Reincarnated as the Villainess's Unlucky Bodyguard

Chapter 9 Into the Goblin Gauntlet

The sun had barely crested the trees when Daena nudged Liria awake. Liria groaned, pulling the blanket over her head.

"Up you get," Daena said, her voice tinged with a bit too much cheerfulness for that hour of the morning. "Today, you're moving up from bunnies to something with a bit more... bite."

Liria blinked, her eyes adjusting to the dim morning light. "Define 'bite,'" she mumbled, still half-asleep.

Daena only grinned and handed her a sheathed sword a real one this time, not a glorified stick. Liria stared at it, the weight and reality of it settling in. "Wait. You're serious?"

"As serious as a goblin attack," Daena said. She gave her a light pat on the back. "Time you learned to handle something more dangerous."

Liria gulped, feeling the solid heft of the sword. It was beautifully made, if a little worn, with leather wrapping on the hilt and a blade that shimmered in the morning light. "It's... kind of heavy," she admitted, trying to lift it without wobbling.

"Good," Daena said. "You'll need a little muscle to handle this one. Now, are you ready to fight your first goblin?"

"A goblin?" Liria's eyes widened, feeling a mix of excitement and terror.

[New mission detected: Defeat a Goblin. Reward: 185 XP, sufficient to reach Level 6. Note: Goblins may look small but are more agile and strategic than rabbits. Combat caution recommended.]

Liria swallowed hard, her grip tightening on the sword's hilt. She took a deep breath, then nodded. "Alright. I'm ready... I think."

"Good girl. Now, let's head to the clearing where goblins like to scavenge."

The clearing was eerily quiet, save for the occasional rustling of leaves in the breeze. Liria felt her heart racing as she and Daena made their way through the brush. She kept glancing over her shoulder, expecting a goblin to leap out at any moment.

Then, there it was a small, hunched figure rummaging through a pile of leaves. The goblin looked about her height, with green skin, large, pointed ears, and a face that could scare the life out of a rock. Its teeth were sharp and jagged, and its yellow eyes glinted with mischief.

[Enemy Identified: Goblin Scavenger]

Attributes:

Name: Gruzh

Level: 3

Health: 60/60

Strength: 8

Agility: 10

Gruz's Health: 25/60

Liria grinned, feeling a rush of confidence. She could do this! She adjusted her grip on the sword, charging toward Gruzh with determination.

But the goblin wasn't about to go down without a fight. It bared its teeth and dodged to the side, then lunged forward with its claws extended, slashing at her leg.

Liria's Health: 250/300

"Argh!" Liria stumbled back, wincing. The goblin's attack stung, but she gritted her teeth and steadied herself, focusing on its every move. She remembered Daena's advice: watch its feet.

Sure enough, Gruzh's feet twitched, giving her a split-second warning before it lunged again. This time, she swung her sword low, catching the goblin's ankle and knocking it off balance.

Gruz's Health: 15/60

[Impressive maneuver, Liria. Only a few more hits should finish it off. Recommended action: Follow with Fireball or close-combat strike.]

Liria's grin widened as she felt the heat gathering in her hand again. She readied another Fireball, this time aiming directly at the goblin's chest.

"Catch this!" she yelled, hurling the black flame at it.

The fireball struck Gruzh square in the chest, sending it stumbling back with a scream of pain.

Gruz's Health: 5/60

The goblin was on its last legs, panting heavily and glaring at her with fierce, defiant eyes. Liria could feel her own heart pounding, a strange thrill coursing through her veins.

[Mission Progress: 95% complete. Victory within reach.]

"Just give up already, Gruzh," she muttered, raising her sword one last time.

But the goblin, true to its trickster nature, had one last move up its sleeve. It staggered forward, faking weakness, and then suddenly lunged at her with a desperate swipe of its claws.

Liria swung her sword to block, but the goblin's claws grazed her shoulder.

Liria's Health: 240/300

"Persistent little—!" Liria growled, but before she could finish, Gruzh wobbled on its feet, clearly weakened. This was her chance.

With a quick flick of her wrist, she gathered the last bit of energy for Ember Swipe and sent a slicing arc of black flames across the clearing. The flames caught Gruzh just as it made another desperate attempt to charge her.