[SSS-Rank Quest: Holy War
Quest Objective: Slay the Demon King (0/1)
Recommended Participants: 100+
This quest carries a very high probability of causing the host's demise. Please confirm if you wish to proceed?
Confirm / Confirm ]
There was no turning back!
More accurately, having progressed this far, was there any reason left to retreat?
"Confirm."
...
[Sword Hero: Anyi · Carl (Deceased)
Slayer: Demon King
Cause of Death: Sustained eight fatal injuries ]
...
Anyi was dead.
His demise was sudden.
Facing an existence that dwarfed the entire world, he swung his final sword—unsure if it even connected—but he was dead regardless.
Even now, recalling that world-shattering Demon King sent shivers down his spine. Could merely 100+ Heroes truly defeat such a being?
As for why he said "even now, recalling," that was because…
Anyi had been reborn.
His rebirth was also sudden.
The moment the Demon King ended him, his vision went completely black. When he opened his eyes again, he saw the faces of his long-deceased parents.
Young Anyi cried inconsolably until he was swiftly quieted by his mother's pacifier.
In an instant, that memory placed him eighteen years in the past.
"Clang!"
In the training ground, a wooden sword flew out, ultimately clattering onto the ground.
"Hoo-hoo!"
The instructor uncle whose wooden sword had been struck away looked at the black-haired youth, clad in simple armor, with genuine surprise.
"So young, yet this swordsmanship is truly impressive!" the uncle exclaimed with a startled smile.
"Of course, he's my son!"
A burly man walked over from the side, proudly throwing an arm around Anyi's shoulder.
He was Anyi's father, Assel · Carl.
"My son is the genius of the village! The most talented swordsman among our younger generation!"
"The certification, may I have it?" Anyi asked with an expressionless tone.
"You certainly can! Of course, you can!"
The test administrator uncle scrambled up from the ground, busily scribbling on a nearby table, finally grabbing a stamp and pressing it onto a card, which he then handed to Anyi.
"Alright, this is your Demon Hunter certification. From today onwards, you are a Demon Hunter."
Anyi accepted it: "Thank you."
With that, he pulled Assel's hand away and turned to leave.
Assel had grown accustomed to his son's cold demeanor. He watched him for a moment, then turned back to the administrator, chuckling, "Anyi has always been like this since he was little; he just doesn't like to talk, ha ha ha..."
"No problem, no problem, geniuses are always a little eccentric!"
"Ha ha ha ha––"
Outside the gate.
Anyi stood before the Demon Hunter main gate, looking at the card in his hand.
「The handwriting is truly atrocious,」 he thought to himself.
Regarding his father's statement just now, he wished to correct two points.
First, he was not merely the most talented genius among the village's young generation.
He was the strongest swordsman in the entire world.
Whether using a single-handed sword, two-handed sword, longsword, short sword, greatsword, or colossal sword—all weapons classified as swords—he had cultivated them to max-level proficiency.
In this world, there existed no swordsman stronger than him.
Because he was the [Sword Hero].
The second point he wished to correct was that he didn't dislike talking.
He simply refused to utter words devoid of meaning.
"Hey! Lad!" Assel clapped Anyi on the back from behind, "What's this sudden urge? Decided to get a Demon Hunter license today?
Could it be that you've been reading too many hero tales and want to go out and make a name for yourself hunting demons?
With your talent, I believe you possess the qualifications for an initial excursion, but—you still need more training!
Once you're as formidable as your old man, then go out and explore!"
"But you haven't been able to defeat me since I turned ten," Anyi glanced at him.
"Ah." Assel's smile stiffened.
Anyi ignored him, tucking the card securely into his pocket.
In this world, without Authority, one could not legally wield lethal weaponry outside designated protected zones.
Even stepping one foot outside the village limits and drawing a sword would immediately result in an uncontrollable, severe headache.
Therefore...
[Demon Hunter Authority: When encountering demons, ignore location restrictions to gain the right to use weapons.]
In his prior existence, there was such a passage in the records concerning the Sword Hero––
––
[Event: The Birth of the Sword Hero.
Event Description:
"Demon Invasion: The Sunderland Village Catastrophe"
A common demon disaster, the earliest demons were spotted by a brother and sister collecting herbs.
The sister, in order to secure her brother's escape, became the first casualty of this catastrophe.
The miraculously surviving brother reported to the village, allowing for early defensive preparations.
Regrettably, by dawn, a large host of demons invaded the village. The settlement, possessing only a dozen warriors, could not withstand the demons despite early readiness.
By the time the catastrophe concluded, the entire village, save for that initial miraculously surviving young man, had perished without exception; none survived, all falling to the hands of demons.
That day marked the young man's eighteenth birthday.
That day, the boy was fundamentally changed.
That young man, that miraculously surviving swordsman, embarked on the path to vanquish the Demon King.]
––
In fact, this pivotal event occurred the day before Anyi's eighteenth birthday.
Which was today.
This afternoon, he and his sister were supposed to encounter demons together.
Tonight, the demons were slated to invade the village.
By daybreak, the village would be annihilated, transformed into Hell.
In his previous life, he was utterly helpless that night because...
Today, he was not yet the [Sword Hero].
The genesis of all Heroes began with the appearance of the very first Hero, the original Hero [Holy Hero].
In other words, as long as this [Holy Hero] had not manifested, Anyi would possess zero Hero capabilities.
No system, no attribute boosts, absolutely no special powers whatsoever.
The catastrophe was scheduled to begin this afternoon.
Yet, in Anyi's memory, the birth of the [Holy Hero] was slated for noon tomorrow.
"Anyi! Where did you go with Dad this morning? Didn't we agree we had to go collect herbs early today? If we delay now, we'll have to wait an extremely long time before we can pick them,"
Upon returning home, a maiden with twin braids, dressed in simple attire, stood at the doorway, hands planted firmly on her hips.
Annie · Carl, Anyi's sister, inheriting her mother's beauty, was a highly popular and stunning girl within the village.
"Can we just not go?" Anyi asked casually.
"Of course we must, some precious herbs—if we're a day late, we'll miss the window entirely," Annie replied, glancing at him as if he were utterly dense.
If they didn't go, nothing would happen, which sounded like paradise.
However, based on Anyi's memories of his past life, pivotal turning points seemed almost impossible for him to evade.
No... that didn't mean they couldn't be steered.
In his previous life, he was just an ordinary person transmigrated into this world. From the moment he crossed over into this game-like reality until he turned eighteen, he awakened the system, seemingly stepping right into a deep, vengeful storyline.
But in this life, armed with memories of his past life, he had displayed exceptionally strong swordsmanship talent from childhood, and his personality had also undergone a significant alteration. Some unavoidable events, while still occurring, yielded vastly different outcomes due to his current strength and resolve.
For example, in his previous life, he lost a crucial swordsmanship competition, which subsequently fueled his anger and drove him toward relentless training.
In this life, he won the competition outright, rising to become the unshakeable strongest among the village's younger generation, garnering immense admiration.
The hardships of his former life could be circumvented and entirely changed in this one!
What growth? What metamorphosis? All just needless nonsense!
In this life, he was determined to alter the outcome of the village's destruction. He wanted to...
Personally save his sister.
Personally save the village.
Personally slay those accursed demons who, in his previous life, caused him to die consumed by sheer hatred!
"Then... Sister."
In the depths of Anyi's usually placid eyes, a pitch-black fire ignited.
"Before we head out, change into lighter clothes and bring the demon-repelling potion."
...
[Class 1 Disaster: Goblin Invasion
Event Description:
An invasion by a small contingent of low-level monsters [Goblins], a common demonic hazard for village-level human settlements.
Even a novice, run-of-the-mill Hero can easily dispatch them with a simple 'squish.'
However, in known records, [Goblins] are cited as one of the demons responsible for the highest number of human casualties. Therefore, Lord Hero, please safeguard the ordinary populace around you.]
