A few minutes earlier.
Bzzz—!
On the western frontier of human territory, across an open plain, a flash of purple light suddenly erupted. The atmosphere rippled violently, accompanied by a faint ozone scent. A peculiar group whose clothing clashed completely with the medieval scenery of this world appeared out of thin air.
"General Esdeath, is there anything else you would like to instruct—" Durandal was still holding her hand extended forward, a polite smile on her face as she spoke.
By the time she came back to her senses, she realized that their group had already been transported onto a vast plain.
"—That is..."
Just an instant ago they had still been inside the reinforced concrete forward fortress speaking with Esdeath. In the next moment, the interlocking metal dome had been replaced by a clear sky.
"Lady Durandal, it seems the trial has begun." Rita still wore her proper rose maid outfit. However, she looked as though she had not rested well, her eyes half-lidded and hazy.
"Yaaawn~ Esdeath really went too far. She didn't even give us breakfast. She woke us up early in the morning, said nothing, and just threw us out here."
Rubbing her sleepy eyes, Senti stretched lazily. "This Immortal hasn't even rested properly yet..."
"Hmph." Fu Hua snorted. Although she had not rested well either, she had no intention of siding with Senti. "Last night—who exactly was it that kept messing around so late? Even after lights-out you still refused to calm down."
Under the sharp gaze behind Fu Hua's red-framed glasses, Senti guiltily turned her head away and whistled toward the sky.
"Who knows."
Fu Hua sighed, then adjusted her glasses and said expressionlessly, "Who was it that secretly played Monopoly after lights-out, got frustrated after losing, and dragged me into continuing? And in the end even tried to bully Pardo just to recover your pride... sigh."
At this point, Fu Hua spread her hands helplessly and shook her head.
Who was Pardofelis?
Although her strength was not particularly great—she and Griseo were known as the two mascots of MOTH—her incredible luck was universally acknowledged by the Flame-Chasers. If you tried to recover your losses against her in a luck-based game like Monopoly...
Well...
If it makes you happy.
To be honest, Fu Hua was glad that Senti possessed a personality completely different from her own and was so energetic. But this level of self-expression—like a husky tearing the house apart—made Fu Hua's temples ache.
Fu Hua estimated that if she stayed with Senti for too long, it might actually become a form of stress resistance training.
No, wait... why does this feel like a mother's mentality? Am I really that old mentally? Fu Hua wondered.
So Senti, this silly bear-child, definitely couldn't be praised. She couldn't handle praise anyway.
Seeing Fu Hua look at her with a pitying gaze while saying nothing, repeatedly sighing, Senti suddenly felt insulted and grew irritated.
"What kind of look is that..."
"What look? Do you want me to start listing the embarrassing things you did in your sleep as well?"
Fu Hua began counting on her fingers. "Last night, after falling asleep, you first stole my pillow and hugged it. Then you buried your head in your own pillow. During the night you kicked your blanket off the bed five times..."
"Ugh..."
Like arrows hitting the bullseye, every sentence from Fu Hua shaved away a bit of Senti's arrogance. With each line, Senti seemed to shrink a little shorter.
"...You also kept rolling around in bed. You even drooled so much the bedsheets got soaked. Do I need to count that too?"
"I was wrong!"
Senti lunged forward instantly, grabbing Fu Hua's counting fingers with a flushed face.
"Really though, if it weren't for last night's dorm stay, I never would have realized you have so many sleeping habits," Fu Hua said with a faint laugh. "That definitely couldn't have come from me. Which means it's uniquely your own style. Quite fitting, actually."
The previous night they had stayed in the Palace Annex within the Imperial Capital. The living conditions there were completely incomparable to the forward fortress in Trial World No. 5. Unless someone specifically requested to share a room, each person was assigned a suite that resembled a small palace—some Japanese-style, some Shenzhou-style, some European-style...
And obviously, Senti—thin-skinned and prideful—would never ask to share a room with Fu Hua. As for Fu Hua proposing it herself, that was even more impossible.
"Last night will probably be the most comfortable night we'll have for a while. Alright, it's time to move out. According to the information we received, there are goblins here. It's a fantasy world similar to the medieval era."
