Chapter 54: Goblin Nest

At the cave entrance, everyone looked into the pitch-black interior as a foul stench slowly drifted out.

"This smell, damn it!" Ghetari cursed fiercely, as if some switch had been triggered.

This odor clearly reminded him of his miserable experience a few days ago. He couldn't help but turn to look at Kana for answers.

Kana nodded. "If nothing unexpected happens, there are followers of the Rotting Monarch in here."

"Do you have any spells to isolate the smell? If not, you'll just have to grit your teeth and bear it."

"The stench is a common tactic of his minions and part of a ritual curse. When the odor makes you vomit, the curse takes effect in your body. A disease similar to the one your companion contracted will appear on you. The more you vomit, the easier it is for the curse to succeed."

Kana seriously suspected that the dwarves might have simply loved drinking too much heavy ale, giving the enemy such an opening. Otherwise, given dwarven resistance, it was utterly absurd that they could be infected by a rotting goblin's curse.

Lurick's expression turned grave. Upon hearing Kana's explanation, he realized this possibility, a reason he had never considered before.

Still, he said, "Before coming here, we made preparations."

With that, several of them took out improvised filters from the backpacks at their waists.

They looked somewhat like the gear worn during deep mining operations. Seeing this contraption, Kana inexplicably broke into a smile.

Because he had also worn one back in the game—a very long time ago.

This thing actually did filter out foul odors.

Since the dwarves were prepared, Kana looked at Pobote and George, who truly had no such means.

"The two of you stay back and provide support from a distance once the fight starts. Keeping your distance makes it harder to be affected by the stench."

Pobote, having prior experience, nodded. George looked somewhat nervous, but still forced himself to say, "Don't worry, Your Highness."

Several of them squeezed into the cave. After walking just a few steps, they saw a torch stuck in the wall.

It was evident that the cave was extremely deep, and a gentle breeze carrying a foul stench blew against them, clearly leading somewhere.

"Watch out for traps," Kana said, stepping around a hazard.

The others followed closely behind him.

"I didn't even notice that," Ghetari remarked.

There were quite a few traps in the cave, yet Kana spotted every single one of them and guided the group around them.

This scene truly shocked everyone, as some of the traps were so craftily concealed, even though they had lit torches and hung oil lamps.

Yet Kana moved as if he were walking through his own backyard, pointing out various traps from afar long before anyone even approached them.

However, an even more exaggerated feat followed.

Kana suddenly came to a halt and said to George, "See that? That small recessed corner. Get ready."

With that, Kana picked up a stone and hurled it fiercely in that direction.

Fortunately, George had remained vigilant with his bow nocked.

Guided by Kana's instruction, he instinctively raised his bow and aimed, just as the stone struck a goblin, causing it to tumble out in a panic.

With a target in sight, George loosed an arrow.

It accurately pierced the goblin's head.

"Good grief, how did you spot that?" Ghetari asked, exceptionally astonished.

Everyone around him stared.

"Keep your vigilance up and you'll see. Pick up the pace; we're about to be exposed."

Kana had already caught sight of shadows flickering not far ahead.

Without waiting for the others to react, he broke into a run.

Luckily, everyone remembered Kana's warning and stayed right on his heels.

Observing the scene ahead, Kana issued direct orders: "Shields up, 180-degree semicircular formation! Pobote and George in the center. Block the incoming arrows and take them down if you get the opening."

Fortunately, understanding Kana's commands wasn't too difficult for these dwarves. Kana held his shield and led the way, with two Sons of the Mountains flanking him on the left and right, and the Sage bringing up the rear.

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

Arrows began to fly from the surroundings, accompanied by flying stones.

There were grooves carved into both walls, with goblins standing inside them and launching attacks.

"Illumination!"

Pobote shouted, and a small ball of light drifted from her fingertips, hovering above the group to provide a wider field of vision.

After all, dwarven darkvision didn't extend very far, and George had no darkvision at all; otherwise, the dwarves wouldn't need to carry oil lamps everywhere.

George licked his lips, feeling a bit nervous.

Even so, he drew his bow and loosed an arrow, though his accuracy suffered this time.

Until a scream echoed from the left, and a goblin was pierced through.

"I hit one!" George exclaimed, somewhat excited.

Seizing the opportunity, Alirise made a fierce grabbing motion toward that direction, pulling out a mass of turbid blood.

Kana also drew a mass of blood at the exact moment, guiding it in an arc toward the right.

At some point, a silver metal sphere had begun floating around Kana, covered in intricate, glowing patterns.

The two of them controlled the blood from left to right, launching blood arrows in counterattacks.

"Zzzzt!"

A strange sound rang out beside their ears.

Two flashes of electrical current instantly pierced the darkness, then burst into a web-like pattern, followed by a chorus of trembling shrieks.

Six or seven goblins instantly plummeted from both sides.

The source of the lightning was none other than the dwarven Sage, who held a pole-arm warhammer as tall as himself.

A rune on the warhammer was blazing with light.

Before anyone could say a word, a loud crash erupted ahead.

A large horde of goblins charged out, uttering bizarre cries.

Their bodies were covered in pustules, and instead of weapons, their claws had mutated into green talons entirely disproportionate to their stature.

Among them were several hulking brutes standing as tall as a man.

"Wala guada!"

One of the large ones wore crude leather armor fashioned from bones and hide, smeared with green pus, and crowned with a beast-skull helmet.

In its grasp was a ragged longsword, glowing with a sickly green light that made it obvious taking a hit from it would be excruciating.

Seeing this sight, Kana didn't hesitate for a second. He slashed his own arm.

A sharp pain flared.

He activated "Blood Magic" to enhance his physique.

His entire body instantly flushed, and veins bulged along his arms and neck.

He charged in at the absolute vanguard.

Because if he didn't charge in right then, it would be too late.

The light on the dwarven Sage's warhammer grew even more blinding; clearly, he was preparing to unleash a devastating strike upon these goblins.

As Kana rushed forward, the rest immediately followed in his wake.

"For Grey Mountain!" Ghetari, fully armed at last, seemed finally able to vent his vengeance. With a mighty roar, he plowed straight ahead like a wild boar.

Four warriors, none weaker than tier three, crashed into the goblin horde.

Any goblins attempting to block them were torn to pieces before they could even launch an attack.

Kana backhanded a few blocking goblins to death, watching the experience points leap up in the corner of his eye.

He knew he had made the right choice. Without hesitation, he charged directly toward the heavily armored, conspicuous hobgoblin.

"Kuku kua!" the hobgoblin screeched, and the blocking goblins in front of it actually parted ways, turning to attack the others instead.

"Boom!"

However, before Kana could reach it, a torrent of lightning rained down.

The dwarven Sage in the rear raised his warhammer high; not only was his hammer blazing, but even the eyes of the dwarf flickered with electrical arcs.

"Raaagh—aaaaah!"

The goblins, who had still been capable of resistance, were instantly blasted into a tumbling pile.

The descending lightning crawled like electric serpents everywhere it touched, leaving the goblins shaking and screaming in place.

In a fraction of a second, every single goblin present was paralyzed.

Seeing this, Kana let out a sigh of relief.

Good, just a mass crowd-control effect.

Since that was the case, it was time for him to harvest.

With a powerful leap, he swung his blade down at the hobgoblin, which hadn't even had the chance to display its might.

Amidst the compounding force of his immense strength, a head went flying high into the air.