After killing the last Goblin Gatherer I double-backed to the same place west of the clearing, at the tree where I hid the first one's body and checked to see if it has been discovered.

Nothing had been moved, there are no footsteps on the grass except for the pair of the dead one and upon further checking the clearance ahead, I saw that the other remaining guard yelling angrily while slamming his spear on the bark of a nearby tree, probably venting regarding the missing four party members and his senior guard colleague that still hasn't return even after fifteen minutes have passed.

I used the Identify skill on the remaining two targets and saw that fortunately or not, the remaining gatherer was only level one and didn't had the Rally Cry skill, while the last one had an average level 1 Job. It seemed that all my planning went to waste, but even so, better safe than sorry.

After another couple of minutes passed and with it the experience multiplier, the guard pointed in my direction and sent the remaining scrub to check on his senior to bring him back, since he likely didn't want to take the heat of pissing him off himself.

"I guess this is alright as well. I was hoping that he's going to come investigate himself, but this could work better."

It amused me, the simplicity of this creatures and the fact that instead of going as a group, they decided to split up forces like that making themselves more vulnerable. It did made my job easier to be honest, but somehow I felt like the bad guy in this story...

I waited for the Goblin to pass by my tree and silently climbed down of it. He headed straight towards the place where I killed the guard, but when it reached the tree and saw the green blood on the ground, he suddenly turned around wanting to run. To prevent any screams I used my left hand and punched him in the throat fast, while hitting him with the hilt of the short sword on the back of the head.

Surprising enough, my split second thinking became better after reaching this world...and since I realized that I was no longer fazed by killing these creatures. I seem to find the best solutions even while in fights, the now unconscious Goblin serving as a positive example to enforce that theory...

"This guy is a barely level 1 Gatherer and the experience I can get from killing him is something I could gain after walking 10 miles. However...I might have a use for you later."

I watched the guard become impatient after about ten minutes went by and not even the Gatherer, much less his senior returned. He left the baskets and the rabbit he just dissected, grabbed the spear that looked that it might crumble any second now and pushed it in front of him, while striding in my direction.

It seemed that he is quite cowardly though and I expected of him to run, which would've worked just fine as well. Using a level one with something like a farmer's occupation to scout previously instead of using yourself that's an armed guard to protect him...kind of pathetic to be honest, but it didn't really mattered. I just stood there and patiently waited for him to approach the tree behind which two Goblins were now hidden. A dead one and an unconscious one!

It didn't take him long to stop at the same pool of green blood and while the guard bend over to check the trail leading to the tree, I took that opportunity to sneak behind him. After checking him once more with the Identify skill, I saw why he was being pushed around by the other guard.

Name

-

Name

Value

Name

Value

Job Name

Level

Progress

Race

Goblin

STR

17

Magic

0

Goblin Guard

1

78%

Sex

Male

DEX

12

Charm

0

Age

13 days

AGI

10

Luck

15

World

Anhur

END

7

HP

260/260 (+0.4/sec)

INT

6

MP

10/10(+0.001/sec)

WIS

2

I didn't even bother checking his skills since he's this weak... Ugh! I could let it live, but he would surely grow up to become as annoying as the others, so it's better to snuff him out early. Since I also wanted to check just how far has my mind 'devolved' when it comes to killing, I took the almost blunt knife around my ankle and walked behind the unsuspecting target.

With a movement that to me looked way too natural, I grabbed his forehead with my left, pulled it backwards and stabbed it in his heart once, the dagger barely piercing through. Then, I quickly pulled it out and slashed his throat before it could scream.

Critical damage inflicted! -226HP!

Bleeding status inflicted! -45HP/sec

The target has been stunned for 3 seconds!

Fatal damage inflicted! -373HP!

The target has been stunned for an additional 2 seconds!

Your target died!

OK, maybe I should avoid killing monsters in the future in such a psychotic manner, since it even made me wonder where I took a wrong turn in life... So, killing them normally would suffice.

When I turned around and faced the tree, I locked eyes with the newly awoken Goblin who was so scared that he literally pissed himself and looked like he wanted to cry. Sadly, he didn't get the chance as I smacked him in the temple with the hilt of the sword again, seeding him packing to the world of dreams. I didn't killed him yet since, as I said before, I had other plans for him.

After checking the experience progression, it has increased showing that I was no longer in battle, probably getting only the x2 multiplier. The total amount I got from the last guard was negligible, meaning that even if I successfully triggered the occupation bonus, 1x2 still equals 2... I checked my status window while I was bringing out the rope out of the pouch, hoping for something nice.

Name

Michael Corbett

Name

Value

Name

Value

Job Name

Level

Progress

Race

Human

STR

16

Magic

5

Scout

8

3%

Sex

Male

DEX

18

Charm

10

Age

25

AGI

22

Luck

10

World

Anhur

END

16

HP

472/472 (+2.4/sec)

INT

18

MP

265/265(+1.8/sec)

WIS

12

Skill List Name Level Proficiency Identify MAX 100% Fear Resistance MAX 100% Stealth 3 74% Ambush 3 46% Blessings granted by the world: Blessing of experience

Leaving aside the status points gain, it seems like the Ambush went up another level. That was something to be happy about!

