Suddenly, a horde of goblins sprang from the bushes. There were at least twenty of them, armed with daggers and bows, their leader stood out as he was the only one wearing a filthy purple robe. The goblins, with their piercing screams, rushed at them.

Helydia, having dropped the piece of bear skin, transformed into a semi-spider with impressive fluidity. Its arachnid limbs and spider webs were immediately deployed to intercept enemy attacks. The goblins armed with daggers lunged at her, while those with bows shot arrows from a distance.

Samuel, sword always in hand, sliced through the air with precision. Each blow sliced through the green flesh of the goblins with deadly efficiency. His "Awakened Speed" ability allowed him to move almost like a blur, dodging attacks and countering with lightning-fast speed.

The goblins armed with daggers tried to surround him, their shrill cries echoing through the forest. Samuel moved with formidable ease, dodging blows and striking his opponents with unrelenting precision. Helydia, for her part, used her webs to immobilize the goblins that ventured too close to her. The sticky threads hindered the movements of the creatures, making them vulnerable to Samuel's attacks.

The battle intensified when the goblin chief, standing back, hurled a fireball towards Helydia. The blazing magic was heading straight for her, threatening to reduce to ashes everything in its path.

With a determined gesture, Samuel revealed his new skill, "Celestial Shield." He conjured a transparent shield in front of Helydia. The fireball collided with the shield in a dazzling explosion, but was completely absorbed by the celestial protection. The flame dissipated without leaving a trace, leaving Helydia unharmed.

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The goblin chief roared with frustration, intensifying his efforts to cast more spells. The remaining goblins continued their assault, but Helydia and Samuel formed an unyielding defense. Helydia used her webs to immobilize the goblins trying to encircle them, while Samuel sliced through the enemy lines with powerful strikes.

Finally, as the last goblin fell, the battlefield fell silent. Samuel, his muscles tense from the effort, scanned the bodies of the enemies and the devastated landscape. Helydia, returning to her human form, looked at Samuel with a mix of relief and anger.

"What was that shield?" "You never told me about it," she exclaimed, her voice filled with emotion.

Samuel, wiping the sweat from his forehead, replied calmly: "It's a skill I acquired after defeating the hellish bear and reaching level 20." "I wanted to keep her only as a last resort."

Helydia frowned, still a bit annoyed but clearly relieved. "I understand." "But such a skill would have been useful earlier."

As darkness began to envelop the forest, Samuel watched the sky turn shades of deep hues. "It’s starting to get dark." "Let's stay put here for the night."

They prepared to set up their camp, tired but alert. Calm slowly returned to the forest, punctuated only by the nighttime sounds of nature.