Goblin Heavy Dependence

Chapter 238 Shadow Step and Disguised Characters

"Sasha..."

Near the Molten Scale Mountains, sparse shrubs and grasses dot the dark brown and reddish wasteland.

There is nothing special about it.

This is a very common and ordinary wasteland.

However, if you possess advanced professional-level perception and have some adventure skills in observing your surroundings...

Then, in the breeze and the fine sand it stirred up, one could detect that almost invisible, blurry figure.

"despair."

Pressing down gently on the barren, muddy surface, dust particles stirred, vaguely revealing the outline of a right foot.

But strangely, it may be due to its owner's exceptional stealth skills, or special abilities enhanced by the power of shadow, or perhaps both.

It is clearly visible that the right foot supports the ground and exerts force to bring the upper body forward, completing a full forward step.

However, there was not a single trace left on the ground beneath his shoes.

Without a trace.

Exceptional stealth skills.

It is an extraordinary ability to conceal oneself, which would be undetectable to ordinary people even if they were standing face to face.

hum-

The air suddenly distorted, and shadows flickered, as if a sheet of paper had been peeled off from the space.

In the blink of an eye, a figure dressed in a black bodysuit, short in stature like a child, appeared on the field.

—A dwarf wanderer.

Adhering to the principles of being as light and inconspicuous as possible, he wore only a set of convenient light clothing, and his waist bag was tightly wrapped around his waist many times with the most flexible leather rope to prevent it from falling off and making a sound.

Even the shoes on their feet were specially made of high-grade materials to eliminate sound.

He even entrusted his two most frequently used sharp short daggers to his teammates before setting off.

After all, given his stealth abilities and the strength of the enemies he might encounter on this mission, if he were to be discovered and forced into a situation where there was no way to escape and he would have to fight for his life.

Whether you're holding a weapon or not... it doesn't really make a difference.

Limping Gu was well aware of this.

Given the strength of that adult red dragon's scales, even if it lay still and allowed itself to use its most powerful combat techniques, it would be difficult to break through its defenses.

With just a slight opening of his mouth, the streams of flame overflowing from between his sharp teeth could easily turn his fragile body, which had lived for nearly two centuries, into charred ashes that would be scattered by a gust of wind.

However, exposure also carries the enormous risk of certain death, while the corresponding rewards are far beyond what ordinary people can imagine, and are even beyond the reach of extraordinary experts.

The dwarf wanderer, Lame Ancient, looked around, quietly waiting for something.

His hand kept touching a protrusion under his shirt.

Even though he kept it close to his body and could feel its hard, cold texture through the silk every moment, he still couldn't help but confirm the item's existence.

Bogu didn't know the use of this thing, or even its specific value.

However, considering that for the sake of the other side, their team of six level 3-5 adventurers sacrificed half of their members' lives to give the red dragon the chance to leave its lair.

The team's resources were almost completely depleted before they managed to evade the magical traps at the entrance to the lair and send him inside.

This is the only item that was retrieved from the dragon's treasure trove, which was piled high with gold and silver.

Thinking back to a few hours earlier, there was that small hill of gold coins that almost turned my eyes gold.

Bo Gu couldn't help but swallow hard.

In other words, he had a relatively strong will and controlled his hands; otherwise, even if he had only taken one more gold coin, he would not have been able to get past the numerous detection traps in the dragon's lair.

Under normal circumstances, let alone "small fry" like them, even teams composed of senior professionals who have already been promoted to extraordinary levels would be able to achieve this.

Entering the lair of an adult red dragon requires careful consideration.

With their strength, let alone entering the lair to steal treasures, they would tremble in fear under the oppressive power of the red dragon even if they just glanced at it from afar.

Bo Gu never imagined that he would one day stand on the ground of a dragon's lair.

But exactly two years ago, he advanced to level 5 with the unpopular class [Swamp Thief], which belongs to [Wanderer].

They gained a unique perk granted by their profession: while in the "Shadowstep" state, the probability of being detected by detection magic is greatly reduced.

"Shadow Step" is a class combat skill that Limp Gu obtained at level 3. It is an extremely effective stealth ability, much stronger than that of a regular rogue, but the limitation is that you must hold your breath when using it.

