Chapter 497: Field Test II

CH497 Field Test II

***

The barbarian clearly didn’t understand goblins.

A Goblin Priest was unlike any other goblin. It was the most important member of a goblin tribe.

This meant each and every goblin around it would gladly die to protect it.

The moment the barbarian broke formation and charged, more than ten goblins peeled away from their fights without hesitation, throwing themselves into his path like living shields.

They didn’t care if they got cut down nor did they care if they died.

They only cared about one thing about stopping the barbarian rider.

Fortunately, most of those goblins were immediately slaughtered by the warriors they’d turned their backs on... and the bloodthirsty orcs didn’t miss the opening.

Still, a few goblins managed to slip free, sprinting towards the rear to reinforce the priest’s defence.

The barbarian, however, was already drunk on the taste of glory.

He didn’t notice the danger until it was almost too late.

Two Class 3 Goblin Warriors—both stronger than him—closed in from either side, thick crude blades raised high.

Swoosh!

Blade-light surged.

The barbarian’s eyes widened—

Bang!

A violent blast detonated between them.

The shockwave sent everything in the area flying.

The barbarian and his unfortunate steed were thrown backwards like ragdolls.

But they were alive.

The barbarian hit the ground hard, coughed, then scrambled back onto his horse with shaking hands and fled—galloping towards the expedition’s main formation.

Only when he reached safety did the horse finally collapse again, the adrenaline draining out of its body like water from a cracked jar.

The barbarian barely even looked at the animal.

His attention snapped instead to the man who had just saved his life– Alex.

Just before the Goblin Warriors’ strikes could land, four [Mana Balls] had shot out from the rear and collided with the blades mid-swing.

Not only did they stop the attacks, but the resulting explosion had blasted the barbarian out of the kill zone.

But Alex wasn’t done.

He raised his hand, his gaze locking onto the Goblin Priest.

[Magic Bolt]!

Four mana arrows—larger than normal—fired in rapid succession, screaming through the air towards the priest.

The two Goblin Warriors immediately shifted, stepping into the line of fire cutting them down.

At the same time, the Goblin Priest finished its chant.

A wave of reddish light rippled outward.

Instantly, a crimson hue coated the remaining goblins.

Their bodies twitched while their eyes went bloodshot.

It was as if they’d been driven into a frenzy.

Their speed spiked, their attacks became sharper, more vicious and they stopped caring about their own lives entirely.

They attacked with little to no thought of defending themselves.

Even when blades cut into their flesh, they didn’t flinch.

They simply kept moving forward—forcefully continuing their assault as if they couldn’t feel pain at all.

Kavakan’s hand tightened around the axes strapped to his waist.

Even his mount sensed his restlessness. The horse began stomping the ground, snorting hot breath, practically begging to charge.

However—

A single look from Alex doused that thought from both man and mount.

Kavakan froze.

His horse whined then stilled its stumping.

Alex’s gaze shifted away, landing instead on Mordor.

The Orc Shaman-swordsman caught his gaze and didn’t hesitate.

He lifted a hand and casted a hex in a harsh, guttural tongue.

[Madness]!

Rather than dispel the Goblin Priest’s frenzy spell, Mordor chose to capitalise on the mental instability it created.

The moment the hex sank in, the goblins’ already fragile minds shattered completely.

They lost all sense of friend and foe.

The orcs and barbarians quickly pulled away as the goblins turned and attacked whatever was nearest.

Even the Class 3 Goblin Warriors were affected—though not as severely. Stumbled in blind rage, they attacked and fought at each other

Yet somehow, instinct still kept them from striking the Lesser Goblin Priest.

The priest realised the battle was slipping out of its control.

It immediately began retreating—desperately trying to get out of Alex’s range.

When it reached what it believed was a safe distance, it stopped, lifted its staff, and began chanting again in goblin tongue.

Alex’s eyes narrowed, a cold glint flashing within them.

’Cunning goblin.’

’But—’

He raised his hand once more.

A spell formation bloomed before his palm.

This time, however, he didn’t simply let it form naturally.

’Let’s throw in a little rifling etches to extend the range.’

Mordor, Eleanore, and Zora watched with stunned expressions as the power glyphs within the spell formation shifted and rearranged themselves.

The standard [Magic Arrow] formation twisted into something... different.

Mana gathered and condensed— An arrow of pure mana formed within the ring of glyphs.

Then, just like the formation that birthed it, the arrow itself began to change.

Spiral etchings appeared along its shaft.

Its head became slimmer—sharper—far more needle-like than before.

Bang!

The surrounding spellcasters expected the modified [Magic Arrow] to shoot out and pierce the Goblin Priest’s skull.

But instead—

The entire spell formation detonated right in front of Alex’s hand...

"Damn it!" Alex cursed, waving his hand as heat washed over his palm from the spell formation’s backlash.

"I lost concentration..." he muttered, his jaw tightening. "Let’s try that again."

This time, he didn’t force it.

He obediently prompted OmniRune to handle most of the legwork.

However, before he could attempt the spell again, the Goblin Priest completed its casting.

Immediately, clarity returned to the goblins’ eyes.

Their frenzy vanished as if someone had poured cold water over their minds.

They surged forward at once—charging the orcs and barbarians, who had retreated the moment the goblins began tearing into each other.

A handful of goblins also broke away and rushed in Alex’s direction.

Perhaps they thought that if they could disrupt the spellcasters, they could still salvage this fight.

The Goblin Priest closed its eyes, beginning another chant.

It was clearly focusing everything it had on this spell.

But by then, Alex had already recast his own.

Boom!

This time, the modified [Magic Arrow] shot out beautifully at insane speeds.

The spiral etchings along its shaft forced it into a rapid spin, stabilising its flight.

Pucchi!

With a stable flight and longer range, the arrow reached and punched cleanly through the Lesser Goblin Priest’s skull.

Its body dropped like a puppet with its strings cut.

Its overconfidence in its range calculation, its undoing.

With the priest dead, its final spell collapsed mid-formation.

The remaining goblins froze for a split second, then clarity returning fully to their eyes.

Then, without hesitation, they scattered.

They fled in every direction like rats escaping a burning nest.

The orcs and barbarians immediately gave chase—especially the barbarians, eager to rack up kills.

But Alex’s voice cut through the chaos.

"Regroup!"

His tone carried authority.

Reluctantly, they pulled back before they could chase too far.

Alex frowned as he watched them return.

’They’re good troops... but they still lack a bit of discipline.’

He turned around, only to find several pairs of eyes fixed on him.

"What?" he asked, flashing a sly grin.

Zora didn’t even humour him. She stared him down.

"Don’t pretend, Alex. You know exactly what."

Her gaze sharpened.

"When were you going to tell us your Rune-Tech problem was solved?"

Alex chuckled softly, rubbing the back of his neck.

"It isn’t solved yet," he admitted.

Then his eyes gleamed.

"But I’ve taken the first step."

***