Fury burned within his veins, urging him to charge ahead without a second thought. But just as he was about to let his anger consume him, a strong hand held him back. Ron spun around to face Bron, the senior knight's eyes conveying a silent warning as he shook his head.

“You can’t win,” Bron said. “Not against a hobgoblin.”

Ron's frown deepened as he heard the word "hobgoblin". The vile creature was evolved and far stronger than their lesser kin. And if a seasoned 3-star knight like the one beside him admitted he didn’t have a chance, then Ron knew he was in for a difficult fight. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves as he observed the despicable sight before them.

Ron stood frozen, watching the chaos unravel before his eyes. His hands clenched tightly into fists, the urge to rush in and fight was overwhelming him. "Then are we just going to stand here and do nothing?" he asked, his voice laced with frustration. He knew the dangers of acting recklessly, but seeing injustice happen right before his eyes made it harder to control the seething anger within him.

"No," Bron said, locking eyes with Ron. "We're not just going to stand here and do nothing."

Ron's confusion was apparent, and he looked at Bron expectantly. The senior knight's smirk turned into a grim expression as he continued. "Can you handle those two goblin guards?"

Ron's gaze followed Bron's gesture toward the two hulking goblins guarding the entrance to the base. He hesitated for a moment before finally nodding. "I can try," he said, his voice firm.

"Good," Bron said, unsheathing a dagger from his left boot. He held a sword and a dagger, preparing for the fight that was about to come. "Hold them off while I take care of that fucking hobgoblin."

Ron noticed something subtle, but unmistakable. The weapons in Bron's hands were emitting a faint white light. It reminded Ron of the heroes back in the real world who wielded swords that could generate intense light around their blades, increasing their range and sharpness. The heroes called it Saiyan-light and one could imagine what it referred to. And in Bron’s case, Ron couldn't help but wonder if Bron's sword was similar to those of the heroes.

Bron's eyes narrowed at the lighter shade of green skin of the hobgoblin. "On my mark, my lord," he whispered, his muscles coiled like a spring. With a nod from Ron, Bron burst forward at an incredible speed, his movements fluid and precise. Ron followed suit, taking a different path down to the goblin guards.

As he ran, he deftly stashed his sword and drew out his daggers, the sharp blades glinting in the moonlight. In his mind, he repeated his mantra: hit hard and quick, strike with deadly accuracy. He remembered the hero training he did, year after year. Despite no actual combat, he did his best to hone his combat capability to the limit of what he could actually achieve.

Five years of hard work had brought Ron to this moment, and he was determined to prove that every moment had been worth it. With the skill he had honed, he crept up on the goblin guard from an angle where it had no chance of seeing him coming. He came. He seized the guard's head in his grip and he plunged his dagger deep into the exposed neck. It was dead before it knew what just happened to it.

Without a moment's hesitation, he dashed across the cave entrance to dispatch the guard on the other side.

The other goblin guard's eyes darted to the side, catching a subtle movement. Just as it began to turn to the side, Ron was already halfway toward it. The goblin guard's heart raced, it tightened the grip of its spear and readied for a fight. Its instinct of a monster made it quick to thrust its spear forward.

Ron’s eyes widened. The tip of a spear came rushing at him as he sidestepped forward fully utilizing his agility to the fullest. His armor grazed against the wooden shaft of the spear as it was close. The goblin guard panicked and as it opened its mouth to warn the others, a glinting dagger flew across the air, striking the goblin guard squarely in the open mouth.

The goblin guard's screams were muffled by Ron's swift throwing action. Soon blood gurgled from its mouth, flooding its airway, and further drowning it in its own blood. But Ron had mercy. He conjured a new dagger out of thin air, taking advantage of the momentary suffering of the goblin guard to deliver a deadly blow. The pointed edge of the dagger pierced the goblin's face, leaving the light of its eyes to fade into nothing.

[You have leveled up!]

[You have gained 10 Status points]

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

[You have gained 5 Skill points]

Ron had done his part, but the bigger question was did Bron finish his? He turned and saw Bron standing before a dead hobgoblin with its head detached from its body. For someone who warned him of the danger of hobgoblin, Bron was rather quick to kill it off. He came closer and saw the hobgoblin looked pretty similar to an average adult human except for its grotesque ugly face, and its light green skin.

Moving quickly and quietly, Bron approached the woman, his rough hands deftly working to unlock the chains that bound her. The woman looked up at him, her eyes filled with a mix of fear and hope as she watched his every move.

As he finally unshackled the chains, the woman let out a small cry of relief, her body slumping forward as she rubbed her chafed wrists. Bron placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, offering a reassuring smile as he spoke softly to her.