This was the description of a [Goblin Invasion] that Anyi had obtained from the system in his previous life. For those chosen as Heroes, a [Class 1 Disaster] was practically trivial—equivalent to stepping outside the newbie village entrance and crushing a few slimes just to harvest slime mucus.
Yet, for the ordinary citizens of this world, even the lowest-level Class 1 Disaster could bring complete ruin to a small village housing merely a few dozen permanent residents.
Every day, such minor settlements were destroyed by demons. If logged into a statistical database, it would only register as a cold "Death toll +1, +1, +1, +1."
But if demons actually besieged one's own village, that "+1, +1" would represent neighbors, and everything familiar would be utterly devastated.
In Anyi's memory, he would never forget everything that transpired during those brief few hours.
The once peaceful village that night transformed into a raging sea of fire. The demons rampaged and trampled; the weak villagers' resistance was utterly futile, torn apart in the monsters' savage assault.
The streets were choked with flickering flames and shattered corpses; the once green, earthen village now reeked of acrid smoke and sickening blood.
In that self-made purgatory, the demons, like devils freshly emerged from Hell, carried torches, brandished human heads and severed limbs, reducing everything to ashes and barren waste.
The village was eradicated.
His father perished, his mother perished, his sister perished.
The neighbor's child, the respected elders, the companions he grew up with, the warriors who had encouraged him—all were dead.
In the historical records concerning the [Sword Hero], it was very easy to misinterpret that he survived that night through his own inherent abilities.
In reality, it was only because after he discovered the demons and alerted the village, the nearest Demon Hunter squad arrived sluggishly late, managing only to save a few swordsmen, including Anyi, who had bravely fought until the very end.
However, those few Demon Hunters, barely skilled enough to qualify as cannon fodder, were insignificant beneath the prestige of the [Sword Hero], certainly not important enough to be etched into history.
As for the other two or three survivors, there was even less reason to record them.
"Anyi, Anyi...?"
At this moment, Annie's voice reached his ear, rousing Anyi from his deep immersion in memories.
"Hmm?" Anyi turned his head to look.
"What's wrong? I called you several times and you weren't paying attention to me. What are you contemplating? Could it be that you spotted a pretty girl in town?" Annie teased lightly.
"Sister is the prettiest girl I've seen today; I haven't seen anyone comparable in town," Anyi replied calmly.
"Ohh~ Anyi certainly knows how to charm them~" Annie nudged Anyi playfully with her shoulder, "If it were another girl, you'd surely captivate her completely."
"Is that so..." Anyi merely responded in a low tone.
His previous life had eyes focused solely on vengeance—an endless vendetta against all demons. To prevent further tragedies from unfolding, he had almost ceaselessly exterminated demons for ten straight years.
He had long since forgotten how many members of the opposite sex had expressed fondness for him—be they low-status, high-status, beautiful, plain, or even other female Heroes; he had rejected or ignored them all.
He possessed neither the time nor the inclination for tender affections.
"Tomorrow is your birthday, is there anything you desire?" Annie asked with a smile, though it was evident she was clumsily attempting small talk.
If she knew what her brother truly wanted, she could prepare it ahead of time!
Anyi: "I desire a peaceful world."
Annie: "..."
How on earth could she prepare that in advance?!
"What birthday gift should I get for Anyi? It's really quite the puzzle, you know..." Annie walked ahead with her herb basket strapped to her back, occasionally glancing back at Anyi, signaling frantically.
"You don't need to get me anything; there's nothing I truly want," Anyi stated indifferently.
"That simply won't do. Starting tomorrow, you'll officially be an adult, so we absolutely must celebrate properly," Annie turned around and lectured him seriously.
"...There's nothing worth celebrating." Anyi shifted his gaze from looking straight ahead, looking instead to the side, a flicker of complexity crossing his eyes.
"You are not permitted to say that! Anyi's birth is undeniably worth celebrating! You, you are exceptional in every regard; you're clearly the genius Swordsman of our village, so of course your birthday deserves a proper celebration!" Annie insisted.
"That I am a genius is merely a natural outcome."
Because he was the [Sword Hero].
"...Doesn't that sound incredibly strange coming from your own mouth...?"
"No, because in this world, there is no swordsman more of a genius than I am."
He was simply stating an established fact.
"...I take back my earlier comment about you being too modest. It's best not to be overly arrogant, okay? Isn't there a saying, 'Beyond the expert, there is always a greater expert; beyond the sky, there is always higher sky'? Perhaps there is a Swordsman out there even more brilliant than you."
"There won't be," Anyi stated calmly. "If there were a Swordsman more gifted than myself in this world, then this world would already be in grave peril."
"Sister is beginning to not follow your line of reasoning..." Annie's head was swimming with question marks.
Chatting intermittently along the way, after walking for several tens of minutes, the two finally arrived at the designated herb-gathering location.
Herb-gathering spots were usually fixed locations, often referred to as static spawn points.
However, the gathering process wouldn't be like a game where you just press 'F' or 'E' to complete it instantly. The specific botanical area, precise location, and required components all demanded time to survey and confirm, meaning the activity usually took several hours.
Coming back to full awareness, he realized it was already dusk.
The beautiful crimson glow of the setting sun filtered through the branches and leaves, dappling the forest floor. Under normal circumstances, it would undoubtedly be a pleasing and beautiful sight.
But in a forest frequented by magical beasts, that faint red light only heightened the sense of unease.
Darkness signaled unknown danger, and dusk signaled the imminent arrival of that danger.
At this moment, Annie was still completely engrossed in picking herbs, trying to finish collecting all the remaining ingredients, utterly oblivious to the encroaching peril.
Anyi, using boredom as an excuse, completed his pre-battle warm-up nearby.
As he had predicted, regardless of whether they left early or late, Annie would inevitably be busy collecting herbs until close to dusk.
And [Demon Invasion] events were characteristically scheduled to commence at night. Rather than suggesting the two were discovered by demons, it was more accurate to say they had simply positioned themselves directly in the path of the scheduled Demon Invasion.
Rustling sounds began to echo through the dense forest. The crucial time was drawing near.
Soon, the very event that led to Annie's tragic demise in his previous life was about to commence...
Rustle... rustle...
Annie finished gathering herbs and looked up at the sky.
Gazing at the red sunset through the canopy, she always felt something felt off.
What exactly was the anomaly?
She couldn't pinpoint it.
"Anyi!"
She called out to him from a short distance away.
"It's already so late; we need to head home!"
"Alright." Anyi nodded, glancing subtly around the periphery.
Rustle... rustle...
"Wait!"
Annie suddenly remembered something crucial. Her delicate brows furrowed as she looked around the surrounding woods.
"Anyi, do you perceive any sound?"
"I hear Sister's voice," Anyi feigned ignorance.
"No, it's not that! I mean... the ambient sounds around us!"
Annie closed her eyes, tilting her head to listen intently to the rustling nearby.
Rustle... rustle...
"Listen! It's that sound!" She suddenly opened her eyes, excitedly relaying this to Anyi.
At this moment, she finally recognized the strange feeling she'd had earlier. Looking up at the leaves, it was clear there was absolutely no wind.
Why was there a rustling of leaves and grass if the air was still?!
"Anyi, do you think... no, wait, could there be magical beasts...?"
Fear flashed in Annie's eyes as she clutched Anyi's sleeve, hyper-vigilant of their surroundings.
"Dad and Mom always said the forest at night is extremely dangerous; man-eating magical beasts roam there. Anyi, what should we do if we run into magical beasts? We won't be eaten, right??"
"That, we will not be."
Anyi shook his head. "Man-eating magical beasts are not common. Ordinary people without Ki Power are rarely targeted as primary prey by magical beasts. Nature itself maintains a complete food chain; no specific type of magical beast must rely on humans for sustenance. If they truly did, they would have all starved to death when humans settled into villages and cities long ago."
"Is that... is that true?" Annie was surprised, hearing such an explanation for the first time.
"However..."
Anyi's gaze shifted, meeting the scrutinizing eyes hidden deep within the dim forest. It was an unmistakable signal, as if announcing, "I see every single one of you."
