Chapter 10: The Goblin Cave Raid

Chapter 10: The Goblin Cave Raid

Alister and the small group of raiders stood at the edge of the dungeon portal, its swirling, blue glow was very different when compared to the fading light of the evening. Reêad latest novels at novelhall.comelia Rose was by his side, her calm demeanor sliently assured him. The others—two young men and a woman—had already introduced themselves: Erik, a lanky swordsman with a nervous deminor; Lila, a cheerful healer with a quiet but excited look on her face; and Jarek, a bulky warrior who seemed to be the unofficial leader of their makeshift team.

As they stepped into the portal, a cold shiver ran down Alister's spine, the sensation of being transported to another realm felt alien to him. The world around them blurred and shifted, and then they found themselves standing at the mouth of a dark, damp cavern.

The air was thick with the musty scent of earth and decay, and the distant echoes of dripping water added to the chilling atmosphere.

A blue system announcement appeared before their eyes, its text glowing softly in the dim light:

「Dungeon: Goblin Cave

Objective: Clear the dungeon by eliminating the Goblin King and his minions.

Rank: F Rank

Time Limit: 8 hours」

Along with the blue system window, the yellow one seen by only Alister appeared before his eyes with a message:

[Notice to the player! The player has stepped into a dungeon with a constantly increasing mana frequency.]

The goblins let out a series of guttural snarls and charged. Alister darted to the side, his dagger slicing through the air as he targeted the nearest goblin. The creature screeched in pain and fury as he stabbed it through its abdomen, its greenish blood splattering the cavern floor.

Alister heard the system's voice again.

[Level up!]

Erik, despite being nervous earlier, moved as quickly as he could, his sword flashing as he deflected the goblins' attacks. "Watch out for the one on your left, Jarek!" he shouted.

Lila stood her ground, holding her staff ready to heal. "Hold on, Erik!" she called, casting a healing spell on him as he took a hit from a goblin trying to flank him. Her talent for healing was crucial, keeping the team in fighting shape.

Amelia continued her barrage of flame attacks, keeping the goblins at bay. "Keep pushing forward!" she commanded, "We need to clear them out quickly."

As they fought, Alister felt a surge of power coursing through his veins. 'What was that just now... did I get stronger?' he questioned as he stood and gazed at his hand then flexed his wrist, feeling the increased strength inside them. He felt stronger and refreshed, all the fatigue from the day felt like it all just disappeared. 'Is it an effect of the system? I heard it say 'level up' just now.'

Before Alister could wrap his head around what he just experienced, he noticed another goblin approaching him from the corner of his eye, charging in for an attack with its rusty dagger.

Alister sidestepped to the left, as the goblin's dagger sliced through the air as it swung it.

Being the combat genius he was, he instantly counterd, following up with a side thrust of his dagger to the goblin's side.

The creature screeched in pain and fury as he landed a blow, its greenish blood splattering the cavern floor. He pulled out his dagger to counter again, as he did he noticed a slight increase in his speed and skill.