"It's alright now," he said, his voice low and soothing. "You're safe. We'll get you out of here."

The woman nodded, tears streaming down her face as she clung to Bron's arm. He helped her to her feet, guiding her to Ron.

“Take her to Kaktag,” Bron said.

Ron frowned. “And what about you?”

“I’ll handle the thing inside,” Bron nodded his head at the cave entrance.

“Alone? With that injury?” Ron asked. The gash on Bron’s armor was hard not to see as even in this barely lit night, he could see the dark blood flowing from Bron’s injury.

Bron's lips curled into a smile. "I've faced worse."

Ron hesitated for a moment, unsure if he should leave his companion alone in his current state. But Bron had a look of determination in his eyes that Ron knew as if he saw a reflection of himself.

"Fine," Ron finally said. "Just don’t die."

Bron grinned wryly. He patted Ron on the shoulder reassuringly before turning towards the cave entrance. Ron watched as he disappeared into the darkness, his heart pounding with a mixture of fear and excitement. He couldn't help but wonder what was waiting for Bron inside that cave, and whether he would come back out alive. But he knew that he had his own task to focus on, and he turned towards the young woman.

“Come on, let’s get out of here,” Ron said.

He took her away, but she stopped a few steps later. “What’s wrong?” Ron asked.

“My mother, and brother,” the young woman said, she was on the verge of crying. “They’re still trapped inside those cages.”

Ron turned back to the young woman, his eyes scanning the area around them. The goblin base was bustling with activity, and it was clear they didn't have much time.

"Listen to me," Ron said, his voice firm. "We need to get out of here now. I promise you, I will come back and save your family. But we can't risk getting caught now."

The young woman hesitated, tears streaming down her face. "But what if they hurt them?" she asked, her voice shaking.

Ron placed a hand on her shoulder, looking into her eyes. "I won't let them," he said. "But you need to trust me. We'll get out of here and come back with reinforcements to save them. I give you my word."

The young woman took a deep breath, nodding her head. Ron led her away from the base, taking care to avoid any patrols. As they ran through the forest, Ron couldn't help but think about Bron.

He dragged the young woman by the wrist, but she was far too slow. Ron turned back, and he did it without hesitation. “Excuse me,” Ron said.

He swept her up into his arms with practiced ease, cradling her in a princess carry. The young woman's gasp of surprise echoed through the forest as she gazed up at the young lord. In the faint moonlight that filtered through the canopy above, Ron in her eyes looked every bit the gallant hero, with his broad shoulders and chiseled features enhanced by the shadows.

Ron and the young woman finally reached Kaktag's cabin, nestled deep in the heart of the forest. As they approached, the young woman's eyes widened in terror at the sight of the massive she-bigfoot standing guard outside. She let out a scream and tried to run, but Ron grabbed her arm and held her back.

"Wait, she's a friend," Ron said, trying to calm the young woman down. "Her name is Kaktag, and she helped me before."

Kaktag let out a low growl, eyeing the young woman with suspicion. Ron stepped forward, speaking softly to the she-bigfoot and assuring her that the young woman was not a threat. Slowly, Kaktag relaxed, and the young woman stopped trembling with fear.

But as Ron looked into Kaktag's eyes, he could see disappointment. The young woman’s reaction must have made her remember the reason why she stayed here in the forest, far from the outskirt of town.

“Look after her please,” Ron said. “I need to get back to Bron,”

Kaktag replied with a moan and Ron hoped that was her agreeing. Ron left the cabin and sprinted back towards the goblin base.

His heart pounded as he sprinted towards the goblin base, the darkness of the forest swallowing him up. He knew the risks of going back, but he couldn't leave Bron behind. As he ran, shadows around him converged to where he was and the lights of the moon reflected by iron daggers alerted him he was not alone. He spun around, a sword drawn from the depository of his unseen inventory.

Irons and steel clashed and sparks flew. A group of goblins had surrounded him at all sides, their beady eyes glinting in the moonlight. Ron gritted his teeth as he felt a stinging pain around his thigh. They got him.

The goblins were small, but their strength was surprising and more so in numbers. That sudden ambush that came from all directions managed to nick him through a gap in his armor. He was clearly outnumbered and the pulsing pain down below was slowly reaching up through his blood vessel, a sign the poison was spreading. Ron grunted in pain, but he couldn't stop now. He raised his hand and the vial Bron gave him appeared. The antidote was chugged down his throat and he then threw it away.

[The poison in your body has been neutralized.]

He motioned himself into a combat stance. A sword in his right and in his empty left hand emerged a shield.

“Bring it on, you fucking goblins.”