Chapter 20 - A Glimmer of Hope

[Discerning Eye Lv1]

- Collects information about the desired target

- Slight immunity from illusions

- Grants perfect vision

Grant had checked his new skill and he immediately used it on Deck who had his eyes closed while mana flowed rhythmically around him.

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[Deck] (Goblin)

Lv 3 (Witch) [I]

HP: 226/226

MP: 123.75/123.75

Stamina: 234/234

Current State: {Normal}

Attributes:

Str: 78

Dex: 78

Cons: 78

Int: 82.5

Wis: 82.5

Agi: 78

Skills:

[Curse Affinity lv 1] [Mana Control lv 1] [Staff proficiency lv 3] [Mana Affinity lv 1]

[Faster Mana Recovery Lv 1]

Skill Points: 0

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Khueeeu! Deck squealed in glee. The flow of mana around him stop and he the goblin gave the impression of someone who got a high score on a test.

Intrigued, Grant poked Deck who looked at his finger that was touching his forehead. He stepped back and sat on the ground.

"Hmm... Show me what you learned." Grant was curious. Except for the status increase due to the assignment of class and the extra addition of new magic-related skills, Deck showed no outward change.

But he could feel that something changed inside Deck. The flow of mana, Grant presumed that to be different.

Deck nodded eagerly before grabbing his staff and standing up warily. One misstep and he would fall of the large branch the two were nestled in.

The goblin had started chanting a language Grant couldn't understand nor fathom. Mana started flaring around the little green monster. Grant patiently waited and the next second, he felt a sense of weakness envelop him.

Deck had targeted Grant with his newly learned spell.

[You have been weakened.] A notification rang inside Grant's mind and he checked his stats to find his strength to had been reduced by a small margin. It wasn't noticeable to him but maybe to others, it would be worse.

Grant heard Deck chant once more and another spell hit him. This time it was much more effective.

Grant's eyes sagged a little and a soft yawn escaped his mouth. He felt like he was tired all of a sudden.

Stamina: 4567/5000

Stamina: 5000/5000

His stamina had been reduced. Next up he checked Deck's mana and saw it only go down by 8 points.

'That's it! This is it!' Grant rose to his feet and he looked down on the goblin who looked up at him with a slightly confused expression present on his face.

"How many targets can you affect with the second spell?" Grant asked and if Deck was able to do what he thinks the goblin spellcaster could do then he had found a possible way to turn the tide of battle.

Deck scratched his little green head before counting on his fingers and presenting three fingers to Grant who sighed.

It was better than nothing...

"How long can you maintain such a spell?"

In response, Deck blanked out. He didn't know how he should explain to Grant how his newly learned spells worked.

There existed a language barrier between them after all. Although Deck and his two other buddies could understand human speech they weren't able to speak it.

Goblin vocal cords were not capable of a much more advanced form of communication compared to screaming and non-understandable speech. Only hobgoblins, an evolved form of goblins could speak.

That is if they took the time to learn any additional language except for goblin communication.

Grant had wanted Deck to encase all of the Dragon's forces with such a spell that served to exhaust their targets. But unfortunately, he overestimated Deck's capability.

The little goblin was still a low level and had just been a witch for like what? A few measly minutes? And there was no doubt that it won't work on the dragon.

Having a higher wisdom stat also increased how resistant one is towards debuff or mind related type magic. Grant was also pretty sure a skill that raises resistance toward such magic exists.

Despite not knowing how really strong the dragon was, Grant knew it was not to be underestimated. Dragons were legendary creatures capable of bringing ruin to kingdoms at full maturity.

Their teeth are swords.

Their claws are spears.

Their wings are a hurricane.

They are fire, they are death.

It was a famous saying that foretold of a dragons reputation. A reputation that was forged from countless kingdoms ruined by a dragon's wrath.

"Never mind. Deck, be sure to always have three targets afflicted with the second spell that you've used on me. And never stop draining their stamina alright? After they collapse immediately switch to another one or recuperate your lost mana." Grant knew the way to victory.

He may lose the fight against the Dragon and its army, but he would win the war that is survival.

Granted with such an unnaturally large stamina well, Grant knew he would be able to hold on for a whole hour in a fight. And the dragon stepping in to finish things with physical might would never occur.

He wants to win a battle of attrition against the dragon. If he was able to hold out for an hour, then maybe Beatry would have come back by then with someone capable of helping him.

'I do not trust anyone but myself and my underlings... Yet here I am forced to place my hopes of living in someone I had just met.' Grant sighed. He was never the type to put things up to fate as he always seized every opportunity and planned ahead.

Everything that must be done is always finished by him and him alone. He had lived a lonely life for the past few years and he grew accustomed to doing things without asking for help.

This was a first for him.

Grant snickered. Terrunn never fails to surprise him.

The world was magical and it seemed to be forcing new things on him.

"Do not leave the tree unless I say so." With one last command, Grant jumped down the tree and headed back into battle.

His plan was simple, survive as long as he can while killing as much as possible. And to do that, reducing the goblin population of the forest was needed to increase his chances of survival.

He had already deduced that once something had been slain by another living creature, part of that creature's strength flows into the murderer's body.

Increasing their own strength. In a simpler term, killing grants exp and makes one level up.

Grant never gained a level but his base attributes always increased after killing something. He was curious as to how far his strength would reach.

He landed on the ground and soon, the might of the goblin army came bearing down on him. Grant gave a chuckle, determination present in his eyes.

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Khue KHuuu!!!

The goblins clinging onto the red-haired girl let out terrified and concerned shrieks. Their staff holding friend was gone and only the two of them were with Beatry.

Even an idiot would have guessed by now where the other goblin went. He had chosen to stay behind.

Beatry had been running the whole time after Grant had opened up an opportunity for their escape. Her chest heaved up and down quickly and sweat dripped from her forehead. She held tightly the torch which was lighting up her path.

Her lips were sealed shut. With furrowed eyebrows and uneasy eyes, she kept on running, forcing herself to go faster.

Grant was a stranger that had recently met her but she had already grown to like him in the short span of time they spent together.

He always had a calm look that never wavered unless it came to food. He was strange and mysterious but he was one thing that Beatry had failed to find in the other men she had laid her eyes upon.

Grant was a real man.

There was this aura to him that made her come up to such a conclusion. Not only that but his strength and his personality was cold but not completely uncaring.

She had seen it in his eyes. Eyes that held no fear of death. In the face of death, humans would reveal their true nature. Beatry had long learned that from the numerous idiots that had wanted to impress her.

Only for them to run away like dogs after she tested their courage by purposely leading them to a strong monster that was powerful but not completely out of their league.

She expected Grant to run but he didn't he stayed behind for them.

Beatry tried her best to run and her legs had long since started to feel like they were on fire from forcing them to go faster but she didn't stop.

If she was to stumble now and fall then Grant would not survive no matter how strong he was. She started to feel light-headed but she pressed forth.

The forest started to grow less thin with time and the spark of hope burned strongly in her heart. And then she saw her.

A brown-haired woman of great beauty. Her skin was slightly tanned and her eyes were a deep shade of crimson. A golden ring lay dormant on her right hand while a cloak draped over her shoulders and hid most of her body.

A ball of flame floated around her like a lamp that drove away the darkness of the forest of shadows.

It was Stella.

"LADY STELLA PLEASE SAVE GRANT!" Beatry pleaded to the woman before her vision grew hazy and she fainted, caught by the gobs who jumped off her the moment they saw Stella.

She was exhausted and her body gave in to its desire of rest upon seeing Stella.