Anyi listened as the believers one by one enthusiastically offered their plans. Some suggested a direct attack inland, others recommended splitting forces to confuse the Goblin Centurions. The plans, while varied, all centered around the newfound information regarding the Succubus and the meeting route with the Goblin Centurions. It was clear that they were thinking in the right direction, each offering insight as they marked up the map, outlining strategies for the ambush.

Heroes were being summoned from nearby towns, their arrival imminent. Faster than any horse, they would begin gathering within the hour. These were people whose lives had been marked by the terror of monsters, and they carried a deep obsession with eradicating them. Unlike the rare exceptions, like Miruku, most Heroes were born in areas that had been devastated by monster attacks. Their motivations, much like Layton's, stemmed from personal tragedy, fueling their desire for vengeance.

As the believers discussed their plans, the door creaked open, and a messenger entered, announcing with urgency: "Holy Maiden-sama, three Heroes-sama, Rod Hero-sama has arrived."

"Let him in," Anyi responded without hesitation. Dus, the infamous Rod Hero, had arrived fully armed. It was clear from his appearance that he intended to fight, his body covered in leather armor, bristling with tools and equipment specifically designed for monster hunting. Layton eyed him closely, his gaze lingering on the once-arrogant man.

Dus frowned at Layton’s stare. "What are you looking at?" he snapped.

"Just surprised," Layton chuckled, arms crossed. "Didn’t think you had it in you."

Dus scoffed, but there was a hint of a smile. "I’m not here to waste time. I’ll show you what a real monster hunter is capable of."

Layton pounded his chest, laughing. "Good! We’ll show you what we're made of, too!"

"I don’t care if you die," Dus replied with a smirk, arms crossed over his chest.

"Don’t worry, we’ll all live long enough to watch you run away again," Layton teased, giving him a dismissive thumbs-down. Despite the jabs, there was a growing mutual respect between them, the tension from their previous encounters fading as the threat of real battle loomed.

Anyi observed the exchange in silence, nodding to himself. Dus had arrived with a determined spirit. It was clear from his demeanor that he had made up his mind to face the monsters, no longer the reckless braggart who picked on weaker people. His full armor and lack of reaction to Ariana's presence indicated that he had activated his [Lustlessness] skill, a crucial defense for facing a Succubus.

Speaking of Ariana, she suddenly noticed the absence of a familiar face. "Where’s Miruku?" she asked, scanning the room.

"She’s hiding," Anyi replied casually. Sure enough, beneath the table, the timid Miruku was curled up, clutching her knees and hiding between Anyi and Ariana’s legs, avoiding the sight of the intimidating Rod Hero.

Meanwhile, Dus had grown increasingly frustrated listening to the believers’ discussion. His irritation finally boiled over, and he stepped forward, his voice sharp. "You’re thinking too simply about Goblins!"

The believers instantly quieted, bowing their heads respectfully. "Rod Hero-sama is right!"

"We haven’t encountered Goblins before. We lack understanding—please, enlighten us!"

Dus smirked, clearly enjoying their deference. "Alright, since you asked so nicely, I’ll tell you what you need to know."

The believers cheered enthusiastically, their excitement growing as Dus approached the map. Ariana and Layton listened attentively, while Anyi remained impassive, though intrigued by what Dus had to offer. Even though Anyi knew more about Goblins than anyone else in the room, he was curious to see what the self-proclaimed "Goblin expert" had to say.

"Goblins are not just mindless monsters," Dus began, writing on the whiteboard as he spoke. "They have intelligence, language, and their own way of organizing."

On the board, he wrote:

Goblins:

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

Strength: 2 Agility: 4 Endurance: 4

Durability: 3 Prana: 0 Intelligence: 1

Technique: 0

"Goblins may not look like much," Dus continued, "but don’t underestimate them. They have 2 points in Strength, which is about as much as an average person can achieve with training. But their Agility is what makes them dangerous—4 points, far faster than most humans."

Layton, listening intently, realized something as he mentally compared himself to the Goblins. His own level was 7, and his Agility had been raised to 4 points, along with his Endurance at 5. That meant he could only just match a Goblin’s speed.

Under the table, Miruku’s ears perked up. Dus had said that "no one can have 4 points of Agility from the beginning," which made her feel proud, as if her own natural agility was a rare gift.

As Anyi observed quietly, he pretended not to understand fully and asked, "For normal people, this is troublesome, but isn’t it easy for us?"

Dus seized the moment, flashing a smug grin. "That’s exactly the problem. You’re underestimating them! Just because their stats seem low doesn’t mean they aren’t dangerous."

