The messenger didn't slow down even as he rode out of the city. People recoiled in shock, and I think the guards shouted something at the gate, but who knows if that was okay.
Du-du-du-du.
In any case, we passed through the gate, crossed the bridge, and plunged into the forest. The sun had long since set, leaving the surroundings pitch black.
Click.
I glanced at the messenger's flickering torch ahead and pulled up the full map again.
Judging by the position marker on the full map, we still had quite a distance to go. Probably about one-and-a-half times the distance from the caravan to the city gates.
Ah, not telling me the survivor count is making me so anxious. What if we arrive and they're all dead?
I furrowed my brow in unease, then wondered if I could push the horse faster.
I didn't need the light source since I had my own lantern. What about the horse itself? My gut kept telling me it could handle more speed.
After some hesitation, I leaned forward low and signaled the horse. The jolting from its rear intensified, but it wasn't enough to throw off my rhythm.
"Whoa?!"
My horse overtook the messenger's and surged ahead. The horse might suffer a bit, but on the way back, I wouldn't need to push it this hard, so I hoped it could hold out.
The messenger tried to keep up behind me, but our horses were on different levels, and the gap widened steadily.
Du-du-du.
Just as I started worrying the horse might start foaming at the mouth, we neared the marked spot on the map.
Even amid the galloping hooves, I could hear the clash of metal and the goblins' squeals.
Torches from the fighters came into view. Lights signaling survivors still held out.
"Victory to my sword..."
I reflexively started a prayer, then had a brief dilemma. Should I stop the horse and join on foot? Could I manage mounted combat?
"Glory to the heavens above!"
Screw it, mounted combat it is! The horse won't die anyway!
"Reinforcements!"
"Reinforcements?!"
The caravan fighters spotted me just as I charged into their midst.
My blade cleaved three goblins at once, and the horse trampled two more, crushing their skulls.
"Die, you filthy pests!"
That's when I realized it. Mounted combat was impossible.
"Wh-what?!"
"One person?!"
"But reinforcements came!"
"Can we survive?!"
Controlling a speeding horse with just my legs was tough enough, let alone swinging a sword to split tiny goblins.
And this was the dead of night. Fires dotted the area, but visibility was still far worse than daytime.
I'd get the hang of it with practice, but this wasn't the timing for it.
"Tch."
The moment I decided that, I hurled my two-hander at a goblin and leaped off the horse.
Jumping from a horse at full gallop should hurt like hell, but this was a game.
My body landed atop a pile of goblin corpses.
Thud!
I rolled with the fall, taking minor blunt damage as I tumbled across the ground. HP dropped a bit, but no status ailments. Good enough.
I yanked the two-hander from the goblin's head impaled on it and swung. Two nearby goblins were bisected.
A quick check showed my horse had bolted through the battlefield and vanished into the distance.
「❖ People in Danger
∎ Reach the combat zone
∎ Eliminate attackers 8 / ??
∎ Bonus: Survivors 30 / 52」
Good. It shows the numbers now that I'm here.
I scanned the battlefield quickly, spotting the danger zones while cutting down goblins lunging at me as a matter of course.
Fifteen wagons, people fighting from the torn roofs. Horses barely alive or collapsed. Goblins swarming from all sides.
Were those things tearing at corpses among the goblins wolves?
「Hyena│Cunning beasts that hunt in packs. Hyenas tamed by demons are even fiercer and tougher.」
The popup clarified they were hyenas, not wolves. Not a big deal.
"You've done quite the deed..."
I feigned hatred while thinking fast.
Ignore the wagons and goods—they weren't my concern. Skip the clusters of people too; they seemed fine holding their own.
That left my first target clear.
Slash!
I dashed to the front line and swung my two-hander.
Goblins clutched rusty daggers in bony limbs, hyenas lunged to rake me, but none of it mattered. One hit each.
"Watch the ground—!"
Thud!
Sweeping the right side of the lined-up wagons, one wheel jolted slightly, and the earth dipped.
If not for the nearby torchbearer, I'd have missed it.
"...?!"
It was right where I'd step next, catching me off guard. But I was good at hiding surprise, and it didn't freeze my brain.
I calmly shifted my foot elsewhere and thrust the blade into the center of the raised earth.
Crunch!
Something firm yet squishy caught on the edge.
「Intestine Worm│A demon burrowing underground with a body like sheep intestines. It hunts prey with paralyzing venom from its teeth.」
A glance showed my sword buried in a head like a mealworm bloated hundreds of times over.
No wonder everyone climbed the wagons—this thing explained it. The heavy casualties were likely from its paralytic venom.
From then on, I watched my step while continuing the slaughter. With everyone on the wagons, I had free swinging room—much easier.
The corpse piles from their goblin kills doubled in height.
Squelch! The crushed intestine worm under my boot was a bonus.
"Wh-what is that...?"
"A monster..."
Screech.
Screeech!
As I tore through them, I spotted one goblin in a distinct hue.
The hobgoblin from the sewers. Hidden by wagon shadows and night, I'd mistaken it for a regular one.
Jackpot.
Screech?!
The hobgoblin raised its staff. Black light flowed to nearby goblins.
Seemed like a buff. Can't miss that. Supports and healers first.
"I'll rip you apart...!"
I bolted the instant I saw it.
Goblins tried to block, but I handled them fine.
