The morning air was cool as Alex left Riverwood through the eastern gate.
Unlike the thick forest to the north, the land around the East Road was more open. A long dirt path stretched across rolling fields and patches of sparse woodland, used by merchants traveling between towns.
Several wagons had already passed through the gates earlier that morning. Guards and caravan escorts were common on this road, but even so, monsters sometimes wandered close enough to attack travelers.
That was why the Adventurer Guild had posted the goblin quest.
Alex adjusted the strap of his bag and continued walking. The new dagger rested comfortably at his side, and the leather armor felt far better than the worn clothing he had fought in before.
"Okay," he muttered to himself.
"Eight goblins."
He had never fought goblins before, but he had heard plenty about them inside the guild.
Small.
Ugly.
And surprisingly clever.
Most adventurers agreed on one thing: fighting a single goblin was easy. Fighting a group of them was much harder. As Alex walked along the road, the system interface appeared again.
System Quest: Goblin Threat
Objective: Eliminate 8 Goblins
Progress: 0 / 8
Reward:
• 250 EXP
• 1 Skill Point
Bonus Reward: Hidden Item
Alex smiled slightly.
"Hidden item still sounds interesting."
If the system thought the reward was worth mentioning, then it probably wasn't something ordinary. Still, he needed to focus on the mission first.
After walking for nearly thirty minutes, the peaceful scenery began to change. The grass near the road was trampled. Broken branches lay scattered across the ground. And a wagon wheel track veered suddenly off the road and disappeared into a nearby field. Alex stopped walking.
"…That's not normal."
He crouched slightly and activated his Analyze skill. The world seemed to sharpen as the skill focused on the environment around him. Footprints appeared clearly in his vision.
Small.
Crooked.
And numerous.
Goblin tracks.
"Looks like I found them."
Alex followed the trail carefully. The tracks led toward a cluster of trees about fifty meters away from the road. He slowed his steps, keeping his movements quiet. The last thing he wanted was to run directly into a group of goblins without preparation. As he approached the trees, faint sounds reached his ears. High-pitched voices. Harsh laughter.
And something else… Metal clanking.
Alex crouched behind a large rock and peeked around it. What he saw confirmed his suspicions. A group of goblins had gathered in a small clearing. There were five of them visible. Each one stood roughly the height of a child, with green skin, long ears, and sharp crooked teeth. Their clothing was little more than scraps of cloth and leather. But several of them held crude weapons. One carried a rusty dagger. Another had a wooden spear.
And one goblin stood near an overturned merchant cart, digging through crates and throwing items onto the ground.
Alex frowned.
"So they attacked a caravan."
The goblins were clearly looting whatever supplies they could find.
The system screen flickered again.
Enemy Detected
Goblin — Level 2
Threat: Low
Goblin — Level 3
Threat: Low
Goblin Scout — Level 3
Threat: Moderate
Alex counted quickly.
Five goblins here. But the quest required eight. Which meant more were probably nearby.
"That could be a problem."
Still, the group in front of him was manageable. If he moved quickly, he could take them down before reinforcements arrived. Alex slowly drew his dagger. The blade gleamed faintly in the sunlight. His heart began beating faster. This would be his first real fight against intelligent monsters.
Wolves had been dangerous, but goblins were different. They could think. They could plan. Which meant they could also panic. Alex waited patiently for the right moment.
One goblin wandered slightly away from the group, carrying a sack of stolen goods.
Perfect.
Alex moved. In one swift motion, he rushed forward and struck. The dagger flashed through the air. The goblin barely had time to react before the blade cut across its chest.
The creature shrieked and collapsed instantly.
Enemy Defeated
EXP Gained
The other goblins froze for a split second.
Then chaos erupted.
"GRAAAK!"
The remaining goblins grabbed their weapons and rushed toward Alex with wild screeches. Alex tightened his grip on the dagger.
"Alright…"
He stepped forward confidently.
"…let's do this."
The battle had just begun.