NOVEL WEB Chapter 83: There is more?
"Still, let's not get careless. There are quite a few of them."
Gates nodded, his expression stern as he adjusted his grip on his sword. He didn't respond verbally, his focus locked on the goblins.
The goblins, oblivious to the conversation, screeched and charged forward with chaotic energy.
The goblins moved as a disorganized mass, their feral nature driving them into reckless attacks.
Arthur observed their frenzied movements carefully, his posture shifting slightly to prepare for the onslaught.
Arthur and his summons faced off against six goblins while Gates squared off against the other five.
Arthur moved, his attacks efficient but restrained. He feigned difficulty, occasionally stepping back or hesitating as if overwhelmed by the sheer number of goblins he was facing.
"Borak, Hank," Arthur commanded softly, his voice calm but firm. The summons responded instantly, engaging the goblins with movements that appeared less precise than their usual attacks, maintaining the illusion of a hard-fought battle.
Borak charged forward, ramming into one goblin with its tusks.
-15HP
The goblin screeched as it fell, but another lunged at Borak from the side. The boar turned sluggishly, deliberately missing its counterattack.
Arthur stepped in, his dagger finding its mark on the goblin's side.
-10HP
Meanwhile, Hank swooped down, his talons extended as they raked across a goblin's face.
-10HP
Arthur kept his movements controlled, allowing the goblins to appear as though they were forcing him into a defensive stance.
He occasionally glanced at Gates, who was engaged with five goblins on his own. Gates fought with a calm rhythm, taking down one goblin after another but leaving just enough of a struggle to seem occupied.
Five minutes later, Arthur and his summons had dispatched all six of their goblins. Arthur straightened, wiping his blade on a fallen goblin's tattered tunic.
He had made sure to keep his luck talent secretive as he picked up any item as soon as it dropped. He didn't want Gates to know about his crazy drop rate, it was very overpowered after all.
His eyes shifted to Gates, who had two goblins left to deal with.
Arthur watched Gates for a moment, his mind working quickly.
'He's strong,' Arthur thought, noting the deliberate pace of Gates' strikes. 'Probably hiding his strength too, just like me.'
Without a word, Arthur nodded toward his summons. 'Hank, Borak, assist him. But don't kill the goblins.'
Hank let out a cry as he took to the air, diving toward one of the goblins still engaged with Gates.
Borak snorted, charging forward to ram into the other goblin.
The combined effort quickly tipped the balance. Within moments, the last two goblins fell, their crude weapons clattering to the ground.
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Arthur smirked faintly, his tone casual as he glanced at Gates. "Not bad. They were tougher than they looked."
Gates gave a short nod, wiping his sword clean before sheathing it.
"They were persistent," he replied, his tone neutral. His gaze lingered on Arthur's summons for a moment, but he said nothing.
Arthur readjusted his grip on his dagger, letting the silence hang for a moment before he said, "Let's keep moving. That was just the appetizer."
Just as Arthur was about to move, a shimmering portal materialized in front of them, its swirling energy casting faint ripples of light on the forest floor.
[You have cleared the first floor.]
[Would you like to move to the next floor?]
Arthur glanced at Gates, who was already stepping forward with an eager expression. "Shall we?" Gates asked, gripping the hilt of his sword.
Arthur smirked. "Let's go."
Together, they stepped into the portal, its energy enveloping them in a rush of cold air. Moments later, they emerged in another part of the forest, the surroundings similar to the first floor.
Arthur scanned the area.
"This looks like the same forest," Gates said, turning in a slow circle. "The spawn point's identical too."
Arthur nodded thoughtfully. "It does. But let's be sure." He gestured toward the path ahead. "We'll head in the same direction we went last time. If we find the goblin village, we'll know for sure."
Gates agreed, and they set off cautiously.
The forest vibe felt more sinister this time and the faint rustle of leaves overhead did little to nothing to break the overwhelming silence.
After about two hours of walking, the faint outline of the goblin village came into view. Gates slowed, his eyes narrowing. "It's the same village, isn't it?"
Arthur squinted, his enhanced senses picking up small differences.
"Not quite." He pointed toward the crude huts and sharpened fences. "The layout's similar, but the village is more fortified this time. And look—watchtowers. Those weren't there before."
Gates followed his gaze. Sure enough, four wooden watchtowers stood at the edges of the village, each manned by a goblin archer with a makeshift bow.
"Looks like the difficulty has ramped up," Gates said, his voice calm but serious.
Arthur nodded. "More than that. The goblins are better organized too." He pointed toward a group of goblins patrolling near the village entrance.
Their movements were coordinated, their crude weapons held at the ready. "They're not just wandering aimlessly this time. They're guarding their territory."
Gates glanced at Arthur. "Think we can handle it?"
Arthur smirked, pulling a small black crystal from his inventory. "Of course. But we'll need a plan. We can't just rush in like we did on the first floor."
Gates raised an eyebrow. "What's the plan, then?"
Arthur gestured toward the watchtowers, his tone steady and calculated. "First, we take out those archers. They're too high up for a direct attack, so we'll rely on Hank to handle them."
Gates nodded, scanning the watchtowers with a critical eye. "Makes sense. But how do you plan on having Hank deal with them? Those bows might look crude, but enough arrows raining down on him could be a problem."
Arthur smirked, glancing at the hawk perched on his shoulder, his sharp eyes locked onto the goblin archers.
"Hank's faster than their clumsy arrows. He'll use a hit-and-run approach—strike swiftly, retreat before they can retaliate, then go in for another attack. It's a classic guerrilla tactic. Meanwhile, we stay here and prepare for the ground assault."
Gates raised an eyebrow but nodded in agreement. "Fair enough. It'll draw their attention, at least. That should make it easier for us when we engage."
Arthur gave a low whistle, signalling Hank to take flight.
The hawk launched into the air with a piercing screech, its wings cutting through the still forest air like a blade.
The goblin archers immediately noticed the movement and began fumbling with their bows, their guttural voices shouting in disorganized alarm.
From their vantage point, Arthur and Gates watched as Hank executed the plan flawlessly. The hawk swooped low, talons outstretched, and struck one of the archers, knocking the goblin off balance and sending it tumbling on the watchtower with a pained yelp.
[You have slain Goblin Archer (Level 3).]
The remaining archers screeched in panic, their shots wildly missing as Hank darted away, circling high above before diving in for another strike.
Another archer fell, its crude bow clattering uselessly to the ground. Hank then dived at the falling archer and bombarded him with attacks like the previous one.
[You have slain Goblin Archer (Level 3).]