Chapter 13: Slice & Dice

Lucian barely managed to twist out of the way, the blade grazing his armor with a sharp screech. The goblins were relentless, attacking with a wild intensity that forced him to stay constantly on the defensive.

Garret's voice rang out over the din of battle, urging the unit to regroup. But the goblins had them surrounded, cutting them off from each other. Lucian's heart pounded in his chest as he fought to break free from the swarm. His sword flashed in the dim light, cutting down one goblin after another, but for every one that fell, two more seemed to take its place.

Just as he began to feel overwhelmed, Lucian remembered the daggers at his waist. With a swift motion, he drew them, their edges gleaming wickedly in the faint light. The goblins hesitated, their yellow eyes narrowing in suspicion. Lucian didn't give them a chance to react.

He moved with practiced precision, the daggers slicing through the air in quick, fluid motions. One goblin went down with a blade buried in its throat; another crumpled as Lucian drove the second dagger into its chest. The daggers proved to be the perfect weapons for close combat, their shorter reach allowing him to strike with speed and accuracy.

But even with the daggers, the odds were against him. The goblins were too numerous, and Lucian's arms were beginning to tire. His breath came in ragged gasps as he fought to keep them at bay, his movements growing more desperate with each passing moment.

It was then that Garret appeared at his side, cutting through the goblins with brutal efficiency. The older warrior fought like a man possessed, his broadsword cleaving through goblin flesh with every swing. Together, they began to push back the goblins, their combined strength and skill forcing the creatures to retreat.

Lucian could see the fear in the goblins' eyes as they realized they were losing the fight. They snarled and hissed, their savage confidence giving way to panic. With a final, desperate lunge, one of the goblins charged at Lucian, its rusty sword raised high. But Lucian was ready. He sidestepped the attack, driving his dagger into the goblin's side with a swift, brutal motion. The creature let out a strangled cry before collapsing at his feet.

The remaining goblins, seeing their comrades fall, began to flee. They scattered into the forest, their shrieks echoing through the trees as they disappeared into the shadows. The clearing was suddenly quiet, the battle over as quickly as it had begun.

Lucian stood there, his chest heaving as he surveyed the aftermath. The ground was littered with goblin corpses, their blood soaking into the earth. His arms ached from the effort of wielding his weapons, but the rush of victory coursed through his veins, banishing any thoughts of fatigue.

Garret clapped him on the shoulder, his expression a mix of pride and relief. "You did well, lad. Those daggers saved your life."

Lucian nodded, still catching his breath. "Thanks to your training," he replied, sheathing the daggers with a sense of satisfaction. "They're more effective than I expected."

Garret gave a grim smile. "You're learning. But remember, this was just one skirmish. The goblins will regroup, and we'll need to be ready."

Lucian understood the unspoken warning. The culling was far from over, and the next encounter could be even more dangerous. But for now, they had survived, and that was a victory worth savoring.

As the unit regrouped, Garret took stock of their situation. A few of the adventurers had sustained minor injuries, but nothing serious enough to halt their progress. They had cleared a significant number of goblins, but there were undoubtedly more lurking deeper in the forest.

"We need to keep moving," Garret instructed, his voice calm and authoritative. "The goblins won't stay scattered for long. We push further into the forest and take the fight to them."

The others nodded in agreement, their faces set in determination. Lucian felt a surge of pride as he looked around at his comrades. They were tired, bloodied, but unbowed. This was what it meant to be a warrior—to stand firm in the face of danger and fight for something greater than oneself.

Before they set off again, Lucian checked the enchanted mana stones in his pouch. He still had a few E-grade stones left, each one a potential weapon of mass destruction. The thought of using them in the heat of battle both excited and unnerved him. He knew he had to be careful, to wield this newfound power responsibly. But he also knew that these stones could be the key to turning the tide in their favor.

As they moved deeper into the forest, the air grew thick with tension. The trees seemed to close in around them, their twisted branches forming a dark, oppressive canopy. The ground beneath their feet was uneven, the roots and underbrush making it difficult to maintain their formation. But they pressed on, their weapons at the ready, their senses sharp.

They had been marching for what felt like hours when they came upon a goblin encampment. It was a crude, hastily assembled affair, with makeshift tents and crude fortifications made from felled trees and scavenged materials. But there were goblins everywhere, more than Lucian had ever seen in one place.

Garret signaled for the unit to halt, his eyes narrowing as he assessed the situation. "This must be one of their main camps," he murmured. "If we can take this out, it'll cripple their ability to fight back."

Lucian could see the truth in Garret's words. The goblins were more organized here, their movements more disciplined. This wasn't just a band of marauders; it was a small army. Taking them on head-to-head would be dangerous, but if they could strike quickly and decisively, they might be able to break the goblins' morale and force them to flee.

Garret turned to Lucian, his expression serious. "I want you to use one of those stones. Throw it into the heart of the camp and take out as many of them as you can. We'll follow up with a direct assault while they're in disarray."

Lucian nodded, his heart pounding in his chest. This was his moment. He retrieved one of the E-grade stones from his pouch, feeling its cold, smooth surface against his palm. He could feel the energy thrumming within it, the raw power just waiting to be unleashed.

With a deep breath, he stepped forward, positioning himself at the edge of the clearing. The goblins hadn't noticed them yet, too preoccupied with their own preparations. Lucian focused on the center of the camp, where the largest concentration of goblins was gathered around a crude fire pit. This was the moment of truth.

He hurled the stone with all his strength, watching as it sailed through the air in a graceful arc. It landed in the middle of the goblin encampment with a soft thud, unnoticed by the creatures around it. For a heartbeat, nothing happened.

Then, the stone exploded.

The blast was deafening, a thunderous roar that shook the ground beneath their feet. A shockwave ripped through the camp, sending goblins flying in all directions. The explosion tore through tents and fortifications, reducing everything in its path to splinters and rubble. The air was filled with smoke and dust, the screams of the dying goblins echoing through the trees.

Lucian watched in awe and horror as the camp was obliterated before his eyes. The power of the stone was far greater than he had anticipated, the destruction it wrought almost unimaginable. But there was no time to dwell on it.

"Now!" Garret shouted, leading the charge as the unit surged forward.

Lucian followed, his sword at the ready, as they stormed the remains of the goblin camp. The surviving goblins were in complete disarray, their morale shattered by the devastating blast. They tried to regroup, to mount a defense, but it was too late. The unit cut through them with ruthless efficiency, their swords flashing in the smoke-filled air.

The battle was over in minutes. The goblin camp lay in ruins, the ground littered with the bodies of the fallen. Lucian stood in the midst of the carnage, his heart still racing from the adrenaline of the fight. They had won, but the cost of victory weighed heavily on him.

Garret approached, his expression unreadable. "That was well done, Lucian. You've got a weapon there that could change the course of this war."

Lucian nodded, but his thoughts were troubled. The power of the E-grade stones was undeniable, but it was also terrifying. He had unleashed something beyond his control, something that could easily be turned against them if they weren't careful.

But for now, the battle was won, and the goblins were in full retreat. The culling would continue, but with their main camp destroyed, the goblins would be scattered and leaderless. The threat to their lands had been diminished, if not entirely eliminated.

As they began the long march back to the estate, Lucian couldn't shake the feeling that this was only the beginning. The power he had discovered was both a blessing and a curse, a tool that could either save them or destroy them.