Goblin Heavy Dependence

Chapter 216 Decaying Leaves and the Inverted Sky
Adventurers
A complex and contradictory group that exists outside the mainstream social structure.

They hunt monsters for gold coins, protecting farmland and villages from disasters and providing food for many who would otherwise starve in the streets and alleys. The enormous profits have also nourished countless upstream and downstream industries that rely on them as their core pillar.

At the same time, the relatively low industry barriers and the individual strength far exceeding that of ordinary people have also made this group a mixed bag.

They often robbed food, harassed women, looted villages, and even fought to the death over the slightest disagreement.

It is a destabilizing factor in society and a potential source of danger.

For those noble lords living in towering castles, they need adventurers to do some "dirty work" that their noble bloodline cannot and disdains to do, yet they regard these armed personnel who carry weapons and are not affiliated with their territories as a threat.

Farmers working in the fields might worry that passing adventurers would plunder their villages and disrupt their peaceful farming lives, but when attacked by monsters, they have no choice but to desperately beg adventurers for help, even if it comes at a high price.

People with different stances and perspectives have very different views on this group.

Even so, over the years, some stereotypes, or so-called "commonalities," have been summarized about adventurers, especially those at the bottom.

It really only comes down to two words:
--desire.

From the most humble desires for survival: "to stay alive," "not to go hungry," and "not to freeze"; to the dreams of upward social mobility: "to become a master," "to buy land," and "to become a sheriff"...

From the instinctive, immediate indulgence of the senses: "alcohol," "procreation," and "killing"; to the ultimate pursuit of power and freedom.

Even those legendary figures who have made their mark on history cannot escape the cage called "desire".

In many cases, those who are clear-headed and aware of the true nature of desire will even actively allow desire to control them, driving their bodies and wills toward their goals.

As for the Seathorn Squad, an adventurer team composed of low-level professionals, they certainly don't have to worry about filling their stomachs, but they also don't have any lofty pursuits.

Most of them are just after the gold coins.

Vera and Cash are both professionals and have been partners for many years.

From the very beginning of the Seathorn Squad's formation, the two individuals' names have been on the association's registration list.

Even though they had been together for a long time, just like when they occasionally faced a crisis, they would still be wary of each other, and neither of them ever revealed the details of their past experiences to the other.

All that is known is that one of them lived by the sea as a child and was born a fisherman, while the other has roamed the Underdark and the surface since childhood and is a hybrid of human and drow elf.

No one knows whether she has joined other teams or had other teammates.

In the beginning, the Seathorn Squad was just like most adventurer teams on this continent—an ordinary team that made a living by taking on quests, hunting monsters, and earning bounties.

But it's unclear when it started, perhaps in the year 1014 of the Arcane Calendar, when the two orc warriors were abandoned by the two in the face of that teleporting beast; or perhaps three years ago, when they were cleaning up the battlefield, they found a ruby ​​short blade worth 150 gold on the body of a dead gnome ranger teammate.

Cash and Veris gradually got used to making a little extra money off their teammates in addition to completing their missions.

If the rewards are high enough, they wouldn't even mind doing it themselves to show those poor newbies the true cruelty of adventurers.

Thanks to their rich adventure experience and ability to judge people, the two never made a mistake. Even if they occasionally misjudged and recruited difficult people, they would usually stay with them as teammates until the end and then take the opportunity to leave.

Of course, such behavior, with its high member loss rate, could easily make the team notorious within the adventurer community if they stayed in a fixed human settlement for a long time. This would not only affect the team's recruitment but also likely attract trouble.

Therefore, the two were accustomed to "committing crimes while on the move," traveling between various association branches to dilute the impact of their actions over time and space.

Perhaps there aren't many loot items from lower-level adventurers within their scope of expertise, but over the years, they've still managed to accumulate a considerable fortune for the two of them.

Even with huge daily expenses, they still have a considerable amount of gold coins in the bank or have purchased real estate and shops in several major cities.

And so their despicable adventurer career continued until a few months ago.

In a small town that wasn't particularly bustling, the Seathorn Squad welcomed a new member.

—A young, lovely, and kind pastor.

