They all turned towards the noise. In total, there were about twenty Hobgoblins present, all wielding axes and other crude weapons.
The largest of them, easily a head taller than the rest, stepped forward. It carried a heavy bone club and wore a necklace of monster fangs.
It was easy for Gabriel to tell that this one was the strongest and held a position similar to a leader.
It let out a roar, and the smaller Hobgoblins rushed forward. Gabriel activated Bull Rush and charged in, Crimson Judgement swinging wildly.
Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing!
The first two were cleaved apart instantly. A third tried to flank him, but Gabriel twisted, slammed his shoulder into it, knocking it down, and then drove Crimson Judgement straight through its chest.
He ignored the system prompts and kept moving. Every swing of his sword left a red arc through the air. The Hobgoblins were faster and more intelligent than the beasts he had fought earlier, but their wild attacks lacked rhythm.
He ducked under a spear thrust, cut off the wielder’s arm, then spun to block another strike from behind.
The large Hobgoblin bellowed again, charging in. The ground shook with its steps. Gabriel braced himself, sword held low. The bone club slammed down, sending dirt and leaves flying. Gabriel slid to the side just in time, then countered with a powerful upward slash that cut across the Hobgoblin’s torso.
ROAAR! The beast roared in pain but didn’t fall.
"Stubborn bastard." Gabriel closed the distance again, and after a back-and-forth struggle, he successfully killed all the Hobgoblins present.
’Strange... are these all?’ He flicked droplets of sweat from his forehead.
He had expected more guards to be stationed in the courtyard.
"Maybe they’re inside." He concluded and pushed the castle door open. He found himself in a hallway with torchlights flickering weakly on the walls.
It was easy to detect the chieftain of this castle since its aura wasn’t hidden.
Following the aura, he entered a chamber wider than the entry hall.
Bones were stacked at the corners, and a throne made of scavenged shields and skulls stood at the end. On it sat a Hobgoblin Warlord in black tribal armor, a long axe across its knees.
Beside it stood a shaman holding a staff with a cracked crystal. Two drummers watched from the wall. The floor was stamped dirt with shallow trenches carved in swirls.
The warlord glared at the human with intense hatred, while the shaman hissed and raised the staff.
[Mini-Boss: Hobgoblin Warlord – Lv. 70]
[Hobgoblin Shaman – Lv. 58]
[Mechanic: War Drums – Buffs warlord ATK/DEF if drummers are alive.]
’Get rid of the war drummers first.’ He made a mental note and summoned one of the knives he had extracted earlier.
FWOOOSH!
The knife flew from his hand, splitting the air as it pierced the nearest drummer’s throat, killing him instantly.
Gabriel then dashed left and cut down the second drummer mid-swing.
The shaman’s crystal flashed and a green bolt streaked across the room. Gabriel ducked, and it struck the ground with a resounding boom, forming a crater.
The warlord roared and got up from his throne. He kicked the ground violently, causing fissures, and lunged toward Gabriel.
WHAM!
The axe came down hard. Gabriel blocked with Crimson Judgement in time, sparks flying from the impact. He didn’t move from his spot, which made the enemy’s eyes flicker with surprise.
"H-human? How did y—"
It didn’t finish its words as Gabriel pivoted and smashed his head into the warlord’s face, sending it flying back into the throne.
The Hobgoblin groaned, not expecting the small human to possess such strength to send it flying several meters.
"Fighting against a warrior and a support-type mage is annoying." Gabriel complained as he turned his electric gaze to the shaman, startling it slightly.
The shaman’s face twisted into horror, especially after seeing what Gabriel had done to its lord. Clumsily, it fired another green blast.
But Gabriel shifted aside, letting it crash into the wall. He needed the shaman gone—support was always the real threat, just like with the drummers.
He feinted left, then dashed right in a burst, cutting the shaman’s staff-wielding arm. His free hand swung out savagely.
Boom!
The shaman lacked physical strength, having focused most of its stats into mana. It was easy for Gabriel to blow its head apart with one strike, killing it instantly.
The warlord roared again, leaping to attack. Gabriel interposed his blade. Instead of pushing Gabriel back, the Hobgoblin felt the shock run through him, making its frown deepen.
It beat its chest, releasing a wave of pressure, but to Gabriel, it felt like nothing more than a breeze.
The chieftain blurred forward—and so did he. Their weapons collided again and again. Sparks flew. The boss tried to trade blows, but Gabriel was not only stronger, he was faster.
During the confusion, Gabriel executed a quick horizontal slash.
[Crimson Pressure: 1]
The warlord snarled, its armor dented. It spun its axe in a wide arc. Gabriel ducked, slammed his shoulder into the boss’s waist, and drove it back two steps. He followed with a second strike aimed at the same spot.
Slash!
[Crimson Pressure: 2]
Then, while the warlord staggered back, Gabriel followed with yet another slash!
[Crimson Pressure: 3!]
Booooooom!
After the third strike connected, a loud explosion detonated inside the warlord’s chest. Its upper torso was blown apart, and it dropped to one knee.
[Ding! You have defeated Mini-Boss: Hobgoblin Warlord]
[Ding! You have gained +53 EP]
[Ding! You have received Experience Points]
[Error... Cannot level up. Experience points have been stored.]
Gabriel exhaled, steadying his breathing. He walked behind the throne and checked the wall, following the instructions of the previous player.
His fingers pressed along the stones until he found a loose one. He pried it out, revealing a small lever. He pulled it.
A grinding sound rumbled through the floor as a hidden slab slid open at the side of the room, revealing a short stairway leading down.
Down here... was where the treasure was.