The following morning, Arthur woke up very early. He trained a bit in his tent, then ate his breakfast and waited for the recruits to pack their supplies. Within half an hour, everyone was ready to depart.
He mounted his horse and stood at the front, then addressed all the recruits in a voice filled with authority, "Listen carefully! From this point onward, we will cross the boundary of the safe forest and enter the den of beasts. Stay alert and watch everything closely. Protect each other's backs and don't act rashly. If you see anything suspicious, report it to your squad leaders and prepare for battle."
"Is that understood?"
"Understood, my lord!" everyone shouted at once, startling the birds in the nearby trees.
Arthur nodded and commanded, "Move forward!"
"Let's go!" At the front, Otieno led his horse and guided the rest of the recruits, who marched in organized ranks. On the flanks were the shield bearers, with the spear bearers beside them. In the center walked those responsible for carrying provisions and equipment. As for Arthur, he stayed at the rear, surrounded by seasoned soldiers, with Octavia and Faelor by his side. Faelor was also well-protected, as he was not skilled in combat. His presence was crucial, to treat anyone who might be injured.
After traveling for about two hours, everyone noticed that the surroundings had grown eerily silent. The sounds of birds and small animals faded. From time to time, they heard distant howls and loud roars.
'We're close,' Arthur thought, his expression growing stern as he cautiously scanned the area. According to his knowledge, a goblin nest existed near the location of the magical artifact. He spoke cryptically, "Raise your shields, and watch your surroundings."
'I hope everything goes smoothly.' Goblins were extremely common monsters in this world, present in nearly every remote and wild region. Just like in most fantasy works, goblins were outrageously savage. Worse yet, they reproduced rapidly and possessed considerable intelligence.
If not exterminated regularly, they could become a disaster that threatened everything nearby—just like what would soon happen in this barony. The coming beast tide, about three months from now, would include an army of seven thousand goblins, among them goblin wolf riders and shamans led by a C-rank Hobgoblin.
The second type of goblin was known as the Droblin, a separate species from their cousins, vastly different in many ways. Unlike regular goblins, Droblins had a natural reproduction rate similar to humans. They were also highly intelligent, with less grotesque appearances.
Most importantly, they were a peaceful race without savage tendencies. Unfortunately, due to their resemblance to goblins, they were treated the same and killed on sight. Because of this, Droblins lived in small, hidden villages far from prying eyes to avoid harm. Arthur knew there was a small Droblin village in this forest, but he didn't know the exact location. It was mentioned only briefly in the novel, where the main character, Novarian, met the sole survivor of the tribe—the one who warned him about the approaching goblin army.
As Arthur pondered the looming disaster facing the barony, he saw some nearby bushes rustle slightly. He wasn't the only one who noticed—everyone's bodies tensed in response.
Otieno drew his sword and raised his left fist—a signal they had all learned for preparing for battle. Everyone gripped their weapons and readied themselves to take the battle formation they had been taught.
Otieno watched the area carefully, then spotted a large rock flying toward him. He dodged swiftly and opened his fist, shouting, "Defensive formation!"
He leapt from his horse and joined the other recruits, who formed a large circle around Arthur. The soldiers at the front placed their rectangular shields on the ground and held them tightly. More shields were then stacked atop them, forming a protective wall around the entire group. Before they could fully grasp what was happening, rocks rained down on them from all directions.
Crash!
The rocks slammed against the shields and fell to the ground without causing any harm to the recruits. Arthur remained calmly standing in place—not out of bravery, but because he had to set an example for the others. Though he nearly soiled his trousers from fear, he resisted and kept his expression cool and composed.
Chadwick and the other veteran soldiers observed his calm demeanor and praised him inwardly. 'He's really not like the rumors say. Even Duncan wouldn't have kept such a confident face.'
In truth, Arthur had a rough idea of the goblins' numbers and strength. According to his calculations, they wouldn't suffer serious damage if they handled things wisely.
The stone barrage continued for about five minutes. As soon as it stopped, the recruits heard strange cries coming from around them. Arthur then said coldly, "Spear unit, prepare!"
Quickly, the rest of the recruits in the middle, those not carrying shields, pointed their long spears through the small gaps between the shields and waited in tense silence. Their hands trembled from fear, but they held their positions. The small goblin army approached the defensive circle, now separated by only a single meter.
Otieno shouted urgently, "Thrust!"
The defending recruits opened several gaps in their formation, and the others thrust their spears through them, stabbing the goblins who had come too close. Without delay, they retracted the spears, and the defenders sealed the gaps.
Their attack was sudden and swift—within a heartbeat, about twenty goblins were cleanly killed. The rest panicked but did not retreat. They continued charging forward and crashed into the shield wall, striking it with their primitive weapons, but they couldn't breach the solid defense.
"Thrust!"
The shields opened again, and some goblins tried to rush through—but what awaited them were piercing spear strikes that ran through their bodies, killing them instantly. The defenders quickly shut the gaps again, but due to inexperience and lack of strength, some were slow in sealing their section. One goblin managed to stab a recruit in the hand, causing him to drop his shield and scream.
Everyone was already on edge, and the scream of their comrade caused them to panic, weakening their defense in several spots.
"DEFENSE!" Arthur's shout boomed like thunder in their ears. They quickly regained their composure and recovered their formation, though a few still struggled, causing vulnerabilities.
"THRUST!"
The spearmen stabbed at any goblin that attempted to breach the line, relieving some pressure on the shield bearers—until suddenly, another recruit screamed.
Arthur and several soldiers turned toward the source of the scream and saw a goblin had slipped its hand through a small gap in the formation and stabbed a recruit in the chest.
"Damn it!"