MTLNOVEL Chapter 54: Coordinated
Dark purple energy pulsed from the tip, and a wave of shadow shot forward, coiling around the Gnarlbeast's legs like spectral chains.
The beast tried to charge—this time at Narg—but its speed was off.
Way off.
It wasn't slow exactly… just normal.
Compared to the blur it had been before, this felt like someone had hit the brakes. Its earlier movement had been unnaturally fast—supernatural, even. Now, it moved like a regular animal. Still dangerous, but predictable.
Only one explanation made sense.
A debuff.
Narg had hit it with a hex.
A really good one.
And he wasn't done.
He raised his staff again and chanted something else—shorter this time, but no less intense.
Suddenly, Dribb, Gobbo, Thok, and Zonk began to glow faintly. Not blinding, but enough to notice. Their muscles tensed. Their stances firmed up.
They looked stronger.
A buff spell. I let out a quiet breath.
Once again, Narg had me impressed.
He just kept pulling out skill after skill, and it was honestly mesmerizing to watch.
With the goblins now buffed, they now had a chance against the Gnarlbeast.
Dribb charged in first, shield raised, axe ready.
The beast met him head-on, but Dribb shifted at the last second. The antlers scraped against his shield, glancing off rather than impaling him.
He spun and swung at the deer's exposed flank, and the axe bit into its side, drawing blood.
The Gnarlbeast let out a guttural snarl and turned its head, eyes flashing with that eerie red glow.
It was about to use that fear effect again on Dribb.
But before it could—
WHAM!
Gobbo barreled in from the side, slamming his shield into the beast's ribs and knocking it off-balance.
Perfect timing.
Zonk followed up with a thrust of his spear, aiming low.
But the deer wasn't done yet.
It twisted, kicked off its hind legs, and leapt away, just narrowly avoiding the strike.
Thok then appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, and then slashed, his dagger cut across the Gnarlbeast's leg. The beast grunted in pain and spun to face its attacker.
But Thok was already gone.
He vanished into the shadows, only to reappear a few paces away, blades ready.
I blinked in surprise.
Right now, Thok had just used [Stealth]
I didn't think he'd have enough mana to use it yet, at least not until he leveled up more. But apparently, the heat of battle had pushed him over the threshold.
The goblins pressed the attack.
It was chaotic, but coordinated.
Dribb took the front line, absorbing the brunt of the assault. His shield blocked wild, sweeping antler strikes that could've shattered bones.
Gobbo ducked beneath a stomping hoof and sliced at the beast's exposed underbelly.
Zonk leapt up, using a low-hanging branch for momentum, and drove his spear deep into the creature's flank with a grunt.
And Thok, silent, precise, kept darting in and out of the shadows, landing clean, vicious sneak attacks before fading away again.
Through it all, Narg kept casting.
He wasn't going all-out offensively—only throwing out fireballs when someone was in real danger, or refreshing his hexes whenever they started to wear off.
At one point, a floating talisman shimmered into existence above his staff. It pulsed faintly with green light, wrapping the others in a soft, glowing aura.
Some kind of passive regeneration or defense buff, maybe.
For the first time… I didn't have to manage them.
They were moving on their own, working together. Timing their attacks. Watching each other's backs.
I just stood there, mouth slightly open. Awestruck.
I was obsolete in this fight.
Then a sharp thud snapped me out of it.
Dribb was sent flying backwards, crashing to the ground with a heavy grunt. The impact knocked the wind clean out of him.
Then the Gnarlbeast, bloodied and furious, lowered its head and lunged, ready to finish Dribb off.
"DIE!!"
I grinned.
Guess they still need me after all.
But just as I was about to warp in, Narg stepped into view.
He raised his staff and used [Mana Shield].
A glowing barrier shimmered into existence just in time to receive the hit. The Gnarlbeast slammed into it headfirst, the impact rippling through the air.
The shield held, then pushed back.
The force of the rebound knocked the beast off its hooves, sending it skidding backward.
And that's when Zonk dropped from above.
He landed square on the beast's back and drove his spear down with both hands.
The Gnarlbeast screamed, thrashing violently.
But before it could throw Zonk off—
Dribb roared, surging forward from the barrier like a battering ram, and raised his axe, swinging upward with all his strength, the blade burying itself deep into the beast's chest.
THACK!
The axe didn't cleave the deer in two, but it definitely dealt serious damage—enough to throw the Gnarlbeast off its feet.
The creature toppled backward, crashing onto its spine with a heavy thud. Zonk atop it, leaping clear just in time.
The beast landed hard, struggling to rise.
But Gobbo was already on it. He drove his short sword into the creature's chest, pinning it down and buying a crucial second.
Then Thok came flying in—leaping high, spinning once mid-air, and plunging both daggers straight into the Gnarlbeast's neck.
The beast shuddered violently.
Then it went still. Dead.
It didn't stand a chance against the coordinated group.
The goblins gathered around, panting, bloodied—but grinning from ear to ear.
I walked toward them, genuinely impressed.
They had done it.
The whole team—working together, covering each other, fighting like a unit.
I activated [Analyze] to check their profiles:
Dribb | Goblin **** | Level 10
Gobbo | Goblin **** | Level 10
Zonk | Goblin **** | Level 10
Thok | Goblin **** | Level 11
Narg | Goblin Shaman | Level 12
I clenched my fist.
Nice.
They'd all made it past the threshold.
Suddenly, light began to gather around them—except Narg, of course. He'd already gone through his evolution.
I felt a grin tug at my lips.
They were evolving.
I didn't know what classes they'd get. Evolution paths were influenced by combat behavior, traits, and maybe a bit of luck, but if they were anything like Narg's upgrade, then...