Larry's wretched state terrified Leo. Ignoring his injured thigh, he forced himself up and staggered into a run.
The Mutated Goblin behind them was in no hurry. It slammed its club down again, savoring the sight of Larry's contorted face until he passed out. Only then did it hoist the bloody Wolf Fang Club onto its shoulder and stride toward Leo.
'The farce should be over. Time for a feast, then back to the work of reproduction.'
The injured Leo couldn't get far. The goblin didn't even need to run; strolling casually, it quickly closed the distance and came up behind him.
Leo could feel the heavy footsteps behind him, but he didn't dare turn back. It was as if what was about to happen could be avoided as long as he didn't look.
But self-deception was a pathetic comfort. The heavy club that had just brutalized Larry finally fell, easily shattering Leo's head.
—And in that exact instant, a blade suddenly flew from the side, striking the Mutated Goblin Zadon precisely in its eye socket at the moment of its greatest pride and relaxation.
"ROAR—!"
It roared, instinctively clutching the wound as a figure flashed past in the periphery of its remaining, uninjured right eye.
"Slashing!"
Lin Mo, who had been lying in wait for so long, had finally seized the perfect opportunity. The moment he threw the broken blade—Rhein's blade—he followed up at top speed, slashing with his sword before the Mutated Goblin could react.
The fierce Slashing strike landed precisely on the eye, wide with pain and fury, and split it in two.
Lin Mo used his forward momentum to roll, dodging the creature's reflexive counterattack. He then quickly retreated more than ten meters, panting heavily, his entire back soaked in a cold sweat.
'What seemed like a fluid, seamless attack had in fact been preceded by countless mental rehearsals and internal debates. Only after determining that the creature's Agility was lower than his, that the probability of success was high, and that he could likely escape even if he failed, had he finally mustered the courage to strike decisively at the opportune moment.'
As it turned out, his gamble had paid off.
Everything had gone just as he'd rehearsed. The monster before him had lost both its eyes; it was blind.
Watching the Mutated Goblin Zadon roar and thrash about in a helpless rage, Lin Mo finally allowed himself a smile. 'Now, the tables have turned!'
For most living creatures, sight is essential.
Especially in combat. Without sight, it's difficult to pinpoint an enemy's location, making both offense and defense nearly impossible. More importantly, the inability to perceive one's surroundings creates immense psychological pressure.
This was Zadon's current state. Lin Mo didn't have to do a thing. The goblin would wear itself out, swinging its weapon at phantoms out of sheer paranoia and wasting its Physical Strength.
Lin Mo slowly steadied his breathing. He watched Zadon flail about until it started to pant, then casually picked up a rock and threw it.
The sound of something whistling through the air came from the side. Zadon immediately swung its club, once again engaging in a battle of wits with empty air.
Lin Mo repeated the trick. Each time, the big creature flinched and reacted. Before long, it was so tired it could barely lift its weapon.
"Damn... you... little bug... I'll... kill you..."
With its Physical Strength nearly depleted, Zadon didn't even have the energy for threats. It finally just plopped down on the ground, refusing to be baited again, and let Lin Mo's rocks thud against its body.
One hit, two hits, three...
A glint of killing intent flashed in Lin Mo's eyes. The next moment, the blade of a sword flew toward the Mutated Goblin's chest.
Zadon remained seated, seemingly oblivious.
"ROAR—!"
However, just as the blade was about to connect, Zadon suddenly roared. It sprang to its feet, batted the incoming sword aside, and swung its Wolf Fang Club down with immense force...
...at the empty air in front of it.
Lin Mo sneered. 'I'm not stupid enough to risk getting close. I just picked up Larry's weapon and threw it.'
"Damn you... You deserve to die!"
Zadon's rage made its speech a little clearer. It wanted nothing more than to smash Lin Mo's head with its club.
But no matter how enraged it became, it couldn't land a single blow on Lin Mo.
Lin Mo picked up Leo's weapon and threw it. Once again, Zadon took the bait, smashing a nearby tree trunk to splinters.
Lin Mo used the opportunity to circle around and retrieve Larry's weapon. Taking a running start, he launched it like a javelin.
SHUNK—!
This time, the blade struck Zadon in the back. While it wasn't a vital spot, it pierced deep into the goblin's gut. Blood immediately gushed from the wound.
The pain made Zadon even more frantic. It knew that if it couldn't catch the little bug who only used sneak attacks, it would soon bleed to death.
But Lin Mo gave it no such chance. He maintained a safe distance, even entering Stealth to constantly harass the goblin. Seizing another opportunity, he picked up Leo's weapon and drove it into Zadon's chest.
Zadon was out of strength. The once-invincible Mutated Goblin was now covered in blood, leaning wretchedly against a tree, its breathing shallow and weak.
It could no longer lift its own weapon. Excessive blood loss made its consciousness begin to fade. And yet, the damned little bug still wouldn't come and finish it off. He just kept picking up rocks and throwing them at its head.
Only after pelting Zadon's head with rocks until it was a swollen, bruised mess, and confirming that it was completely incapable of fighting back, did Lin Mo finally grip his sword, stride forward, and decapitate the Mutated Goblin with a single slash.
[Slashing] Skill Level +5
[Stealth] Skill Level +5
'Five points of Skill Level?'
Lin Mo paused for a moment. 'It seems killing different Demons grants different amounts of Skill Level.'
'That makes sense. Bigger challenges, bigger rewards.'
'Still, I'd much rather deal with less-threatening Goblins and use them to grind my Skill Levels.'
The heart-pounding battle was finally over. Lin Mo was the victor.
But of the original five-man team, he was the only one left.
He glanced at Leo's corpse, then at Larry, who had been unconscious so long he was likely dead. Finally, his gaze fell upon a nearby tree, where Rhein's body lay silently.
Beside him lay the girl, her body covered in wounds.
Lin Mo slowly approached and crouched before her, looking at the dried tear tracks on her face and her vacant eyes.
"Thank you."
The girl spoke softly. She had watched the damned monster fall, seen its desperate struggles before it died. Just like her parents. They had been captured and brought here with her. For two agonizing days, they'd been trapped in that dark cave, forced to watch as the Goblins abused her, until finally, yesterday evening, they were brutally murdered right in front of her...
But her heart felt no satisfaction of vengeance, not even grief. There was only a calm, like still water.
Lin Mo extended a hand to her, but she just shook her head gently, her breathing calm and even.
The air, thick with the scent of blood but tinged with the smell of grass, filled her lungs. She took a deep, greedy breath, and her expression froze.
—She had pulled the dagger from Rhein's boot and slowly, resolutely, driven it into her own chest.
The moment the pain hit, a flicker of relief crossed her eyes. With her last bit of strength, the girl embraced her family beside her. She leaned against Rhein's shoulder and gazed toward the warm sun on the horizon.
The piercing sunlight made her squint. The faint sound of birdsong drifted from the woods. A gentle breeze brushed her cheek, just like that long-ago afternoon in the shade of a tree, when they had nestled together, dreaming of their future...