The strange noise from outside made Raine’s heart sink, immediately tightening his recently relaxed nerves.
"Could there be more enemies?" he wondered.
He gripped his Short Sword tightly, fighting through the pain and exhaustion in his body as he cast a vigilant gaze toward the shattered door.
In the very next second, three figures radiating a chilling aura stepped into the inn’s hall, which was thick with the stench of blood and dust. It was the three Professionals of the Ring of Steel.
"Phew, reinforcements have finally arrived," Raine muttered. Seeing these three, his taut nerves finally relaxed completely.
The blond man leading them had eyes like lightning, swiftly sweeping across the entire hall. When his gaze landed on the blood-soaked Raine and the Bear Goblin corpse at his feet—its neck still gushing blood—a fleeting trace of surprise flashed across his composed face.
He wondered how this seemingly frail young man had single-handedly killed a Bear Goblin, a feat many veteran Adventurers could not easily accomplish. But he didn’t say a word. He quickly assessed the situation, locking his eyes onto the two other massive beasts still entangled in combat with Kaelin and the Dwarf.
Behind the blond man, the Female Wanderer’s observation was even more meticulous. Her bright eyes blinked slightly, rapidly taking in every detail of the battlefield. She noted the scattered Arrows, the sword marks of varying depths, and the fatal wounds on the corpses. There were two Bear Goblin corpses in total—one killed by an Arrow, the other by a sword.
She vaguely remembered this black-haired youth carrying a bow, wondering if he had truly finished off two Bear Goblins by himself. This was certainly an unexpected discovery. Her intrigued gaze lingered on Raine for half a second, and the corners of her lips curled into an almost imperceptible, subtle arc, as if she had found something highly fascinating.
The silent middle-aged Mage tightened his grip on his Magic Staff ever so slightly. His eyes also paused on Raine for a moment. Beneath his calm and tranquil gaze, it was as if he had already deduced a wealth of information.
Rushing in right behind the three Professionals were Empty Sword Scabbard Jason and several other Sheriffs. The moment they stepped into the hall, they froze in shock at the sight before them.
"Good heavens, boy, you... you killed a Bear Goblin?!"
Jason’s eyes widened into circles, his jaw practically dropping to the floor. He looked at Raine, then down at the massive corpse on the ground, his voice filled with indescribable astonishment. He knew this black-haired youth was stronger than Matthew and those other brats, but he never expected him to be this powerful!
The other Sheriffs exchanged bewildered glances, their faces plastered with sheer shock. They knew all too well how terrifying these monsters were. And wasn’t this young man the very same guy from the recent town rumors—the kid who barely escaped a Goblin? Those rumors were utterly absurd! He was clearly a ruthless powerhouse capable of slaughtering a Goblin’s ancestors!
"Don’t just stand there. Clear out the remnants."
The blond man’s deep voice shattered the brief silence, snapping everyone back to reality from their stupor. Without needing any further orders, the three Professionals sprang into action.
The blond man charged like a whirlwind toward the Bear Goblin wrestling with the Dwarf. Wielding his heavy Giant Sword with unstoppable Power, he instantly took over as the primary attacker. The Female Wanderer’s figure blurred, appearing like a phantom behind the colossal beast entangled with Kaelin. Her twin daggers flicked like a viper’s tongue, striking accurately at the gaps in its defenses. The middle-aged Mage stood in the back, chanting a brief Spell. Several scorching Flaming Arrows whistled through the air in rapid succession, creating excellent openings for his companions.
With the addition of the three Professionals, the tide of battle instantly turned. Under the highly efficient coordination of the Ring of Steel, the two Bear Goblins were slain one after another in mere seconds.
At the same time, Jason led the Sheriffs charging up to the second floor. Joining forces with the Adventurers upstairs, they completely finished off the heavily wounded Bear Goblin.
However, the battle wasn’t entirely over.
The blond man gave a hand signal. The Female Wanderer and the Sheriffs immediately understood, rushing out of the inn to conduct a rigorous search of the surroundings. Soon, in the Shadows of the backyard, they discovered the Bear Goblin that had previously attacked the escapees. It struggled desperately, but under the combined siege of the Professionals and the Sheriffs, this final lurker was swiftly exterminated.
