Chapter 3 Aftermath of the Battle

Only heavy breathing remained.

Broken trees burned faintly from the goblin champion’s beam attack, smoke drifting lazily through the forest air. Blood soaked the dirt beneath scattered corpses while surviving adventurers stared blankly at the silver-armored figure standing in the center of it all.

Eo slowly exhaled.

“Ugh...”

His whole body ached, every muscle throbbing. It was like climbing the highest mountain in the world without a moment’s rest or pause.

The goblin champion’s blows had been ridiculously strong. Even with magic armor soaking up some of the impact, the pain still seeped through reaching his insides. His ribs were definitely in bad shape. Maybe even some internal bleeding happening.

“That thing hit way too hard.”

He glanced down at himself, battered, left shoulder partly melted.

Eo nodded slightly beneath the helmet.

“Overall.”

A pause.

“I think I am fine most part.”

—

COUGH.

His body jerked suddenly and violently. Warm liquid rushed up his throat, carrying the sharp taste of metallic iron.

“Ghk—!”

Blood splattered onto the ground beneath him. Eo himself blinked beneath the helmet.

“Huh?”

That was definitely blood.

“Eo.”

Selena was suddenly beside him.

Her usually emotionless voice carried the faintest tremble.

“You are bleeding internally.”

“Yup.”

“That is bad.”

“Probably.”

He coughed again, a fresh splatter of blood darkening the dirt. Selena’s eyes widened, just a fraction.

She was practically panic.

“Young Master.”

“Hmm?”

“You are dying.”

“Worried much?”

“Very.”

The remaining adventurers glanced between the two in awkward silence, as the swordsman slowly raised a finger to point.

“Shouldn’t he sit down first?”

Blood trickled from beneath his helmet again, and Selena quickly grabbed his arm, her grip tightening more than usual.

“…Eo.”

“Yes?”

“You are not allowed to die.”

“That sounds possessive.”

“You still haven't fulfilled your promise.”

“Right.”

Eo slowly sat down against a shattered tree trunk.

The moment he let his guard down; pain shot through his body.

“Shit.”

“It is more painful when sitting down.”

Selena dropped to a crouch beside him, her gaze sweeping over his armor with careful attention.

“Your ribs must be broken from the direct hit.”

“Wonderful.”

“A broken rib could possibly puncture an internal organ.”

“Even better. I was wondering why my body feels horrible.”

Selena stared silently at the blood on the ground.

Eo leaned his head back against the tree.

The goblin champion had been truly dangerous—far more than he’d anticipated. And, in a strange way, part of him had enjoyed the thrill. The thrill of overcoming something stronger than himself.

That realization bothered him slightly.

Another cough escaped him.

Blood stained the inside of his helmet.

Selena’s hand immediately grabbed the front of his armor tighter.

“Stop doing that.”

“I would love to.”

“No more coughing blood.”

“I will tell my organs to stop immediately.”

A very small pause.

Then—

“Please cooperate with the request.”

Eo blinked beneath the helmet.

“You were actually worried.”

“No.”

“You are terrible at lying.”

“I must have learned that from you.”

“I am very good at lying.”

The surviving adventurers stared at the strange duo silently.

One of them finally spoke carefully.

“You two are really F-rank?”

Silence.

Eo slowly turned his helmet toward them.

“We just registered today.”

“No beginner should be able to fights a mutant goblin champion and won!”

“I almost died.”

“But you won!”

“Barely.”

The swordsman glanced over the ruined battlefield once more, goblin corpses scattered in every direction, then turned back to Eo, who was coughing up blood while casually talking about it.

“What kind of monsters are these new adventurers?”

Eo tilted his helmet slightly.

“We are very normal.”

“No, you are not,”

Selena remained crouched beside him, still gripping the front of his damaged armor tightly as if letting go for even a second might somehow cause him to collapse permanently.

“Can you walk?” she asked.

“Probably.”

The swordsman sighed wearily as he stepped forward. Up close, he looked in rough shape—half his armor shattered, one arm dangling uselessly, and a dark stain of blood spreading through the cloth at his waist. Still, he dipped his head in a small bow.

“You saved our lives. Thank you very much.”

The remaining adventurers quickly followed suit.  

If not for the silver-armored man charging straight at the mutant goblin champion, none of them would have made it out alive.  

Eo blinked from beneath the helmet.  

“Ah.”

He scratched the side of his helmet awkwardly.

“It was the right thing to do.”

The swordsman stared at him.

“You are very heroic.”

One of the adventurers suddenly stepped toward the corpse of the goblin champion.

“This thing alone is worth a fortune.”

Another nodded. They looked toward Eo.

“You should report this directly to the guild.”

“Will they give extra money?” Eo asked immediately.

“Yes.”

“I like the sound of that very much.”

Selena tightened her grip harder.

“You are still dying.”

“Right.”

The swordsman crouched carefully beside the goblin champion’s corpse. Even in death, the creature gave off an eerie presence. Its huge, scarred body lay still, while thick black blood seeped into the dry, cracked earth below.

“I’ve never seen one this evolved before.”

Eo looked toward the corpse silently before slowly walking closer.

Or rather—he tried to step closer.

But the instant he stood fully upright—

CRACK.

A horrifying pain shot through his ribs.

“Damn.”

His body swayed.

Selena immediately caught him before he could fall.

“Eo.”

“Yes?”

“You are banned from doing anything else for today.”

Eo slowly surveyed the ravaged battlefield—splintered trees, lifeless goblins, and craters gouged deep into the earth. His first real fight as an adventurer had spiraled far beyond anything he could have imagined.

“Selena.”

“Yes?”

“I think becoming adventurers may have been an excellent decision.”

“No. You almost died on your first day.”

“But I did not die.”

The swordsman suddenly spoke again.

“The nearest town is two hours from here.”

Selena frowned slightly.

“He cannot walk that far.”

“I can absolutely walk.”

He immediately took one step forward.

Then another cough exploded out of him.

Blood splattered across the dirt.

Silence.

“Understood,” Eo muttered weakly.

One of the adventurers raised a hand awkwardly.

“We have a cart nearby.”

Selena turned instantly.

“Accepted.”

Eo looked betrayed.

“You agreed too quickly.”

“You are currently leaking blood.”

“That is a very uncool way to describe my condition.”

...

The adventurers eventually guided them to a small campsite tucked deeper along the forest’s edge, where a supply cart lay concealed beneath camouflage tarps. 

The instant Eo settled into the cart, his whole body eased without him even realizing it.

“Ah.”

Selena climbed in beside him immediately.

The others began preparing to move.

The wounded swordsman glanced back one final time.

“What did you say your team's name was again?”

Eo leaned back weakly against the wooden cart.

“Entropy.”

“Yeah.”

He sighed deeply.

“That sounds about right.”