The massive iron gate groaned open, revealing a deeper, even darker passage.
From within, the heavy thud of approaching footsteps grew louder, accompanied by the clanking of crude metal armor and a guttural, almost rhythmic grunting.
"Looks like the Goblin King's sending in his heavy hitters," Elara muttered, her previous grin replaced by a look of grim determination.
"Heavy hitters? Like, really buff goblins?" Lily whispered, clutching her staff. Foxy, however, seemed to perk up, his tail doing a slow, confident wag. He was ready for round two.
"Exactly, Lily," I confirmed, channeling mana.
"These are the Goblin King's personal guard. They're bigger, stronger, and hit a lot harder than those archers. Ironhide, get ready to hold the line! Elara, ManaFlow, focus your spells! SwiftBlade, look for openings!"
From the darkness emerged three hulking figures. They were 'Goblin Brutes,' easily twice the size of regular goblins, clad in rusty, spiked armor and wielding massive, crude clubs that looked like they could smash a small car.
Their eyes glowed with an even more intense red light, and their grunts sounded less like grunts and more like angry, guttural roars.
"Three of them?!" Ironhide boomed, but he didn't falter. He slammed his shield into the ground, creating a defiant clang. "Alright, ugly! Come get some!"
The Goblin Brutes charged, their heavy footsteps shaking the very ground. They were surprisingly fast for their size, closing the distance in a terrifying rush.
"Mana Bolt their legs, Lily!" I yelled, already preparing my Lightning Bolt. "Try to slow them down!"
Lily, proving her mettle, immediately unleashed a barrage of Mana Bolts, aiming for the Brutes' knees. They grunted in annoyance, but their charge didn't break.
"Lightning Bolt!" I roared, unleashing my A-level spell.
CRACKLE!.. ZAP!
The lightning arced, striking the lead Brute. It roared in pain, staggering back, but it didn't fall. Its thick armor absorbed most of the blow, and it just shook its head, looking even angrier.
"They're tough!" Elara shouted, launching a volley of Fireballs that slammed into another Brute, leaving scorch marks but little else. ManaFlow followed up with a 'Frost Nova,' a burst of icy energy that briefly slowed one of the Brutes, encasing its legs in a thin layer of ice.
"My turn!" SwiftBlade yelled, a blur of motion. He darted between two Brutes, his dual swords flashing, leaving shallow cuts on their armored hides. They roared, trying to smash him, but he was too quick.
Ironhide, meanwhile, became a literal iron wall. The first Brute slammed its club into his shield with a deafening CRUNCH! Ironhide grunted, but held his ground, his shield absorbing the impact.
"You hit like a baby goblin, ugly!" he taunted, then shoved the Brute back with his shield.
The fight became a chaotic dance of power and precision. The Goblin Brutes were relentless, their clubs swinging in wide, devastating arcs. We dodged, we weaved, and we retaliated.
Lily, despite her smaller stature, was surprisingly effective. Her Mana Bolts, though not dealing massive damage, were constant, annoying pinpricks that kept the Brutes off balance.
She even managed to land a few hits on their unarmored faces when they roared, making them flinch. Foxy, meanwhile, was a tiny, furry whirlwind, darting between their legs, nipping at their ankles, and generally being a nuisance.
THUD!
One Brute actually tripped over Foxy at one point, sprawling onto the ground
"Nice trip, Foxy!" I cheered, seizing the opportunity to unleash another Lightning Bolt on the fallen Brute.
"He's surprisingly effective tactical support," Elara admitted, even as she dodged a sweeping club attack.
My Lightning Bolt was proving invaluable, dealing significant damage and occasionally stunning the Brutes. But they were relentless.
My mana was starting to dwindle, and even with my 'Ancient Guardian's Prime Robes,' I was taking some glancing blows.
"They're regenerating!" ManaFlow shouted, noticing a faint green glow around the Brutes. "They have a passive healing aura!"