"We seem to have encountered trouble more bothersome than mere Magical Beasts," he stated.
"Huh...?" Annie was instantly bewildered.
As if understanding their exchange, the observing party gave up pretense.
"Hee hee hee hee—"
"Cackle cackle cackle—!!"
"Squeak hee hee hee hee!!"
From all directions, short, grotesque monsters with foolish, malicious grins emerged from the shadows.
Their skin was green, their height barely over a meter, featuring disproportionately large heads and bodies. Their ears were long and pointed, eyes bulging, and fangs protruded from their gaping mouths, saliva dripping from the corners, making them look utterly repulsive.
Though short, their build was sturdy and robust, with clear musculature visible on their short, thick arms. A palpable aura of danger emanated from their entire forms.
"Anyi?! What... what, what are these?!" Annie shrieked in terror, tightly gripping Anyi's arm, her face a mask of horror.
"The lowest-level Class 1 demon, the Goblin," Anyi replied, his expression calm as he reached for the sword hilt at his waist.
Finally... today was the day...
Immediately, the scene in Anyi's eyes shifted; the surrounding landscape flickered, and time seemed to reset to the exact same day in his previous life.
The identical location, the same time of day, the same two people.
He recalled standing before Annie, declaring he would protect her, shouting that they were just a group of Goblins, no match for him.
Yet, due to the world's inherent rules, he couldn't draw his sword—he nearly collapsed unconscious from the restraint.
Amidst the Goblins' taunts and Annie's escalating worry, he was helpless, like a fool who couldn't find his footing, clutching his head and screaming.
And Annie, without hesitation, had pulled him up from the ground, dragging him in a desperate rush out of the Goblin encirclement. But she hadn't realized that the Goblins had intentionally let them escape, beginning a calculated chase game specifically tailored for these monsters.
The scene flickered, returning to the present moment.
Anyi looked up at the increasingly darkening sky.
Yes, that day, too, the sunset was exactly like this—the horizon, fiery red.
Annie, in her impractical attire, had fallen, and her wounds, smeared with mud and sand, were stained red.
He wished so intensely he could pull Annie up; if only he could carry her himself.
...
"Anyi... You run faster than your sister. I will stay here and draw their attention. You hurry back to the village and alert the adults that there are demons here. These monsters didn't attack us immediately, which means they don't intend to kill us right away. If you go back and call the adults to rescue me, they will surely make it in time!"
"..."
That was the last time Anyi heard Annie's voice in his previous life.
She died.
She perished on the eve of her brother's birthday, a day that was supposed to be joyous.
Her death was undignified.
Bloody, twisted, she departed this world in agonizing pain.
But in this life, Anyi would never allow such a thing to occur.
He intended to... slay!
Every single demon present, the ones responsible for Annie's death in his past life, would be utterly annihilated!
"What should we do..."
Looking at the numerous Goblins, Annie's face grew grim, sweat tracing a path down her cheek.
This was her first encounter with demons, and her pounding heart and trembling legs confirmed her extreme fear in this moment.
But she forced herself to remain composed.
She absolutely had to... devise a strategy.
「Should I let Anyi fight them...?」
No!
「Anyi cannot handle them alone. He must return to the village adults and report the situation!」
"Anyi."
Annie released Anyi's arm. Beneath the undeniable terror in her eyes was a resolute determination, a willingness to face death without flinching.
She stepped forward, positioning herself directly in front of Anyi.
"You run faster than your sister, so I will draw their attention. You take the opportunity to escape, go back to the village, and tell the adults there are demons here."
As she spoke, her shoulders trembled uncontrollably.
Annie knew that staying meant certain doom, but standing before her brother, she managed to restrain any weak tears.
"Clang."
A warm, firm hand rested on Annie's shoulder, bringing a slight measure of calm to the frightened girl.
"Don't be afraid, Sister. Goblins have a nasty habit of playing with their prey, so they won't kill us instantly. They derive pleasure from witnessing their victim's fear," Anyi turned his head slightly, explaining in a low voice to Annie.
"Why do you know so much?! But if that's the case, aren't we in even greater danger?!" Annie grew more frightened by the realization that they might be subjected to torture before death.
At this point, what good did knowing these details do?!
However, when she looked up at Anyi, she found that he still wore his completely unperturbed, calm expression.
No fear, no intensity, no dread, panic, or even surprise.
Just as always, he wore an expression as if he regarded everything as utterly trivial.
For some reason, Annie felt an invisible wave of relief wash over her.
"Then tell me, what is our move...?" Her voice had noticeably weakened.
Anyi said: "Their choosing to surround us actively is actually good news for us. Because of their sadistic pleasure in tormenting prey, they chose this tactic. And precisely because of this sadistic pleasure, they won't launch an ambush without warning."
"What kind of good news is that for us, being surrounded...! I would much rather they just ambush me and get it over with!" Annie cried out, tears remaining unshed.
"No, if that were the case, I wouldn't be able to save you," Anyi stated in a deep voice.
"Huh?"
Annie froze, then glanced at the Goblins surrounding them from every direction.
"This, this, this—how exactly are you planning to save me?!"
"Very simple: I will kill every demon here, and then I can protect Sister."
Annie: "???"
Simple?!
Did he have some fundamental misunderstanding of what 'simple' actually meant?!
These are demons! Demons who have slain countless people!!
She knew Anyi was generally quite arrogant and proud, but now was certainly not the time for hubris!
"Anyi! I will stay put; you must run back to the village and notify the adults.
You said they enjoy playing with their prey, right? That means they cannot kill me instantly.
You run fast; if you rush back from here and call the adults to rescue me, there is still time! You go first..."
"No, there isn't."
Anyi interrupted Annie's solemn farewell, taking a decisive step forward to place himself directly between her and the threat.
"Sister, I have already informed you: there is no Swordsman more of a genius than I am in this entire world.
Correct?"
Annie froze, then, with a choked sob, she retorted loudly:
"Then you should flee too! Why is your life, you great genius, considered more valuable than mine?!
If this continues, both of us will perish together!
And... and! If no one reports back to the adults, by the time the demons reach the village, it will be absolutely too late!"
Her lips trembled as she fought hard to suppress her tears.
She absolutely did not want to die!
But if she didn't make a sacrifice, Anyi would perish! The villagers would be destroyed too!
"Even if I abandon you here and return to report, it would be utterly meaningless."
Anyi, with his back to Annie, nodded slightly.
Because that was precisely what had transpired in his previous life, and he knew the village's inescapable fate.
"Besides, there are so many of them—why do you assume they wouldn't split up to pursue me?
And why do you assume I would necessarily outrun them?"
These two inquiries instantly caused Annie's eyes to widen in realization.
Yes, why had she so automatically assumed she alone could hold off these demons?
Then... wasn't the current predicament even more desperate...?
"Do not worry, Sister.
I will protect you.
I will eliminate every single one of them, and then I will take you home."
Anyi stood firm before Annie, one hand resting on his scabbard, the other gripping the sword hilt.
His voice remained terrifyingly calm, yet carried immense, undeniable power.
It was not arrogant falsehood, but an unshakable promise.
"Hee hee hee hee—!!"
"Da ha ha ha ha—!!"
The surrounding Goblins began to jeer, as if grasping Anyi's words, mocking him one after another.
Anyi knew that Goblins did indeed comprehend human speech.
Moreover, they had talked for so long, and these beasts had held back from attacking proactively because they derived pleasure from watching their prey utter words of parting and despair.
Finally, they would torture their victim to death together.
This was their sadistic delight.
A profoundly sickening, sadistic pleasure.
Anyi snorted dismissively, then made a throat-slitting gesture with his hand, roaring at the Goblins:
"Lordo—!"
"Da-a-a-a!!"
The Goblins were instantly enraged, charging straight at the two figures.
Annie: "???"
What had he just exclaimed?!
She had no idea that the two words Anyi had uttered were terms of severe, specific insult among Goblins!
