The Lord’s Raids

"Seriously? Two mages hobgoblins!?"

Are we going to get through this?

Staring at the two hideous abominations, Cain stood stunned as they approached. How are we supposed to deal with these monsters?

At the same moment, he spotted Rakahn charging toward them at full speed.

Rakahn rushed forward, bringing down his swords in a desperate attempt to cleave one of the hobgoblins in two. But a moment later, the sound of clashing weapons echoed as one of the hobgoblin mages erected a force field, parrying his attack to protect its companion.

The other mage seized the opportunity to cast a spell, launching a fireball directly at Rakahn.

Twisting his body, Rakahn barely managed to dodge the attack. He tumbled backward, regained his balance, and dashed toward them again.

As he approached, multiple fireballs were hurled at his face. He zigzagged through the barrage, evading the fiery projectiles.

CLANG!

The sound of metal colliding rang out again, this time as Akumu launched his own attack. Despite his saber being infused with his aura, it lacked the strength to pierce the barrier these vile creatures had established.

It's the perfect duo—one protects, and the other attacks! Cain thought, amazed by the ingenuity displayed by these creatures, who usually acted purely on instinct.

As he admired his enemy's strategy, a loud thud followed by a deafening crack echoed in front of him.

Cracks spiderwebbed across the force field as Dahlia delivered a powerful blow.

"Since when were they this strong!?" an elf beside him exclaimed.

I'm wondering the same thing! Cain thought.

"Hey, pointy ears! Instead of standing there staring, order the soldiers in the back to deal with the other goblins so they don't interfere with us!" Rakahn barked, his voice tinged with annoyance.

"Pointy ears!? You cheeky little one! I'm older than your grandfather!" Cain retorted, a flash of anger rising within him.

Without waiting any longer, he complied with Rakahn's request.

---

Dahlia swung her halberd in a wide arc, aiming at her enemies. When her attack proved less effective than she hoped, she staggered back to create distance, allowing Akumu to move in for his strike.

As he prepared to swing his odashi, he swiftly rotated his blade, slicing through a fireball that had been aimed at him.

Taking advantage of the brief distraction, Rakahn sneaked up behind the hobgoblins and struck with precision.

As the abomination conjuring the shield focused all its attention on Dahlia, the sound of flesh tearing filled the air as Rakahn severed its right arm.

The hideous creature let out a chilling scream, instinctively clutching its shoulder. In a frantic attempt to stop the bleeding, it conjured mud from its elemental affinity.

Determined to protect its injured companion, the hobgoblin unleashed a flurry of fireballs, sending them hurtling in multiple directions.

Staggering and leaning on their legs for support, Rakahn and Dahlia retreated in a zigzag pattern, dodging the fiery projectiles.

Unfortunately, Akumu reacted a moment too late. He was struck directly by a fireball, sending him crashing violently backward.

While the one-armed hobgoblin struggled to restore its shield, Rakahn propelled himself forward. Despite the relentless bombardment from the other mage, he charged ahead, skillfully avoiding the attacks.

His determination was palpable, and his bloodlust was almost tangible. He wanted to end this fight.

"DAHLIA!!" he shouted.

"Go ahead! I'll cover you!" she replied.

With that, she surged forward, swinging her weapon and bringing it down upon her opponent.

For a fleeting moment, the shield flickered.

That brief moment was all Rakahn needed. He swung his sword with all his might.