Chương 45: The White-Haired Goblin

"Die, you green-skinned freak!" Grey stepped forward and thrust. The longsword in his hand transformed into a streak of sharp silver light, piercing straight through the heart of the goblin in front of him. One strike. One kill.

"RAAAH!" Gark charged as well. He raised his broadaxe high above his head and brought it down with terrifying force.

"Splurt!" The goblin in front of him had no chance of resisting such overwhelming power. The axe cleaved straight through its body from head to toe, splitting it cleanly in half. Foul-smelling blood sprayed everywhere, while organs and intestines spilled across the ground.

"WAAAAAH!" The final goblin was completely terrified. It scrambled backward before turning around and fleeing into the cavern, screaming a warning at the top of its lungs. A moment later, the inside of the cavern erupted into chaos. The ground trembled. A large number of enemies were rushing toward them.

"Gaga waka kaka! Gaga waka kaka!" (Enemies appeared! Enemies appeared!) The first wave of goblins poured out of the cavern. There were at least a dozen of them. They carried rusted weapons stolen from or scavenged from the human world, raising them toward Marcus's group while letting out threatening shrieks. The air was filled with their strange cries.

"Gaa! Gaa!"

"Gigu ruwa!"

"Waka kaka!" (Foolish humans! You dare come here?!) (Kill them!) (Fresh human meat again!)"Boom… boom…" Along with the footsteps of the smaller goblins, heavier steps echoed from deeper within the cavern. Two enormous figures emerged together. 《The Adventurer's Association Universal Bestiary》 【Sequence 28】: Hobgoblin Individual Threat Rating: [Difficult] Appearance: Compared to ordinary goblins, Hobgoblins possess much larger bodies, usually around two meters tall, with a far more savage appearance.

Habits: Similar to ordinary goblins, but Hobgoblins usually occupy the highest position within a goblin group, possessing overwhelming status. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. Special Abilities: They possess powerful physiques. Their speed and strength far surpass those of ordinary goblins. Core Weaknesses: No specific weaknesses recorded. Hobgoblins are merely flesh-and-blood creatures and can be killed through conventional methods.

Association Notes: A challenging opponent. When fighting one, remember to wear your best armor. Raw physical strength is the greatest threat posed by Hobgoblins. Both Hobgoblins stood taller than Marcus, though neither was as large as Gark. One of them wore mismatched iron shoulder guards and a chest plate, clearly equipment stripped from fallen adventurers. In its hand was a massive spiked club covered in iron nails. The other wielded a two-handed great axe. Its weapon alone was enough to make anyone wary.

In a one-on-one fight, Marcus and Gark might not fear them. But now, more than a dozen ordinary goblins surrounded them as well. With these green-skinned pests constantly harassing them from the sides, the situation became completely different. A sudden slash from behind. A thrown stone striking the head. Any distraction could prove fatal.

"GWAAAAH!" One of the Hobgoblins roared toward the sky. (Kill all the humans!) The green tide surged forward. Marcus, Grey, and Gark were instantly surrounded. Marcus adjusted his breathing and raised his steel-faced composite shield. As always, he stood at the front of the formation.

"Remember the plan!"

"Got it!" The Hobgoblin wielding the great axe charged forward. Then came a brutal downward strike. Marcus raised his shield to block. BOOM! The axe blade sank several centimeters into the shield. The tremendous impact left Marcus's left arm numb. The Hobgoblin tried to pull the axe free. But the blade had become lodged in the shield. Unable to immediately retrieve it, the creature kicked forward and used the force to wrench the weapon loose.

Marcus staggered backward several steps before finally stabilizing himself. On the other side, Gark was engaged in a direct clash with the other Hobgoblin. His heavy broadaxe howled through the air. A spinning strike landed directly on the Hobgoblin's chest armor, carving a deep scar into the metal and nearly taking its head off. However, Gark had no chance to follow up. Several smaller goblins were already lurking nearby, waiting for an opportunity to launch a sneak attack.

For safety, Gark had no choice but to retreat. Grey was responsible for clearing out the ordinary goblins nearby, ensuring the team's rear remained secure. Inside the shadows of the bushes, Vaelis and Zelier held their breaths. Their eyes remained fixed on the battlefield. Although Marcus's group fought with excellent coordination, the situation was still inevitably shifting toward the goblins. There were simply too many enemies. The constant threat of ambushes made every movement dangerous.

Marcus and the others were restricted at every turn, unable to fully display their strength. Several times, they narrowly avoided serious injuries. But they continued following the plan. Slowly. Step by step. They retreated, dragging the goblins closer toward the bushes where Vaelis and Zelier were hiding.

"Hold steady…" Vaelis placed a hand on Zelier's shoulder.

"The target hasn't appeared yet. Don't alert them." Zelier silently nodded. His thoughts continued racing. Where was the White-haired Goblin? Come on, old bastard… It's about time. Shouldn't you come out already…? As if responding to his expectations, several figures appeared from the shadows at the cavern entrance. According to the information provided by the request notice, this goblin settlement possessed three Hobgoblins. Now, the third one had finally appeared. Its equipment was clearly the best.

Its armor and weapon were fresh and well-maintained, unlike the rusted scraps carried by the other goblins. Its body was also the strongest and most muscular. Beside the final Hobgoblin stood another goblin. Its body was thin and hunched like an ordinary goblin. But its eyes were filled with intelligence and cunning. And on top of its head grew a distinctive tuft of long white hair. The White-haired Goblin.

《The Adventurer's Association Universal Bestiary》 【Sequence 37】: White-haired Goblin Individual Threat Rating: [Difficult] Appearance: A rare mutated variant among goblins. Its most obvious feature is the patch of white hair growing on the top of its head. Habits: Similar to ordinary goblins, but its status within the group is even higher than that of Hobgoblins. They are usually the leaders of goblin settlements. Special Abilities: White-haired Goblins possess the ability to cast magic.

Furthermore, each White-haired Goblin may possess different spells, making them particularly difficult opponents. However, based on currently recorded information, White-haired Goblins have never been observed casting magic above a Tier-3 Single-Layer Spell Matrix. Core Weaknesses: Although White-haired Goblins can use magic, their physical bodies are no different from ordinary goblins. They can be easily killed.

Association Notes: When dealing with a goblin settlement containing a White-haired Goblin, the most important rule is: Kill it quickly! The team must concentrate its strongest forces and eliminate the White-haired Goblin as soon as possible. Otherwise, the group will continue suffering magical harassment, while the goblins' morale will remain at its peak.