"Here they come again..."

"Be careful, those big ones pack terrifying strength!"

At this moment on Silverstream City's front battlefield, numerous exceptionally bulky figures could be seen.

They weren't mutated goblins, but much larger and more robust creatures.

They were the giant goblins Lin Mo and the others had encountered earlier in the cavern.

These "Type II goblins"—mutated variants within the Goblin Guard—were far stronger than ordinary mutated goblins, reaching over three meters tall, with threat levels of at least 3.5!

The one before them was nearly four meters, its threat level definitely at Level 4.

Although those who joined Silverstream City's guard units weren't ordinary people, they still weren't on par with seasoned professionals. They originally had some talent and learned standard military skills in the army, so their overall level was roughly equivalent to a 0.5–0.7 level professional. They could handle normal goblins easily, but even mutated goblins were hard to deal with—let alone these mountain-sized monsters.

At this point it should have been the officers in the guard units to step up, but a Level 4 threat goblin was difficult even for officers to contend with.

A guard squad captain, trying to prevent the frontline from collapsing, could only grit his teeth and stand in front of the monster.

The giant goblin wore a disturbingly humanlike, mocking grin. It raised its heavy iron club and brought it down on the squad captain's head.

The captain's face immediately drained of color;

he could only grit his teeth and swing his blade.

The weapons met for only an instant before his blade shattered. The force hurled him through the air;

he spat blood.

He wasn't weak—he was a Level 2 warrior. When they had faced mutated goblins earlier, he handled them easily;

even quasi-Bronze goblins weren't necessarily beyond his ability.

But a Level 4 giant goblin clearly exceeded his capacity.

Although the clash was brief, the overwhelming force was enough to rupture his internal organs, leaving almost no hope of survival.

So the giant goblin didn't even bother to pursue.

The world swam before the squad captain's eyes;

his body went numb. He couldn't feel pain, but he couldn't move either.

Just as the captain closed his eyes and prepared to die, a warm Holy Light suddenly bathed him.

Greater Healing Art!

With the holy glow pouring down, his condition improved visibly in the next moment. His twisted organs returned to their places, fragments rejoined, wounds sealed...

It wasn't full recovery, but the Greater Healing Art alone restored roughly seventy to eighty percent.

Indeed, excellent-grade healing skills were far stronger than the ordinary ones.

Partly it was because Lin Mo's magic attribute was currently absurdly high, and the person he healed was only a Level 2 professional.

The same damage inflicted on a Level 4 professional would have yielded much weaker results—probably only enough to keep them alive.

After all, attacks capable of causing that level of injury to a Level 4 professional are way stronger than a single swing from a giant goblin.

One odd detail nagged Silverstream City: although Lin Mo’s base magic attribute hadn't reached 68 yet and his mage profession had indeed successfully leveled to Level 6—reaching Veteran Level—his priest profession remained stuck at Level 5 and hadn't surged forward.

Silverstream City had been so caught up in his level-ups and new skills that nobody paid attention to that point. Why was that?

Could it be that a profession's rank-up—more precisely, ascending a professional tier—required additional conditions?

While pondering this, Lin Mo raised his Steel-Cleaving Sword and calmly parried the giant goblin's club.

He stood motionless, but the giant goblin's face shifted the instant its club struck Lin Mo's blade.

It seemed offended, gripping the iron club tighter and pressing downward.

Lin Mo acted as if nothing were happening, not even glancing at it. He muttered something under his breath, as if talking to himself.

The giant goblin felt mocked and roared, veins bulging as it exerted all its strength.

Lin Mo finally glanced at it and said, flatly, "Annoying..."

With a single exertion, he easily pushed the giant goblin back and immediately drove the broad blade into its body.

The giant goblin bent over, staring at the pierced abdomen in disbelief.

Lin Mo murmured, "Accumulated Sword Combo."

He didn't even need to use Blood Qi Blade—this thing didn't deserve it.

