Disclaimer: I own neither Goblin Slayer or the Red Dead Redemption series

Chapter 2

"We're here."

Arthur dismounted his horse, eyes wandering around the town. Goblin Slayer had lead him out of the cave safely and provided him with a 'healing potion' as he had called it. Arthur had no idea what was in there, but it patched up what wounds he had garnered from their encounter with the goblins. Soon after, Goblin Slayer did him the favor of guiding him to his town. Arthur thought it might be harder to get his help in the matter, but the armored man seemed willing and didn't ask any difficult questions. The worst he did was ask if he was an occupant of the local village, which Arthur easily denied.

The former outlaw was thankful that the villagers provided them with horses for travel, as it was a half a day's journey back to Goblin Slayer's town just by horse.

The town was nothing spectacular, though Arthur had to admit he could appreciate how rural it was. It lacked the bustle of a larger city like Saint Denis but was bigger than places like Valentine or Strawberry. Markets and carts littered the streets alongside stone buildings. It served Arthur much better than going into a larger civilization.

They had arrived just around noon. People strolled through the town leisurely, going about their own business. All the while he and Goblin Slayer strode through the entrance to what looked like a tavern from the outside.

"Oh, welcome back!"

Arthur looked forward, seeing a young blond haired woman seated behind a brown wood counter. To Arthur's moderate surprise, she was dressed much like a clerk in a train station or an office. She wore a purple vest over a white dress shirt with a frilly yellow tie.

"Hey," Was Goblin Slayer's greeting.

"How did the mission go?" She asked, giving a radiant smile as the armored man approached her desk.

"Good. The Goblins are dead."

"Of course," She giggled, looking up before widening her eyes at Arthur. "Oh, but who might your guest be?"

"Good afternoon, ma'am. I'm Ar-er, I mean… Gunslinger," Arthur coughed, quickly correcting himself. "I uh… had the good grace of bein' saved by mister Goblin Slayer here."

"Oh, I see! I'm happy to hear that someone was spared their awful abuse," the woman said with honest relief. "Oh, but before I forget, here's your pay for the mission, Goblin Slayer." she said, putting a decently sized pouch on the table.

Goblin Slayer took the sack and poured out almost half its contents into his palm, a few silver and gold coins falling out. He turned to Arthur and held out his hand.

"Here. Your cut."

Arthur and the clerk stared at Goblin Slayer, surprised by the offer.

"Y-You sure?" Arthur asked with some disbelief.

"Yes. You killed a fair amount of goblins before I arrived as well as a good number when we finished them off. You earned it," Goblin Slayer pointed out. Arthur hesitated for only a moment longer before grabbing his satchel, holding it open for Goblin Slayer to put it in.

"If you insist. Thank you," Arthur said, genuinely grateful for the money. Not like I had anything to begin with. This might be a good start.

"Oh, so you helped kill the goblins as well? Are you an adventurer?" The woman asked curiously.

"Well… more of a wanderer than an adventurer, I 'spose. I just… happened to end up before runnin' into this feller," Arthur explained, looking at the stoic adventurer next to him.

"I see… well, I truly appreciate your help in killing the goblins. Goblin Slayer is always in a party of one considering most people leave those kind of jobs to him. No one likes to deal with goblins after all," the woman sighed, shaking her head in disappointment. "But anyways, if you need anything, feel free to ask me. You can call me Guild Girl."

"I will be sure to remember that," Arthur nodded, tipping his hat in thanks.

"Any goblin quests?" Goblin Slayer suddenly asked, causing the two to blink.

"A-Already?! But you just got back…" Guild Girl mumbled, a small frown spreading across her lips.

"He made the quest easy," Goblin Slayer said, his helmet turning ever so slightly to regard Arthur. "I didn't do a lot. I can do another."

Cuttin' a bunch of those critters in half 'ain't doin' much'? Arthur mused to himself, rubbing the short hairs on his chin.

"Well… if you say so…" Guild Girl sighed, picking up several papers and flipping through them. "Actually, yes. There is another quest in a nearby town. It's a small nest from the look of it, but since you just finished with one quest, I'm not letting you do anything more difficult!"

Arthur raised a brow, sparing a small look at Guild Girl. From the tone of her voice and the way she regarded him, she was genuinely concerned. If he had to guess, they were friends or closer. Considerin' how this guy is though, I doubt it's that close. At least on his end.

"Okay," Was Goblin Slayer's short answer. Guild Girl smiled, quickly holding the paper out for him to take.

"Alright then, be careful on your mission! Oh, but about your paperwork…"

"I'll fill it out once I get back."

"Fine, fine~," Guild Girl sighed before bowing. "Do take care out there. Okay?"

"Yeah."

With that, Goblin Slayer turned back around. He spared Arthur a small look. With a short nod, he bid him goodbye. Arthur did the same in return, watching him as he left. As the doors left, he heard Guild Girl release a breath.

"What will I do with him…"

"Man's a regular dandy and a charmer, huh?" Arthur chuckled, causing Guild Girl to let out a small giggle.

"Y-Yes, I… suppose that he has his moments," a small tint of red dusted her cheeks. Arthur smirked, now fully convinced that the girl was rather smitten with the stoic adventure. Still, he made no mention of it, turning around and leaning back on the desk.

"So… what is this place, anyhow? Some sorta bounty station?" Arthur asked, crossing his arms as he scanned the hall. There were quite a few people scattered throughout the guild. Many were dressed in old armor and mail. To see so many people so casually strutting around in the heavy metal armor was a bit of a sight. Then again, I'm sure I'm the one who looks strange in their eyes right now…

"Oh, you don't know, sir? This is an adventurer's guild!" Guild Girl explained, bringing Arthur's attention back to her. "Many different people come here seeking out fame and glory by taking on odd jobs for towns. It ranges from handling small threats like large insects and rodents to clearing out goblin hordes to even slaying dragons!" Arthur snapped his head back in shock at the last possibility. "Honestly, I'm surprised you didn't know! Goblin Slayer is a silver ranked adventure in fact. Didn't you see the tag hanging from his neck?"

