Chapter 148 – Strategy That Turns Impossible Odds into Victory
Chapter 148
Strategy That Turns Impossible Odds into Victory
Date : Day 30 of Grimleaf 1024 Aethellgard Concord Year.
Hyoren thought back to the sea of goblins inside that chamber. The writhing mass of green skins packed so tightly that movement seemed almost impossible. The pulsing Runic Array beneath them—its pale blue light still pulsing like heartbeat.
Then he looked toward Elise's still slightly pale face. And toward Jackey, whose excitement had somehow already returned. The contrast between the two was striking. One burdened by knowledge. The other driven by opportunity.
He needed more information first before making any decision.
"So… what exactly is Monster Room?"
Hyoren tapped his chin while thinking carefully, his fingers drumming against his chin.
"Is there some hidden mechanic?"
He glanced toward the Monster Room again
"And what is that glowing runic array on the floor?"
His brows furrowed slightly as he tried to piece together the puzzle.
"Because if it is just thirty goblins, sure, that is higher than our usual encounter…"
Then he looked toward Elise, his expression confident.
"But we once faced three hundred goblins at the settlement, Elise."
The mention of the goblin settlement seemed to calm her slightly. The tension in her shoulders eased by a fraction.
The memory of them systematically reducing an entire goblin settlement into corpses resurfaced in her mind. Back then, they had survived overwhelming odds together.
Elise slowly closed her eyes. Then opened them again. Her emerald irises met Hyoren's dark gaze with renewed steadiness.
"From what I know… from things to watch out for according to Ina…"
She paused briefly. Her pointed ears twitched slightly as she recalled the details.
"Those numbers are illusion. The actual number will be much higher."
Elise raised one hand and traced a rough circle in the air, imitating the glowing runic array inside the room.
"That Runic Array will keep spawning goblins instantly after one is killed."
She slowly shook her head. Silver hair swayed softly with the motion, catching the dim light from magic lamps.
"We never know the actual number before we clear it."
Her expression became more serious, her brow creasing with concern.
"It might only be fifty… One hundred…"
Then her voice lowered, barely above a whisper.
"Or even one thousand…"
Her gaze locked firmly onto Hyoren's, searching for understanding.
"Imagine fighting endless hordes of goblins… Hyoren…"
The atmosphere became heavy for a moment. The silence pressed against them like a physical weight.
But then—Jackey suddenly interjected loudly, his voice shattering the somber mood.
"But Elise! Big Bro!"
His earlier nervousness had already completely disappeared. His tabby ears perked back upward enthusiastically while his tail spiraled rapidly behind him like an excited corkscrew.
"The riches! The chest!!!"
Hyoren tilted his head, curiosity piqued by the sudden shift in Jackey's demeanor.
"What chest, Jackey?"
Elise lightly bit her lip before answering. Her teeth pressed into the soft flesh for a moment before releasing.
"Well… Monster Rooms…"
She glanced toward the hidden chamber, her expression conflicted.
"If it is cleared, it will reward us with a treasure chest. It is guaranteed."
Then she added quietly, her voice tinged with reluctant acknowledgment.
"It is one of the main benefits of clearing it."
Her expression turned complicated—torn between caution and the undeniable allure of potential rewards.
"Even Floor Guardian only have small chance of rewarding treasure chest…"
Jackey immediately nodded enthusiastically, his whole body vibrating with excitement.
"YES!"
Then he proudly raised his black axe streaked with crimson lines—Bloody Axe. The weapon caught the pale blue light, its dark surface gleaming with an almost sinister luster.
"This beauty was from Monster Room reward too!"
Hyoren's eyes shifted toward the weapon.Then back toward the hidden chamber. Danger. Opportunity. Risk. Reward. The massive goblin horde suddenly no longer looked like merely a terrifying threat. It also looked like a possibility.
Hyoren narrowed his eyes thoughtfully.
"So…"
A faint smile slowly formed on his lips.
"A dangerous fight that could reward us with an artifact."
Hyoren tapped his chin thoughtfully, his mind already racing through possibilities.
