In the center of the vast, imposing chamber stood the Goblin King—a terrifying creature vastly different from common goblins. It stood three meters tall, its knotted muscles hard as stone. Its dark green skin was covered in battle scars, and in its massive hands, it clutched a giant club of wood and iron that looked immensely heavy. Its eyes glowed like red embers, and bloody drool dripped from its mouth full of sharp teeth. It wore simple armor of leather and metal, and on its head sat a crown made from the bones of conquered creatures.
Even from a distance, the Goblin King's aura of violence and savagery was overwhelming, seeming to fill the entire room with a sense of danger. Every step it took made the cave floor tremble. This wasn't just a big goblin—it was a muscular killing machine ready to crush anyone daring enough to challenge it.
And apparently, the Goblin King wasn't their only problem. About fifty goblins of various types filled the chamber. There were brawny Hobgoblins with spiked clubs, Goblin Archers already taking aim from atop rocks, Goblins with Swords and wooden shields, even a Goblin Shaman preparing a spell with its bone staff.
I cursed inwardly, 'This damn, insane quest! Are you telling me to handle this alone?!' But the System remained silent.
From my hiding spot behind a stalagmite, I watched Hammer Maiden calmly step into the center of the arena, followed by her four members who immediately formed up. A male Vanguard with a large shield and sword moved to the front. Behind them, a female Archer with a longbow was already taking aim, while a male Fire Mage began heating his hands with fireballs. A female Healer stood in the safest position, hands already glowing, ready to heal.
Instantly, chaos erupted.
Hundreds of goblins surged forward like a wave. But Hammer Maiden only gave a faint smile.
"I'll handle the big one. You guys take the small fry," she said in a calm voice before shooting forward like lightning.
With an explosive surge of energy, her hammer expanded to the size of a car, lightning crackling across both the weapon and her body. The Goblin King roared, swinging its giant club.
KRAA-SMASH!
The collision of the two weapons created a shockwave that made the entire cave rumble.
Hammer Maiden was thrown back, but landed gracefully like a cat, while the Goblin King was forced to one knee. Her expression remained flat, as if this life-or-death struggle was just a warm-up.
While the fierce duel between Hammer Maiden and the Goblin King threatened to shatter the cave ceiling with every clash, the other four members of Hammermaiden's team faced the sea of goblins with near-perfect coordination.
The Vanguard, a man in plate armor with a large shield and longsword, stood firm as a rock against the storm. Every swing of his sword cleared ten goblins at once, while his massive shield effortlessly blocked a rain of arrows and spears.
"Come on, you green filth!" he yelled, taunting the entire goblin horde.
Behind him, the Archer with her longbow was a merciless precision master. Every draw of her bowstring released seven arrows at once, each one targeting a distant Goblin Archer or piercing the eye of an approaching Hobgoblin. A Goblin Shaman preparing a spell suddenly collapsed with three arrows in its chest.
The Fire Mage next to the Archer was equally terrifying. His hands danced, hurling fireballs that jumped from one goblin to the next like a living plague.
"Dance of the Flaming Serpent!" he cried, and a small fire dragon weaved through the ranks, incinerating dozens of goblins in a single pass. For some reason he had to call out his skill name so ridiculously; it seemed the mage had quite a high opinion of himself.
Finally, the Healer wasn't just healing, but also providing offensive support. Her glittering staff occasionally released holy rays that ignited Goblin Shamans attempting to cast curses. Whenever the Vanguard was pressed, she deftly attacked with light-based skills, giving her teammate a chance to recover.
They moved like a single organism with four different functions, a symphony of planned chaos. It was clear they were a team that had fought together often. The seemingly endless wave of goblins slowly began to thin under their coordinated assault.
I watched all this with my mouth agape. This was my first time seeing how real Hunters operated. I used Eye of Desire on the Goblin King again.
_______________
NAME: Bragokke
RACE: Goblin
CLASS: Raja Goblin
RANK: B
_______________
As expected, the information was limited. This skill was indeed more effective on humans, especially for reading sexual weaknesses and hidden fetishes. But its Rank B alone made things clear—this was no minor opponent.
What made me suspicious was that Hammer Maiden, who clearly possessed higher power, seemed to be holding back. She wasn't trying to end the fight quickly; instead, she occasionally glanced at her four comrades who were still busy cleaning up the remaining goblins. It seemed she was intentionally holding back, perhaps as part of their training.
My curiosity was piqued. I turned my Eye of Desire to the four team members, starting with the Vanguard.
_______________
NAME: James Raffles
AGE: 35
CLASS: Vanguard
RANK: D
DOMINANCE: 1%
SEXUAL AROUSAL: 5%
VIRGINITY: No
WEAK POINTS: Penis
FETISH: Netorare
_______________
"What the hell...?" I could barely believe what was displayed on the transparent screen before me. Netorare? This rugged, reliable-looking man actually harbored such an... unexpected fetish.
From his stern face and protective demeanor, who would have guessed that behind it lay such an... abnormal hidden desire. I sighed, trying to erase the unwanted imagery from my head.
I quickly dismissed the information and scanned the other three members. It turned out they were all Hunter Rank C—a suitable level for dealing with goblin hordes, but clearly not enough to fight the Goblin King alone.
Now I understood. Hammer Maiden, with her power far surpassing theirs, was intentionally holding back, giving them time to clear the smaller forces. She was watching over and training them.
My attention returned to Hammer Maiden. Her previously flat expression had shifted to one of slight boredom, as if this epic battle was merely a warm-up for her. As the last goblin fell to her teammates, she let out a long sigh.
And then, everything changed.
The Goblin King roared, swinging its giant club with its remaining strength. But this time, Hammer Maiden didn't dodge. Instead, she shot forward, her car-sized hammer swung with terrifying speed.
KRAA-SMASH!
The giant club shattered into pieces, followed by the Goblin King's right hand being severed and flung far away. Blood gushed out, but before the green giant could even scream in pain, Hammer Maiden was already swinging again. The Goblin King's left arm was crushed by the hammer, leaving its large body staggering helplessly.
I had to act now!
[Time Stop]
Instantly, the world froze. Sound vanished and all movement ceased. Hammer Maiden suspended mid-air, the Goblin King's face contorted in pain, even the swirling smoke and dust—everything was still in a single frame of time. Only I could still move.
I had to be quick.