Chapter 7: The Hobgoblin Temple

Haru crouched low behind a crumbling stone wall, his breath shallow as he watched the battlefield unfold. The scent of blood and iron filled the humid air of the underground temple, mixing with the stench of goblinoid sweat and rotting meat.

Shira, his towering Blue Oni warrior, waded through the chaos like a force of nature, her massive buster sword cleaving through hobgoblins as if they were paper.

Not far from her, Rhaelynn, his centaur archer, moved with eerie grace, her hooves barely making a sound against the cracked marble flooring. Each time her bowstring thrummed, a hobgoblin dropped, a black-feathered arrow protruding from its skull.

Haru, weapon drawn, was not idle. He wasn't as powerful as his companions, but he had learned to play his role well. As Shira and Rhaelynn tore through the enemy ranks, he darted through the shadows, drawing attention, isolating stragglers, and ensuring their ambushes landed with deadly precision.

A guttural growl reached his ears.

To his left, two hobgoblins had spotted him—hulking creatures, their greenish-gray skin marred with scars, their yellowed tusks bared. They raised their crude axes and rushed at him.

"Alright, let's do this," Haru muttered, tightening his grip on his dagger.

The first hobgoblin swung wide, but Haru ducked under the arc, his heart hammering. He countered with a quick slash at the creature's side, his dagger carving a shallow wound into its thick hide. It wasn't enough to kill, but it was enough to piss it off.

Good.

The second hobgoblin came charging in, and Haru turned and sprinted. He wasn't running away—he was leading them.

"Shira! Now!"

With a blur of blue and steel, the Oni warrior intercepted the first hobgoblin mid-charge, her massive sword swinging down in a devastating vertical slash. The monster barely had time to scream before it was split from shoulder to hip, its lifeless body collapsing into a heap of gore.

The second hobgoblin skidded to a stop, its yellow eyes widening in fear. That was all the opening Rhaelynn needed. A whistle cut through the air as her arrow struck the creature's exposed throat. It collapsed, gurgling on its own blood.

Haru exhaled. "Perfect."

A new notification flashed in his vision.

**[EXP Gained: 300]**

**[Level Up Progress: 72%]**

Not enough to push him to the next level, but they were getting there.

Shira glanced at him with those piercing crimson eyes, her silent gaze asking an unspoken question. Haru understood. *Are you hurt?*

He shook his head. "I'm fine. Let's keep going."

The Oni nodded and turned back toward the fray.

The trio advanced deeper into the temple ruins, the hallways narrowing as the scent of decay grew stronger. The walls were carved with crude hobgoblin war depictions—scenes of monstrous hunts and sacrificial rituals.

It wasn't long before they reached the stairway leading upward. The final stretch.

Shira led the way, her sword dripping with hobgoblin blood. Rhaelynn took the rear, her bow drawn and ready. Haru remained in the center, scanning the shadows for any movement.

As they ascended, the sound of guttural chanting echoed through the corridor.

They reached the top to find a vast chamber—a throne room of sorts. At the far end sat the **Hobgoblin Chieftain** on a throne made of bones and rusted weapons.

He was larger than the others, at least seven feet tall, his thick arms adorned with crude iron bracelets. His skin was a darker shade of green, and his eyes gleamed with cruel intelligence.

In his massive grip was a spiked war club, thick enough to shatter stone.

Flanking him were two elite **Hobgoblin Brutes**, their armor heavier than the others they had fought.

The chieftain's deep voice rumbled through the chamber. "More prey?" He grinned, revealing rows of jagged teeth.

"Good. I was getting bored."

Haru's grip tightened on his weapon. "This is going to be a problem."

Rhaelynn nocked an arrow. "We'll handle it."

Shira cracked her knuckles, her muscles flexing as she stepped forward.

The Hobgoblin Chieftain rose from his grotesque throne, his thick fingers tightening around the spiked war club as he took a step forward. His heavy footfalls echoed through the chamber, each step a reminder of his sheer size and power.

Haru could already tell—this wasn't an ordinary hobgoblin.

The air around the chieftain shimmered with heat. A crimson aura pulsed around his body, flickering like embers in a wildfire. A bad feeling crept into Haru's gut.

Then, with a deep-throated laugh, the monster raised his free hand and muttered in his guttural tongue.

A fiery glyph ignited beneath his feet.

"Shit! He's a battle mage?!" Haru's eyes widened as flames erupted from the chieftain's palm, coiling around his war club like a serpent of fire.

Rhaelynn's ears twitched. "This complicates things."

Shira, as always, said nothing, but she instinctively took a battle stance, gripping her buster sword with both hands. Her crimson eyes locked onto the enemy, her body tensed like a coiled spring.

The Hobgoblin Chieftain grinned. "Time to burn."

Then, with terrifying speed for something his size, he swung his flaming war club downward. The force alone sent a shockwave through the chamber, shaking the stone floor and sending cracks spiderwebbing across the walls.

Shira barely managed to sidestep, her feet skidding across the floor as the club smashed into the ground where she had stood moments before. Flames burst from the impact, sending molten debris flying in all directions.