The instant Accumulated Sword Combo fired, three sword energies sliced through, cleaving the massive body in half at the waist.

The heavy carcass fell and crushed several ordinary goblins beneath it.

Accumulated Sword Combo proficiency +25!

Lin Mo glanced: Accumulated Sword Combo proficiency had reached Lv5 (165/180).

Compared to Consecutive Thrusts, this skill was effectively an AOE, so it was theoretically easier to grind proficiency with.

After using it for so long, it was about time this skill evolved.

"Impressive!"

Officers and adventurers rushing in to reinforce—including Joel, the guardian commander—gasped.

As Silverstream City's guardian commander, Joel was no weakling;

he was only one step away from Veteran Level himself.

He figured he could have dispatched that giant goblin in roughly the same time.

When he caught sight of Lin Mo—especially when he recognized the mage robes—everything clicked.

So it's him...

No wonder.

Since the last cavern operation, Lin Mo's deeds had spread through the officer ranks.

Everyone knew Silverstream City had this super talent now, and many were aware of small gossips linking the genius to the City Lord's daughter, Finnie.

Compared to Torren's previous descriptions, Lin Mo had clearly increased his power again.

This was the world of geniuses.

Even as a composed middle-aged man, Joel couldn't help but feel moved.

"Thanks for your help. You saved my men."

Joel hurried over and greeted Lin Mo briefly.

"You're welcome."

Lin Mo nodded, exchanged a brief look with Joel, and the two tacitly separated to head different ways.

The war continued and the situation remained dire—there was no time for chit-chat.

If Lin Mo recalled correctly, Vic, head of the Silverstream City Adventurers' Association, had investigated Roland Forest's Core Area and reported there were over a hundred goblins at threat Level 4, and even twenty to thirty at Level 5.

That wasn't necessarily all of them. In caverns Lin Mo's group had rescued earlier, they had found Level 4 and Level 5 goblins.

There could be countless such caverns not yet revealed. If all added together, the goblins' mid-to-upper-tier forces completely outmassed Silverstream City's.

At the top-tier strength level, Silverstream City still likely had more powerful individuals.

This made Lin Mo realize how terrifying goblins could become once they developed.

This disaster's upper echelon was currently composed of Level 4 and Level 5 forces, but give them more time and resources and they could become Level 6, 7, or higher.

As bloodlines optimized and advanced, Type II goblins multiplied;

the whole goblin species' average strength kept rising.

If evolution spread through reproduction and became the norm, goblins could mass-produce powerful individuals—an absurd, world-changing outcome—and eventually establish a formidable goblin kingdom.

Thankfully they discovered the Secret Realm in time. If the goblins had been allowed to develop longer, Silverstream City might not have held.

As intelligence had warned, Bronze Goblins and giant goblins kept pouring into the battlefield.

Lin Mo's main targets were naturally those high-level opponents.

The frontline had dense goblin concentrations, so when he had a spare moment it made sense to throw out a few AOE skills to grind proficiency.

Lin Mo casually released Blizzard;

countless ice shards fell, wiping out the vast majority of goblins in range.

Only one gray-green fellow remained;

luckily it had been near the edge and barely escaped Blizzard's area.

Lin Mo stepped forward and with a single thrust easily killed that Bronze-rank goblin—around Level 3.5.

Blizzard proficiency +63

Consecutive Thrusts proficiency +23

"Oh, and this skill, too."

Lin Mo activated Shadow Split with a thought. His shadow rose and formed a clone.

The clone surged deeper into the battlefield.

On a battlefield of this scale, Shadow Split was extremely useful. No matter how strong Lin Mo was, he could only be in one place at a time. A clone meant two fronts could be handled simultaneously.

His Shadow Split had reached Level 4;

the clone inherited 65% of his base attributes—roughly a helper with about 45 Strength, 52 Agility, and nearly 34 Constitution.