Arthur vaguely recalled seeing something dangling from Goblin Slayer's neck. But among the leather and steel plated armor, that seemed a small detail.

"I see… well, miss Guild Girl, I do have somethin' to admit," Arthur said, turning around to face her and lean on the oak desk. "Whatever… happened to me before wakin' up in that cave, it uh… sorta gave me amnesia. I barely remember a thing aside from my name and a few smaller things."

Guild Girl inhaled a breath, putting her hands to her mouth. "Oh, that's terrible! I wonder if you suffered from the effects of a spell or curse?"

"You know, I haven't the foggiest idea. And I was hopin' that someone could fill me in on… well, everythin' really. It wouldn't be wrong to say that I understand very little of what I've seen so far. Hell, I didn't even know what a goblin was until it tried to kill me."

Guild Girl nodded in understanding, looking down in thought. "I see… well, how about this? Why don't you stick around for a few hour and wait for me to get off my shift? You can relax in the bar or stroll around town if you like. Once I'm done, I'd be happy to help give you what information you need."

Arthur raised a brow, not expecting the generous offer from Guild Girl herself. "You sure? I mean, I truly appreciate it, I really do, but there's a lot I don't know right now."

"Of course, I would be happy to. Consider it payment for helping Goblin Slayer finish his previous task so quickly," Guild Girl explained, giving a kind smile. "He's tough of course, but he really pushes himself hard. It's nice to know that he didn't have to handle one of his quests alone for once."

This girl is truly smitten, Arthur thought, gave a small smirk. "Well, alright. If you really wouldn't mind, I would most surely appreciate it. Still, I feel I should pay you back for your time at least…"

"Oh, it's really no trouble at all," Guild Girl dismissed before a sudden thought occurred to her. "Wait, actually… there is one way you can pay me back. Just help me fill out the report regarding Goblin Slayer's mission and we'll call it square!"

"Well, if that's all, then I would not mind in the slightest, miss. Though with how you talk about it, I'm guessin' he's not one to fill out his reports too much."

"Oh, he'll do the reports when I ask, just not always in a timely manner," Guild Girl sheepishly rubbed her head.

"I understand. Man likes to keep busy," Arthur chuckled, nodding in acceptance. "But alright then. If you need it now, we can go over the details."

After spending some time describing the chain of events in the cave to Guild Girl, Arthur migrated to the bar. While he was interested in exploring the town, he didn't want to stray too far from the guild and get lost. He stood at the bar, placing a silver coin on the counter.

"A beer, please. And food if you got it." He tossed another silver coin on the table for tip.

"Mighty generous. Comin' right up," The bartender said, taking both coins with a smile.

I'll have to ask her how the money here works. Arthur said, peeking back into his satchel to look at the amount he had left.

The bartender set a bottle of beer in front of him before tending to another customer. Arthur took a short swig, letting out an approving grunt. "Not bad… here I'd thought it'd be pig swill…"

"Right? I thought the same the first time I tried it."

Arthur turned to his right to see a young man leaning against the bar next to him. He sported fancy blue armor on his shoulders and arms, the metal looking far nicer than what Goblin Slayer wore. He set a long spear against the bar to his right. He had spiked peach hair on top of his head with a long ponytail that went down his back.

"I'll take a beer as well," He said, earning a nod from the bartender before he set a bottle up for him. The stranger took a swig from his bottle, letting out a satisfied breath as he set it back down. "That's some good stuff. So, you a new adventurer?"

"Not really. More of a… wanderer, I guess," Arthur said, peering at the man curiously. "I just happened to get save by one, is all."

"I see. Sounds like you've had it rough, pal," The man nodded, sipping from his bottle. "Still, you look pretty tough. Even if you don't really dress like an adventurer. Kinda reminds me of a farmer, but… nicer, I guess?"

"I suppose I'll take that as a compliment," Arthur chuckled, holding his bottle out to the man. "Gunslinger."

"Spearman. Silver ranked adventurer and Strongest on the Frontier!" The man introduced himself with a proud grin, clanking his bottle against Arthur's.

One of those guys, huh? Arthur thought with some amusement, the man's confidence reminding him a bit of Sean. "'Strongest', huh? That's a mighty big boast. You sure about that?"

"Heh! Don't underestimate me, now. It takes a lot to become a silver ranked adventurer in case you didn't know."

"I don't, actually," Arthur chuckled, sipping from his bottle as the loudmouth next to him flinched. "So then, how do you compare to that feller Goblin Slayer?"

"Eh? Goblin Slayer?" Spearman grunted with indignance. "How do you know that weirdo?"

"'Weirdo'?" Arthur repeated, turning back to Spearman. "He's quiet I 'spose, but he did save my life. Didn't seem too strange to me."

"Yeah, right. That guy's obsessed with goblins," Spearman groaned, leaning back on the bar. "As someone at silver rank, he should normally be taking quests to kill stuff like dragons or demons. But he spends all of his time hunting goblins! I know it's his name, but there's a lot more to the world than hunting those weak vermin."

"They were definitely weak, but they seemed dangerous enough," Arthur shrugged, finishing off his beer. "Killin' one wasn't much of a problem, but the little bastards travel in a big pack."

"I guess, but I'm talking about how much Goblin Slayer hunts those things. Which is always. He doesn't take any missions that don't involve goblins. Plus he's always walking around with that smelly, cheap armor he's always touting. Guy shoulda moved onto somethin' else by now."

