With a steady stream of magic pumping through his cells, Shirakawa felt his physical prowess rising with every breath. His gaze locked onto the goblins ahead.
The horde wasn't massive—yet.
Even in the midst of panic, the villagers were rallying to defend themselves, brandishing farming tools and makeshift weapons.
"Thank god we made it in time."
The purpose behind goblin raids was simple: loot supplies, kill the men, and as for the women…
They were dragged back to the goblin dens to serve as breeding stock.
Filthy, wretched creatures—nothing more than walking experience points.
His eyes narrowed on a group of four or five goblins, daggers drawn, surrounding a man standing protectively at his front door.
Shirakawa's legs tensed.
Magic-reinforced cells exploded with power. In a flash, he appeared behind the goblins and slashed with his crimson sword.
A single sweeping arc.
Blood sprayed. Bodies hit the ground. The stench of gore filled the air.
"Wha…"
The man who had been desperately holding the line, now injured and stunned, could hardly process what had happened.
An adventurer had come to their aid?
Suppressing the surge of gratitude in his chest, he turned and shouted toward the others:
"Hang on! Help has arrived!!"
The villagers, who had been cornered and desperate, now burned with newfound resolve. They rallied fiercely, defending their homes and loved ones.
---
「You've defeated a Goblin Scout. Gained EXP +200.」
「You've defeated a Goblin. Gained EXP +130.」
Shirakawa ignored the pop-ups. There were still plenty of goblins to deal with. He didn't have time to bask in the glow of EXP notifications.
He charged down the village streets, cutting down every goblin in sight.
But with no copy-skill cheat, and only basic combat training under his belt, clearing out scattered enemies took time.
Even Riselia—the one who had helped him awaken his "Holy Sword Wielder" class—had yet to awaken herself.
He still had so much to learn about his class.
It was like a middle schooler being thrown into the national college entrance exams.
"If only I had more combat options…"
Not that he found the Holy Sword class lacking in potential—but having more tools would certainly make this easier.
The village stretched out ahead.
The original anime never depicted the Goblin Slayer's sister clearly, so Shirakawa had no concrete reference.
He'd have to use the brute-force method:
Kill every last goblin. Find the one tending cattle. And maybe, just maybe—he'd find young Goblin Slayer himself.
These goblins were no match for him.
And amid the clashing steel and slashed bodies, Shirakawa began to understand more about the rhythm of battle. He pulled his sword from yet another felled goblin—
A thought crossed his mind.
"Magic enhances the body's performance…"
"Then what happens if I inject mana directly into the sword? Would it unlock a new skill on the spot?"
He decided to try.
The dark crimson sword in his hand pulsed as he funneled magic into it.
The glow intensified—
It worked?
He hadn't expected much, but the result was clear. He swung lightly—
A scarlet shockwave burst from the blade.
The solid ground cracked open, the cut deep as a palm's width.
Against goblins, this would be devastating.
"Wait a minute… isn't this just like that Sword Soul class from that mobile game version of DNF?"
"You slack off in high school, and next thing you know, you're double-jumping with sword beams!"
"This life is awesome."
With renewed energy, he dashed toward another house in the distance. Sustained mana infusion didn't seem to tire him too much—
But the boost in damage output? Insane.
More goblins had gathered. One house in particular had its doors sealed tight, likely hiding frightened residents.
Perfect place to test his new skill.
As he approached, the goblins caught wind of his presence. With eyes glowing green, they charged—brandishing bizarre, cobbled-together weapons.
"Feisty little freaks."
Mimicking a certain sword-drawing move from a game, Shirakawa pumped more mana into the sword.
Crimson light surged.
Gripping the blade with both hands, he slashed sideways—
A horizontal arc of energy tore through the air.
The goblins had no idea what hit them.
They were cleaved clean in two.
"Holy sh—!"
—
Up ahead, the house under siege was surrounded by about six goblins. Being on the outskirts of the village, there had been no one to defend it.
Barricaded within, a young woman with short golden hair, dressed in simple rural clothing, braced her back against the door.
But the relentless battering of goblins—
The wooden door was beginning to splinter.
Tears welled in her eyes.
All she could do now was pray that her younger brother—hiding in the cellar—would escape the monsters' claws.
"Remember!"
"No matter what happens, don't come out of the cellar!"
The girl's voice was strained, like she was giving her final words to her little brother.
She could feel her strength fading...
And yet—
The expected impact never came.
The air beyond the wooden door suddenly fell into silence.
"..."
Holding her breath, the girl dared not utter a sound.
Her heart was pounding so violently it felt like it might burst from her throat.
The footsteps drew closer—then stopped.
Could it be... higher-level goblins?
Knock, knock, knock.
A young voice came through the door.
"Is everyone inside alright? The goblins have been cleared out."
"..."
A human voice.
The girl, who had been holding herself together on the edge of collapse, finally let out a breath and weakly pushed the door open.
Standing there was a young man.
His smile was unexpectedly gentle.