Chương 80: The Goblin Camp

Kyle walked through the training grounds' door, stepping back into the guild. It was unusually busy, with adventurers walking in and out of the guild. A faint stench of blood and rot hung in the air, much more conspicuous than usual.

"It smells of goblin," Kyle muttered, his nose wrinkled. He shook his head and walked to the quest board. He looked around for a while before picking up one of the more suitable quests for him. [E-Rank Quest: Exterminate Goblin Encampment] [Quest Info: A new encampment had emerged near the southern entry of the Silverbark forest. Preliminary investigation determines that the encampment has over 50 goblins, a hobgoblin, and a goblin shaman.] [Quest Item: Goblin ears, the head of the hobgoblin, and the goblin shaman] [Reward: 70 copper coins per goblin ear. 50 silver coins each for the heads of the giant goblin and the goblin shaman.] Kyle swept the quest with his gaze before tearing it away and walking towards the quest counters. After waiting in line for a bit, he placed the quest form in front of Celia.

"Good morning, Celia. Please process this quest for me." Celia had a tired expression, with faint dark circles under her eyes. She slowly raised her head, her expression brightening slightly at seeing that it was Kyle, yet she couldn't muster her usual enthusiasm.

"Good morning, Kyle." She said, then took the quest form and processed it.

"Here you go; good luck and be careful." Kyle took the processed quest form and the map, his expression worried. He looked at her bloodshot eyes and hesitated for a moment before saying, "Celia, you should rest. You look like you're about to fall."

"It's okay, my shift is close to ending." Celia shook her head. Kyle opened his mouth but didn't know what to say. He eventually sighed and walked away. It wasn't his position to advise her on what to do in her job. He quickly bought the required supplies and then walked out of the town. He didn't bring his horse with him this time as the distance was relatively short, and he didn't want to lose it. The sun bore down from a cloudless sky, turning the air above the prairie into a shimmering haze.

The grass, which had been lush and green when Kyle first traveled this path months ago, was now dry and yellowed at the tips, wilting under the relentless heat. The dirt path cracked beneath his boots. Not a trace of shade could be found on the open plain; even the wind offered no relief, carrying nothing but hot air and the drone of cicadas. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. Kyle wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand.

His leather armor trapped the heat against his body, turning every step into a minor endurance test.

'Summer in this world doesn't hold back,' he thought, reaching for his water pouch.

'This day might be the hottest one so far.' Kyle pulled down his straw sun hat. He bought it a few days ago, and it consistently proved itself a good purchase. He trod on the official dirt path, occasionally spotting a few red-tip grasses as he walked. The stench of rot was especially apparent near the town's walls, but it slowly lightened as he walked further away. An hour later, he was walking in the Silverbark forest. Kyle pulled out the map and looked at the coordinates for a while before continuing to walk.

He soon reached a hilly area, in which a camp was built.

"So brazen," Kyle muttered as he looked at the camp. A few goblins stood in front of the camp, guarding the wooden wall. They had even built a lookout tower, though it looked dilapidated, it was still a solid wooden structure over 5 meters tall. The space around the camp was clear of trees, so it was extremely difficult to sneak in. Especially since he wasn't a rogue or assassin.

"This is troublesome." Kyle carefully examined the camp, looking for any vulnerabilities. Unfortunately, the goblins were fairly alert; apart from the two at the gate who looked sleepy, the others on the wall and the lookout tower were clearly alert. He had two options. Either waiting until the night before sneaking in or simply bulldozing through the camp. Kyle pondered for a while before giving up on sneaking at night. Goblins had night vision, but he didn't.

Sneaking in at night would put him at an even greater disadvantage.

"That leaves just the option of breaking in," Kyle muttered. There was only one concern with this choice, and that was whether he was strong enough.

"I am." Kyle's eyes shone with confidence. The open space around the camp was dozens of meters wide, which he could cross in less than a second with [Phantom Step]. The wooden wall was 3 meters high, which he could easily jump across. The only beings worthy of his caution within this camp were the two rank 1 goblins, but he was confident that he would defeat them. Then there was only one thing to do. Kyle slowly walked forward, stepping into the open space.

He was immediately spotted by the two goblins guarding the gate, but before they could raise the alarm, Kyle was already standing next to them.

"Gah?" The goblin standing at the entrance of the camp heaved a confused cry. That was the last sound it uttered in its life, for in the next moment, its head slowly slid from its body.

"Gah!!"

"Ring–Ring!" The goblins in the watchtower cried, and in the next moment, a bell rang through the camp.

"Wa gah!"

"Gahe!"

"Gah!" Goblin cries resounded through the camp as the goblins were alerted. Kyle quickly jumped onto the wooden wall, dodging a hidden arrow, before jumping into the watch tower and beheading the goblin archers hidden within. His gaze quickly swept through the camp. It was filled with tents made from animal hide, with many goblins running around. Most of the goblins held wooden or bone sticks, but some were holding short swords and machetes.

These goblins were often over a dozen centimeters taller than the rest, with faint muscles visible through their tattered clothes and leather armor.

"There's definitely more than fifty," Kyle muttered. He quickly located the hideout of the mutant goblins. It was a giant tent in the middle of the camp, over 2 meters high. He watched as the tent rustled faintly before a completely different goblin walked out from within. It was a goblin over 1. 9 meters tall. Taller and burlier than the goblin warrior he saw before, yet even more cunning and cruel.

It held a long spear and wore sturdy leather armor, walking with grace and confidence unlike any monster he had seen before. A hobgoblin.