"So that's what I was smellin' on the way back…" Arthur chuckled under his breath. "Still, this sounds a mite bit personal if you ask me. You sure that's all there is to it?"

Spearman visibly winced, almost as if being caught, before clicking his tongue. "I-I don't know what you're talking about. The guy's just weird…"

"Heh. Sure you don't," Arthur smirked, leaning forward on the bar as his food arrived.

"'Gunslinger', huh?" Spearman said, raising a brow curiously, his eyes drifting to the weapons strapped to Arthur's shoulders and hip. "What's-"

"Spearman."

An alluring feminine voice drew their attention away from each other, looking up to see a woman approach. She was a beautiful young woman, likely in her twenties. She had long flowing purple hair that went down her back with piercing hazel eyes. Her skin was fair and beautiful, a small but cute mole sitting at the edge of her cheek. She wore a black shoulderless dress that left nothing to the imagination when it came to her… figure. Something that Arthur hadn't seen in a woman since Karen.

"Yo. About done with your errands?" Spearman asked, picking his spear up and leaning it on his shoulder.

"Yes, I am… ready to go…" She said, her mannerism one that Arthur had never heard before. Her eyes drifted to Arthur, a small but pleasant smile crossing her lips. "Oh, but… who might… this handsome man... be?"

"A drinking buddy I just made," Spearman chuckled, sparing a look back at Arthur.

"Good to meet you, miss," Arthur said, tipping his hat in greeting. "Gunslinger."

"I am known… as Witch…" She said, touching her chin curiously. "Gunslinger… interesting… I've never heard a… name like that."

"Right? Makes me curious about those things he's totin' around," Spearman said, sparing a glance at Arthur's arsenal again. "But anyway, we should get going. We've got a ways to go, don't we?"

"Yes, we do…"

"Alright. Well, it was nice chatting with you, Gunslinger. Maybe I'll see you when I get back," Spearman smiled, giving him a small salute.

"Perhaps you shall," Arthur said, not sure where else he might be later on, anyways.

"It was… nice to meet you… Gunslinger," Witch said, giving him a suggestive wink before turning to leave with Spearman. Arthur watched the two leave for a moment before letting out a small chuckle.

"This place is just full of characters, ain't it?"


Arthur rubbed his face in exhaustion, closing a heavy book on his lap. As promised, Guild Girl had met with him after her shift. She then began to educate him about this world. It wasn't a lie to say that it had overwhelmed Arthur quite a bit. The cowboy knew the world was very different from what he knew, but he hadn't realized how much.

When people talked about race back home, they were only referring to skin color which made little to no difference to Arthur. But here, there were a lot of different races to know about. Elves, Dwarves, Lizardmen. That wasn't the end of the list, but they were the most prominent of the races to roam the land.

And that was only accounting for the the 'peaceful' races. Monsters of all types existed in this land. Things Arthur really would have liked to stay in a fairy tale. All things that liked to mess with small villages and towns for one reason or another. Guild Girl was kind enough to provide him with a book pertaining to the general information of said monsters and races. Though reading through it was becoming a chore as well.

She didn't give much detail on the history of the world, only speaking of some Demon Lord that had been defeated a few times before but was supposedly regaining his strength somewhere. It was all very convoluted in Arthur's opinion, but he didn't mention that. He could only sit there and learn. Or at least try to.

This is a whole lot stranger than I guessed. Arthur tiredly mused to himself, leaning back in the throne chair he had been stuck in for several hours. It was getting late into the night and Guild Girl had left some time ago.

His eyes drifted to the iron keys sitting on a candle lit desk just some ways away, a porcelain tag sitting next to it.

"Do you have a place to stay the night?"

"N-No, not rightly, I 'spose… is there an inn around here?"

"There is, but I'd hate for you to spend all of your money at once… Oh! I have an idea!"

Arthur wasn't sure how it happened, but he was now an official 'adventurer'. While he had nothing against the idea, it had happened so quickly that it was almost unreal. Thanks to that though, Guild Girl was able to provide him with temporary rooming at the guild. She used the basis of helping Goblin Slayer as grounds for allowing an immediate allowance into the guild. This also gave him a means to make money. If anything, this was truly the best outcome he could have hoped for.

Arthur stood from the chair, rolling his shoulders out and groaning tiredly. He moved to the vanity mirror by the fireplace, taking another look at his face. What the Stranger had said about 'taking a few years off' had flown over Arthur's head the first time around. But seeing his deaged face, he now understood. He looked ten years younger than he was back home. The age and cracks in his face were gone, and he was a bit slimmer in the face. While he had seen his face earlier, it still felt bizarre to look at this young face again after what looked like ten years.

What am I even doin' here?

Arthur pushed off the table and moved to the bed. That question had slipped to the forefront of his mind more than once. Despite whatever the Stranger had told him before sending him to this world, Arthur still had no clue what exactly he was expected to do. From the way the Stranger put it, in fact, he was free to approach this world in whatever way he saw fit.

I feel like the wrong man to be givin' that freedom to.

He kicked off his boots, putting his legs up and resting his back into the feather bed.

Am I supposed to be an adventurer? Is that it?

Arthur thought of all the monsters that were described by Guild Girl and the book. As powerful as his guns were, he wasn't sure if they were fit for taking on everything listed. He doubted that he could just plug the Demon Lord full of holes and expect that to be that. So if he wasn't here to be some big hero, what was his purpose?

Arthur sighed, massaging his eyes as he felt sleep begin to take him.

Guess I'll just… deal with it as I go.


"Alright, everyone! I'm officially posting the quests we have for today!"

Arthur watched as an uproar of cheers echoed through the hall, blown away by the amount of excitement dripping from the adventurers. He hadn't seen a group of people so excited to work in all his years. Bill used to describe soldiers getting hyped up in such a way, calling the lot a 'bunch of damned fools' to be wanting to rush back into death like that. Not that Bill was one to talk on that matter of fools.

