Chapter 11
Chapter 11
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: Atarok Goblin Village
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The sensation of entering the second gate still felt utterly novel.
In truth, it was bound to feel that way.
The 'Withered Corpses' Corridor' that Jeong-hyeon had entered before was a dim hallway-style gate, but the starting point of this 'Atarok Goblin Village' was a forest.
Compared to the corridor, it was incomparably brighter and more pleasant.
Sunlight filtering through the leaves felt warm, and the gentle breeze was refreshing.
It seemed no different from a forest on Earth.
No wonder places like corridors weren't popular when gates like this existed.
But that very fact stimulated Jeong-hyeon all the more.
His senses had become too sharp, as expected.
Sounds of insects he'd never heard on Earth, or the distant cries of unfamiliar beasts.
Even a mere rustle made him tense up, wondering if it was a goblin.
Everything heightened his sensitivity to the extreme.
'Ugh... I really can't get used to these senses. What happens when I level up here?'
Jeong-hyeon tried to ignore the trivial details and casually scanned his surroundings.
Perhaps because they were still at the entrance.
Han-seok and Ga-ryeong had pulled slightly ahead, while Jeong-hyeon and Ji-yoon lagged behind.
Watching their backs, Jeong-hyeon thought.
'Since it's a guild request, they probably clear out places like this for the guild too?'
Even though gate reservations were divided into general and guild formations, guilds wielded influence behind the scenes.
Just as he figured it must be a fairly large guild, Jeong-hyeon suddenly realized he'd overlooked something.
"Huh? Ji-yoon, do you know which guild those two are from?"
"Huh? Oh? What did you say?"
But instead of answering, Ji-yoon startled and asked back.
Jeong-hyeon smiled awkwardly and rephrased his question.
"Is this your first time entering a gate?"
"Ah... Yeah. I awakened not long ago, and joining a party felt a bit scary."
"This is only my second time too."
"I see. You seem so natural at it."
Compared to how Jeong-hyeon had been in the corridor, Ji-yoon was noticeably more tense.
'Why didn't I notice this sooner?'
In Sunhyeong's party, they'd exchanged basic info at the cafe.
Of course, there he'd been the one inserting himself, so he'd only needed to share his own experience. But this time, they'd hyped him up outside before coming in.
"Is it because you're so relaxed?"
"Huh?"
Ji-yoon reacted to Jeong-hyeon's mutter.
Jeong-hyeon hesitated as he looked at her.
Should he voice his suspicions honestly?
If he was just overreacting, it might unnecessarily agitate the already tense Ji-yoon.
"Jeong-hyeon, time to get into position!"
"Ah, got it!"
Such worries faded bit by bit once Han-seok called out.
"Goblins shouldn't appear yet, but I figured I'd share some tips on fighting them early. That okay?"
"Of course. I'm grateful."
Han-seok gripped his massive axe—its blade as wide as his torso—with both hands and scanned the surroundings.
"As always, keep a thorough watch around you. Goblins are cunning. Let your guard down, and they might jump out from the bushes."
He shared various tips like that.
Most were useful knowledge for beginner hunters.
Goblins' physiques differ from humans, so adaptation is key; their center of gravity is different, so watch for surprise attacks.
"My axe can one-shot them no problem, but with your mace, Jeong-hyeon, you might not finish them easily if you don't hit right."
"Got it."
Jeong-hyeon nodded along appropriately, but it was mostly stuff he knew.
'I may not have seen live goblins, but dead ones?'
In fact, he could confidently say he'd handled more goblins than Han-seok.
Goblin corpses flooded the workshop almost as much as zombies.
He knew exactly where to stab for the blade to sink in cleanly, how to carve around the joints to strip them neatly—it was all clear in his mind.
'Maybe because I'm level 2? Still, I know a lot.'
With info sharing so widespread these days, he let it slide.
Soon, he even paid attention to Ga-ryeong and Ji-yoon following behind, who were sharing rear-guard tips in their own way.
'Yeah, looks like my worries were pointless.'
Perhaps noticing Jeong-hyeon wasn't fully focused, Han-seok shifted to a more provocative topic.
"Not to brag, but Ga-ryeong and I can't actually clear the village ourselves."
"Huh? Why not?"
Jeong-hyeon's attention snapped back to Han-seok for the first time in a while.
Han-seok gave a wry smile as he explained.
"There are thousands of goblins in the village. Clearing them all would need B-Rank hunters—at least two high-level ones."
"That many? So you just patrol the outskirts."
"Exactly. And once cleared, other hunters won't have scraps left. No need to bother with the village."
Jeong-hyeon nodded.
Thousands would indeed be unrealistic for just a few people.
'If I even glimpse a village shadow, better run like hell.'
He'd learn firsthand fighting them, but he had no intention of adventuring.
"Kirurek—"
At that moment, an alien sound reached Jeong-hyeon's ears.
Unlike previous noises he'd suspected might be goblins, this carried clear hostility.
Jeong-hyeon raised his mace to chest height and went on alert.
"Goblin nearby. 10 o'clock, about 50 meters."
"Huh? Already? Wait, how did you...?"
Han-seok sounded flustered.
Sunhyeong's group had been surprised too, but Jeong-hyeon's senses were far sharper now.
He brushed it off vaguely.