"Stay moving!" Haru called out. "That fire isn't just for show!"

Rhaelynn wasted no time. She galloped to the side, drawing her bowstring as fast as her fingers allowed. Three arrows loosed in rapid succession, all aimed at the chieftain's exposed neck.

But the bastard was fast.

He raised his war club, spinning it like a shield. The arrows clanged harmlessly against the metal, burning to cinders before they could reach their target.

"Damn it," Rhaelynn cursed, already nocking another arrow.

Shira took advantage of the distraction, lunging forward with a brutal overhead strike. Her buster sword descended, aiming to cleave the chieftain in half—

—but he moved at the last second, sidestepping her attack with alarming agility.

With a snarl, he retaliated, swinging his war club in a horizontal arc. Shira barely had time to raise her blade to block. The impact sent her skidding backward, her feet carving trenches into the stone floor.

"Even Shira's struggling," Haru muttered, beads of sweat forming on his brow.

Haru quickly analyzed the battlefield. Shira was their bruiser, capable of dealing heavy damage, but the chieftain was just as fast as he was strong. Rhaelynn's arrows couldn't pierce his defenses, and Haru himself wasn't nearly strong enough to face the boss head-on.

But… maybe he didn't have to.

"Rhaelynn, circle left! Keep him distracted with your arrows!" Haru shouted. "Shira, bait him into an opening—just dodge, don't attack! I'll handle the rest!"

Rhaelynn didn't hesitate, galloping in a wide arc and firing shot after shot, keeping the chieftain occupied. Shira followed Haru's command, stepping back and dodging instead of attacking outright.

The hobgoblin snarled in frustration. He was strong, but he was also aggressive—he liked overpowering enemies, not fighting ones who wouldn't commit.

Perfect.

Haru sprinted forward, his dagger clenched tightly in his grip. He didn't aim for the chieftain—he aimed for the ground beneath him.

With a sudden leap, he drove his dagger deep into the cracked stone floor, using his full weight to pry apart an already damaged section. The moment the stone gave way, the chieftain's foot slipped, throwing him off balance.

"NOW, SHIRA!"

Shira's eyes burned with understanding. She moved faster than ever before, her buster sword flashing through the air—

—but just as her blade was about to land, the chieftain roared and slammed his war club into the ground.

A shockwave of fire exploded outward, sending everyone flying backward.

Haru crashed into a pillar, pain flaring through his ribs. He gasped, rolling onto his stomach.

Rhaelynn groaned, struggling to push herself up from the rubble.

Shira landed hard, her sword skidding out of reach. For the first time, Haru saw her hesitate, her muscles tensed in pain.

The chieftain stood there, panting but grinning. He had survived.

"No way…" Haru coughed, tasting blood. "That should've worked."

The bastard refused to go down.

Haru clenched his fists. He was out of ideas, and his body was too weak to fight.

But then, his system notification flashed before his eyes.

[Lady Killer – Active Buff Available]

Target: Shira

A buff?

He hadn't tested it yet, but he didn't have a choice. He activated it immediately.

A strange warmth surged through his body, traveling directly into Shira. Her crimson eyes widened as her muscles seemed to amplify in size, her skin glowing faintly with power.

Shira let out a low growl, her previous hesitation gone.

The chieftain raised his war club one final time—

But Shira vanished from sight.

No—she was moving so fast that Haru could barely track her.

Before the chieftain could react, Shira's buster sword cleaved through his torso in a single decisive strike.

A spray of black blood filled the air.

The hobgoblin staggered, his war club slipping from his fingers.

With a final, wet gurgle, the chieftain collapsed to his knees.

Then, he fell face-first into the ground.

Silence.

Then—

[BOSS DEFEATED!]

Haru collapsed onto his back, his body aching, but a grin spread across his face.

They had won.

Haru's vision blurred as system notifications flooded in.

[EXP Gained: 5,000]

[Level Up! Haru – Level 18]

[Level Up! Shira – Level 32]

[Level Up! Rhaelynn – Level 28]

A new loot notification appeared.

He couldn't help but smile. "Not bad…"

Haru leaned against the cold stone wall of the ruined temple, exhaustion creeping into his bones. The battle had taken everything out of him. His body ached from dodging attacks, and his mind still reeled from the sheer intensity of the fight.

But they had won.

The Hobgoblin Chieftain was dead. His system had rewarded him with **two level-ups, loot.

He glanced toward her. The centaur archer stood nearby, inspecting the remains of her bow, her sharp eyes glinting in the dim torchlight.

Her posture was relaxed, but there was an undeniable air of satisfaction about her.

Shira, meanwhile, had taken her usual silent role, standing at the temple's entrance like an unshakable sentinel. Even after the grueling battle, she showed no signs of exhaustion.

Her black eyes flickered with a strange energy, as if she were still **feeling the effects of the boost Haru had given her**.

Haru exhaled, rubbing his temples. "We should rest here for the night. It's too dangerous to push forward when we're this worn out."

Rhaelynn nodded. "Agreed. That battle drained my stamina. Even I need sleep after something like that."

