A way

Kenji fought fiercely against the goblins, feeling the warmth of his blood as it dripped from his wounds. The creatures attacked with relentless speed, swarming him from all directions. Each time he managed to fend one off, another would spring forward, pushing him back further.

"I need to find a way to limit their movements," he thought, his heart racing as he dodged another blow.

His eyes landed on the store door. Without a second thought, he sprinted toward it, determined to create some distance. He drew his bow and aimed at the lone light bulb hanging from the ceiling, brightening the store. He let the arrow go, and it struck the hanging bulb, shattering it.

The room was bright for a moment, but then it flickered and began to blink erratically. Kenji seized the chance and dashed inside, hoping the sudden darkness would give him the upper hand against his attackers.

The shield-wielding goblin leader and the sickle-bearer exchanged wary glances before entering the store room. Given the poisonous nature of their weapons, they were puzzled by how Kenji had yet to collapse. Despite their curiosity, they remained confident that his strength would soon wane, especially with the blood he had lost. 

The dagger goblin lingered at the entrance, a sinister grin spreading across his face as he brandished several glinting blades, ready to strike. His eyes scanned the dark room, eager to take Kenji down.

Meanwhile, the shaman goblin remained rooted in his spot, still chanting softly, his focus unwavering. He was positioned further back, carefully maintaining the magical boost that empowered his allies.

In the centre of the long, narrow store stood a sturdy metal display rack firmly anchored to the ground. Its iron frame gleamed in the dim light, lined with various goods—tools, supplies, and other wares—all meticulously arranged. The cool air inside offered a brief respite from the chaos outside, but it also added to the eerie atmosphere, with shadows pooling around the base of the rack. Kenji knew he had to use this space to his advantage as he prepared for the goblin's next move.

As the battle raged on, Kenji felt the weight of his choices pressing down on him. He had invested heavily in stamina, knowing endurance would be crucial in a fight like this.

Player Info after

Name: Kenji Mochizuki

Level: 3

Class: Novice

Yin: Locked

Stats/Attributes:

Agility: 16/16

Strength: 17/17

Stamina: 18/18

Intelligence: 13/13

Unique Skills: Adapt, Heightened Senses

Accumulated point awaiting distribution: 4

Kenji had poured all his remaining points into agility and strength, enhancing his ability to dodge and strike. This choice allowed him to remain light on his feet, ready to evade the goblins' attacks while delivering powerful counterstrikes.

Agility: 18/18

Strength: 19/19

With a renewed sense of determination, he prepared himself, knowing that his enhanced agility and strength could be the key to turning the tide of the battle.

Suddenly, the store lights flickered ominously, casting fleeting shadows on the walls. The dagger goblin locked his gaze onto Kenji, a sinister grin spreading across his face. With a swift motion, he launched several sharp projectiles straight at Kenji's head, intent on delivering a fatal blow.

Kenji tilted his head briefly, narrowly evading most of the blades. But one of them grazed his cheek, leaving a sharp sting and a deep, bloody mark. The pain surged through him, but he forced it aside, driven by sheer determination.

With adrenaline coursing through his veins, Kenji dashed toward the other side of the display shelf, which seemed to divide the store like a barricade. He felt the rush of wind as another projectile whizzed past him, narrowly missing his shoulder. The sharp clang of metal against metal echoed behind him, reminding him of the danger nipping at his heels.

As he dodged, Kenji sprinted to the far corner of the store. The shield-wielding goblin quickly cut him off, rushing to block his escape route. Not far behind, the sickle-bearer mirrored his movements, their faces lit with excitement and anticipation.

They believed they had trapped Kenji and were convinced this was his end. The store walls closed in, and Kenji could feel the weight of their confidence pressing down on him.

Neither of them realized they had fallen into Kenji's trap. The shield-bearer, eager to cut off Kenji's escape, charged right into the centre of the long, rectangular iron shelf that divided the room.

As the shield-bearer crossed the threshold, Kenji seized the moment. He gripped the edge of the shelf with all his strength and pushed downward. The metal shelf, firmly anchored to the ground, gave way with a loud crack.