He rapped his knuckles against the whiteboard for emphasis. "The real danger with Goblins is their cunning. They may be weak individually, but they work together, use tools, and lay traps. When they realize they can’t match your strength, they scatter and flee, leading you into ambushes."

The believers erupted in disbelief, their voices overlapping as they grappled with Dus' revelations.

"Impossible! Goblins making tools?!"

"Setting traps?! How can low-class monsters possess such 'advanced' techniques?!"

Their initial strategies, which hinged on straightforward combat, now seemed laughable in the face of Dus' explanation. If Goblins avoided direct combat and relied on traps, everything they had planned would fall apart. The room buzzed with confusion as they tried to rethink their approach.

Anyi, sensing the tension, decided to add his own experience. "Before I became a Hero, I ran into Goblins that could attack from a distance. They threw rocks."

Dus, slightly taken aback, raised an eyebrow. "Impressive. For a Goblin to resort to ranged attacks, you must have put quite a bit of pressure on it."

The believers, still wide-eyed, listened as Dus elaborated further. "Goblins aren't limited to just rocks. They throw anything—poisonous sap, sharp branches, sand to blind you. But the worst part? They throw disgusting things. Droppings, rotting carcasses, poisonous insects. You name it."

A retching sound came from under the table as Miruku, still hiding, made a gagging noise. Layton's expression twisted in discomfort, and even Ariana shut her eyes, trying to ward off the mental images. Anyi remained unflinching, having already anticipated such tactics. He knew that many Heroes, including Dus, would be able to eliminate the Goblins before they could set such traps.

"The solution is simple," Dus continued, calming the room slightly. "Pay attention to your surroundings and send someone with high Agility to scout ahead. You'll spot the traps before they get dangerous."

"Got it," Anyi nodded, satisfied with the warning. Dus, for all his arrogance, was proving himself valuable by sharing his experiences.

Dus moved on, drawing the believers’ attention back to the whiteboard. This time, he wrote down the stats for a Hobgoblin:

Hobgoblin:

Strength: 20 Agility: 4-6 Endurance: 6

Durability: 2-4 Prana: 0 Intelligence: 1

Technique: 3

"Twenty strength?!" someone gasped.

"The difference between a Goblin and a Hobgoblin is *that* big?" another whispered in awe.

Dus nodded gravely. "Yes. Hobgoblins are Class 2 monsters. They stand around three meters tall and wield enormous clubs. With twenty points in Strength, they can wipe out groups of people with a single swing. For monster hunters, encountering a Hobgoblin usually means one thing—death."

Layton, ever the sharp observer, noticed something on the board. "Wait, their Agility and Durability aren’t fixed?"

Dus smirked. "Correct. Hobgoblins vary. Some are leaner, which gives them higher Agility but lower Durability. The bulkier ones are slower but can take more hits. It all depends on which type you run into."

Ariana suddenly recalled a significant memory. "Didn't Anyi kill a Hobgoblin before he became a Hero?"

The room fell silent. All eyes turned to Anyi, and a palpable sense of awe filled the air. Before, they had heard stories of Anyi’s strength, but seeing the Hobgoblin's stats laid out like this made the feat seem nearly impossible. A monster with 20 Strength, 4+ Agility, and the ability to destroy buildings—and Anyi had defeated it without the powers of a Hero?

Dus, still skeptical, let out a nervous chuckle. "That’s absurd. Hobgoblins are leagues beyond normal monsters. With 20 Strength, and more than 4 Agility, it’s impossible for a regular human to even keep up with it, let alone fight it head-on."

Anyi remained cool, his voice cutting through the disbelief. "Its Durability isn’t that high. With 2 to 4 points of Durability, its defense isn’t much better than a human’s. Layton, your base Durability is 4, isn’t it?"

Layton blinked, then nodded. "Yeah... It is."

Dus stared, utterly dumbfounded. His mind raced as he tried to process what he had just heard. 'Four points of base Durability?' Dus and his old teammates had only managed a base Durability of 1, with the most durable member of their group reaching 2. But 4? That was... unheard of.

In Dus' eyes, Anyi wasn't just a Hero. He was a monster in his own right.

With a cough, Dus forced himself to refocus. "Alright, fine. Maybe Hobgoblins aren’t a threat to you... But the real danger comes when they’re teamed up with a Goblin Shaman."

The mention of a Goblin Shaman sent a ripple of unease through the room. Ariana and Layton straightened up, their expressions serious. They had heard rumors about Shamans, Class 3 monsters that could rival powerful creatures like Slime Kings, but they had never actually encountered one.