Arthur was in no rush, though. He waited patiently for the lines to shorten. He produced a cigarette that so happened to be stuffed in his satchel, striking one of the few matches he had left and lighting it up. Part of him wondered just when he would run out of both items, but neither seemed like a great concern at the moment.

As the crowd stagnated, Arthur took the chance to step up to the board of jobs. Despite the massive amount of people earlier, there were still plenty of quests left up to pursue. Though Arthur soon realized his mistake.

"Damn it… most of those folk were porcelain ranked," He grumbled, realizing how few were actually left for him to take. Examining those closely, he could see why they were left behind. Some were just basic handy jobs with little to no actual action. Arthur knew he shouldn't be picky, but he wasn't going to get piss pay for shoveling pig shit.

Arthur's gaze trailed to other jobs. Ones labeled for higher ranked adventures like obsidian, ruby, sapphire, bronze and more. Guild Girl had explained the ranking system and how many different ranks there were in total. Arthur had to wonder why they would need so many, but hesitated to comment on it due to still knowing so little about the world.

His eyes moved from the board to Guild Girl, the clerk taking a small breather after having dealt with a good number of adventurers.

"Mornin', miss," Arthur called out, moving to speak with the clerk.

"Oh, good morning, mister Gunslinger! How was your room?" She asked with gentle smile.

"It was quite fine, thank you again for your help with that."

"Of course. I was happy to help. Thank you for giving me such detail as to what happened with the mission you and Goblin Slayer worked together on," Guild Girl nodded. "So, is there something I can do for you?"

"Yeah, I… uh… I hate to ask, but… even though I'm porcelain ranked, can I take higher level jobs?"

"I'm sorry, but we can't allow that. Not unless you're grouped together with a higher ranked adventurer," Guild Girl explained, earning a small sigh from Arthur. "I know some of the jobs posted are rather menial, but it's for the safety of new adventurers. We don't want to throw a new group of kids into the lion's den right off the bat. Though even some of the porcelain ranked missions end up that way, anyways."

"They do? How you mean?" Arthur asked curiously. Guild Girl frowned, looking up at the jobs board.

"Well… certain monsters and beasts are treated as smaller problems. Enough to the point that some of them are seen as fit for being dealt with by porcelain ranks. That would include goblins," Arthur raised a brow at that. "It might sound strange, but it's true. Because individual goblins are so weak, they're treated as small threats. But… the system doesn't account for the fact that they alway travel in hordes and often have numbers in the dozens. Not to mention the special goblins. Don't get me wrong, in some cases, the nest of goblins is small enough to not be a threat, but..."

"That ain't always the case. So basically, the system decidin' what kinda threat they are is broken," Arthur put it bluntly, with Guild Girl silently nodding. "Ain't that just dandy… how many new folk you lose to missions like that?"

"... more than I'd like to admit."

Guild Girl frowned, looking down at her hands with regret. The cowboy struggled to find a comforting word for the clerk. He looked back at the board. He saw several porcelain ranked missions revolving around goblins sitting on there.

"Even though… others like to look down on him for it," Arthur peered back at Guild Girl, a gentle smile on her lips. "Goblin Slayer is doing a great service by taking those kind of jobs. Most higher ranked adventurers will leave them alone, seeing them as pests rather than threats. But goblins have devastated a lot of villages in their wake. So… I'm really happy that we have someone like Goblin Slayer around."

Arthur stared at Guild Girl, her admiration for him becoming more apparent by the second. Arthur couldn't stop a laugh, drawing her attention back to him. "I-I'm sorry, but… I don't think I seen a young lady so infatuated in some time."

Except for maybe that Braithwaite girl.

"E-Eh?! I-I-"

The guild doors swung open, causing the two to pause and look back. Like magic, the topic of conversation made his appearance.

"G-Goblin Slayer!" Guild Girl exclaimed before she could help herself, cheeks dusted red. "Y-You're back. How did the quest go?"

"They're all dead. I finished last night and went home. I filled out the report, too," Goblin Slayer said shortly, handing a small parchment to Guild Girl.

"O-Oh, thank you! I'll go get your reward then," Guild Girl said, jogging to the back room.

Goblin Slayer turned slightly, looking at Arthur and giving a small nod. "You're here."

"So it would seem," Arthur nodded. "Guild Girl helped me out quite a lot. Made me an adventurer and all."

"I see."

"Yeah, things've been… goin' strangely good. Thanks again, partner."

"Yeah."

Arthur waited for something more but never got it. He let out a small laugh.

"You're not the greatest conversationalist, are you?"

"No. Sorry."

"Well, we all have our hang ups…" Arthur trailed off, scratching the hairs on his chin. Guild Girl soon came back, placing a bag of coins on the table.

"Thank you as always for your hard work, Goblin Slayer," Guild Girl said with an appreciative smile.

"Yeah. Are there any goblin quests today?"

"Yeah, a couple, but… there's one I think you should look at," Guild Girl said, drawing Arthur's attention to her in interest. She flipped through some of the papers on her desk, picking one out and putting it in front of the stoic adventurer.

"It's a ruby ranked quest. We got it last night and I saw it this morning when I came in. It's a big emergency call for help for a village that found goblin tracks outside the village in the night."

"I see. The goblins are preparing to raid the village, then," Goblin Slayer said, Guild Girl giving a solemn nod. "Do they have an idea on how many?"

"N-Not entirely, only that an attack is imminent They guessed at thirty, maybe forty. It could be more though. I… I wasn't sure about this, but apparently… a few girls have already been kidnapped," Guild Girl explained. "If you leave within an hour or two, you'll be able to get to the village before nightfall. Maybe you'll get more information before the goblins strike."