In an instant, it collapsed, pinning the shield-bearer beneath its weight. The goblin released a startled yelp, trapped and struggling to free himself. Kenji felt a surge of triumph as he realized he had turned the tide of the battle.

More projectiles hurtled toward Kenji, forcing him to react quickly. He snatched a broken shield from his inventory, raising it just in time to deflect the incoming blades. The shield rattled under the impact, but it held firm, giving him a brief moment of reprieve.

Without wasting a second, the sickle goblin charged forward, eyes gleaming with intent to strike. Kenji braced himself, gripping the shield tightly as the goblin closed the distance.

The sickle goblin leapt into the air, his body arcing above Kenji, poised to deliver a deadly horizontal strike. The wicked curve of the blade glinted in the dim light, aimed straight for Kenji's midsection.

In that split second, Kenji reacted instinctively. He raised the broken shield, bracing for impact. 

The sickle goblin's strike collided with the broken shield, sending a jarring shock through Kenji's arm. The lights flickered again, casting erratic shadows across the room. At that moment, the goblin realized the truth: the shield had been merely tossed to Kenji by his hand, and Kenji was still just out of reach.

Kenji seized his opportunity as the sickle goblin hung in the air just after delivering a strike. His heart raced as he focused, muscles coiling with anticipation. He lunged forward with a sudden burst of energy, channelling all his strength into a powerful uppercut.

Kenji's blade sliced through the air with deadly precision. Its razor-sharp edge glinted in the dim light. In one swift motion, it plunged into the sickle goblin's chin. It pierced his brain and ended his life. The goblin's eyes froze in shock, his weapon slipping from his grasp as his body went limp. Kenji didn't hesitate and rushed to retrieve the fallen sword by its hair-tangled hilt. A projectile hurtled toward him. He sprang into action, leaping onto a nearby shelf to avoid it. He calculated his sudden move. His weight crushed the shield goblin below.

As Kenji dashed forward, he crushed the goblin beneath him. The impact reverberated in the dim light of the room. Wide-eyed and trembling, the dagger goblin struggled to grasp the swift turn of events. Moments ago, victory had seemed within its grasp, but now chaos reigned.

Fear gripped him as he fumbled to pull out more daggers, his hands shaking. The confidence he once had evaporated, replaced by a desperate urge to survive. He could barely grasp the sudden change in the tide. Kenji was closing in, ready to strike.

With a swift move from below, Kenji made a horizontal slash, splitting the dagger goblin in half.

"Congratulations, you have levelled up," the system alert said.

The shaman saw this and was in shock. He couldn't believe his comrades had died at the hands of someone who looked ready to collapse.

The shaman was enraged and began casting. His surroundings heated up. But before he could speak, Kenji shot him in the head with a crossbow bolt.

"Congratulations, you have levelled up," the system alert said.

"Congratulations, you have levelled up," the system alert said.

"Congratulations, you are in Level 5," the system alert said.

Kenji breathed heavily. His nose was bleeding. He used his right hand to wipe the blood from his nose. He held a bloody sickle in that hand.

"It seems the poison they use is a lot stronger than the low-tier goblins I've fought," he said, his voice shaky as he moved and staggered, struggling to stay on his feet.

The world around him gradually began to fade, and he felt himself slipping into darkness. 

"It won't be good for me to faint out here," Kenji thought, fighting against the encroaching haze. He forced his blurry eyes to scan the area, desperately searching for a place to take shelter and recover. Each passing second felt like a battle against his body, and he knew he had to find safety before it was too late.

After a while of searching, Kenji spotted an orange door. The tag above indicated where the school cleaners dropped off their equipment. He forced himself to move toward it, each step a struggle against the growing haze in his mind. 

As he approached, his system buzzed with alerts, and the familiar voice announcing levelling up in his ears was a faint reminder of his progress amid the chaos. 

He reached the door and shoved it open, using a mop he found nearby to prop it closed behind him. As soon as he stepped inside, his legs gave out, and he fell to the ground, breathing heavily. The dim light and the smell of cleaning supplies surrounded him, offering a momentary refuge as he fought to regain his senses.