"And endless spawning goblins…"
His eyes slowly sharpened with calculation.
"That will give us many experiences too…"
The smile on his face widened little by little. The familiar thrill returned again—surging through his veins like electricity. Efficient grinding. The mentality of a player deep inside him immediately started moving, analyzing the situation with cold efficiency.
He looked toward Elise, his expression softening slightly.
"The danger is real. I know…"
His expression became serious for a moment. Charging directly into that room would be suicide. They would be overwhelmed almost instantly. Dozens of rusty blades descending from every direction. Bodies piling endlessly across the cramped space. No room to maneuver. No escape route.
Even if each goblin individually was weak, numbers alone could kill experienced adventurers. A single mistake. A moment of exhaustion. A delayed reaction. And they would be buried beneath the horde.
Then Hyoren glanced toward Jackey, whose enthusiasm remained undimmed.
"But Jackey is also right."
The reward potential was simply too massive to ignore. A guaranteed treasure chest. Possibly artifact-grade equipment. And endless monsters meant endless experience.
Hyoren's gaze slowly moved toward the narrow corridor connecting their position to the Monster Room. The tight passage barely wide enough for two people. Then toward the slightly wider dead-end chamber where the three of them currently stood. The space large enough for six to eight people.
His mind rapidly calculated the terrain. The narrow passage. Limited enemy flow. Choke point advantage. Then he looked again toward the writhing sea of goblins inside the Monster Room.
And suddenly—his smile turned into a grin.
"And I know how to handle this."
Elise's eyes widened immediately. Her emerald irises reflected both surprise and concern.
"Are you sure, Hyoren?"
Her voice carried genuine worry now, her earlier composure cracking slightly.
"We will be overwhelmed instantly if we enter the room!"
She tightened her grip around her bow unconsciously, her knuckles whitening against the curved wood.
"Ina told me many adventuring parties underestimated Monster Rooms at first. They thought the number was small…"
Her expression hardened, her features tightening with grim memory.
"But once they started fighting, they got overwhelmed instantly… this was a trap designed to kill us!"
Then Elise suddenly turned toward Jackey, her silver hair whipping with the sharp motion.
"And Jackey, when you dealt with Monster Room before, how did your party actually clear it?"
Jackey scratched his cheek awkwardly. His clawed fingers scraped against the short fur covering his jaw.
His earlier excitement weakened slightly under Elise's serious stare. His tail drooped behind him, losing their enthusiastic spiral.
"Well… i go with six-man party…"
He coughed lightly, avoiding her intense gaze.
"And it was only Copper-tier dungeon…"
Elise immediately gestured toward the hidden chamber behind the corridor to emphasize her point. Her silver hair swayed sharply with the motion, catching the pale light like a swinging blade.
"See?"
She looked back toward Hyoren, her expression pleading.
"Jackey needed six people just to clear a weaker Monster Room."
Her emerald eyes showed clear concern—fear not for herself, but for him.
"We are only three people! They would quickly surround us!"
The image alone was horrifying. Endless goblins surrounding them. Rusty blades swinging from every direction.
***
But Hyoren's grin did not falter at all.
Instead, his eyes became sharper. His gaze moved from the packed Monster Room toward the wide chamber they were currently standing in. The space where six to eight people could stand comfortably. Then toward the cramped passage connecting the two areas. The narrow corridor barely wide enough for two people to walk side by side.
An idea slowly formed inside his mind. Brutal. Simple. But potentially extremely effective.
"So we do not fight them there, Elise."
Elise's emerald eyes narrowed, but she let Hyoren continue. Her fingers relaxed slightly against her bow, though her posture remained tense.
Hyoren pointed toward the Monster Room, where the distant sound of goblin chatter echoed faintly through the stone.
"We do not enter the Monster Room."
He tightened his grip around his sword, feeling the worn leather wrap press into his palm.
"The trap of that room is the illusion of ease. The endless goblins will surround us from all directions the moment we commit inside."
Then he lightly shook his head, dismissing the suicidal approach entirely.