"I see. I'll do it, then."

"So that's that, huh? You're just gonna… go and kill thirty to forty goblins? Just like that?" Arthur asked, raising a brow in mild disbelief.

"Yeah." He answered without hesitation. "It's not many more than what we slew in that cave. Though if they're preparing for a raid, they will likely have more than what the villagers suspect."

"Just peachy…" Arthur sighed, rubbing the hairs on his chin.

"I have to go prepare," Goblin Slayer said, helmet shifting to Guild Girl.

"O-Okay. Be safe…" She answered, worry coloring her eyes. Arthur looked back up at Goblin Slayer, the stoic adventurer sparing him a short look before turning around and beginning to leave.

Well… I gotta start somewhere.

"Hey," Guild Girl looked back up at Arthur reluctantly. "This quest pay well?"

"Huh?" Guild Girl blinked before looking down at the paper. "Y-Yes, quite a few gold coins. B-But why…"

"Gotta make some money, don't I?" Arthur reasoned before looking back at Goblin Slayer. "Mind if I join you?"

"Eh?" Guild Girl yelped in surprise, blinking. "B-But Gunslinger, that's..."

"Look, I'd rather get a start workin' with someone who knows what they're doin'. Who better, really?"

"No."

Their heads snapped forward, looking at Goblin Slayer in disbelief.

"What? Why the hell not?" Arthur asked in confusion.

"Your guns. They're too loud," Goblin Slayer said plainly, causing Arthur to look down at the weapons in question. "They're powerful and good for a straight fight. But with the numbers involved, we'll need a quiet approach. We can't go loud until we've eliminated a good portion of them."

Arthur could see the logic behind his words. "Well, I can't rightly argue that point… but lucky for you, I can use a few things other than my guns. Plenty of stuff for the silent approach."

"Like?"

"I'll need to buy some things, but I can throw knives easy enough. I know how to use a bow and arrow. Don't know how to use a sword, but I can manage with somethin' like a knife or axe up close."

Goblin Slayer stared at him silently, his thoughts unreadable with his helmet blocking his face. He then reached for his belt, pulling out one of the knives he had stashed within it and holding it out.

"Show me."

Arthur understood, taking the knife and turning to the wall opposite of them. He flipped it around in his hand, grabbing the blade before throwing it with expert precision, the knife digging into the wood by the front entrance. Guild Girl let out a small peep in surprise, causing Arthur to look back at her.

"Uh… sorry about the wall," He then looked back at Goblin Slayer. "So we goin'?"

"... Yeah."


Arthur followed Goblin Slayer inside a metal shop. The cowboy spared a look around, old weapons and armor littering the walls. Just ahead of them a stout bearded man worked away on a sword, sparks flying as he pressed the blade into a smoother.

"You again. What's it this time?" The blacksmith huffed, pulling the blade away from the grinding stone as he moved to the counter.

"I need a few things."

"Of course you do. And what-" The blacksmith stopped when he noticed Arthur, the cowboy looking at him patiently. "The hell're you?"

"Just a concerned fool that's partnerin' up with him to kill some goblins," Arthur said, walking up alongside Goblin Slayer. "Need some throwin' knives. A bow and a quiver full of arrows too, if you got 'em."

"Course I got 'em! What do you take me for?!" The smith grunted, motioning toward the far corner of the room. "If you don't want anythin' fancy, you'll find both over there."

"Got it. Thanks," Arthur moved to grab what he could.

"You should get some armor, too," Goblin Slayer said, Arthur hesitating for a moment to consider it.

"... Naw, I'm alright. I need to be able to move around and swing my arms freely," Arthur shook his head. "I ain't ever wore armor neither so it'd throw me off."

"How about some chainmail, then?" The smith suggested, drawing Arthur's attention back. "If you're too much of a maid for armor, at least that stuff will keep you from gettin' stabbed. It'll stop goblin arrows and spears, considering their shoddy craftsmanship. Won't help much against a hobgoblin or magic, though."

"Well… some protection is better than nothin'. I'll take some," Arthur agreed.

"How about a helmet as well? Somethin' to replace that funny hat of yours."

"Funny?!" Arthur replied indignantly before scoffing. "Whatever. I wouldn't do that anyway. I need the field of vision and freedom to move my head. Otherwise I won't be able to use these things that great," He said, drawing his revolver.

"I see," Goblin Slayer nodded in understanding.

"Hold up, lemme see that," The smith said. "That's a strange little weapon yer carryin'."

"Sorry, but I ain't handin' these over. Might accidentally shoot someone's eye out," Arthur said, causing the blacksmith to frown.

"It's deadly. I've seen him use it," Goblin Slayer added.

"Bah, fine! Brats…" The smith grumbled, turning back around. He hesitated for a moment before looking at Arthur again. "If yer not gonna ditch the hat, the least I could do is fit it with a metal cap. It won't completely absorb a hit to the head, but it'll make things like rocks bounce off at least. Dependin' on where they hit ya, of course."

"Rocks?"

"Goblins hurl rocks with slingshots," said Goblin Slayer. "If you're not going to wear a helmet, that would be a decent alternative."

"Hm… okay. Let's do it then," Arthur said, placing his hat on the table.

With the coins he had left, Arthur purchased a shirt of chain mail that went under his blue striped shirt and some mail under his pants. It wasn't super constricting or heavy, though the cowboy knew he'd have to get used to walking around with it on. His hat was noticeably heavier now thanks to the cap inside it, but was laced with leather on the inside to keep it comfortable.

"Welp… I got most of what I need. Anything else?" Arthur asked, wrapping the wooden bow around his shoulder. He was running out of room to carry things, but would stash one of his guns away on the horse given to him by the village once they left.

"A close range weapon." Goblin Slayer pointed out.