During their mission, the two discovered that their teammate seemed to be carrying a precious magical accessory that could fetch an astronomical price on the market, enough to support him in his old age.

What happened next needs no further elaboration.

But what's infuriating is that at the last moment, the necklace woven from thorns was stolen by a disgusting and repulsive thief—a black bear with a thick mane.

This is precisely why Cash and Veris tracked them for months before finally arriving in Riverdale.

Fortunately, persistence always pays off.

Only the most patient and determined fishermen can catch big fish in that chaotic ocean—these were the words of Cash's father.

As the proverb of the Vires clan goes: if you accidentally fall into a cave in the Underdark, you may encounter a hungry Deinonychus or a hidden treasure that has been buried for many years.

A "suspected newcomer" who was unintentionally recruited into the team suddenly displayed extraordinary strength, disrupting the two's original plans. However, after waiting peacefully until the last mission, they discovered that the target they had been pursuing was the very person the other party was investigating.

Turn around.

As Vera stood in the grass, across a clearing, she saw the corpse of the beastman.

When the dazzling magical light shimmering around the other person's neck reflected in her eyes, which grew even brighter as the night deepened.

This drow hybrid from the Underdark suddenly recalled the night before he passed the clan trial.

Sweet and unforgettable.

It was all worth it.

Years of adventure had unconsciously fostered a morbid pursuit of money and wealth in Veris, even leading her to instinctively want to monopolize the magical ornaments before her.

But the next second, her last vestiges of reason reminded her from the deepest recesses of her heart:
Don't rush, don't rush.

Once we've dealt with the only outsider on the field right now, that young guy who just joined the team.

She and her teammates would naturally have a proper discussion about the distribution of the spoils.

If you're still not satisfied by then...

Vera's eyes flickered, a suffocating greed flashing briefly in the depths of her pupils.

"Clap."

Behind me, accompanied by the sounds of breaking branches and clattering metal chains, footsteps approached rapidly.

coming!

She suddenly became alert.

He subconsciously turned his head and silently met Cash's gaze.

She had seen that same look in her eyes countless times before, and it made the corners of her mouth unconsciously curve into a smile.

Without any further communication, Vera already knew that her old teammate shared the same thoughts as her.

My brain was racing, and countless thoughts raced through my mind in an instant.

This black-haired youth, known as "Gray Sword" among the lower-level adventurers in River Valley Town, possesses strength far exceeding that of other newly promoted professionals.

Although its fighting style leans more towards close combat, its equipment is also thick and heavy, providing good defensive capabilities.

However, through careful observation during these missions, she clearly understood that the enemy also possessed a burst of explosive power, a rapid movement technique capable of quick repositioning in a short period of time. Moreover, it appeared to have low energy consumption and could be reused repeatedly within a single battle.

Under normal circumstances, this would be an extremely difficult opponent.

In close combat, he wielded his distinctive iron-gray longsword, unleashing arc-shaped slashes that appeared to be master-level combat techniques, which even the thick downy feathers and fur of the owl bear could not withstand.

From top to bottom, his entire body is almost entirely covered by a finely crafted plate and chainmail and a cold, hard-looking leg armor, giving him a tough defensive capability far exceeding that of ordinary adventurers, with an extremely high margin for error.

However, if anyone tries to create distance, that movement-type combat skill that condenses a wolf's head in the air will instantly seize control of the battlefield under Wolf Fang's control.

Retreat and withdraw, maneuver and hold, close in and attack...

As long as you don't have a speed faster than a wolf's howl, he controls how things unfold on the field.

Opportunity is fleeting.

At the very beginning, when the other person approached, there was no sign of hostility.

It is the perfect opportunity to eliminate the opponent as quickly as possible.

Otherwise, once "Gray Sword" reacts, the game will fall into a stalemate and a tug-of-war.

He knew perfectly well that eliminating Xia Nan in an instant would be a difficult task.

But in her heart, Vera was exceptionally confident.

On one hand, her bloodline from the drow elves makes her increasingly calm and composed at crucial moments; she is a natural assassin with a big heart.

On the other hand, it is also due to its own meticulous and even somewhat complicated preparations.

His right hand, gripping a sharp dagger, brushed silently across his waist. The next second, between his slender fingers, hidden in Xia Nan's blind spot, appeared an oval-shaped object resembling a closed eye.

