Goblins

Vallis, however, did not seem particularly moved by Zelier's congratulations. He glanced at the crater blasted into the surface of the boulder, a complex expression crossing his face. A full-power strike of his own would probably amount to roughly this level, wouldn't it? Zelier was merely a Magic Apprentice, yet he could already unleash magic with destructive power on par with that of a mid-rank ranger? Was this the nature of his class, or sheer personal capability? It truly left one feeling a bit conflicted... "Speaking of which, Zelier... if I remember correctly, you're sixteen?" Vallis asked. "Yeah." "You should be breaking through to become a low-rank mage soon, right?" "Hard to say... Who knows." Zelier shrugged. "You will. I know it." Vallis fixed his gaze on Zelier's eyes and said earnestly, "I can see your talent." The water gurgled nearby. The two stood an uncomfortable touch too close, and the atmosphere grew slightly strained, prompting Zelier to be the first to avert his gaze. "Well... from your mouth to the gods' ears, then." "You're the most talented mage I've ever seen. Perhaps in the future, I'll ask you for a very important favor," Vallis said. "What kind of favor?" Vallis gave no further reply. He merely stood up in silence and walked off toward Blackstone Town. Watching Vallis's figure fade into the distance, Zelier couldn't help but mutter under his breath. *Why does he have to leave me hanging like that...?* ... The next day. Early morning. Zelier sat cross-legged on his bed, eyes closed, concentrating his spirit. Moments later, he slowly opened his eyes and drew in his aura. Just now, he had undergone a session of shallow meditation. Unlike deep meditation, which demanded a massive amount of mental power, shallow meditation merely skimmed the surface. It helped sharpen his focus and clear his head. Starting every morning with a brief session like this felt rather refreshing. Suddenly, a knock sounded at the door. *Knock, knock, knock...* Zelier was somewhat surprised. Ever since he had moved in, no one had ever knocked on his door. He hastily threw on some clothes. Opening the door, he found Oro standing outside. "What is it?" Zelier asked. "A gentleman came downstairs. He said his name is Marcus and that he's looking for you," Oro said with a blink. *Marcus...? Why would he come looking for me?* "Got it. I'll be right down." Zelier picked up his ash wood wand base, buckled his rapier at his waist, slipped on his shoes, and hurried downstairs. In the inn lobby, Marcus was pacing back and forth, looking quite restless. Seeing Zelier come down, he immediately strode over to greet him. "Come on, come with me to the Adventurers' Association." "What happened?" Zelier was slightly bewildered. "You'll know when we get there," Marcus said tersely. At the Adventurers' Association. The crowd moving about inside seemed unusually thick today, packed so tightly that Zelier could barely take a step forward. Marcus helped carve a path in front, and with no small effort, the two finally squeezed their way to the commission board. The noisy chatter buzzed loud enough to make one's head ring. Pasted at the very top of the board was a sheet of paper larger than all the other notices, inscribed in eye-catching, blood-red ink. [Subjugation Quest: Mist Cave Goblin Settlement] In the mountainous region of central Ashwood Forest, there is a small goblin settlement. Their range of activity has been expanding daily, and their rampaging actions have threatened the safety of nearby villages. The Association hereby issues a commission to eliminate this goblin settlement. Addendum: Over half a month ago, Rhode's party accepted this quest. However, after confirmation by Association personnel and nearby villagers, we announce with heavy hearts: Rhode's party has been wiped out in its entirety. This quest is not only to eradicate the threat lurking within the forest, but also to avenge the fallen Rhode's party! The Blackstone Town branch of the Adventurers' Association hereby announces that any party that accepts and completes this quest will receive a substantial bonus! Quest Rank: Low-Rank (Three Stars) Objectives: Completely eliminate all monsters in the goblin settlement; leave none alive. If possible, recover any relics of Rhode's party. Bounties: Current intelligence indicates that this settlement has at least three Orc Goblins and one White-Haired Goblin, along with over twenty ordinary goblins. Bounty per Orc Goblin: 7 gold coins. Bounty per White-Haired Goblin: 10 gold coins. Bounty per ordinary goblin: 10 silver coins. In addition, an extra 20 gold coins will be awarded upon quest completion as a bonus. Association Note: This is a well-established goblin settlement. While not comparable to large hordes exceeding a hundred, the threat must not be underestimated. The Association does not recommend parties with fewer than five members accept this quest. Furthermore, it is strongly advised that the party include mid-rank combatants—the more, the better! "The goblin extermination quest in Mist Cave..." Zelier paused slightly. He seemed to recall that during his first visit to the Adventurers' Association, he had heard someone shouting to recruit party members for this very quest. To think that entire party had fallen... How unpredictable life was. Whispers from the surrounding adventurers continually drifted over. "Good grief... twenty gold coins for an extra bonus. The Association really dared to put up that kind of price." "They dare offer it, but do you dare take it? Didn't you see that Rhode's party got wiped out? They were all veterans..." "I heard the only one from Rhode's party who escaped was a ranger. One of his legs was snapped clean off. God knows how he managed to crawl to the edge of the forest, but anyway, he drew his last breath the moment they brought him into the clinic... Pretty grim." "Stop looking. A quest of this rank isn't something we can stick our noses into. Let's just stick to ordinary commissions." Many people were only there to gawk. After seeing the formidable lineup of three Orc Goblins and a White-Haired Goblin, they sensibly moved on to look for other notices. The bounty was indeed rich, but one needed to be alive to spend it. Zelier glanced at Marcus. "You want to take this quest?" A three-star low-rank quest. The giant-winged bat had only been one star; the difficulty of this one was easy to imagine. "I think we can give it a try," Marcus said solemnly. "Our party definitely can't do it. Going there would just be feeding ourselves to the goblins on a platter," Zelier said, shaking his head with complete self-awareness. At the thought of goblin depictions from all kinds of anime, films, and television shows, Zelier felt a wave of disgust. Foul-smelling, cunning, filthy, ugly. He had no desire to die at the hands of those green-skinned runts; that would be far too ridiculous. "Not just the four of us, of course." Marcus gestured with his hands. "Vallis has already advanced to mid-rank ranger. Your magic is versatile, and your destructive power is high enough. If we recruit a few more powerful teammates, we can pull it off." "Recruiting teammates..." Zelier pondered for a moment. If that were the case, perhaps it really was worth a shot.