Ch.9 - A Friendly Boss?

How could I never have seen it. Maybe the goblin in me is stupidly dumb, like hello is there a brain in that green skin covered skull? I dont know but I dont care as that rocky arm is coming at me fast! I didnt think the challenge would end this easily!

As I was training my [Mana Sense] a skill that allows me to detect magical energy around me, also a skill I was unaware of having, I detected something I never expected to find. I was about to react until the ground shook, but wait, it wasn't the ground, it was the rock. With a distant leap off it and a quick drawing of my sword as I spun around, I was in both amazement and fear as the boulder rolls out of the ground, then all around the clearing, smaller boulders roll in from the forest, smashing into the boulder, piecing together like a puzzle as it forms arms and legs. Suddenly something rolls out from right under my feet, causing me to fall onto my back, it was another rock, but this one places itself in it's own spot on the boulder, then I see it was odd, as it looked to have a face on it, then I realize it was a face as it's eyes glow with energy and the mouth opens. With awe I stared at a monster completely made of rock, then a blue window popped up before me.

[Forest Golem requests to challenge you. Do you accept: Y/N]

I was a bit shocked. It wants to fight me but it is actually offering instead of coming right at me, this is new. I got up on my feet and stared at the Golem as it watched me, waiting for a answer to the request. "This will surely be a test of my skills, lets do it."

[Challenge request accepted]

The golem lets out a delightful sounding groan as it readied itself a bit with taking a wide stance. I myself took one, holding my sword with both hands and waited for the first attack. A minute ticks by as I wait for the monster to attack me. What's taking so long, does it not want to fight afterall? It just stands there staring at me looking ready to find but its not moving a single bit. Maybe. Is it waiting for me to make the first move? Is it being courteous? Never thought a rock monster would be so thoughtful. Fine then, if that is what it wants.

Focusing on my Mana in my body, I pushed some from my hands into my sword, making it glow a faint blue. It was something that came to mind when I was training my focus on Mana, I realized I could move it around in different points in my body, though it was a guess I was right about, I figured I could push some into my sword to make it stronger. Making a leaping lunge toward the golem, I swing my blade at its body, cutting through it like it was softly clay instead of rock, looks like I am correct about enhancing my blade with Mana, makes it stronger and sharper, now the golem has a large scar across it's body.

With a growl, the golem swung it's arm up and brings it down onto my shield as I had blocked it, though barely as it's strength and speed is greater than I thought. Next thing I know, it's other arm crashes into my side, knocking me a good distance away from it, rolling onto my side. I coughed up a bit of blood as the power of the attack was so great, I am lucky it didnt break anything, though I will have a massive and painful bruise across my side, if im still alive after this fight. Struggling to get up, the golem takes heavy steps toward me, staring down as I stared up at it, too much in pain to fight, so I cover my head ready for my end. Suddenly it just turns around and returns to it's hole, then another blue screen pops up, making me move aside my arms a bit then remove my cover entirely.

[Challenge ended, Golem wins]

I blink at the text as I realized something, im still alive, unexpectedly the Golem never intended to kill me, it just wanted to fight. Slowly I got up off the ground, holding my painfully numbing side as I stared at the golem, digging and stuffing its body into hole as it returns to it's original motionless state. "Umm thanks for not killing me." I decided to say to it before slowly making way back to the goblin cave. The fight almost made me feel like I am a student sparring against my mentor, testing my skill to see if I pass. It is crazy think that, but I am honestly happy to know not every monster in the world are mindless killing machines.

I ended up returning to my mother who watched me in worry as I layed with her groaning in pain, clutching my side that is turning a more blueish green and purple color than staying my natural green pigment. Listening to her bombard me some with questions, I felt a bit happy to know she truly cares about me. Once she finished and started tending to my side with some healing magic which was a surprise to me, I tell her the whole event with training my Mana sensing skill and challenging the golem, which surprised her some in return.

My side wasn't as much in pain than before but it still hurts alot, and my mother is too weak to fully heal me but I didnt care as I wanted her to rest. She then started telling me about occurrences in the world where monsters would do just what the golem did, request to fight but not kill the opponent, to the people of this world, those are World Guardians, monsters that protect various locations but tend to be passive until they sense a worthy fighter. They would test the fighter with a all-out fight, wanting to witness they're skills and strength, like a mentor would a student. She even mentions a story where there was a adventurer whom several times, fought a Giant Scorpion that was a Guardian of a massive arid desert, the fights were brutal but the adventurer won in the end, he even showed the same merciful gesture the beast did for him by not killing it, seeing the nature of the man, the scorpion became his companion as a sign of recognizing his great growth in strength as well as true caring nature.

I was in awe by the story and then I thought about the Golem I fought, if I train hard and even make the rock monster a sparring partner, I could power up my strength and growth in my skills. A smile forms on my lips as now I was excited for it, though for now I should rest, the pain in my side was numbing again and I couldn't help but clutch it some. But I swear, one day I will beat that golem, show it I can become a great knight that can rival anything that comes my way.

[A sinister aura draws near]