While the Frenzied Goblins proved troublesome, they were far from flawless, their weaknesses glaringly obvious.
Much like their mutated kin, they possessed no discernible intellect, blindly charging forward in battle.
The system’s description stated that both Mutated Goblins and Frenzied Goblins were aberrant creatures, transfigured after inadvertently consuming contaminated energy crystals.
This revelation sparked Bai Xia’s curiosity, making her wonder what exactly could instantaneously transform these diminutive creatures into hulking masses of muscle.
Curiosity notwithstanding, Bai Xia remained singularly focused during combat.
Confronted by the Frenzied Goblins, formidable in their speed and defense, and prone to self-detonation, along with the Goblin Archers lurking at the rear, constantly seeking opportunities for ambush, Bai Xia and Tian Zheng quickly conferred, deciding to separate the enemies and defeat them one by one.
Much like their mutated counterparts, the Frenzied Goblins showed no regard for their comrades.
Though powerful, they were utterly devoid of reason.
Just like the foolish Mutated Goblin that had inadvertently harmed its own ally before, this characteristic, when exploited correctly, could become a deadly tactic.
Indeed, these goblins proved themselves to be nothing more than low-tier monsters, utterly lacking in intelligence.
Under Tian Zheng’s deliberate guidance, the Frenzied Goblins, after just a few wild charges, threw their own ranks into utter disarray, leaving no discernible pattern to their movements.
While Tian Zheng drew the Frenzied Goblins’ aggro and disrupted the entire goblin formation, Bai Xia seized the opportunity amidst the chaos, utilizing her speed and agility to prioritize eliminating the Goblin Archers hidden at the very rear.
In truth, the seemingly inconspicuous Goblin Archers posed the gravest threat to the duo.
Though their attack methods were singular, their reach was extensive, and their tactics remarkably insidious.
However, once engaged in close combat, an archer’s threat level plummeted significantly.
This was especially true given that their defense and health points were barely superior to those of common goblins.
Thus, the moment Bai Xia effortlessly closed the distance on the Goblin Archers, their fate was sealed.
Having dispatched the few remaining Goblin Archers, Bai Xia did not return to Tian Zheng’s side to jointly confront the Frenzied Goblins.
Instead, she seized the chance to unleash her blade upon the surrounding common goblins.
With the other goblins swiftly and cleanly eliminated, the Frenzied Goblins, now bereft of assistance, were nothing more than walking experience points in the duo’s hands.
After consecutively slaying the third Frenzied Goblin they encountered, and watching their levels rise once more, the creature dropped a peculiar item for them.
[Chain of Covenant]: Special Item. Returning this to the Novice Village Chief might yield a clue.
Gazingo at the silvery-white necklace that had dropped upon the Frenzied Goblin’s demise, Bai Xia tilted her head, a hint of disappointment in her voice:
” ‘I thought it was a piece of jewelry. So, this is what the Village Chief lost?’ ”
” ‘It should be,’ ”
Tian Zheng glanced at the necklace in Bai Xia’s hand, then nodded.
The sudden drop of such an item after the Frenzied Goblin’s death had momentarily excited them, but the system, as expected, remained its stingy self.
Though Bai Xia harbored a touch of dissatisfaction, finally acquiring the quest item brought a wave of relief.
After all, if they hadn’t found it, they might have truly had to clear out every single goblin in the area below, a prospect that would have genuinely made her sick!
Naturally, after eliminating the Mutated Goblin and obtaining the quest item, Bai Xia and Tian Zheng had no immediate intention of returning.
Nor did they immediately delve deeper.
Instead, they opted to halt in place and recuperate.
Having spent half the day grinding goblins, not only were their conditions less than optimal, but both their stamina levels had also decreased to varying degrees.
Tian Zheng, in particular, bore the brunt of it all, responsible for combat, aggroing monsters, and constantly minding his positioning.
His stamina had already dipped below fifty percent, and he was inevitably feeling a degree of mental fatigue.
Stamina was a profoundly important attribute in ‘Otherworld’.
It was consumed during combat and travel alike.
As the maximum of one hundred stamina points steadily depleted, one’s own attributes would similarly suffer.
Should stamina drop into negative values, health points would even continuously drain!
Of course, there were numerous ways to restore stamina.
The simplest was to pause and rest.
Another was the Priest’s ‘Holy Healing’ skill, which, while restoring health, could also modestly replenish stamina.
The quickest method, however, involved eating.
A single flatbread and an apple could restore twenty stamina points.
Furthermore, these items were remarkably inexpensive in the system store.
Understanding the crucial importance of stamina, Tian Zheng had naturally come prepared.
As they settled down to rest, he retrieved two apples from his system inventory, tossing one to Bai Xia.
Bai Xia, of course, accepted it without ceremony.
Yet, even as she ate the apple and regained her stamina, her mind was occupied with thoughts.
‘As expected, grinding monsters with just two people is too exhausting and too dangerous,’ she mused.
In games, a complete party was essential when clearing various dungeons.
Moreover, each member should have their own unique positioning.
For instance, Shield Guards, with their high health and defense, were responsible for initiating engagements, drawing aggro, and absorbing damage after healers buffed them.
Mages would then unleash their magic, dealing damage and applying debuffs to monsters while simultaneously alleviating the Shield Guard’s pressure.
Warriors would then press forward.
Archers would snipe from the rear.
Assassins would coordinate with them to prioritize eliminating monsters that posed a significant threat to the party, and so on.
Mutual cooperation was indeed the correct approach to dungeon crawling.
As for Tian Zheng and Bai Xia now, Bai Xia was managing fine, but Tian Zheng, acting as both a warrior and an aggro-drawing tank, was inevitably under considerable pressure.
They were fortunate not to have encountered monsters capable of unleashing wide-area magical attacks, otherwise, the situation could have become truly precarious.
Therefore, if they intended to tackle higher-level dungeons in the future, recruiting teammates of other professions would be essential.
Tian Zheng, naturally, understood her thoughts.
He finished his apple in a few swift bites, then slowly stated, ” ‘If we’re looking to form a party and play together, I do have a few good candidates in mind.’ ”
” ‘Oh?’ ”
Bai Xia blinked, but Tian Zheng merely smiled, showing no inclination to elaborate.
” ‘Let’s discuss it once we’ve left the Novice Village. The people I know are scattered across different novice villages.’ ”
” ‘I see… By the way, the way you got that special quest earlier, it wasn’t provided by one of these people, was it?’ ”
Tian Zheng rose with a smile, then, while Bai Xia was distracted, he playfully ruffled her hair several times, remarking with a hint of admiration, ” ‘Clever guess, but you’re mistaken.’ ”
Bai Xia slapped his hand away, letting out a disgruntled huff.
Once their conditions were fully restored, the two continued their advance.
Curiously, for a considerable stretch of the path ahead, they encountered not a single ordinary goblin.
This unusual phenomenon, however, did not deter either Bai Xia or Tian Zheng.
Instead, it made their eyes gleam with anticipation.
As the saying goes, ‘an anomaly presages a marvel’.
Therefore, something extraordinary surely lay ahead.
Just as this thought crossed their minds, the end of the passage suddenly plunged into shadow.
The blue crystals embedded in the ground beneath their feet and the surrounding stone walls, had, at some unknown point, turned black.
And in the gloom at the passage’s end, they discerned pairs of crimson eyes!
” ‘We finally found the right place,’ ” Tian Zheng declared.
The palpably different atmosphere signified their arrival at the cave’s deepest reaches, the very lair of the hidden boss.
Bai Xia exhaled softly, her spirits eager for the challenge.