Flicking her long ponytail behind her, Kiana showed no trace of fatigue. On the contrary, she looked refreshed. Clearly she had slept quite well.
But when it came to fantasy worlds... it was time to consult the expert.
Raiden Mei called out, "Bronya, do you have any—uh? What's wrong with her?"
"Wuuu... my game console. That was a limited collector's edition," Bronya murmured with lifeless eyes.
"Mei, I am very sorry. Bronya-nee is upset because General Esdeath borrowed her game console and never returned it..."
"Alright, I understand." Raiden Mei covered her face. "Even after growing up, Bronya is still the same gaming addict she used to be."
"Huh? Yesterday I saw Bronya lend it out pretty readily. Why did she change overnight?"
Kiana leaned close in front of Bronya, resting her chin on her hand and teasing with a grin.
"So, who is going to tell us what the first step should be?" Durandal did not interrupt. She knew this was likely their final moment of peace before the examination truly began, so she simply observed the surroundings.
At this moment, the morning sun was rising. Bright rays of light fell across Rita and the others' cheeks. A small stream wound its way through the nearby hills.
Nearby stood towering trees that appeared to be more than a century old. Their green canopies spread wide, branches tangled and leaves growing wildly without any trace of human trimming.
At the edge of vision lay a dense forest. Within more than ten kilometers there was no sign of human habitation. Only a crude wooden bridge and a slightly compacted dirt road suggested that people might occasionally pass through this area.
Even at Schicksal Headquarters, which prided itself on environmental preservation, mornings as clear and bright as this had become rare.
"If no one has any suggestions... then we'll proceed according to my own plan."
It's all General Esdeath's fault for not revealing anything about the trial. What exactly does she expect us to accomplish?
Sigh. We'll just take it one step at a time. Once things officially begin, we won't be able to relax like this anymore. Time to stay alert.
Thinking this, Durandal looked toward the distant forest. Based on her experience, situations like this usually boiled down to one thing—fighting. Deep within that forest she could clearly sense many lifeforms.
And according to the information Esdeath provided, this world contained many "powerful" monsters.
So if she treated them the same way she treated Honkai Beasts—
Then the answer was simple.
Kill them.
Just then, a lively female voice rang out, clear and crisp with boundless energy. "Leave it to me!"
"Li Sushang-senpai?" "Little grand-disciple?"
With one arm wrapped around a certain cat-eared girl, Li Sushang stepped forward and cleared her throat lightly. "Isn't a fantasy adventure basically the same as wandering the jianghu back in Shenzhou? Follow me. Step one—find a living person. Step two—find an inn where people gather and listen to tales."
When she was little, Li Sushang loved watching opera. Back when her experience was shallow, she often borrowed clever strategies from the martial heroes in the storyteller's tales to deal with difficulties she encountered. Even after growing up, the influence of her childhood had not completely faded.
Yet in Li Sushang's case, it was accidentally quite accurate. The world of adventurers did indeed share many similarities with the jianghu of Shenzhou. And wasn't the Adventurer's Guild essentially an inn that served drinks, meals, and lodging?
"Is it really that simple? Meow~" Though being vigorously petted, Pardofelis offered no resistance.
After last night, the two solitary "single dogs," Li Sushang and Pardofelis, had grown much closer. It couldn't be helped. Everyone else came in pairs. Only the two of them seemed out of place.
What else could they do? Huddle together for warmth.
Before long, the two had grown rather attached. Li Sushang handled the petting, and Pardofelis handled enjoying it. After all, Li Sushang—once evaluated as a "natural-born sword embryo"—possessed extraordinarily skilled hands.
"Of course..." As she spoke, Li Sushang gently set down the bonelessly soft Pardofelis. In a flash, she vanished from sight. "Master Hua, just wait for my good news!"
...
Time rewound to the present.
Across the flattened horizon, along the compacted dirt road, Li Sushang sprinted at high speed and immediately spotted the armored man standing in the middle of the path.
"Hey! This fellow dao—ah, brother, please wait a moment."
The man withdrew the step he had been about to take and turned toward the voice.
Whoosh!
A fierce wind sliced across his scarred armor, producing sharp scraping sounds. The man instinctively moved to draw his blade. But in the next instant, a graceful figure descended lightly before him.
