Chapter 149: summoned
The monster’s eyes locked onto Steve.
A chill crawled down his spine. His breath hitched, and his knees nearly buckled. He stood there—motionless—caught beneath that gaze, not just from one beast but from all of them. One by one, their heads turned toward him, eyes gleaming with hatred. They knew.
She was here.
Steve’s jaw clenched. A low tsk escaped his lips, not out of fear, but fury. Something inside him snapped.
In one smooth motion, his hand shot to his side, fingers wrapping around the hilt of his sword. The metal hissed as it was drawn, and in the next breath, he lunged.
A frenzy overtook him.
With a sharp twist, he flung his dagger—now extended into a gleaming blade—aiming straight for the goblin’s throat. The steel whistled through the air, a silver blur. The goblin snarled, raising its jagged axe to block—but Steve was already there, slamming into him with a clash of sparks and steel.
That impact was all he needed.
He pushed off, leaping high into the air. His body twisted mid-flight before crashing into the ground. He rolled once—twice—and came up running.
Without breaking stride, he slid his sword into the slot on his shield. In an instant, it retracted, clicking back into its compact form. But Steve was already gone, dashing between trees, heart pounding, lungs burning.
Behind him, a guttural roar split the silence.
The blackened goblin—their leader—stood tall and furious, its scream shaking the forest. The others rose to join it, weapons gripped tight in clawed hands. Bloodstained blades, rusted cleavers, bone-handled spears—they all gleamed under the pale sky as the pack surged forward like a single, monstrous tide.