CHAPTER 73: HOBGOBLIN’S VILLAGE

After eliminating the ten Hobgoblins, the duo paused for a moment to catch their breath. Each Hobgoblin generated 3 points, so by taking down ten, they had earned a total of 30 points, bringing their tally to 54 points.

The sun hung high in the sky, casting a warm glow over the forest.

"Let’s aim for 200 points before tomorrow,"

Nero proposed, a challenge that Khione was more than willing to accept.

For the next two hours, they encountered no monsters, and just as frustration began to settle in, Nero spotted a Hobgoblin moving stealthily through the underbrush.

He exchanged a knowing glance with Khione; no words were necessary as they both understood the unspoken intent. They silenced their presence and began to follow the Hobgoblin, sensing that it was hiding something important. If they were to guess, it must be their headquarters.

They trailed the Hobgoblin for more than a hundred meters northwest, navigating past a small mountain range until they reached a crudely constructed village. The settlement was surrounded by a tall wooden fence, with two watchtowers positioned at the north and south ends, where Hobgoblin sentries patrolled diligently.

Nero quickly scaled a nearby tree to get a better view.

"Jackpot!" he exclaimed, his ominous red eyes scanning the village from his vantage point. Thanks to his special eyes, he could see great distances, and when he infused them with prana, their clarity was enhanced even further. He quickly counted approximately 42 Hobgoblins in the village, and a quick mental calculation suggested that clearing this settlement would bring them significantly closer to the 200-point milestone they had set for themselves.

Nero dropped back to the ground and relayed his findings to Khione. Together, they began to strategize on how best to clear the village and achieve their goal.

"First, you’ll take down the sentries on the two watchtowers. I bet you can handle them easily, right?" Nero said, his voice steady and commanding.

Facing those ominous red eyes, Khione nodded without hesitation, determination shining in her own gaze.

"Great! Secondly, I’ll set the village ablaze. You’ll help me from the rear, sealing one of the entrances with ice. I’ll deal with most of them while I enter the village under fire, and you’ll keep providing assistance, ensuring none of them manage to escape. What do you think of my plan?"

"Let’s go with it and adapt as we progress," Khione replied calmly, her mind already racing ahead to the execution of their strategy.

"Great, let’s begin then!" Nero declared, vanishing from sight in a blur of motion. He arrived swiftly at the foot of the mountain, eyes scanning the surroundings for the nearest sentry. Spotting one, he approached silently, drawing his sword with lethal precision. In one fluid motion, he dispatched the sentry, ensuring it fell without a sound.

With the first sentry eliminated, Nero conjured a fireball in his palm, the flames crackling eagerly. He focused on a nearby wooden building, using the flat side of his sword to swat the fireball into it. The flames erupted instantly, consuming the structure in a blazing inferno. He moved quickly to the next two houses, repeating the process, each strike igniting them and sending plumes of smoke swirling into the air.

Meanwhile, Khione took her position at a safe distance, her wand raised high. She concentrated as she created condensed Ice Arrows, the air around her shimmering with icy energy. With precise aim, she unleashed the arrows, targeting the sentries on both watchtowers. Just before Nero launched his fireballs, the arrows struck true, freezing the sentries solid, ensuring they wouldn’t raise an alarm.

As the flames spread through the village, chaos erupted.

’’Gyaaa!"

Hobgoblins began to scatter in confusion, their cries piercing the air.

Swoosh!

Seizing the opportunity, Nero dashed toward the entrance of the village, adrenaline surging through him, he was grinning, yes he was grinning at the moment, something about him seemed eerie, he appeared like a grim reaper, his already ominous red eyes was flashing more ominously. He unleashed a torrent of flames with his sword toward a group of startled hobgoblins, sending them scrambling in panic.

Khione followed closely behind, her Ice Arrows flying with deadly precision.

Puk! Puk!

She targeted any hobgoblins attempting to regroup, her shots piercing through the chaos and freezing them in their tracks. The combination of her ice and Nero’s fire created a mesmerizing spectacle, a chaotic dance of laws as they worked seamlessly together.

