Raid on The Kobold Tribe

Ink crossed his arms.

"Looks like it."

The girl chuckled, casually twirling one of her daggers between her fingers.

"Bad luck for you, then."

She took a step closer, her violet eyes sharp and assessing.

"Avery Neller, Level 18 Rogue," she said, taking the initiative to reveal her level.

Ink remained silent for a moment.

This girl looked at least a year or two older than him.

Ink was 18.

Then, with a faint smile, he replied, "Ink Ashborne, Level 8, Death Knight."

Since he couldn't see through her level, it meant she was at least 10 levels higher than him.

She wasn't lying.

Avery tilted her head slightly, eyeing him with curiosity.

"Is that a hidden profession? I've never heard of it before."

Ink nodded and gestured toward the Kobold Tribe in the distance.

"You going there?"

She grins. "Obviously. You?"

Ink smirked. "Wanna team up?"

Avery shrugged. "Sure."

Ink and Avery crouched behind a large rock, surveying the tribe ahead.

Scattered tents made of rough leather and wooden poles dotted the clearing. A massive bonfire burned at the center, casting flickering shadows across the surroundings.

Dozens of Kobolds moved about, some sharpening weapons, others feasting on scraps of meat.

[Kobold Berserker – Level 14]

[Kobold Shaman – Level 14]

[Kobold Warriors – Levels 10-12]

A total of 30 enemies.

Ink exhaled. "That's a lot."

Avery smirked, her fingers tapping the hilt of her daggers. "Numbers don't mean much if they die before they react."

She turned to Ink.

"I'll handle the Berserker and the Shaman."

Ink raised a brow. "Confident, aren't you?"

Although she's level 18, but there was a lot of enemies.

Avery grinned. "I'll be fine. You take care of the Level 10 and Level 11 Kobolds. Think you can handle that?"

"Alright".

Avery's form shimmered, then vanished.

Stealth.

Ink waited.

The first to fall was a Kobold Warrior.

A sharp dagger slit its throat. The body slumped silently to the ground.

One down.

A second Kobold, standing near a pile of weapons, barely had time to turn before another dagger pierced its heart.

Two down.

A third was about to scream.

Avery covered its mouth and drove her blade through its ribs.

Three down.

Ink took this as his cue.

He stood up.

A Kobold turned, eyes widening.

Ink dashed forward.

His sword swung.

Dusk Crescent Slash!

A crescent-shaped wave of dark energy shot out, cutting through three Kobolds at once.

[Kill Level 10 Kobold Warrior. Experience +150 (Divided)]

[Kill Level 10 Kobold Warrior. Experience +150 (Divided)]

[Kill Level 11 Kobold Warrior. Experience +180 (Divided)]

The remaining Kobolds howled in alarm.

The entire camp stirred.

The Kobold Berserker roared, gripping a massive iron-studded club.

It charged—

Avery moved like a shadow, appearing beside the Shaman.

Her dagger plunged toward its throat—

But the Shaman reacted.

A barrier of green energy formed.

Avery's blade bounced off.

"Tsk." She leapt back.

Ink didn't hesitate.

He raised his left hand.

"Death Coil."

A twisting spear of necrotic energy shot forward, aimed directly at the Kobold Shaman's chest.

However—

The green energy barrier surrounding the shaman flickered and solidified, intercepting the attack.

BZZZT!

The Death Coil collided with the magical shield, causing ripples of dark energy to spread across its surface.

But it held, Ink's level was too low compared to the shaman.

The Kobold Shaman screeched, its claws weaving through the air as runes glowed around its fingers.

A spell was forming.

Ink didn't plan to let it finish.

He surged forward, his sword slicing through the air.

CLANG!

His attack struck the barrier—sending sparks flying—but it didn't break.

The Shaman finished its incantation.

A pulse of green light exploded outward.

Ink suddenly felt his feet grow heavy.

Vines of compressed air wrapped around his legs, anchoring him to the ground!

Damn.