Infuriating!
Just two humans marked for the chopping block, yet they dared to provoke them like this?!
Kill him!
He must be executed immediately!!
"Agh!!"
Annie screamed in sheer terror, snatching up her herb basket and wildly swinging it at an approaching Goblin.
But the opponent swiftly dodged; the demon's reaction speed and agility were completely incomparable to a human's!
「Oh no oh no oh no oh no!!」
She should have smashed the herb basket over its head!
At least that would have bought her a little more time alive!
"Do you even know how many Goblins I have personally slain?"
Amidst the Goblins' chaotic squeals and squawks, Anyi muttered to himself, unheard by Annie.
Stomp!
Anyi took a deliberate step, meeting the closest Goblin head-on, and just as he was about to draw his sword—
The Goblin, reacting with speed, immediately brought the wooden club in its hand up to block.
With its reaction speed, even the slightest movement from Anyi's hand would inform it precisely how to defend...
At that precise moment, Anyi suddenly loosened his grip on the sword he was about to draw, instead seizing the wooden club in the Goblin's hand and abruptly yanking it sideways.
It attempted to block, but failed to evade in time, and the raised wooden club was violently pulled off course.
Swish!
Anyi, utilizing his other hand, drew his sword in a swift backhand motion, twisting his waist to directly slash the Goblin's exposed abdomen!
"Cackle a a a a!!"
That Goblin screamed, clutching its belly from which viscera leaked, retreating. Even after retreating, it couldn't change the fact of its impending death!
The sequence of actions happened in a flash—not even a second had passed.
The next instant––
Bang!
Anyi's snatched wooden club directly slammed into another Goblin's ugly nose, blood spurting wildly. At the same time, a kick flew out, sending several Goblins colliding into each other and recoiling.
"Whoa!!"
Annie felt a huge force on her clothes, and she was suddenly pulled from her original position.
Anyi, leveraging the momentum of his swing, thrust his sword, directly piercing one Goblin's eyes. Twisting the longsword, he then struck another Goblin's belly, instantly disemboweling it! Powerlessly pursuing!
The distant Goblins were all stunned.
Fast!
Too fast!
Every one of this human's movements was faster than theirs!
...No!
He just inflicted the most fatal damage in the shortest time possible!
While simultaneously forcing back Goblins from other angles that he couldn't immediately slay!
"Ah..."
Annie was dizzy, completely unaware of what had just transpired in that single instant.
Coming back to full awareness, the surrounding Goblins had inexplicably ceased their attack.
And she, for some reason, was held securely by Anyi's waist, leaning against him.
Looking down again, there were several Goblins lying prone on the ground, some even bearing shockingly fatal wounds, unable to rise again.
"What, Anyi...? What just happened?" Annie asked, utterly bewildered.
"Killed them."
"Huh?"
"I killed them."
Anyi held Annie with one arm, and with the other, he flicked his longsword, splattering Goblin blood onto the ground, inscribing a circle of crimson.
Annie was completely lost, only able to look bewildered and shake her head tearfully.
Who am I? Where am I? What just happened?
Anyi killed all the demons, but was this something a mere human could achieve?!
"Humans, of course, cannot compare to Goblins in terms of reaction speed and agility. I am the same," Anyi stated.
Annie: "You can read minds?"
Anyi was actually speaking directly to the Goblins.
"However, even quick reactions require time.
You need time to perceive and react, but for me, it is sufficient to merely allow my body to move according to instinct.
Like, muscle memory."
Yes, muscle memory.
They didn't know that the [Sword Hero] Anyi · Carl was the Hero who had personally slain the most Goblins among all Heroes.
Over ten years, he had single-handedly destroyed several hundred Goblin kingdoms.
This meant that these lowest-level Goblins, who would never even encounter a Goblin King in their entire lifespan, had hundreds of their kin taken down by Anyi.
And beneath every Goblin King were hundreds of thousands of ordinary Goblins!
That's right, muscle memory.
Muscle memory developed from slaying hundreds of thousands of Goblins!
His body had thoroughly memorized the precise method for dispatching Goblins.
No need for reaction time or deliberation.
Just––
Kill!
"Sister, I told you.
As long as I eliminate every single one of them, I can protect you.
So, do not even consider sacrificing yourself...
Understood?" Anyi said indifferently.
"Mmm... Mmm." Annie nodded vigorously.
My little brother...
Is so incredibly cool!!!!!
...
Goblins' intelligence, actually, is not low among low-level monsters. They possess a passive skill that allows them to comprehend human language, and they maintain their own complex language system.
Even wild beasts will flee when sensing a genuine threat, let alone Goblins who possess a certain degree of cognitive ability?
Although only three Goblins had fallen, the remaining monsters began to feel an immediate urge to retreat.
Because the manner in which these three Goblins were slain—from their perspective, it appeared as if Anyi had merely completed a brief rotation in place.
"Gok-gok-gok!! Tra-dat!"
Suddenly, a Goblin bellowed, simultaneously raising the wooden club in its hand and hurling it toward Anyi.
"Run!"
Anyi made an instantaneous decision, pulling Annie along as they rushed headlong toward a gap in the encirclement.
The next moment, several wooden clubs and fist-sized rocks landed precisely on the spot where Anyi and Annie had just been standing.
If they had been a fraction of a second slower, the projectiles would have struck them directly.
"Da-a-a—!!"
The next moment, all the Goblins gave chase to the two fleeing figures.
Humans running away—this was excellent news for them!
It meant that ranged attacks posed a viable threat to this human!
They no longer dared to approach this formidable human directly, but that didn't mean they wouldn't utilize environmental objects as projectiles.
Even a fist-sized rock could inflict considerable harm on a human.
While it might be difficult to inflict crippling or fatal injuries immediately, the pain would certainly cause the human's movements to become sluggish.
If they managed to strike the head or other vital areas, it could even nullify the human's capacity to resist!
Smash!
Encircle him again!
Smash him hard!
"Anyi! The village isn't in this direction!!" Annie shouted while running.
"I know, but do we have a choice?"
Anyi held Annie's hand, trying his best to match her pace. If he ran too fast, she might stumble and fall.
"This..."
Annie hastily glanced back at the relentless Goblins pursuing them.
"Alright! No!"
"Listen, Sister, Goblins are forest demons; this is their home territory.
Even if we flee now, we will eventually be cornered by them," Anyi explained.
"Then what is our strategy?!" Annie asked, panicked and breathless.
"Kill them all."
"Isn't that essentially saying nothing?!"
Annie saw that these Goblins were already utilizing thrown objects as an aggressive tactic.
However, Anyi possessed no effective ranged attack methods, and the simple leather armor he wore offered no real protection for his head.
If he were pelted by a coordinated volley of rocks from a group of Goblins, he might not be able to evade every single projectile.
It would be nightfall soon, and if they veered too far off the known path back, they might never locate the village if they continued running aimlessly.
What should we do?!
Anyi certainly had the capability to kill them, but how was he supposed to execute that plan now, under bombardment?!
"Here," Anyi's voice interrupted her spiraling thoughts.
"Here...?" Annie was slightly bewildered.
"Sister, hand me the demon-repelling potion, immediately."
"Potion? Wait! Potion, potion, potion... Here!"
Annie hastily handed Anyi three finger-length vials.
Anyi bit open one cap, and poured the contents of one vial directly onto Annie's head, startling her into a sharp yelp.
Then he bit open the second cap, using a finger to block the vial's mouth and sprinkling a little onto the ground directly behind them, followed by a few drops to the left and right flanks, respectively.
The potion rapidly evaporated, quickly diffusing into the surrounding air––
"Urgh––!"
Not long after, one Goblin suddenly faltered and stopped advancing.
Then two, three, four.
"Urgh–– Urgh–– Blech!!!"
"Cough, blech, blech, blech!!!"
"Hmph hmph hmph, blech, blech, blech!!"