Ambush: when attacking from behind, the damage dealt is increased by 600% by imbuing mana in your weapon. If attacking from stealth, there is an 85% chance to deal fatal damage if the enemy's total HP is lower than yours. The chance is increased to 100% when hitting a vital spot and if the attack fails the target is inflicted with a random affliction status for a total of 3 seconds with a chance of 55%.

Cost: 25MP

Alright, so...the damage output did increase and the chance to inflict a negative status as well in the case of failing to kill the target in one go. I guess that's good enough for now...

"Good! With this I'm halfway done. Let's tie this green mob and bring it to the clearing. Oh! I should bind his mouth as well since he might wake up and start yelling. Wouldn't like for it to meet some stupid conditions, gain the skill and bring about his entire race here."

I carefully tied the legs of the Goblin and his hands behind his back once we reached the clearance. Then I used the remaining rope to create a gag which I used to make sure he doesn't squeak.

There are two reasons for me doing this and not kill him: one, I wanted to eat the rabbit since I craved for some meat worse then when I had my first munchies back on Earth and since they pretty much handed it over to me, why not? And two, I planned to find out where the Goblin village is.

I am not stupid, but of course didn't understand their language (if they even had one to begin with) so there was no interrogation or negotiation involved. What I had planned was simpler than that.

"Now then let's cook. I have my reserves regarding eating it raw since well, salmonella, but since they were kind enough to light a fire for me, I'll gracefully accept it. Speaking of which, how did they light the fire actually?"

I remembered then the two small rocks I found in the pouch I took previously and realized that they are in fact quarts rocks. If I remember correctly, this is used as flint to light fire when you don't have matches or lighters in the wild. Yup! Bear Grills... Quite crafty of this green mobs to use them like this.

Either way, I took my time in roasting the rabbit carefully and then the leftover two birds. After hungrily eating most of the small animal, I realized that I could store some in my pouch. But eating something from this foul smelling thing didn't felt right. So I used the water from the pouches of the two guards to wash the one I had and 'soaped' it with some crushed Oak flowers. I then searched around for some big leaves and found some weird looking plant which I used the Identify skill on to make sure it wasn't poisonous and showed 'Alocasia'.

"Guess this will do. I need about four of this... Oh! I wonder if the level one scrub woke up."

I walked towards the clearing and found the Goblin struggling to get out of the bonds, but I made sure they are tightened properly and that it removed his freedom completely.

A smirk surfaced on my lips as I walked passed him and he looked sincerely frightened by me. Couldn't really blame him after I killed six of his companions...that he knows of. I ignored him and walked towards the pouch I washed previously and left close to the fire to dry. I picked it up and it seemed good to use and less smelly, so I covered the two cooked pigeons (at least I lied to myself that they were since I didn't want to identify them) and then the remaining rabbit meat, while putting it into the pouch.

After a quick search and some skill use, I found out some fruits close to berries in the baskets, which I then covered in the remaining leaf and placed it in as well.

Using the remaining water after securing enough to last me a day or two with rationing, I proceeded to wash the blood of my face, limbs and sword. I honestly wanted to throw the t-shirt that turned from white to green in the fire as well, but I thought about how this world might have oversize mosquitoes, shuddered at the thought and let it stay on me.

"I guess is time for the second half of the plan. Let's see if this guy is smart enough to make it happen though..."

I put the sword in the scabbard around my waist and the pouch over my shoulder after made sure the fire stopped burning with some kicked dirt on top of it. I walked close to the Goblin, looked down at him and left. It was then when, 'by accident', I dropped the pseudo-knife in front of him while I kept heading towards the south part of the clearing, the opposite direction to which they were initially headed.

There, I quickly made a detour while watching the Goblin struggle towards the knife from a safe distance and soon reached the north end of the clearing. It must've been around two, maybe three minutes since I wanted to move fast, but this guy was still struggling to turn around and grab the knife.

"I wonder if this would really work..."

It took a really, really, really long time and from the shadow on the ground it was near noon. I think I must've waited two or three hours, easily, for that idiotic trash mob to escape his bindings. Finally he seemed to have managed to cut the twisted fabric around his hand, then his mouth and lastly feet.

He got up fast and started looking around scared, but his next action caught me totally off guard and surprised me big time: he went to the baskets and collected as much as he could in one of them that was now filled to the brim and hurriedly walked towards my direction holding it tightly.

"Strange creature to put food above its own survival... But it seems that is well worth the wait. Now then, lead me to your camp green mob!"

The plan was rather simple: I let him 'escape' and in return he will run home since he can't call the others over with the skill, I follow and find the location and then head towards the tower, knowing which direction I need to avoid.

I wasn't planning anything stupid, like attacking the village since that's surely suicidal. What I had in mind was getting out of this forest alive and as fast as possible.

The Goblin passed me and kept looking back, checking if I am behind him, each two or three seconds. Poor bastard...I think I might've traumatized him.

I kept a ten meters distance and moved slightly ahead of him from his right side.

"Let's see where you bastards live!"