Black String of Fate

Inside a well-hidden cave, 5 people were sitting around a campfire. They were huddled close together, as it was nighttime, and the forest became quite cold after the sun went down.

"Lafia, I told you taking this quest was a bad idea! I had a gut feeling something would go wrong…"

"Oh, shut up. If your gut feeling was dependable, you wouldn't have lost all your money in gambling."

"Hey! You know I was drunk and…"

"Can you two shut up? It's already irritating enough that we are stuck here because of goblins. I can't bear to listen to you guys yapping about dumb shit."

"Seconded."

"Thirded."

Out of the five party members, Lafia, the party leader, sighed and shut her mouth. Usually, she would ignore the grumbling of her party mage, Alina, and continue to bicker with Adam, the rogue, but the situation was not that joyous.

"The adventurer's guild must've sent someone capable to help us, the town cannot casually lose a D-rank party like ours. People of our level are not that great in numbers around here."

The party's priest, Thomas, said to lift up the mood of the party. Seeing Lafia, their loud and carefree swordsman, lose her vigor was something that would overall negatively affect all of them.

"Hmm, well, all we can do is wait here for a while and try to meet up with the rescue adventurer. We have tried raiding them 5 times already, but that chief's commanding ability and battle formation are too much to handle. Now, with our injured state, we can only attempt to sneak out after we're healed."

Their tank, Rolan, said with a somber tone. He was the one who was the most injured, with him being wrapped up in bandages from head to toe.

Lafia noticed the somber mood and decided to cheer her party members up. She got up, although with great difficulty due to her injured leg, and gave a motivating speech.

"Look, we're all alive, and all the injuries we have can be healed easily. If we look at it this way, we haven't truly lost anything, except some fame and money. That can never compare to our lives and livelihood.

I say we get together with the rescue adventurer, leave this damn forest, and attempt the raid after we're healed up and properly prepared. Lafia's Super Duper Cool Party will not take this loss lying down!"

"I swear, I'll kill you one day for writing that name on the party form."

"Why? You guys are somewhat cool, and with me, the great Lafia here, you will become super duper cool!"

"I'd rather give myself as an offering to the hobgoblins than ever acknowledge that name."

"Not you too, Alina! It's not that bad!"
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Thomas smiled after seeing the atmosphere light up a bit. There was a reason they put up with Lafia as their leader, and it was more than her swordsmanship.

Adam was laughing after seeing Alina and Lafia argue, but suddenly he felt a tug on his finger. His expression immediately became serious as he announced in an urgent hushed tone.

"Guys! There's someone approaching."

The party immediately got ready with their weapons in their hands. Alina readied a spell to cast, and Adam began preparing his traps and tools.

*step* *step* *step*

They heard footsteps of someone approaching their cave. The whole party tensed up, their experience with the hobgoblins still fresh in their mind.

Suddenly, the footsteps stopped.

"I sense a lot of killing intent, so I want to inform you that I'm human, not a hobgoblin."

"Oh yeah? That's something a hobgoblin would say!"

"..."

Even Lafia's party members looked at her weirdly after she said that. She had a stoic face, but internally she was burning up with embarrassment because that line was something that was supposed to be an inner thought and not slip out of her tongue.

"Uh, I don't think I would be speaking coherent words if I was a hobgoblin, little girl."

Soon, the footsteps resumed and a silhouette came into view of the whole party. It was a small boy who was dressed in all black, wearing a velvet cape and holding a sword. The sword and the clothes looked damaged and stained with dried blood like he had just arrived after fighting a war.

"I'm Xavier, the D-rank adventurer who was sent to rescue your party. Were you the guys who had trouble with the hobgoblin outpost?"

"...Yes, we are. But, are you really the one who was sent by the adventurer's guild? No offense, but you look like a child." Alina asked, confused by the mismatch of Xavier's demeanor and looks.

"Well, that's because I am a child. Any questions?"

"A lot. How are you-"

"When did I say I'll answer them? Now, let's go. I don't want to waste any more time."

"Wait, but what about the hobgoblins? They patrol extensively at night." Rolan said, and Thomas followed up.

"That's right. Plus, we are injured. If we get attacked by them, there's a high chance that we may die."

Xavier looked into the eyes of the party members, each one of them weary and exhausted from the recent ordeals they had to go through. He sighed, saying what none of them could believe.

"All the hobgoblins are dead. I have slain them all. Are you capable of just traveling back, or are you too injured for that?"

"...I'm not in the mood for jokes. There were hundreds of hobgoblins and many elite-level ones, not to mention the tactical chief. How are we supposed to believe that?"

Adam finally spoke up, his frustration visible. How could a random child just walk in and say these absurd claims while being a rude little shit?

Xavier coldly looked at Adam, his patience running thin.

"Are you guys going to keep this interrogation up? I've said that the hobgoblins are dead. Let's get moving, otherwise, I'll just report you dead."

"What? You damn-"

"Stop it, Adam."

Lafia spoke up loudly and with a commanding tone. Her party members instantly looked towards her, who was looking at Xavier's red eyes.

"Let's go with him. I believe he's not lying."

Xavier looked at the girl, who had bright green eyes and black hair, with amusement.

'Oh? This one's interesting.'