White-Haired Goblin

"Die, you green-skinned bastards!"

Gray stepped forward and thrust!

The longsword in his hand became a sharp streak of silver, piercing straight through the foremost goblin's heart and killing it in one blow!

"Roaaar!"

Gak attacked as well, raising his battle-axe for a heavy overhead chop!

"Splurt!"

The goblin before Gak had no way to withstand such a blow and was split vertically in two from head to toe.

Foul-smelling blood sprayed everywhere, and its organs and intestines spilled across the ground.

"Waahhhhhh!"

The last remaining goblin was scared out of its wits. It scrambled into the cave in a panic, loudly raising the alarm.

Soon, waves of commotion came from within the cave. The ground trembled slightly as a large number of enemies poured out!

"Gah-waka-ka! Gah-waka-ka!"

(Enemies spotted! Enemies spotted!)

The first batch of goblins rushed out of the cave, numbering at least a dozen.

They wielded rusty weapons stolen or seized from the human world and let out threatening roars at Marcus and the other two. Strange shrieks filled the air.

"Gah gah!"

"Jiguruwa!"

"Waka-ka!"

(Foolish humans! You dared come to our doorstep!)

(Kill them!)

(Fresh human flesh to taste again!)

"Thud... thud..."

Besides the small goblins, heavier footsteps sounded from within the cave.

Two abnormally tall goblins emerged as well!

<Adventurers' Association General Monster Compendium>

[Sequence 9]: Orc Goblin

Individual Threat Rating: [Difficult]

Appearance:

Compared to ordinary goblins, Orc Goblins were much larger, generally around two meters tall, with far more savage features.

Habits:

No different from ordinary goblins, except Orc Goblins were usually the overlords of their tribes and held exceptional status.

Special Abilities:

They possessed solid muscles, far surpassing ordinary goblins in both speed and strength.

Core Weaknesses:

No particular weaknesses. Orc Goblins were merely ordinary creatures of flesh and blood and could be killed through conventional means.

Association Notes:

A challenging opponent. Remember to wear your best armor when fighting one; brute strength was the greatest threat posed by an Orc Goblin.

Both Orc Goblins were taller than Marcus, though neither was as tall as Gak.

One of them wore iron shoulder guards and a breastplate haphazardly draped over its body. It also carried a spiked mace studded with iron nails, clearly loot stripped from dead adventurers.

The other Orc Goblin wielded a massive two-handed axe, which looked highly intimidating.

In a one-on-one fight, neither Marcus nor Gak might have feared them much.

But more than a dozen ordinary goblins surrounded them now. With those green-skinned bastards harassing them from the side, the situation was entirely different.

A sudden knife thrust or a stone hurled at their heads would be enough to distract them.

"Wuaaah!!"

One of the Orc Goblins threw back its head and roared.

(Kill all these humans!!)

A vast green tide immediately closed in, surrounding Marcus and the others from every side.

Marcus adjusted his breathing, raised his buckler before him, and as usual took the front position in their three-man team.

"Remember our tactics!"

"Got it!"

The goblin wielding the massive axe charged forward and brought it down in a crushing chop!

Marcus raised his shield to block.

"Thud!"

The axe blade bit several centimeters into the surface of the buckler, numbing Marcus's left hand from the impact.

The Orc Goblin tried to pull its axe free, but the blade was stuck in the shield and could not be easily removed.

So it kicked the shield, using the force to yank the axe free.

Marcus staggered back several steps from the kick before steadying himself.

On the other side, Gak was also facing an Orc Goblin head-on.

He swung his heavy battle-axe with tremendous force. A spinning slash carved a deep gash into the Orc Goblin's breastplate and nearly chopped its head clean off.

But Gak had no chance to press his advantage, because several smaller goblins were already lurking nearby, preparing a sneak attack.

To be safe, Gak could only retreat.

Gray was responsible for clearing out the ordinary goblins nearby to keep the team's rear secure.

In the shadows of the bushes, Vales and Zeliel both held their breaths as they watched the battle nervously.

Although Marcus and the others coordinated seamlessly, the situation inevitably tilted toward the goblins. The enemy had superior numbers, and they had to remain on guard against sneak attacks at all times.

Marcus and the others were constrained at every turn during the fight and could not fight freely. They were constantly in danger, nearly getting hit several times.

Still, the three followed their plan and gradually retreated, luring the goblins toward the bushes where Vales and Zeliel were hiding.

"Steady, steady..."

Vales pressed a hand to Zeliel's shoulder. "The target hasn't appeared yet. Don't alert them."

Zeliel nodded silently, calculating inwardly as well.

Where was the White-Haired Goblin?

It should be about time, you old bastard...

You should be coming out now... right?

As if answering Zeliel's expectations, several more figures appeared in the shadows at the cave entrance!

The information provided by the commission stated that this goblin tribe had three Orc Goblins. Now, the third one had finally appeared!

Its equipment was the best. Both its armor and weapon were new rather than rusty like those of the other goblins, and it was the most powerfully built as well!

Beside the last Orc Goblin stood another goblin.

It was as small and hunched as an ordinary goblin, but its eyes were filled with cunning intelligence, and a distinctive tuft of long white hair grew atop its head.

White-Haired Goblin!

<Adventurers' Association General Monster Compendium>

[Sequence 10]: White-Haired Goblin

Individual Threat Rating: [Difficult]

Appearance:

A rare mutated goblin. Its most notable feature was the tuft of white hair growing atop its head.

Habits:

No different from ordinary goblins, but its status within the tribe was even higher than that of an Orc Goblin. It was usually the leader.

Special Abilities:

White-Haired Goblins possessed the ability to cast magic, and the magic mastered by each individual varied. This was what made them most troublesome.

However, according to currently recorded data, White-Haired Goblins had never cast magic above a third-tier, single-layer spell structure.

Core Weaknesses:

Even though White-Haired Goblins could use magic, their physical constitution was no different from ordinary goblins, and they could be easily slain.

Association Notes:

When dealing with a tribe that possessed a White-Haired Goblin, the most important thing was to kill it quickly!

The team's superior forces had to be concentrated to eliminate the White-Haired Goblin as soon as possible. Otherwise, the party would remain harassed by magic, while the goblins' morale would continue to rise.