"Ah, right… let's see…" Arthur gave it some thought. At close range, he couldn't picture himself swinging around a sword. He guessed that some skill was involved rather than just hacking and slashing. With that in mind, he figured out his next best option:

"Got any hatchets? I need somethin' that'll cut good but is light in hand in case I need to throw it."

"Ho~. A hatchet's a good choice, boy." The blacksmith dug under his desk, pulling out a reasonably sized short handled axe that looked similar to a tomahawk, though it lacked their peace pipe and design. "That work?"

"That works just fine, mister," Arthur nodded, picking it up and feeling the grip. It was smoothed out and easy to hold, a leather strip wrapped around the handle. "I think that's about all I need."

"I have several antidotes for the poison should one of us be stabbed. Let's go." Goblin Slayer said, turning around and taking his leave, a leather bundle under his arm containing the cheap weapons he had picked out and purchased for himself.

"Thank you for the service, old timer," Arthur said, tipping his hat to the blacksmith before walking after his partner. The elderly man watched them leave before grumbling to himself.

"Strange fellow. Though if he's teamin' up with that boy, I suppose it makes sense…"

"We headin' out now?" Arthur asked as he stepped up to his horse, stuffing the Rolling Block rifle and lever action shotgun into its saddle.

"I need to speak with an alchemist. I have one more thing to buy."

"Okay…" Arthur muttered, unsure what an alchemist was but deciding not to push it. "What you need, exactly?"

"Gasoline."

"Gas? You have that here?" Arthur asked, brow raising in confusion. Gas wasn't discovered until the 1600's if what Hosea had told him was true. Definitely nowhere near the times of knights.

"No. The alchemist makes it for me," Was his answer. "It's expensive, but effective."

"Alright… whatcha need it for?"

"Setting goblins on fire."

"I don't know why I even asked…" Arthur trailed off before pausing. "How much you gettin'?"

"A flask or two of it." said the stoic adventurer.

"That's it? The hell're you gonna do with so little?"

"Douse a hobgoblin with it and roll it into other goblins. I can't afford more than that."

"Then you're approachin' this all wrong, buddy," Goblin Slayer stopped, looking back at Arthur in confusion. "You don't need to waste money on somethin' like gas. Go cheaper and spend it on somethin' like liquor."

"Liquor?" Goblin Slayer's helmet tilted ever so slightly in question.

"That's right. We just gotta get some strong spirits or whiskey. Got one of those?"

"... I don't know what whiskey is. But we can purchase spirits at a general store."

"Perfect. Show me where one is and I'll handle the rest," Arthur said. Goblin Slayer stared for a long moment in thought before giving a small nod.

"Okay."


The orange sun was beginning to set. Two goblins stationed outside a cave eagerly tapped their spears on the ground, both anticipating the upcoming raid. Thoughts of the fun they would soon enjoy passed through their minds. Their mouths lathered with spit, hunger and lust dripping from them. They had spotted several fat men and appetizing children in the village during their scouting trip. Not to mention many desirable females ripe for the taking.

The few women they had captured in the night were still being passed around inside the cave, leaving the goblin guards to resent their exclusion from the fun. But that would soon end once they commenced their attack. Once dusk was upon them, drums would echo and torches would illuminate the dark night. And a village would soon burn to the ground.

So consumed in their thoughts, neither noticed the small rustling in the bushes just ahead of them. And before they could react, two arrows flew through the air. Their bodies fell back into the stone wall of the cave entrance. Neither goblin had even a moment to call for help as they fell dead on the ground.

"That's two," Goblin Slayer said, he and Arthur rising from the foliage and slowly approaching the cave.

"Only a few dozen more to go," Arthur mumbled, putting the bow on his shoulder. "Okay, next step. Gotta draw 'em out."

"Goblins carry horns in case of intruders," Goblin Slayer said, pulling a hollow ram horn from the hip of one of the fallen goblins. "We can draw a good number out by sounding it."

"Perfect. Let's see…" Arthur peered around them. There were a few rocks large enough to hide behind, much to Arthur's pleasure. "Okay. Let's put their bodies a little more forward. Once we sound the horn and they come runnin' out, you give the signal to start. You'll know when just enough of 'em have come out, right?"

"Yeah."

"Alright then. Let's get this done," Arthur dragged one of the goblin corpses a few meters ahead of the cave, Goblin Slayer doing the same. They jogged back to their hiding spots on opposite sides of the out from behind, Arthur gave a nod. Goblin Slayer put the horn under his visor, pulling out the armor at the bottom before blowing hard.

The horn's tune was deep and loud. Arthur had no doubt that the entire nest heard the call. He patiently waited, pulling a bottle out from his jacket. Using one of his few remaining matches, Arthur lit the end of a cloth sticking out of a decent sized spirit. Goblin Slayer seemed to manage with a flint on his side.

Growls echoed from the cave, Arthur peering around the edge as he waited for them to get closer. A flood of goblins trotted out of the cave, each one snarling in confusion and anger as they stepped forward. Arthur counted at least fifteen to twenty of them.

They saw their kin's dead bodies, approaching them cautiously. Looking up at Goblin Slayer's spot, the stoic adventure gave a nod of confirmation. Nodding back, they both stepped out.

Raising the bottles in their hands, Arthur and Goblin Slayer flung them with great force. Each bottle flew at the middle of bundled up goblins, the bottles exploding into a brilliant burst of flame.

The result was perfect. The hot glass and alcohol rained down on them. The goblin let out piercing wails of pain, fire spreading across each and every one of them. Arthur drew his hatchet, slowly approaching the crowd with Goblin Slayer doing the same on his side. While a good number of them were being consumed by the fire, some were less affected, scrambling around as they tried to put out the fires that were burning on their arms or clothes.