That was her trump card, which she brought from her clan and kept close to her body, for use in crucial moments.

A specially processed tentacle eyeball from the [Observer Eye Demon].

This dangerous monster, with a challenge level of "3", does not have the robust and strong physique of the Owl Bear, and is even inferior to the physical qualities of the petrified lizard.

However, their eyes and tentacles, capable of projecting "confusion vision," "paralysis vision," "fear vision," and "injury vision," respectively, make them one of the most terrifying beings in the countless deep tunnels of the Underdark.

Right now, the eyeball in Vera's hand retains a terrifying gaze.

By simply channeling one's mental energy and gently pinching, the special gaze that can induce a state of "fear" in the target will fall upon Xia Nan.

She didn't know how long Xia Nan would be affected by this consumable item.

One minute, thirty seconds, or just a few breaths?
Considering the worst-case scenario, the other party's will was strong enough to completely resist the mental attack of the fearful gaze.

At the same time, her [Shadow Binding] ability, derived from the Wanderer class, had already bound the opponent's legs like mud.

This ability cannot be countered by willpower alone, and the opponent's physical condition is unlikely to be capable of breaking through the restraints in an instant.

Even a moment's confinement.

That was enough for Vera to continue with her plans.

【Shadow Body】 grants her a movement speed far exceeding her usual speed for a short period of time, allowing the master-level 【Straight Thrust】 to display exaggerated explosive power in an instant.

Even considering all possible scenarios without any limits, and taking into account all the above conditions, while ignoring Cash who attacked alongside him, his attack failed to achieve the desired effect.

If she were to even graze her with those two poisoned daggers, the deadly toxin would seep into her body through the wound and circulate throughout her bloodstream.

At this point, the scales of victory will completely tip in their favor.

Veris showed no mercy, revealing her hand from the very beginning and going all out.

If everything unfolds as expected, Xia Nan may suffer a heavy blow that could affect the situation on the field in less than a second.

Unfortunately, no matter how meticulously Vera planned or how insidious and ruthless her methods were, it was all in vain.

She never imagined that everything would come to a standstill from the very beginning.

The short dagger in his hand had just been thrust out, and the master-level [Straight Thrust] combat skill had not yet been fully formed;
A faint afterimage appeared on the surface of his body, and the explosive power brought by the [Shadow Body] was still brewing in his muscles;

In the dim light, the shadows on the meadow were slightly distorted, and [Shadow Binding] had only just locked onto its target, slowly probing towards the opponent's lower body.

At the very beginning,

She aimed at Xia Nan in front of her and forcefully pried open the eyeball from the [Observer Eye Demon].

When those tightly closed eyes suddenly opened, casting a beam of dark purple light onto the black-haired youth, attempting to instill fear in him.

And that was the end of it all.

……

Looking directly into the abyss

Category: Specialty

Effect: 1. When resisting mind control spells such as charm, fear, and hypnosis, your saving throws receive a bonus (affected by the Perception attribute);

2. After you successfully resist the mind control effect, the caster must make a saving throw; failure will result in a brief period of mental instability and inflict some psychological damage.

……

Vera found it difficult to describe in words what she felt like the moment she pried open the observer's eyeball.

All thoughts, plans in mind, and even greed for wealth were instantly scattered by some greater, invisible force.

It's not just a simple blank of the mind; even the innate ability to "think," which every living being is born with, seems to have been taken away.

Only a withered body containing a pale soul remains, sinking deeper and deeper into a bottomless abyss where no light can be seen.

Vera had no idea how long she had been in this state.

When her eyes regained focus, the vibrant colors of the world were reflected back into her pupils by the light.

She suddenly realized that the sky and the ground seemed to be inverted as they spun rapidly.

Trees grow downwards from the sky, which is covered with mud and decaying leaves, while their dense canopies and dim light fall to form the earth.

The last remaining thought swirled in his mind, and finally, in the lingering glint of the iron-gray sword in the corner of his eye, and the headless body gushing blood, he suddenly realized the truth.

Oh... I see.

"boom."

In the quiet woods, the sound of a body falling could be heard.

(End of this chapter)