Chapter 20 The Beginning - Strength (Part 4)

Noticing the sun was going to set soon Daichi began thinking about whether they should quit while they were ahead or look around some more. They hadn’t been out of the cellar past sun set at all yet.

Looking at both Hannah and Kaden chat happily about their growing strength, Daichi decided to ask them their thoughts.

“We could head back now like usually, or do you guys want to try and look around, see what happens after the sun sets? I think we’ve gotten a good deal stronger than before. We definitely shouldn’t engage in needless combat but it might be a good to explore some more.” Daichi asked, trying to gauge their reactions to his suggestion.

Hannah looked surprisingly calm, her expression didn’t change much. She looked like she was deeply considering it. Kaden on the other hand immediately showed his thoughts and his apprehension in his expression.

“I don’t think we should do it. Yeah we’ve gotten a bit stronger, but the only reason today was so easy was because all the monsters were fighting each other and we took that opportunity and made it ours. If either group decided to just focus on us it would not have been anywhere near as easy and the smallest mistake could still cost us our lives. Plus Hannah hasn’t been putting much effort into increasing her speed, if we have to run at night and can’t even see well, forget about her being able to run away. She’s likely to trip on her first few steps.” Kaden pointed out

Giving him a death stare Hannah rebuked him almost immediately “I think I will be fine thank you very much! Uhm… If you two want to look around some more I’ll be fine. I’m barely tired after that last fight too.” again not making eye contact with Daichi

Hmm… Daichi pondered…

“Okay never mind. We’ll go about this differently. You’re right, Hannah doesn’t have enough speed since she’s been focusing on her skill. Let’s go back.”

“We’ll go back to the cellar. Once we’re there though, I’ll go out for a look by myself. I’ve already started to feel kind of strange as it is being around people for this long. It’ll be refreshing to spend some time alone.” Daichi decided in his mind, which was the reason he agreed so promptly to Kaden’s suggestion.

Nodding at Daichi they both agreed, but Hannah looked a little bit disappointed. She was disappointed that they had decided to go back likely solely because of her. Feeling like a weight around their ankles, she felt like a burden instead of an asset at the moment.

They headed back to the cellar and for the first time they noticed a few goblins around the residential district. They avoided them so as to not draw any attention to the area they were hiding out in, but Daichi found it a bit strange that they’d be in this area when they had avoided the area in the first place.

“Although it might just be because we’ve taken out so many orcs today, which may have been the deterrent to them coming to this area somehow… Or perhaps it’s maybe just because of all the battles in the surrounding areas that these goblins are the cowardly sort?” Daichi tried to figure it out as they walked back in silence.

After they got to the cellar, it opened by itself. Ava gave them a crystal which was similar to a key. Just by being in front of the cellar doors, the crystal would trigger the doors to open. It was necessary since she wasn’t coming with them earlier. As Kaden and Hannah start heading down Hannah looked back and noticed that Daichi was not following them down.

“I’m going to go take a look around. I won’t engage in combat. I just think it’s best that we gather more information. We still don’t know much and we definitely have to stay ahead of the orcs and goblins.” Daichi nodded at them and before he could give them a chance to say anything back, he started walking away.

Even as he was walking away he thought “I’m sure if I give them the chance at least Hannah will try to talk me out of going.” Stepping away from the doors they immediately started to close, stopping Hannah in mid-sentence, not that Daichi heard what she was saying anyways.

Feeling a breeze, Daichi feel lighter. Being with the others made things safer, but it also meant less experience, less kills, less opportunity to get stronger. Daichi was focused on making himself strong so naturally his thoughts reflected that much “I’ll definitely go take a look around like I said… But if I run across anyone I think I can beat, well I’m not just going to let walking stat points just walk away… Hehe…”

Feeling giddy Daichi started walking around the residential area. Not coming across anyone at first. As the sun was setting and the moons began to rise. The climate started to change and it started to feel colder very quickly. Not too long afterwards Daichi noticed a small batch of goblins laying down on the ground right outside the residential district, asleep and defensive… Their lackadaisical behavior made him wonder if it was a trap…

He’d circled around the residential areas up until this point to verify how safe they were, but now that he’d come across a few bundles of sleeping experience….

