Sand Goblin
After just stepping out of the large gate, the sun was already scorching our skin. Exploring the desert without veils is a mistake that can cost people dearly if they are unaware of the danger. It's easy to die from the heat and be eaten by the Desert's creatures. The sun in my hometown was much less powerful than this one.
"I suppose you've never been in a dungeon before?" Hiroki asked curiously, looking at Amelia and me.
"No, but we've read everything the Guide had to say on the subject," Amelia replied.
He stopped and looked at us, putting a serious expression on his face and a smirk in his tousled hair. "Just a little advice, don't take everything the Guide says at face value. It's full of traps," he warned, noticing our concern.
Surprised, Amelia retorted, "Why would the System give players false information?" suspicious of Hiroki's words.
He responded by opening the guide to the "Sand Goblin" monster:
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[GUIDE]
Level 1 - 5
<<Sand Goblin>>
[Description] Small-sized monster with green color. This formidable being is agile and fast, capable of moving with great speed on the burning sand. Its strength lies in its ability to sneak through the dunes and attack its prey with cunning. Armed with sharp fangs and pointed claws, its weakness lies in its stomach.
[Loots] Unknown ...
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"Here it indicates that the goblins weakness is their stomach, but that's false," Hiroki asserted firmly. He continued, "Although it can cause a lot of damage, their neck is much more vulnerable and effective to attack," he finished, closing the guide.
"The System is not our ally. It want us to learn by ourselves, so it gives false hopes to get rid of unsuspecting people. So don't trust too much in what's written," he cautioned.
"I see, thank you for letting us know, Hiroki. We may have been too comfortable with this thing," Amelia said, thanking him.
He replied, "That's correct, you're new players, it's normal not to think about checking that," with a slight chuckle.
"New players? But he arrived at the same time as us, I don't see why he's so selfish," I whispered to Amelia, glancing at Hiroki.
"Agreed, but we don't have much choice for now. We'll have to deal with him for the moment, Mao," she whispered back. She followed by putting her hand on my shoulder with a smile, "Everything will be fine, so let's go."
I nodded and continued to follow Amelia towards the dungeon. We walked on the sand scorched by the sun. The desert plateaus could be seen from afar, and the same could be said for the giant towers.
Each tower is a kind of Dungeon with a unique boss inside, which can be conquered only once before the Pillar will be unlocked for everyone. At the moment, no one has reached a tower, and we don't really have information about it except that the Towers lead to the next Pillars.
While dungeon bosses do not come back, it's completely different for normal dungeons. They will regenerate over time, and if they are not attacked, they can become a danger to the inhabitants.
"Hey, Mao." Hiroki called out, trying to get my attention. "You seem to be lost in thought. You always need to stay alert, or you'll be an easy target over here." he continued, his tone serious as he pointed out a large rock on our path.
I retorted, saying, "It's just a rock in the desert. There's nothing to fear."
He stopped me. "That's where you're wrong. I've been noticing shapes moving around the edges for a while now. It could be a sign of an ambush by monsters," Hiroki said, looking at me with unwavering conviction.
Honestly amazed by his incredible perception, I decided to try out my new skill that I had never really used before, 'Aura Vision.' I was lucky that it didn't require any Mana to use, or I would have been in trouble.
[AURA VISION ACTIVATED]
As soon as I activated my skill, fireballs appeared in my vision. I could now see that indeed, living beings with small red souls were hiding behind the large rock. I remained silent; I must not reveal my skill, especially since it's unique. I continued to use the skill and took the time to look at Hiroki's soul.
While focusing on Hiroki, I perceived a large black soul, and before I could fully observe it, emotions that were not my own flooded my mind: sadness and anger. I quickly stopped using my skill as the sensation was too overwhelming.
"Mao? Are you okay?" Amelia asked, her concern evident as she gently nudged my elbow.
I nodded. "Yes, I'm fine, nothing serious, just a little heatstroke," I replied, forcing a smile as I looked at her.
Hiroki glanced at me from the corner of his eye, arms crossed, and said, "Alright, I'll launch a magic attack on the enemies after they've scattered. Amelia, you attack with your bow, and Mao, you use your sword."
Hiroki stepped forward, planted his sword in the sand, and shouted, "Fire Blade!" A blue flame shot up from the ground towards the rock, cleaving it in two with a swift motion. The two halves of the rock collapsed with a terrifying rumble.
Immediately after the chaos, sand goblins rushed out from the edges of the broken rock to attack us. There were about ten of them, but five were already killed by Hiroki's magic. Hiroki's sheer strength was surprising, and I barely had time to react before I had to take the assault.
"Mao, let's go! I'll cover you!" Amelia shouted, nocking an arrow in her bow and aiming at the enemies.
The enemies seemed disoriented, which made it easier for me to attack the sand goblins. I grabbed my sword and began to attack. "Aim for their necks!" Hiroki shouted. I nodded and aimed for one of them.
I took my momentum to attack, but stumbled because of the goblin's foot. He looked at me snickering and prepared to attack me with his club until Amelia shot an arrow directly into his head, piercing him and making him fall to the ground with an eye on the arrow tip, blood staining the sand around it.
Hiroki sighed and took over, swiftly cutting down the remaining goblins. "You got caught by such a foolish attack. How did you survive for a week?" he said angrily, disappointed by my incompetence.
Amelia hurried towards me and helped me up, extending her hand. "Are you okay, Mao? I really thought that goblin had killed you," she said, her voice trembling with fear at the thought.
"Don't worry, you saved me once again," I reassured her with a laugh, trying to comfort her despite my trembling from fear.
"Alright, we don't have all day. We're almost at the dungeon," Hiroki said impatiently and annoyed.
"He's right, Mao. We'll be late otherwise. If we go at night, the enemies will be completely different." Amelia affirmed Hiroki's words.
I sheathed my sword and shook the sand out of my hair before following Hiroki and Amelia, who were already on the road. I knew I would be unable to do anything. How were they able to accept the situation and kill without any scruples?