"Are we really starting the mission tonight?" Bell asked in a low voice.
They had already discussed their plans during the caravan ride—rest at the village overnight, recover their strength, and begin the operation the next day.
But this unexpected turn of events had clearly disrupted those plans.
"Two villagers have been taken. If we don't act tonight, it might be too late," Hailier sighed. "But… it's dark. Fighting goblins at night is a lot more dangerous."
She looked conflicted, nervously twirling a lock of hair between her fingers.
"We haven't even scouted yet," Gauss added.
"Exactly—this is risky," Mia agreed.
None of them were experienced adventurers.
Gauss instinctively felt that going into the forest at night was a bad idea. Monsters always had better night vision than humans.
Logic told him to wait for daylight, investigate the goblin den, gather intel, then attack.
But if they waited…
The two victims might suffer irreparable harm.
And weren't they here to eliminate the goblins in the first place?
He sighed internally. Sometimes, there simply wasn't a "right" answer.
"Let's each make our own decision," Hailier finally said. "This is a sudden change, and no matter what we choose, we have to respect each other's choice. I'll count down from three. When I say one, say your answer: go… or don't go."
"Ready?" she asked, her voice tight. Sweat had gathered on her forehead without her even noticing.
"No problem."
"Three."
"Two."
"One."
"Go!" "Go." "Go." "Go."
Gauss was half a beat behind, but in the end, his answer matched the rest.
He had been raised well in his past life—but not to the point of being cold-blooded.
Seeing that everyone had agreed, Hailier exhaled deeply, relieved.
"But we'll need a villager familiar with the forest to guide us, and we'll need light sources," Gauss said. "Our top priority during the mission must be our own safety—only then can we have any hope of rescuing the victims."
Although his map ensured he wouldn't get lost, the unexplored terrain was still a complete mystery. A local guide was essential for minimizing risk.
"I agree."
Once the team finalized their decision, they informed the villagers.
"Thank you all so much!"
"Please, heroes! Bring Jenny and Aisha back to us!"
The villagers were overwhelmed with gratitude, rallying around the four as if they'd just found a lifeline.
When they learned someone needed to guide the adventurers, four men stepped forward without hesitation. They were direct relatives of the kidnapped women—and had been among the loudest in calling for immediate rescue earlier.
Truthfully, even if Gauss and the others hadn't shown up, these men had already planned to risk their lives to get their loved ones back.
To save time, the group gathered their gear quickly and set out into the woods, torches in hand.
The villagers had a rough idea of where the goblin den was located.
At the front of the group, two men led the way, each carrying a torch in one hand and a pitchfork in the other, walking fast and heavy-footed.
They were the fathers of Jenny and Aisha.
Their faces were grim, their pace accelerating with every step.
The adventuring team followed closely behind, quietly discussing tactics.
"Same as we practiced," Hailier said. "Bell and Mia hold the front line. I'll attack from the flank with arrows. Gauss, use your magic to disrupt the goblins and create openings. You can also use your spear or dagger to support Bell and Mia when needed."
No one objected—even though Bell and Mia were going to be in the thick of it, taking the most risk.
"Got it," Gauss nodded.
They had practiced together the day before. Though real combat would be the true test, Gauss was confident in the team's abilities.
Each of the three had learned a beginner skill from their respective classes and could use it proficiently.
Mia's skill: Thrust – A sudden dash forward paired with rapid twin-blade strikes.
Bell's skill: Cleave – A simple but powerful swing that dramatically increased his strike force.
Hailier's skill: Precise Aim – Enhanced eyesight and strength, allowing her to fire highly accurate arrows at medium-to-short range.
Combined with Gauss's Mage Hand, they weren't a weak team.
Despite their lack of field experience, on paper, they were stronger than many other rookie parties.
That was part of why Gauss had agreed to act tonight.
Seven or eight goblins, even at night, shouldn't be a match for a team like this—provided they struck fast and clean.
If each of them could take out one goblin right at the start, the remaining fight would become manageable one-on-ones.
"Gentlemen, we'll count on you to distract the goblins briefly. Once we've dealt with our own targets, we'll back you up immediately."
"Don't worry—if it's just one goblin each, we can handle it."
With a quick exchange of understanding, the group moved forward in silence.
After some time, the villagers leading the way stopped.
An open clearing appeared ahead.
A bonfire burned faintly at its center, and just behind it, they saw a cave entrance.
It was likely natural—around two meters wide, plunging into pitch darkness.
"That's it."
The team focused on the cave.
It was pitch-black inside. Without a light source, they couldn't see anything beyond the entrance.
Gauss gestured to get everyone's attention. He was about to suggest creeping closer and using Mage Hand to scout the interior from a distance of around ten meters—
When suddenly, a sharp cry cut through the silence.
"WAAAHHHH!!"
The sound erupted from his left, startling him to the core.
He turned sharply—and saw the source.
A green-skinned goblin had emerged from the underbrush nearby, shrieking loudly, alerting its allies inside the cave.
Damn it! They posted scouts!
Gauss's heart pounded.
And in that instant—the world slowed.
Like stepping into bullet time, everything moved in slow motion. His thoughts sharpened.
He drew his dagger and lunged sideways in one swift move, slashing toward the goblin's throat.
The goblin instinctively tried to dodge—
But then—Mage Hand activated.
A spectral force shoved the goblin from behind.
It wasn't strong, but it disrupted the goblin's movement.
The blade traced a perfect arc through the air.
It slid across the goblin's green neck, splitting the skin like butter, and blood surged from its throat like a broken dam.
Dead.
In a single, reflexive combination of swordplay and magic, Gauss had executed the goblin with precision.
Its loud cry died into a wet gurgle.
[Goblin slain ×1]
[Total Monster Kills: 2]
The goblin collapsed, nearly decapitated, its dull yellow eyes locked on Gauss in death—trying, even in its last breath, to remember the human who killed it.
"Get ready!" Gauss shouted.
The others hadn't expected him to act so fast—but there was no time to be surprised.
Bell and Mia surged forward, trying to hold the line at the cave entrance.
But they were too late.
The scout's scream had already alerted the horde.
From within the cave, more shrieks echoed—along with the sound of dozens of feet scuttling across stone.
The goblins had been awakened.
Like furious apes, they roared in chorus, and a horde of red eyes surged from the darkness.
One pair. Two pairs… eight… twelve… thirteen pairs of eyes—
Gauss, catching up, knew immediately: something was wrong.
"Wait—there's too many!" he shouted.
"Bad intel!"
"Watch out!"
So many eyes. So many bodies. It felt like the entire cave was crawling toward them.
Gauss's heart thundered in his chest.
And with it came a painful but valuable lesson:
Never fully trust mission intel.