Translator: CinderTL
Galvis's decision to choose Roland as the subject of his lesson wasn't made on a whim.
As a bard who had traveled the continent for many years, Galvis had encountered countless young people with exceptional talent.
But these individuals were either arrogant, scoffing at his suggestions, or they became complacent, reveling in their natural gifts and ultimately neglecting their training.
Roland, however, stood out like a clear stream among these prodigies.
He was humble and gentle in his interactions, even when Galvis persistently pressed him with questions. At most, Roland would simply change the subject with a helpless sigh, never resorting to harsh words.
Moreover, this young man had not only mastered exquisite combat techniques at a young age but had also successfully cultivated the Knight's Breathing Technique in just a few days. Now, he could even wield Battle Qi with skill.
Most remarkably, despite his extraordinary talent, he maintained an almost fanatical discipline, dedicating nearly all his time to honing his skills and improving his strength.
Galvis often wondered, "Isn't this young man the perfect protagonist?"
But unlike Galvis, whose motives were pure, Avril was an entirely different matter.
The thought of that dangerous woman—the one who had betrayed the elven race and embarked on a life of flight—sent a shiver down Galvis's spine.
Though rumors of this woman's collusion with the Drow Elves remained unconfirmed, her combat record against subterranean creatures spoke for itself.
She was no innocent maiden, but a decisive and ruthless warrior.
So what was her true motive for approaching Roland under a false identity?
"It can't be that she's genuinely fallen for Roland's handsome face, can it?" Galvis muttered to himself, then immediately dismissed the absurd thought.
He simply couldn't reconcile the image of the Silver Moon Guard's cold and merciless valkyrie with that of a girl in love.
"Never mind," the bard said, shaking his head. He picked up his quill again and continued recording the inspiration he'd gathered over the past month.
"As Roland said, Avril hasn't shown any malice so far. As for the Bear Goblin hunt..."
Recalling the vicious creature described in ancient texts, Galvis showed no fear.
"If things get dangerous and Avril still needs to maintain her disguise, I'll step in. I can't let the protagonist of my story die silently in this backwater."
As the quill scratched across the parchment, the details of their journey flowed smoothly onto the page.
As Galvis flipped through his increasingly thick notebook, a satisfied smile spread across his face.
"Ha! Choosing Roland as the protagonist was truly wise!" he muttered excitedly to himself. "Give him a little more time, and even that Rudolph from Teacher Vesna's stories will surely be surpassed by Roland!"
"After all, how can a figure who mysteriously vanished into the annals of history compare to a living legend?"
The bard's lips curled upward unconsciously as he imagined the praise he might receive upon completing his assignment.
While the bard was lost in his rosy future fantasies, Theresa and Avril had already completed their respective tasks with astonishing efficiency.
Just a day later, the four of them were gathered once more around the inn's wooden table.
The flickering candlelight cast dancing shadows across the rough surface as Theresa slowly unfolded a yellowed parchment. Her fingertip traced the grotesque outline sketched in charcoal.
"According to information provided by the Adventurer's Guild," she said, her voice low and grave, her fingertip gliding across the paper, "a Bear Goblin stands as tall as two adult men stacked on top of each other, with shoulders wider than the tavern's doorway."
She paused, allowing the terrifying image to solidify in everyone's minds.
"Its strength is enough to tear through iron armor with its bare hands, yet its speed is so swift it can walk on fallen leaves without a sound. But what makes it truly dangerous is its intelligence."
Her finger traced a passage in the ancient text, her voice dropping even lower.
"It knows how to set traps, chooses the most opportune moments to strike, and, most troublesome of all, will not hesitate to flee if it senses the tide turning against it. It will then lurk in the shadows like a ghost, waiting for its next chance at revenge."
Theresa scanned the room, speaking each word deliberately.
"Conservatively speaking, it would take at least three to five exceptional warriors, working in perfect coordination, to even have a chance of killing it—and that's assuming it doesn't try to escape."
"Don't worry about that," Avril interjected suddenly, her light tone perfectly breaking the heavy atmosphere.
Her slender fingertip traced a smooth circle on the table.
"I've scouted the terrain of Echo Valley."
The elf girl's silver hair swayed slightly as she winked playfully.
"While the valley is riddled with caves and winding paths, all the exits are still within its confines."
A confident smile curved her lips.
"As long as we block the only exit from Echo Valley, it will have no choice but to confront us directly. Oh, right," Avril added, as if suddenly remembering something. "It seems that because of the Bear Goblin's arrival, all the demonic beasts that originally inhabited Echo Valley have vanished without a trace."
"That's good news," Roland nodded lightly. While those ordinary demonic beasts posed no real threat to them, their absence would certainly prevent unnecessary complications.
