Of course, even ordinary low-level monsters weren’t beneath Bai Xia’s respect. After all, enough ants could bring down an elephant—and goblins were far stronger and craftier than ants.
Just as her thoughts drifted, a strange noise echoed from the cavern’s depths. The space wasn’t cramped, and blue crystals embedded in the stone walls cast a soft glow. Advancing cautiously, the source of the sound soon revealed itself.
No doubt about it—goblins!
These in-game goblins matched her memories perfectly: tiny enough for Bai Xia to look down on, their green bodies draped in ragged scraps of hide. One almost wondered if a sudden move would make them flash.
…Though honestly, would anyone even care if a goblin flashed?
“Screech! Screech! Screech!”
Four ordinary level-5 goblins. The moment Bai Xia and Tianzheng spotted them, the creatures noticed the intruders too—screeching harshly before lunging forward. Their gear was pathetic: two wielded massive beast bones, one clutched a rotten short sword, the last brandished a crudely sharpened stone.
Yesterday, six wolves of the same level had chased them ragged. But times had changed. Both Bai Xia and Tianzheng were stronger now.
Bai Xia didn’t even need to move. As the goblins closed in, Tianzheng—new weapon in hand—swung a wide arc, felling the front two instantly. A swift Whirlwind Slash sent the next pair flying. One unlucky goblin triggered Silverwhite Blade’s 1% armor-pierce effect. Four defense-ignoring hits nearly emptied its health bar; two finishing strikes sealed its fate.
After the instant kill, Tianzheng deliberately took the next goblin’s blow to gauge damage, then calmly closed in for the kill.
Goblins and wolves might share a level, but their strength wasn’t comparable. These green-skinned runts lagged far behind wolves in attack, defense, and health—only numbers gave them an edge. With just four in this wave, Tianzheng handled them effortlessly. Bai Xia barely lifted a finger.
The two downed goblins scrambled up screeching. One rose only to meet Tianzheng’s blade slicing its carotid artery—its health bar plummeted instantly. The other was kicked flying before it neared. Tianzheng dashed forward, three quick slashes felling the third. The last? Cut down before it could stand.
After two days of grinding, level-7 Tianzheng made short work of them. With his new weapon, it was like slicing vegetables.
Bai Xia, dagger already drawn, froze mid-step. She eyed the corpses with clear disdain. “Way too weak…”
Still, she walked over and harvested each goblin. Pathetic loot: barely any coins, nothing else. Her contempt deepened. Recent monsters had dropped decent materials and coin—even without gear. These? Disappointing.
But goblins were just poor. Sighing, she scooped the copper coins—*even a mosquito’s leg is meat*—and pressed deeper with Tianzheng.
Caution sharpened after that quick encounter. Wisely so—a second wave of six goblins charged straight at them moments later.
Tianzheng handled the front line easily, but Bai Xia joined in, testing her new skills. Dark Harvest felt clumsy at first; goblin attacks whittled her health. Yet its power shone through: enhanced strikes plus backstab bonus slashed nearly a third of a goblin’s health in one neck hit.
Shadow Step proved just as vital. Shrouded in shadow, she repositioned freely, dodged lethal blows, and its cooldown stayed manageable. Paired with Dark Harvest, her movements grew fluid, graceful.
Deeper they went. More goblins meant sharper instincts. Her form flowed like shadow, swift as lightning. Dark energy coiled her dagger. With teleporting slashes, backstab bonuses, and Tianzheng’s support, goblins vanished in flashes of white light.
Dark Harvest’s passive sealed its dominance: kills halved its cooldown. What was already swift became a true slaughter tool.
At their peak, nine goblins swarmed them. Tianzheng held aggro, activating Inspire to evade. Bai Xia danced between them—a shadow weaving death with elegant precision.
When the final goblin dissolved beneath her blade, Bai Xia exhaled sharply. Her health bar was low, but a grin tugged her lips.
“Man, that felt good.”
Slash once, kill once. Ten steps, ten deaths—*this* was the brutal elegance of an assassin.
Sure, it only worked because goblins were weak. Her fragile build wouldn’t survive tougher foes. Yet she knew, deep down: choosing Assassin was absolutely right. That razor’s-edge thrill, the wild joy of reaping lives mid-dance—no other class offered this.
Perhaps only an Assassin could ever taste such perfection.