Only when it was confirmed that there were no more threats inside or outside the inn did the suffocating, murderous tension in the air finally begin to dissipate.
Recovering from her extreme terror, Lady Basha tightly gripped Lian’s hand and tremblingly walked over to where Raine, Kaelin, and the Dwarf were resting.
"Thank you! Thank you all!" Lady Basha’s voice was choked with sobs.
She first nodded solemnly to Kaelin and the Dwarf, thanking them for stepping up in such a critical moment, but her gaze quickly settled on Raine. This weather-beaten innkeeper knew better than anyone that if it hadn’t been for this black-haired youth—who had shown unbelievable courage in the most desperate of moments to slay two Bear Goblins in succession, greatly boosting their morale and holding the line—she, her daughter, and perhaps the entire inn wouldn’t have survived until reinforcements arrived.
"Child, we owe it all to you," Lady Basha’s voice trembled as she squeezed Raine’s hand tightly. A thousand words seemed to be condensed into this firm grip and her emotion-filled address.
Lian also looked up at Raine, tugging at his sleeve and nodding vigorously, repeatedly thanking him through her tears. This black-haired youth hadn’t just saved her and her mother; he had saved everyone in the Return Inn!
The other Adventurers from the inn, who had just come downstairs, gathered around as well, nodding their respects to Raine. Everyone understood that in this sudden, catastrophic disaster, it was this young man’s decision to step forward that became the crucial ray of light piercing through the darkness.
"Everyone, I know you are all exhausted right now, but there is one thing I must instruct you on," the blond man said as he walked over, his expression solemn. His voice was steady as he gave a slight nod. "Although this crisis has been resolved, I hope you all will refrain from leaking the news of the Bear Goblins’ attack until the matter has been thoroughly investigated. This is a decision made by the Town Council."
Hearing this, Raine immediately understood the underlying meaning of his words. If this matter spread, it would tarnish Mottled Town’s reputation as an Adventurer’s Holy Land, trigger unnecessary panic, and perhaps even shake the confidence of visiting merchants and Adventurers.
However, thinking of the perilous situation where he, Kaelin, the Dwarf, and Lady Basha and her daughter had nearly lost their lives, an indescribable emotion surged within his heart. This place was supposed to be a safe zone protected by the town.
He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his physical exhaustion. Meeting the blond man’s gaze with calm eyes, he spoke up, "We understand the importance of maintaining the town’s reputation.
"But, sir, this attack happened inside the town walls, right in what everyone considers the safest of lodgings.
"Many people were injured, and some even lost their companions. How does the town plan to ensure that such an incident never happens again? And how will they appease those who have been traumatized?"
The blond man quietly watched Raine. The sheer mettle this black-haired youth displayed tonight forced him to truly look at the young man for the first time. He knew very well that if Raine had not been present, this inn would have already been reduced to a literal Purgatory. The situation would have been far worse, and as the captain of the Ring of Steel, it would have been even harder for him to explain things to the Town Mayor on the front lines.
So, he gave a slight nod. With a previously unseen earnestness in his tone, he promised, "Regarding tonight’s encounter and the losses you all have suffered, the Town Council is already holding emergency discussions. We will provide appropriate compensation to everyone present based on the situation.
"At the same time, the town’s defensive measures will be further reinforced. I guarantee in the name of the Ring of Steel that an incident like this will absolutely not happen again."
His promise temporarily soothed some of the lingering anxiety, but a hidden worry typical of those who had just survived a disaster still permeated the air.
Just when everyone thought tonight’s turmoil had finally come to a close and began cleaning up the mess and tending to the wounded, the final Bear Goblin was silently lying low in a dark alleyway not far from the inn.
It was the leader of all the Bear Goblins and the mastermind behind everything. It had witnessed its subordinates being exterminated one by one, seen the three Professionals radiating dangerous auras, and remembered the black-haired member of the Human Race who had repeatedly ruined its plans.
Cruelty and resentment flickered in its cold, bestial eyes, but it knew that continuing to stay here now was pointless. With a low, heavy breath mixed with sheer spite, it took one last look at the brightly lit Return Inn before abruptly turning around. It silently melted into the deep curtain of the night, vanishing without a trace.