Chapter 6

The bright sun leered down at the pond, reflecting its light like a mirror. A ripple at the edge of the pond ruined the peaceful mirror image of that pond. Kazu washed his mouth off of the vomit, clenching onto his sword.

He stood up, then put himself into a crouch. Stealth he thought to himself. It activated, and his body became translucent. He chose where to land each of his steps to maximize silence. The two bodies of goblins laid dead silent. Kazu sliced through their ears, surprised blood didn’t spill out. He put the two ears in his left pocket.

Hiding beside the cave, he waited for the goblins to come out. Tch. Kazu clicked his tongue. This is taking too long.

He entered the cave. The cavity was 2 meters tall. It was dark, mossy, and a disgusting smell lingered in the air. Kazu reached his hands on the side of the cave walls. As soon as his palm touched the wall, his hand jolted back to its original position, wiping away the sticky stuff onto his pants.

God damn goblins. His face knotted. How do they live in such a disgusting lifestyle

While walking, Kazu saw a dim light in the hallway of the cave. The shouting originating from that room of the cave became louder as he got closer and closer. They were shrieks of a gremlin talking to each other. In this case, they were goblins that were the size of a large baby. Their disgusting smell permeated throughout the cave causing Kazu to gag.

Kazu peaked at the corner of the opening of the cavity in the cave. 3 goblins around a small stone table shouted at each other, then laughing after hitting one another. Kazu readied his sword and thought to himself Assassinate

His body moved automatically, swerving through the litter along the ground without making any sound. The first victim had its throat sliced open. Kazu used the skill again—guessing correctly that the skill doesn’t have a cooldown—then the next victim had its heart pierced right through. The two kills were instant kills, not even showing a number to describe the damage done to them. Each goblin gave 36 xp.

The next goblin already started running away from the chaos. Its eyes wide open as it ran away from the black veiled shadow killing its comrades, but it was too late. The shadow already activated the skill again, and the pounce was on its way.

Kazu’s body moved automatically against its will following the assassinate command. His body leapt through the air, gliding across the room with extreme speed. The goblin tried to block with a bluish red gem in his hand, but the gem shatters and the sword struck through the back of the goblin’s neck, incapacitating it in an instant.

[[ Stamina low ]]

[[ Instant kill > Goblin ]]

[[ Gained 36 xp ]]

Update: Stealth level up.

Update: Assassinate level up

Description: (2.7->2.5) Stamina use on every activation is decreased.

Kazu laid down on the ground before slicing up the ears of the goblins. After he activated the skill a third time, his body was flooded with fatigue.

Help > Stamina description

Stamina: Allows user to cast physical skills. If the user reaches below the minimum threshold of stamina, extreme fatigue is put on the body. If the user reaches 0% stamina, the user immediately goes unconscious. Minimum stamina threshold: 20%.

Damn. That’s dangerous Beads of sweat along Kazu’s cheek dropped on the floor.

“Stats”

StatusNameKazu TomoeLevel2HP200/200MP305/305Strength9Vitality8Wisdom17Intelligence12Agility6Stamina9Endurance19Luck1Phys. R41Mag. R.34

Unique Traits:

Hero Stats

Artifact "Exended Status" [Inactive]

Skill list:

Hide (2)

Sneak

Assassinate (2)

Observe (2)

Identify

Scan

My hp went up by a lot from just one level. Kazu smiled. But still, I can only do a maximum of 2 assassinates or else my body is going to go limp

Kazu looked at his hand carrying the sword. His hand shivered and the sword made a rattling noise. He tried to control his shaking hand, but it made it worse by almost dropping the sword. His face turned sour as he knew the reason why his hand was shaking—killing isn’t easy.

Guess I’ll give up for now. He sighed. I hope brett forgives me for not doing a 3rd.

He tried standing up with shaking legs, but fell on the ground. The thud echoed through the cave walls. Soon, loud familiar shrieks of the gremlins came from the deeper parts of the cave. It was the other goblins.

Kazu used stealth, then ran away. His footing fumbled along the rough cave floors as his legs still shook from the thought of taking lives with his own hands. His face twisted into a frown when he looked back and saw dozens of goblins chasing after him.

