I kept a close eye on the goblins as I began to move. At the same time, Plasma was muttering through my mind.
"Roxy, do you have a plan in mind?"
In fact, there was a hint of amusement in Plasma's voice, like he already knew something was up. Then I replied silently.
"I'm going to fight like a starving girl." I said
"Ah, you finally get it. It's about time you leveled up from regular old battle strategies. It's been a real pain watching you scrabble. Anybody can fight, but for me, it's like nibbling at a single crumbs from the warm old bread. Far from gluttonous."
I made sure to stay downwind of the goblins and readied my blood bow. My target was the remaining zvart archers, I was focused on them so that I couldn't raise suspicion from the goblin king. The blood arrow pierced its eye with unparalleled accuracy.
"Nice hit, Roxy."
I released a second and third arrow at the zvarts archers, killing them in the process until there were none left. The goblins fell into disarray as they realized they were no longer safe. They knew my location.
However, the goblin king let out a loud roar that echoed through the caves to silence them. It had determined my location, as it barked orders to the surrounding goblins. As I expected, even though the goblin king was viciously strong, it was also exceedingly cautious. Its personality had been evident from the scouting parties it sent earlier.
The goblin king stood in place, unmoving and stood still, like a participant who played red light green light. The goblin king roared as it sent two zvart warriors and then five goblin fighters to the area in which I hid.
"They're coming. Time to get moving."
"Yeah."
I silently retreated deeper into the rocks. I proceeded until I found a boulder and hid in its shadow. I knew they would find me, they would have no trouble following my scent. But I needed that, I needed them to find me. I needed them to take the bait.
"Come to me goblins. Follow the scent to your prize."
"They're here, Roxy."
I peeked my head out from behind the rock and analyzed a sinewy, muscular goblin fighter with inspection.
Zvarts Fighter
Skills: Mana Boost (Level 1)
Vitality: 3200
Strength: 3000
Defense: 2300
Agility: 1200
Mana: 5000
I beat them in terms of strength and vitality, but only a little. That meant that the goblin and I were on the same level. I pulled the bowstring as I charged my attack as the goblin started approaching like crazy.
The goblins surrounded the large boulder where I hid, and as they did, the first strike was mine. I leaped up onto the boulder, letting loose multiple shots from the blood bow. More than five arrows were shot in their heads. None of them should escape. The goblins tried to run for cover, but the blood arrows chased them down. Every arrow hit its mark. All five goblin fighters died in their attempt to corner me.
I learned from my past battle between peak-level beasts from my early adventuring days. Both the spider queen and the chimera, all of them function as bosses. Peak-level beasts are considered high level threats for us normal adventurers; only high-ranked or even a luminous knight can defeat those beasts. And here I am, a gold-ranked adventurer fighting these beasts all by myself.
Only two zvarts fighters remained. I transformed my blood bow into the shape of a crimson sword. I beat them in terms of stats now, but the difference wasn't profound. If I could take one out while they reeled in dismay and the loss of goblins, the second one would be easy.
"You can't get out of here alive. You damn goblins."
I jumped from the boulder while raising my blood sword high. The nearest zvart fighter, coming back its senses, brought its huge axe down in a swipe, aiming to shred me into pieces with its sharp edge. Yet, I dodged it and barely grazed on my dress.
I evaded the strike and lunged forward, cutting the beast's trunk-like body into two. Blood sprayed into the air as the goblin's torso slid in half to the ground.
With the use of my sharp and long fangs, I was able to drain the goblin's body quickly as expected, recovering both my mana and health at the same time. As well as my progress from my blood curse.
[Drain Activated Extraction Completed consumed three liters of blood]
With my recovered mana, beating the remaining zvart fighter would be a cakewalk. To me, the monster was now no different than a goblin, and just as easy to hunt.
Instinctively sensing a change in my bloodthirsty aura, the zvart fighter creeping backward, keeping distance between us. Then it turned in the opposite direction and broke into a sprint, running on all fours. No doubt it meant to go crying to the goblin king for help.
