The journey to find the Priest duo was long and arduous.
Although the straight-line distance was less than half a kilometer, the actual terrain of the Blood Nest Cloister was far more complex than expected.
Once he left the outermost area, almost every corridor had at least one goblin wandering or patrolling. Fortunately, most of them were low-intelligence common goblins; even when they noticed him—a human-shaped slime—they didn't suspect anything.
Just as Lu Mao was carefully wriggling past several goblins, a tragic scream echoed from not far away.
Not only him, but the other goblins around him also looked toward the sound. They quickly began sprinting in that direction, picking up loose stones and wooden sticks along the way, appearing surprisingly well-trained.
【Warning: Mission targets, the Priest and the Half-Orc Rogue, are currently being besieged by a goblin pack.】
【Warning: The number of goblins is rapidly increasing: 18... 19... 22... 27...】
Listening to the rising numbers reported by the system, a few drops of sweat beaded on Lu Mao's forehead.
“Maybe I should just run. It's not like I can't go find the other team instead.”
Upon hearing that the number of goblins had surged to forty-two, Lu Mao completely lost his nerve.
Forty-two goblins... even the Goblin Slayer would have to chop for ages if caught unprepared.
【Warning: Mission targets—the Swordsman, Mage, and Dwarf Heavy Warrior—are currently being attacked by an Elite goblin pack.】
On second thought, I feel like the Priest and her companion can still be saved.
He calmed himself down and followed the goblins from a safe distance as they rushed toward the scene.
Lu Mao pulled the hood of his cloak down further to cover most of his face. Taking a deep breath, he began to wriggle forward along the edge of the corridor.
The sounds of battle ahead grew clearer—the crisp clashing of metal, the distinctive high-pitched screeches of goblins, and the low chanting of a woman.
The chanting was intermittent, as if she was barely holding on, gasping for breath after every few syllables.
Rounding a corner, the view suddenly opened up.
It was a partially collapsed, abandoned altar. A crack several meters long split the ceiling, and dark purple magicules seeped down from the fissure like a bizarre veil.
In the very center of the altar, a young girl in white priestly robes held a staff high with one hand and pressed her other hand to her chest. Blood seeping from her fingertips had stained a large patch of the white fabric red.
Beneath her feet was a slowly shrinking barrier of holy light. Every time the patterns on the barrier flickered, the surrounding goblins grew even more excited.
Outside the barrier was a dense swarm of goblins.
Lu Mao took one look, and his scalp went numb.
There were over thirty in plain sight alone, with even more of the little green-skinned runts rushing over from the depths of the corridors. They brandished rusted blades, sharpened wooden sticks, and a few proper weapons that looked like they had been looted from the corpses of adventurers.
Inside the barrier, a half-orc rogue slumped on the ground, leaning against the stone dais of the altar. His right arm and right leg were bent at unnatural angles, and a chunk of flesh had been torn from his calf. The edges of the wound were black, a clear sign of poisoning.
He still clutched a pair of daggers, the blood on the blades not yet dry, but his arms were shaking uncontrollably.
“Misha... forget about me. The barrier won't hold. Save your mana, cast Haste on yourself, and run south. You might still find the captain and the others.”
The half-orc's voice was hoarse, and he gasped heavily with every word.
“Shut up.”
The priest named Misha didn't look back. The light at the tip of her staff brightened slightly, though her face grew even paler. “If I leave you here, how am I supposed to explain it to the captain when I go back? Should I say, ‘I didn't want to die, so I fed you to the goblins’?
“You took that poison arrow for me, and now you want me to abandon you and run away alone? What do you take me for!”
“You—”
A sharp cracking sound cut him off.
The bottom-right corner of the holy light barrier had been cracked by a significantly larger goblin wielding a golden broken sword. The surrounding goblins let out excited screeches and began to wildly hammer at the fracture.
Misha groaned as a trickle of blood spilled from the corner of her mouth. The light at the tip of her staff flickered violently three times before she barely managed to stabilize it.
“My magicules are running dry.”
Her voice finally betrayed a hint of panic. “The other magicule potions are with the captain, I—”
Before she could finish, two more sword strikes came down. Cracks spread like a spiderweb, and the patterns of light on the barrier began to die out in large patches.
Lu Mao huddled in the shadows of the corridor corner, his forehead drenched in sweat.
Forty-two... no, there were forty-seven now. Among them were several large goblins, as well as a massive one that looked to be at least a High-Tier monster standing on the periphery without moving, seemingly directing the others. With his meager skills, charging out would just be serving himself up as a snack for the goblins.
But if he didn't save them...
He glanced again at the priest inside the barrier, who was still gritting her teeth and holding on, and recalled the line on Chen Jiu's parchment: “If you can't even complete this mission, don't bother coming back.”
Fine, to cling to the thighs of a Soul Transformation Stage powerhouse, I'll take the risk just this once.
At worst, I'll just bear the pain and waste a Death Return opportunity.
Crouching down, he tightened his cloak and double-checked all the items in his ring. He then weighed the Shadow Affinity Dagger given by Lumu in his hand a couple of times.
The blade of the dagger did not reflect even a sliver of light in the darkness; holding it felt like holding a piece of solidified night.
“System, scan that big goblin's detailed information. Also, how much longer can that priest hold out?”
【Scanning...】
【Giant Goblin】
【Level: 9】
【Status: Commanding, not directly participating in combat】
【Remarks: It is the brain of this goblin pack. Make it shut up, and the remaining rabble will be thrown into chaos for at least two minutes.】
【Priest: Misha】
【Level: 7】
【Status: Divine power depleted, minor magic circuit backlash. Current remaining duration of the Holy Light Barrier is approximately 1 minute and 47 seconds.】
【Remarks: She is burning her life force to maintain the barrier. If this drags on, she will collapse on her own without the goblins even having to lift a finger.】
One minute and forty-seven seconds.
Lu Mao glanced at the forty-seven goblins outside, then down at the dagger in his hand that had yet to taste blood, praying to every deity he could think of.
Whatever, if I die, I die. I can always reload anyway.
He stood up from the shadows, took a deep breath, and suppressed all distracting thoughts.
Then, he made a decision that, looking back on it in the future, made him certain he must have been charmed by Lumu—
Keeping his body low, he slipped through the shadows along the edge of the corridor, creeping toward the Giant Goblin.
Rate on N.U.