"That is why we will not fall into the trap."
A confident smile slowly formed on his face again.
"We will not let them surround us."
He looked toward both Elise and Jackey, his dark eyes gleaming with certainty.
"Kitting."
Jackey blinked, his golden eyes widening with confusion.
Elise also looked slightly confused at the unfamiliar gaming term from Earth. Her brow furrowed delicately while her pointed ears twitched with curiosity.
"Kitting? What's that, Hyoren?”
Hyoren smiled wryly, in excitement he unconsciously say gaming terms.
He then opened both arms and gestured toward the corridor around them, encompassing the narrow passage and the wider chamber beyond.
"We lure them outside into the narrow passage."
His finger pointed toward the cramped corridor leading into the Monster Room—the tight space where numbers would mean nothing.
"There, they can only come at us one or two at a time."
Then he lightly tapped his shield, the metallic sound echoing softly through the chamber.
"We use the terrain to our advantage. These narrow corridors will force the goblins to fight us in small numbers."
He pointed toward himself first, his stance widening slightly.
"I hold the line with my shield."
Then toward Jackey, whose axes glinted in the pale light.
"Jackey deals with any strays that manage to slip past me."
Finally, he looked toward Elise, whose bow remained ready at her side.
"And you safely shoot them from the backline."
The more he explained it, the more feasible the plan sounded. A direct frontal assault against endless enemies was impossible. But a chokepoint battle? That was entirely different. The terrain itself became their greatest weapon—neutralizing the goblins' numerical advantage and forcing them into a meat grinder of Hyoren's design.
Hyoren slowly relaxed his posture afterward, his shoulders dropping slightly.
"I know it will not be easy."
His expression became serious, acknowledging the genuine danger they faced.
"But it will not be suicide either."
Then he smiled confidently toward both of them, warmth entering his gaze.
"We can do this. Remember, Elise, Jackey, strategy could turn something impossible into possible."
Realization slowly dawned upon Elise.
Her emerald eyes widened slightly as understanding flooded her features. Then, little by little, they sharpened again—transforming from confusion to recognition to something approaching admiration.
She knew better than anyone how dangerous Hyoren's strategic mind could be.
Back during the goblin settlement quest, the two of them had actually exterminated around three hundred goblins together. A feat she had originally considered impossible. The memory of that War of Attrition was still fresh on her mind.
Even veteran adventurers had been shocked by the result. Guild Master Fiona herself had doubted them at first because the achievement sounded too absurd to be true.
But Hyoren's mind always approached battle differently. If they were outnumbered—then simply change the battlefield itself. Harass the enemy during their weakest moments. Perform night raids when visibility favored the attacker. Cut supply lines to starve them of resources. Lower morale through psychological warfare. Control terrain to negate numerical advantages. He never blindly fought according to the enemy's advantage.
And this situation was exactly the same.
An endless horde of goblins inside a cramped twenty-by-twenty meter room was impossible to defeat head-on with only three people.
But Hyoren had already changed the conditions of the battle itself. Do not enter the room. Lure them outward. Force them into a chokepoint. Turn the battle into a slow attrition battle where their endless numbers became meaningless.
Just like what they had done against the goblin settlement before.
Elise finally smiled. Her pointed ears twitched softly while her expression filled with a mixture of awe and fondness.
"Hyoren…"
Her voice became quieter, carrying a note of genuine wonder.
"Your mind was truly something…"
She looked toward the narrow passage connecting the Monster Room to their position, seeing it with new eyes.
"When you say it like that…"
A faint smile formed on her lips, replacing the earlier worry.
"It definitely becomes a battle with the possibility of victory."
Her gaze lingered on the corridor connecting their position and Monster Room. The tight walls. The limited space. The perfect killing ground.
To most adventurers, it was merely an ordinary narrow passage. Nothing more. An inconvenience to traverse on their way to greater rewards. But Hyoren viewed it differently. As a weapon. As a terrain advantage. As a tool to overturn impossible odds and transform certain death into manageable risk.
