Iron cut into flesh, painting red flowers on the nearby ground. Claire breathed hard, painting while supporting herself with the sword. The knife of a goblin neared her back, trying to rip her apart, only to stop midair, black shadows crawling over its owner which held it in place.

“Nice, Blacky.” Marc called out to the wolf. At least he doesn’t shout anymore. He stepped forward, cutting the neck of the immobilized goblin. His mother locked at him, still unsure if this was the right path.

When they finished all goblins, they collapsed to the ground, tired from fighting all day. Damn, I’m tired too, never knew how much work it is to look out for someone incompetent.

The wolf walked over to them, nudging the kid with his nose. It’s really too good for him.

“At least you won’t die anytime soon.” I called out to them, making them sit up, a hint of accomplishment on their face. “Don’t get me wrong, step in the wrong place and you’re dead. Stop fighting every day and you’re dead.”

I looked back, hearing gunshots in the distance. “Seems like the army is here.” I turned back to them, before continuing. “Don’t think it’s safe to rely on them. Of course, they shouldn’t hurt you, but they can’t protect you.”

I began to walk away. “By now everybody has to protect himself. You should be tough enough. Do me a favor and don’t waste my work in training you.”

Enough time wasted; I need to raise my own level.

I stepped into soft grass, thick trees blocking the afternoon sun. I forgot how beautiful nature could be. After everything was changed by the dungeons places like this were few in between. And while the alien view of different worlds forced together by the dungeons had its own charm it couldn’t hold a candle against our natural scenery. At least in my eyes.

I strode into central park, soft winds carrying the scent of plant life with it blew. But with it came the stench of blood, weak, nearly impossible to notice, however if one wanted to survive one had to.

The wind blew again, making bushes rustle and trees sway. I walked forward, seemingly uncareful about my surroundings, baiting a few goblins hiding in the greenery. They weren’t worth my time anymore, but I shouldn’t let myself be ambushed while hunting a bigger prey.

As I continued to walk through the park the surroundings started to chance, sign of nearing the entry of the dungeon. The earth became wetter making my feet sink into it, smacking every time I lifted my feet, clinging onto them like mud. The sky itself turned into a shade of grey, blocking the sunlight, and darkening the world under it.

I began to her them, before I saw them. The goblin made a settlement right before the dungeon, setting up tents and cages. The tents were made from skin from hunted animal or other monsters. Later on, they even used human skin when the war against them truly began. But while there weren’t any made out of it, they already got the resources for it. The cages were filled with humans, some near death, lying on the ground, some weeping in their fate, others just sitting still, their eyes lifeless from the mutilation of the goblins.

ShoulShouldn’t there have been a wall? I believe there had been one the first time. Maybe because it’s only the second day in, that they still haven’t build it yet. Or I am just misremembering. Still, it makes it easier for me.

I crouched down, slowly stepping forward while keeping my eyes out for anything nearby. Opposed to the ones walking through the city, hunting for humans, these were of a different level. Hobgoblins patrolled around and through the settlement. Too many of them. With this many there should be a goblin mage, or maybe a general.

I passed by a tent, sneaking past a trio of hobs walking past the other side. I end up near a cage, the one I saw from outside. The captives started to stir when they saw me, but at least they were intelligent enough not to make a ruckus. I burned through the lock, quickly stepping inside, before I closed the door behind me just in time before another pair of hobs passed by.

They walked to the cage, snickering at the captured humans, before walking away again, not noticing that another human was inside the cage. At least they are as careless as before. I turned to the nearby people which looked at me, eyes filled with hope. “Stay here for now. When you see a fire inside the settlement the goblins will rush there, leaving you able to escape freely.”

Some tried to stop me, making me come with them, but I continued onwards. It wasn’t my objective to free all these people. My target lay further inside. As I walked on there were more and more goblins, making it harder and harder to sneak past, even with the fading light.

Finally, I found what I was searching for. In midst of the settlement stood a tent, taller than the others. Skulls of animals hung down from its poles for an eccentric arrangement. Inside it shone light, coming from the portal into the dungeon.

There was only one thing, hindering me from this sweet hunting ground. It was ten foot-tall, sitting in front of the tent in a throne made from bones. Its skin differed from the normal goblins, having a dark green color, while it bulged with muscles. A scar ran down its chest, telling stories of past fights. Fights that would have killed most, but only made him stronger.

Beside him laid a woman, her clothes ripped, her whole body twitching after the goblin general just finished to entertain himself, chained to the throne, marking her the personal property of the general.

It’s too late for her. Any woman would have her mind broken being a plaything to that thing, or worse even becoming a thing to give birth to more of them. At least I’ll free you from your fate.

No normal wizard would stand a chance at my level. While they could damage it with their spells a goblin general was just too powerful and certainly more intelligent than any other monsters, they may have met in the last two days.

I poured the attribute points I gathered today into intelligence, boosting my mana, before I started to pour some into my hands, carving out spell circles. I traced the spell circle for Fireball with my left, making a few arrangements here and there, a skill I learned in my earlier years, while my right hand traced the basic tier 5 spell. Should have enough mana for that at least.

As I finished, I let my mana flow into the first circle, small fireballs started to shoot out of it, like fireflies in the night, flying over to the nearby tents setting them aflame. Panicked shouts rang out as goblins ran out of them. The general stood up, screaming something unrecognizable, making them try to put out the fire while another group of them surrounded him.

It’s always the same. They are the strongest of all of them but let themselves be protected instead. I poured my mana in the second circle, this one taking far more of it, but showed far more destructive power. Flames started to appear around the general and his group, converging at him and spreading tall to burn them all.

The other goblins shot around at the sudden heat behind their back, seeing their leader burn terrifyingly. I let out a relieved sigh when I saw the level up message. Indicating the death of it.

I stepped outside, materializing Flame Whips in both hand before I started to lash out at the surviving goblins. But as I burned the rest of them, I heard cracking noises, coming from the scorched group. I shot around, seeing a blackened body rise, his eyes shining red.