As the sun sank beneath the horizon, the sky turned a deep shade of blue. Ron and Bron advanced towards the goblin base with measured steps, their senses alert to any threat that may lie ahead. Ron scanned his surroundings, his eyes flickering over every shadow and nook, as he braced himself for the mission ahead.

Bron, however, led the way, navigating through the weakest part of the goblin base with confidence. His preparations were meticulous, having spent hours gathering intel and scoping out potential entry points.

As Ron and Bron approached the perimeter, the wind carried with it a faint but unmistakable sound of whispers. Ron's heart quickened as he came to an abrupt halt, but Bron was already on the alert, motioning for Ron to take cover. They crouched behind the shadow of the trees, peering out into the gloom and straining to listen. Their breaths came deep and slow as the whispers grew louder and more distinct, like the hissing of serpents in the grass.

Bron's hand motion caught Ron's attention, and he saw the glint of steel as his accomplice drew a dagger from the hidden compartment in his arm brace. Ron nodded his understanding, his own hand slipping behind his back to retrieve a blade of his own. A dagger appeared out of thin air, right from his Inventory. The two men stood there, poised and ready, their eyes gleaming with a shared understanding that violence was the way to do it.

The ominous sounds of cackling laughter grew closer in distance. A band of three goblins had emerged from the shadows, hunched and snarling with their crooked teeth bared. It was clear they were on some sort of patrol duty, an unexpected surprise for creatures not typically known for their cunning intellect.

Bron waited, watching with hawk-like focus as the goblins passed by, their raucous laughter trailing off into the gloom. He knew that their foe was more than just these lowly goblins; there was something else in charge here, something far more dangerous. And as the last of the goblins showed its back to them, Bron made the first move.

Ron’s breath quickened as he eyed the goblins up ahead. His heart thundered in his chest, knowing that every second counted. With a flick of his wrist, he added five points to his agility and five to his strength, feeling his muscles bulge with newfound power. His speed skyrocketed, his movements fluid and deadly as he trailed behind Bron, their daggers glinting menacingly in the dim light.

Like two wraiths in the night, they closed in on the goblins, their eyes locked onto the creatures' vulnerable necks. Bron struck first, his blade singing as it sliced through the air and cleaved the goblin's neck with a clean, swift cut. Ron followed suit, his own dagger plunging deep into the back of the goblin's left chest, piercing its heart.

But he wasn't done yet. In one smooth motion, Ron let go of the hilt and another dagger appeared in his other hand as if by magic. He spun on his heel, the blade flashing in the dim light as it sliced through the air and buried itself deep into the goblin's neck, silencing it before it could let out a cry. The adrenaline rush was heady and exhilarating, and Ron looked down at the lifeless body at his feet with a stoic face.

As the blood dripped from his blade, he couldn't help but feel a sense of disappointment. He had hoped that taking down two opponents in quick succession would be enough to gain another level, but it seemed the growth rate was starting to slow.

"You're quicker than I thought," Bron said, his voice heavy with admiration.

“I got to keep up, right?” Ron said.

Bron cast a sidelong glance at Ron, a sly smile playing on his lips. He wiped off the blood of the goblin from his dagger with a piece of cloth, revealing the glint of steel underneath. "The rumors are far from the truth," he said, his voice low and husky. "For a 1-Star knight, you are far more capable than the norm. Have you been hiding your strength, my lord?"

“Let's just say I didn't have the opportunity to show my skill in the open,” Ron replied, trying to keep his voice steady.

Sir Bron's eyes narrowed, a knowing glint in them. “So you tag along to rake up achievement?” he asked.

“Sir Bron, I'm just here to get stronger, that's all,” Ron said. He slipped his daggers to the back and they were gone into his inventory.

“Don't we all?” Bron said, smirking. The grizzled knight dropped to his knees beside the lifeless goblin, its blood still warm and viscous. Without a second thought, he plunged his hand into the crimson pool, feeling the stickiness coat his skin. As he lifted his hand to his face, a crazed look in his eye, he smeared the blood across his armor and face, as if painting himself with the essence of death.

“The smell of the blood will hide us,” he said, his voice low and rough with years of battle. “Make sure to put more, my lord.” Ron hesitated, his stomach churning at the thought of coating himself with the blood of their enemy. As it was quite extreme and nauseous. But the senior knight had experience. It was better for him to follow.

As he smeared blood on his face, he watched as Bron dragged the limp body of the goblin underneath a nearby shrub, hiding it from the prying eyes of any potential patrol goblins. Ron's eyes flicked to the weapon hanging from the goblin's waist, a crude dagger that looked like it had seen better days. Without a second thought, he reached for it, his fingers closing around the hilt. As he did, the dagger vanished from the goblin's belt and into Ron's inventory.

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Glancing back, Ron saw Bron doing his best to hide the dead goblin, his movements quick and efficient. Taking advantage of the distraction, Ron snatched up another goblin's dagger and tucked it away into his inventory. They seemed low quality at best, but he hoped these weapons were laced with poison as it would be a big boost in times of emergency.