At the same time, Duke Morton of Stickytree Ridge posted the bounty for the adult red dragon named "Crowbarry" on the quest wall on the second floor of the guild.

Lawson, the squad leader who had once served as a guard at the Duke of Morton's mansion, seemed to know that the Duke's lost family heirloom was not merely a collectible.

According to the other party, there seems to be a secret about Morton's ancestors' rise to prominence, from ordinary farmers to great contributors to the expansion of the kingdom of Serbia.

Lawson even mentioned to them that Duke Morton cared more about the loss of his heirloom than the loss of dignity suffered during the Red Dragon attack.

Even if they eventually discover that the so-called treasure that hides the secret to the Duke's rise to power is just an ordinary collectible.

Bringing them back to Stickytree Territory would provide them with a decent and wealthy retirement—even if Lame Gu lived for another two hundred years, based on the average lifespan of dwarfs.

They even sought resources for a few individuals to continue their upward journey and achieve extraordinary advancement.

The sudden acquisition of stealth skills, the loss of family heirlooms, and the potentially enormous rewards that outweigh the risks...

Thus, a plan that could be described as insane gradually unfolded two years ago, under the meticulous planning of squad leader Lawson.

The twists and turns, and the preparations made for it, need no further explanation.

Today, it has finally blossomed and borne fruit, bringing with it the sweet reward of success.

"Susu..."

Suddenly, a rustling sound came from the bushes nearby.

Having waited for a long time at the agreed location, the lame man suddenly became alert, his mouth and nose closed, and the shadows beneath his feet twisted and distorted, their texture resembling a swamp, giving him a strange, sticky feeling.

They were already prepared to use "Shadow Step" to escape at any time.

But the next second, the two figures that appeared in his line of sight made him breathe a sigh of relief.

It was none other than the squad leader, "Lawson".
With their only remaining teammate besides the two of them—the orc "Haugk".

Contrary to expectations of being covered in wounds, although the two appeared somewhat disheveled and covered in bits of leaves and grass, they actually did not suffer any obvious injuries.

There wasn't even a minor injury.

That makes sense; for professionals of their caliber, encountering that adult red dragon would be a formidable challenge.

Forget about minor injuries, there's no way he could be seriously injured.

There was only one word: "death".

Being able to see themselves alive means that the two of them had never encountered the Red Dragon, and therefore could not have been injured.

"So, did you get it?" Before he could even get close, Haugek's deliberately lowered, rough voice drifted over on the cold wind of the wasteland.

After two years of planning, we've finally reached the final step.

Even the most composed person would be easily excited, let alone a young orc from this tribe.

Without hiding it, Bo Gu simply took the object out of his bosom and peeled off the silk cloth covering it.

Carefully hand the item to the other person with both hands.

The object was not large, but it weighed heavily in the palm of my hand, surrounded by my fingertips.

Its entire body is silvery white, yet it is not dazzling when exposed to sunlight, revealing a warm and understated metallic color.

The smooth, rounded lines flow seamlessly from one end to the other, like a pebble polished by a stream for countless years, its oval surface devoid of any sharp edges.

Judging from its appearance alone, it is a stone made of pure metal.

However, upon closer inspection, one can spot tiny, rapidly changing characters on its smooth, lake-like surface that reflects the surrounding scenery.

At first glance, it is clearly not an ordinary item.

"It's published, it's published now!"

Two fangs protruded from his thick lips, and the orc Haugak called out excitedly in a low voice.

If he weren't worried about attracting the attention of the red dragon, he would probably have already howled like a wild beast to vent his turbulent emotions.

A pair of large, calloused hands held the metal block tightly, yet with an unusually careful demeanor, a stark contrast to his robust physique and the excitement on his face.

Looking at the orc's excited yet cautious demeanor, Limping Gu couldn't help but feel a surge of pride.

A pair of small eyes squinted as they carefully examined the treasure in the other person's hand.

He was rushing along, and the thunderous roar of the dragon from the sky made his heart almost leap out of his chest; he had no time to examine it carefully.

The fact that he has now reunited with his trusted teammates has brought some relief to the dwarf wanderer.

