After crossing the relatively safe range of the shallow layers he had previously mapped out, Greg put aside his thoughts of bickering with Nightmare.
The secrets regarding the Goddess of Light he had just learned, along with the terrible relationship between his own goddess and her, were giving him a bit of a headache.
But for now, the most important thing was to handle the trouble in front of him and continue to survive.
He silently moved to the front and gave Silvia a gesture that meant "stay alert and follow," then took the lead in sneaking toward the entrance leading to the middle layers.
Silvia took a deep breath. Although her pink eyes still held traces of nervousness, they were filled with more determination as she followed closely behind Greg.
The passage gradually widened, and the terrain became more complex.
The light from the luminescent moss seemed to dim slightly, and the air was filled with a scent unique to the deeper parts of the dungeon—a mix of stale dust and a faint, fishy odor.
Greg could feel that they were approaching that abnormal area.
Sure enough, as they rounded a massive stalactite pillar, a relatively open connecting zone came into view. Silvia couldn't help but gasp, subconsciously grabbing Greg's sleeve.
"G-Greg-senpai! Th-those are... Goblins?! And... so many!"
Her voice was kept very low, carrying a noticeable tremble.
Ahead, about a dozen green-skinned, short but muscular Goblin Warriors were wandering aimlessly or crouching on rocks near the entrance to the middle layers, wielding rusty swords, clubs, or crude bows.
Their croaking chatter and the occasional sound of weapons clashing against rock sounded exceptionally harsh in the silent cave.
This group of monsters, which should have been active in the middle or even deeper layers, was currently occupying the vital passage from the shallow layers to the middle layers like sentries.
"It's okay. At this level, the two of us can handle it."
Sensing Silvia's tension, Greg stopped, turned his head, and whispered in as steady a tone as possible.
"The numbers are a bit more than expected, but they're still within a controllable range. Besides, they look very scattered without a tight formation. They won't be too difficult to deal with."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over Silvia's pale face.
"Once the battle starts, stay in a safe position behind me. Prioritize casting enhancement and protection magic on me. If you get the chance, use your light magic to interfere with or purify the spells of those Shamans. Understood?"
Silvia nodded vigorously. Although her fingers were still a bit cold, Greg's steady tone and clear instructions gave her a sense of direction.
"I-I understand! Greg-senpai!"
"Very good."
Greg said no more. He rolled his wrists, his gaze locking onto the two Goblin Warriors closest to them who hadn't noticed their presence yet.
"I'll start with these two. Silvia, buff me."
"Yes!"
Silvia immediately raised her wand, closed her eyes, and offered a quick, devout prayer in a low voice.
A soft, pure white light lit up from the tip of her wand, quickly condensing before turning into a warm flow of light that landed lightly on Greg.
【Light of Jotunheim: Strength Augmentation】!
【Light of Alfheim: Agility Boost】!
With the two layers of enhancement magic applied, Greg immediately felt a gentle yet solid power surge from within his body, and his limbs seemed to become lighter and more powerful.
This was exactly why Greg had wanted to thoroughly conquer the first layer before the End-of-Chapter-One event began.
The effects of light-attribute support magic were direct and positive. Without Silvia's assistance, he would undoubtedly have had a much harder time.
"Here I go!"
With a low shout, Greg no longer hid himself. He kicked off the ground, charging out from behind the stone pillar like an arrow from a bow, straight toward the two Goblin Warriors who hadn't had time to sound the alarm!
At the same time, his mind raced as he channeled his mana.
LV1: Bracers of Darkness!
Bracers as black as ink, with ominous black mist flowing over their surface, instantly covered both of his arms.
Contrasted against the white glow of the light-attribute enhancement magic, these heavy-armor-like black bracers appeared exceptionally eerie and powerful.
"Ga?!"
The two Goblin Warriors clearly hadn't expected a human to launch a surprise attack from such a close distance and hurriedly raised their weapons.
One swung a rusty machete at Greg's neck, while the other drew a crude wooden bow.
Greg didn't dodge. He raised his left arm, and the pitch-black bracer precisely met the incoming machete.
There was no loud clang of metal on metal.
The moment the machete touched the black mist, it was as if it had been swallowed by an invisible, giant mouth. The front of the blade, along with the faint force attached to it, vanished without a sound, leaving only a broken half-blade to fall to the ground with a clang.
The Goblin Warrior stared blankly at the bare hilt.
Almost simultaneously, Greg's right fist, wrapped in black mist, slammed hard into the face of the other goblin who had just drawn its bowstring.
With a dull thud, it wasn't the sound of a skull shattering, but rather the black mist spreading like a living thing the moment it made contact, instantly enveloping the goblin's entire head.
In the next moment, the black mist retracted. The goblin fell backward stiffly; there were no wounds on its face, but its eyes had lost their luster, as if something vital had been drained away.
This all happened in a flash.
It was only then that the other nearby Goblins were alerted. They let out piercing screams one after another, brandishing their weapons as they swarmed over.
"Greg-senpai, watch out on your left!"
Silvia's voice came from behind, filled with anxiety, but she didn't forget her duty. Another 【Light Barrier】 landed beside Greg, just in time to block a tricky arrow shot from an angle.
The arrow struck the milky-white screen of light and was bounced away.
"Thanks!"
Greg shouted back without stopping, charging headlong into the circle of Goblins.
With Silvia's enhancements and timely support, he felt the pressure was much lower.
These Goblin Warriors were roughly between LV15 and LV18. He wasn't afraid of them in a one-on-one fight to begin with, and now he felt even more unstoppable.
The Bracers of Darkness became his most effective weapon and shield.
Whether it was a slash, a thrust, or a thrown stone, when a goblin's attack touched that roiling black mist, it was either partially swallowed—greatly reducing its power—or completely neutralized.
And with every counterattack Greg made, the Bracers of Darkness brought not just physical impact, but a trace of corrosive shadow power that caused the struck Goblins to die on the spot.
The battle quickly fell into a one-sided slaughter.
Greg moved through the goblin pack like a black whirlwind, and wherever he went, Goblins collapsed.
Silvia followed nervously at a distance, constantly replenishing his enhancement magic or using 【Holy Light Bullet】 to interfere with or knock back enemies trying to sneak-attack from the sides.
She watched with her own eyes as Greg used that never-before-seen black power, filled with an ominous aura, to easily neutralize attack after attack. In addition to surprise, a strong sense of admiration welled up in her heart.
Greg-senpai... is really amazing!
Is this the legendary dark magic? Although it feels a bit eerie... it's certainly powerful!
However, the noise of the battle and Greg's efficient killing finally drew in a more troublesome foe.
"#$%...&!!"
A burst of sharp, tongue-twisting chanting rang out from behind a high rock to the side.
Alarm bells went off in Greg's mind. He whipped his head around and saw a Goblin Shaman draped in a tattered feather cloak with war paint on its face. It had somehow circled around to their flank, and its bone staff was pointed straight at—Silvia!
Rate on N.U.
