The hunter becoming the prey
"The goblins aren't strong combatants; they seem to rely on tactics and group attacks," Kenji thought as he pressed forward.
With this realisation, he began strategising, searching his mind for the best way to deal with them. Every detail mattered as he considered his next move.
He noticed movement down a narrow side path—three goblins were approaching, their crude weapons glinting in the dim light. They were only ten feet away, and confidence surged through him.
He crept closer to the corner, peering around it for a better look. With his crossbow ready, he aimed at the nearest goblin. The narrow hallway worked to his advantage; he could pick them off individually before they knew he was there.
As Kenji took down the first goblin, the others snapped to attention, eyes widening in alarm. With a fierce shout, they dashed toward him, weapons raised and ready.
Kenji returned the empty crossbow to his inventory in a heartbeat and drew another loaded crossbow. He didn't hesitate; aiming swiftly, he prepared to fire again.
Kenji quickly killed the second goblin, but the last one remained undeterred. It charged at him with a fierce battle cry; its eyes narrowed in aggression.
As it closed the distance, the goblin leapt into the air, soaring over Kenji's head. It raised its blade, poised to strike down at him.
The goblin's attack came straight at Kenji, but he was ready. With a swift sidestep, he let the creature fly past him. As it soared through the air, Kenji seized the opportunity.
He reached out and caught the goblin mid-leap, slamming it hard onto the ground. The impact was thunderous, echoing through the narrow hallway, and the goblin let out a pained yelp.
The goblin lost its weapon upon impact, clattering to the ground beside it. Kenji seized the moment, quickly sending the crossbow back to his inventory. He equipped his previous blade, ready for the next move.
Kenji prepared to strike with a determined glance at the dazed goblin, knowing this was his chance to end the fight.
He plunged the blade into the goblin's chest, the steel biting deep. The creature's eyes widened, a flash of pain crossing its face before it crumpled to the ground, lifeless. The echo of the battle hung in the air, mingling with the silence that followed.
["Congratulations! You have killed a goblin. You gain one mana stone,"]
the system chimed, an alert flashing before Kenji's eyes.
["Congratulations! You have killed a goblin. You gain one mana stone"]
the system chimed, an alert flashing before Kenji's eyes.
"No cumulative points for stats again," Kenji thought, glancing at the system window. He had taken down five goblins, yet the tally remained unchanged. Frustration bubbled beneath the surface as he pondered the mysterious rules of this system.
There were two ways to level up: through accumulated points or mana stones. The mana stones were costly—thirty stones for just one point. According to the system's design, the more you bought for a stat, the more expensive it became. This method didn't seem favourable for Kenji; accumulating points through battle experience felt like the better choice.
Even after receiving the reward for completing his first mission, Kenji had no interest in spending his mana stones. He preferred to wait for an unforeseen event before making a decision. While others might be busy buying flashy weapons in the inventory shop, he wasn't swayed by their allure. They looked enticing, but their durability needed to be improved, with most costing over 130 stones for items that wouldn't last. Kenji glanced down at his blade, recognising that using the goblins' weapons was far more practical.
Kenji noticed more goblins approaching—one, two, three, four. There were more than he had anticipated. The sound of the previous battle had drawn them in from the other side.
"They're coming because of the noise," Kenji thought, bracing himself for the next wave.
In no time, Kenji found himself surrounded. The goblins were enraged, their eyes blazing as they stared at the fallen bodies of their comrades on the ground. They let out a triumphant snarl, revelling in the knowledge that they had the advantage of numbers.
With about fifteen goblins closing in, Kenji felt the weight of their menace. There was no escape now; he would have to face them head-on.
Though surrounded and at a disadvantage, Kenji felt a surge of excitement. In his eyes, the goblins were nothing more than experience points waiting to be claimed.
"You're here to join your brothers," he said with an evil smile, ready to turn the tide in his favour.
Ahead of him loomed a wall of combat-ready goblins, about eight. But behind him, he noticed another group—three archers and several melee fighters, their eyes fixed on him.
Without a second thought, Kenji turned his back to the front line and dashed toward the group with archers, knowing that taking them out first would be crucial to his survival.
