Goblin Dependency

Xia Nan wasn't a good teacher, at least that was his own belief.

As an adventurer with a professional level and considerable combat ability, to the ordinary people in villages and towns, he might be a "Big Shot" spoken of in tavern tales.

If merely based on achievements and strength, comparing him to those who have just stepped into the adventurer's threshold and have to exhaust themselves to barely cope with the lowest level goblins, perhaps it could be said so.

But if he were really placed in the position of a "teacher", asked to systematically and comprehensively summarize his battle logic and impromptu strategies in a way digestible for students, he truly couldn't do it.

After so many battles, he certainly had accumulated a lot of experience, but the combat instinct from his body and soul awareness still dominated.

Completely opposite to the theory-focused academic schools, relying purely on hands-on practice, he was part of the muscle school.

Based on this premise.

When Xia Nan received the task of helping a fifteen-year-old boy gain the courage to face multiple goblins head-on.

He naturally wouldn't choose to waste breath doing an introduction on the habits and characteristics of such demons for no reason, nor did he have a well-thought-out, careful plan.

The best way to overcome fear is to face the root of fear directly.

Don't avoid it.

Afraid the food cooked tastes bad, just repeat making it until satisfied;

Afraid of drowning in the water, just throw yourself into the pool and drink your fill, until the fear of drowning is completely eliminated from your heart.

Afraid of goblins?

Kill one and you'll no longer be afraid.

If one's not enough, then ten, a hundred, a thousand...

Kill to the point of numbness, kill to the point of trance.

When you've truly witnessed those dirty, short green-skinned goblins shrieking pitifully and sobbing when facing death, how could you possibly be afraid again.

While staying briefly at Grey Valley Village, Xia Nan decided to conduct desensitization training for the young Leon using the most direct method.

To ensure that during this short few days, he can completely eliminate and never regenerate his fear of goblins.

"Screech!"

The sharp and tragic wailing echoed hauntingly in the dimly lit burrow.

The overwhelming smell of blood seemed to condense into visible red in the air.

Fragments of internal organs, broken limbs like withered branches, bone stumps poking through the infected green skin, half-severed coagulated heads...

The blood emitting a strong stench stained the filthy ground into an ominous reddish brown, while an indescribable aura of death permeated the stone walls.

It was like a purgatory on earth.

And right in the center of this cave stood two figures, one tall and the other short.

"These little things, though there seem to be many, they can't be killed off no matter how many you slay, their life force seems quite tenacious."

"In reality, their body structure is very fragile, find the vital point, and one slash finishes them."

The beheading longsword was already sheathed, Xia Nan held only a small dagger typically used for cutting hunted prey, explaining intently to Leon beside him.

His expression was natural, as if he was not in a gore-filled purgatory cave, but in a bright classroom of an academy.

And paired with his demeanor like a "goblin research professor" with a serious look, it seemed as if the matte black armor splattered with scarlet blood and bits of flesh was serving as his academic uniform.

"Look here." He crouched slightly, using the tip of the knife to gently poke the left chest of a goblin on the ground, "Their heart is located here, it's a vital point, but in actual combat it's quite hard to pinpoint, so..."

The cold sharp tip traced gently over the fragile paper-thin green skin, leaving a slender, bleeding scar.

This goblin was apparently not entirely dead, its body intact, but it was suppressed and bound to the ground, unable to move, due to some invisible force.

It only howled mournfully, trembling violently as the knife tip moved.

"Anywhere from here upwards, will do." The sharp icy blade paused on the goblin's slender neck, the tip sinking slightly into the skin, "Though they are demons, their skulls are far less tough than you might think."

"Even at your age, holding an iron sword, with a bit of exertion, you can easily crack it."

"If faced with an attack from multiple goblins simultaneously, you may choose to take the initiative, allowing your armor to absorb the first waves of damage while decreasing their numbers this way."

"Additionally..." The knife tip moved again, pointing at the thin limbs of the goblin amidst the muscle twitching and trembling.

"These joints are even more fragile than those of an elderly person in their eighties or nineties, if you can't attack their vital organs in time, incapacitating them or preventing them from using weapons is a viable option."

"Understood?"

Retrieving the dagger back to his waist, Xia Nan slowly stood up and asked Leon beside him.

"Understood!"

The young man shivered suddenly, stuttering slightly, speaking loudly as if stimulated.

Good news: Leon no longer fears goblins;

Bad news: Through this encounter, his original fear of goblins has shifted to Xia Nan.

"Glad you understand."

With a relaxed and pleased expression after the fury of slaughter, Xia Nan smiled and patted the young man's shoulder.

"Now, it's just right for you to practice."

"Draw your sword." His gaze fell on the green-skinned goblin bound by gravity and held firmly to the ground like a magnet, "You have five seconds to prepare."