They've been inside for a few days now, and they're still moving slowly and cautiously through the tangled jungle.
Nevertheless, today it appears like someone arrived here before them since he can clearly hear their footsteps resonating loudly among the tall trees. "Someone is approaching us," Screw said as he retreated behind a bush.
[System notification]
[Another beast was detect]
A swarm of goblins was in front of him. They appear to be getting ready to battle. After some time, the goblins' line of defense was breached by the stamp of a hoof.
A large bull with two enormous horns arrived, standing on two legs and brandishing an axe. In front of the goblins, the minotaur's foot struck the ground and stomped on it.
A goblin charged forward to assault him but was stopped by an axe that slammed down quickly on his neck and severed his head. The lifeless corpse hit the ground as it dropped. The might of this beast astounded the goblins, who were quickly overpowered.
"(⁠@⁠_⁠@⁠)"
"(⁠●⁠_⁠_⁠●⁠)"
"щ⁠(⁠゜⁠ロ⁠゜⁠щ⁠)"
A group of goblins from the back line were discussing something, and afterward they sent a distress signal by burning some leaves.
Meanwhile, a man was hiding in a bush while munching some wall nuts. [Where did you find that food?] The system asks. The man stuffed another wall nut into its mouth and said, "Ask this little guy." He pointed with his lips at the small horned squirrel munching a wall nuts next to him.
[Little Horn Squirrel?] The system asks as it looks down at the small creature that was eating. The tiny creature chirped and gazed up at it with naïve huge, innocent black eyes, making it appear more like a puppy than a squirrel. While its mouth was full of wall nuts.
That was lovely in a really nice sense, but it was also quite disturbing. The poor animal wasn't even sure of its own purpose in this place.
[Let's change the subject]
[How come I seem to understand those goblins?]
"Meaning?" he asked.
[There's something like scribbled or lines when they communicate to each other] the system was totally confused.
Screw, read the system prompt, and keep glancing back and forth at the goblins. He pointed at the doodle and sketches, which the system was asking about: "Do you mean those emoticons?"
[The system became even more perplexed.]
[The system genuinely inquired.]
"Merely an image of a face expression," he answered.
He told the squirrel to pass him more nuts as he tapped the horn again. In order to get into a hole, the horn squirrel hurried and sprang to the nearest tree.
The horn squirrel goes up and picks up more wall nuts there before tossing them away. He then descends once again, returns to its station, and stuffs yet another wall nut into its mouth. Both of them munch with delight while watching the minautor massacre the goblins. While enjoying the show, the system prompt appeared: [Where's Gura?]
"Her?" He used his lips again to point at the nearest tree: "She's over there, slee—"
"She's gone!" he exclaimed while sweating so hard. "Allyssa, what should we do?" he asks while panicking.
[Calm down first]
[We don't know if she got abducted or she just take a stroll nearby]
[System suggest to use a pathfinder skill]
"Great idea Allyssa-sama."
Screw standing up and walk to where Gura was sleeping before she was gone. [Pathfinder skill: Walk of the Earth]* He cast his skill, and his eyes glowed; a footprint of three pairs was found where she was sleeping. The human footprint is his, but the other two pairs are likely from goblins, the system said. [It seems she's been abducted.]
"Well, is she popular?" he jokingly said, but after several seconds he felt an astonishing cold sweat and shiver. "Oh flock! That's Goblins." He suddenly ran fast, following the footprints' direction: "I'm going to tear all of their mud eggs if they touch her." He ran as fast as he could while gritting his teeth behind his mask.
As much as he didn't like to admit it, sometimes he was afraid. Scared about what would happen once he found his student, or rather that one day a goblin king will snatch her up and she'll be forced to marry him, which is probably unlikely to happen.
He stopped for a while because there were more than two footprints in the ground, and when he approached them, an axe flew towards him and landed beside his crotch.
"Flock!" An elite minotaur stomped his hooves several times before running towards him. He lowered his head and used his two massive horns to crush him.
"Flock it!" He screamed as he started to stand up and run in a different direction. The minotaur knows the human will dodge his charge, but he didn't stop instead, when he dodged, he grabbed and used his axe to change his direction towards Screw. "What!" He was amazed at what the minotaur did. [What an intelligent creature!] The minotaur deserves praise.
He crossed his fist "Allyssa activate our arsenal!" The system started to charge up [Activating Spirit Skill: Spirit of the Black Bear]. A huge spirit bear manifested at his back, giving him strength.
The minotaurs charged at him, but he was prepared. He grabbed the minotaur horns and stopped his charge. Both of them were on their feet, still giving every ounce of their strength to push each other back.
The minotaur got annoyed and used both hands to hold his axe, then suddenly gave a heavy swing towards Screw. [Not on my watch] the system activates another skill, [Activating Spirit Skill: Tortoise Spirit].
Suddenly, Screw's protection increased, and an imperceptible hard barrier halted the axe. "To me, ol' frit," at the minotaur's feet, a burst of flames appeared and then erupted, continuing to do so until the minotaur succumbed to burns.
He said, "Phew, that's not difficult at all," but as soon as he finished speaking, another bunch of elite minotaurs came and walked toward him. "It appears this champ has to look after a herd of small cows, isn't it?" he said, turning to face the minotaurs behind him. "Allyssa…"
[I'm on it]
[Activating Spirit Skill: Tortoise Spirit]
[Activating Spirit Skill: Spirit of the Black Bear]
[Activating Spirit Skill: Monkeys Spirit]
His physical ability were improved by the activation of three successive active skills. He knelt down and paused for two seconds before charging at his foes.
He dodged the minotaur onslaught with the help of the monkeys' acrobatic prowess and utilized the tortoise barrier to protect himself in case an assailant stumbled and injured him. He attacks and subdues the minotaurs while using the black bear's might.
This takes several hours before he defeated all of the minotaurs attacking him. "Is that all Allyssa?" he ask the system [Yes, I can't detect anymore hostile enemies].
"That's good then. Let's go and pick Gura now."
[The system agrees]
Screw got moving and started to sprint towards the footsteps. As he arrived, he noticed that several goblins were bowing before the largest goblin in front of them.
This goblin is carrying a king's scepter, wearing a cloak crafted from a monster's body, and donning a bone crown.
"Hmm, a goblin king appeared, so that's why there are a lot of goblins here." while scanning in front of him, he asks the system, "How should we go through?" He inquired again since the system's silence confused him, but the system delivered a message prompt before he could finish.
[Look at the goblin king's left hand; he's grasping something.]
Screw saw that the Goblin King's left hand was clutching a head as he peered at it. He abruptly stopped speaking after saying, "He's clutching a severed head, but why it appears I know—," and an outburst of rage appeared within him.
The head of a small girl, whose life he must rescue at all costs. [We failed to arrive in time.]
All of a sudden, a chaotic aura appeared and spread over the region. Under his plague mask, he smiles violently while crying out in ecstasies. He was confused about how he'd feel, but there was something he really wanted to do.
[Notification from system:]
"Kill…"
[No one is allowed to accept]
"And ceasing the"
[The Breath of Eternity]
"BREATH OF ETERNITY"