The archers loosed their arrows at Kenji, and he dodged what he could, narrowly avoiding the deadly projectiles. For the arrows he couldn't evade, he quickly summoned his shield from his inventory, using it to deflect the incoming shots.
In no time, he was closing in on the archers, but as he approached, the melee fighters charged at him, eager to protect their comrades.
Before the goblins could attack, Kenji propelled himself off the narrow hallway wall, soaring above the melee fighters below. He ignored the combatants; his gaze fixed on the archers too busy reloading to notice him. Confident that the combat goblins would provide them the chance to reload.
As Kenji descended, he aimed his blade with deadly intent, plunging it deep into the chest of the first archer. The goblin gasped, eyes wide with shock, before collapsing.
Without missing a beat, Kenji pivoted gracefully, driving his second blade into the abdomen of the next archer. The force of his strike pushed the creature back, and he felt a surge of satisfaction.
He yanked the first blade free, turning swiftly to face the last archer. With a fierce thrust, he buried the weapon in its neck, twisting it cruelly before pulling it out. The goblin swayed momentarily, blood spilling from its mouth before it fell limply to the floor.
The combat goblins, previously ignored, charged at Kenji, their eyes filled with a thirst for vengeance. But as they surged forward, their bodies began to drop, one after another. Kenji moved with precision, each strike calculated and ruthless as he targeted their weak spots.
Like humans in their structure, the goblins had vulnerable areas that were too easy for him to exploit. With each swift blow, he mastered combat that turned their anger against them.
Though Kenji struck with precision, his kills were nothing short of brutal. Goblins collapsed around him—some decapitated, others stabbed in various vital spots. Heads rolled, their lifeless eyes wide in shock as they hit the ground.
With two blades in hand, Kenji pressed forward, each movement fluid and deliberate. A grim trail of goblin bodies marked his path, a stark testament to his lethal skill. He was a force of nature, relentless in his pursuit, undeterred by the chaos he left behind.
["Congratulations! You have killed a goblin. You gain one mana stone"]
the system chimed, an alert flashing before Kenji's eyes.
["Congratulations! You have killed a goblin. You gain one mana stone"]
the system chimed, an alert flashing before Kenji's eyes.
["Congratulations! You have killed a goblin. You gain one mana stone"]
the system chimed, an alert flashing before Kenji's eyes.
The other goblins soon joined their fallen brothers in battle, charging in with a semblance of bravery. Yet, as they faced Kenji, their expressions turned to fear and timidity, contrasting their initial bravado. The fight dragged on for more than fifteen minutes, a chaotic clash where their courage quickly waned, leaving behind only the stark reality of their corpses.
["Congratulations! You have killed a goblin. You gain one mana stone"]
the system chimed, an alert flashing before Kenji's eyes.
["Congratulations! You have killed a goblin. You gain one mana stone"]
the system chimed, an alert flashing before Kenji's eyes.
["Congratulations! You have killed a goblin. You gain one mana stone"]
the system chimed, an alert flashing before Kenji's eyes.
Kenji surveyed the battle's aftermath, his blades and face smeared with the goblins' dark, viscous blood. The sight was both grim and exhilarating, a testament to his ferocity. He wiped his right hand across his palm, clearing away the stains, and turned his attention to the glowing screen before him, eager to see the results of his brutal victory.
["Congratulations! You have killed 15 goblins. You gain 15 mana stones"]
the system chimed, a notification flashing before Kenji's eyes.
["Congratulations! You have earned two cumulative points"]
another alert followed, adding to his sense of accomplishment.
["Congratulations! you have levelled up"]
another alert followed, adding to his sense of accomplishment; Kenji, previously at level three, now found himself at level four.
"I killed all that and only got 2 points?" he thought, frustration flickering across his face as he scrutinised his rewards. The meagre gains felt disproportionate to the brutality of the battle he had just endured.
Suddenly, an alert popped up before Kenji: "Would you like to upgrade enemy-level detection?" The cost was displayed clearly—20 mana stones.
He hesitated, weighing the potential benefits against his dwindling resources.