Nero, now deep in the fray, struck with ferocity. He swung his sword, each slash igniting the air around him. He spun and leaped, his movements fluid and graceful, each strike leaving trails of fire in its wake. The Hobgoblins fought back, swinging their crude weapons in desperation, but Nero was a whirlwind of destruction, evading their attacks with ease.

"Watch out behind you!" Khione called out, spotting a Hobgoblin sneaking up on him. With a swift gesture, she summoned a wall of ice, blocking the creature’s path and allowing Nero to dispatch it without looking back.

"Thanks!" he shouted, his voice brimming with adrenaline. Without her assistance he would have dealt with the monster but he appreciated the assistance anyway.

Nero continued his assault, cutting down hobgoblins left and right, his sword a blazing extension of his will.

As the battle raged on, Khione noticed a Hobgoblin commander rallying the remaining goblins, trying to organize a counterattack.

"Nero! We need to take him out!" she shouted, her eyes narrowing as she took aim.

"On it!" Nero replied, locking onto the commander with desire to slaughter. He charged forward, dodging wild swings from desperate hobgoblins who tried to block his path. Khione concentrated her energy, summoning a powerful Ice Arrow infused with her magic.

At the perfect moment, she released it, and the arrow soared through the air, striking the commander squarely in the chest.

Boom!

The creature staggered back, momentarily stunned, giving Nero the opening he needed. He closed the distance in an instant, raising his sword high covered in blazing flame, and with a fierce downward slash, he ended the commander’s reign.

With their leader defeated, the remaining Hobgoblins faltered, their morale shattered. Khione and Nero pressed their advantage, combining their powers to drive them back. Nero wielded flames with abandon while Khione unleashed icy projectiles, a perfect harmony of destruction.

As the last of the Hobgoblins fell, the village was engulfed in chaos and fire, the air thick with smoke and the scent of ash. Khione and Nero stood amidst the remnants of their battle, breathing heavily but filled with exhilaration.

"Not a bad job at all," Khione said, a satisfied smile breaking across her face, something extremely rare for someone who rarely show emotions.

"Couldn’t have done it without you," Nero replied, his red eyes glinting with triumph.

Together, they surveyed the village, knowing that they had made significant progress toward their goal.

"We killed 43 Hobgoblins, and with the points we’ve accumulated, we must be close to 200 points," Nero said, catching his breath. Khione nodded, lowering her gaze to the bracelet she wore, identical to Nero’s. The smart screen displayed their astonishing score: 183 points.

"Not bad!" she mumbled, a smile creeping onto her face. Next to that impressive score was the number 1, indicating they currently held first place.

Nero felt a surge of satisfaction but reminded himself that they couldn’t afford to become complacent; the competition was fierce, and to maintain their lead, they needed to keep pushing forward.

"Help me put out the fire before we depart!" he instructed.

Khione nodded and conjured a small rain of water, directing it toward the remaining flames. The water hissed as it met the fire, quickly freezing the raging flames into solid blocks of ice. As evening approached, they realized they still needed 17 points to reach their goal.

"Let’s refuel before we continue," Nero said, quickly gathering supplies. He rummaged through his packs, pulling out slices of bread, some cheese, and a few leftover pieces of cooked meat he bought.

"Here, hand me those," he said, motioning for Khione to pass him the ingredients. She quickly complied, her hands deftly retrieving the items from the supplies.

Nero laid two slices of bread on a flat rock, layering cheese and meat in between. He added a few leaves of lettuce for crunch and topped it off with another slice of bread.

"Perfect!" he exclaimed, carefully pressing the sandwich down to hold everything together.

Khione watched as he expertly assembled the sandwiches.

Nero then made a second sandwich for himself. Once they were finished, he handed her the sandwich he’d prepared.

They settled down on a nearby log, eating in comfortable silence. Each bite was satisfying, the food providing the energy they needed for the hunt ahead. The sounds of the forest surrounded them, the distant rustle of leaves and the chirping of crickets marking the transition from day to night.

After they finished their meal, Nero wiped his hands on his pants and stood up. "Ready to keep going?"

Khione nodded, her expression serious once more.

With their hunger satisfied and their spirits lifted by their earlier success, they set out once again, the goal to reach two hundred points by evening.