All the Goblins abruptly halted, clutching their mouths and noses, retching violently. However, their two small hands were completely inadequate to cover such large nostrils and mouths, leading to a disgusting spray of snot, tears, and saliva.
What is this foul odor?!
Stinky!
Overwhelmingly stinky!!
At this moment, from the Goblins' perspective, the forest ahead had transformed into a gigantic, fully fermented cesspool of filth. Merely approaching it would trigger uncontrollable vomiting.
Forget continuing the pursuit; even standing still had become a torturous, lifelong memory.
Their sensitive sense of smell, their primary tool for tracking prey, was rendered utterly useless. They could no longer follow their target.
Just as they resolved to abandon the direct chase and planned to circle around to cut them off.
Rustle... rustle...
The sound of movement echoed faintly through the dense woods again.
A specific Goblin suddenly hurled a rock toward the direction of the sound, but it clearly missed its mark.
"Da-a-ah, gak-gak-gak-da."
At this moment, the Goblins gathered together from all directions, simultaneously beginning to chatter amongst themselves in their own language.
Not long after, they began tearing weeds from the ground, kneading them into balls with their claws, squeezing out the herbal juice, and stuffing the resulting pads firmly into their nostrils.
On the other side.
Annie was hiding in a shaded spot where she could observe the Goblins from a distance.
When she witnessed the Goblins blocking their nostrils with makeshift herb plugs, she gasped in shock, covering her mouth.
Ah... How terrifying!
Terrifyingly intelligent!
The demon-repelling potion, by its nature, exploited the keen sense of smell inherent to magical beasts, meaning it naturally affected Goblins too.
She truly hadn't expected them to remain stubbornly committed to the hunt; instead, they immediately devised countermeasures on the spot to facilitate their pursuit?!
Considering this, Annie's heart pounded rapidly.
Will Anyi truly be safe...?
Annie began to worry deeply.
"Wait for me here. I'm going to slay every single one of them and return shortly."
That was what Anyi had told her before he left.
He hadn't instructed her to run, nor had he provided a contingency plan for if she was discovered, or even what she should do if he became injured or perished.
Anyi had simply commanded her to wait there.
It was as if, besides eliminating these demons, there were no alternative courses of action.
As if he was absolutely certain of success, leaving no room for other possibilities.
Soon, Annie watched as the Goblins shifted their formation again.
They gradually dispersed, clearly intending to split up their forces.
However, their movement didn't resemble a coordinated pursuit in any specific direction.
It looked more like... they were methodically searching for something?
Rustle... rustle...
On the other side, the Goblins registered movement deeper in the forest once more.
And utilizing their superior hearing, they had determined that their target was moving nearby once again.
They did not immediately charge; instead, they slowly fanned out, using their hearing to re-establish a complete encirclement around the target.
As long as the perimeter tightened to a certain degree, once the target's location was precisely locked down, the prey would have absolutely nowhere left to flee!
Humans could never outmaneuver Goblins!
"Are you searching for me?"
Suddenly, that emotionless voice reached the ears of every Goblin, startling them into simultaneously whipping their heads around.
"Sizzle, sizzle—"
In their line of sight, a tall figure stood silhouetted against the shadows.
And right in front of him, a Goblin's neck was severed, blood sizzling visibly from the wound.
The Goblins were all stunned into silence.
When?!
When was that human there?!
The movement they had detected wasn't even in that direction!
How did he achieve this impossible feat?!
"Come and catch me.
Don't you enjoy the hunt?
Now, let the real game commence."
As his voice concluded, Anyi vanished into the darkness, leaving absolutely no trace behind.
"Da-ah!!"
All the Goblins rushed towards the spot where Anyi had disappeared.
But when they arrived, only a motionless, trembling corpse remained; the man's true location was unknown.
Rustle... rustle...
Rustle... rustle...
Movement sounds came again, this time from a different area.
The Goblins began to panic, looking wildly around, sweating profusely.
Their sense of smell had been severely disrupted by the potion, rendering it almost completely useless.
Therefore, they could only conclude that the two humans were coordinating a diversion, unable to pinpoint whether the sound originated from the man or the woman.
After a round of cackling dialogue amongst themselves, they reached a decision.
First, they must find the source of the sound.
If the man definitively appeared on this side, then the woman must be on the opposite flank.
Unlike the man who displayed powerful combat proficiency, the woman seemed inherently weak, and she wasn't running particularly fast, either.
They intuitively knew that as long as they captured that woman, the man would not abandon her.
Goblins possessed no concept of "love," much less an understanding of such complex emotions.
But these repulsive creatures were adept at exploiting human sentiment to maximize their pleasure from torture and slaughter.
Just capture that woman.
At this moment, Annie, hidden deep within the shadows, observed the Goblins repositioning themselves.
However, they were not heading in her direction, but were moving towards the opposite side, further away from her location.
「Okay, they aren't coming this way...」
Annie secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
On one hand, she was fortunate they weren't approaching her; on the other, she was fortunate they weren't pursuing in Anyi's direction.
From her vantage point, she could clearly see Anyi, after dispatching one Goblin, escaping in a completely different direction.
And the Goblins failed to pursue, instead moving away.
「Could it be... they are preparing to retreat?」
If they intended to flee, that would, naturally, be the best possible outcome.
That way, Anyi wouldn't have to risk his life fighting them all, and the pair could seize the chance to escape safely.
However, observing their sluggish pace, it didn't quite resemble a hasty retreat, did it?
Annie's gaze shifted, anxiously monitoring Anyi, who was currently positioned discreetly behind a specific tree.
They only needed to escape; it was fine if they didn't manage to kill every single enemy. So, Anyi, please, don't let anything disastrous happen...!
...
[A Class 1 Disaster Goblin invasion typically spawns fifteen to twenty Goblins, the precise number fluctuating based on village size.
When the Goblin kill count surpasses 2/3, a Class 2 demon, a Hobgoblin, will be summoned.
This time, the count is seventeen. After eliminating eleven or twelve Goblins, their built-in escape mechanism will activate.
Their intent in fleeing is to summon the Hobgoblin, thereby dealing with an insurmountable enemy.
If one desires to eliminate them all, it is necessary, when killing the eleventh or twelfth Goblin, to annihilate every remaining Goblin the instant they decide to retreat.]
In the shadows, Anyi meticulously reviewed the tactical information regarding Goblins.
After all, this world operated much like a game, and if it was a game, there would inevitably be relevant rules.
Whether during his first life before transmigration, or his second life where he met his end by the Demon King's hand, he had memorized the applicable rules by heart.
Only certain hidden rules, he could only discover through continuous trial and error.
For example, Goblin bones were demonstrably harder than human bone structure; ordinary people hacking directly with a sword could not inflict dismembering trauma.
Their primary weak points were the face, neck, waist, abdomen, and hips.
So, when they defensively blocked with both hands, the correct tactic wasn't to cleave off their arms in one strike, but rather to first kick them off balance, then target the exposed abdomen.
Their large heads were also incredibly dense; even blunt weaponry like hammers struggled to shatter them. Therefore, it was best not to aim for stunning blows; if a stab to the eyes was possible, prioritize that over head strikes.
"Pfft!"
Anyi, crouched low on the ground, thrust his sword upward from behind a Goblin, piercing clean through it and emerging from its abdomen.
"Gah-ah-a-a-a!!!"
The Goblin shrieked. In an instant, Anyi stood up, kicked it away forcefully, and simultaneously retracted his blade to quickly disengage.
The other Goblins heard the scream but did not immediately give chase. Instead, they cocked their heads, rapidly registering Anyi's departing movements.
But, concealed beneath the ongoing scream, they still could not pinpoint the original target's exact location.
The nearest Goblin, enraged by the display, let out a furious roar, stepped forward, and lifted a large rock, smashing it directly down onto the face of the wounded Goblin.
After several fierce impacts, the screaming finally ceased.
It was unclear whether it was definitively dead or simply too terrified to utter another sound.
It was during this brief window that Anyi had already shifted his focus toward another Goblin's location.