Hyoren was not a normal adventurer. His mind worked differently from people born in this world. The countless games he had played back on Earth. RPGs with their raid mechanics and boss patterns. Strategy games with their chokepoint battles and terrain exploitation. The accumulated experience from another world somehow continued proving useful inside this fantasy world—translating virtual tactics into real survival.
Jackey's golden eyes lit up brightly, his confusion replaced by simple enthusiasm.
"I do not understand what you two are saying!"
The entire strategic explanation had completely flown over his muscle-brained head. His tail swished behind him with impatient energy.
"But we are going to whack those goblin, right? Let's go!"
He flexed both arms proudly while spinning his axes with reckless enthusiasm—the weapons whistling through the air in dangerous arcs.
Hyoren could not help chuckling at that, shaking his head slightly.
"That's right, Jackey."
He pointed toward the narrow corridor leading into the Monster Room.
"I will hold the line."
Then he pointed toward Jackey and Elise, his gesture encompassing both of them.
"You two are going to…"
He paused briefly, trying to hold back his laughter at Jackey's eager expression.
"…whack those goblins from a safe position."
Jackey immediately nodded enthusiastically. His tabby cat tail spiraled excitedly behind him like a corkscrew.
"Understood, Big Bro!"
Then he proudly grinned, his fangs catching the pale blue light.
"I do not understand what strategy means."
He pointed one axe toward Hyoren confidently, the blade gleaming with unspoken promise.
"But what I know is you are smart! And I will follow you!"
His excitement practically exploded afterward, his whole body vibrating with anticipation.
"Time to whack goblins and see what the chest content is!"
Elise giggled softly beside Hyoren while shaking her head slightly. Despite Jackey's simple-mindedness, his straightforward trust in Hyoren somehow felt reassuring.
***
It was a perfect plan. A test of their synergy. Their endurance. And their ability to turn the dungeon's own design against itself. This Monster Room was not merely a death trap. It was also an opportunity.
Hyoren looked toward Elise and Jackey one last time, silently seeking confirmation. Both nodded firmly without hesitation. Elise's emerald eyes gleamed with determination while Jackey's grip tightened around his axes.
Then Hyoren immediately moved toward the entrance of the narrow corridor leading into the Monster Room. He positioned himself slightly to the left instead of standing directly at the center.
This way, only one goblin could properly engage him while another opening remained exposed just enough for Jackey to strike anything trying to slip through.
Jackey positioned himself behind Hyoren slightly to the right. Even his usual playful grin had turned serious. His tabby cat tail stopped swishing.
Meanwhile, Elise stood several steps behind them. She counted her arrows in her quiver with practiced efficiency. Then she nodded to herself and slowly nocked an arrow onto her bowstring..
The corridor suddenly became deathly quiet.
Hyoren tightened his grip around his shield and sword while rapidly thinking through the battle ahead.
Using Dark Magic here seemed redundant. Stacking debuffs against an endless horde would not be efficient at all. And the spell would end before the battle concluded, needing himself to reapply constantly.
And this fight was not about weakening strong enemies one by one. It was about endurance, efficiency and killing speed.
The faster they killed, the longer the line would hold. His eyes sharpened with calculation.
I will just use Magic Blade so I could kill them faster.
Aethell immediately surged through his arm and flowed into his broadsword.
"Magic Blade."
Pale blue light coated the Mithril-alloy Broadsword instantly. The blade hummed faintly as magical energy wrapped around its edge, increasing its sharpness.
Hyoren exhaled slowly. Then he focused forward. The narrow corridor was only wide enough for two goblins to pass simultaneously. And the distance from their current position to the Monster Room entrance was roughly ten meters.
Perfect.
Slowly, Hyoren raised his right arm forward. He aimed carefully while focusing on the hidden magical tool attached to his arm—Ninja Gloves. A faint pulse of Aethell flowed into the gloves. The hidden runic array engraved beneath the fabric flared faintly with light.
Then Hyoren activated his skill.
"Precision Throw."
SWOOSH.