The force of her arrival was clearly immense—yet strangely, the ground beneath her remained completely unharmed.
Brown hair tied into twin tails. A slender, delicate face with pure and charming features. Crimson pupils. The inner side of her braids shimmered blue, bound with porcelain-patterned ribbons. Her bright eyes were filled with lively spirit.
Her clothing was unlike anything he had ever seen. But one thing was certain—only the wealthy or noble could afford such attire.
"May I ask which way to the nearest town?" Li Sushang inquired. Then, noticing the blade he had raised, she waved her hand. "Ah, I'm not a bad person. I mean no harm."
"Mm. I know." The man sheathed his short sword and answered flatly, his tone unchanged. "If you want to reach the nearest town, follow me. It's not far. Along this road—about an hour's walk."
She can understand him. Great. No language barrier.
Silently, Li Sushang gave a thumbs-up to the Empire's magical technology.
This had been the only thing Esdeath granted them when they were teleported away from the Imperial Army forward fortress—a magical spell known as Universal Language Bestowal.
She did not understand the exact principles. Supposedly it came from a fantasy world conquered by the Empire. Its function was simple—by imprinting and organizing collected languages in advance, the spell allowed the recipient to comprehend and connect with the world's common tongue.
"Oh, many thanks." Nodding, Li Sushang untied the purse at her waist and took out a small gold bar, handing it over. "This is a token of gratitude."
"Aren't you afraid I might deceive you?" the man asked instead of accepting it.
Li Sushang tilted her head, confusion written on her face. "My intuition says you're a good person."
More importantly, I've already memorized your aura. If you dare lie to me, I'll cut you down in one strike.
She did not say that aloud.
Inside, Li Sushang remained completely tense. She had mobilized every muscle group in her body. In a foreign world, away from familiar faces, one could never be too cautious. The "Desert Sword Trial" of her childhood had left her with a profound lesson.
"I see." The man did not ask further questions. He merely nodded and declined the gold. "This small matter isn't worth such a generous reward."
He knew that accepting the gold bar would greatly ease his financial burden and assist him in seeking reinforcements. But his conscience ultimately led him to refuse.
"Ah? Oh, let me introduce myself. My name is Li Sushang. And you are? I will surely repay you in the future..."
"Goblin Slayer."
With that, he turned and walked forward without another word, leaving Li Sushang standing in the wind, somewhat disoriented.
"What a strange person."
Talented in cultivation, yet ignorant of worldly matters. A noble young lady like her... adventuring did not suit her. She should return to her castle, to her parents.
That was the man's judgment. But he did not voice it. That was her family's affair. He was an outsider.
Right now, the most important task was to request reinforcements. Her strength was certainly not weak. But she was a noble. He could not ask her for help.
"Congratulations, Miss Li Sushang. It seems you have already made progress."
At that moment, a series of crisp click-clack sounds from high heels striking the ground echoed conspicuously across the gently wind-brushed plain. The self-proclaimed Goblin Slayer turned his head.
The source of the voice was a girl as alluring as the sound itself. Ash-blonde hair fell to her shoulders, with uneven bangs covering her left eye. The exposed wine-red eye shimmered like a gem capable of drawing in one's soul.
A maid.
He had not judged wrongly. They truly were nobles.
What was strange was that the entire group consisted of women—each delicate and graceful, their figures elegant and refined. From them, he could not discern any signs of rigorous training.
As for mages or priestesses—that was even less convincing. Not a single staff in sight.
Rather than adventurers forged through hardship, they looked more like noble young ladies out on a spring outing.
"Good little grand-disciple, who is he?" Senti tiptoed and leaned down until she was level with Li Sushang, whispering softly.
"A strange fellow who calls himself 'Goblin Slayer.' But based on current judgment, he's at least a good person with a sense of chivalry. He says he'll take us to the town."
Thus an oddly surreal scene unfolded.
A man in inexpensive armor walked alone at the very front. Five steps behind him followed a large group of charming young women, silent, occasionally casting wary glances around them.
"We're here."
Near the entrance to the town, under the curious stares and murmurs of the gathered townsfolk, the man stopped.