Chapter 132 A little Dirty

Larry, aware of the lurking monsters that stalked their every move, refrained from insisting on stopping to check on Hermit. He feared, that, pausing their journey could make them vulnerable and monsters could catch them off guard, potentially endangering the entire group. At this moment, Larry found solace in hearing the goblin's voice and knowing that he was still alive, accepting Suzuka's words without further objection. 

Suzuka kept a hurried pace as she traveled the grueling terrain. The lush forest surrounded them and the path they followed was scattered with uneven hills, boulders, and fallen trees. It proved to be a challenging route to navigate, yet weariness failed to dampen Suzuka's spirit. She energetically overcame every obstacle, surging forward without hesitation.

The journey proved unpleasant for Hermit, as she paid little attention to his comfort, jostling him within the barrel with each step she took. The goblin couldn't take all the shaking anymore and constantly puked the feces David had fed him before they departed from the prison hold. He was sliding and sloshing inside the barrel covered in a disgusting mixture of excrements. 

 After another hour of trekking the treacherous path, they arrived at the base of a cliff. Suzuka called out to Larry, her voice filled with uncertainty, "Hey, Larry! Do you think we could scale down this cliff? It could be a great shortcut, saving us several hours. The descent doesn't seem too steep, and I'm confident I can make it down easily. What do you think?"

Larry peered down the cliff, considering the idea. It didn't appear overly alarming, and time was of the essence with ruthless monsters trailing them. After a few moments of deep thought, Larry replied, "We can't afford to waste time. Monsters are closing in. Let's decide quickly: do we take this shortcut or opt for the longer path? Both routes pose dangers. However, I vote for the shortcut. It will help us save precious time, especially with the sun setting soon."

Arin stepped forward, offering his input, "I agree. Let's take the shortcut. It doesn't seem too steep. Allow me to descend first, and I'll provide cover with my bow in case those damn monsters attempt to attack." David, nodding in agreement, remarked, "Well, it appears the decision has been made. Let's just move already and make our way down the cliff. The sooner we reach town the better."

Arin swiftly descended the cliff, carefully assessing the surroundings before signaling for the rest of the group to follow suit. Peering down from above, Larry suggested, "You go first, Helen. David and I will cover your back." Suzuka nodded and began her descent. When she was halfway down, Larry and David started their own descent. However, the monsters lurking in hiding seized the opportunity and suddenly emerged. One of them lunged towards the cliff's edge, swiping its claws at Larry, narrowly missing him.

Arin, poised with his bow, wasted no time and unleashed a precisely aimed shot that struck the creature's eye. A painful scream erupted from the wounded beast, causing it to panic and collide with a fellow creature. The collision sent both monsters tumbling down the cliff's edge, their massive forms leaving no room for Larry and David. Helplessly, Larry and David were struck by the tumbling down monsters, unable to evade the unexpected fall. The impact sent them hurtling off the cliff, their fate dark.

At that quick moment, Suzuka faced a vital decision. David was on the verge of falling onto her, within her reach for a potential rescue. However, Larry, further away, needed more time to reach and save. 

She braced herself for the impact and managed to grab David as he plummeted past her. Utilizing her gravity magic, she rendered Larry weightless, allowing him to land gracefully on his feet, light as a feather, just moments before hitting the ground. Summoning every ounce of her strength, she swiftly spun and delivered a powerful kick toward the falling creature, successfully shifting its trajectory. 

Balancing perfectly on the unstable rock, Suzuka's weight proved too much for its fragile surface, causing it to crumble under her feet. The force of her kick's backlash added to the instability, leading to her and David tumbling downward.

From all of the strain the handles of the barrel snapped, causing it to fall off her back rolling and tumbling down the cliff with the goblin trapped inside. Reacting fast, Suzuka swiftly tossed David against the cliff face, preventing him from plummeting further.

 With a display of grace, she executed a backflip, landing on the ground with a resounding thud. Her focus now shifted to ensuring the safety of their group. The barrel, propelled by a forceful roll, collided with the nearest tree, creating a loud impact. The lid of the barrel popped open, and Hermit was launched out in a flurry of limbs, landing softly with a splash in the wet mud. Weak, disorientated, dazed, confused, and unable to stand, the goblin desperately started to squirm in the mud while wriggling toward the safety of the barrel.

As he crawled through the mud, horrifying monsters emerged from their hidden places, growing tired of lurking in hiding and now ready to launch a full assault. They swarmed towards the goblin, targeting him as the furthest and seemingly easiest prey to kill. However, Larry was not about to let it end without a fight. The moment his feet touched the ground, he sprang into action, calling upon Arin for support.