A kunai shot forward like a streak of black lightning, cutting through the stale dungeon air with lethal precision.
THUD.
The blade buried itself directly into the forehead of the nearest goblin. The creature snarled. Its body immediately began dissolving into particles.
But not fast enough. The sudden death alerted the others nearby. Heads turned. Nostrils flared. The scent of fresh death triggered something primal in the horde.
At the same moment, Hyoren slammed his flat part of his sword against his shield repeatedly.
CLANG! CLANG!
The metallic noise thundered throughout the chamber, reverberating off the stone walls like war drums announcing battle.
"Hey, you smelly green skulkers! Come here!"
His taunt echoed loudly through the Monster Room, bouncing off pillars and walls until it reached every corner of the chamber.
The dead goblin. The metallic provocation. His shouting. Everything combined to create enough provocation towards the horde.
Finally—every goblin head inside the chamber snapped toward the doorway simultaneously. Glowing eyes filled with mindless fury locked onto Hyoren.
Then the room exploded into movement. The entire horde surged forward at once like a dam bursting. A sea of green skin rushed violently toward the narrow passage, their guttural war cries merging into a deafening roar. Feet pounded against stone. Crude weapons clattered.
But the corridor immediately became their prison. The endless goblin mob was forcibly funneled into the cramped chokepoint, their numbers meaningless in the tight space. They pushed and shoved against each other, fighting to reach the front.
Exactly as Hyoren intended.
Hyoren planted his feet firmly against the stone floor. Then he raised his shield, his stance widening to anchor himself against the coming tide.
"Return."
The kunai vanished from the floor in a flash of light.
CLICK.
It reappeared inside the Ninja Gloves mechanism, ready to be fired again at a moment's notice.
Then Hyoren shouted without turning around.
"Jackey! Elise! Ready!"
He did not bother checking for confirmation. He trusted both of them completely.
The first goblin arrived moments later.
BANG!
Its body slammed violently against Hyoren's shield. The impact sent vibrations racing up his arm.
But Hyoren did not budge an inch. He absorbed the impact completely, letting his knees flex slightly to distribute the force. Then immediately bashed forward.
THUMP!
The goblin staggered backward from the shield strike, its crude weapon dropping from stunned fingers.
At that exact opening—Hyoren thrust his sword forward in one smooth motion.
SQUELCH.
The blade pierced directly through the goblin's chest, sliding through flesh and bone with magical sharpness.
The creature dissolved into particles almost instantly. A magic stone clinked against the floor. Its crude weapon dropped beside it with a hollow clatter.
But there was no time to breathe.
Another goblin had already replaced the first one, scrambling over the dissolving remains of its companion.
BANG!
A crude wooden club smashed against Hyoren's shield. The impact reverberated through his arm, jarring his shoulder socket.
But Hyoren held firm. Then he thrust again.
SQUELCH.
Another goblin dissolved into particles, its death cry cut short by the blade through its throat.
***
Meanwhile, on Hyoren's right side, Jackey was just as busy. Several goblins managed to surge past Hyoren's shield—squeezing through the gap between his stance and the corridor wall with desperate, scrabbling movements.
But the moment they entered Jackey's range.
SCREEECK.
The Bloody Axe swept across violently in a wide horizontal slash. The black axe with crimson streaks carved through the air with brutal efficiency, its edge singing as it cleaved through flesh and bone. The goblin's head separated from its shoulders, the skull spinning through the cramped corridor before bouncing off the stone wall. The corpse dissolved rapidly into particles before it even hit the ground.
Without wasting even a second, Jackey twisted his body and threw his left axe forward. The white Flying Kite Axe spun rapidly through the corridor, its pale surface catching the blue dungeon light as it rotated.
SWOOSH.
The rotating axe lodged itself directly into the skull of another goblin further in the backline.
CRACK.
Its head split open instantly, spraying brain matter across the goblins behind it before the body dissolved into particles moments later.
"Return."
A faint flash of light appeared.
