The group moved quietly through the dense undergrowth, holding their breath. The musty smell of the mushroom forest seeped into their clothes. The flickering purple glow from the mushroom caps lit up their tense, weary faces. Kael pressed a finger to his lips, his eyes sharp as blades. No one dared to make a sound—only the pounding of their hearts echoed in their chests.
Through a gap in the foliage, they saw clearly the scene at the bonfire: four green-skinned goblins, thin but with yellow, glowing eyes. They gnawed at chunks of human flesh, the sound of cracking bones echoing horrifically. One spat out an empty skull, blood soaking the damp earth. The firelight reflected off their jagged teeth, turning their crooked grins even more grotesque.
Renar trembled, his hand gripping the hilt of his sword until his knuckles turned white. He bit his lip, torn between fear and fury. Beside him, Sill pressed her hand against her chest, whispering a prayer-like murmur: "If we don't stop them… how many more will die?" Kael heard but did not turn back. His voice was hoarse, low enough for only the group to hear: "Everyone, be ready—but don't rush in. If we act recklessly now, we'll be the first to die."
Senmi buried her face against her knees, her shoulders trembling as she fought to keep control. She bit her lip until blood welled up, but still said nothing. The tension in the thicket was so heavy that even breathing felt like a burden.
Kael slowly lowered his hand, his eyes flashing. "Now!"
The entire group burst out from the bushes. Spells rang out in unison, light flaring against the purple mist. Senki hurled the fire talismans she had prepared, blazing fireballs whistling through the air and exploding among the goblins. Renar gripped his sword tight, channeling mana into the blade until it glowed, and slashed straight at a goblin with a gaping grin.
BOOM! – The creature collapsed, blood spurting in a crimson spray. Sill stretched out her hand toward the other two goblins, chanting a spell that blasted them backward with a shockwave. Kael and Sivall did not hesitate, charging in and cutting them down swiftly and decisively.
In just moments, all four goblins were slain, their charred corpses scattered around the fire. The group panted, but none of them were badly hurt. Senmi stepped forward, summoning wind magic to snuff out the flames and prevent smoke from drawing attention.
Kael bent down, reaching to drag the goblin corpses aside—but suddenly, the air grew cold. From the thick purple fog, a shadow loomed, each heavy step shaking the ground.
Two burning yellow eyes gleamed, twice the size of an ordinary goblin's. The figure towered a head and a half taller than a grown man, its muscles bulging, green skin scarred all over. In its hand gleamed a massive axe, stained with dark, dried blood.
"A… mid-tier goblin." Senki's voice trembled.
The beast roared, foul breath reeking of rot. It charged, its axe cleaving down like thunder. Kael blocked just in time, but the force hurled him back several paces, sparks flying as steel clashed with mana.
Renar cried out, rushing forward with his sword, but the goblin swatted him aside like a twig. Senmi quickly chanted a gust of wind, catching him before he smashed into the ground.
Sivall roared, his entire body crackling with lightning as he struck at the goblin's arm. Sparks flew, blood splattering, but the monster only staggered half a step. It grinned, wilder than before, blood dripping as it pressed the attack.
Sill flung a scroll to the ground, releasing a glowing sigil that froze the goblin's legs for a heartbeat. Senki seized the chance, unleashing her full mana. A crimson pillar of flame roared up, threads of magic woven into it, wrapping around the giant's body like a living inferno.
The goblin howled, the earth cracking beneath the heat. Yet when the fire died down, its charred figure still stood. Its burning yellow eyes glared like hellfire. With a thunderous roar, it swung its blazing axe once more, ready for a true death match.
The goblin bellowed, its entire body shrouded in a suffocating black aura. The axe came down again, the ground splitting open, colossal mushrooms quaking as the shockwave rippled outward.
Kael darted forward, his blade glowing bright green. He spun upward, slashing diagonally from below. CLANG! – The massive axe blocked him, sparks flying. With a brutal shove, the goblin sent Kael sprawling, pain shooting through his chest as his breath came ragged.
"Thunder Strike!" Sivall shouted, his body blazing with lightning as he slashed across its torso. A deep wound tore into the iron-hard flesh, blood spraying dark green. But the beast ignored the pain, slamming its massive hand into Sivall and hurling him into a mushroom trunk with a sickening crash.
"Brother!" Sill screamed, her eyes wet. She clasped her hands, chanting quickly. Spears of pure light erupted, dozens of them piercing into the goblin's body. It staggered, dropping to one knee—but still refused to fall.
At that instant, Renar cried out, charging again. Mana surged into his blade, shining like the midday sun. He slashed across its chest, carving a deep crimson gash, the goblin's roar shaking the air.
Senki followed up instantly: "Emerald Swarm!" Tiny jade-colored insects poured into the wound, burrowing deep. A muffled BOOM! echoed as they exploded inside its organs. The ground trembled with the force.
The goblin reeled, dropping its axe with a crash. Its burning eyes still glared with hatred as it gave one last roar—then collapsed. Its massive body slammed into a towering mushroom.
CRACK! – The giant fungus wavered, then toppled with a crash, splitting in half. Instantly, a cloud of purple spores erupted, flooding the air. The stench was overwhelming, choking the group as their throats burned and their eyes stung.
Senmi dropped to her knees, summoning a raging wind. The emerald current swirled, pushing the spores away. Her teeth clenched as she poured all her strength into clearing the air until finally, they could breathe again.
The group gasped for breath, covered in blood and spores, their clothes torn. Sill rushed to Sivall, tears streaming as she saw he was still breathing. Kael planted his sword into the ground, his eyes cold as he stared at the monster's corpse.
"A mid-tier goblin was already this strong… what horrors wait deeper in the pit?"
No one answered. The wind howled through the mushroom forest, carrying the stench of blood and spores, wrapped in an ominous silence.
In the thick violet mist, far beyond the fallen fungi, a pair of eyes gleamed faintly… then vanished.
The group did not linger. After clearing the broken mushrooms and brushing off lingering spores, they pushed deeper into the heart of the forest. The air grew colder with every step, the sound of rushing water rising all around them.
And then, the sight before them stole their breath.
A colossal chasm yawned open in the earth, a wound plunging straight into endless darkness. The rivers of the mushroom forest converged here, thundering down into the abyss, white foam roaring like a monstrous waterfall devouring all.
But below—there was no bottomless pit. Instead, a vast forest stretched out, canopies so dense and lush that only a sea of green could be seen, endless and alive, as though an entire world thrived beneath the earth.
A cold wind rose from the depths, carrying a strange, damp scent. Kael narrowed his eyes, his voice low and grim:
"So… the true journey begins here."