"I see such a mix of expressions on your faces. Whether you received a good rune or a terrible one, you must accept the outcome. It was all up to your luck. Hahaha."
The Cheon-sa's laughter echoed across the plain, but no one dared voice a complaint.
"Now that the rune engraving is complete, shall we start the game in earnest?"
As the Cheon-sa spread her wings, messages shimmered into existence before everyone's eyes.
< Defeat 100 Goblins per person >
< Participants: 1,801,029,290 >
< Achievers: 0/900,514,645 >
< Designated Area: ESKS45-5 >
"Like the ones that appear in games?"
"What's the designated area? Is that... where we are?"
The crowd murmured, examining the quest, and the Cheon-sa nodded.
"That's right. The very same goblins you all know. And the area ESKS45-5 refers to the group you belong to."
The Cheon-sa's smile was a sly, mysterious thing.
"We made it easy for the first round. You only have to defeat one hundred goblins to return to Earth. Simple, right?"
It's neither hard nor easy until you've tried it, Park Jin-ho thought.
But the others had different ideas.
"Aren't goblins supposed to be weak monsters?"
"Yeah, they're just common mobs in any game."
"Not as tough as I thought, huh?"
"And here I was, thinking it was going to be some impossible quest."
To the surprise of the most worried among them, the challenge seemed far less difficult than they had expected. A wave of relief washed over the crowd, and they began to relax.
If we take this too lightly, we're in for a nasty surprise.
As someone who knew the true strength of goblins, Park Jin-ho could only bite his tongue.
"Are you all feeling overconfident? Well then, shall we skip any further explanation and go straight into battle? Kuehehe!"
The Cheon-sa fluttered its wings in excitement.
In the distance, beyond the meadow, figures the size of elementary school students began to appear. They were the very goblins people had only ever seen in novels and games.
"What's that? A goblin?"
"Haha, it feels like we've entered a real game, doesn't it?"
Despite the appearance of monsters, the people did not panic. The creatures were still far away, and more importantly, the goblins only came up to their waists. They looked as harmless as children.
Perhaps they had gained some confidence. No one knows how it started, but suddenly, people began to deny the reality of their situation.
"This has to be a dream, right? Or one of those lucid dreams you hear about?"
"Maybe a virtual reality game, like in the novels, has finally been released? And we've been kidnapped as test subjects without realizing it?"
"Wait, that actually makes sense, doesn't it?"
As one game-like situation followed another, their sense of reality and judgment grew blurred. Even those who had been intimidated by the Cheon-sa moments before felt a surge of boldness.
"Excuse me, Cheon-sa!" a man shouted. "Aren't we supposed to get weapons or something? Those goblins have weapons!"
It was true. All the goblins visible on the horizon were carrying crude daggers or clubs.
The Cheon-sa watched them, a sneer twisting its perfect features.
"You're on your own. Whether you tear them apart with your bare hands or take their weapons is up to you. Oh, and one more thing..."
The Cheon-sa paused for dramatic effect.
"Not all the goblins have been summoned yet."
Suddenly, the horizon itself seemed to writhe. A multitude of goblins erupted into view beyond the meadow, a tide of green skin that far outnumbered the humans. The creatures filled the world from one end to the other.
"So far, fifty thousand goblins have been summoned."
The Cheon-sa's voice was laced with malicious glee.
"Ten thousand humans against fifty thousand goblins. That's not going to be so easy, is it?"
Faced with a force five times their number, unease finally began to ripple through the crowd.
"Well then, fight as if your lives depend on it—because they do. Now, humans and goblins... battle!"
At the Cheon-sa's command, the goblins, who had been merely glaring, broke into a charge.
The people on the front line hesitated, a wall of fear rising before them as the reckless horde stormed closer. Faced with creatures armed with blades and clubs, running at them with murderous intent, they were understandably terrified.
Even a stray dog running at me would be scary, let alone a monster with a sword.
Sensing the paralysis of the crowd, Park Jin-ho stepped forward. His sudden movement drew every eye.
"What's he doing? Is he crazy?"
Park Jin-ho ignored the whispers behind him, waiting for the goblins to close the distance. This wasn't for attention. This was to establish his presence.
First impressions were important.
If he wanted to avoid being bothered by annoying flies later, he needed to display overwhelming strength right here, right now.
And more importantly, I need to catch that Cheon-sa's eye.
For that, he needed a little performance.
"Hey, if you get any closer, it's danger—"
The warning died in the man's throat. The crowd fell silent.
With a clean, powerful kick, Park Jin-ho struck the first goblin charging toward him. There was a sickening crack as its head snapped back at an unnatural angle.
A hawk-nosed goblin running beside the first one faltered for a fraction of a second, its beady eyes wide as it watched its comrade's neck break. That moment of hesitation was all Park Jin-ho needed. His hands shot out, seizing the goblin's head, and he twisted sharply.
He let the body drop, its tongue lolling from its mouth as a gurgling sound escaped its throat. Unbothered, Park Jin-ho bent down and snatched the dagger from the first goblin he had killed.
The stolen dagger immediately went to work, plunging into the neck of one goblin and the back of another.
Before the second goblin he'd killed with his hands had even hit the ground, Park Jin-ho was already moving, a lightning bolt targeting his next victim. The air rushed from the chests of two more goblins as his dagger found its mark.
In a split second, four goblins were dead.
His movements were smooth and seamless, the brutal efficiency of a true killer.
Another goblin shrieked and charged, but Park Jin-ho's dagger was faster.
Thunk-thunk! Thunk-thunk!
Green blood spurted everywhere, but Park Jin-ho swung his dagger without a hint of hesitation, a whirlwind of death.
It was, without a doubt, a scene of absolute slaughter.
The display of overwhelming power left everyone around him stunned and utterly speechless.