Reaching the end of the cave, the sweet smell of grass reached Kazu’s nose. He jumped to a nearby bush right away and silenced his breathing with his shaking hands.

Ugly green giant gremlins—goblins poured out of the cave. Kazu’s eyes squinted and his lips curled down. He counted more than 30 goblins ran out of the cave.

That’s more than what I expected. There’s no choice left but to give up for today. He thought.

The goblins all went in one direction. Kazu smirked at the sight. Goblin’s are really stupid aren’t they.

Kazu limped along the tough terrain of the giant trees. He dragged his feet through the giant roots, tripping now and then while trying to control the shaking of his legs. In the corner of his eyes, he saw a violet light spark.

Kazu jolted his body to hide behind a tree. He peeked his head to see what was ahead. His face turned cold with despair. The violet haired man with his lackeys were looking for something and they were near him.

Update: Awareness (passive) learned, a sub skill of observe

Awareness Lv. 1 (passive)

Description: Able to use the 5 senses to see where things are. Range of skill increases with each level.

“Where’d that blacky go?” The man growled. “He couldn’t have gotten far. He was just at the plaza!”

Shouting will just give off your position stupid, Kazu thought.

Kazu heard the rustling of grass around him expecting it to be one of the men. However, he sighed in relief seeing the goblin. To think I would be happy to see this guy.

The goblin looked across the direction where Kazu hid, but the reflection in the eyes of the goblin saw nothing as it turned its head away from Kazu. Its eyes turned towards the direction of the violet haired man, staring at him for a moment. Then, it shrieked like it was going to die. The goblin ran towards the violet haired man, surprising them even.

“Huh?!” The violet haired man stepped backwards. “Tch, stupid goblin.” The goblin was cut in 2 without any resistance.

Suddenly, a rumbling echoed in the forest, ruining the peaceful waters of the pond. From all directions, goblins surrounded the 4 men. The goblins stopped just before they got into melee range of the men they surrounded. Then, that moment, a red light circle appeared in front of the lackey named Fid—the second in command Kazu thought.

The red light circle bursted into flames and a fireball the size of one goblin blazed through the crowd. It carried the goblins it hit, scorching them along the way until exploding in midair causing even more damage. The fireball alone killed a dozen of goblins.

“Boss.” Fid wiped his head. “I don’t think I can cast another…”

“Tch!” The boss eye brows contracted. At the same time, he bit his lips. “Let’s kill our way out of these pests.”

The goblins charged at them, but any goblin that came near them met their death. Their heads were sliced through their necks with no resistance. Blood spurted out of their necks staining the clothes of the men hacking them down. Kazu gagged at the massacre that just happened. He couldn’t control it and vomited bile from his empty stomach.

“Boss!” Fid pointed at Kazu’s direction surprising the other 3 men beside him. “There’s something over there!”

They jumped over the giant roots and over the mounds of dead goblins to where Kazu hid. Looking down at the corner of the tree, nothing was there.

“Boss! He’s running away!” Fid pointed at the direction Kazu ran. He ran towards the meadows where there were other people hoping that they would help him.

The grass grew thicker as Kazu got closer to meadows. He tripped on a root falling down on loose mud. Steps from behind him got closer until he saw the boss of the group standing just a meter away from him. The boss looked down at him; his face was red and his eyes drew in killing intent sending a shiver down Kazu’s spine.

The boss jumped down onto the muddy ground splashing some on Kazu’s face. Three splashes around Kazu followed suit. He was surrounded by the thugs and the first one to take action was the boss.

The boss kicked him in the face.

[[ 41 damage > Kazu 149/200 hp ]]

Stealth wouldn’t be useful in this scene. Kazu curled up in pain. The mud will give off my position… am I going to die?

“Look at how pathetic this insect is.” The boss smirked and his arrogant eyes filled with ecstasy.

“Boss, wouldn’t it be bad if we kill him?” A different lackey from Fid spoke up.

“Shut up!” The boss shouted. “Who told you to talk?!”

