I get back to the others just in time to see Sophie collapsing to the ground.
“I… I can't anymore…” her voice cuts off, and the goblins that had been ignoring us up until now start looking around confusedly, most likely wondering where their friends went.
I stare at Sophie for a moment, but it looks like that's all I can get from her.
“Hey…” my voice spreads through the clearing, louder than it should be and distorted, but recognizable as mine. All thanks to the mana I send to my throat and vocal cords.
“You have 10 seconds; if you stay inside and don't attack the goblins after the time passes, we will leave.” My voice is cold, and I mean every word I say.
“You can't…” Sophie barely gets out while supporting her body with her arm to look up at me.
But she doesn't use her skill on me.
She knows that would be it, and I would just leave her sister and others if I sensed even a hint of her mana trying to manipulate me.
This time, I will decide on my own, and if I put myself in danger, it's only because I am sure I can survive it and gain something out of it.
The goblins slowly screech and sniff and slowly turn towards the source of my voice.
Even if they rush us now, I am sure I can run away pretty easily.
If they don't attack them, I will leave. I won't risk my life just for them to sit on their asses.
“Five…” my voice spreads through the clearing, and goblins start slowly moving towards us, ignoring the bus and its passengers.
“Four.”
Two goblin warriors poke and push a few goblins, making them more aggressive.
“Three.”
One of the goblin warriors is level 6, and he holds a dagger in each of his hands; the other one is level 5 and holds a spear.
“Two.”
Their backs are turned to the bus, and they are halfway to us, leaving two half-eaten bodies behind them.
“One.”
My voice is louder and sounds more like me as I keep improving my usage of mana.
[Mana Manipulation Lvl 3 > Mana Manipulation Lvl 4]
The doors of the bus open, and an older man, the bus driver, I think Jacob, is his name-rushes out, waving an axe in his hand. His voice is weak and shaky, but he is attacking. Right behind him, a few more people attack, and some of the goblins turn around to deal with them.
For a second, the thought of running away goes through my mind. As they distract the goblins, we would get at least a few more minutes to run without pursuers.
But shouldn't you run only if you are sure you can't win?
I step towards the attacking goblins and enter [Focus]. All useless noises become filtered out, and some colors lose their vibrancy, yet some become that much more vibrant—the color of blood, polar lights on an inky dark sky.
“Sophie, make the goblin warriors focus on me.”
I saw them fighting; none of them can deal with them, especially if they attack together with other goblins.
“Tess, you will stay here and support others with ranged attacks. Use spears from dead goblins.”
They are already so close.
“Kevin, you will be on the front line with Leon and Hadwin, and Maya will support you.”
I am surprisingly calm.
Around twelve goblins are rushing at us, and I see around five of them fighting with other passengers. Goblin warriors stay slightly in the back, and I dash towards them while strengthening my body, right through a group of level 2 and 3 goblins.
I swing.
A head explodes like a watermelon.
[You have defeated the Goblin, lvl 3]
Another swing.
[You have defeated the Goblin lvl 2]
Multiple goblins attack me, but I put more force into my legs and jump right over them while still running.
There are two goblins slightly behind and surprised to see me.
[You have defeated the Goblin lvl 2]
[You have defeated the Goblin lvl 2]
Then I stand up in front of two goblin warriors. I feel a pulse of Sophie's mana from behind me, and other goblins rush at them instead of turning back.
There are only six of them, so good luck.
Mana rages through my body, and I enter deeper and deeper [Focus].
[Focus Lvl 3 > Focus Lvl 4]
Breathe out.
The world becomes quieter, and I see only two opponents in front of me.
Breathe in.
I bounce on the balls of my feet and roll my shoulders back, a series of satisfying pops echoing.
Mana flares out, and I stomp my feet, feeling the earth respond beneath me.
The level six goblin dashes, and in a split second, reaches me with both of his daggers stabbing towards me. There is blood visible on his teeth.
Before he reaches me, I also dash towards him and swing my mace as if it's a bat. At the last moment, he pulls his daggers back and blocks my attack, which sends him staggering backward.
I step back, almost breaking my ankles from the pressure I put on them, and a spear stabs through the place where my head was. I already hold my mace in my right hand only and grab a dagger with my left even before I start dodging the attack.
I send more mana through my body and feel the muscles in my left shoulder and waist tearing from the speed of the movement as I turn my body and stab the dagger right into the goblin's left eye.
He tries to dodge but is unable to stop the inertia from his stab with a spear.
Then I jump to the side to keep the goblin warrior with the spear between me and level six. Just in time, two daggers stab the body of the dying goblin.
Both of them growl, one of them from pain, the other one annoyed.
Before he pulls his daggers out, I swing my mace at his head while holding it only in my right hand. He ducks and pulls his daggers out, so I quickly twist my body and kick his face, probably cracking my shin from the pain I am feeling.
The goblin is able to leave a cut mark on my leg as he flies backward.
Before he gets a chance to fight back, I put more strength into my legs and dash at him, while in my mind I scream from pain.
My mace hits his hand, and one dagger falls down.
He dashes at me, and I kick the bottom of his chin in exchange for a long cut on my left hand that already has torn muscles.
The goblin wobbles a little bit from the kick, and a spear comes flying out of nowhere and stabs right through his right hand.
Nice one, Tess.
The last dagger falls down, and I kick against him as he dashes at me with the spear still stuck in his hand. He falls down, and I swing my mace downwards while using enough mana to make my muscles hurt.
His face deforms under the mace.
One more hit to the same place.
His leg keeps twitching, and foam forms around his mouth.
The last hit.
[You have defeated the Goblin Warrior, lvl 6]
I turn around, take a few steps, and hit the conscious goblin on his head.
Once.
Twice.
[You have defeated the Goblin Warrior, lvl 5]
[Lvl 5 > Lvl 6]
I put all stat points into mana and turn towards the bus.
Just a few more.