The Flying Kite Axe vanished from the goblin corpse and instantly returned into Jackey's left hand. The familiar weight settled against his palm.
The moment it returned, Jackey immediately swung it again toward another goblin trying to push through the corridor. No pause. No hesitation. Just continuous, relentless violence.
His fighting style was wild. Aggressive. Like a whirlwind given flesh and fury. Yet surprisingly efficient in cramped combat like this—each movement flowing into the next without wasted energy.
The Bloody Axe in his right hand swung.
SCREEECK.
Another goblin's head flew off, the creature's expression frozen in mid-snarl as its body crumpled and began dissolving.
Then the white axe followed immediately after.
SQUELCH.
A deep gash tore open another goblin's chest, exposing ribs and ruptured organs beneath. The creature let out a wet gurgle before collapsing.
And with the momentum of the backswing—Jackey threw the axe again.
SWOOSH.
The spinning weapon flew deeper into the corridor and struck another goblin directly in the face.
CRACK.
The impact shattered its nose and drove bone fragments into its brain.
The creature dissolved into particles almost immediately, leaving behind only a magic stone that clinked softly against the floor.
***
At the backline, the Silver-haired Elf was a stark contrast to Jackey's wild aggression.
Unlike the Cat-clan Beastkin, Elise fought with calm precision and graceful movements. Every motion looked controlled. Elegant. Efficient. Where Jackey whirled like a tempest, she stood like a willow in a gentle breeze—unshaken and deliberate.
She smoothly nocked an arrow onto her bowstring, her slender fingers positioning the arrow with practiced ease. Then slowly pulled it back while aiming toward the goblins further in the rear, her arm drawing the string taut against her cheek.
Her goal was clear. Reduce the burden on the frontliners before the pressure became too overwhelming. Every arrow that found its mark meant one less body crashing against Hyoren's shield.
The pale blue magic lamp light reflected faintly on her emerald eyes as she focused, transforming her irises into gleaming gemstones. Her breathing steadied. Her heartbeat slowed. The chaos of battle faded into background noise as her world narrowed to a single point.
Then she released the string.
TWANG.
The loosed bowstring caused her silver hair to flutter softly behind her.
SWOOSH.
The arrow streaked through the narrow corridor and buried itself directly into the eye socket of a goblin attempting to enter the passage.
The creature snarled painfully—a brief, pitiful sound. Then dissolved into particles moments later, its crude club clattering against the stone floor.
Without hesitation, Elise immediately nocked two more arrows.
Her gaze sharpened toward the front line where several goblins were beginning to pressure Hyoren's shield heavily. She could see his stance shifting slightly, adjusting to absorb the increased force. The creatures were pushing harder now, emboldened by their growing numbers.
Then she activated her skill.
"Double Shot."
THUMP. THUMP.
Both arrows shot forward simultaneously, cutting through the stale dungeon air with lethal precision.
One pierced directly through a goblin's throat, punching through the windpipe and exiting the back of its neck in a spray of dark blood. The other struck another goblin in the forehead, the impact snapping its head backward violently. The two monsters dissolved instantly, their bodies collapsing into shimmering particles before they could add their weight to the press against Hyoren's shield.
The pressure on the front line eased slightly—just enough for Hyoren to reset his stance.
Elise immediately nocked another arrow again. Calm. Steady. Careful. Her breathing remained even despite the exertion, her focus unbroken by the carnage unfolding before her.
Then she released it once more.
TWANG.
Her silver hair fluttered again from the movement, the familiar sensation barely registering in her consciousness.
SWOOSH.
Another goblin was struck cleanly through the chest, the arrow burying itself deep between its ribs. It staggered backward, clawing weakly at the shaft protruding from its torso, before dissolving into particles alongside the others.
***
Hyoren stood firm. An immovable wall against the endless tide of goblins.
The narrow corridor had already become a battlefield filled with scattered crude weapons, broken clubs, and dozens of magic stones rolling across the uneven floor.
Ironically, the growing pile of loot actually started helping them. Some goblins stepped on loose weapons and lost their footing, their clawed feet sliding on rusted iron. Others stumbled over scattered magic stones.
