Trial (2)
[Now beginning the 2nd trial...]
After pressing yes to begin the 2nd trial, Jin quickly got into stance, gripping the hilt of his sword as he focused on slowing his heart rate and steadying his breath.
[2nd Trial has begun...]
[Quest: Kill 3 goblins]
[Rewards: ???]
He scanned the trial details, his teeth gritted in frustration.
'Dammit… three goblins? I struggled with one—now it's three?'
One by one, three goblins materialized, a faint glow illuminating each spawn.
But Jin wasn't about to wait for them to get the first hit. The system never stated that he had to wait for the goblins to finish spawning.
As the last goblin began to materialize, Jin dashed toward them, swinging his sword in a vertical arc and slicing the off-guard goblin.
[You have killed a goblin.]
Jin raised his arm, sword still in hand, wiping away the green, murky blood. A smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth; the kill had been easier than he had expected.
But he knew not to get cocky. Instantly, he got back on guard, his eyes locking onto the two fully spawned goblins, their giant knives shaking as they seethed with anger.
"What's wrong? Did I kill your friend right in front of you? Sorry—like I give a damn!"
The goblins screeched in unison, their frothing mouths opening in a wail as they charged at him.
He watched as both of them closed in. Jin's sword was held before him as he backed away, managing to block the attacks from both goblins. One was strong enough, but two? That was a whole different challenge.
He blocked another strike from the goblin on his left before swiftly kicking the one on his right in the face. Staggered, the goblin reeled back. Without hesitation, Jin followed up with a diagonal cut upward, cleaving the same goblin in half.
[You have killed a goblin.]
'...This feels surreal. It's like I can see exactly where I need to strike, and I know how to move my feet... It's like I'm in perfect sync with my body. What is this feeling?'
[You are reaching a point of realization within the sword.]
[Congratulations… you have awakened a sword path.]
"Sword path? ...What does that even mean?"
He had no time to ponder the message, however, as the last goblin lunged at him. His gaze shifted, locking onto the creature with a ferocious intensity.
The goblin hesitated for a moment, sensing the change in atmosphere. It didn't understand the feeling, but it was instinctively aware of the fear emanating from this human.
In a swift, precise motion, Jin's sword cleaved through the goblin's neck, sending its head tumbling to the ground.
[You have killed a goblin.]
[You have completed a quest.]
[You have completed the 2nd trial.]
[Rewards are being given...]
Jin exhaled deeply, catching his breath. After the fight with the three goblins, he hardly felt fatigued. He felt energized.
As the battle came to an end, his vision had sharpened, narrowing in only on his opponent. With each strike, his instincts guided him, highlighting weak points and timing his movements perfectly. He could almost see the red markers on the goblins' bodies, telling him exactly when and where to strike.
Then, the notification from the system appeared again. Jin opened it with a curious smile.
[Sword Path Awakening]
A rare occurrence where beginners begin to understand the ways of a sword like a seasoned master.
He smiled, pleased by the results.
'So it just means I got stronger, huh?'
[Rewards are being given...]
[You have leveled up.]
[You have leveled up.]
[You have leveled up.]
[You have leveled up.]
[You have leveled up.]
[Your mastery of the sword has increased.]
[Before: Basic]
[Now: Advanced]
Mastery: Your proficiency increases, boosting your power and sharpening your senses when using the weapon you have mastered.
[You have obtained 'Goblin's Eye.']
[You have 20 free points to allocate.]
[Do you wish to start the 3rd trial?]
Jin sat down, taking a moment to review his rewards. He scrolled through them until one caught his attention.
[Goblin's Eye]
[Rank: Rare]
[Desc: When worn, it allows the user to detect hidden malice toward themselves. Additionally, it grants a 3-second ability that heightens the player's vision, slowing down the environment around them.]
[Can be upgraded.]
"That's amazing. I didn't expect the system to give me something so useful this early."
He grinned. "I leveled up a lot, too. Guess I should check the rest."
The primary reason Jin had beaten the goblins so easily was the 10 points he had allocated earlier. Now, with 20 free points to distribute, he was eager to strengthen himself further.
Afterward, he spawned another complimentary water bottle.
[Complimentary Bottle of Water]
[2/5]
'So I can only spawn this five times. Makes sense—only five trials to go through,' he thought.
He stretched his limbs and relaxed his body before picking up his sword and glancing back at the system panel, now asking about his next trial.
[Beginning the 3rd trial...]
[Quest: Kill 5 Red Goblins]
[Rewards: ???]
By now, Jin understood the pattern. The monsters wouldn't stay the same, and he had expected this change.
He saw one of the red goblins spawn. Without hesitation, he rushed forward, sword raised overhead. Using his newly awakened sword path, he could see exactly where to strike. He brought his sword down in one smooth motion, slaying the creature with a single blow.
Perhaps it was the combination of his enhanced stats, newfound mastery of the sword, or the awakening of the sword path, but Jin felt unstoppable.
With every swing and every movement, a red goblin fell before him. He used the delay between spawns to his advantage, moving with the grace of a predator. With his increased speed, he felt as though he was gliding through the battle, light as a feather.
Call it what you want, but Jin had already completed the 3rd trial.
He raised his sword over his shoulder, watching as the last red goblin's body vanished.
He looked at the rewards from the completed trial.
[Red Scarf]
[Rank: Rare]
[Desc: Dropped by red goblins. Wearing it grants an increase of 5 points to both the 'Power' and 'Tenacity' stats.]
"Ooh! That's amazing!"
Then he paused.
"Maybe it's just me... but wasn't that a bit too easy?"
He quickly covered his mouth, realizing his mistake.
'Dammit, dammit! Everyone knows not to say that when facing monsters, or you'll get what you wish for: a stronger opponent!'
"Gah, now the system will definitely take that as a challenge."
His fears were confirmed when the notification stopped after his fifth back-to-back level-ups.
[You have completed the 3rd trial.]
He took a bit of a break, allocating his points accordingly alongside the buffs from items.
< [Name: Jin Tempest] >
-[Rank: -Nil]
-[Level: 17]
-[Class: -Nil]
[Status]
-[Skills: Sword Path]
-[Body: Decent Condition]
-[Power: 31(+5)]
-[Agility: 35]
-[Tenacity: 23(+5)]
-[Will: 10]
Then, he turned to look at the next panel.
[Would you like to begin the 4th trial?]
[The difficulty will increase significantly.]
[5 players have passed and stopped at the 4th trial so far.]
[None have attempted the 5th.]
Without hesitation, he clicked yes, bracing himself for what was to come.