NOVEL NEXT Chapter 2: (1)
Jeff always emphasized to Kaiyan the importance of staying focused.
The battlefield was a place where life and death were determined by a single loss of focus or a moment of hesitation.
Cases of bloodshed were countless, and the majority of soldiers who appeared fine on the outside had deep-seated illnesses within them.
Due to his young age, Jeff was always worried about Kaiyan in that regard.
“If you encounter lost family or strange beings trying to talk to you, ignore them,” he would say.
Kaiyan soon recalled Jeff’s words.
“Yeah, it’s just a temporary illusion.”
Kaiyan thought simply that there was something wrong with his eyes.
One fortunate thing was that the strange writing did not greatly interfere with his vision. It wasn’t as big of a problem as having a limited vision when you had to continue fighting.
“Hey, someone help me here!”
As Kaiyan whipped his head around to find the monster again, Kaiyan heard a desperate cry for help not far away.
Turning his gaze to the source of the sound, Kaiyan saw two goblins and a soldier holding a shield fiercely fighting a short distance away.
Although he appeared to be holding up due to the shield, it was clear to anyone that he was losing the battle.
“Okay, those guys first.”
Kaiyan used the fact that the goblins were focused on the man to quietly step behind them and extended his spear towards the goblin who hadn’t noticed yet.
“Hu-up! Ughh!”
Swish-
This time, Kaiyan aimed for the head of the goblin instead of its body.
Goblins, like humans, have the hardest part of their body as their skull, but a head injury can be fatal just as easily.
Poof!
With a light sound, his wooden spear pierced the goblin’s head.
It was a bit disappointing that his strength was not enough to completely pierce the goblin’s head, but it was enough.
There weren’t many creatures that could survive with a spear stuck in their head.
As expected, the goblin with the spear in its head fell to the ground without even letting out a scream, and its companion, surprised by the sudden death of his comrade from behind, looked at Kaiyan in bewilderment.
“Keek?”
“Look ahead.”
Zoom-
As the shield soldier swung his sword, the goblin’s neck was half-severed, and blood splattered in all directions.
As the goblin fell to the ground, the soldier shook off the blood from his sword and stood up straight, looking at Kaiyan.
“Cough!”
“To take on two goblins alone… impressive.”
This was truly an unsophisticated compliment from Kaiyan.
If someone else had heard it, they might have said, “Just two goblins?” But looking at the man’s outfit, he was a new recruit like me. It was remarkable that a new recruit, not even an elite soldier, had faced two goblins at the same time.
Since he was a new recruit, he was no different from an ordinary person who hadn’t even received proper basic training.
“Well, I have this shield, so it’s nothing. I sold the jewel my wife treasured to buy it.”
The shield man proudly tapped his iron shield, wearing a smug expression as he bragged to Kaiyan.
“A shield, huh…”
In battles with monsters, shields were incredibly useful defensive gear. However, unless one was in the shield unit, it was equipment that individuals had to provide for themselves, making it a gear that only a few soldiers had.
“…I’m jealous.”
Kaiyan spoke honestly from his heart.
If Kaiyan had the money, he would have equipped a shield. No, he would have changed this damn weapon first.
“But why did you kill the monster I was holding onto?”
“What? What are you talking about?”
He asked Kaiyan why he killed the goblin but he asked for Kaiyan’s help.
“I could have easily killed those two by myself. Why were you suddenly interfering?”
“Certainly, you asked me for help, didn’t you?”
“Cough! I never did such a thing.”
While speaking to me, he was collecting the goblin’s ears. Watching his behavior, Kaiyan realized why he was talking like that.
To monopolize the goblin’s ears for himself.
“Greedy bastard.”
Kaiyan was angry, but there was nothing more foolish than fighting over spoils on the battlefield.
If you focused on fighting or collecting loot, you were likely to be surrounded by monsters in no time.
Moreover, if it’s about such people, Kaiyan has experienced it several times on the battlefield.
“…I understand. Well, then I’ll be going.”
“Tsk tsk. What’s the hurry… take it easy!”
The shield soldier started to collect the remaining goblin’s ear, making heartless comments to Kaiyan as Kaiyan walked away.
“Heh heh. Young kids don’t know the value of money! How much is this worth anyway!”
But his smile didn’t last long.
“Kkeiaek!”
“Kkreu… Kkeiaek!”
“Uh… wait a moment!”
Two goblins that had been lurking nearby approached the shieldman quickly, sniffing the scent of their kin’s blood which angered them.
“Don’t come closer! Help me out here!”
“Kkeiaek!”
Kaiyan looked back and almost sneered.
“…Help you?”
Kaiyan glanced at the goblins, who were pounding on the shielded man, before turning away, trying hard to not hear anything.
“I only help humans. Just because you look like a human doesn’t mean you are one.”
It was a self-inflicted blow. He didn’t have to help everyone just because they were from the same race.
Just as there are people worth saving, there are also those who are like that person.
‘I’m not stupid enough to help a greedy bastard. Those things are like monsters.’
“Iieeek!”
Kaiyan completely turned around and before long, heard the man’s final cry.
Now, a goblin appeared right in front of him.
“…And all monsters must die.”