And every single mistake became fatal.
A goblin that tripped forward met Hyoren's glowing sword.
SQUELCH.
The blade punched through its chest with magical sharpness, spraying dark blood across the corridor walls before the creature dissolved into shimmering particles.
Another that stumbled sideways was greeted by Jackey's axe.
SCREEEK.
The Bloody Axe cleaved through its neck in a spray of arterial crimson, the head spinning away before both it and the body dissolved.
Those trying to stay further back were pierced by Elise's arrows before they could even approach.
THUMP.
An arrow buried itself into a goblin's eye, the impact snapping its head backward as it collapsed.
Hyoren briefly glanced toward the Monster Room itself.
The massive runic array on the floor was still pulsing ominously—its pale blue light rising and falling like the heartbeat.
Every time a goblin died and dissolved into particles, the glowing symbols brightened for a moment—then another goblin instantly materialized at the center of the room. The creature would appear in a flash of light, disoriented for barely a second before the rage consumed it. And immediately joined the horde rushing toward them. Again. And again. And again. The spawning never stopped.
At least fifty goblins had already been slaughtered by now. Yet the room still looked crowded. The sea of green flesh continued surging forward, undiminished by the mounting casualties.
Hyoren could feel his shoulders and arms gradually aching from continuously absorbing impacts with his shield. The dull throb had started as a minor annoyance, but now it spread through his muscles like creeping frost—each blow adding another layer of fatigue to his burning limbs.
BANG.
Another goblin slammed against him. The impact jarred through his arm and into his shoulder socket. He gritted his teeth and held the line, refusing to yield even an inch of ground.
Sweat slowly dripped down the side of Hyoren's face despite the cold dungeon air. The droplet traced a path along his jaw before falling onto his armor, joining the growing dampness beneath his collar.
But Hyoren noticed something.
It's strange… My arms are starting to ache… But I do not need to hold my shield as often anymore…
The longer the battle continued, the easier their defense became.
The corridor itself was slowly transforming into a death trap for the goblins. Scattered loot clogged the narrow passage. Broken weapons rolled beneath goblin feet. Magic stones created uneven footing that shifted treacherously with every step.
Hyoren slowly grinned as realization dawned on him. Their strategy was working even better than he predicted.
I see… Their own numbers are starting to backfire because of the accumulated loot on the ground.
The endless horde had become its own obstacle. Every stumble. Every delay. Every opening. Was instantly exploited by Freedom Party. The goblins' greatest advantage—their overwhelming numbers—had transformed into a liability.
And unlike the goblins, Hyoren, Jackey, and Elise barely needed to move from their positions. Hyoren only adjusted his footing slightly while holding the line, his boots finding stable ground amid the chaos. Jackey merely swung his axes within his assigned opening, his body rotating in place like a well-oiled machine. Elise stayed safely at the back while continuously firing arrows.
Because they maintained formation, the growing pile of loot barely affected them at all.
Their positions were deliberate. Controlled. Unchanging. But for the goblins desperately flooding through the corridor? The cramped passage had become chaos. A killing ground where every step could mean death.
And suddenly, Hyoren realized something else.
This itself was another hidden danger of Monster Rooms. If they had recklessly entered the chamber directly like normal adventurers, the accumulated magic stones and dropped weapons inside that cramped room would have become deadly obstacles beneath their own feet. One slip. One stumble. One delayed movement. And they would immediately be swallowed by the endless horde.
Hyoren gripped his sword and shield tightly, his fingers pressing into the worn leather wraps.
The dungeon truly was designed to kill careless adventurers.
With new resolve, Hyoren focused forward again. Toward the endless horde of goblins still pouring through the corridor. Their guttural war cries echoed off the stone walls, mingling with the sounds of slaughter.
Freedom Party continued their methodical slaughter without stopping. Holding the chokepoint. Grinding down the endless horde little by little. Each kill bringing them closer to their goal.
Waiting for the Monster Room's spawning mechanism to finally stop.