Bron and Ron moved stealthily, their bodies hidden by the dappled shadows cast by the towering trees that surrounded them. Their eyes scanned the edges of the base, alert for any sign of movement. They had to move with the utmost care, as one false step could mean discovery and certain chaos of a battle against many.

As they approached the goblin's base, the first thing that struck their eyes was the seeming normalcy of it all. It could have been a human encampment, with tents pitched haphazardly and a crackling bonfire at the center. The green-skinned humanoids moved about, laughing raucously and gorging themselves on food and drink.

But then, as they drew nearer, the true horrors revealed themselves. Cages of all sizes dotted the landscape, holding men and women of all ages captive within. Their faces were devoid of expression as if the last shred of hope had been drained from their souls. And amidst the clatter and chatter of the goblin revelers, the sound of quiet weeping could be heard, a mournful counterpoint to the raucous celebration of their captors.

Ron observed the sight before him with a mixture of revulsion and confusion."Do goblins kidnapped male humans?" he asked. he was armed with knowledge back home from drawn literature. Something that shouldn't be taken as a reference but he had to make sure.

"My lord is right," he said gravely. "Goblins do not take men as prisoners. This is unusual."

“So it is weird,” Ron said.

Bron's voice was filled with venom as he spoke. "These devil spawns only take women of childbearing age," he said, his words dripping with contempt. Ron felt a chill run down his spine, realizing the true nature of the goblins they were up against. It was one thing to hear rumors and stories but to know for certain that they were preying on innocent women was another thing entirely.

“Let’s free them,” Ron said. His eyes burned with determination as seeing these helpless people made him remember that worse day of his life.

“In time, my lord,” Bron said. “But first, we need to behead the ringleader.”

A sudden burst of laughter echoed through the air. Ron and Bron's eyes darted to their right, where a lone goblin was seen swaying unsteadily with a mug in its hand. The stench of alcohol hung heavily in the air, filling their nostrils with a pungent aroma. Without hesitation, Bron's reflexes kicked in as he swiftly flung his dagger toward the inebriated creature. The sharp blade sliced through the air, finding its mark as it embedded itself into the goblin's neck. Ron wasted no time as he charged forward, his sword unsheathed and ready for action.

With a deft swing of his blade, Ron delivered the final blow, severing the goblin's head from its body. The creature's drunken laughter died with it, and right as the body fell, Ron turned and caught it in his arms.

The need for stealth was imminent and he remembered the head. It might fling away and hit something. But there he saw Bron, standing there with a dead goblin’s head in his hand. “Behind the tent!” he shouted in a whisper. Ron followed and they squatted down.

“That was close,” Ron said. He shamelessly stole the kill and almost alerted them of their presence. But who could blame him though? He needed the kill to earn a level, a level that would boost his combat prowess for survival as well as for awakening his potential.

“We need to stay silent, my lord,” Bron reminded Ron. “Until we kill the leader of this base, we won’t be able to run wild.”

Ron nodded. It was almost a day of him spending time with the 3-Star Knight, Sir Bron, and yet the way he fought was far from being the stereotypical knight Ron imagined. He was stealthy, cunning, and deployed tactics, unlike a straightforward chivalric knight. In his eye, Bron was more like a rogue.

Ron and Bron moved deeper into the goblin base, their steps cautious and their senses on high alert. They slunk behind tents and through the shadows, taking down any goblins that strayed too close with silent and deadly precision. Each body they hid away in the cover of shrubs or behind a nearby rock, erasing any sign of their presence.

Ron gained a level during that time, reaching level four.As they ventured further, they spotted a darkened cave, nestled far away from the raucous party of goblins gathered around a campfire.

As they approached the cave entrance, Ron and Bron spotted two hulking figures guarding the way. These were not the run-of-the-mill goblins they had encountered before. Taller and bulkier, their armor was a patchwork of rusted iron plates that looked like they had been scavenged from a battlefield. And in their hands, the goblins wielded spears that looked sharp enough to pierce through armor. Ron couldn't help but wonder what sort of twisted breeding had produced such formidable monsters.

“Are those goblins?” Ron asked.

“There isn’t much difference with the one we killed before,” Bron said. “But combat wise they are a bit better.”

“Can we take them down in one hit?”

“I can,” Bron said, turning his glance to Ron as if asking the same question. Ron understood from that one glance and if he could, he would have outrightly said that this was his first day here and he knew nothing about anything.

But he nodded. The situation called for it, and Ron distributed the new ten points straight to Strength. He subtly felt a surge of strength swelling in his muscles and now it was do or die he guessed.

“Get ready,” Bron said.

Ron's hand instinctively tightened around the hilt of his sword as he readied himself for the impending battle. But before he could take a step, Bron held up a hand, signaling for him to wait. Suddenly, a high-pitched scream pierced the air, echoing through the night sky and sending shivers down Ron's spine.

As they peered beyond the cave's threshold, their eyes beheld a scene both horrifying and heartbreaking. A towering goblin, far larger than the guards at the entrance, loomed before them, a thick chain gripped tightly in its massive hands. And at the end of that chain, a pitiful figure was dragged forward, a young woman, her delicate frame no match for the brute strength of her captor.

At that moment, Ron exploded in anger.