CHAPTER 44: GOBLIN TONGUE

"Ragnar, do you feel strange after every kill?" Noah asked suddenly.

Ragnar turned to him, confused. "Huh? What are you talking about?"

"Every time I kill something,like those mutated monkeys, I get this weird sensation coursing through my body, like I’m getting stronger after each one. Do you feel the same?" Noah asked again, leaning slightly forward.

Hearing him, Ragnar’s expression shifted as he finally grasped what Noah meant. ’He’s gaining experience points,’ Ragnar thought. ’But since he doesn’t have a visible system like mine, he can’t see it—he only feels it as that strange surge of strength.’

Ragnar telepathically activated [Power Inspection] to observe Noah’s new level and was surprised to see that he had reached level four and that his attributes were double the amount they were when Ragnar first inspected him.

’He is improving gradually,’ Ragnar thought.

"You are not answering," Noah said with a frown.

"Oh," Ragnar exclaimed as he came back to his senses, "I was thinking about what you said."

"So... do you feel the same?"

"Yes, I thought I was the only one who felt like that," Ragnar responded with a smile.

Noah nodded his head softly. "If we slay more mutated beasts, our strength would grow even more. Protecting the village would become a lot easier."

Ragnar nodded, and both of them began sharing their experience from the hunting trip so far. Noah shared his confusion about Ragnar’s insane speed and strength, while Ragnar spoke about how the strength of the mutated beasts they faced increased the deeper they were into the forest.

The two of them also spoke about the goblin hideout they discovered.

Noah suggested they go back to the cave to clear the goblins. His reason was that the strength of the horde that would attack the Hamlet later on would be reduced if they cut out one of their hideouts.

Ragnar agreed easily, as those had been his initial thoughts. He was glad that his friend shared the same view.

While the two of them discussed, Milan was fast asleep under a tree beside theirs. Thanks to the painkiller he drank earlier, his pain was subdued and he was able to rest properly.

====

Meanwhile, not so far away from their resting spot, a group comprising about three dozen goblins marched toward them, communicating in their bizarre language.

The group comprised different castes of goblins — the warriors who had refined muscles, wore makeshift skirts, and held sharp weapons, a few archers who held bows and arrows, and the spell casters who were covered in makeshift robes and held crooked sticks.

There were five spell casters in total, and the five of them strolled in front of the group. They seemed to be the leaders of the group, as the other goblins behaved respectfully toward them.

"CHEE CHEE!"

Their unintelligible chattering continued as they moved further.

"CHEE!" one of the spell casters let out a louder unintelligible cry, and the rest of the group fell silent at once.

The group proceeded forward in maintained silence.

Once every few minutes, the spell casters made a series of hand signals to their group.

A few minutes after, the spell caster called the entire group to an abrupt halt.

The spell caster focused his gaze on the trees, where three humans could be seen relaxing, unbeknownst of their arrival.

"CHEE! CHEE!" the spell caster laughed menacingly.

He turned to his colleagues who needed, before he turned to the goblin warriors and gave a series of signals.

Immediately, all the goblins dispersed into the bush.

Stealthily and noiselessly, they made their way toward the group, attempting an ambush.

====

"We should use tomorrow, the final day of our hunting trip, to take down the goblins’ hideout," Noah said.

"That is not a bad plan. We can’t afford to spend more time than we planned, the people back at the Hamlet would definitely panic if we don’t return," Ragnar nodded.

"I just hope nothing bad has happened to them. I am sure the monsterborn visited the village last night as usual to steal our hard work," Noah’s face twisted into a frown as he recalled the evil deed of the monsterborn.

He turned to Ragnar and asked, "We can down the monsterborn by ourselves now, can’t we?"

"Of course," Ragnar answered quickly.

Both of them were still discussing when suddenly the noise of sharp objects tearing through the air was heard. It became louder and clearer as the sharp objects drew closer to them.

Ragnar was the first to catch up to the sound. He stood up, equipped his sword right away, and turned to the direction of the sound.

"Arrows!" Ragnar’s eyes widened as he quickly alerted his colleagues, "We are being ambushed!"

Ragnar’s warning came, but it was already too late, as the arrows were already finding their targets.

Noah jumped up and raised his sword. He tried to deflect, but the arrows were faster. One hit his shoulder hard, causing him to grunt in pain. Blood dripped down his shoulder as they quickly went numb from anguish.

"Fuck..." He gritted his teeth as he scanned the area for the shooters.

Milan, on the other hand, was still asleep when the warning came, hence his reaction was delayed.

Before he could even recognize the threat and grab his sword lying beside him, two arrows stabbed his body.

One of them stabbed his shoulder and the other one stabbed his chest. Milan choked immediately and coughed out a mouthful of blood. His vision blurred and his body became heavy.

"Big brother Milan!" Ragnar’s eyes widened in horror seeing the state of Milan. He sprinted towards him.

Noah’s eyes turned to Milan, and he froze seeing his critical state.

Ragnar squatted beside Milan and observed his condition.

The arrows seemed to have pierced a vital point in his chest, and he was bleeding profusely.

"Cough... Cough..." Milan coughed, each cough weaker than the last.

Ragnar panicked, he could not lose Milan.

He opened his inventory and brought out the healing potion.

|| Healing potion won’t work, host. || Onyx’s voice commented.

But Ragnar ignored it. He opened the vial and poured the liquid in the mouth of Milan.

He waited, but there was no response. He expected to see magical light appear over the injury and heal it, but his hopes were shattered as Milan coughed weakly.

"G-goblins..." Milan stuttered weakly, coughing.