After ten intense minutes, all the Hobgoblins lay dead.
Kierra stood there, stunned, watching Raizel in speechless awe.
Even though he lacked magic, his performance had been nothing short of impressive.
It made her wonder—was he really just a normal Level 7 like he claimed?
His strength, precision, and efficiency in battle were almost catching up to her own.
In fact, he had killed more Hobgoblins than she had.
As a result, while he had leveled up, she was still a few hundred points away from her next level-up.
Victor stood there, resting on his Steel Sword, a satisfied grin on his face.
The battle had been worth it.
[ EXP: 1120/5000 ]
He glanced at Kierra and had to admit that he couldn't have done this without her.
"Tsk, they didn't drop anything useful—just these stupid weapons." Kierra muttered in disappointment as she scanned through a pile of crude stone and bone weapons.
Victor had no interest in them either.
"Let's get something to eat, then we can go hunting again," Victor suggested.
Kierra sighed but nodded. "Yeah, we'll need a lot of experience points if we want to hit Level 10 by tomorrow."
With that, both Victor and Kierra vanished from the scorched battlefield, leaving behind only the lingering stench of blood and slaughter.
Moments after they disappeared, several groups more Hobgoblins emerged from the shadows, their eyes scanning the scene of carnage.
As they surveyed the battlefield, taking in the brutal sight of their fallen kin, their rage boiled over.
With a furious battle cry, the enraged Hobgoblin horde scattered in all directions to hunt for the culprits.
--
Meanwhile, Kierra and Victor quickly lit a fire by the lakeside and started roasting the meat.
The distant roars of enraged Hobgoblins reached their ears, but they paid no mind—too focused on satisfying their gnawing hunger.
"Um… I think a Beast Master class player is somewhere in this forest, Raizel," Kierra said between bites.
Victor paused mid-chew, recalling the pet summon from the player killer earlier.
He ponder a little before asking,
"Hm… I think so too. Do you want to search for the Beast Master now?"
Kierra nodded. "Mhm… but not immediately. After we take dowm a few more Hobgoblins, we have to find that player. With their help, we can unlock the Pet Function. Otherwise, Lulu and your pet will be in great danger if left unprotected," she explained, offering a piece of meat to her small monkey.
Victor hesitated, glancing at the monkey cub nestled in his lap. He still hadn't decided whether he should raise a pet in such a dangerous, life-threatening environment.
A part of him wanted to set the cub free before logging out of the game. He had thought about it many times.
But if he could somehow unlock the Pet Function, raising a pet might not be as difficult as he feared.
The monkey was unique—even though it lacked magical abilities, it had natural stealth and dexterity. With its special inherent techniques, it could assist him in various ways—especially in stealing.
"You're not thinking of abandoning it, are you?" Kierra asked, her sharp gaze reading Victor's hesitation.
The little cub in his lap stared up at him with wide, pleading eyes, its tiny body trembling. It looked as pitiful as possible, as if sensing his doubts.
"Look at this pitiful creature," Kierra sighed. "It is so unlucky to have you as an owner. You haven't even given it a name yet. Don't forget—if you raise a pet from a young age, it will be fiercely loyal and obedient to you. And I'll tell you now, these cubs are no ordinary creatures."
Victor met the monkey's innocent gaze, his hesitation transforming to resolve.
He finally made a decision.
He had destroyed its family with his own hands. The least he could do was give it a new one.
"Alright, I've decided," he said firmly. "From now on, I'm raising it as my pet. And its name will be... Oscar."
He lifted the cub in his hands, his voice steady with conviction. Oscar had been his little brother's name in his past life. Naming the cub after him was no small gesture—it meant he was serious.
Kierra smiled at the unexpected warmth in the scene.
"Oscar, huh? That's a nice name."
She glanced at her own pet. "See, Lulu? Your little brother has finally found a new home. Let's hope you two get to see each other often."
Her words weren't just for Lulu—they were for herself, too.
It was nearly afternoon. The sun had begun its descent, casting golden reflections across the lake's surface. The warm glow made the water shimmer, a brief moment of peace and serenity.
Victor and Kierra sat in silence, appreciating the rare tranquility.
But it wasn't long before their rest was interrupted by the thumping sounds of footsteps.
Thud, Thud, Thud.
"They are here."
The duo immediately stood up, and prepared their gear.
Enough rest had been taken, and now it was time to start hunting once again.
Victor's shirt and pants were torn, and so were Kierra's—but really less. The monkeys clung tightly to the back of their clothes, risking their own little lives to stay close.
Despite that, they dashed toward a nearby lone Hobgoblin, striking together at once.
"Slash! Slash! Slash!"
With a few strikes, the green Hobgoblin was dead, its blood splattering the ground.
[ EXP +100 ]
They didn't stop as it vanished into particles, turning into their experience points.
One kill led to another, then another.
Like this, they continued slaughtering the Hobgoblins with incredible efficiency and coordination.
The slaughter continued with ruthless efficiency, their teamwork honed to near perfection. Kierra's fire magic burned through enemies with scorching wholes, while Victor's relentless swordplay tore through them with overwhelming force.
Before long, they had exterminated nearly 50 Hobgoblins scattered along the lakeside.
In the middle of it, Kierra had leveled up level 9, making the task a lot easier.
After slaying those dozens of Hobgoblins, they eventually tracked down the Den of the Hobgoblins.
Rather than calling it a den, it should be called a small village instead.
The Hobgoblin village was a crude and primitive settlement, with houses haphazardly constructed from dry wood, large rocks, and fresh leaves woven together to form fragile roofs.
The structures were rough, some leaning dangerously to one side, while others were reinforced with crude bones and scraps of metal scavenged from past victims.
Moreover, A foul stench lingered in the air, a mix of sweat, rot, and burning wood, making it clear that this was a place of savagery and brutality.
More Hobgoblins must be lurking in those houses.
Without hesitation, they steeled themselves, ready to clear out every last one of the vile creatures hiding within.
It might seemed cruel to wipe them out so mercilessly, but Victor and Kierra knew the true nature of these creatures.
Hobgoblins weren't any innocent monsters. They were sadistic hunters, preying on players and innocent villagers alike, slaughtering them in the most brutal ways possible.
Exterminating them was justice.
As they scouted the outskirts of the village, a sudden notification flashed across their vision, catching them by surprise.
____
[Congratulations! You have received a new optional Quest. ]
[ Quest: Exterminate the Hobgoblins and Rescue the Villagers ]
[ Time limit: 6 hours ]
[ Rewards: 5,000 EXP, +10 Reputation Points ]
[ Penalty: None ]
[ Do you wish to accept? Yes / No? ]