Shira simply grunted—her version of agreement.

Haru dropped his bag onto the ground, pulling out a few supplies. Food was limited, but they had just enough rations to make it through another day.

He passed some dried meat to Rhaelynn, who accepted it without hesitation, and then handed a chunk to Shira.

The Oni warrior took it, chewing in silence.

They ate in relative quiet, the only sounds being the crackling of a torch and the distant echoes of dripping water from the temple's ruined ceilings.

For the first time in a long while, Haru felt… **safe**.

Not completely, of course—this world was too brutal for that—but for once, he wasn't **alone**.

Shira. Rhaelynn.

Something about that realization made his chest tighten.

Haru stared up at the temple ceiling, lying on his makeshift bedroll. Sleep should have come easily after such an exhausting fight, but his mind wouldn't settle.

He glanced at Shira, who sat by the temple entrance, her massive sword resting beside her. She was **on watch**, as usual.

She never spoke, never complained, never hesitated to follow his orders. And yet, there was something almost… **familiar** about her.

Haru found himself wondering about **her past**.

Where had she come from before he had met her? Had she always been in that dungeon, waiting for someone strong enough to bond with her?

And then there was **Rhaelynn**.

She was different. Unlike Shira, Rhaelynn was still very much **herself** after becoming his familiar. She could still **think, resist, make choices**—but when he had asked her to bond with him, she had **accepted without hesitation**.

Why?

He rolled onto his side, staring at the ceiling.

His **Lady Killer** skill was still a mystery to him. Sure, it let him bond with powerful female entities, but why did it feel like he was being **pushed** toward doing so?

The system always gave him a **strange sense of compulsion**—a nagging feeling in his chest that told him he needed more **familiars**.

More **women**.

He should have been worried.

But for some reason, he just **shrugged it off**.

He closed his eyes.

Tomorrow, they would leave this place.

Morning came faster than expected.

Shira remained **unmoved**, still keeping watch as if she hadn't needed sleep at all. Meanwhile, Rhaelynn stretched, yawning as she adjusted the straps of her quiver.

Haru stood, rolling his shoulders. "Alright. Let's get moving."

They gathered their supplies and made their way through the temple ruins, backtracking through the now **silent** dungeon.

The deeper tunnels were still filled with **corpses**—hobgoblin bodies **strewn across the ground**, reminders of the previous night's carnage.

Even though they had already cleared the dungeon, Haru kept his dagger at the ready. There was always a chance of **stragglers**.

But strangely enough, **nothing** came after them.

It felt… **too easy**.

His instincts told him that something wasn't right, but with no enemies in sight, he had no choice but to keep moving forward.

Rhaelynn walked beside him, her hooves making soft clacks against the stone floor. She glanced at him. "You've been quiet this morning."

Haru blinked. "Have I?"

"You have that look."

"What look?"

"The look of someone who's thinking about something but doesn't want to talk about it."

Haru exhaled, glancing at Shira ahead of them. The Oni was as silent as ever, her buster sword slung across her back.

"…I guess I've just been thinking about the system," he admitted. "And why it keeps pushing me toward making **familiars**."

Rhaelynn tilted her head. "Is that a bad thing?"

"I don't know."

She studied him for a moment before smiling. "Well… it's not like I **mind** being your familiar. If anything, it feels… right."

Haru glanced at her, a little surprised. "You're really okay with it?"

She chuckled. "Why wouldn't I be? You're strong, you have a good heart—beneath all the sarcasm, anyway—and I've already fought beside you long enough to trust you."

There was a strange sincerity in her voice.

Haru wasn't sure **how** to respond to that.

So instead, he made his decision.

They finally reached the dungeon's exit—a massive stone doorway that led out into the **light**.

For the first time in what felt like **weeks**, Haru saw **the sky again**.

A crisp wind rolled over the rocky plains outside the temple ruins, carrying the scent of fresh grass and earth.

They had made it.

Haru turned to Rhaelynn.

He had been **hesitating** for too long.

"…Rhaelynn," he said. "Would you… become my second familiar?"

She blinked at him, then **laughed**.

"I was wondering when you'd ask."

Without hesitation, she stepped forward, placing her **hand over his chest**.

A golden **magic circle** formed beneath them, the air shimmering with power.

Haru felt **heat** course through his body—an almost **instinctual rush**, as if something deep within him was **awakening**.

The bond **clicked** into place.

System notifications flashed before his eyes.

**[Familiar Bond Established – Rhaelynn (Centaur Archer)]**

**[Familiar Summoning – 2/3 Slots Used]**

Rhaelynn smiled. "Well, that felt… different."

Haru let out a breath, shaking his head. "That makes two."

But as the magic faded, a **new feeling stirred inside him**.

A strange, **nagging** compulsion.

His system was **pushing him again**.

As if telling him—**"Summon the next one."**

But that made no sense. He had **just bonded with Rhaelynn**.

Why did he feel the **need to summon something else immediately?**

For a moment, he almost **gave in**.

But then he shook his head, **shoving the feeling aside**.