Goblin Heavy Dependence

Chapter 331 Farewell to Wildflowers and Morning Exercise
Late at night, in the barn.

Bright moonlight seeped softly through the cracks in the door, scattering a layer of pale, soft silver frost on the ground.

Dongshu stood still, the silvery moonlight from outside the door falling on his thin body.

He didn't make any particularly big moves.

But the slightly trembling arms and the boots that kept bobbing up and down revealed the turbulent emotions within him.

"Lillie, you really... really can't stay in the village anymore!"

His once clear, boyish eyes were now completely red, and his voice even carried a hint of a sob.

In stark contrast is the girl standing quietly in the shadows in front of Fuyuki, who is bathed in moonlight.

Her plain white linen dress made her look like a wildflower wilted by the rain in the mud.

Her appearance wasn't particularly outstanding; her features, which weren't delicate, were barely visible as they were obscured by the shadows covering her cheeks.

Only those crystal-clear eyes, reflecting the moonlight and utterly serene, stood out as particularly captivating.

“Fuyuki.” Unlike the impatience and anxiety of a young boy, her voice was as gentle and clear as an evening breeze. “I understand your feelings, but…”

"Running away is useless and pointless."

"How could it be meaningless!?"

Fuyuki's tone was excited, and he subconsciously reached out to grab the other person's shoulders, but as soon as he raised his hands, he seemed to realize something, froze for a moment in mid-air, and then gently grasped the other person's forearm and wrist.

“We can go together, to Riverdale, to Newme… anywhere! I can hunt, I can do hard labor, I can protect you, I swear!”

"As long as you leave the village, you can, you can..."

Looking into those unwavering, calm eyes before him, Fuyuki, forcibly suppressing his emotions, spoke with increasing urgency, until finally it sounded like a low, hoarse roar:

"Does it really mean you have to trade your own life for that so-called peace and tranquility?!"

"That's all a lie!"

"It was made up by the village chief and his group..."

“Fuyuki.” The girl named Lillie interrupted him, her tone still calm and serene, her eyes shimmering with moonlight.

"The ritual requires offerings; it's a tradition passed down from our ancestors. If my sacrifice can bring peace to the village for the next few years, allow the children to grow up safely, and enable the hunters to return with a full catch, then it... is worthwhile."

"Worth it? Even if the price is a life that shouldn't have been lost?" Fuyuki's voice trembled with despair. "I don't believe it!"

“Yes, Mr. Xia Nan, that powerful adventurer lives in the village… I’m going to ask him for help! Even if I have to serve him for the rest of my life, I will…”

"and then?"

The woman's voice was soft and calm, yet it seemed to contain an undeniable power, interrupting the other person once again.

"Let him use force to control the entire village, and even confront that being in the canyon? Let an outsider trample on the traditions we've upheld for generations?"

"Besides, that gentleman is an adventurer, not a believer serving a god of justice. What gives you the right to let him get involved in this mess? Just because of these few moldy and rotten empty houses in the village?"

Lillie tilted her head slightly, her eyes, shimmering with moonlight, staring directly at the other person, causing Fuyuki to subconsciously look away, unable to meet her gaze.

"Fuyuki, even if I agree to leave with you today, what will happen afterward? What will become of the village?"

"Who will bear the wrath of that being in the canyon? How will the other villagers view my family, and how will they view you?"

She gently freed herself from Dongshu's hands, took a step back, and let the last glimmer of moonlight at the tip of her nose be completely swallowed by the shadow.

"This is my destiny, Fuyuki."

“It was destined from the moment I was born in Fog Lamp Village.”

"I accepted."

"Please don't do anything foolish, and live a good life."

The girl gave Fuyuki one last deep look, the complex emotions hidden deep in her eyes—concern, farewell…—fading away in the instant she turned away, amidst the swaying white skirt.

With steady steps, his figure disappeared into the darkness.

As if all his strength had been drained, Dongshu suddenly knelt down beside the haystack, his hands digging deep into the grass stems, his shoulders heaving violently.

The barn was empty and cold, with only the suppressed, broken whimpers of wild beasts echoing eerily.

Standing silently in the depths of the shadows, Xia Nan gazed at the huddled figure ahead, saying nothing and making no attempt to reveal his presence.

