There was no sign of the hobgoblins in sight.

Ahead, goblins clutching daggers and spears pushed through the black miasma I had cast, stumbling closer. Their ragged forms shuddered with every step, and they looked on with bloodlust, ignoring the brutalized women and dismembered children scattered around them. Among the bodies, goblins lay sprawled, dozens of them, lifeless from my earlier assault.

There were only about seven or eight left, practically cannon fodder. Even without a weapon, I could easily take them out by hand. Smirking, I felt the dark energy course through me, a grin curving into a crescent shape as I readied myself.

Stretching out my arm, I gave the goblins a mocking thumbs-up—only to twist it downward, a taunt of what was to come.

"Kerraahhh!" The goblins shrieked, hissing as they lunged at me, saliva dripping from their gnarled jaws. Their feral snarl was almost pitiful.

But of course, these were just goblins.

Though they were writhing under the influence of my miasma, they couldn’t move freely. Only a few at the front dared to approach; the rest clutched their heads, too terrified to advance. They stayed rooted in place, trembling, hoping I’d vanish from their lives as quickly as I appeared. But here, in this dark cave, there was no sun to offer hope, no escape from the shadows that surrounded them.

The goblins up front, despite their fierce posturing, hesitated, unsure if they should come closer. Their instincts told them I was stronger.

Goblins are simple, but not entirely foolish.

Their behavior is dictated by base instincts, including a strong sense of the food chain. They cower before those who are stronger, but the moment they sense weakness, they attack in a frenzy. It’s their way.

One goblin, the scrawniest of the group, let out a guttural howl, a sound so pitiful it barely cut through the miasma surrounding me. But I knew they wouldn’t dare to move closer—they sensed my strength, sensed the difference in power.

With a cruel smirk, I feigned a throw toward one goblin, then hurled a blade of condensed miasma at the goblin behind him. The goblin’s head exploded in a spray of blood, splattering the cave.

The others froze, glancing back at their fallen comrade, their fear clear as they saw the carnage. Too late.

I seized the nearest goblin by the top of his head, then drove my knee straight into his face, crushing his skull with a sickening crunch. In disbelief, he clawed at his torn limbs, trying to pull himself back together.

Grabbing his twitching body, I tore it apart, hurling the torso toward the goblins behind him.

“Kerrahhh!” one screamed.

The goblin’s head, still twitching, went flying toward the last few goblins who were watching me with terrified eyes, clutching their weapons tightly. I shoved the head right into their mouths, one by one.

"Taste that, your mighty leader," I sneered.

They gagged, froth bubbling at their mouths, eyes turning red as they convulsed. I threw the bloodied remnants at the wall, where they collapsed in a mangled pile, crushed beneath the impact.

“Bug extermination… complete!”

***

Drenched in goblin blood, humming cheerfully, I strolled back into the adventurer’s guild.

"I’m back!"

I held up my hand for a high-five, grinning broadly. But the server woman who had greeted me earlier stood there, speechless, a stunned expression on her face.

She looked visibly uncomfortable, eyes darting away. Watching her discomfort, my thrill from the battle only intensified.

On my way back from the lair, I’d encountered two hobgoblins returning from a raid. They’d been shocked to see me—a lone figure coated in their kin’s blood, reeking of death. But I had rushed them, and with a swift punch, knocked the heads clear off their shoulders.

‘Can’t help it; this is too much fun.’

Back in the guild, seeing the other adventurers looking weary and broken only made me more amused. My vibrant energy was clearly out of place here.

‘Maybe I overdid it.’

Seeing the server’s expression darken, I finally reined it in, composing myself as I walked toward her.

“Sorry, I got a little too excited,” I said, bowing slightly.

“N-no, it’s fine! It was just… a bit surprising.”

I laughed softly, straightening up. The air in the guild was heavy with the smell of blood and decay. It was strangely quiet—too quiet, almost as if someone had intentionally cleared the place out.

"Is it just me here?" I asked.

It had been only an hour since I registered and left for the quest. It wasn’t even noon yet, so I didn’t expect the place to be empty. It felt as though everyone had vanished, all without a trace.

‘Something’s off here…’

As if sensing my unease, the server’s nervous smile faded. She glanced behind me, pointing over my shoulder.

“There… there…”

The sound of footsteps echoed through the empty room. Slow and deliberate, each step landed with a sharp click. Reflexively, I unleashed my miasma, turning to face the direction of the sound.

The lights were dimmed, obscuring any clear view, but there was a strange, faint scent in the air—familiar yet eerie.

"Is… is that really… you, Master?" a voice whispered, quivering with emotion.

She was sobbing, tears dripping onto the floor. Her clear, delicate voice sounded like it came from some enchanted forest, far removed from this grim guild hall.

On instinct, I readied a miasma blade in my hand, adopting a defensive stance as the figure came closer.

"A… ah, it’s you… my Master’s miasma… that familiar, beloved scent…” She choked back a sob, voice trembling with relief. 

Her long hair, faintly glowing with a soft blue-green tint, cascaded down in waves, framing her face. She wore a royal, flowing cloak and finely woven garments that clung gracefully to her frame—an outfit fit for nobility.

“Master… I missed you… so much…”

She threw herself into my arms, hugging me tightly, as though trying to reassure herself that I was real. It only took a second for me to recognize her.

“Elena…?”

She was ‘Elena,’ the first hero I had recruited back when I played the game *TBG Heroes*. She had once been one of the strongest elves, a cherished companion.

“What… what is this?”

“Please, don’t ever leave again… I’ll protect you… with my life, Master…”

Reuniting with Elena felt surreal. She was the first hero I’d ever recruited, and somehow, fate had brought her here.

‘Well, looks like I’ve got one ally already…’