「Six left.」
He had deliberately chosen not to kill that Goblin, allowing it to shriek in agony. This action would severely interfere with the hearing acuity of the other Goblins.
In reality, the movement detected from the other direction wasn't him, nor was it Annie.
But rather... other unseen fauna or Magical Beasts.
The potent odor of the demon-repelling potion didn't merely agitate Goblins; it also unsettled other creatures with acute olfactory senses, causing them to stray into the territory or even flee the area.
This forest was not exclusively inhabited by Goblins.
If their sense of smell were intact, they would naturally discern that the creatures making noise in other directions were not human.
But currently, their noses were essentially nullified, and they lacked the advanced intellect to recognize that these were different species.
This entire sequence was part of Anyi's calculated strategy.
「Five left.」
「Four left.」
「Three.」
"..."
The number of Goblins gradually decreased, and they were still ceaselessly searching for the enemy. Inside them, a voice seemed to urge them:
"Found them soon! Soon!"
But with each fallen kinsman, their inner fear grew stronger.
This was the forest, their homeland, their hunting grounds.
Yet at this moment, they felt as if they were the prey.
The hunter in the shadows incessantly struck down their companions, continuously depleting their strength, exhausting their stamina, and stripping away their courage.
They lacked complex emotional structures, but they could understand that they were now the ones being toyed with, the prey being slaughtered.
Just like the humans they had previously butchered.
"Like this, there are six left."
After dispatching the eleventh Goblin, Anyi once again concealed himself in a hidden spot, silently observing.
As anticipated, eliminating eleven or twelve Goblins would trigger their ingrained escape protocol.
If the protocol didn't activate, one more would need to be eliminated.
However...
As fear slowly accumulated, the Goblins finally halted their search for the enemy and began to converge.
Just as Anyi predicted, they started chattering and squawking amongst themselves.
Their language system was not complex, and their expressions were mostly rudimentary. Anyi understood the Goblin tongue.
"Retreat?"
"Retreat."
"Run!"
The Goblins reached a consensus and decided to withdraw.
"Ah, you intend to flee?"
At this critical juncture, Anyi suddenly erupted from the shadows.
"All of you! Halt!! Right Here!!!"
This roar seemed to vent all the regrets and sorrow of his previous life.
A potion bottle flew from his hand, smashing directly onto the hard skull of a specific Goblin.
"Thud!"
The glass bottle shattered instantly, and a foul stench assaulted the six Goblins positioned directly above him.
The potion, having directly struck their faces, would retain its effect even if their noses were plugged!
In the instant they inflated their mouths, attempting to block their nostrils but still unable to escape the noxious fumes, a tall figure plunged into their ranks—
The sword tip danced, carving several perfect silver lines across the darkness.
"Pfft!!"
Blood sprayed, splashing from six different wounds on the Goblins onto Anyi.
He remained perfectly still, simply holding his sword steady, cleanly wiping away the gore, and finally sheathing it.
Anyi looked up toward the sky.
It was dark.
That day in his past life, it was also in such a dark forest.
He and the villagers had come here and discovered Annie's disfigured corpse.
He had deliberately lured the Goblins here.
During the initial breakout, he had known the Goblins would not stop him—or rather, no Goblin dared to intercept him—so he could have run directly toward the village.
But he did not choose that path.
He intended to destroy every single one of these Goblins right here!
To slay them in the very location where Annie had been brutally killed in his previous existence!
"Whoa-ah-a-a-a––"
Annie, hidden in the shadows, finally could not maintain her composure. She burst into tears and ran to embrace Anyi.
"Sob sob–– You did it! You actually did it!!"
He really killed every last one of those Goblins!
Not a single one remained!
"I said I would kill them all, and then I could protect Sister.
I always keep my promises."
"Mmm... I was so scared... I was truly terrified just now... Oh-ah-a-a-a...!"
"...It is finished."
Anyi's eyes stung, and he replied softly.
Whether in his previous life or this one, Annie was always the same: equally frightened, yet equally determined to step forward and protect him.
"Let's go, we should head home." Anyi placed an arm around Annie's shoulder.
While the moment was profoundly moving, it was not wise to linger here for too long.
The instant he annihilated all the Goblins, it was certain that tonight, a [Hobgoblin] would invade the village.
[Creature: Hobgoblin
As the name implies, it's a very large Goblin, about three meters tall, squish~
After 2/3 of the Goblin squad is eliminated, regardless of whether any Goblins successfully fled, the Hobgoblin will activate to continue the [Class 1 Disaster: Goblin Invasion].
Those weak humans cannot deal with this kind of monster, you know~
Low-level Lord Heroes, please also exercise caution!]
This was the description of the Hobgoblin from Anyi's system in his previous life.
As detailed, Hobgoblins were physically larger than typical village houses; a single Hobgoblin could easily devastate a settlement of several dozen people.
To a Hobgoblin, humans were merely toys that could be crushed at will.
Moreover, Hobgoblins had no custom of torturing their victims.
They would consume them.
Their massive size implied an enormous appetite, so when laying waste to a village, they would conveniently eat humans to replenish their strength.
For humans, a Hobgoblin represented absolute terror; its mere presence was a tremendous psychological and visual shock.
Even those who had managed to successfully repel the attacks of ordinary Goblins would be thrown into terrified disarray upon witnessing an incoming Hobgoblin.
The pair half-ran, half-walked for about half an hour before finally returning to the village borders.
By this time, a contingent of strong men had gathered outside the settlement, clutching torches and preparing to venture into the mountains to search for them.
But unexpectedly, before they could even set out, they saw Anyi, entirely covered in blood, return alongside Annie.
"Annie! Anyi!"
At the village entrance, a beautiful woman cried out, welcoming their return.
"Mommy!!"
Annie also ran toward her, weeping loudly, and the mother and daughter embraced in sorrowful relief.
Elza · Ross, that was their mother's name.
To the side, their father Assel also stepped forward.
Shedding his usual jovial demeanor, his face was uncharacteristically grave under the torchlight.
"Anyi, what occurred?" Assel inquired seriously.
"We encountered demons while gathering medicinal herbs," Anyi reported truthfully.
"Demons?!" Assel exclaimed in shock.
"Encountered demons?!"
"Have demons begun appearing in the forest?!"
The villagers' eyes widened one by one, their faces filled with bewilderment and surprise, carrying an undertone of genuine fear.
Assel, acting as the leader of the village swordsmen and the village's strongest warrior, quickly regained his composure.
"You've sustained quite a number of injuries, haven't you? Hurry and get them bandaged," he said to Anyi, who was saturated in blood.
The village medic also rushed forward, ready to perform an immediate examination.
Anyi shook his head: "No, I am not injured."
"There's no need to be stubborn. Look, you are completely covered in blood. Even a genius can sustain wounds in battle. To return alive from the brink of death at the hands of demons—you have already accomplished something incredible."
Assel presumed Anyi was merely trying to maintain his "genius" persona.
Anyi dipped a finger into the sticky fluid on his face: "This isn't my blood; it is demon blood. I annihilated every last one of them."
"What baseless nonsense are you speaking...?" Assel couldn't help but let out a disbelieving laugh.
"Exactly! Anyi, we recognize how capable you are, but these are demons, after all!"
"What's wrong with simply admitting you were overwhelmed? Encountering demons and getting beaten this badly is understandable, isn't it?"
Although the younger swordsmen greatly admired him for repeatedly cheating death, seeing his supposed "bravery" now gave them the perfect opportunity for mild sarcasm.
In their minds, Anyi was someone who loved to put on a display. Since they had finally found an opening for sarcastic remarks, how could they possibly hold back?
"Anyi is telling the absolute truth!"
Suddenly, Annie's voice cut through the air from the side.
"He truly killed every single demon! I witnessed it with my own eyes! If you refuse to believe me, I can take you to see the demon corpses immediately!"
"This..." Assel was also momentarily stunned silent.
"Anyi said he wanted to protect me! He said that as long as he killed every single demon, he could keep me safe!" Annie declared excitedly, her face a mixture of tears and snot.