He couldn't help but recall his conversation with the village chief and Aspen during the day, and an idea already formed in his mind.

"Ritual, offerings, canyon, Lillie, no wonder..."

Therefore, it is highly likely that the village chief's request to stay in the village for two more days to await the offering of the sacrificial ritual was for this girl named Lillie.

"But it's a human sacrifice?"

Xia Nan pondered to himself.

In this fantastical world where all sorts of gods exist, it's not surprising.

In some ways, it could even be considered common.

After all, when an individual's power is enough to surpass that of the group and there is no order to regulate it, distorted desires will expand wildly like a balloon, and such incidents will only increase.

On the other hand, this matter is strange in many ways.

Based on what the girl named "Lillie" revealed during her argument with Fuyuki, it can be inferred that the purpose of the sacrificial ceremony held in Foglight Village was to appease "a certain being in the canyon" in order to obtain the other party's protection for the next few years.

But frankly, if the other party is truly some kind of terrifying and powerful evil god, then targeting a remote village like "Fog Lantern Village" seems rather pathetic.

Moreover, with such a long interval between the sacrificial rituals, and the offering being just an ordinary human girl without any extraordinary power, it's hard to imagine what practical effect it could have on the improvement of beings at that level.

"We still need to observe carefully, gather information, and see if we can make any additional discoveries."

Regarding the action plan for the next two days, Xia Nan needs to have a deeper understanding of the village he is currently in, as well as the canyon he will be entering in two days.

His gaze lingered briefly on the trembling, sobbing winter tree beside the haystack, then glanced again in the direction Lillie had left.

He turned and disappeared into the shadows.

……

……

Perhaps because it is located in a low-lying area, the fog lamp village is particularly humid in the early morning, and even the air is filled with a light mist like a thin fog forest.

After spending a long time outdoors, you can clearly feel the sticky and damp sensation on your skin.

Living in such an environment for an extended period could easily lead to respiratory and skin diseases in ordinary people, and worsen joint inflammation. Xia Nan has excellent physical fitness, and this was only his second day in Fog Lantern Village, so he was able to endure it.

Squinting, I looked up through the thin mist and dense vines of the trees and gazed at the dim sunrise in the sky.

I've made up my mind that after I retire, I must find a sunny place with four distinct seasons to settle down in.

It would be even better if it were near the sea, so you could go fishing and relax when you have free time.

He was secretly making plans for his retirement sometime in the future. He estimated the time and figured that most of the villagers should be up by now.

He sheathed his sword, rinsed his face with water from his water bottle to wash away the sticky sweat clinging to his skin, and prepared to end his morning exercise.

It was quite a coincidence; I was only halfway back on the way.

With the sound of a sword cutting through the air, a familiar shout once again came from the nearby woods.

As if he had been training for a long time, Fuyuki's linen clothes were completely soaked with sweat, his hair was wet, his cheeks were slightly red from the heat in his body, and you could see the mist around his mouth when he breathed.

Unlike the pain and disappointment of last night, his expression now appeared focused and serious.

With his legs straddling left and right, he stood firmly, like a tree root embedded deep in the mud.

He gripped his worn-out one-handed sword tightly with both hands, swinging it forward in the air. Each strike of the blade was accompanied by a short, powerful shout as he exerted his strength.

The frequency of sword swings was not fast, but each swing was meticulous, focused, and executed with full force.

Seeing Dongshu's appearance, Xia Nan was somewhat surprised.

After all, he was present the whole time last night and witnessed the other person being rejected by the girl, kneeling on the ground and sobbing uncontrollably.

Given how much pain he was in back then, even if he recovers well, he probably won't be able to muster any energy today.

I didn't expect him to be so hardworking, getting up early to train.

Moreover, judging from the level of skill the other party displayed when wielding the sword, it was definitely not a spur-of-the-moment decision made after being provoked, but rather a habit that had long been cultivated in the morning. Even when life took a turn for the worse, he did not give up halfway, but gritted his teeth and continued to persevere.

"Her willpower is actually not bad."

I couldn't help but find it amusing.

Xia Nan had not received professional combat training, nor had he learned any stances or routines.

