Chapter 3: Promotion and Great Subjugation Mission 03
On the day of the Great Subjugation Mission, a large crowd gathered in front of the gates of Tolson.
First in line were the lord’s soldiers. About 200 armed men, clad in light armor and wielding short spears, stood in a unified formation. Of course, they were ordinary humans and not Awakened Ones.
Leading them was the silver-haired knight, Anatoria the Crimson, adorned in her striking red armor.
Alongside them were approximately 50 adventurers from Tolson, evenly split between D and E-Rank. Among them was Kaim, leading the party known as Ginrin.
Additionally, around 50 adventurers from other towns had also arrived. Some of them were part of C-Rank parties, and their superior equipment and demeanor were strikingly evident, highlighting the stark difference in skill levels. It was clear that many adventurers remained at D-Rank, while those above C-Rank were considered elite.
Naturally, I blended in with the adventurers, watching as Anatoria the Crimson began her speech.
“Adventurers, thank you for gathering here today. And to the soldiers, your efforts are appreciated. I am Anatoria, the chief knight of the Barius family. You will be tasked with exterminating the goblins that have made their nests in the nearby forest of Tolson over the next few days. As you all know, goblins can become a significant threat if they breed unchecked. I urge each of you to do your utmost to eradicate them swiftly and complete this mission.”
Her voice was clear and resonant, fitting for her beautiful appearance. Yet, upon closer inspection, she still bore the youthful features of a girl, a hint of innocence lingering in her striking face.
Regardless of her appearance, she was undoubtedly A-Rank, so judging her solely on looks would be foolish.
“Wow, she’s incredibly beautiful,” Kaim whispered, only to be pinched by Meribe, causing him to writhe in agony.
As I observed the antics of the young ones, the speech concluded, and the command to depart was given.
We spent the night near the village we had visited during a previous goblin extermination mission, and the next day, we entered the forest.
A D-Rank adventurer led the way, following the traces left by the goblins, with the rest of us adventurers trailing behind.
Following us were the soldiers of the viscount, led by Anatoria the Crimson.
It was on the second day of our journey into the forest that we discovered a large goblin settlement.
An adventurer who had gone out for reconnaissance approached Anatoria the Crimson with a tense expression.
Listening intently to the adventurer’s report, Anatoria nodded and issued a quiet command once the report was complete.
“There is a large goblin settlement ahead. Our scouts have confirmed the presence of five Failed Kings, so there are likely at least 2,500 goblins in total. It is also presumed that a King is present. We will launch a surprise attack and annihilate them. The King will be dealt with by me or the C-Rank party known as Fortuner, so do not interfere. We will commence with a barrage of magic, so mages, prepare your earth-element, projectile spells.”
All the adventurers began to double-check their equipment. A faint metallic sound echoed through the forest, heightening the tension that a large-scale battle was about to commence.
I too checked my weapons, armor, and backpack, waiting for the next command.
“Alright, let’s move out.”
With Anatoria’s command, the adventurers began to advance, followed by the soldiers a short distance behind.
After about ten minutes, we spotted a clearing ahead where sunlight poured in, indicating an area devoid of trees.
As we approached, it became clear that the clearing was about the size of a baseball field. There, over a hundred goblin tents made of branches were lined up.
Surrounding those tents were countless goblins, easily numbering over a thousand at first glance. It was a sight that sent a chill down my spine.
We lined up along the perimeter of the settlement and came to a halt.
“Mages, prepare your spells.”
At Anatoria’s command, the magic users among the adventurers raised their staffs and began to focus their energy.
When a member of the C-Rank party raised their hand, Anatoria ordered, “Fire!”
Typically, there would be one mage per party, and with an average of four members per party, that meant about 25 mages among the 100 adventurers.
In reality, around 25 mages unleashed their projectile spells simultaneously, and the sight before us was nothing short of spectacular.
For E-Rank adventurers like Meribe, the stones they conjured were about the size of fists, flying rapidly through the air, while D-Rank mages launched spear-like stones.
The last C-Rank mage released around 30 stone spears from a high position, raining them down upon the goblins.
The power of those spells was immense, instantly sending 400 to 500 goblins flying, bloodied and broken, while six to seven tents were destroyed in the process. It seemed that even a larger goblin, a Failed King, had fallen.
“Charge!”
With Anatoria’s command, the adventurers surged into the clearing. Even in the heat of battle, they moved in organized groups, a hallmark of seasoned adventurers.
The viscount’s soldiers entered the clearing a moment later, engaging the goblins that the adventurers had missed.
To the adventurers, goblins were weak foes that could be dispatched easily, but for those who had not Awakened, they remained a significant threat.
I noticed Anatoria leading the charge, leaving the soldiers behind.
With a single swing of her longsword, she unleashed a blade of light that cleaved through the goblins in a single stroke. It was undoubtedly a Skill at work.