Hearing this, the villagers first felt the statement was outrageously arrogant, and then suspicion began to brew intensely.
Could it possibly be... that Anyi actually wiped out the entire demon contingent?
But, demons? Anyi was just a relatively capable young man in the village; could he truly possess such immense martial skill?
"I believe it is imperative we go and verify the demon corpses!" someone shouted.
"That's right, only after confirming the presence of demons with our own eyes can we appeal to the Demon Hunter Guild for assistance," another added.
"Let's go! We should ascend the mountain together!" another urged.
"Everyone quiet down immediately! What if Anyi is simply exaggerating, and you march in there only to meet the demons yourself? You'll perish in there!" Assel scolded them angrily.
At Assel's sharp rebuke, everyone instantly fell silent, left only to stare resentfully at Anyi, thinking privately that it would have been much better had he just honestly confessed to being defeated.
"Not bad. Excellent judgment." Anyi nodded approvingly.
"...?"
Assel suddenly questioned internally who truly held the parental authority here.
"Besides, a few Goblin corpses are not a spectacle worth delaying over. More importantly, Father, please dispatch someone to contact the Demon Hunter Guild immediately. If there are more undiscovered demons lurking beyond the dozen I eliminated, we must prepare without delay," Anyi stated gravely.
It was already night; he couldn't possibly persuade all the villagers to evacuate based only on his word. If he were to demand they leave the settlement, he estimated the pros and cons would be split nearly fifty-fifty.
Therefore, he absolutely had to confront the Hobgoblin within the village boundary himself!
For that task, the aid of the villagers and the Demon Hunters would be indispensable.
Tonight, he was not yet the "Sword Hero." He was determined to slay the Hobgoblin while still possessing only his human body!
After hearing Anyi's resolute words, Assel nodded, pointing toward a villager:
"Ride quickly to town for aid!"
...
"Listen, is that a sound?"
From the direction of the forest toward the village, someone noticed an alarming anomaly.
"Look! There's something! Something is rapidly approaching!!"
Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!!
A colossal shadow, moving without any attempt at concealment, hurtled toward the village under the moonlight.
The moment the night watchmen spotted the giant silhouette, their spirits utterly broke!
Monster...! This was definitively a monster that no human could possibly defeat! Did that mean Anyi had miraculously survived the clutches of such a creature?!
"Boom!!"
Before they could even manage to flee, the colossal figure directly smashed through the village gate's watchtower. Splintered wood flew outward as the entity tumbled, clearly having inflicted massive structural damage.
"Enemy attack!!!"
Bang!
The massive club, resembling a tree trunk, directly sent several guards flying. Blood sprayed from them, their bones shattered, and they collapsed like mud onto the ground.
Simultaneously, the swordsmen and Demon Hunters resting in their quarters rushed out.
In a single glance, they witnessed the Hobgoblin launching several people aside.
Instantly, everyone's hearts plummeted!
A beast, nearly three meters tall, its massive body dwarfing a six-foot human to the scale of a child. Its skin appeared coarse and tough, dark gray, with bulging muscles visible beneath its powerful limbs. Veins stood out prominently, hinting at a strength that inspired utter despair. It possessed facial features almost identical to a common Goblin, its eyes glinting with cold malice, moving left and right as if assessing the precise quantity of its prey.
"Hobgoblin! This is a Hobgoblin! Villagers, flee quickly! Retreat to the nearest town!" a knowledgeable Demon Hunter screamed in absolute terror.
With the equipment they possessed, defeating this savage monster was simply impossible!
Assel looked at the young swordsmen beside him, whose legs were already trembling uncontrollably: "You youngsters, go quickly and organize the evacuation of the others! Anyi! You go too!"
"Yes!!"
"Hurry! Hurry!!"
The young swordsmen bolted instantly without the slightest hesitation.
But Anyi still stood his ground.
"The one who should evacuate isn't me; it's all of you. Leave this place."
"No! Everyone retreat! We all have to run!"
A Demon Hunter said through gritted teeth.
"We cannot handle it! We can only buy time for the villagers to leave first!"
In the brief time it took to exchange those few words, the Hobgoblin had already charged forward, its massive frame bringing an intensely oppressive feeling as it lunged toward the crowd.
Its objective was crystal clear: to obliterate this village and slay everyone within!
"Disperse!"
Assel bellowed.
The next moment, the more than twenty warriors present immediately scattered in different directions.
Unable to flee far enough, a slower warrior was instantly seized by the Hobgoblin. Its jaws even tore off his shoulder guard in a single bite, ending his life on the spot!
"Nile!!" Someone cried out his name.
The event occurred too swiftly, so suddenly that everyone was too late for anger or sorrow; all that remained was endless fear and despair!
This was not a monster that could be defeated by sheer numbers alone.
As long as that tree-trunk-sized club swung, whoever it struck would face instant death!
Just as the Demon Hunter had stated earlier—
Run!
Everyone had to run!
"Lordo—!"
Suddenly, a thunderous roar echoed from not far away.
Both the Hobgoblin and everyone present abruptly turned their heads to look.
That was... Anyi?!
"Roar, roar, roar, roar, roar—!!"
The Hobgoblin flung the corpse in its hand aside, completely ignoring the people in front of it, and instead chased after Anyi as if possessed.
"Run?! Why is it pursuing Anyi?!" Assel yelled at the Demon Hunters.
"Unclear! Anyway, he helped us distract the Hobgoblin. We... Let's retreat now!" the Demon Hunter decided quickly.
"Retreat your mother's retreat! Are you telling me to abandon my son?!" Assel grabbed the Demon Hunter by the collar, his eyes bloodshot with fury.
"This...!" The Demon Hunter also fell silent.
"Aren't you the specialists in dealing with demons?! He's only eighteen! Today is his eighteenth birthday! He helped lure the demon away, and you intend to abandon him and flee?! Have you been feeding twenty or thirty years of meals to dogs?!"
Assel kicked the Demon Hunter away, drew his sword, and pursued the direction Anyi had taken.
"Damn it, I won't rely on you useless bastards today! I'm saving my son myself!"
Watching Assel's retreating figure, some chose to flee, unmoved, while others' shoulders trembled, clearly hesitating.
Some bit their lips and followed Assel's back, while others remained frozen in place, still somewhat bewildered.
"Damn it! Since when do we, Demon Hunters, need a child to save us?! It's just a Hobgoblin! Let's fight it!"
"My life's worth nothing anyway! Die if I die! Charge!!"
Some spoke fearlessly, but in reality, only about one-third of the people truly followed Assel.
However, it couldn't be helped. Under the attack of such a monster, few present could expect to survive, and those who fled could hardly be blamed for cowardice.
From Anyi's departure until the time they caught up, it was barely less than two short minutes.
Along the way, they witnessed demolished houses within the village, seeing glimpses as if Anyi was weaving through these structures, dodging attacks.
They presumed he must not be dead; otherwise, the Hobgoblin would surely have turned back to eliminate the others.
Not long after, they caught up with Assel.
To their surprise, Assel was not engaging the Hobgoblin.
He stood motionless on the street, his hands gripping his sword, his eyes wide, staring ahead.
Was Anyi already defeated?
Everyone harbored this question in their hearts.
Otherwise, Assel wouldn't wear such an expression, would he?
But when they crossed the street and stood behind Assel, they, too, displayed the same stunned expression.
What... was that sight?
In their line of sight was the village square.
The Hobgoblin was in the square, and Anyi was also present.
The ground of the square was littered with many different types of weapons, but they shared one commonality.
Without exception, all of those weapons were [Swords].
"Roar, roar, roar, roar—!!"
The Hobgoblin roared, raising its gigantic club and smashing it down toward Anyi.
Anyi held a small round shield in one hand and a one-handed sword in the other.
Just as everyone thought Anyi was about to be crushed to death, he casually took a sidestep, allowing the massive club to brush past the small round shield as it swung backward.