"Great! Just what we needed, regenerating meat shields!" I grumbled, slamming another Lightning Bolt into a Brute.
The fight dragged on. We were a well-oiled machine, despite my ridiculously low level. Ironhide held the line, absorbing blows.
SwiftBlade danced around, dealing consistent damage. Elara and ManaFlow unleashed a barrage of Fireballs and Frost Novas, slowing and burning the Brutes. And Lily, with her cheerful determination, kept up her Mana Bolt barrage, slowly chipping away at their health.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the first Goblin Brute roared one last time and dissolved into motes of light. Then the second. And then, with a final, desperate swing of its club that Ironhide easily deflected, the third.
We stood there, panting, covered in virtual sweat and goblin goo. My mana bar was almost empty, and Lily looked like she'd run a marathon. Foxy, however, was still full of energy, wagging his tail furiously beside the piles of loot.
"We… we did it," Ironhide gasped, leaning on his shield. "Those guys were brutal."
"You were amazing, Max!" Lily exclaimed, giving me a high-five. "Your lightning is super powerful!"
"You guys were awesome too!" I replied, genuinely impressed by their teamwork.
[Goblin Brute defeated! Experience gained!]
[Extraction Talent Activated!]
I quickly scanned the extraction list, hoping for something truly game-changing.
[Extracted: Brute's Spiked Club (Uncommon Item)]
[Extracted: Corrupted Brute Hide (Rare Crafting Material)]
[Extracted: Greater Strength Fragment (Uncommon Attribute)]
[Extracted: Brute's Endurance (B-Level Skill)]
A B-level skill! 'Brute's Endurance'! That was pretty good, a nice boost to my overall toughness. And 'Corrupted Brute Hide' was a rare crafting material, probably worth a decent chunk of change. But… no SSS-level skill. No legendary weapon. Just a B-rank skill and some good selling items.
I sighed. "Well, that was… a lot of effort for a B-level skill and some crafting materials."
"A B-level skill is still great, Max!" Elara said, patting my shoulder. "And that hide will fetch a good price. Don't be greedy."
"But I am greedy!" I muttered under my breath, earning a giggle from Lily. I was hoping for something more, something that would give me a direct edge against the Goblin King.
"Alright, team, let's take a quick breather," Elara announced. "Then we push forward. The King won't be happy we dealt with his guards so easily."
As we rested, I noticed something etched into the stone walls of the arena. They weren't just random carvings. They were words. Ancient, glowing runes, pulsing with a faint, crimson light.
"Hey, guys, look at this," I said, pointing.
The team gathered around, their expressions turning serious as they read the glowing script.
"What does it say?" Lily asked, peering at the strange symbols.
Elara, being a Mage, was better at deciphering ancient texts. Her eyes widened as she read. "It says… 'By the blood of the fallen, the beast awakens.'" She paused, her voice tinged with unease. "And then… 'When the Goblin King's blood spills, the Night Beast, Level 30, shall rise from the depths of the arena!'"
My blood ran cold. The Night Beast. Level 30. That was a world boss, a terrifying creature that appeared only under specific, dire circumstances. In my past life, it had been a major event, a desperate struggle that had claimed countless lives. And it was triggered by the Goblin King's defeat.
"Level 30?!" Ironhide boomed, his face paling. "We're barely Level 20! We can't fight a Level 30 boss!"
"This wasn't in the mission description!" SwiftBlade hissed, his hand on his swords.
"It's a hidden trigger," I muttered, my mind racing. I knew about the Night Beast, but I hadn't realized it was tied to this specific arena and this specific Goblin King. My foreknowledge was both a blessing and a curse. I knew what was coming, but I hadn't accounted for the timing.
Elara's face was grim. "This changes everything. We defeat the Goblin King, and we summon a monster we have no hope of beating. We're trapped."
"No, we're not," I said, a sudden idea forming in my mind. It was risky, incredibly risky, but it might be our only shot. "We just need to be prepared. We need a plan. A very, very good plan."