In the dark and damp sewer, three giant rats, each the size of a house cat, ran frantically ahead, occasionally looking back as if some terrifying presence lurked in the dark tunnel behind them.
Not far from the three giant rats, in a corner, Azuro peeked through a crack in his hiding place, observing the rats scurry past.
Especially when he saw the wound on one of them, Azuro instinctively shrunk deeper into the crack.
The clean-cut wound was clearly inflicted by a human weapon; injuries from fights between beasts would never leave such precise marks.
'But why are there humans in the sewer?'
Looking at the bloodstains on the ground not far away, Azuro became even more puzzled. Could it be that the other world also had sewer-cleaning adventurers?
Meanwhile, several tunnels away from Azuro's hiding spot, a group of humans dressed as adventurers advanced with difficulty, holding a glowing stone. A swarm of giant rats, slimes, and other low-level monsters constantly attacked them.
"Tuka, when can we take on other commissioned tasks? I don't want to clean up these low-level monsters in the stinky sewer anymore."
A blond-haired teenager, appearing seventeen or eighteen, stomped impatiently on a slime at his feet. The splashing sludge emitted a foul stench, further fueling the teenager's irritation.
As if venting his frustration, he split a giant rat that jumped at him in mid-air with a sword, then complained to the middle-aged man in leather armor in front of him.
"Keith, be serious, kid. Besides, we're only beginner adventurers. We're not qualified for other commissions yet."
The middle-aged man named Tuka looked back at the complaining teenager. They were a beginner adventurer team, not only equipped with ordinary gear but also lacking a mage. Attempting tasks outside the city would likely result in death at the hands of monsters or bandits.
As a middle-aged adventurer who had spent most of his life in the business, Tuka knew his own limitations.
Moreover, sewer cleanup was a benefit the Adventurers Guild provided specifically to low-level adventurer teams. First, it offered barely livable rewards for newcomers. Second, it acted as training. Only beginner adventurers took on tasks like cleaning the sewer. Teams with even a small amount of strength quickly upgraded to missions such as escorting caravans or hunting monsters.
After all, cleaning the sewer was poorly paid, the environment was dark and filthy, and injuries could easily lead to infection.
"Tch!"
Keith vented his dissatisfaction on the low-level monsters around him. He had promised himself that, once leaving the village, he would make a name for himself and become a powerful adventurer. Yet now, he was stuck with sewer cleanup.
"Okay, everyone, cheer up. According to the Adventurers Guild, there's a goblin gathering place not far ahead. If we successfully eliminate them, this mission is complete."
Tuka, walking in front, turned to face the group with a serious expression. Their mission was to clean up all monsters in this area, with the goblin gathering being the most important.
Although goblins, slimes, giant rats, and sludge monsters were low-level monsters, their strength varied. If the team didn't stay alert, even minor mistakes could result in injury or death. Tuka didn't want personnel losses.
"Yes!"
"Got it, Captain."
The once-lax group quickly straightened, including Keith. Though eager for more challenging tasks to gain fame and power, he still obeyed his captain.
"Okay, Gordon and I will set traps, Nina, you guard, Keith, protect Nina. Once traps are set, lure the goblins over in batches and eliminate them all."
Tuka and the man beside him holding a short sword began setting traps. This area had been chosen based on Tuka's experience. The exit ahead led to the goblins' territory, and the narrow, dark passage was ideal for defensive positioning. With traps in place, the goblins couldn't easily overwhelm them.
Meanwhile, Keith and Nina quietly approached the exit, observing the goblins inside. They saw more than a dozen goblins lazily gathered in an open area of roughly a hundred square meters. Garbage and bones littered the ground, with teeth marks on the white bones.
At the center, an old iron pot hung over a bonfire, viscous liquid bubbling inside. Rotten meat, leaves, and unknown bones swirled within, and a taller goblin constantly stirred the contents. Occasionally, he reached into his pocket, scratched his hand, and tossed a nearby slime into the pot. The viscous mixture became even thicker, a black jelly mixed with all sorts of ingredients.
"Nina, how is it?"
As Keith and Nina observed carefully, Tuka gently patted them on the shoulders and whispered, watching the goblin gathering. His gaze sharpened at the tallest goblin near the iron pot.
A hobgoblin, an evolved goblin with far greater power than ordinary ones, stood there. A single hobgoblin could easily defeat multiple low-level adventurers. Had Tuka rushed in carelessly, it would likely have been the team's last mission, with three men ending up in that pot—and Nina left helpless.
"Nina, give me your bow and arrow. Caesar, take Nina back to the traps first."
Tuka patted Caesar on the shoulder, took the bow and arrow from Nina, and attached a small bottle to the arrowhead. This alchemical bomb, made by mages, was highly powerful. A successful hit could kill the hobgoblin and eliminate nearby goblins, but its price was steep.
This single alchemical bomb cost the entire team half a year's public funds, but to save lives and complete the mission, Tuka had no choice. The reward for defeating a hobgoblin would more than justify the expenditure.