Alara was sitting right next to Kyle, really stiff, arms crossed, and staring out the window.

Mira and Leo were across them, just talking normally... as if they weren’t heading toward a dangerous, unknown cave.

The sun was getting higher now, warming everything up, even the leather seats under them.

Kyle checks his shop screen again, looking at the magic gear. He keeps staring at a dagger with extra damage, but the price made him frown.

`300 points... i’m not even halfway there.`

It makes his jaw clench. Just how many more kills does he need just to get some decent equipment?

Then the carriage hits a big rock, and everyone jolts. Alara reaches out to steady herself, but her hand lands right on Kyle’s thigh.

She pulls away instantly, her face getting really red.

`Avoiding me won’t save you.` Kyle thought, trying to hide a smirk.

The forest started to thin out as they get closer. Alara pulls the map out, squinting at it really hard.

"We’re getting close," she announced. "Keep your eyes open. I want everyone alert."

The road curved sharply around a cluster of trees, and suddenly the cave entrance came into view. The entrance was large enough for an elephant to enter, and it was also dark.

Alara stood, peering out at the opening. "Well... There it is."

Weston brought the horses to a stop, and they all dismounted.

"Everyone," Alara said, her voice steady and clear. "Formation is simple. Leo and I take the front, while Mira and Weston support from behind."

"Kyle—" she glanced at him, "—cover our backs... and stay close."

Kyle nodded. "Understood, leader."

"Good." Alara took a deep breath and stepped toward the cave’s entrance. The others followed.

Soon, the darkness swallowed them whole.

The cave stretched ahead, the walls narrowing as they ventured deeper, carrying the damp scent of earth.

"Stay close," Alara commanded quietly. "No telling what’s lurking down here."

They pressed forward in a loose formation. Alara led, with her sword pointed forward. Leo stayed close beside her, shield raised, his armor clanking with every step.

Mira walked behind them, using her magic to create a ball of fire to light the way. Weston walked beside her, alert to any movement.

As for Kyle, he lingered at the rear, his dagger glimmering in the firelight.

"Goblin tracks," Weston murmured, crouching down to examine the ground. "Fresh ones. Maybe an hour old."

Alara’s grip tightened on her sword hilt. "Then we should move faster."

They continued walking forward cautiously, and the sound of their footsteps echoed in the cave.

"I see something ahead," Leo whispered, after noticing a strange figure from afar.

Alara nodded, gripping her sword tighter. "Everyone, be alert."

They crept forward slowly. When they reached the strange object, the foul smell crept into their noses.

"This—!" Weston clenched his teeth, his voice tight with anger.

Everyone’s face darkened.

It was the body of one of the adventurers from the guild who took the job before us. It was mutilated, and looked like he’d been dead for a long time.

Alara stared at him for a second, then looked back at everyone. "We gotta keep moving."

Everyone just nodded. You could tell they were way more on edge now.

The tunnel just kept stretching as they stayed close together.

Then suddenly, they stepped into a massive room. The area was huge. There were tons of dark little tunnels everywhere.

A strange feeling crawled up Alara’s spine. "Something’s—" she started.

Rustling—

"Leo!" Alara shouted.

Leo reacted instantly, raising his shield just as a dark shape lunged from the side.

Clang!

The impact echoed through the cavern as the creature slammed into his shield and bounced back.

Its twisted face snarled as it scrambled to its feet, clutching a crude weapon made from sharpened branches bound together with leather.

Then another appeared.

And another.

From the side tunnels, shadows poured out—short, green figures with yellowed teeth and wild eyes, wielding primitive spears and clubs.

"Goblins!" Weston barked.

They hit all at once.

"Kill them here!" Alara was already moving.

Her sword caught the first goblin at the neck. Leo slammed his shield into another and crushed it against the wall.

Behind them, Mira threw fire—two goblins caught in the blast, gone in smoke and heat.

The screaming filled the cave.

Kyle remained near the rear, watching.

`So this is what goblins look like... ugly little bastards.`

Not a single goblin rushed him. They were focused on the front line—on Alara, Leo, and Mira.

`My skill [Mind Control] worked on animals without any problem... but I haven’t tried it on monsters before.`

His eyes narrowed at the short green creatures, then his lips curved into an evil smile. `Goblins are considered monsters... right~?`

He didn’t hesitate, his gaze snapped to the side just in time to catch movement.

A goblin was slipping through the chaos, crouched low, its eyes locked on Mira’s unprotected back. Its spear was raised, poised to strike.

Kyle’s eyes flared crimson as he activated his skill [Mind Control].

`Attack me instead of her.`

The goblin froze mid-step. Its body jerked unnaturally, then turned away from Mira and rushed straight toward Kyle instead.

Kyle smirked. `It works!`

He stepped forward calmly. One clean motion. His dagger pierced the goblin’s throat, silencing it instantly.

A system notification appeared.

[You have slain a Goblin]

[Unused Stat Points: +2 | Shop Points: +20]

`Only two points? It’s a damn monster!`

He chewed on it for a second, then let it go. `Whatever. I’ll figure out the system later.`

He shoved the thought aside and got moving. No more waiting around for them to come to him.

He cut into the fight low and fast, weaving between bodies.

One goblin swung wide—he slipped under it, stomped the knee, and buried his dagger into its skull on the way back up.

Another came charging in, then just... folded. Legs gave out, face hit the dirt. Kyle was already standing over it.

A quiet nudge through his skill was all it took. Trip, stumble, hesitate—small enough that nobody’d notice, just enough to keep the openings coming.

He spotted Mira a second before the next one reached her. Stepped in, caught the strike, drove his blade in deep

"Thanks!" Mira shouted, breathless.

Kyle was already gone—back into the mess, moving low, not pushing too far, not gambling on anything stupid.

The commands barely took thought anymore—trip, freeze, turn. Just enough to crack them open without making it obvious.

The others startled glances at him as the goblins kept falling dead at his feet.

"There’s more coming from the left tunnel!" Alara’s voice punched through the noise. She had two on her already.

She wasn’t wrong. The cave was starting to echo with something heavier coming in from the dark.

Mira’s fire climbed higher, and she launched another wave into the tunnel mouth. "How many are there?!"

"Too many..." Weston grunted, dodging a direct hit from a goblin’s club.

Leo stuck close to Alara, his armor beaten up in a few spots. Shield up, covering her while she cut through them.

The goblins had no real plan—just numbers. They kept pushing in from every direction, driving the party back into a tight cluster.

Didn’t matter. The party was stronger. The goblins started dropping, and the ones still standing started losing nerve.

A handful broke off toward the side tunnels, shrieking as they went.

Alara dragged her blade clean and caught her breath. "Don’t let them regroup—"

Thump. Thump. Thump.

She stopped mid-sentence.

Everyone did, and their eyes turned toward the source of the sound.

From one of the deeper tunnels, a massive shadow shifted—far larger than the goblins they had just fought.

The footsteps grew closer. And whatever was coming... It wasn’t small.