The man stepped back. His giant build almost reaching 2 meters tall proved ironic for his soft spoken words. A metallic noise of unsheathing echoed in Kazu’s mind. The boss held his sword just above Kazu’s thigh. In an instant, he stabbed through Kazu’s thigh.

“GGYAAAGH!” Kazu yelled in pain. Birds around the trees fluttered away making the forest even quieter than before.

[[ 97 damage > Kazu 52/200 hp ]]

[[ Bleeding, 1 hp/minute ]]

The damage prompt was ruthless to Kazu. It was telling him that he had no chance of living he thought.

“Boss.” The giant man stepped back in. “I really think we shouldn’t kill him…”

“Shut up I said!” The boss shoved back the giant, but he didn’t budge. “I’ll do what I want with this pest.”

The giant sighed clenching his fist together enough to make a sound.

“So.” Kazu coughed. “This is what you do?”

“W-what?” The boss stuttered.

“Pick on weaklings just to satisfy your desires?” Kazu mocked.

The boss picks Kazu up by the hair, putting his face up right next to his. “I dare you to say that again to my face.”

His breath reached Kazu’s face and the crazed purple eyes of the boss right next to his own.

“It gets you off right?” Kazu chuckled, then it turned into a low laugh. “Picking on weaklings because you know yourself as a weakling. Next you’ll blame me for being a demon and that I must be killed—but you know it all yourself that’s just an excuse to trample on weaklings like me. Hehehe”

“Shut up!” The boss punched Kazu in the face sending him flying away on solid ground.

[[ 12 damage > Kazu 40/200 hp ]]

[[ 5 impact damage > Kazu 35/200 hp ]]

“What I think doesn’t matter.” The boss laughed scaring the 3 behind him into a shrink. “What matters is… is the death of all demons!”

“He.” Kazu chucked again. “You know nothing of demons if you’re trying to kill me. Why not try killing yourself?”

The boss’s face went red with anger. His eyes locked on Kazu’s neck and swung his sword. “Die brat!”

Ting! clang!

The sound of metal clashing against something hard rang through Kazu’s ear. Again, there was no impact when he closed his eyes to received the blow. He peeked through the lids of his eyes to see beautiful small pure white wings flapping and glowing under the shade of the trees.

She wore leather armour, and her leather boots covered her legs all the way to her thighs. Her tight clothes wrapped around her slender curves, a sight that could only be described as alluring. The free flowing hair danced along the wind carrying with it a soothing smell.

She turns her head slightly to Kazu and her bright smile warms his heart—calming it that everything will be okay now.

“Shit! She’s a caster!” The men surrounded the boss, covering him from the woman who appeared. The one in front was the giant and the rest were at the side of the boss. They pointed their swords against her. Their eyes were firm and calm unlike the man behind them—their boss. A red circle of light appeared on Fids palm.

“No you don’t.” She smirked. A blue circle appeared in front of her, much faster than Fid’s. An icicle flew at Fid interrupting his concentration; his circle disintegrated into powder flying into the wind to disappear.

“Boys, if you don’t want to get hurt. It’s better to just call off this murder.” Her lips turned into a smile, but her eyes were cold as ice.

“Tch.” The boss stepped in front of the tree. “Just because you know a few spells doesn’t mean you’re stronger than us.” He flashed his adventurer plate. It had a C★ meaning he was eligible for promotion to B.

“Oh. How cute.” She mocked with her hands covering her mouth. “Cute little C ranks trying to cause trouble.” The next moment, she flashed her own. It displayed a B★.

“You know, being A rank means that you have to be drafted into the military for the war right?” Her posture relaxed as if to mock them even more. “But for B ranks, its only optional. Haven’t you heard of the rumors of people not wanting to take the promotion quest just to stay out of the war?”

“Shut up!” The boss waved his hand in a horizontal swipe. “It doesn’t matter if you’re B★. What makes you think you can fight as alone?”

His smirk returns and the arrogance in his eyes lit up again. “Giant, cover Fid. Endel, go to her side to flank. I’ll go from front.”

