Hunting Goblins

Kana shuddered. That was right—now was the time to rake in the money. With so many Goblins waiting for them to wipe out, this was no time to dawdle.

"Esteemed Guild Master, Kana's Squad looks forward to the Guild's reward. Now, please allow us to take our leave." Without waiting for Rukta to answer, she grabbed Dean and hurried outside. Yanxi and Lamore silently followed, their steps equally rushed.

They were not rushing out of panic, but out of fear that they were not moving fast enough. In the blink of an eye, Kana's Squad disappeared from the Adventurers' Guild hall.

"All right, it's time for our Adventurers' Guild to deal with an internal matter. Shut the doors and post a notice. The Adventurers' Guild will reopen in an hour," Rukta said. Two guards quickly shut the main doors, then secured every window and side door.

"What is the meaning of this, Guild Master Rukta?" Guligus remained standing calmly in place. The outcome seemed settled now, and panicking would do him no good. What he needed to consider was how to preserve his position.

But Guligus and Rukta had very different things in mind. Guligus seemed to catch a glimmer of understanding in Rukta's eyes. That look, as though he knew everything about his prey, sent a chill through Guligus's heart.

That was not all. After the doors closed, a boy and a girl of about eleven or twelve approached, each carrying a large chest on their back and struggling under its weight. Guligus found the chests unfamiliar, and a hint of killing intent seemed to spread through the air.

"My precious treasures. It's been years since you last saw the light of day. The last time I held you was during that Earth Dragon hunt!" Rukta said nostalgically. He reached out and lightly tapped the tops of the two chests. Their upper sections opened, revealing two wooden handles.

The thick wooden handles were so broad that an ordinary person might not even be able to get a hand around them. Judging by the size of Guild Master Rukta's hands, however, they looked just right for him.

"They... they say that over ten years ago, a level-four Earth Dragon appeared in the Magic Beast Forest outside Blue Town, and the Adventurers' Guild gathered dozens of level-three adventurers. Could it be... could it be..." Guligus had only heard the story. Like the vast majority of the townspeople, he had never seen that level-four Earth Dragon with his own eyes.

Level four was in an entirely different league from level three. At that level, a creature already possessed the power to destroy a mountain peak.

"Would you like to see my precious Dragon-Slaying Twin Axes?" A faint smile appeared at the corner of Rukta's mouth as he slowly drew out the Twin Axes.

The enormous axe heads were even larger than an ordinary person's body. It was hard to imagine what sort of person could hold them steady.

The sheer presence of the sight before them was enough to drive back a whole crowd of small fry.

Guligus dropped onto his backside. What was he planning? Wasn't he just going to strip me of my position? No, apparently not. If he's brought out such powerful Twin Axes, this can't be that simple!

"Do you know? These Twin Axes of mine are basic Magic Weapons engraved with magic runes by a level-three rune inscriber. They're imbued with the basic Blade-Breaking Sword spell. With that frail body of yours, you'll return to the gods' embrace before you even feel any pain." Rukta gripped the Twin Axes lovingly and took a step toward him.

"I spent so many years in Giant Python City before being banished here for a small mistake. Tell me, how could I possibly have nothing on hand to save my life? You've underestimated me, haven't you, Rukta?" Guligus stroked the cane in his hand, and the golden cane flashed.

Before Guligus, the round golden orb atop the cane suddenly split open. A terrifying surge of magical power poured out.

"Come forth, Golden-Armored Demon Insect! Awaken from your long slumber! I, Guligus, your contracted master, command you to kill the enemy holding the Giant Axes before you!" At this point, Guligus could no longer keep it hidden.

"Level two? No, a level-three Devil Beast. It looks like a peak level-three beast, close to level four!" Rukta licked the corner of his mouth, and a bloodthirsty air spread around him. The newly awakened Golden-Armored Demon Insect stared fixedly at Rukta as well. He was the only being here that made it feel threatened.

"Everyone in the Guild, get out. Come back in an hour to clean up." Rukta seemed unable to wait any longer. So many years of comfortable living had nearly drained the fighting spirit from his blood. Now was the time to unleash it.

All the staff wisely left through the escape route that had been kept clear in advance, including the guards. Now, only Guild Master Rukta, the Golden-Armored Demon Insect, and Guligus remained in the Adventurers' Guild hall, facing off against one another.

An hour later, the guards cautiously opened the Guild's main doors, and all the staff slowly filed inside.

The Golden-Armored Demon Insect lay on the floor, still bleeding but showing no signs of life. Cracks covered its entire shell.

Guligus had become a shriveled husk, without a trace of color anywhere on his body. He stared at the ceiling with wide eyes, still filled with utter disbelief.

Guild Master Rukta sat in his original chair, holding a bottle of liquor and savoring a few mouthfuls every so often.

Rukta had not come through unscathed, however. A long gash stretched from his chest all the way to his left arm. With his physical resilience, of course, it was no serious problem.

"Clean this up. I'm going to find a priest to heal me," Rukta told the staff as he put away his liquor. Then he left the Guild hall as though nothing had happened.

Meanwhile, hundreds of adventurers had trampled the vast stretch of farmland to the northwest into a complete mess. Less than a tenth remained intact, and most of the wheat fields showed clear signs of having been harvested.

By now, Kana's Squad had reached the large tree from earlier. Unfortunately, none of the Goblin remains were left. They had clearly been carried away by the Goblins that came afterward.

"Kana, we're too late. That bunch of 'bandits' has already divided up all the Goblins. Where are we supposed to find any now?" Dean said, crouching on the ground and panting.

His frail Mage's body could not endure prolonged running. Besides, they had needed to cross the farmland this time, making the journey even longer.

"My dear little Mage, there are always a few that slip through the net. Come on, hurry to the Magic Beast Forest with me. There must still be plenty of Goblins there," Kana said warmly.

But everyone knew that the Goblin bounties had gone to Kana's head. She seemed to be declaring that all that bounty money belonged to her.

As for why Kana was so impatient, it was because quite a few adventurers were already rushing into the nearby edge of the Magic Beast Forest, shouting as they went.

Others had already beaten her to it. How could Kana not be anxious?

(End of chapter)