One goblin found its head split in half as Arthur chopped down with the hatchet. He had to approve of the blacksmith's work, his axe much sharper than he realized. He watched Goblin Slayer decapitate another with one swift swing. The fire was doing its job, reducing their work to crowd control.

The smell that rose from the fire filled Arthur's senses, the cowboy wrinkling his nose as burnt goblin flesh fouling the air he breathed.

"That was effective," Goblin Slayer said, walking over to Arthur. "Good idea."

"'Course. Just remember that alcohol burns good enough for what you want," Arthur nodded, putting the axe back at his side. "You count exactly how many we got?"

"Twenty three in total so far," Goblin Slayer said. "Not too many goblins should be left."

"Good. We goin' in or gonna try and lure 'em out?"

"We'll go in. The fire is visible from inside. They won't have anymore come out if a shaman is among them," Goblin Slayer explained, pulling an unlit torch out and using a burning corpse to light it.

"Yeah, makes sense. I'm sure they'll be waitin' for us now, too," Arthur sighed, unwrapping the shotgun from his shoulder. This would be the first time using it since coming here, so the reload function was still unknown to him. He lifted the lever, a light reflecting the ones his handguns glowed with filled the chamber. It was a short wait, only one second, before it allowed him to close it back up. "Alright. Ready."

Goblin slayer took the lead with his torch. "Watch the walls. There may be another tunnel that leads to another area. If we miss it, we'll get attacked from behind."

"Right. I'll keep an eye out."

The two strode through the cave cautiously. Arthur kept his gun up as he tried to adjust to the darkness. He listened intently for any sound throughout the cave. While the goblins might have exposed themselves the first time around, this was different. They had been curious. Now, they're on guard.

Goblin Slayer came to a stop, silently raising a fist to tell Arthur to stop. Arthur kept his shotgun trained forward, looking for the slightest hint of movement. But Goblin Slayer shook his head, motioning for him to lower the gun. Arthur scrunched his brow in question but followed his lead. As soon as Arthur lowered his gun, the stoic adventurer drew a knife from his belt and sent it flying forward. In the darkness, a strangled cry rang out, causing the cowboy widen his eyes.

"You saw that thing?"

"24. And no. I heard it and guessed."

"Good guess, I 'spose…" Arthur muttered as they continued forward. Walking several meters, the two saw the goblin lying on the ground, its body twitching in pain as it had yet to be finished, the knife sticking out of its gut.

"A scout. Sent to see who is coming," Goblin Slayer said, kneeling down and pulling the knife from its stomach before immediately lodging it in the monster's head. "We still have some element of surprise."

"Not much we can do with it in this tight space, though. They'll see us comin' pretty easy..." Arthur noted, his gaze trailing to the side.

But then he noticed it. Another tunnel formed just to their left. As Arthur was about to inform his companion, a large and dark figure stepped toward them.

"Ah shit-watch out!" Arthur moved to pull up his shotgun, only to get back handed into the wall for his troubles. He let out a grunt of pain, falling on his stomach with a thud.

Goblin Slayer moved quick, his short sword in hand as he lunged at the hobgoblin. His blade pierced its shoulder but missed its intended target, the hobgoblin growling before using its other arm to reach out and grip the warrior's arm.

Arthur didn't let it. He rolled onto his back and produced a throwing knife, lodging it into the monster's neck. The hobgoblin coughed out in pain, unable to scream for help. Goblin Slayer wrenched his blade out from its shoulder before digging it back into its chest. The hobgoblin convulsed in pain, its weak cries coming out choked, before falling to the ground, dead.

Arthur, pushed off the ground, letting out a pained groan. "Big bastard… Guess that makes 25, though."

"Are you hurt?" Goblin Slayer asked.

"Nah, I'm… I'm okay. Just a little annoyed," Arthur mumbled, dusting off his chest. "Can't believe I didn't notice that tunnel 'til too late."

"It happens. The darkness hid it well," Goblin Slayer reasoned, moving to the tunnel and letting his torch shine down it. He pulled out one of the molotov cocktails that Arthur made, kicking the hobgoblin's body to the bottom of the tunnel before flinging it directly at its body, causing flames to erupt. Despite the blaze building from the hobgoblin, no sounds echoed from within the tunnel.

"This is likely where the first group came from that we killed. This hobgoblin remained behind. None are left"

"That where the scout came from, too?"

"Doubtful. He was likely sent by the shaman," Goblin Slayer shook his head. "Let's push forward."

"Sure."

Arthur and Goblin Slayer pushed further into the cave, the path beginning to narrow again. After some time and silence, Goblin Slayer held up a hand, making Arthur stop again.

"It opens up here."

"Guess we'll have to watch out for a repeat o' last time," Arthur muttered, aiming his shotgun forward. "I got an idea… toss another molotov at the mouth."

"What are you going to do?"

"You'll see. On my word, toss. Get ready to cover your ears, though," Arthur kept the shotgun trained forward, eyes narrowing as he waited for Goblin Slayer to get ready. The stoic adventurer did as he was told, pulling another bottle out and rearing it back. "Throw!"

Goblin Slayer gave a quick toss, the bottle soaring through the air and easy to see thanks to the flaming cloth. When the bottle looked deep enough, Arthur pulled the trigger, the explosive blast from his shotgun almost as loud as thunder in this small cave.

Fire and glass erupted in the air, falling like debris from an active volcano and spewing across the darkness. The cries of goblins echoed through the air, moving around like lit candles through the cave.

Seeing their chance, Goblin Slayer and Arthur pushed forward into the cave. Goblin Slayer tossed the torch at the center of the room, giving Arthur more visibility.

The cowboy quickly turned a corner, anticipating a hobgoblin waiting to ambush them from the right like before. But this time, it was hopelessly batting away fire that caught on its skin. Arthur smirked, taking aim and blasting a large hole in its head, quickly cocking the lever action before turning to the rest of the remaining goblins.

