Inside the goblin cave.
A group of young female adventurers held torches aloft, searching for any sign of the goblin nest rumoured to be here.
The red-haired girl carrying the torch was the party's nun, serving as their healer and support. For the team's sake, she'd taken on the role of maintaining their light source.
After all, they couldn't have their swordswoman, Sword Maiden, holding the torch when she needed to be combat-ready at all times.
Archer needed her hands free for bow support, and Witch required her staff for spellcasting - so the duty naturally fell to their healer.
Though the red-haired nun didn't mind caring for others, after holding the torch for nearly an hour, her arms were thoroughly exhausted.
"Witch, still no discoveries? Don't you know that detection wind spell or something?"
"It's Wind of Detection, a spell that became popular in the last year or two. Rumour says it's an Arcane Art gifted by witches from another world."
The purple-haired, buxom and petite girl addressed as 'Witch' couldn't help but defend herself, blushing as she added:
"Besides, I've been using Wind of Detection to scan our surroundings this whole time! If there aren't any goblins, what exactly am I supposed to do?"
To demonstrate, the purple-haired Witch raised her hand and cast Wind of Detection right then.
An emerald glow flashed around Witch as gentle breezes swept through the cavern's passages.
At that very moment...
From some unfathomable perspective, whispers began to murmur.
[It begins, it begins. Roll the dice of fate once more.]
Click-clack, as if actual dice were being thrown.
Then the whispers resumed.
[A 1! Critical failure! Witch still can't detect the goblins surrounding them. How unfortunate.]
[Indeed, indeed!]
[Fascinating. I sense interesting developments approaching.]
The unseen voices conversed among themselves.
Meanwhile, in the cave, the adventurers' misadventure continued.
After casting her spell, the purple-haired Witch said gloomily:
"How strange, still no goblins nearby. Where have those trash creatures disappeared to?"
"Could it be your spellcasting skills are just inadequate?" The red-haired nun couldn't resist the jab.
"You!" Witch immediately flared up at this.
As the two were about to argue, a golden-haired ponytailed girl gripping a knight's sword quickly stepped between them:
"Now now, Witch, don't be angry. Cleric's just exhausted and having trouble controlling her temper."
"And Cleric, don't be too harsh on the Witch. The mission briefing clearly stated there were only a few nests with fewer than twenty goblins in this cavern. Searching for such a small number in such a large cave, it's reasonable we haven't found them yet."
Hearing this, the previously silent white-haired Archer quickly chimed in:
"The Sword Maiden is absolutely right, so Witch and Cleric, please stop arguing."
At this, the beautiful golden-haired ponytailed swordswoman said somewhat awkwardly:
"Archer, could you please stop calling me Sword Maiden? Just call me Swordswoman. We're not in the church now - we should follow adventurer conventions and address each other by our professions."
"But you are the Sword Maiden," the white-haired archer said with a troubled expression. "Besides, having you gain experience as an adventurer was the archbishop's intention."
"After all, you were chosen by the divine and bestowed with the glorious title of Sword Maiden."
Hearing this, the Sword Maiden found herself at a loss for words.
Having grown up in the church, she couldn't think of any reason to refuse such divine-bestowed honours, so she could only let it be.
"Fine, call me whatever you like then," the Sword Maiden conceded before rallying her spirits.
"Let's put in more effort now. If we can't locate the target goblin nest within fifteen minutes, we'll leave immediately."
Witch and Cleric exchanged glances before responding in unison:
"Agreed! That settles it."
Their conversation echoed through the cavern, making the hidden goblin chieftain's eyes gleam in the darkness.
Realising their prey might retreat, the goblin chieftain slowly raised his hand.
At that very moment, the world seemed to pause.
Above the cavern, in a realm invisible to mortals, numerous presences gazed down upon what appeared to be a cave but was actually a game board, resuming their conversation.
[The goblins are making their move. Hehe, will it be the scenario I hope for?]
[The Sword Maiden! I want to roll for the Sword Maiden first - golden-haired, buxom Sword Maiden, hehehe~]
[No can do~ The Sword Maiden is the Supreme God's plaything. Can't let you roll for her~]
[Such fun matters are naturally reserved for the Supreme God's own amusement~]
Amidst mischievous whispers, the gazes of numerous beings turned towards the so-called Supreme God.
The Supreme God, appearing impatient, had already shaken the dice. Glancing at the Sword Maiden piece on the board, it cast the dice with eager anticipation...
The next instant, exclamations erupted among the observers.
[A 1?! Isn't that a critical failure?!]
[Let's see the result of this 1... Ah, knocked unconscious by a goblin's club and dragged back to their breeding cave. My my, the Supreme God's little Sword Maiden toy is going to be broken now~]
[How pitiful! When these are goblins any Sword Maiden could easily slaughter.]
[Too tragic. She could have escaped.]
[But the Supreme God looks absolutely delighted.]
[Hehehe, what a pitiful sight indeed.]
[Shall we roll for the next one then? Let's pick the cute little Witch this time.]
[Yay yay!]
[Oh dear, another critical failure with a 1~]
Reckless laughter echoed through the unseen void.
Meanwhile, inside the cave.
The red-haired nun holding a torch rounded a corner and came face to face with a group of dark green goblins, their grotesque visages meeting hers.
Instinctively, the nun opened her mouth to scream—but at that moment, a bucket of water was thrown, coincidentally extinguishing her torch.
Darkness swallowed their vision, followed immediately by the nun's shriek.
"Cleric?!"
Sword Maiden thought, 'This is bad!' and immediately drew her sword, charging forward to rescue her.
Just then, a wooden club appeared behind her.
A goblin hanging from a rope tied to the cave ceiling swung down with a vicious grin, bringing the club down hard toward the back of Sword Maiden's head.
Thud!
A dull impact sounded.
But the crude club didn't strike Sword Maiden's skull—instead, it was caught by a powerful palm.
Crack.
A light brighter than any torch flared—the illumination from a smartphone's flashlight.
Under this glow, the scene became clear: the red-haired Cleric held captive by four goblins, the Sword Maiden frozen mid-swing with her sword, the purple-haired Witch whose staff had been stolen and legs pinned down by goblins, the Archer whose quiver had been snatched, and... a black-haired young man single-handedly catching the goblin's ambush weapon.
Everything was laid bare under the cold, technological light.
"This should prevent any accidents now," Mai Sakurajima remarked calmly from her position against the cave wall, holding up her phone.