While her Skill was terrifying, her movements were so swift that they seemed almost supernatural, occasionally teleporting as she executed rapid steps. Her combat style was nothing short of otherworldly.
As I observed the A-Rank knight’s prowess, I too began to take down goblins, smashing them with my mace, sending them flying in explosive bursts.
Despite the goblins being more powerful in this larger group, equipped with stone axes and spears instead of mere sticks, they posed little challenge for me.
Though I took a few hits from their spears, my Steel Body Skill ensured that their attacks could not penetrate my skin.
After crushing around 20 to 30 goblins, I spotted a tent that still stood intact.
There might still be goblins inside. I approached, ready to blast the tent away with my mace.
Creeeak!
With a heavy groan, the tent burst open from within.
Out stepped a muscular goblin, towering at about two meters tall, wielding a thick club and trembling with rage.
This was clearly a higher-tier goblin than the Failed Kings I had seen before. Could this be the King himself!?
“Whoa!”
I barely managed to dodge the club that came crashing down.
The sound of it striking the ground was thunderous. If I had taken a direct hit, even with my Steel Body Skill, I would have sustained serious damage.
“That’s the King! Get back!” I heard Kaim’s voice call from a distance. Right, the plan was for Anatoria or the C-Rank party to handle the King.
But the King had locked onto me completely. If I turned my back now, I would surely take a blow to the head from that club.
I had no choice but to hold my ground and wait for reinforcements.
The King swung his club wildly. It looked chaotic, yet he maintained his balance remarkably well, likely due to his strong core.
As I retreated, I searched for an opening to counterattack. If I blocked with my shield, my arm would likely be crushed along with it. Perhaps I could use my mace… yes, a counterattack.
The King raised his club diagonally, preparing to bring it down in a sweeping motion.
As he swung down, I lifted my mace just above the ground.
The aim was the club itself. The descending club met my rising mace, and with a clash of materials, my mace shattered the club.
A tremendous shock reverberated through my arm, but I managed to hold my ground and reestablish my stance. The King staggered back a few steps, his weapon destroyed.
Now was my chance to escape, I thought, but the King charged at me with ferocity. My reaction was delayed. His right hook caught me squarely in the body.
The impact resonated through my insides, even my Steel Body Skill couldn’t fully absorb it. I felt as if my stomach might burst. Damn it, this bastard! Was that red haze in front of me blood? No, it must be that Skill of his.
With my Stability Skill, I managed to stay on my feet, but then came a follow-up left straight.
I narrowly dodged it and slammed my forehead into the King’s beak-like nose. Fool! A headbutt is the strongest technique in close combat!
The King reeled back, blood streaming from his nose, but he still attempted to grab me with both arms.
Even as he grasped me, I raised my mace, aiming for the King’s groin.
Crack!
Ah, that must hurt. I’ll make it quick for you.
I gripped my mace with both hands and swung it down toward the King’s head, who was now hunched over.
“I see, I had no choice but to fight when the King appeared right before me.”
Soon after, the remaining goblins were exterminated, and the task of collecting Magic Stones from over 2,000 goblin corpses began. It seemed that the viscount’s soldiers were primarily here for this purpose.
Amidst this, I found myself being interrogated by the silver-armored knight.
“Yes, that is correct. I intended to flee, but I judged it too dangerous to turn my back at such close range.”
“Hmm. Those who witnessed it have indeed said the same, so I suppose it cannot be helped.”
Anatoria placed a hand to her mouth, looking up at me with an assessing gaze.
Standing close, I realized she was about a head shorter than me.
Yet, up close, she was undeniably beautiful—no, perhaps a beautiful girl? The tips of her ears were pointed, indicating she belonged to a race other than humans… likely an elf… which added to her ethereal charm.
With her physique and appearance, it was terrifying to think she could fight like a demon, having once been A-Rank.
“By the way, I’ve heard you just recently became E-Rank, yet you managed to crush the King’s head in a single blow. Forgive my rudeness, but given your age, you must have quite a bit of experience as an adventurer?”
“No, I truly just Awakened recently. However, I do have some confidence in my strength. It was merely luck that I struck a vital point this time.”
“Luck, you say? Under normal circumstances, a King is not a monster that an E-Rank can defeat one-on-one. If you truly have just become an adventurer, then it was indeed fortunate.”
“Yes. I regret neglecting my Presence Detection. I will be more cautious in the future.”
“That would be wise. Very well, I will overlook this instance as a necessity of battle. Do not forget that disobeying orders during a Great Subjugation Mission carries appropriate penalties.”
“I will keep that in mind. Thank you for your leniency.”
I bowed and took my leave from Anatoria.
As I walked away, I caught a glimpse of her looking at me as if I were a rare creature. Perhaps it was because I had acted in a manner uncharacteristic of an adventurer?
After all, I was originally from another world. It might be somewhat understandable.