a lightfoot halfling could receive permission to leave the community's large family and go out as an adventurer.

Already proved Alton's capabilities.

The reactions of the other adventurers around weren't much worse.

After just a clattering sound of pots and pans falling, in only a few seconds, the guards had already gripped their weapons and taken their positions according to the pre-arranged formation.

Only at this point, when the adventurers had all prepared for combat, did clamorous commotion come from the caravan's camp on the other side.

"Goblins, 23 of them, no subspecies discovered."

Quickly tuning his strings, the halfling calmly and precisely reported his findings to everyone.

As soon as he finished speaking, I felt the tense adventurers around me visibly relax.

"Thank goodness, it's just goblins."

Come to think of it, in a location this close to town, those who dared actively attack human caravans were either certain monsters who'd lost their ability to sense threats due to excessive hunger, or only these brainless green-skinned mongrels.

"Kerry, Wilson, get ready!"

In the group, a guard who looked like the leader loudly called to two adventurers with longbows on their backs.

The action was quick, as if they'd cooperated many times before.

The two archers, using hands and feet, rapidly climbed onto the wagon that had been placed by the roadside in advance, occupying the high ground.

Then they aimed at those goblins in the distance, shadowy figures rapidly charging toward them in the darkness.

Nocking arrows, drawing bows.

"Whoosh!"

The wooden arrows fletched with tail feathers became elongated blurred outlines, disappearing into the darkness.

Two dark shapes fell in response.

"Continue!"

That adventurer shouted again.

The sound of breaking air rang out once more, but compared to before, this attack included several caravan drivers among the shooters.

—They wore disheveled clothes, some even had dirt and grass roots on them, obviously having tripped while rushing over.

They also held bows and crossbows, squinting their eyes, aiming and shooting toward where the distant figures came from.

This time, three goblins fell.

But it was all thanks to the two professional archers, because one arrow simultaneously pierced through two green-skinned rats' chests.

The nighttime visibility was too poor. Without combat experience, ordinary people, whether in strength or accuracy, were far inferior to adventurers who frequently fought in Mist Forest.

Accompanied by sharp shrieks, the dense footsteps rapidly approaching became increasingly obvious.

The adventurer in charge of command glanced at the cargo on the wagon behind him, hesitated for a moment, then looked toward the caravan captain "Jeff" beside him, gripping his long-handled spear tightly.

Only then did he make up his mind, raising high the single-handed sword in his hand and loudly calling to everyone around:

"Don't let these beasts get near the caravan!"

"Brothers, charge!"

As one of the front-line members of the team, facing the upcoming battle, I naturally couldn't lag behind everyone.

As my feet moved, my entire body had already charged forward.

And at the same time, my gaze also followed my charging body, sweeping around.

Confirming there were no signs of ambush on either side, and that teammates behind were responsible for support and vigilance, I finally relaxed slightly.

Whooom—

In the air congealed by the tense atmosphere, a high-pitched and impassioned sound of strings suddenly rang out.

It wasn't complex, as if only composed of soaring notes pieced together, constantly repeating.

But it seemed to contain some peculiar rhythm that made people unconsciously immerse themselves in it.

Muscle strength hadn't increased, and my consciousness didn't become clearer because of it.

Those notes were just like invisible phantoms in the air, seeping through my pores into flesh, sinew, and bone.

Making me experience some kind of illusion more conducive to combat.

As if my body had suddenly become lighter, and the power accumulated in my arms was more abundant.

My forward charging body immediately accelerated.

In my mind, I suddenly recalled the lute I'd glimpsed in the halfling's hands, plus his light and distinctly colored outfit.

"A bard?"

The thought flashed by.

In the blink of an eye, I'd already reached the very front of the formation.

Beside me were my teammates' roars during combat and the sharp sounds of metal collisions.

I concentrated, blocking out the noise around my ears.

Directly ahead,

Four goblins were waving clubs in their hands, snarling and lunging at me!

My sword tip touched the ground.

With my Constitution at a high 8 points after absorbing the dewdrop, I didn't need to worry about the combat skill's impact on my bodily functions.

I just stepped forward fiercely!

My boot immediately sank into the soft soil beneath the meadow.

And that brownish-yellow moist soil, while swallowing my heel, also seemed to suddenly send up that power from deep within the earth!

Strong and powerful force rushed straight up from the soles of my feet, gathering and collecting that strength usually hidden deep in flesh and blood, concentrating it all in an instant.

Transmitting through my palm along the sword hilt, driving the sword body in the exquisite manner that had long become muscle memory through countless practice sessions.

【Whirlwind Slash】

Whoosh—

Reflected by firelight, the iron-gray sharp arc tore through the night.

I only felt four slight resistances transmit through the sword body in my hand.

Flesh like paper, sinew and bone like firewood.

Under the enhancement of vigorous force, the sharp blade—the goblins didn't even have time to let out agonized screams before the cold light took their lives.

Foul, stinking dirty blood gushed out like spring water, carrying broken limbs and organs, thrown high into the air.

The crimson blood remaining on the sword body, following the pouring force, splattered onto the ground.

My forehead hair violently swayed. The bloody smell flooding into my nose with each breath made me furrow my brow slightly.

But what welled up in my heart was an inexplicable feeling of satisfaction.

Like a butcher skillfully dismembering pork on a chopping block, that indescribable pressure that had accumulated in my heart due to the bear goblin, the basilisk, and even that already-dead yet still unbreakable giant snake.

Was released in an instant with the death of four green-skinned mongrels.

At this moment, I had only one thought in my heart:

"So satisfying!"

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