CH 10.2

The voices are getting louder and louder.

It’s not just women, there are men too. More than one? 

It won’t be good if there are moles around.

As I move closer, I notice a mole is sticking its head out in front of me.

It may be aiming at the people coming toward my direction, or it may not be looking for the target.

If so, it’s in my way. Crush it before it notices me! 

(Rush!)

I kick the mole as hard as I can and continue on my way… there they are! 

Two men and a woman! 

A woman without weapons and a man with a basket on his back are heading this way, and the other man is wielding a knife while acting as a leader.

…Two goblins…or rather, three goblins.

Seriously….they’ve been trailing behind them.

In addition, the goblins running in the center is carrying a sword, which I have never seen before.

He’s clutching a long, shiny enough sword with a blade that looks to be over a meter long…! 

What should I do…?

The rule I set for myself is that if there are more than two, I must flee immediately.

But these three don’t have the will to fight the three goblins…they’ve probably given up and are running away because they can’t beat them anymore.

This means that if I escape, then the three will eventually be caught and killed.

They are all children by all appearances. They’re about the same age as I am now.

Ah…ah! 

I have no choice! 

I shout as quickly as I can to the boy with the knife.

“Hey! Over here! I’ll take care of two of them! Can you manage one?

“縺溘?∝勧縺九ｋ??菴薙?縺薙▲縺。縺ァ縺ェ繧薙→縺九☆繧九°繧牙勧縺代※縺上ｌ?”

“Hah, I don’t know understand what you’re talking about! First, calm down!”

No, there’s no time to coordinate.

I’ll do what I have to do.

First target, enemy on the left, then center, and then slightly away to the right…

I move my position to the left and look at the man with the knife who is moving along with me.

We can’t afford to worry about that one, so you’ll have to take care of one of them yourselves.

I was about to move away from the look at the man with the knife who is standing to my left when he reached me.

I can’t afford to worry about that one, so I’ll leave it to him. Please, at least take care of one of them yourselves.

I’m sorry, but…I’m just as weak as you guys.

Phew… a deep breath.

I tossed my bag down and pulled out of my pocket a flathead screwdriver with my right hand and a flashlight with my left.

With two of them at the same time, I can’t use the usual strategy of shining the flashlight on them and stabbing them while they were startled.

The second one would be free to attack.

Then what to do…

I must have to make the first move! 

So, I start running toward the goblin closest to me.

The two goblins stop with a startled look on their faces, and then immediately brace themselves.

The sword-bearer’s stance is either above the two…

Alright, aim for the face.

No, it’s too hard to face them head-on, and there’s a chance that I will not be able to stab them in the chest…

Then to the throat! 

(Rush!)

When the distance between us reached nearly 3 meters, I close the distance at once.

The first target is the sword-bearer, who is sure to be a nuisance if left behind.

While pointing the flashlight at it, I stab the flathead screwdriver at its throat with both hands.

*Busha…

“Ggagiggi!”

Shit! I slipped and went off the aim! 

Quickly, I aim the flashlight and hit the sword-wielding goblin once more.

“Gigyaaa…”

He’s not dead yet, but if he’s holding his eyes and crouching down, one more try.

I stomp the sword on the ground with my foot and shine my flashlight on the second bare-handed goblin, which was aiming at me.

“I’m already used to this situation!!!!”

I hit him in the brain with a flathead screwdriver, first one! 

Next…!

“Ugggh…?”

I turn around and see the goblin I just hit with the flashlight glaring at me from a crouched position with his arms outstretched.

It hit me in the side of the head… but it only hurts and makes it hard for me to breathe. I can manage this much.

I look at the goblin with a shallow, weak breath and notice that his neck and head are bleeding red.

Still, his eyes lit up with anger, and he showed no signs of giving up or running away.

As expected of a monster.

It seems that they have no intention of backing away.

And from behind it, I see the boy with the bloody knife sneaking up on it.

Oh well, I guess he was able to defeat one of them safely…

As things stand, while the goblin in front of me is still focusing on me, he’s trying to stab it from behind.

At the very least, I can see that he has the courage to confront the monster, but I wonder what he is waiting when he now has a chance to attack…

Well, it is an impromptu collaboration, but it’s working well.

When I thought that he was close enough to finish off the goblin, he only points the knife at it and starts running towards it.

The goblin notices the sound and turns around, but the boy is right under his nose.

It is too late for the goblin to respond.

Busuu–…

Since the goblin turned away from me, I stab it before it could react to the boy.

I grab the goblin’s head as he looks back, trying not to miss my target, his throat.

“縺茨シ?シ”

The boy mumbles something, but I can’t understand it.

I can only understand that he is surprised.

But you know, boy.

We’re not a team.

I am the one who made the first attack when the battle started, so this is my kill–

[Level increased to 6]

The [Swordsmanship] skill experience this goblin would have, the rights to the last attack are mine too, right?