I survey my surroundings. Everybody present in the battlefield was now aware of my weakness. This meant that they would go for more painful attacks. I had to be more careful.
Right on cue, one of them took a step forward. The brave assailant had an ordinarily large body. His height was around my shoulders, a vast difference from the other goblins. He carried a large axe, almost the same length as his own body. Without hesitation, he dashed towards me in a speed unbefitting his size.
「Skill 'Instinct' is warning you」
Instead of ducking, I stepped towards his blade.
The heavy blade sunk into my hand, blood dripped from my palm. The reinforcement spell increased the already intolerable pain. This was my second bluff. The pain might have been enough to make a man go insane within just a second, however, I was different. The man held his axe with both hands, the blade further digging into my skin. That was his downfall.
This time I chose to be conservative. The last time I was given an opening, I panicked and bombarded my opponent in a shower of fists. This time, however… this time was different.
Taking a quick glance at my opponent, I assess the burly man's state. From the gaps in his clearly under-sized armor, I could see scratches and scars. Tales of a past that made the man the experienced fighter that he was.
I have to be quick
Tightening the muscles in my hand to it's absolute limit, I position it to stab and kill. Sweeping the giant axe to my side, I dove my flexed hand into the gaps of the man's armor, around his collarbone. It pierced his skin, flesh, but never reached his bone. The burly berserker swung his axe to retaliate, desperate to get some distance. I didn't let it.
Pushing heat into my left arm, I sweep my hand across the man's neck. The man aggressively swung his axe, desperate to stop me. He clawed, scratched, and hammered against my body, the spell enhancing the pain I continuously received. I gritted my teeth, my mouth filled with blood from the wounds that never seemed to disappear.
「You have leveled up」
「Your attribute 'Absorption' is activating」
「You have obtained the skill 'Battle Sense Lv.1'」
「Your attribute 'Assimilation' is activating」
「Skill 'Battle Sense Lv.1' cannot be assimilated due to the possession of a similar skill」
「You have lost the skill 'Battle Sense Lv. 1'」
Eventually, the berserker bled out. His arms hung on his sides, like a puppet that lost it's strings. I took a step back from the dying goblin. A sigh escaped my lips. Lazily, I looked at the remaining guards.
They didn't even try to hide their fear anymore. They were all either shaking, in shock of what just happened, or had a wet puddle underneath them. A bit arrogant, I took a step towards them. They all flinched and pointed their weapons at me, their arms shaking. I focused my eyes, the spell enhancing my vision.
Their eyes were restless, erratic. They were shifting from one direction to the other, one at me, the other to the two corpses behind me. Then I noticed something else. It was their hope – more specifically, it was their lack thereof.
Putting together the pieces, I finally understood the reason for their unsightly performance. I patted my fist onto my palm.
So that's it…!
It would seem that the two people who faced me first were their best fighters. Now that the only people that they have to face me – excluding the mage – were gone, they were currently at an impasse. They had no realistic way of killing me.
Cracking my neck, I took an unguarded step forward. I had to be careful. My body was currently in a bloody mess – with all the wounds, cuts, and bruises that I concurred. I was tired, and the circuit-like arrays of black lines on my arms were still burning despite the lack of blue mana in the surroundings. Just the slightest mistake would mean my immediate demise. Suddenly, they did something unexpected.
What the…?
They were kneeling. Then – like that wasn't already over the top – they were soon prostrating themselves before me. I didn't know how I felt seeing the – most likely – brothers and sisters of the people I had just killed. Well, not really.
It feels… nice?, Elating?... somewhat satisfying?
It was hard to put into precise words, but I knew what I felt. I already knew that I wasn't somebody someone would call 'normal' or 'mentally sane' like all the others.
In the first place, they were the ones who were weird. Conforming to such mundane and boring ideals like 'happiness' or 'love' was something I could never understand. I always moved for my own benefit. Only helping those who shared the same goals as me. Though there were rare occasions, people who were just like me. People who saw the ugliness of the world and decided to use it for themselves.
Picking up one of the soldier's sword, I raised it high.