He came from a self-taught background and can be said to have relied on reckless and impulsive methods to get to where he is today.

Therefore, I don't know much about Fuyuki's training posture at this moment.

On the other hand, the year-long rigorous training has given him a certain understanding of human anatomy and physical training, coupled with his current professional-level eyesight.

However, by observing closely from the side, one can keenly detect the discordant aspect of Fuyuki's sword-wielding movements.

"When swinging the sword, you can bend your knees more, and you don't need to be in such a hurry to pull back. Wait until the force is released from the blade before lifting the hilt and pulling back."

The sudden sound coming from the nearby woods startled the sweating boy so much that he almost jumped.

But the next second, looking in the direction of the sound, Dong Shu quickly calmed down after seeing Xia Nan's figure.

Realizing that this might be one of the few precious opportunities in his life, he didn't even dare to say hello and forced himself to focus on training.

Following Xia Nan's advice, he slightly bent his knees, gripped the sword hilt tightly with both hands, and suddenly swung it forward!
laugh--

The sound of something cutting through the air rang out once again in the forest.

The fleeting flash of the sword and the gradually fading sound of the sword swing seemed no different from before.

But a look of surprise involuntarily appeared on Fuyuki's sweat-covered face.

He could clearly feel that with the slight bend of his knees when he exerted force, the transmission of power in the sword strike he had just unleashed was significantly easier, and even the burden on his body seemed to be reduced.

Following Xia Nan's advice, he waited until all the power flowed out from the edge of the blade before lifting the longsword, which gave him more time to recover in the rush. He also felt more clearly the direction of his power transmission on the blade, making his sword swing rhythm more relaxed and powerful.

Only then did he hurriedly sheathe his sword, bow to Xia Nan beside him, and express his gratitude:

"Thank you for your guidance, Mr. Xia Nan. This has been of great help to me!"

"Did you sleep well last night? Would you like me to clean the house again?"

Nodding slightly, Xia Nan's gaze swept over the sincere and earnest face before him, lingering briefly on the still slightly reddened eyes, before asking pointedly:

"I've already cleaned the house myself, so there's no need for you to waste your time. But you..."

"What's wrong? Didn't sleep well?"

Upon hearing this, Dongshu paused in surprise.

A strange look suddenly appeared in Xia Nan's eyes as he looked at her, wondering if she had overheard something. But then he remembered that he had already searched the area around the barn before meeting Lillie, so there couldn't possibly be any outsiders present.

He shook his head abruptly, assuming the other person had noticed his listless spirits, and forced a cheerful, enthusiastic smile as he replied:

"Haha, I didn't expect you to have figured that out."

"I had a nightmare last night and was woken up before dawn. I didn't get enough sleep... I'll take a nap during my lunch break later."

"A nightmare, huh?" A playful glint flashed in Xia Nan's eyes, but he didn't expose the other person's lie. He simply stood aside and quietly watched the other person train.

At the same time, the thoughts in my mind also became slightly more scattered due to the other person's practice.

Come to think of it, my current combat skills setup seems a bit strange compared to the vast majority of professionals in this world.

Using [Fang Hunt] as the core of combat is certainly good, but compared to its offensive attributes, it is more appropriate to make use of its ability to move and dash forward.

The remaining [Gravity Etching], [Gravity Control], and [Echoes of Ember] all have certain limitations in terms of usage frequency, development level, and casting conditions.

This makes Xia Nan's fighting style appear crisp and efficient, but his actual offensive techniques are clearly lacking.

There is only one versatile move, the "Whirlwind Slash," which can be combined with other combat skills.

To some extent, his combat strength can be said to be built from "numerical values ​​- physical attributes" and "mechanisms - the 'gravity + Fang Hunt' system".

There is a lack of basic combat skills like [Spinning Slash], which can be unleashed without limit as long as there is enough stamina and can be perfectly integrated into other moves.

On the other hand, if Xia Nan were to go to the second floor to exchange points for those ordinary combat skills, he wouldn't want to sacrifice his potential.

And that's where the problem arises.

As for the solution...

Xia Nan thought that perhaps he should start with the [Meteor Blade Hunter] class itself.

(End of this chapter)