His slender fingers tapped rhythmically on the table as he quickly processed the information Avril and Theresa had brought. After a moment of thought, he picked up his quill and circled the words "skilled in ambush" on the parchment Theresa had provided.
"In that case," Roland said, setting down the quill, his voice steady and resolute, "we'll strike during the day. We'll use smoke to flush it out of its cave and force it to engage us in open combat."
His gaze swept over each of his companions. "The battle formation remains the same: Theresa and I will handle close combat, while Avril and Galvis provide ranged support. Any objections?"
Seeing everyone nod in agreement, Roland further refined the action plan.
At dawn the next day, the four of them set off for Echo Valley in a horse-drawn carriage.
As Avril had said, the former demonic beast gathering ground was now eerily silent.
In the blinding light of the rising sun, Roland gripped his sword hilt tightly and led the team cautiously into the valley.
After passing through the narrow valley entrance, the scene suddenly opened up.
Surrounded by towering mountains, a vast clearing stretched before them.
Scattered across the surrounding cliffs were several massive cave entrances and dozens of smaller holes.
After confirming the area was safe, Roland issued a low command.
Soon, several piles of firewood were set ablaze at the main cave entrances, and thick smoke began to billow into the depths.
As time ticked by, and smoke began to seep from the smaller holes, a dull, thunderous boom suddenly echoed through the valley.
Everyone turned to look, and a colossal figure shot out of one of the caves like lightning.
With barely a pause, a sharp whistling sound filled the air as the figure materialized before Roland, who stood at the front of the group.
The creature's weapon transformed into a black bolt of lightning, descending with terrifying force.
Roland, who had been prepared for this attack, reacted swiftly. He raised his fine iron round shield, which firmly blocked the shadow's brutal strike.
Clang!
The piercing sound of metal colliding echoed through the valley.
Roland frowned, his arm holding the shield tingling with numbness. He could even feel a faint stinging sensation in his fingertips.
What truly shocked him was that after just one exchange, the fine iron shield's surface already bore a noticeable dent.
"Such immense strength..."
While his mind raced, Roland's movements never faltered.
His Mithril Longsword flashed silver in the air, whistling through the air as it aimed for the creature's vital points.
But the shadow was cunning.
Seeing its surprise attack fail, it pressed its heavy weapon down hard on the shield. Using the recoil, its massive body retreated with the lightness of a feather.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
Almost simultaneously, three feathered arrows pierced through the air, burying themselves deep in the ground where the shadow had just stood. Their fletching still trembled violently.
"Roar!"
Amidst the deafening roar, Roland cautiously lowered his shield and narrowed his eyes to examine the enemy before him.
Just as Theresa's drawing had depicted, the demonic beast was massive, its muscles knotted and bulging—clearly their target for this expedition.
A Bear Goblin.
But up close, its appearance bore little resemblance to a bear. Its grotesque face was more like a terrifying fusion of an orc and a goblin.
Thick fur covered its brown skin, protruding tusks gleamed yellow, and a pair of crimson eyes flashed with cunning and cruelty.
Even as the Bear Goblin's roar still echoed through the valley, the battle erupted once more.
Theresa struck first.
Like a silver lightning bolt, she sliced into the fray, her slender sword transforming into a storm of icy glints that pierced precisely into the Bear Goblin's joint crevices.
A rapid series of "clink-clink-clink" rang out, but the sword's tip could only leave shallow white marks on the rough hide.
"Its hide is tougher than iron armor!" Theresa shouted as she retreated, her wrist numb from the recoil.
Just as the Bear Goblin clawed toward Theresa, three sharp arrows shot in a triangular formation.
Avril stood on the cliff face, her bowstring still vibrating.
The arrows were aimed with deadly precision at its eye sockets, throat, and knee joints, forcing the Bear Goblin to roar and withdraw its attack.
As the Bear Goblin prepared to strike again, Galvis's song suddenly pierced the battlefield.
His fingertips traced rippling waves of sound across the harp strings, and the Bear Goblin's movements visibly froze for a moment.
"Now!"
With a low growl, Roland's sword struck like a venomous viper, the mithril tip erupting in blinding light.
With a sharp "slish," the blade finally tore through the thick fur, opening a deep, bone-deep wound along the Bear Goblin's ribs.
Foul-smelling blood gushed out, yet the Bear Goblin let out a strange, maniacal laugh.
It whirled around and lunged toward the valley entrance—the only escape route.
"Not a chance!"
Roland had already planted his sword across the path.
Sword and shield clashed, sending sparks flying. The gravel beneath their feet instantly turned to dust.
With its retreat completely blocked, the Bear Goblin suddenly froze.
The blood flowing from its wound began to mysteriously evaporate into a crimson mist, and its brown skin rapidly turned a molten, lava-like red.
(End of the Chapter)
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