The Kobold Berserker didn't waste the opportunity.

It lunged forward, its iron-studded club swinging down toward Ink's skull!

Ink gritted his teeth.

His grip on his sword tightened and turned to block.

CLANG!

Ink's hands and entire body felt heavy on impact, he staggered back, feeling the force vibrate through his bones.

It was painful, even with his passive Wraithguard that reduces physical and magic damage by 15%.

His defenses were strong, but he had no armor. He relied entirely on dodging, endurance, and his passive resistance.

If this continued, his bones would break.

Meanwhile, Avery's eyes flickered with focus.

She reached into a small pouch at her belt and pulled out a tiny glass vial filled with a thick, green liquid.

Poison.

With practiced efficiency, she coated her daggers, the venom sinking into the metal.

Then—

She whispered under her breath, her fingers forming a subtle gesture.

"Disorient."

A faint violet mist seeped into the battlefield, vanishing into the air.

The nearest Kobold Warriors—about five of them—suddenly staggered, their reptilian eyes flickering with confusion.

One dropped its weapon. Another tripped over its own feet.

Ink noticed immediately.

A spell that induced dizziness?

Avery, moving like a shadow, vanished again.

Her target: The Shaman.

Ink clenched his jaw.

The Berserker roared, charging again.

It swung its massive club horizontally, aiming to crush Ink's ribs—

Ink barely dodged, stepping back at the last second. The club brushed past him, kicking up dust from the ground.

Even a glancing hit from that thing would hurt.

Ink exhaled sharply. He needed to counter.

But—

A sharp scream erupted from the other side of the battlefield.

Ink's eyes darted toward the Shaman.

The Shaman's barrier had already weakened from their attacks earlier.

Avery didn't waste time.

She appeared behind the Shaman, her poisoned dagger sinking deep into its back.

The Kobold screeched, twisting in pain—

Avery twirled, her second dagger flashing.

SLASH!

She sliced its throat open.

The Shaman gurgled, trying to cast something—

But the poison was already spreading.

Its body trembled.

Its spell fizzled.

It collapsed.

[Kill Level 14 Kobold Shaman. Experience +400 (Divided)]

Avery flicked the blood off her daggers and turned to Ink.

"Alright, your turn."

Ink saw her coming.

Avery was already moving toward him, her violet eyes sharp.

The Berserker turned to react, sensing a threat—

Too late.

Avery dashed past it, slashing its hamstrings.

The Berserker roared, stumbling as its legs buckled.

Ink saw his chance.

He stepped forward, sword raised.

"Dusk Crescent Slash!"

A dark crescent-shaped wave of energy erupted from his blade—

SLASH!

The attack struck the Berserker head-on, carving a deep wound into its chest.

The Berserker staggered, its grip on the club loosening.

Avery appeared right in front of it, her dagger aimed for its throat—

STAB!

The blade pierced through.

The Berserker choked, blood spilling from its mouth.

Then—

It collapsed.

[Kill Level 14 Kobold Berserker. Experience +400 (Divided)]

The remaining Kobold Warriors were still disoriented.

Ink and Avery exchanged a look.

Then—

They finished the job.

One by one—

The last few Kobolds fell.

—

The bonfire crackled in the now-quiet camp.

Ink stood over the corpses, wiping blood from his sword.

He was startled when he saw his status panel.

[Character Status]

[Level:] 10 (90%)

[Vitality:] 145

[Strength:] 75

[Agility:] 75

[Constitution:] 75

[Skills:]

Dusk Crescent Slash (Level 2): A sweeping sword slash that releases a crescent-shaped dark energy wave that travels forward, cutting through enemies.

Death Coil (Level 2): Unleashes a twisting coil of necrotic energy that travels in a straight line, dealing shadow damage to enemies.

[Passives:]

Wraithguard (Level 1): Reduces all physical and magic damage taken by 15%.

Revenant's Stamina (Level 1): Reduces stamina consumption by 70%.

Other than the increase in stats, his two skills both leveled up.