The round shield was directly sent flying by the colossal club's momentum, but Anyi stepped forward, then slashed his sword at the Hobgoblin's finger.
Smooth as flowing water! Not a single wasted effort! From leveraging the momentum to seizing the opportunity to strike the Goblin's finger—not one superfluous movement!
Strong! Too strong!
Even their most seasoned monster hunters would swear they could never achieve such a feat!
"Not good!" Someone suddenly exclaimed.
Experienced fighters immediately recognized Anyi's precarious position!
Anyi was right beside the Hobgoblin. If the monster were to sweep its arm horizontally and send Anyi flying, regardless of whether it inflicted a fatal injury, he would lose all ability to counterattack!
Indeed!
The Hobgoblin reacted incredibly fast, swinging its right arm and club directly toward Anyi!
A long arm extended! A terrifying reach!
Anyi's footing was too compromised!
Unable to escape! Unable to dodge! He was doomed!
At this critical moment, under the terrified gazes of everyone, Anyi deliberately dropped his center of gravity and rolled underneath the Hobgoblin's sole.
Both the arm and the club swung wildly, impacting nothing but empty air.
Anyi seized this precise opportunity to drive his sword into the Hobgoblin's foot, lodging it exactly into a gap between the foot bones!
Immediately after, he rolled once more, suddenly retreating several steps, and picked up two swords from the ground, gripping them firmly in his hands.
All the onlookers were stunned into silence, including Assel.
They were all warriors; they understood that at such a close distance, reacting was impossible.
Yet Anyi evaded the blow.
As if he had known the Hobgoblin would sweep its attack, as if he had long predicted an easily evadable path!
Moreover, the execution was too swift.
His movements were truly too fast! So fast that everyone barely perceived what happened before a sword was deeply lodged in the Hobgoblin's foot.
"Roar—!!" The Hobgoblin roared.
Being stabbed in the foot was a minor inconvenience to it, but being placed in such a precarious situation by a mere fly enraged it beyond measure.
Die! Human!
Die! Die for me!!
The Hobgoblin exploded into action! Its massive limbs struck the ground as it charged at Anyi, simultaneously sweeping its gigantic club across the ground at incredible speed, as if gliding just above the surface!
Anyi retreated, but not far enough; he was on the verge of being caught––
At this critical moment, everyone witnessed Anyi suddenly hurl something toward the Hobgoblin's head.
The Hobgoblin hesitated, unconsciously closing its eyes.
"Thwack!"
Two small stones struck the sensitive skin around its eyes, but they caused no damage.
The next instant, it unconsciously opened its eyes.
"Thwack!"
In the exact moment its eyes reopened, two throwing knives, completely unexpected, plunged directly into its eyeballs.
"Roar, roar, roar, roar—!!"
The Hobgoblin instantly lost its sight.
It hadn't anticipated that throwing stones would be immediately followed by throwing knives, and no one expected Anyi to be able to perfectly time his surprise attack utilizing thrown weaponry during that momentary blink!
Very fast! Anyi charged again!
He sheathed the two swords at his waist, rapidly moved to the side, snatched up a half-body shield and a one-handed sword, and once more rushed toward the blind Hobgoblin.
The Hobgoblin's sense of smell and hearing were still active. Knowing Anyi was still moving, it began wildly swinging its large club in all directions, effectively preventing Anyi from achieving close proximity.
"Clang!"
The large club struck something solid; the Hobgoblin directly flung its opponent away with sheer force.
But Anyi immediately repeated his previous tactic, hurling the half-body shield with momentum. While one arm was likely numb from the impact, the other suddenly thrust a sword!
This time, the sword plunged directly into the Hobgoblin's armpit, though this penetration was insufficient to completely rob it of its ability to resist.
However...!
Anyi's position became more dangerous than ever before!
He was standing directly in front of the Hobgoblin. Whether he rolled downward or retreated backward, he would be severely injured by the reacting Hobgoblin's inevitable counter-attack!
"Now is the time to act!" Assel yelled out.
If they didn't distract the Hobgoblin right now, Anyi would surely perish!
But before they could mobilize, it was already too late.
The Hobgoblin had sensed Anyi's low position and grabbed him from the ground with one hand.
Recalling how a certain warrior had just been bitten to death, shoulder guard and all, everyone immediately trembled with fear.
The next moment, the Hobgoblin lunged directly to bite toward Anyi's head!
This time, he truly had nowhere to escape!
"Pfft!"
The sword tip pierced directly into the Hobgoblin's mouth from its lower jaw, the blade passing through its tongue within the blood-filled maw.
In that instantaneous jolt of pain, the Hobgoblin unconsciously flung Anyi away with tremendous force.
"Bang!"
Anyi was thrown onto the thatched roof of a nearby village house, crashing violently into the interior structure.
Assel and the others rushed over immediately, storming into the house.
"Anyi!!"
Just as they entered, they saw Anyi, calmly tidying his clothes, preparing to step back out.
"Are you alright?!" Assel cried out urgently.
"I'm fine."
Anyi turned his head and pointed toward the dented bed frame.
"Lucky timing; I landed right on the bed, and the roof thatch broke the fall, so I didn't sustain any serious injuries."
He claimed this, yet in reality, his chest and abdomen still ached slightly.
No matter how one looked at it, he was still operating within an ordinary human body; it could not withstand excessively powerful impacts.
His claim of good fortune was also partially a lie.
From the very beginning, he had meticulously planned every single step.
The entire square layout, the precise location of every sword scattered on the ground, the nature of the attack to be delivered, and the exact effect it would produce.
Even the trajectory of where he would be thrown and land was included in his blueprint.
Even if he were thrown at a slightly different angle, he would still land on a structurally similar house, thus avoiding overly fatal harm.
Combat wasn't about relying on luck; he didn't possess infinite lives to gamble away.
He understood Goblins intimately, knowing all their habits, behavioral patterns, and fixed threat mechanisms.
If it were a direct one-on-one engagement in a confined space, his actual odds of victory wouldn't be remarkably high.
But relying on environmental manipulation and advance preparation to eliminate a Hobgoblin was not a difficult feat for him.
Anyi walked back out, glancing toward the Hobgoblin.
It had ceased its attack. As if in blatant mockery, it used its fingers to grip the sword stuck in its lower jaw, finally yanking it out with a forceful tug and tossing it aside.
The Hobgoblin then extracted the sword lodged in its foot. Next, its nose twitched slightly, and it began trying to reacquire Anyi's location.
"Is there anything we can do to assist?" A Demon Hunter couldn't help but ask.
They now grasped that the most formidable individual present wasn't them, these veteran hunters, nor was it Assel, but this young man who had just turned eighteen.
If they had engaged the Hobgoblin in the time elapsed, they would likely have perished dozens of times over.
"You don't need to do anything. In fact, you should focus on evacuating the residents, not searching for me."
Anyi said this indifferently, picking up a rather weighty two-handed sword from the ground.
The crowd was also bewildered.
This sword... When had it been placed there?
"Next, I have two guaranteed opportunities to eliminate it.
I will use the short sword to pierce through its eye, or I will use this longsword to strike through its abdomen and straight into its heart.
I will finish this within thirty seconds. Your necessary task is to maintain a safe distance, ensuring it cannot suddenly shift its attack focus." Anyi stated.
At this moment, everyone noticed he also possessed a short sword sheathed at his waist.
"Use this sword."
Assel said, offering the sword currently in his hand to Anyi.
"This is the finest blade in the entire village. Use it to slay the demon!"
Anyi glanced at Assel, then nodded, accepting the weapon: "Okay, Father."
Afterward, the crowd quickly moved away, retreating to a relatively safe distance.
Although Anyi had instructed them to evacuate the villagers, for security, they chose to remain behind in case Anyi encountered any unexpected setbacks.
Once again, the Hobgoblin charged toward Anyi, its massive club wildly sweeping from side to side.
Anyi gripped the sword tightly in his hand, staring intently at the Hobgoblin.
「Still need... twenty seconds!」