“Wow. Telling me your plan. Aren’t you stupid?” The woman laughed. She unsheathed double daggers from her waist. The jester hat patterned hilt on the daggers glowed green and her body as well glowed green. “Raym Harley, engaging!”

“Harley or whoever you are doesn’t matter. Just die!” The boss thrusts his sword forward, but misses causing him to lose his balance falling on to the mud. “Agck!”

The dagger lit up in a flash and an icicle lands at the boss’s feet. In the meanwhile, Endel was already in a slashing motion as his sword was about to land on her.

Suddenly, her eyes closed half way, enough to freeze someone with her cold eyes. Her body becomes a blur and then Endel’s body flew away with frozen shoes. The glow on her right dagger disappears.

A man dropping down on the mud creating a splash was heard coming behind the giant. The giant had his weapon already sheathed knowing full well of the defeat.

“Fid!” The boss shouted. “What are you doing?! Blast her!”

“I-i-I Cant!” Fid ran away like a dog with its tail between its legs. The giant who was beside Fid sighed and walked away as well without uttering a sound.

“Traitors!” His face was still beet red from anger.

“Isn’t this enough?” The woman came up to him.

“Clipper bi-” Before he could utter the last word, the woman kicked him right in the face knocking him unconscious.

“That’s what you get for calling me a clipper.” She turned her head back at Kazu with wings flapping again like a dog wagging its tail. “Are you ok?”

Kazu had his arms covering his eyes moving it away to see the beauty kneeling down beside him. “I don’t think I look okay. Am I okay?”

Her head turned to his bleeding thigh. “Just wait a second.” She reached for her pocket pulling out a piece of paper with a circle encasing a hexagram. It had runic inscriptions written in the spaces between the lines. She puts it on top of the wound. Kazu’s face twists as the sting of pain engulfs his left thigh.

In a brief moment, the paper on top of the wound soaked red glowed green. The blood soaked in the paper disappeared and the pain in his left thigh disappeared along with the blood.

[[ +100 Heal > Kazu 135/200 ]]

“This should cover you for now.” She stands up and dusts her clothes off. “Try standing up.”

Afraid of standing up, Kazu looks at her face that seemed to glow under the shadow of the trees. He takes a deep breath and moved his left leg, then stands upright.

“It doesn’t hurt?” Kazu asked.

“Yep. heehee.” She smiles. “You’re lucky he didn’t hit the bone so it was easy to heal. What were you doing out here anyways?”

“A-ah.” Kazu looks down staring at his hands. “I was supposed to kill goblins, but it was harder than I thought. And then those guys came along.”

“Must be your first time seeing the life of something wither away.” Her solemn stares gave an ambient vibe as the wind passes through the trees above making a calming sound. She grabs his hands and drags him towards the meadows. “Tell me, before you went out to kill goblins. Did you try killing the slimes?”

“Of course I did.” He blushed looking at her hand interlocked with his. They reached the borders of the forest and steps into the meadow where he killed the slimes.

Hundreds of slimes blue and pink rallied across the meadow wobbling through it to get to the edge of the forest where the pond laid. Through the thick thickets of trees, Kazu saw the slimes entering the pond disappearing into it.

“Young boy. Sometimes, killing is necessary.” She sighed in with a relaxed smile and warm eyes unlike before.

Before talking again, she sat down in one of the giant roots of the tree, then patting it to tell Kazu to come sit with her.

“Look at all the slimes. Slimes aren’t actually bad, they never hurt humans, but goblins do. The goblins hunted them en masse in the pond so they had no choice but to evacuate. In order for them to live, they needed lots of water and the vegetation here gave that so it caused them to eat all the plants.” She turned her head to look at Kazu. Her eyes glittered as it reflected the swaying leaves above.

She grabbed his hands then said, “For a beginner like you, you need to understand killing isn’t bad. But it is always gray. You understand?”

Kazu nodded, unable to utter his words as his lips parted to try and say something. He looked at her wings still flapping with excitement. His hands reached for it, then pets it.

“Hyaah?!” She jumped off the root. “What are you doing???”

“I was just curious what that was.” Kazu laughed. “I didn’t know it was real.”

