Vol. 9 - Chapter 455 - Let's capture Goblin's Fort! May the tide of war---but the opponents are goblins---be in our favour!
The ‹Food-Dun» rehearsal that we had chosen this time was actually not just a random idea thrown together.
The camp was our perfect ground to see the shortcoming, what part members like, or vice-versa dislike. We might have the plan to visit the sea but the last thing I would want as a host was for it to fail in giving everyone a satisfactory ending.
The first day of our camp started with the exploration of the 12th floor.
We swiftly carried our second group right after the first group. The plan was usual, they're free to explore or move around the way they like. On the other hand, I gathered the interested members for a raid on goblin base.
Atleast, that was our plan until it went awry---no, or I guess went just within my expectations?
"Woaaahh.......it's like a join battle."
"In fact, you can actually say that it is. I didn't expect it to turn out like this but this is just right for raid practice."
Basically, everyone, minus the three ‹Helper›, were currently raiding the goblin's fortress.
Hannah seemed surprised by the overwhelming sight before her---or more like, at the sight of ‹Eden› members blitzing toward the fortress while razing everything in front of them like a tornado.
It wasn't just her. Maria actually had her glasses almost slipping out, Satoru's eyes had almost turned dot-sized. On the other hand, Melina-senpai was cupping her cheeks in her hand, murmuring 'oh deary me...'.
The goblins that had stormed out of the fortress in all their formidable splendour, but it hardly took a second for them to become fishes on the chopping block. And right now, it was getting invaded and ravaged.
The goblins inside the fortress were swiftly massacred. It was over before I could make my entry.
Let's turn the hand of the clock to a bit earlier on how the situation turned out like this.
Though before we proceed, I guess an explanation regarding setting must.
Extra-Dungeons were, just like their name suggests, dungeons built differently from the regular versions. While popped up monsters would be typically lurking around the area they had appeared in regular dungeons, monsters in Extra-Dungeons actually roamed with some sense of objective. Like attacking the cows or securing the food supply etc.
This sort of varying scenery, that was absent in regular dungeons, could be captured occasionally here. It was like a scenery you would expect from a functioning society.
A scene of similar sort was also present in a part of advanced dungeons, but that was more a crudely put together turf like thing, a far cry from a community like this. Well, a base was a base, but the main point was their abnormal action.
The bases of such sort often hide considerably rare items, resources, treasure chest etc---A reward to clear out their base. The promising rewards were the reason goblin's bases were the event to never miss out when they're right in front of you.
It was around when we had carried the second group and left them to explore freely that Karua spotted a goblin on its way back. From following that goblin, she also managed to find a huge base right at the beginning.
When I asked who was interested in joining us for our little exploration---which was a needless question, if you ask me, from my behalf---everyone, ‹Helper› excluded, raised their hands. Just what I would expect from the members of the guild aiming for S-rank.
"‹Command›! Everyone, please gather here. We will start with scouting our enemy's battle power! The first would be long-range specialists and tanks!"
‹Master-Planner Princess› Rina started with her commands in high spirits.
The location was a bit far away from the goblin's base where she gathered us. Hmm, it seemed like we all were going to commence a war... Oh, wait. I forget but aren't our enemies just mere goblins? I think calling out everyone would be a bit---or too much overkill.
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"I have heard the saying---the lion uses its full might even when hunting a rabbit! We finally have such a beautiful chance to try out, so we might as well go all out. That would contribute to everyone's growth as well!"
"Oh, that's a million-point-worthy statement from our strategist!"
Just what I would have expected from Rina. She was clearly thinking ahead. I applauded.
Indeed, those small fries were just the perfect target to be our sparring partners. Everyone was bustling with excitement at their first base assault.
"It's truly a once in a blue moon chance."
Hannah murmured while lining up her canons next to each other while her narrowed eyes were shining with a glint. It was like a hunter selecting her prey.
No wait, is she planning to join the scouting party?
"Alright, I chose them! ‹Sunshine Staff› and ‹Canon - Rock Gun›!"
Goblin's were weak to light elements, and I guess she must have wanted to see the endurance of the base as well. ‹Canon - Rock Gun› shot huge stones while ‹Sunshine Staff› was self-explanatory.
Indeed, wonderful choices. I guess she was hell bent on joining the scouting group huh.
"Long-range specialist, please come here. Tank squadron, take your position here!"
Hannah responded immediately to Rina's call to join the long-range group.
"And I go without saying!"
I joined the tank group.
"Let's start with the scouting with a small unit! The base might fall over before we even begin if we start with a huge group. Sierra-san and Zephyr-san are the tanks. Hannah-san, Emi-san and Mert-san are in long-range unit!"
Rina sorted out a small, balanced unit among the members. Quite an apt choice. Hannah, who had a production job, and Emi, whose ‹Magic Ally› was more support oriented, would make sure that the base didn't fall over in just a few attacks---which would have happened if she had chosen other members. Mert was experienced enough to control his firepower.
"Alright, we're starting, Rina!"
"May the good luck be in your favour! 'Salute of cannons'!"
Rina shot a few bullets while turning the muzzle of her ‹Crimson Magi-Gun› toward the sky which casted buff on us. Woah, she even had ‹Dragon's Miniature Garden installed›. Huh, why does it feel like we're going to war? It's just the extermination of Goblins, right? Right!?