Their roles from their first hunt seemed to be switched this time, as Goblin Slayer dug a knife into the gut of a shaman at the back of the cave. The remaining goblins inside, only about six aside from the special ones, were scattered and hopeless in attempting to put out the fire that caught on their bodies.

Arthur felt a small sense of pity for the goblins, pointing his shotgun forward to put the remaining ones out of their misery.

"H-Help…"

Arthur looked back up, the voice so weak but clearly human and female. Narrowing his eyes, he could make out some bodies on the ground in the corner of the moved forward slowly, blasting goblin that tried to get close to him with a quick shotgun blast.

As the bodies became more visible, Arthur felt his stomach begin to churn in disgust. His eyes widened in disgust and shock. Three girls lay on the ground, bare naked and terribly bruised. Scratch marks covered their bodies and the inside of their thighs were bruised beyond belief.

"Jesus… Wh-What…"

"H-Help… us…" one of them whispered out, pulling Arthur from his stupor. He quickly knelt at their sides, though struggled to figure out what to do.

"I-It's okay, miss. You're safe now. They're all dead," Arthur said, trying to reassure one young woman as he reached a hand out hesitantly. "W-We'll get you all outta here, back to your families."

Arthur looked around for something, anything he could use to carry the girls out with. He looked to Goblin Slayer to inform him of the surviving girls, but the stoic adventurer was busy looking behind a throne of bones not unfamiliar to Arthur.

"They've spawned."

"What?" Arthur called out, walking through the cave toward him. "Forget whatever that is, we gotta get these girls outta-"

"They've spawned." Goblin Slayer said, tossing the throne aside to a small opening. Arthur narrowed his eyes, walking up next to him and peering inside. Inside was what he easily guessed were goblin infants. They were smaller than the ones they had killed, their features less developed and stubbier.

"I have to kill them," Goblin Slayer said, taking a step forward with his short sword.

"Wait… just wait a moment…" Arthur said, grabbing his shoulder and causing Goblin Slayer to hesitate. For a moment, the stoic adventurer expected the cowboy to try and stop them.

But Arthur's eyes trailed back to the battered and raped women laid out on the ground, barely hanging on to life. He felt a familiar anger build up inside of him, one that begged for him to act out one of his more natural instincts.

He decided to indulge himself.

Arthur pulled out the last molotov cocktail he had left. He used the last of his remaining matches and lit the cloth. The goblin infants cowered back, huddling together.

"I didn't totally get what you meant before… about killin' 'em all so they don't come back. Even the pups. It sounded damn cruel."

Arthur's eyes trailing up to the infants without an ounce of sympathy.

"But now I do."

"Good." Goblin Slayer took a step back, allowing Arthur to do the honor.

He reeled his arm back before putting the bottle hard, the glass and flames bursting above the goblin infants. They cried out pathetically in pain, their inhuman death throes filling the cave. Arthur slung his shotgun onto his shoulder, watching the blaze for one moment before moving to the women.

"We gotta get these girls outta here," Arthur said, rubbing his chin as he tried to think of the best way to carry them out.

"The shaman often has a chair for the other goblins to carry him on. We can use that to carry one on," Goblin Slayer suggested, his helmet peering around the room. It was only another moment before they found it, putting one girl on it while Goblin Slayer and Arthur carried a girl on their back each, proceeding to move out of the cave.

"You did well," Goblin Slayer said, though Arthur couldn't stop to look back at him as he held the chair from the front.

"Thanks. I uh… just kinda wish we got here sooner…" Arthur trailed off, looking at the girl leaned over his shoulder with remorse.

"It's a common occurrence. One that won't stop until all goblins are dead," his companion answered, before pausing. "But… they at least survived."

"I don't know about that…" Arthur muttered. It wasn't long until they finally reached the exit, and the two warriors returned the scarred women back to their village.

Thus marking the end of the first of many quests that Gunslinger and Goblin Slayer would venture together on.

To be continued…

Well, I have to say, I was NOT expecting the huge reception I got from the first chapter. I mean seriously, I was barely expecting a quarter of what I got. Both the GS and RDR crossover sections are pretty low in number of stories, so I figured it would be something that sort of flew under the radar. Boy how wrong I was. But not unwelcome! Thank you to everyone who gave their thoughts and showed their support for this stories continuance!

I got a lot more written here than I was expecting. I've honestly been thinking of keeping the word count of these chapters below 7k, but this ended up stretching past that quite easily.

Anyways, onto the story, we have finally established Arthur's place in all this. Thanks to a kindly Guild Girl and a indifferent Goblin Slayer, Arthur was able to find a place to settle into. Not to mention pick up some work. He also got a real look at what goblins are truly capable of, and let's just say that it brought out a more… ruthless part of him.

It'll be a funny time for him as things continue. One being the odd looks for becoming Goblin Slayer's first party member, and two because he actually doesn't mind working with him, despite everyone else's reservations.

Also, to clear something up for everyone, he hasn't replaced Priestess. He's simply been planted pre-Priestess introduction. Whether or not things turn out the same for her will be revealed later on.

Just on a smaller note, there is one detail I myself am a little iffy on. It does seem to me that adventurers like High Elf and her company actually do stay at the guild while they're there since they are from out of town. I used that as a way to give Arthur a place to stay, but do correct me if this is wrong. Just something small, but nonetheless important I feel.

Do go easy on me as I am still just getting into Goblin Slayer lol.

Anyways, with that done, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. This was a fun little intro chapter into the budding relationship between Goblin Slayer and Arthur. Time will tell how they stay connected and why Arthur decides to keep working with him.

Please leave a follow, a favorite and a review if you'd be so kind :)