Chapter 70: Northern Border
It was the middle of August.
The Dawn Kingdom basked in the Sun’s holy radiance. Summer had already arrived.
The temperature was high.
Yet outside Blood Sun City, the atmosphere was absolutely chilling.
Stonewall Village was located near the northern border. It was one of the few villages outside the main human settlements, surviving on the supplies provided by the border’s major cities.
Despite what one would have expected from such a small settlement, the life of its residents was good. Great even.
Using the resources of the cities, the villagers enjoyed lives nearly as comfortable as those within the cities.
But as with everything, conveniences came with a price.
And the villagers were bound to learn it today.
"Squeeel!"
A high-pitched cry echoed, followed by the sound of overlapping footsteps.
The noise alarmed the villagers.
When they rushed out in panic to search for its source, they came face to face with a small squad.
Green skin. Small stature. Ugly faces with long teeth dripping with blood.
"Goblins!"
Their name came out of the village chief’s mouth, causing panic to spread.
"Men! Take up your weapons and fight!"
"The women should take care of the children and retreat toward the city!"
"Don’t look back! The Lords there will be able to save us!" the village chief shouted, commanding the villagers and reducing the panic.
But just when some had calmed down and were about to act on these words, they froze in place.
Another set of footsteps echoed. This time, from behind!
When they turned in horror, they discovered a second goblin squad, blocking the only other entrance.
As though they had agreed beforehand, the two squads marched in, bloodthirsty grins plastered on their green, ugly faces.
Finding themselves surrounded from both sides, the villagers despaired.
They knew their fate had been sealed!
The women, in particular, were devastated.
Recalling the lustful nature of goblins—and their ability to reproduce with all races—they looked ready to end their own lives.
But just as they were about to use whatever method they had to do so, the villagers’ eyes widened.
A stream of light appeared behind one of the goblin squads.
Then...
Bang!
The light exploded.
As if a miniature sun had crashed into them and produced a wave of flames, the surrounding goblins were burned alive.
The bodies of the ones closest to the impact turned into ashes, while the "lucky" ones were seriously injured.
"Squeeel!"
Another cry echoed, this time filled with panic and hatred.
Unfortunately, it was only short-lived.
A second stream of light appeared, harvesting the lives of another wave of goblins.
Then, the lights seemed to shift their attention to the second squad.
Under the astonished eyes of the villagers, the two teams that could have easily slaughtered their entire village slowly disappeared.
The process seemed simple, as if they were not powerful monsters, but weeds of grass getting pulled out.
"A Miracle! Praise the Sun!" the most pious villager fell to his knees and yelled.
--
Aurelius listened to the screams of the goblins with a calm expression, looking at the flood of EXP notifications with a hint of joy.
[Killed Level 6 Goblin. EXP +60]
[Killed Level 3 Goblin. EXP +30]
Though occupied, he didn’t slow his pace. Fireballs continued to leave his fingertips one after another, each accurately claiming another goblin’s life.
When the last member of this small-scale army fell, a chime echoed in his mind.
"Mission—Save the Village has been completed."
"Rewards: 300 EXP."
The three hundred Experience was a welcome addition. It was equivalent to completing Anna’s Mission three times.
Even so, it failed to bring a smile to Aurelius’ face.
He had truly never expected the situation of the border to be so dire.
This village was only a few miles away from Blood Sun City and a long distance away from the Goblin Mountains.
For the goblins to have reached this place, it meant that the northern border had almost been breached.
Listening to the prayers of the villagers not far away, Aurelius softly exhaled.
He knew these people had been lucky to encounter him while on his way to the border.
The vast majority of human settlements would not be as fortunate. Many would die as a result of the monster riot.
For perhaps the first time, Aurelius truly understood the gap between Awakeners and ordinary people. It was perhaps even greater than that of nobles and commoners.
He, a Rank 2 Awakener, could deal with ordinary goblins with ease.
Yet against them, ordinary people would crumble under pressure and lose any intention to fight.
Aurelius didn’t think it for long.
Soon, he shook his head.
Flames erupted from his back, weaving into a pair of wings that helped him soar into the sky.
Throughout the whole process, he never showed himself to the villagers. He let them speculate about their savior’s identity, unwilling to reveal the truth.
--
The area between Blood Sun City and the monster habitats was vast but desolate.
Besides the rare village one would find from time to time, the traces of life were few and far between.
So, within that desolate wilderness, the appearance of a small city naturally attracted attention.
Unlike most of the human settlements Aurelius had met along this way, the city’s residents were not ordinary people.
Mercenaries. Adventurers. Even Awakeners could be seen strolling freely through its streets.
Some still carried the scent of blood, while the majority had their weapons hanging from their waists.
In such a bustling city, the arrival of a young man attracted no attention.
Aside from his blonde hair and azure-blue eyes, he had no other outstanding feature. Even his attire, composed of armor and a silver sword, was lost among the crowd.
At most, the man was more handsome than most.
Ignoring the scrutinizing eyes of everyone, Aurelius entered the city.
Seeing the large, gathered crowd, he knew he had come to the right place.
’I wonder which Player was the first to find this stronghold.’
’Even the forces of Blood Sun City have yet to learn of its appearance. Could it be that there are really Players who have been fighting against goblins?’ Aurelius wondered.
He intended to familiarize himself with the human outpost and find a place to stay for the near future.
Yet only a couple of streets later, a voice reached his ears.
"Handsome! Are you looking for a team to join? How about you come with us?"