“Too easy…Still… Opportunity right?” Daichi couldn’t resist himself and began to prepare himself.

He took out his knives instead of his swords and crept closer to them and as he triggered .

Goblin Warrior: Level 9

Goblin Warrior: Level 9

Goblin Warrior: Level 9

Goblin Warrior: Level 9

“Eh… Strong group… Strong group for goblins… Easy experience for me. Even if they were awake I could take them as I am now… So no wasted opportunities for me!”

Daichi got closer and closer not wanting to make any noise. Finally behind one of them, He put one of his knives away and grab its mouth while simultaneously slitting it’s throat and then stabbing him through the eyeball. Almost no noise… None of them woke up. Daichi shifted around to the next one and the next one and then the next one. Each one died without so much as a grunt. While it was not much for experience, it took barely any effort on his part.

Feeling excited about how easy it was he left the bodies as they were and walked away. He started heading away from the residential district instead of looping back in. Instead of heading for the middle of town he decided to head out of town instead. “I’ll head north and see what I can find.”

At the very north of town there was a cliff that overlooked the forest. That forrest leads to the mountains ahead of them. It was a beautiful sight, but it was also one of the towns advantageous points. The town itself was actually built in a strategic position, with a cliff and a natural wall as a barrier on the north, and forestry to the east and west.

“After all these goblins and orcs have to be coming from somewhere. If they have leaders then they must all report back or meet up with them at some point somewhere.”

Walking along a path with least about of rubble. Daichi started to wonder what he was doing.

“I’ve never had a goal in my life, and if I did it would have been something like this. A life where everyday I woke up excited. Except now that I’m living some form of that I feel as if I need a new goal. I need to change and adapt to this new world as well. Just being willing to do what’s necessary is not going to get be very far here.

I need a goal and I need to change, and actually do something about reaching my goal. In the past I lost count of how many times I complained about my status window and my boredom. I also never did anything about it though, I guess because my dad always told me to have patience and to be good. For now, I don’t think there’s a concept of good or bad, right and wrong that applies here.

I’ll make finding out the answers to all the questions this incident caused. About my status window, my attribute, everything. That’ll be my goal. I’ll aim for answers.”

Feeling a sense of accomplishment at his new resolution. Daichi was in a daze before he realized how strange the sight before him actually was. Without realizing it he was walking towards the lights.

“Why are there lights?”

The moonlight guiding him as he intrinsically walked over the hill to the top in at the very edge of the town. He looked down and over at the forest engulfed in fire.

In that fire hordes of monsters were slaughtering each other. Thousands of monsters laying waste to one another and being engulfed by flames.

Sweat trickling down his brow Daichi watched in trapped horror and fascination.

The sheer number of these monsters would be terrifying by itself but without even needing his skill Daichi could tell there were Elemental Beasts, packs of Demon Wolves, Ogres, and Hellfire spawns. The lineup he could make out was enough to render him speechless and incapable of moving. These were monsters he’d only seen in books or some, so rare that he’d only read their description much less seen a picture.

Staring out at this horror before him his mind went blank. Daichi’s heart beating faster and faster until his own heartbeat woke his mind from it’s stupor.

“Incredible. This is incredible.”

His fascination striking a thought first before being followed up with a nauseating feeling of self-deprecating

annoyance at his own lack of strength. “If I were strong enough I could join in on this blood bath. If I were strong enough I could slaughter my way through every single monster there.”

Feeling his blood boil and the hairs on his body stand at attention. Daichi followed his thoughts.

“If I had the strength I could make this world mine. I could make everything mine. If I had the strength…”

Daichi’s thoughts ending as all he could feel and think now was how much he wanted to kill everything in front of him. He just wanted to kill and kill and feel the blood spray on his body as proof that it was him.

Unintentional taking a step forward, his foot hovered over the cliff…

Ability Created: Bloodlust Aura

Created through the singular focused thought of killing and mana release.

“Eh.” Daichi’s thoughts suddenly less jumbled and now confused as he lost sight of himself for a second as he saw that information in his mind.