「Survival Instinct│A seasoned warrior must fend for themselves on the battlefield, so it suggests paths to dodge attacks.
Effect: Displays 1 evasion route
Cooldown: 60 seconds」
I activated a skill from my level-up.
A translucent arrow appeared, showing the path minimizing hits.
Not what it was meant for, but a handy trick.
I immediately stepped onto a wagon side and leaped. The cargo kept it from tipping.
Tap-tap-tap!
I traversed two wagons along the narrow side rail and railing top. The hobgoblin was right there now.
Screeech!!!
Goblins leaped from the wagons, claws digging in. The pain and weight were bearable.
I gripped my sword tight and slashed upward. The goblins sacrificing as meat shields flew apart, and as I readjusted, I reverse-gripped and smashed down mid-air.
Crack!
Hobgoblins doomed to impalement again. This time, the blade pierced its throat instead of head.
Splurt!
The awkward angle meant a swing to split it was extra.
Scraaape.
From throat to arm, out the armpit, scraping ground before embedding in another goblin.
At the same time, I released the hilt and shook off clinging goblins and worms.
HP took a hit, plus some paralytic buildup. Still safe, but a few more bites would be risky.
Thump.
I hurled the hand-goblins and drew my longsword left-handed. Right hand still peeled off demons from limbs and back.
Screech!!
Boss dead, yet these stayed calm.
Narrowing my eyes at the unfazed goblins, I spotted my miss.
My side of the wagon had only goblins and worms, but the left had one hobgoblin left.
Draw failed.
"Argh!"
Then an NPC's ankle got bit by a worm as he fell from the wagon.
"Tch."
I grimaced dramatically and threw the longsword. No throwing bonus, so it missed the spot slightly, but enough.
The goblin approaching the falling NPC halted, impaled.
Shunk.
Meanwhile, I snatched my two-hander and charged. Fewer goblins now—easier than before.
"Die...!"
Max reach: gripped the tip, smashed top-down.
Boom!
Two goblins aiming past the longsword for the NPC split crown to crotch.
"Eek!"
"Pull him up!"
"Grab him quick!"
"Get that arm!"
The near-dead NPC panicked; others yanked him aboard, sprawling him on goods.
Screech, squeak!
He was safe. Now the last hobgoblin.
Path aligned—lucky. I recovered the longsword with a side swing. A leaping goblin's head rolled off.
Thud.
The longsword that halved it sheathed at my waist. Damn, that was cool even by my standards.
Scraaape.
My one-handed two-hander scraped ground before two-handed lift. Tap-tap-tap. Boots crushed goblin corpses.
Screeeeech!!!
End of my charge. The hobgoblin sensed doom and summoned goblins before it.
But I didn't slow. My two-hander leveled horizontally ahead, blade a meter long.
Crunch!
Shoulder-deep in two goblins, I pierced three more and the hobgoblin's heart.
Screeg!
Squeak!!
"D-dead..."
"The demons..."
Goblins panicked, fleeing every which way.
Snick.
I drew my bloodied longsword, lopped the hobgoblin's head—just in case—and chased down runners. Goblins clutching corpse rags or hopping in terror bolted into the forest.
"Running...?!"
Chase and tear them too? Or help survivors? Fits the concept?
Ptoo.
I spat bloody goblin flesh—battle hazard in this hyper-real game—and drew my neglected two-hander.
Survivors stuck at 27.
"W-we lived..."
"Gods, thank you..."
"Who is he...?"
Oh, right—mercenaries. Didn't the caravan send separate mercs?
If my memory served, yes. But when? Messenger seemed to link up with my escaped horse fine.
"Arghhh!"
Whatever. Mercs or not, chasing fits my concept. As I stepped, a shrill scream hit.
"Demonic corruption!"
"N-no antidote?!"
"We have sedatives...!"
Then a game mechanic clicked.
「Demonic Corruption│Those attacked by demons have a chance of corruption.
Higher levels apply various status ailments; severe cases turn demonic.」
In the original, damage from demons built it by chance. 10% increments for ailments?
Manageable though. Temple potions or purification fixed it.
Crucially, Demon Knight ignored it. Arm demon meant zero buildup!
"Here."
"Pardon?"
Anyway, I had the antidote.
Starter item for all classes. Useless for Demon Knight, yet given.
「Demonic Antidote│Purifies internal demonic energy. Suppresses demon-induced madness, grants temporary calm.」
Tossed a vial. Ten pills per set—should last.
"This... th-thank you!"
"Antidote?!"
Pricey item, slight pang, but their lifelike NPC faces felt rewarding.
Yeah, save some NPCs with useless junk.
Plus, losing family to demons and corrupted? He wouldn't ignore it. Perfect character fit.
"Any bandages?!"
"Damn, low on sedatives..."
"Is that all the antidote?!"
"That's all he gave."
"Damn..."
Seemed they needed more.
I hesitated, turning from the forest toward the wagons.
Crunch. My sword grated leather glove into back scabbard.
Clink.
"This?!"
"Use it."
Tossed another antidote vial for numbers, offered starter bandages to the bandaged guy.
Starter gear overload? Meant for this, huh.
"Th-thank you!"
All game-provided, no thanks needed. Bill the old man later?
Game too polished—unclear.
Du-du-du-du.
"Ah, reinforcements!"
Just then, caravan mercs approached— their torches visible afar.
Quest complete.
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