"My hearing's always been good, and agility traits boost senses too."
"Wow, agility types are different. I'm pure strength."
Han-seok seemed more surprised that Jeong-hyeon had detected the goblin first, before its appearance.
With a relaxed expression, Han-seok adjusted his axe grip and signaled the rear.
"Ga-ryeong, goblin at 10 o'clock, 50 meters. Get ready."
"What? Got it."
Unlike the tense Ji-yoon, Ga-ryeong showed no change.
Han-seok too only shifted his grip slightly, showing no special alertness.
Jeong-hyeon was the puzzled one.
"No need to prepare?"
Han-seok laughed loudly.
"Don't worry. If the goblins see us, we need to signal we haven't noticed them. That makes them drop their guard."
So relax a bit, Jeong-hyeon.
Han-seok patted his back.
'Is that how it works?'
Reluctantly, Jeong-hyeon lowered his mace from chest height.
Seeing that, Han-seok added.
"Always be ready to attack, but don't tip off the enemy. Remember that—it's the basics of combat."
Jeong-hyeon acknowledged and fully lowered his mace.
But his grip remained firm.
Han-seok chuckled again.
"Good. That'll fool those idiots just fine."
Once Ji-yoon in the rear seemed naturally casual enough, even if annoyed, Han-seok advanced the group.
Soon, Jeong-hyeon vaguely understood Han-seok's confidence.
'Are those really hiding?'
He'd apparently overestimated goblins.
They huddled in the bushes, but calling it hiding was questionable.
As long as they couldn't see them,
"Keruk—"
"Kiruk—"
They made high-pitched cries carelessly, and their crude spears even poked above the foliage.
As he debated pretending to notice or waiting for Han-seok's signal, Han-seok turned back.
"Ga-ryeong, fire one off."
"Okay."
Ga-ryeong halted and began chanting.
It was Jeong-hyeon's first time seeing magic up close, so he watched.
With F-Rank 'Faint Mana Sensitivity,' the best was condensing mana into a Mana Bolt.
'Then D-Rank?'
D-Rank was still low-tier, so nothing flashy.
Ga-ryeong chose Mana Bolt.
But not one—over a dozen formed.
Even if unremarkable, it befitted a late level 2 D-Rank.
Magic had that mesmerizing quality for the uninitiated.
Jeong-hyeon watched with mouth slightly agape as the bolts formed.
Chanting didn't take long.
As Ga-ryeong opened her eyes, the bolts flew into the bushes.
Speed wasn't impressive.
Jeong-hyeon could dodge effortlessly.
But to goblins, it was sudden disaster.
Thud thud thud—
"Kyaak!"
The intangible mana made crude, explosive sounds, followed by goblin screams.
"I held back. They're injured but not dead."
"Good. Plenty of teaching materials now."
'That was holding back?'
As Jeong-hyeon marveled again, Han-seok gave Ga-ryeong a thumbs-up.
Six goblins in poor shape burst from the bushes.
"Jeong-hyeon, how many can you handle?"
"Uh... two should be fine."
"Good. I'll pull aggro."
Han-seok charged ahead readily.
He drew the eyes of all six, then isolated two on the edge.
It might look like botched aggro, but not to Jeong-hyeon.
Incompetence would spread attention evenly until exhaustion dropped some.
But he deliberately excluded two—from attacks and defense.
Positioning them naturally behind the other four.
The excluded pair inevitably looked elsewhere.
And the nearest target was Jeong-hyeon.
"Keruk!"
Furious, perhaps.
The two charging him were fierce.
But Jeong-hyeon wouldn't take hits easily.
Faster than zombies or skeletons, sure—but average at best.
With agility traits pushing three slots, their moves were clear to him.
Synergy even predicted paths, letting him fight yawning.
Yet he didn't drop them instantly.
'Makes sense—moving in combat helps adapt abilities.'
Instead, he studied their patterns, focusing on evasion.
Slow but murderous strikes.
Countering that killing intent while dodging rapidly accustomed his senses.
He even dodged perilously close on purpose—not too leisurely,
'Even if not... no need to show everything.'
Because of the watching eyes.
Ji-yoon, ready to heal tensely, was one thing.
Ga-ryeong, done with her magic, and even Han-seok fighting four—all eyed him.
If mere consideration for a lower-rank F-Rank, fine.
But an F-Rank newbie toying with two goblins leisurely—even injured—would seem suspicious.
'Can't look as relaxed as them, though.'
In the end, Jeong-hyeon timed his finish just after Han-seok cleared his four.
One goblin's head flew from the mace's iron ball, the other...
'Damn, Uncle Cheol-yong, great handiwork.'
Pierced through the solar plexus with the needle Cheol-yong had boasted about.
[Acquired 1 coin.]
The alert was a bonus.
"Wow, Jeong-hyeon, you fight really well. You've got talent."
Han-seok, who'd watched, approached clapping.
Seemed he'd successfully mimicked a decent F-Rank.
"This request might wrap up quicker than expected, Han-seok."
"Yeah."
Han-seok and Ga-ryeong synced perfectly, as expected.
In high spirits, they resumed walking.
Normally, they'd loot goblin corpses, but Jeong-hyeon smacked his lips once and followed.
Stopping the bus demandingly was awkward,
'And it feels off somehow.'
He hadn't fully relaxed yet.