From what I've seen since the first time they entered, Max and Mav aren't primarily warriors, unlike Cali who is almost certainly Anna's bodyguard. But they still have the potential to be, even possessing a "warrior instinct" similar to Connor's "hunter instinct."
Therefore, even while focused on the hobgoblin warrior, both still sensed a threat coming from behind. Before the shockwave hit them, they separated, but since it was at the last second, they couldn't escape the full impact of the attack.
Both ended up on the ground, giving both the sorcerer and the warrior an opportunity to attack. The warrior focused on Max, while the sorcerer focused on Mav.
With the two separated, they couldn't rely on their almost supernatural brothers synergy, being forced to adapt to fighting outside their comfort zones.
Max had to deal with an opponent who, if given the slightest opening, could break through his defense and cause very serious damage (the biggest counter to a shield user is always a barbarian with at least 3 rage based attacks, that's undeniable). And Mav had to contend with long-range attacks that could kill him just as easily as the goblin warrior's merciless blows.
The positive point for them was that the goblins could no longer count on each other's help.
The warrior could no longer attack so recklessly (although I'm sure he will) since he no longer had the sorcerer's recovery. And the sorcerer would have to better manage his mana since Mav wouldn't let him enter a meditative state to recover mana.
'Complicated, but not too much. Actually, things are quite balanced.'
Right after landing, Grumpy turned to Connor, attempting another slash, this time a diagonal one from top to bottom. The young hunter, anticipating this, stood up with a roll to the side, drawing an arrow and firing it at the hobgoblin's eye.
Not having time to use his sword as a shield again, Grumpy could only try to protect his eye with his hand. The same hand that Diem had hit earlier when he had almost killed Connor.
Taking advantage of the opening, Connor increased the distance and used his [quick shot] to send five more arrows at the hobgoblin.
One hit near Grumpy's right shoulder, another lodged loosely in his left thigh, and a third managed to hit him right in the middle of his stomach. But it couldn't penetrate his leather armor with iron plates.
And where did the other two arrows go?
Helping whoever needed it, obviously, in this case Mav. Every time he tried to get close to the goblin sorcerer, he retreated and attacked with fireballs, forcing Mav to dodge to avoid being hit, or even accept the attack so it wouldn't end up hitting Max, who was busy with the warrior, or even the girls.
With an attack coming from elsewhere, the goblin sorcerer had to make a hasty and poorly executed dodge, giving Mav the opportunity to get close enough to show the destructive power his greatsword could unleash.
It couldn't have lasted 10 seconds before the darker-haired twin managed to land a decisive blow, despite the attempts of the sorcerer to use the recovery on himself.
[Elite monster, goblin sorcerer (liutenent 2), was killed.]
[Recovered 100 DP, 200 EP]
"More than I thought, considering how much I got after losing (unfortunately permanently) the goblin shaman/necromancer. And with all the monsters and challengers eliminated so far (including the unwanted ones). I must have gathered over 1000 DP and a little over 3000 EP. It won't be long before I level up."
[Correct, if everything goes as planned, after this expedition you will be ready to create the third floor.]
"It's about time, I only have a few more days to unleash the stampede and complete this God's mission."
[Name: Kaio
Race: Dungeon (development)
Level: 2
Dungeon Points: 3,820
Energy Points: 6,280
Floors: 2
Unique Monsters: 2
Area of Influence: 50 Acres (1st Floor), 100 Acres (2nd Floor)
Experience Points: 1,460/5,000]
Yeah, I think when I convert the Energy Points to experience I should have enough to level up. Well, that's for later, now back to focusing on the fight.
Still, the force of the arrows made Grumpy stagger backward for the first time since... Actually, I think that's the first time I've seen him stagger like that; he didn't even stagger when he did training fights with Poh (once a week, near the entrance to the second floor, where no challenger could see them).
"He really put his anger into that attack, huh?"
[That's what it looks like.]
With the successful attack, Connor immediately went for the strike that, even if it didn't kill, would certainly seriously injure Grumpy. Sensing the danger, my monster ripped the arrow from his hand and shoulder with his teeth and prepared to face the attack.
Why not dodge?.
Try running after taking a ball to your thigh, now imagine having a piece of wood with an iron tip in its place.
Connor charged his arrow with mana and was ready to fire when he noticed a silver flash approaching his head too quickly. Startled, he couldn't control the attack and instead of using a supercharged plasma shot, he fired a normal arrow.
But I doubt that mattered to him at the moment. The instant his head was about to be impaled, another silver flash appeared in the middle and deflected the first. At that moment he could see that both flashes were spears, one short and the other slightly longer.
He raised his face in time to see the goblin who had thrown the spear at him being hurled from his wolf by Cali in a (relatively speaking) atypical fit of rage. And Anna, frozen in the throwing pose, was slightly speechless with a somewhat atomic look.
"Do you think she's like this because Connor was almost, almost killed, or because her body reacted before she could process what had happened?"
[I believe it was the second, but the first must have been a crucial factor as well.]
'Hmm, considering it was to save a friend, I won't criticize. But they would be very naive if they think the goblins won't use this opportunity.'
No sooner said, and….
With a clear opening, the goblin knight moved away slightly and immediately returned at a gallop with his white wolf towards Anna, while Cali was busy tearing apart the goblin who had thrown the spear. As she felt the goblin knight pass by her, Cali turned and used one of the skills she had learned at the Temple of the Stone Fist, [Air fist].
Basically, it would be sending a shockwave in the shape of a fist through the air, an unarmed version of the flying slashes that knights and Grumpy apparently love to use. With the strike, Cali managed to prevent the goblin knight from reaching Anna, hitting the joint of one of the white wolf's paws.
However, the wolfless goblin, who had slipped away unnoticed, was already close enough to launch as many attacks as he wanted against a defenseless and unarmed target. Certain death.
That is, IF Anna were defenseless or unarmed.
As soon as the goblin leaped towards Anna with a semi-rusted iron dagger, she took a delicate step to the side and drew a long knife from the sheath at her waist.
Without the slightest mercy, she slashed the goblin's neck in a single blow. No, actually, she practically decapitated him in one blow. A quick, precise, even elegant strike, despite the size of the knife.
'Even more so because it looked more like a machete. Literally. It looked more like a sword in Anna's hands.'
[Name: Raptor Machete
Grade: Rare
Attack: 25
Durability: 100/100
Ability: Jungle Combat +3
Description: The dagger used by Major Alan "Dutch" Schaefer and his team during a secret mission in Central America. Also called Dutch's knife, it is a large and robust weapon designed for use in dense jungle combat and survival situations.]
'If anyone still doubted that Anna is most likely to have the Halo of protagonism, here's more proof.'
'This drop had a small, minuscule, infinitesimal chance of appearing after eliminating an ambush goblin. I thought it would be funny since it would act somewhat like the Predator to a certain extent. Honestly, I didn't think anyone would get this in the first few years, maybe after a decade.'
'But already in the first year?!!!!!'