Stark looked around, everyone seemed to already have their own cliques. He took a step to a group of 3 kids, but they began to walk in the direction of the forest. A sigh escaped his lips. Maybe he would just be alone?
A nearby Tony noticed the pitiful child and approached him, "You stayed the night here right? Do you want to join our group?"
"Okay."
"Why do we need him? It was because he couldn't kill anything that he stayed here." the silver-haired youth said, annoyed.
"You are still holding the grudge over the chocolate? Grow up." Misumi said, exasperated.
Oliver blushed, "No! I completely forgot about that. He is just useless."
"It's okay I can find another group," Stark interjected.
"No, you can just ignore him, he is just rude," Misumi said, waving her hand.
"Yeah, the only reason we keep him is that he is unfortunately really good at killing goblins," Tony added. He rolled his eyes. What group? They all left.
Stark nodded. He would rather just leave if a person did not like him but if two people ask him to stay it was hard to refuse.
"Don't expect us to share our kills with you," Oliver huffed, taking the lead.
The group of 6 including Sky and Gale walked into the forest, mowing through the goblins. They tapped the back of their wrist onto the corpse and the counter on their bracelets went up by one each time. Stark's eyes flashed with a hint of terror. Not long ago, these were all normal kids, who had probably never killed in their entire lives. Wasn't he the same? Why is the difference so big?
"How long are you going to just stand there?" a frustrated voice entered his ears.
"Oh, sorry." Stark caught up to them.
"Really useless."
Night came and everyone slept quietly in the trees. It seems the other 4 spread the word about goblins not being active at night.
"Why don't we just go into the caves, if they are not active?" Oliver suggested, his hand playing with a blood-stained dagger.
"That's too risky," Tony rejected.
"Oh come on they are really weak, and if they are sleeping they should be easier to kill."
"I am not going to pick a useless fight. I can't guarantee Gale's safety if we get surrounded," said Sky, gently patting the head on her lap.
Misumi's brows furrowed, "If we monitor how they move at night, we could use it to catch them as soon as they enter their cave."
"Hah! You finally said something good." Oliver turned to the rest of the group, "How about it? This way we can't be surrounded, and we get more kills."
"It seems feasible," Tony nodded.
Sky looked down at her lap, "Do you want to?"
Gale nodded his head, "I can't always let you protect me."
"Okay, I agree."
"Great! With everyone in agreement, we can check the cave now." Oliver walked in the direction of the cave.
"I will not be coming," Stark said.
"Oh yeah, you are here. Well, that is to be expected. You can't even kill one of them." Oliver took a final jab at Stark before joining the others.
Stark retraced their path, he swung the bat and broke the skulls further, and took out a fingertip-sized green crystal covered in purple blood, he swallowed it. He gagged as he heard a notification in his head.
[You have gained, Crooked Teeth: Goblins are notorious for their crooked teeth, your teeth are more crooked.]
"..." So it works like this too? He can get a physical defect? There are so many health detriments to having crooked teeth. The main ones being, he would be less employable. Maybe he was just unlucky. His mom had always told him crooked teeth and swearing will make people not want to be your friend. Later she had also added the employment status. If he gets a good job, his friends will be as numerous as the dollars in his bank account. That turned out to be a total lie but he still subconsciously followed those rules.
[You have gained, Slacker: Goblins don't like to do work, you are lazier]
"Fuck." his tongue slipped. He looked around and sighed in relief. It really just boosted his worst character trait. It seems he was really lucky yesterday. Few seconds of internal screaming later, he shook his head, he was already lazy. What difference does being a little lazier make to him?
[You have gained, Green Pigment: Goblins have green skin, your skin will become greener as you eat more leaves]
Goblins eat leaves? Stark looked at his skin, it turned and bloodless translucent white, the blue of his veins became more apparent from under his skin.
[You have gained, Super Primitive Tool Building: Goblins can create simple tools, your ability to make primitive tools is the exact same]
So if I already have the ability nothing will change. Stark stood up abruptly and ran in the direction of the cave, a grave look on his face.
Gale took exaggerated tip-toed steps to a goblin and sliced through the creature's neck. A head rolled off as he tapped his bracelet against the corpse of the creature. A 58 lit up on its screen. He excitedly ran back to his sister's side. "This is really easy."
