Chapter 10: Goblin Slayer
A mere second later, the goblins lunged forward, their jagged claws scraping against the cave floor as they charged.
Reacting swiftly, Luka ripped off his backpack and slung his bow free in one fluid motion.
With no time to nock an arrow, he hurled the pack forward.
It struck the closest goblin square in the face, sending the creature tumbling backward with a surprised screech.
The impact bought Luka precious seconds as the others hesitated, momentarily distracted.
Wasting no time, his fingers deftly pulled an arrow from his quiver, his breath steadying as he drew back the bowstring.
The moment his fingers loosened their grip, the arrow shot forward with deadly precision.
The sharp tip pierced through one of the goblin's skull, the force of the impact snapping its head back.
A sickening squelch followed as green blood splattered onto the cavern walls.
The goblin staggered for the briefest moment before crumpling to the ground, its lifeless body twitching as death claimed it.
[Ding! You have killed a Goblin!]
[+10 XP Earned!]
[New Title Unlocked: (Goblin Slayer) - Gain +5% damage against goblins!]
Luka didn't have time to process the system's voice—his adrenaline was surging, his breath coming in sharp, ragged gasps.
His hands trembled slightly as he reached for another arrow.
The remaining goblins shrieked even louder, their ear-piercing cries reverberating through the cave.
Luka winced as a sharp pain shot through his skull, his ears ringing.
[Ding! You took damage! HP: 11 / 12!]
A warm trickle of blood ran down from his eardrums, but he couldn't afford to falter.
The goblins lunged at Luka from both sides.
No time to hesitate. He reacted on instinct, yanking his bowstring back and firing at point-blank range.
The arrow buried itself into the first goblin's forehead with a sickening crack, the creature's body going rigid before crumpling to the ground.
[Ding! You have killed a Goblin!]
[+10 XP Earned!]
Before the corpse even hit the dirt, Luka spun, swinging his bow like a club.
The wooden frame slammed into the second goblin's face, sending it stumbling back with a grunt.
Luka then went forward and drove his foot into its chest, toppling the creature onto its back.
"Die, you son of a bitch!"
He raised his boot and brought it down—once, twice—until the goblin's skull caved in with a gruesome crunch.
[Ding! You have killed a Goblin!]
[+10 XP Earned!]
However, Luka didn't stop…
His foot kept slamming down again and again until what remained of its head was nothing more than a pulped mess.
Panting, Luka staggered back, his heart hammering against his ribs.
"Holy shit… that was a new experience."
Luka slumped onto the floor, his chest rising and falling as he processed his first real fight.
The violence, the blood, the raw brutality—it was far more intense than he had imagined.
But he couldn't say he hadn't expected it.
Even if this was a game world, Luka understood the truth.
This was his reality.
There was no respawning, no second chances.
Taking a deep breath, Luka pushed himself back onto his feet and walked over to his backpack.
"Hopefully, the health potions didn't break…" he muttered, his fingers hesitating over the flap as a small knot of worry formed in his gut.
Slowly, he unzipped the bag and peered inside.
To his relief, the vials of crimson liquid sat perfectly intact, not a single crack on the glass.
"Thank God…" Luka exhaled, allowing himself a brief moment of relief before securing the backpack onto his shoulders again.
His hands then instinctively checked his bow and arrows, ensuring they were in place and ready.
'I'm not gonna be caught unprepared…'
Though, Luka knew everything inside the Dragon Cave would just be sleeping adult dragons and baby dragons roaming about.
He still wanted to play it safe.
He stepped forward until he reached the stone door, its surface covered in intricate dragon carvings covered by moss.
Placing his hand against the stone, Luka's fingers traced the patterns, searching for something.
'It should be… around here… where is it—Ah, found it.'
Pressing it firmly, the mechanism activated with a deep, resonant click.
A loud grinding noise started as the stone door began to slide open, scraping against the ground.
Dust and small pebbles rattled free, but as the gap widened, Luka's expression turned into a giant smirk.
Beyond lay an immense cavern, its sheer size overwhelming.
Mountains of gold, silver, and countless treasures stretched as far as any human eye could see.
Towering piles of coins gleamed under the dim glow of enchanted gemstones embedded in the cave walls.
And atop these golden hills, adult dragons lay curled in slumber, their chests rising and falling with each deep breath.
But Luka's attention was quickly stolen by the baby dragons.
Few of the small creatures darted around the treasure piles, playfully chasing one another in a game of tag.
Some clambered up the golden hills before sliding down in a cascade of coins, letting out tiny, excited roars.
Others wrestled with each other, their movements clumsy yet full of energy.
'They're… actually kind of cute,' Luka couldn't help but think.
Carefully, he stepped inside, mindful of every movement.
Luka's eyes looked around.
'No… not that one. Nope… not that one either. Where is this little bastard…?'
He moved deeper in, his boots barely making a sound against the scattered gold coins.
The baby dragons took notice, their curious eyes locking onto him.
A few of them tilted their heads, while others paused in their games to observe the strange newcomer.
Luka flashed a small smile but didn't stop—he had a certain baby dragon to find.
After looking around for a bit, his gaze finally landed on it.
'Found it!'
A tiny white baby dragon.
Its scales were as pure as freshly fallen snow, gleaming faintly under the cave's dim light.
Golden eyes reflected the treasures around it, shimmering with an almost ethereal glow.
It was the smallest of the baby dragons, dwarfed by the others, and currently drinking water from a small puddle.
Luka quickened his steps, beyond excited.
The moment the white baby dragon noticed him, its body stiffened, and its golden eyes widened in alarm.
Startled, it flinched backward—and tumbled straight into the puddle with a tiny splash.
Luka stopped in his tracks, raising his hands in a non-threatening gesture.
"Shit… My bad, little guy. I'm not here to hurt you," he whispered.
He crouched slightly, keeping his movements slow. Trying to appear as unthreatening as possible.
The white baby dragon trembled, its little wet wings twitching as it stared up at him with a mix of fear and uncertainty.
"It's okay… don't be scared," Luka murmured quietly, hoping his Beast Whisperer skill would help.
"Grrrr... Grr…"