Rina passed her command through ‹Guild Connect› while we five headed for the goblin's base and managed to slip in their domain without alerting them.
Uh-huh, at least do your job in scouting, O' goblins. You know you're just moments away from getting robbed of, of your wealth and life? Ah, well not that Rina would have another plan even if they do that though. Ahahaha!
"This is Zephyr from the scouting squad. We have entered the firing range. We will now start scouting our opponent's battle power."
"What're you doing, Zephyr?"
"Well, playing as a member of the secret force? This is such a perfect chance, so don't you think this adds more spice to the situation?"
"Hmm, I guess so?"
Isn't it every guy's fantasy to be all covert ops and be like, "Yo, this is Spy Guy, over and out!"?
Though it seems like my words went in one ear of Mert and out of the other as he just tilted his head in confusion and the reply ended with a question mark.
"Gobuu!"
"Gobu-gobu!!"
"Gobuuuuuu!"
"There's a lot for everyone!"
"There's a rock for everyone!"
Hannah and Emi leisurely muttered while looking at the goblins who started yelling 'gobu-gobu', apparently their alert cries.
Their base was made of trees, and now that we were looking at them from close, it was quite big as well. The goblins for lookout were mostly at the observation desk or atop the wooden gate.
"Sierra, I think we might soon face an arrow shower. Use ‹Induction Cover› in that case. Mert, you're in charge of commanding the attack unit."
"Leave it to me."
"Understood. Then let's take our aim. The first target is the front gate, you don't need to care about other goblins. Fire when I signal!"
"Roger!"
"Yes, sir! ‹Magi-Armament›!"
Hannah returned back to herself following Mert's instruction as she took out ‹Sunshine Staff› and ‹Rock Gun› and aimed them at goblins.
Emi also activated her ‹Magi-Armament›, enchanting her weapon---a grimoire with mana. Mert, seeing everyone were ready, gave his order to shoot.
"Fireeee! ‹Mega Blizzard›! ‹Mega Flare›!"
"Boom-Boom-Boom!"
"‹Magic Book - Large Ball Blizzard›! ‹Magic Book - Large Ball Flare›!"
In an instant, Mert, Hannah and Emi's spells or rocks rammed into the goblin's gate in succession, its HP taking a rapid nosedive.
The gate was actually similar to Big Castle from guild battles, sporting a HP bar. And when their HP reached zero, the gate would disappear---it's fantasy, duh---in effect.
"Gobuu!!"
"Gobubu!?"
"Gobuuuuuu!?"
"Woah, the damage went in much more than I expected."
Well, I was already expecting this. It was the goblin's base after all, which was no different than a snow castle.
The first volley of the three-man team immediately shot down half of gate's HP at once. A few goblins fell down from the gate from the impact and bloomed into the light of effect.
The enraged goblins fired their arrows, but---
"‹Induction Cover›! ......that was uncalled for huh."
"Ahaha, it's just practise after all."
The arrows fired were both few in number and their aim were also slightly off. Sierra's skill just converged toward her shield. Right, they're goblins after all.
I also swatted the incoming arrows with my shield without using skills. Hmm, the clang-clang sound they make at collision sounds like chime. Alas, fun time always gets the short end of stick.
"‹Mega Darkness?! Hmm, let's stop here. We might seriously decimate the gate if attack any further."
"So you heard, Hannah, Emi. Time to fall back!"
"Ehh? Isn't it too early? We don't get this chance everyday, just one last shot. Boom!"
"Gobu!?"
Hannah fired a laser from ‹Sunshine Staff›, which struck a goblin, turning it into the next comrade of light following the release of the death throe.
On the other hand, Hannah looked as refreshed as taking a dip into the hot water amidst cold winter. Well, having fun comes before anything, so be it. Anyway, time to retreat/
"Phew, that was actually not bad, maybe even the best."
Emi seemed to have taken the liking to this. She was also having fun.
Sierra and I took our position at the rear of the escaping party, repelling the incoming arrows while the rest withdraw themselves from the battlefield.
"Great work everyone. Will you be joining the real raid?"
" "Of course." "
Rina invited us for the next attack after I informed her the result of our scouting. Hannah and Emi replied instantly with a delightful face. Seems like they have their taste of being OP, eh. It's hard to turn back after experiencing that overlord-ish feeling.
After the initial trial run, we collectively charged at the goblin's fortress, scattering the goblins coming out of it in panic with our long-range attacks while decimating the poor gate and invading inside.
They also had ‹Sword Goblin› and ‹Soldier Goblin› among the panicked goblins, each with strength equivalent to Beg-mid to Beg-high dungeon. Needless to say, we curbed them in jiffy, reuniting them with their comrades of light.
The fortress was captured in less than an hour. We searched around and found hidden ‹Leader Goblin's Magic Sword›, ‹Goblin Crown›, a few rare items, materials, two ‹Gold Chest›, five ‹Silver Chest› and ten ‹Wooden Chest›.
Strangely enough, we didn't find any food ingredients among our spoils of war. Well, of course we weren't planning to eat something that get in touch with goblins, but it's a bit strange there were no food ingredients.
The fall of goblin's fortress also shut the curtain over our first day's event, with the day transitioning into night.