Hunting Goblins

Kana jolted. That was right—now was the time to rake in money. With so many Goblins waiting to be hunted down, they couldn't afford to dawdle.

"Esteemed Guild Master, Kana's team looks forward to the guild's reward. Now, please allow us to take our leave." Without waiting for Rukta to reply, she grabbed Dean and hurried outside. Yanxi and Lamore followed silently, their steps a little frantic.

They weren't frantic with fear. They were frantic because they worried they weren't moving fast enough. In the blink of an eye, Kana's team had vanished from the Adventurers' Guild hall.

"Now it's time for the Adventurers' Guild to deal with its own affairs. Close the doors and post a notice. The guild will reopen in an hour," Rukta said. Two guards hurried to shut the main doors, then sealed the windows and side door tight.

"What does this mean, Guild Master Rukta?" Guligus remained where he stood, outwardly calm. Things seemed settled already, and panicking would do him no good. What he needed to consider now was how to keep his position.

But what Guligus had in mind was very different from what Rukta had in mind. Guligus thought he saw a glimmer of understanding in Rukta's eyes. The look of a hunter who knew his prey inside and out sent a chill through him.

That wasn't all. After the doors closed, a boy and a girl of about eleven or twelve came over, each carrying a large box on their back and struggling a little under its weight. The boxes looked unfamiliar to Guligus, and a faint killing intent seemed to spread through the air.

"My precious beauties. It's been so many years since they last came out. If I remember right, the last time I held them was when we hunted that Earth Dragon!" Rukta said wistfully. He reached out and tapped the top of each box. Their upper halves sprang open, revealing two wooden handles.

The handles were so thick that an ordinary person might not even be able to wrap their fingers around them. Judging by Rukta's hands, though, they fit him just right.

"Th-they say that more than 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. Don't tell me... don't tell me..." Guligus had only heard the story. Like most of the townspeople, he had never seen that level-four Earth Dragon with his own eyes.

Level four and level three were worlds apart. A creature at that level could destroy an entire mountain peak.

"Would you like to see my precious Dragon-Slaying Twin Axes?" A smile touched Rukta's lips as he slowly drew the two axes.

The enormous axe heads were larger than an ordinary person's body. It was hard to imagine anyone holding them steady.

The sight alone carried enough force to send a whole pack of small fry running.

Guligus dropped onto his backside. What was Rukta planning? Wasn't he just going to strip me of my position? No, that couldn't be it. He wouldn't bring out axes like those if that were all!

"Do you know? These axes of mine are beginner Magic Weapons inscribed by a level-three Magic Runes master. They're imbued with the beginner Blade-Breaking Sword spell. With that frail body of yours, you could return to the gods' embrace before you even felt the pain." Rukta gripped the axes fondly and took a step forward.

"I spent years in Giant Python City before a small mistake got me sent here. Did you really think I'd have nothing to save my life with? You've underestimated me, Guild Master Rukta." Guligus stroked the cane in his hand, and its golden surface flashed.

The round golden ball atop Guligus's cane suddenly split open, and a terrifying surge of magic power poured out.

"Come forth, Golden-Armored Demon Insect! Wake from your long slumber! I, Guligus, your contract holder, command you to kill the enemy holding those giant axes!" At this point, Guligus could no longer hide his trump card.

"Level two? No, a level-three Magic Beast—one at the peak of level three, close to level four!" Rukta licked his lips, and a bloodthirsty air spread around him. The newly awakened Golden-Armored Demon Insect stared fixedly at Rukta, the only one it sensed as a threat.

"Everyone in the guild, get out. Come back in an hour to clean up." Rukta seemed unable to wait any longer. Years of comfortable living had nearly worn away his thirst for battle, but now it was surging back.

The staff wisely left through an escape passage prepared in advance, guards included. Only Rukta, the Golden-Armored Demon Insect, and Guligus remained in the Adventurers' Guild hall, facing one another.

An hour later, the guards cautiously opened the guild doors, and the staff slowly filed inside.

All they found on the floor was the Golden-Armored Demon Insect. It was still bleeding, but no life remained in it, and cracks covered its entire shell.

Guligus had become a dried husk, without a trace of color anywhere on his body. His eyes stared wide at the ceiling, still full of disbelief.

Guild Master Rukta sat in his old chair with a bottle of strong liquor in his hand, taking a satisfying swig every so often.

He hadn't come through unscathed, though. A long gash ran from his chest to his left arm. Given how tough Rukta's body was, it wasn't much of a problem.

"Clean this up. I'm going to find a priest to heal me." Rukta put away the liquor and spoke to the staff, then left the guild hall as though nothing had happened.

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

Kana's team had reached the big tree from earlier. Unfortunately, nothing the Goblins had left behind remained there. Evidently, Goblins who came afterward had taken it all away.

"Kana, we're too late. Those 'bandits' have divided up all the Goblins. Where are we supposed to find any now?" Dean crouched on the ground, panting.

A frail mage's body couldn't endure running for long, especially when they had to cross the farmland, making the journey even farther.

"My dear little mage, there are always fish that slip through the net. Come on, follow me into the Magic Beast Forest. There must be plenty of Goblins left in there," Kana said warmly.

But everyone knew the Goblin bounties had gone to Kana's head. She seemed convinced every last coin was hers.

As for why Kana was in such a hurry, plenty of adventurers were already shouting as they ran into the Magic Beast Forest nearby.

Others had gotten there first. How could Kana not be anxious?