He took two steps closer, standing on tiptoe.

His eyes were fixed on the changing characters on the surface of the metal block, as if trying to discern the pattern and find the reason why Morton's name was followed by "Duke".

"Hmm... these characters may not look complicated, but they are definitely not a common language."

"Could it be Dragon Language, or Elvish Language?"

While the lame old man was pondering this.

The hands holding the metal block suddenly froze in his sight.

"Shoot."

My cheeks suddenly felt wet, and a familiar fishy smell appeared in the air.

My gaze followed those large, bluish-green hands upwards.

From the bulging muscles on the arms, to the thick, sturdy shoulder armor, and finally...

That sharp, silvery-white slash pierced through the vital area below the neck.

The orc Haugk's face still held the joy and excitement of his successful plan, but his life force was rapidly fading away with the blood gushing from the wound on his neck.

Incredulous words echoed in the cold air:
"Lawson...Captain?"

……

……

The red dragon flying overhead, with its terrifying dragon might emanating from a creature at the top of the food chain, paralyzed the entire escort team.

After staying in the same spot for almost half a day, everyone finally recovered.

Xia Nan was most deeply affected by her keen perception, but precisely because of this, she maintained a good mindset in the face of uncontrollable forces.

I wasn't even as nervous as when I faced that owl bear.

Has little effect.

Although Violet looks very young, she seems to have seen a lot and has excellent composure.

Apart from the fact that his gaze towards me has become a bit strange again, he's basically fine.

As for the half-elf Hai'an and his two guards, they were quite shaken by the dragon's might and sat on the spot to rest for a long time before gradually recovering.

The one most deeply influenced by the red dragon in the entire team is the dragonborn Sava.

However, her performance was not as exhausting and sweaty as Luca's or Wood's; it was more restrained and profound.

He was already a man of few words, and now he was even more silent, his eyes often unfocused and his mind seemingly wandering.

Even when she was walking, she couldn't stop herself and often bumped into Luca, who was clearing the way in front of her, causing him to stumble.

Although he didn't ask, considering the racial history of the Dragonborn, he could roughly guess why the other party was behaving this way.

In the history of the continent of Aifara, the Dragonborn, as an independent race with their own myths and epics, are most likely not subordinate to the dragons, but share the same origin in terms of bloodline.

In ancient times, however, the dragonborn were servants of the dragons, enslaved for generations.

For a highly intelligent being with independent consciousness, a historical heritage, and a strong sense of identity with its own bloodline, this is undoubtedly a humiliating and unforgettable period of history.

It was precisely the indomitable racial characteristics of the Dragonborn that enabled them, through generations of effort, to break free from the control of the dragons and become an independent race with autonomy, thanks to an incredibly brutal war.

Countless years have passed, and the Dragonborn are now able to roam freely across the continent like humans, dwarves, elves, and many other races, but their hatred for dragons remains etched in their souls.

This serves as the background.

When Sava raised her head and watched the red dragon fly across the sky above her, she was as insignificant as an ant, unable to utter a single word because of the dragon's rampant power, and her body trembled.

You can imagine how she felt.

Of course, this was just Xia Nan's guess based on his knowledge of the history of the dragon race; no one knew what Sava actually thought.

Perhaps the other party didn't even consider that much; they were just terrified by Long Wei and hadn't recovered yet.

Xia Nan and the other party were temporary teammates, and their relationship was not even as close as that of their teammate Violet—the mage girl had at least spent a full four hundred gold to buy the resonance relic from him and helped purify the beastification curse.

Naturally, it's impossible to take the initiative to step forward and find out what the other person is thinking.

Since there were less than ten days left until the mission's destination, he didn't intend to get involved in anything else.

The most important thing is to safely deliver Hai'an to Nian Shu Ling and collect the reward.

After a short rest, the group of six continued their journey.

Although Sava was out of sorts, perhaps due to the proximity to the Molten Scale Mountains, the number of dangerous beasts and monsters in the forest had actually decreased significantly.

The journey was smooth.

They arrived at the last supply point before crossing the mountains early the next morning:

—Molten Scale Town.

(End of this chapter)