That level of power, even without skills, exceeded the average Level 4 professional. Handling Level 4 giant goblins wasn't hard.

Soon Lin Mo's clone ran into a giant goblin. These creatures were massive and conspicuous;

even at night they were easy to spot.

The giant goblin swung its enormous iron axe and charged the frontline, trampling dozens of kin underfoot.

The goblins didn't care about those losses;

once this brute reached the human soldiers, a couple of axe swings killed nearly ten soldiers.

The human side's shortage of powerful fighters was proving fatal.

Few could cope with this creature;

elsewhere there were similar situations, so no one could spare time.

If they waited to finish crises elsewhere before coming here, this front might already suffer heavy losses or even be broken through.

Lin Mo's clone didn't hesitate. It leapt high and from the side pierced the giant goblin with a sword.

The giant goblin, drunk on slaughter, didn't notice the "Lin Mo" clone.

The sword struck the neck—the Steel-Cleaving Sword sank deep, almost cleaving half its head off.

Although strong, giant goblins weren't built like Lin Mo. Their constitution was decent for monsters but only around thirty points;

the clone created by Shadow Split could break its defense easily.

"Roar—!"

The giant goblin howled, swinging its axe at the clone.

The "Lin Mo" clone sidestepped;

its highest attribute was Agility—52 points—completely overwhelming the giant goblin's roughly 20 Agility.

Again: even without skills, Lin Mo's clone could outperform Level 4 professionals.

The clone pressed the attack;

its speed left the giant goblin unable to react. The Steel-Cleaving Sword struck the neck again and this time cut the head clean off.

A Level 4 giant goblin was dispatched in about ten seconds by Lin Mo's clone.

Shadow Split proficiency +25

Nice. Keep going!

Lin Mo guided the clone onward.

Meanwhile his real body acted too, casting another Blizzard to ease pressure across the area.

Blizzard proficiency +44

"Skill Blizzard Lv5 (180/180) upgraded!"

"Current skill Blizzard Lv6 (20/300)"

Another level up!

But Lin Mo's focus couldn't stay on clearing fodder. What mattered most was eliminating the giant and Bronze goblins that threatened the line and ordinary soldiers.

In a war with goblins, exchanging manpower for goblins was not wise.

Even one soldier for ten or thirty goblins might be a poor trade.

Preserving your own living forces was one of the most important principles.

Soon he fixed his sights on a Bronze goblin.

From appearance it looked like a goblin ranger;

its exact level was unknown—but that didn't matter.

At Lin Mo's current strength, this Bronze goblin didn't warrant extra caution or a detailed level check.

He activated Form Veil, hid his figure, and moved as fast as possible toward the Bronze goblin.

Accumulated Sword Combo!

This time he fully charged Accumulated Sword Combo: seven sword energies flew out at once, merging to instantly sever the Bronze goblin's head.

Accumulated Sword Combo proficiency +25

Judging by proficiency, this one was actually a Level 4 ranger.

From the direction it had been aiming, it likely targeted Silverstream City's mid-level officers.

Those officers were largely around Level 3—a crucial backbone. Losing even one was a serious blow.

As expected before the battle, the goblins practiced tactics and carried out decapitation plans.

Lin Mo moved non-stop. He used small skills like Lightning Strike and Consecutive Thrusts to dispatch goblins he passed, grinding proficiency while hunting more threatening targets.

Meanwhile his clone started a second fight.

This opponent was similar in strength but trickier: an Assassin Goblin with speed comparable to Lin Mo's clone and home-field advantages hiding within the horde.

"Lin Mo" tangled with it;

the goblin fought cautiously, avoiding direct clashes.

If this continued the clone's duration would soon expire.

Seeing the dwindling time, Lin Mo deliberately showed a flaw.

The goblin seized the opening: a sharp short blade plunged into Lin Mo's chest.

