CHAPTER 180: NO WAY BUT FORWARD

Nearly thirty massive goblins waiting at the gate with their flexing claws and glowing eyes, and the growls of huge-looking dire wolves that were slowly advancing.... Gideon’s party was trapped. Surrounded on both sides.

Frost cracked beneath their foot as they got close to each other.

Ronald’s knuckles whitened on his spear. "This... this is bad." His voice was tight, and he could feel his pulse in his throat.

"Just bad?! Open your eyes and look carefully. This is the end." Jessi hissed. The situation had flared up her temper.

"It was a wise decision that we didn’t dive deeper into the dungeon." Luna’s hands were sweating uncontrollably.

"Yeah but what now?! It’s a dead end." Sweat dripped off Melissa’s forehead.

The goblins from the front had already started moving.

"Don’t panic. We will have to escape from the dungeon somehow." Gideon’s jaw tightened as he finally made up his mind.

"Escape?! But how? Boss, can’t you see what situation we are in?" Ronald’s mind had totally stopped working.

"How else?! Lilith’s voice held a faint trace of contempt. One goblin was already there lunging at her. But a lightning bolt zapped from her palm and struck the monster, turning it into ash. "We fight and move. Hard to believe you call yourselves seasoned hunters." She then sprang into action.

A smirk appeared on Gideon’s lips. "Any more doubts?! If not then fire up already." He lunged as well. The aura of an A-class hunter flared up. Two dire wolves were already there, hurling their claws at Gideon. But a swift air blade from his left palm severed one in clean half. And his fiery fist welcomed another.

Bam! The wolf flew back with a burning wound on its chest.

Gideon was impressed with Lilith’s bold move. He had the same idea. So seeing someone else’s head working even in this dire situation, he had only one remark. "She is good."

Everybody else’s blood boiled as well. The fear that had crept into their heart vanished. Even just Lilith’s taunt was enough to set their adrenaline in motion.

The battle erupted. From both sides, the monsters stormed toward them.

Ronald met one head-on, his spear flashing with lightning. It pierced through one of the beast’s throats, spraying blood.

Two more lunged at him. One more slash from him....

And one already dead.

But the second one’s claws gashed his skin.

"Argh!" The sting spread hot and fast under his skin.

"Ronald!" Raphael called out, already moving but a goblin cut in baring its fangs.

Melissa stepped in, flames roaring from her hands. "Heal him. Fast." She didn’t wait for thanks. The goblin turned to ash in the blaze, but the smell stuck in her throat.

On the other side, Lilith was rampaging. She slammed a gravity field into the wolves, slowing their charge. And her wind blades kept cutting them in half.

Jessi’s ice spikes shot through the air, pinning one in place long enough for Luna to hurl a fireball into its chest. The explosion lit the frost in orange for an instant.

For every monster they dropped, another filled its place. But it didn’t dampen their battle prowess.

The wolves were fast. Too fast. But Gideon was faster. He kept massacring.

"Don’t let them corner you. Keep moving and continue to reduce their number!" he barked.

As a party leader, he had other responsibilities besides fighting.

Though his party was doing okay for the moment...

A part of him knew that they couldn’t hold this pace for long. So while others continued fighting, his brain kept racking for a chance. A chance to escape from it with all his party members unscathed.

On one side, Jessi spun, hurling a wall of ice at goblins that were rushing toward Melissa’s flank. The ice shattered under their strikes, but it bought seconds. Melissa’s flames roared through the gap and turned them into corpses.

Ronald twisted away from another wolf, stabbing low. The beast twisted too, one head clutching his weapon with its fangs, the other storming toward his shoulder to bite.

But Ronald reacted fast. His fist slammed against its ribs as he barely broke free.

"Too many..." Luna’s voice was small, but the words tasted like metal on her tongue. Though the number of monsters felt overwhelming, she still kept fighting. Her hands sparked, and another lightning struck a dire wolf, scorching its fur.

A wolf broke through Lilith’s gravity field. It came from the side. She pivoted, kicking hard. Its bone cracked under her heel. The beast stumbled and fell dead, but another slammed into her back, forcing her to the ground.

"Lilith!" Melissa’s voice was sharp. She tried to reach her to help but a dire wolf blocked her path.

Lilith rolled, catching the goblin’s jaws with both hands. Its saliva dripped warm against her cheek. Her arms shook under the weight of it. The stink of its breath filled her lungs.

Another goblin rushed in while gnashing its teeth.

Jessi’s eyes widened.... She tried to throw an ice spear and help her too like Melissa, but a wolf cut her off as well.

Melissa forced her flames higher, burning through the dire wolf in her way...

But she was a heartbeat too late.

The goblin’s claws swung down toward Lilith.

Lilith twisted at the last moment, shoving the goblin from above into the goblin that was charging in...

The claws hit the ground instead of her skull.

And then, two wind blades flew from her palm, slicing both goblins in half. She quickly used her healing magic to recover and repair the minor injuries.

The battle raged on. Spells painted the environment, screams and roars filled the air. It was chaotic. Slowly the number was decreasing.

"It’s now or never. We need to find a chance and escape."

Gideon’s mind raced. With just these few hunters, it wasn’t just difficult, it was impossible to clear this dungeon. So he was waiting for the right moment when his party would be in an advantageous position for a clean break.

"Luna, Jessi, and Melissa keep the monster busy. Ronald and Lilith, take Raphael and run toward the gate and make a way. Then I will keep the monsters busy till your group can escape, Jessi." His plan was simple and effective.

Everyone sprang into action. Their spells grew devastating as they all let loose. It was their last push, a final attempt.

If failed, they would have to face their demise.