As I thought about how to defeat it, the goblin started running toward me. By looking at him, I can understand he is weaker than me, but the real challenge for me is that fucking sword he carries. "Okay, I should find a way to disarm him; otherwise I will die in this shit hole" trying to think calmly, I made a quick plan while the goblin approached me. When the distance between the goblin and I was 1,5 meters, he raised his sword while I positioned myself. He swung his sword like a stick. After running from some swings which lacked technique, I tried to hold the wrist of his hand, which was carrying the sword, by taking advantage of the flaws in his movements. Luckily, I managed to grip it. Because my strength was higher than his, he couldn't escape from my grip. Holding his wrist, I punched him in the face with my free arm. From the impact, he dropped his sword to the ground. Not letting him come back to his senses, I throw punch after punch until he falls back to the ground. Blood drips from my fists after I stop punching. To make sure he is dead. While he was on the floor, I took the sword, which fell to the ground. I approached his unconscious body, and I stabbed the blade into his head with my full power. Half-tired from the fight I just had, I sit on the floor panting and staring at the bloody artwork I just made.

"I really killed him." Not like I regret killing him; instead, it somehow feels exciting, like I enjoyed that fight. Probably adrenaline.

[TRIAL 1 HAS BEEN COMPLETED]

[YOU'VE GAINED 20 EXP] [LEVEL 1>2]

[+5 ATTRIBUTE POINTS]

[+1 SKILL POINTS]

[INVENTORY ACCESS GAINED]

[SYSTEM STORE ACCESS GAINED]

[CHOOSE A SKILL]

[PUSH: Uses ten mana and sends a little shock-wave to the enemy. Everything between 0 and 50 kilograms will be pushed back for 2 meters. If the enemy weighs higher than maximum capacity, the enemy will be less affected by skill.]

[PARALYZING STRIKES: From every four attacks, one paralyzes the enemy, causing them to get slower and have a decreased reflex speed. When the skill is activated, it uses 20 mana and stays active for 1 minute. After using, it goes on for 2 minutes of cooldown. The strength of the effect depends on the vitality of the enemy or the disabling abilities the enemy may have.]

"Oh skills! Let's see what we have here. The first one can save me in hard cases, and the other one can help me when I face a stronger enemy."

I think about it for a minute until I decide on one.

"I choose [PARALYZING STRIKES]"

[PUSH] is good too, but just making my enemies drop on their asses won't help me for now.

[CONFIRMED, SKILL [PARALYZING STRIKES] HAS BEEN GRANTED TO USER]

After I confirmed my skill selection, everything around me turned back to its previous white state. It will take time for me to get used to this.

"Status" and also for this too, I thought while opening my status panel to spend my points.

[NAME: Leon]

[LEVEL: 2(0/100)]

[HP: 100/100]

[MP: 20/20]

[STRENGTH: 7]

[AGILITY: 8]

[VITALITY: 10]

[INTELLIGENCE: 2]

[ATTRIBUTE POINTS: 5]

[SKILL POINTS: 1]

[INVENTORY: (TUTORIAL BOOK), (RUSTED SWORD)]

[SKILLS: (PARALYZING STRIKES|Level: 1/5| )]

[CURRENT TRIAL-2]

"Tutorial book?" it must have been added when I gained inventory access. To analyze, I take out the tutorial book from my inventory. With no text on it, a thin red book appears in my hand. Upon opening the first page, a text welcomes me.

[For the Player of Trials…]

1- Vitality makes the player both less tired from physical activities and increases HP amount.

2- Strength allows the player's physical attacks to deal with more damage.

3- Agility improves the player's movement and reflex speed.

4- Intelligence increases the player's amount of MP and control over the body.

5- The player can't die. Upon the player's death, the player will return to the hub.

6- Every one point spent on vitality gives the player 10 HP, and every one spent on intelligence gives 10 MP to the player.

7- The player can leave whenever he wants.

8- Skills can have different points needed to upgrade them to the maximum. After being completely upgraded, the skill will develop and evolve into a more powerful one.

9- There is no time limit on completing the trials. Trials will not begin automatically. When the player is ready, he can choose to go to the next trial.

10- Skills can be bought at the system store with skill points.

So I can leave here, but after I leave, what am I going to do? After all, I'm already a dead man on earth. I bet my body is rotting under the soil now. Also, there is a possibility that I can go back to that dark place, and I definitely don't want to go back there. Without being sure, leaving here may cause my "real" death this time. So I want to see where these trials will take me. "Now it's time to spend some points," I said, realizing just now I leveled up.

"Hmm, total 5 points to spend. First, because of the materiality of mana for using skills, I will definitely put some points on intelligence." What really got me thinking is what I should choose as the second: agility or strength. After thinking for a while, I decided to choose strength because, except for the intelligence, it is lower than the rest of them. Besides, it'll be more useful for me in close combat.

"Use three of my attribute points for intelligence and use the other two for strength. Also, put one point to [PARALYZING STRIKES]"

[NAME: Leon]

[LEVEL: 2(0/60)]

[HP: 100/100]

[MP: 50/50]

[STRENGTH: 9]

[AGILITY: 8]

[VITALITY: 10]

[INTELLIGENCE: 5]

[ATTRIBUTE POINTS: 0]

[SKILL POINTS: 0]

[INVENTORY: (TUTORIAL BOOK), (RUSTED SWORD)]

[SKILLS: (PARALYZING STRIKES-Level: 2/5)]

[CURRENT TRIAL-2]

!!![(PARALYZING STRIKES) is now level 2. From every three attacks, one paralyzes the enemy.]!!!

As soon as I put my points on my attributes, every one of my muscle tendons contracts in pain while my body burns with the risen temperature. Rolling over on the ground, I struggled in agony for one minute.

"No pain, no gain, I guess," I say to myself in sweat. Lying on my back, another panel appeared in front of me.

[DOES THE PLAYER WANTS TO GO TO THE NEXT TRIAL?]

[YES] [NO]

"Fuck no. Not now!" I yelled at the panel to disappear.

All I want to do now is have a good sleep. I will continue when I'm rested.

Hoping this is all a dream, Leon closes his eyes while thinking how crazy this day was…

-CHAPTER 2 END-