A smug grin spread across the assassin goblin's face—but before it finished celebrating, the "Lin Mo" clone burst into white light and exploded.

The Assassin Goblin was swallowed by the blast. Self-Destruct's powerful explosion shredded it and detonated many surrounding goblins into the sky.

Shadow Split proficiency +28!

After reaching Epic Level, ordinary goblins barely granted proficiency anymore.

That Assassin Goblin's proficiency might have been 25, and the explosion hit at least forty or fifty ordinary goblins—but it only yielded 3 proficiency points.

Lin Mo sighed. He summoned another Shadow Split clone and again sent them to different regions.

Of course, Silver Radiance Team wasn't just him. Ellie had also joined the fight. Though she wasn't as strong as Lin Mo and couldn't solo-kill many Level 3–4 goblins, she was exceptional as a frontline member.

Ordinary and mutated goblins were nothing to her, greatly relieving the pressure on the guards in her area.

Finnie was busy as well. Many on the line were wounded;

she had barely stopped casting Healing Art and had even started drinking mana potions.

Sherfilia stood by the two of them, watching for any sudden emergencies.

It wasn't time for her to act yet;

if necessary, she'd step in.

The slaughter continued—this attack-and-defend battle had entered its most intense phase.

Lin Mo had lost count of how many goblins he'd killed... even Level 3–4 Bronze and giant goblins he had slain numbered over ten.

That led to level-ups for his Accumulated Sword Combo, Lightning Strike, and Bone-Piercing Heavy Stab.

"Skill Accumulated Sword Combo Lv5 (180/180) upgraded!"

"Current skill Accumulated Sword Combo Lv6 (12/300)"

"Skill Lightning Strike Lv4 (100/100) upgraded!"

"Current skill Lightning Strike Lv5 (7/180)"

"Skill Bone-Piercing Heavy Stab Lv4 (100/100) upgraded!"

"Current skill Bone-Piercing Heavy Stab Lv5 (0/180)"

Additionally, Shadow Split gathered a significant amount of proficiency.

And Blizzard—a highly useful large-AOE—had also accumulated a lot.

But as his mana dwindled, Lin Mo started using Blizzard less frequently.

For the overall battle, killing dozens or a hundred-plus goblins with Blizzard didn't matter as much;

his mana had already dropped by more than half. With the remainder, Lin Mo had more important tasks.

Greater Healing Art!

A gravely wounded guard captain suddenly saw Holy Light;

as the radiance enveloped him, his wounds visibly closed.

He didn't know who had cast the spell—only catching a fleeting glimpse of a figure flashing by.

Greater Healing Art proficiency +1!

"Skill Greater Healing Art Lv1 (10/10) upgraded!"

"Current skill Greater Healing Art Lv2 (13/20)"

Indeed, compared to killing ordinary goblins, Lin Mo using mana to heal Silverstream City's core forces was far more valuable.

These guard captains were not only capable fighters but also carried local command responsibilities.

If they fell or died, remaining guards could fall into chaos. If such chaos multiplied, the frontline's collapse would soon follow.

Although the church had sent many priests for this defense, their healing power—and their inability to provide frontline treatment—meant they couldn't substitute for Lin Mo.

Priests, like mages and even more fragile, naturally stayed far in the rear.

Wounded soldiers needed either to return to the rear themselves or be escorted there by comrades to receive priestly care.

In such intense fighting, many didn't have the chance even to leave.

Only an all-rounder like Lin Mo—able to clear mobs, perform assassinations, and heal—could do so much on the frontline.

But there were simply too many wounded. Lin Mo's heals prioritized capable fighters with severe injuries;

ordinary soldiers he couldn't cover.

War was ruthless. An individual could only do so much.

Even though he had killed so many Bronze and giant goblins, still at least hundreds of soldiers and adventurers fell to those high-level goblins.

Unless one reached a transcendent level, it was unlikely that a single person could change the outcome of a war alone.