Sky put her finger over his mouth and reprimanded in a whisper, "We are already taking a risk by choosing to enter. We cannot wake them up."
Her brother put both her hands over his mouth and gave an exaggerated nod. Gale heard hurried footsteps from the forest and quickly held his dagger out. His sister took a similar stance. The silhouette was of a youth a little older than him with overgrown black hair.
Deeper into the cave, Misumi, Tony, and Oliver were making short work of the goblins, each one of them having over 300 displayed in their wristbands.
Misumi cut through the neck of another sleeping goblin, "This one's neck was harder to cut than the others."
"I have been feeling the same way. Deeper in are stronger goblins, we should head back." Tony whispered.
"So? Normal goblins break like eggs, what is wrong if they are a bit tougher." Oliver sneered at them. He used his other arm to stabilize his trembling wrist, a 434 lit up. But in this place he can get stronger, he can not cower. There is no place for fear where he wants to go.
"Stark? I thought you were not coming." Sky asked, her eyes held traces of worry looking at his abnormally pale complexion.
"Where are the others?" Stark said in between heavy breaths.
"They all went deeper into the cave. Why?" Sky replied.
"Didn't they say they were scouting?" Stark wanted to curse.
"All the goblins were asleep, so they went to kill them while they had the chance."
"The dungeon is evolving, we have to call them out."
"What? How do you know that?"
"They can make tools. Only F-rank goblins can do that." Stark said, his voice panicked. He had completely forgotten his shyness.
Misumi held her stomach, her hands stained red. Her vision was focused on a stick with a jagged rock tied onto it. A mouthful of blood forced itself out of her throat. Tears blurred her vision. She pushed herself to her feet, her trembling legs took a step but was struck in the back of the head by a stick. Her eyes rolled back and collapsed.
"Misumi!" Oliver shouted. He hurriedly supported her and ran in the direction of the cave. Tony quickly followed them. They looked around the cave of decapitated goblins, thankful that they made sure to get rid of them.
From behind them, there were a total of 10 goblins all carrying a stick with a sharp rock. Running at them at a frightening speed.
"They were never this fast." Oliver cursed.
A goblin leaped, trusting its stone into Oliver's calf. He screamed from the unfamiliar pain. The rough edges of the rock were like sandpaper grating his inner flesh. Chunks of flesh came out with the rock forcing another howl out of him. It thrust again.
Tony swung his leg, shattering the goblin's skull.
"Take Misumi," Oliver said, forcing himself onto his feet.
"But"
"Just take her!" He screamed. The goblin's all turned their attention to him, making him shudder, "See? I'm already dead." He said mockingly. The cool air of the night rode from the entrance gently touching his pink inner flesh. Not sure if it was the adrenaline but his leg felt surprisingly light. He sliced at the neck of one of the approaching goblins, dropping the head cleanly to the floor. With a roar, he pushed off his injured leg. He kicked the goblin between the legs, jumped on it, and thrust the dagger into its head.
From the corner of his eye green covered his vision, a goblin was slamming its makeshift ax at his head. His pupils dilated, everything seemed to light up. The hideous drooling face, its short black hairs, even the pores became clear in the dimly lit cave. He tried to pull the dagger out but it was too deep. If only he hadn't been so overeager, he could have taken this one too.
The goblin's head jolted and stumbled backward and touched its head. Its yellow eyes turned away from the frozen Oliver and looked menacingly at a black-haired youth running toward the goblins. He threw another rock at the goblin and violently swung the bat smashing the skull of one of its nearby friends. Without time to celebrate his first kill, he found another target.
Sky rushed in and thrust a dagger into another's skull. Tony capitalized and stabbed into another goblin. The remaining goblins screeched and ran at them. Tony grabbed Misumi, and Stark put Oliver into his arms and ran. At the entrance of the cave, Gale and a few others had gathered and slammed their bats, knocking out the remaining goblins. They set the injured down and when Stark felt a sting on his arm. It was purple, he grimaced and did the only thing he thought to do, and squeezed it with his hand.
Oliver looked at Stark with a complicated look on his face but turned to Misumi. Her face was colorless, her breaths weak. He quickly put his hands over her stomach and applied pressure. He felt a presence in front of him, he kept his down and spoke, "Find a way to contact that guy."
"I am that guy."