"Shoot the beast with your arrow! Aim for the inside of its mouth. Let them taste the arrows!" Larry commanded urgently, ready to defend Hermit. Without hesitation, Arin swiftly launched an arrow, aiming it directly into the throat of the creature that was about to bite off the goblin's head.

The arrow lodged itself straight into the beast's throat, inflicting a painful strike. Hermit, given a brief moment to act, mustered the last remains of his strength and pushed himself off the ground. His twig-like arms quivered and trembled like leaves in the wind, while his scrawny legs twitched and spasmed, allowing him to barely stand. Gasping for air, disoriented and dazed, his outstretched tiny arms reached forward, desperately clawing for the slim glimmer of hope, he struggled towards the barrel, seeking futile refuge and safety from the monstrous creatures. Hermit's eyes, clouded with pain and weariness, surveyed the chaotic scene that unfolded before him.

With each faltering step he took, Hermit's tattered form displayed a symphony of agony. He was covered in a disgusting mixture of filth, blood, urine, vomit, and his own waste, he limped the muddy path toward the barrel, his trembling body was a clear sign of his suffering. Each movement sent waves of despair coursing through his skeletal frame, causing him to emit sickly, pitiful whimpers that mixed with the unbearable symphony of his suffering. 

His travel in the barrel was a nightmare, he couldn't exit the barrel to relieve himself, and motion sickness set in as well. The inside of the barrel was a mixture of his filth but even then he was reaching for it in hopes for survival. 

The wounded beast writhed in agony and gnawed at the lodged arrow. It thrashed about, its movements wild and erratic, swiping its claws and lashing out with its feet in a frenzied attempt to dislodge the piercing projectile. Amidst the chaos, the vile creature mercilessly stomped on Hermit, causing unbearable suffering to course through the goblin's frail form. With each brutal stomp, the goblin's eyes bulged out. His mouth gaped open, a wretched sight as he ejected the contents of his stomach, the last remains of the feces and maggots that David forcefully fed him.

 After a few vicious stomps goblin's body bounced off the ground and the creature's rear legs struck Hermit in the back, sending the goblin across the field like a discarded ragdoll. He soared through the air, several meters high, before gravity took hold and he crashed back to the ground.

Observing the mess, Suzuka couldn't help but inject a hint of humor. "Wow, look at him fly! I didn't know goblins could take to the skies!" she remarked, a touch of jest in her voice.

Larry, however, immediately snapped back, his tone serious and urgent. "This is no time for jokes! We need to dispatch these monsters and fast before they have a chance to finish us off!" 

Suzuka's voice carried a serious tone as she spoke, "Yes, Larry, I know. I couldn't resist; it was too hilarious." With that said, she unleashed her gravity magic, swiftly dispatching the two monsters that had threatened Hermit's life. The death of the monsters was instant because she didn't want to torment them and subject them to suffering. She wrapped their heads with her gravity magic and ripped them off their backs with incredible force. 

Larry hurried to the goblin's side, while the others maintained their vigilant stance, guarding against further dangers. Hermit lay motionless, his condition dire and his life barely clinging on. The brutal kick he had endured from the monstrous creature had shattered most of his back's bones, leaving him in a critical state.

Larry's voice echoed with anger as he shouted, "God damn it! We were so close! If only these god-forsaken monsters hadn't chased us, we could have safely returned with him alive!" 

Suzuka swiftly moved to Larry's side, urging him to take her post. She spoke urgently, "Go, stand guard. I still have one of the potions that helped him before. Hurry, Larry, before more monsters arrive." 

She urged him on, concealing the truth about the potion. As Larry and the others turned away to resume their watch, Suzuka cut her hand, allowing her blood to flow. She jammed her bleeding fist down the goblin's throat and force-fed him her potent, half-monster blood. Unknown to her, her recent battle had heightened her healing abilities, rendering her blood overpowering for Hermit's frail body.

Hermit's body convulsed and trembled, veins pulsated as if on the verge of exploding. His eyes shot open, bloodshot and filled with anguish. Fearing she had gone too far, Suzuka grabbed the goblin by the throat, quickly stuffing him into a filthy barrel before anyone could notice. She sealed the barrel shut and hoisted it onto her back, stating, "I managed to stabilize him to some extent, but we must hasten. Before he succumbs completely."

 Larry, not willing to waste any more time, locked his gaze upon the approaching monsters, perched menacingly atop the cliff, ready to descend upon them.