The morning mist still lingered when the emergency alarm rang out across Goblin's Grove. Godon, the leader of the goblins, let out a loud roar from the top of the makeshift watchtower built from tree trunks. The sound of clanging metal followed. Jun jumped up from his bed, with Kang Minho already armed with his spear by his side.
"Enemy count!" Jun shouted.
One of the goblin archers stationed near the fog's edge shouted back, "Fifty—fifty goblins! They're approaching from the north and east!"
Jun's expression hardened. This was far larger than any previous assault.
Godon quickly took command of the formation. The ten elite goblins—battle-trained and equipped—stood across two key pathways. Some wielded spears, others short swords. Four goblin archers climbed up to the towers and dirt mounds, ready to fire from above.
Meanwhile, the farmer goblins—untrained in combat—were ordered to retreat into the storage hut for protection. Some brought buckets of water just in case there were fires or magical attacks.
The Battle Begins
From within the fog came a long, guttural roar. A second later, dozens of wild goblins charged out like a violent storm. They were armed with makeshift weapons—stone axes, sharpened sticks, even large animal teeth fashioned into blades.
Arrows whistled through the air. Two wild goblins fell immediately, another tumbled after being struck in the thigh.
But the attack didn't slow. The first wave crashed directly into the front line.
Godon, standing firm, met them head-on, slamming his wooden mace into a goblin's chest. The sound of bones cracking echoed. The other elite goblins held the line, fighting with the coordination and discipline they had practiced for weeks.
The trench traps dug two days prior proved effective—six wild goblins fell into them, flailing. As they tried to climb out, they were pelted with rocks and arrows.
The Turning Point
On the eastern flank, the defense started to falter. Three elite goblins were overwhelmed by ten wild ones. One of them was slashed across the chest and collapsed.
Godon spotted the gap and charged over, smashing into two enemies to protect his comrade.
Jun fought on the western side, his spear stabbing into a goblin's chest as it tried to breach the line. Kang Minho moved like a whirlwind, knocking down three enemies with sweeping strikes.
But the pressure kept building. Thirty enemies remained, and they began to spread out, trying to flank the defenses.
Jun shouted, "Archers! Focus fire behind the enemy lines! Keep them from surrounding us!"
More arrows rained down, forcing the wild goblins to stay in the front, but still, another elite goblin fell—his throat cut during a desperate one-on-three fight.
End of the Chapter
The battle raged on as the fog began to thin. Wild goblin corpses littered the edges of the farmland. Godon stood tall in the middle of the battlefield, his body soaked in blood—none of it his. His chest rose and fell rapidly, but there was no fear in his eyes. He wasn't done.
Jun held his spear tightly, scanning the field.
"This isn't over... but we're still standing."
To Be Continued...