The economy of Marvar revolved around Merchant Houses and Adventurer Guilds.

It was common for poor youths in the countryside to migrate to the city to obtain an income in Adventuring. At the moment, two such youths were walking around the outskirts of the city.

The older youth, a boy of about 18, was introducing the younger one, a tomboyish girl of about 15, to the basics of adventuring.

"And always pay attention to where your balance is. That's what separates people who can chain their skills from fighters who fight like magic professors - one move each turn."
"Isn't it difficult to predict how you'll end up? Sometimes when I use my Sword Slash I'll end up like tipping forwards..? and sometimes my feet don't even have purchase of the ground."
"After a while you get used to it." (nonchalantly) "What you want though is for all your actions to flow smoothly into the other. When you watch the great fighters, they seem to use no skills at all - everything blends in to a whole."
"Ah I see I see."

The day had been uneventful for them. But after walking a mile or two into a secluded part of the suburbs, they noticed an unmistakeable shape ahead of them...

"A goblin!" (cried the older youth)
"Wah!"

Nothing could be so surprising as to find a goblin within the city territory, especially a city known for being an Adventurer's hub.

However the older boy did not think about the strangeness of it. Instead he became glad at the opportunity to impress his protege. Under the pretext of "practical training", he continued his educatory discourse.

"Now, when you see a goblin you should always begin by checking your surroundings. Goblins normally move in groups. Now and again you'll see a stray, but it is uncommon. In this situation, we're in the suburbs, and there don't seem to be any hiding places, right?"
"Yes, there don't!" (happy to have her opinion solicited)
"So let's approach and see what it does. No need to run or draw your sword just yet."

The goblin seemed indifferent to their presence. And when they were less than 10 meters away, the younger girl asked what they should do.

"No need to worry. Goblins are one of the easiest monsters to subjugate when they're alone. Once we defeat this one we can probably exchange it for a reward at the Guild."
"Should we draw our swords?"
"Good question! Yes, now would be a good time to ready oneself."
"Yosh..."

Running forward, he readied the Sword Slash skill. And when he judged the distance was right, he cast it. In the next moment he was flying forward.

He had managed to kill a goblin in a single slash before, and he hoped to do so again. However, his first attack missed.

His kouhai came flying toward him soon after, almost hitting him with her slash. The goblin was facing them now, still taking no action.

"Damn. That's one of the pesky things about goblins. It's easy to miss because their bodies are so small."

Each of their inexpert swings of the sword met with no resistance. The goblin managed to avoid every one.

"Stay still!" (older youth)
"Why is it so fast?" (his kouhai, already out of breath)
"It's not even fast, it's just so small. Damn! If it were an orc, it would already be dead."

As the goblin had not made a counterattack, the older boy stopped his swings and took a break.

The two watched the goblin continue down the road, seeming having forgotten about its assailants.

"Could it be a hobgoblin?"
"No, no... (wheezing) Rediculous...simply rediculous. A hobgoblin looks completely different. This is a goblin - I know, I've subjugated dozens of them. But usually they try to attack you, which makes them easier to hit." (by way of explanation)
"Should we leave it?"
"Absolutely not (huff huff). Absolutely not. Maybe it's tired right now, but it will pose a danger to residents here. (coughing) Plus most guilds will have an always running request for goblins, so we can get you guild points."

They recovered their breath and again began to walk toward the goblin, this time keeping themselves in the monster's blind spot. On a signal of the older youth they attacked together, for surely a simultaneous attack was more difficult to avoid. But the goblin simply took a stride forward and their blades again met only the air.

"Fight me!" (cried the older youth) "Fight me!!!"

He was irritated by the goblin's seeming skill in dodging attacks...it could not be an actual skilfulness in dodging, but the fact that it appeared so was what was so aggravating. Anyone could run away from an attack. A random rodent would be able to escape an experienced warrior, but that did not signify anything.

But to his surprise, at these words the goblin drew a sword that they had not noticed it had.

In fact, the goblin was even wearing the simple leather armor of an Adventurer, including a belt full of pouches attached by hooks and a pair of scabbards, one for a knife and one for a short sword. Strange, strange...

"Heh heh heh..."
"It was armed after all?" (kouhai, confused)
"Heh heh heh (the senpai repeated, ignoring the pointless question). Now I no longer need to hold back."

The youth raised his sword over his head and activated his Sword Slash skill.

But he did not feel his blade hit flesh. He felt the steel of an opposing blade.

If the two Adventurers were more knowledgeable or percipient they would have noticed that the goblin's sword was not an ordinary one. Sinisterly shaped, it was designed to parry and break the opponent's weapon.

"Impossible..."

His kouhai ran over to defend him. It was no use. His sword had been cleanly broken, and the strength of the goblin was no longer deniable.

He had heard of such beings from time to time.

They were called Variants - special instances of monsters with power greatly exceeding the norm...