Morning sunlight lighter through the leaves as Kazuto and Arisa followed the way leading to their quest location. The paper in Kazuto's hand fluttered in the wind — the words "Eliminate the Goblin Camp" written across it.
Kazuto scratched his head. "Man, they really sent two rookies for this? What's next, a dragon?"
Arisa sighed beside him. "You're the one who picked it, remember?"
He laughed nervously. "W-Well, it was the easiest one thought.."
As they approached the forest, the sound of wind went silented. The smell of burnt wood and dirt filled the air — unmistakably goblin territory. Kazuto crouched behind a large tree, peeking out carefully.
"Yup. Goblins," he whispered. "Ugly, green, and just as smelly as I imagined."
Arisa crouched next to him, trying not to giggle. "Focus, Kazuto. There are six of them."
Kazuto nodded seriously. "Alright. We wait for the right moment… and then—"
Crack!
A loud snap echoed through the forest.
Both froze. Kazuto slowly looked down.
A stick — now broken clean in half.
And Arisa's foot resting on it.
Kazuto stared at her, deadpan. "Arisa… did you just…"
Her eyes widened, face flushing red. "I–It was an accident! I didn't see it!"
The goblins turned toward their hiding spot, growling.
Kazuto groaned. "Ahh… I knew this would come."
Before Arisa could respond, the goblins charged. Kazuto unsheathed his twin swords in a flash, the steel gleaming under the sunlight.
"Guess we're skipping the stealth part!" he shouted, dashing forward.
Arisa backed up a little and raised her hand, chanting softly. "Firebolt!"
A small ball of flame shot past Kazuto, hitting one goblin in the face.
Kazuto grinned. "Nice shot!"
He spun his blades, slashing through the nearest goblin, kicking another away. One lunged from the side — Kazuto ducked under its swing and countered with a quick slice to the stomach.
Three down.
Two more came rushing at him. Kazuto jumped back, crossed his swords, and blocked both attacks at once. "Man, you guys really don't quit!"
He pushed them back, spun, and stabbed both through their chests.
When the last goblin fell, Kazuto tired and rested his swords on his shoulders. "Phew… That was a lot of goblins than I thought."
Arisa smiled proudly also happily. "We did it, Kazuto!"
But just as she spoke, a loud roar shaked throught the air.
Both turned — a giant goblin, twice the size of the others, stepped out from behind the rocks, dragging a massive rusty sword.
Kazuto's smile vanished. "…And of course there's a boss. Why wouldn't there be a boss?"
Before Arisa could react, the giant goblin roared and charged straight toward her.
Her eyes widened. "K–Kazuto!"
Kazuto's instincts kicked in — he sprinted in front of her and crossed his swords just in time to block the massive swing. The impact shook his arms.
"Ugh—! Damn, this thing's strong!" he gritted his teeth and pushed back, sparks flying.
He kicked the goblin in the stomach, forcing it to stumble backward. "Arisa! Support me from behind!"
"R–Right!"
Kazuto then dashed forward, spinning his right sword and throwing it mid-run. The sword sliced through the air and grazed the goblin's arm, making it roar.
Using the distraction, Kazuto closed in, slashing rapidly with his left sword. "Take this!"
The goblin swung its weapon in rage, narrowly missing him. Kazuto jumped back near the spot where his thrown sword had landed, snatched it up, and crossed both blades in an X.
"Let's end this!"
Arisa's voice rang out behind him, chanting fast. "Fireball!"
Kazuto smirked, already reading her plan. He sidestepped quickly as the giant goblin prepared to charge.
"Now, Arisa!"
Arisa released the spell — a huge fireball behind Kazuto and he stepped aside and the goblin dead-on, the explosion shaking the ground.
Smoke filled the clearing.
When it cleared, the giant goblin lay defeated, its body fading into mana particles.
Kazuto stood there, panting slightly, and sheathed his swords. "…That… was awesome."
Arisa ran up to him with a relieved smile. "You were amazing, Kazuto!"
He chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Thanks, but I think my arms are gonna fall off."
Then he pointed at her. "Also, next time—no stepping on sticks, okay?"
Arisa pouted and crossed her arms. "I said I didn't see it!"
He laughed. "Sure, sure. Totally not your fault that every monster in the forest found us."
She huffed, looking away. "…Dummy."
Kazuto grinned at her flustered face. "Heh. Cute."
Her cheeks turned pink instantly. "W–What did you just say!?"
"Nothing~," he teased, pretending to look away.
They gathered the drops and magic stones from the goblins before heading back to town.Because those were important items.
When they came back to the guild, the same adventurers who mocked them earlier watched as the receptionist announced, "Congratulations! You've successfully completed your first quest! Your party rank has increased to E Rank!"
Kazuto surprised. "Wait, for real? We ranked up already?"
Arisa giggled. "Of course we did! We even defeated the goblin boss."
The guild erupted with claps and cheers — and a few mutters of disbelief.
Kazuto raised his hand in victory. "Alright! From now on, we're Absolute Duo!"
He glanced at the sky through the window. "Heh… Not bad for an F-rank guy, huh?"
Then he looked straight at you, the reader, with a grin.
"See? Told ya I'd be fine."
Arisa blinked. "Who are you talking to?"
Kazuto coughed awkwardly. "Uh—no one. Just… motivational self-talk."
She tilted her head, confused. "You're weird sometimes."
He laughed. "Yeah, sometimes I guess..."
Together, they left the guild, their next victories that awaited beyond this small victory.