"Roxy, don't let it get away." Plasma said
"I won't."
I transformed my blood sword into a bow and fired several arrows at the zvart fighter. Its ears whipped as it ran. The blood arrow pierced the back of the zvart's head one after another, ending its life before it had a chance to make a sound.
While I killed the goblin easily as expected, a loud noise was echoing through the ravine. It wasn't a roar or any kind of signal. It was different.
"Human, as long as you enter my domain, you will never make it out alive."
Huh? The goblin king can talk. The only beasts that can speak fluently are demi-humans and beastfolk. And yet, I was surprised that these peak-level beasts can talk fluently. And dared to test me instead.
"Rising goblins, kill that knave!"
The goblin king sent out three goblins heading straight though my way. At the same time, I drank the blood of the zvart I just killed. There was no time to extract their hearts, my life was on the line.
The goblins were still at ready, now in a battle formation surrounding their leader. The goblins king was nothing if not wary.
I pulled the string of the black bow and released a blood arrow. It twisted and turned as it sped through the boulders and rocks, ignoring the goblins rushing at me as it neared in the middle of the formation.
But just as it was about to sink at the king's neck, it stopped. The goblin king caught the arrow in its bare hand.
"Huh? How is that even…?" I gulped and sweat rolled down my dress.
Then the goblin king responded in a grin.
"Huh, puny human. Your skills don't work on me, knave."
The goblin king caught the arrow mid-flight, not normal you see everyday. Then, the goblin king threw the blood arrow back at me. Following and redirecting its path toward me. Targeting my very own blood arrow through me.
"Shit! That sly beast."
In a split second, I transformed my bow into a sword and deflected the blood arrow that was pointing at me. Worse, it was my very own arrow, it still possessed homing capabilities and was targeting straight at me. If I didn't dodge that, I would've been dead.
After that, several goblins attacked me one by one. Holding their weapons and bartering me in the process, the three goblins that the goblins king summoned were elite-type combatants.
The goblin sliced the lantern through my thigh in half, the lantern exploded and released tar that spread, sending searing flames at the goblin. Sensing this opportunity, I counterattacked it and thus landed a strike from the goblin's head.
The lantern was a distraction from my opening attack, as they were about to be engulfed by the searing flames of tar, I transformed back to my blood bow and directly shot at the goblin's head. Piercing straight to its mouth with the help of my aim-assist arrows.
As I killed the goblins in one go, I hid at the boulder once again to recover from my injuries. I drank the goblin's blood to fully regenerate both my health and mana at the same time, with the risk of lightheadedness, I decided to check my mana meter to view my current mana.
Mana Meter 3480/9100
I barely still have mana left, when it reaches the lowest point of my mana, my body will weaken. So I decided to drink enough blood to restore my energy to fight.
"Where's that girl? Soldiers, find that brown haired girl and kill her!"
Suddenly, the goblin king deployed five of his best soldiers and began searching through the ravine. All of them are goblin fighters, and they are skilled in swordsmanship, even better than mine.
While the goblins were searching my location. I remained hidden at the boulder and began drinking blood from the dead goblins. My mana was about to recover when I consumed at least six goblins in a full minute. I sensed that my stats were drastically rising and the results were the same.
[Drain Activated Extraction Completed consumed 27 liters of blood]
After I drank at least 27 liters of goblin's blood, I used Inspect to view my mana meter.
Mana Meter 9100/9100
It is full, both my stamina and my mana was fully recovered. Now I can fight properly without risking my life.
I sensed footprints that were approaching at the boulder where I hid. It was getting closer. Luckily, I drank at least six goblins at a time, now I was prepared and ready at the same time.
As the goblin reappeared its vision, I immediately pulled the bowstring and shot the goblin's head at blank-range. Other goblins heard and responded to my location.
"Soldiers, the brown-haired lady is in that boulder."