“Of course its real!” Her face blushed pink. “Haven’t you heard of Nayans before?”

“Hm?” A question mark seemed to appear on Kazu’s face.

“Its my race…” She looks down with her still blushed pink face. “Although I’m only half… It’s a race with wings ok! And they’re very sensitive! I’ll forgive you this once just because its your first time seeing one… and you’re kind of cute.”

She said those last words in a whisper and Kazu didn’t hear them.

“So will you let me touch them again?” Kazu asked.

“Of course not! Hmph!” Her lips turned into a pout and her eyes still riddled with embarrassment. “Listen here young boy, never call anyone a Nayan a clipper or you’ll get beat.”

Kazu nodded and understood it well now that the context is in place. Clipper would probably mean something about clipped wings, Kazu analyzed.

Suddenly, water sprouted out from the ground right in front of us. It spun and spun until it all it reached a height of 2 meters. The spinning stopped splashing Kazu and the woman with water. In front of them, a shape of a woman made of water appeared. She had a giant marble shining brightly as the sun reflected and refracted in her body of water.

“Scan”

StatusNameLleya Water SpiritTypeWaterHP10000MP25000Attack Rating???AttackWater spellsDescription: The peaceful water spirit that resides in East Pond. Her powers were sealed by the witch doctor of the goblins that lived beside the pond causing her to despair as her kin were hunted one by one.

“By shattering the gem the witch doctor held, you have unsealed me. I thank you young hero. Now my race can live in peace in the pond. Young hero, I would like to hear your name.”

The water spirit floated in the direction Kazu. She ignored the woman beside him and Kazu knew the water spirit was talking to him. Kazu’s eyes turned into a warm gaze and his lips parted in a sigh.

“My name is Kazu Tomoe.”

“Young Hero Kazu Tomoe, take this as a gift. Raise it well… May your journey be filled with delight and prosperity.”

The water spirit melted into the ground leaving only a puddle. In the middle of that puddle, a blue gem laid sparkling brightly under the sun. Kazu picked up the blue gem and examines it. In the middle of the gem, it had a mysterious vortex spinning around making it even more beautiful.

Acquired: Water Spirit Egg

“My name is Raym Harley.” She smirked. “You’re one lucky fellow or should I say “Young Hero”?”

“It was just luck! I’m no hero…” Kazu’s face blushed. She strolled away into the meadows leaving Kazu behind. “Will I see you again!!?” Kazu shouted.

She stopped in her tracks, then turns her head back again with the cutesy smirk. “Who knows?”

Her silhouette in the distance disappears. Kazu gets up from his crouch and walks the same way she did towards the gate.

He slumped his way through the hill and enters the gate ignoring the stares of the guards. Climbing down stairs of the worm train station, there were only 2 other persons waiting for the train. He stood on the while looking around the station with only his eyes. The station lacked decoration, it was more like a hole dug in the ground and stone laid up on a foundation.

The rumbling of the train soon came, and the whole station vibrated with dust falling from the ceiling. A blue worm came through the tunnel and then stopping right at the other end of the tunnel.

The door opens then an officer comes out, this time a man, and then shouts, “This is the blue worm! Next stop is Shopping district and then this worm goes out of service at the South Gate.”

The three men, including Kazu, hopped in through the doors and sat in a seat. Kazu closed his eyes to doze off to ignore the rough train ride.

Conversion 3%

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4%

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5%

Inventory unlocked.

Command: “Inventory”

What the hell is this conversion thing… Kazu’s eyes widen at the pop-up. “Inventory.”

A menu pops up and a 30 x 30 square grid pops up. On top of the dialogue, it said “Inventory” and 900/900 slots unused.

Kazu reached for his pocket taking out the water spirit egg. He touched the water spirit egg onto the dialogue causing a ripple of light. The other passengers directed their eyes towards him, then continued reading their newspapers.

Kazu then dropped the water spirit egg into the dialogue prompting a blue gem icon to appear in the very first box. The dialogue on top changes to a 899/900 slots unused.

This is technically cheating isn’t it? Kazu smirked.

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If you spot any mistakes, please tell me and I will fix it.