Nathan stood in the midst of the goblin corpses, his breathing ragged and his heart pounding in his chest. The adrenaline rush had given way to a sense of exhilaration. He had always known that he was strong for his level, but this was something else entirely. He had never felt so alive.
He took a deep breath and looked around, scanning the forest for any sign of movement. The trees were still, and the only sounds were the chirping of birds and the rustling of leaves in the breeze. But Nathan knew that it was only a matter of time before more goblins appeared.
"I need to level up as fast as possible," he muttered to himself. "I can't afford to waste any time."
He had made up his mind to climb the tower alone. The memory of his dead friends still haunted him, and he couldn't bear the thought of getting close to anyone again, only to watch them die. But to climb the tower solo, he would need to push himself beyond his limits and level up incredibly fast,
"There are only a few High Rankers that solo climb, and they are all prodigies amongst prodigies. I'd need to be on the level of Jackson Hill to do this…but I have the Eyes of Erebus. The shadow clearly believed that I could do it, so there's no reason to doubt myself."
Nathan drew his shadow sword and began to run, his feet pounding against the forest floor. He moved through the trees with the speed and grace of a predator, his senses on high alert for any sign of danger.
It wasn't long before he heard the sound of goblins in the distance. He veered towards the noise, his sword at the ready. Nathan's heart raced with anticipation as he sprinted towards the sound of the goblins. The forest blurred around him as he moved, his feet pounding against the ground in a steady rhythm. He could feel his pulse throbbing in his ears, a steady drumbeat of excitement and fear.
As he approached the source of the noise, he saw the goblins rushing towards him with their swords drawn. They were ugly creatures, their skin a sickly green hue and their eyes glowing with malice. Nathan could feel his muscles tensing as he prepared to fight.
The first goblin rushed towards him, its sword slashing through the air. Nathan moved with lightning-fast reflexes, his shadow sword flashing as he parried the attack. The impact of the blow jolted through his arm, but he pushed through the pain and counterattacked.
The goblin fell back, its body torn open by Nathan's blade. Blood spattered across Nathan's face, and he felt a thrill of exhilaration. He had never felt so alive before.
But there was no time to savor his victory. More goblins were rushing towards him, their swords glinting in the sunlight. Nathan leaped into action, his sword whistling through the air as he hacked and slashed at his foes.
The forest rang with the clash of steel on steel as Nathan fought. He could feel his body growing tired, his muscles burning with exertion. But he pushed through the pain, determined to keep fighting.
The goblins were fierce opponents, their attacks coming in fast and furious. Nathan could feel his breath coming in short gasps as he dodged and weaved, his sword moving in a blur of motion.
But he was starting to gain the upper hand. He could see the fear in the goblins' eyes as they began to back away from him. Nathan felt a surge of confidence, a sense that he could take on the world and emerge victorious. Slowly, as he continued to kill the goblins, he could feel his body become lighter, and the shadow sword became easier to swing. He was familiar with this feeling. It was a high that was incredibly addicting, a rush of power that was almost intoxicating.
Nathan's senses became sharper, his awareness of his surroundings heightened. He could hear the rustling of leaves on the wind, and the chirping of birds in the trees. His eyes were sharp and clear, able to pick out even the smallest movements in the forest.
And then, suddenly, a blue screen flickered before him. Nathan jumped in surprise, his eyes widening as he saw the message.
"Congratulations! You have reached Level 5."
Nathan grinned, feeling a sense of accomplishment wash over him. He had been so focused on killing the goblins that he had completely forgotten about his level. But now that he had achieved another level, he felt a renewed sense of determination. However, this sudden reminder sparked a curiosity in Nathan's mind.
"A level four should not be this strong. Even a party of level three hunters shouldn't be able to kill goblins this easily. This skill," Nathan paused, looking down at the shadow sword in his hand, feeling a slight warmth emitting from the handle, one Nathan had not noticed before, "What was that shadow?" Nathan shook his head, "I'll think about this after I leave the tower." He pushed the curiosity to the back of his mind, and focused on hunting once more.
He continued to run through the forest, his sword slashing through the goblins with deadly precision. He moved with remarkable speed and agility, his movements a blur of motion. He felt invincible, as if nothing could stop him.
But as he fought, a new idea began to form in his mind. He had been relying on his shadow sword to kill the goblins, but what if he could create other weapons from the darkness? Weapons that would perfectly suit anything that arises during battle. What if he could throw knives made of shadows at his enemies?
The thought excited him, and he decided to try it out. He closed his eyes and concentrated, imagining a throwing knife made of shadows appearing in his hand. He felt a tingling sensation in his fingers, and when he opened his eyes, he saw the knife, made of complete darkness, sitting lightly in his palm.
With a flick of his wrist, he sent the knife hurtling towards a group of goblins. It embedded itself in the chest of one of the creatures, and the others looked at it in confusion. Nathan took advantage of their distraction and charged forward, his sword slashing through their ranks.
The fight was over almost before it began. The goblins lay dead at his feet, their blood staining the forest floor. Nathan stood in the midst of the carnage, his chest heaving with exertion.
Nathan cast his wary gaze across the verdant forest, his perceptive eyes scanning the emerald foliage for any sign of movement. He knew full well that the malevolent horde of goblins still lurked amidst the canopy, biding their time and awaiting their opportunity to strike. Nevertheless, Nathan had accomplished enough for one grueling day, and he yearned for respite. With a deep sigh, Nathan sprang upon a nearby branch that was elevated enough to remain beyond the goblins' discernment. He found a position that was comfortable enough to provide much-needed rest and relaxation, and leaned his fatigued frame against the rugged, pitted bark of the tree. There he rested his head in his calloused hand, and with a voice that was weary yet unbroken, he muttered to himself,
"Stats," A bright blue screen appeared before Nathen, about four feet tall and about half as wide.
Hunter: Nathan Pierce
Class: Swordsman
Level: 5
Stats:
Strength: 16
Dexterity: 14
Constitution: 13
Intelligence: 7
Wisdom: 9
Nathan paused in silent contemplation for a moment, his mind still reeling from the sudden rush of adrenaline that had accompanied his recent victory. He had grown stronger, more formidable in his quest to climb the tower, and his stats had increased by a significant margin. Yet, even as he basked in the afterglow of his triumph, there remained a nagging feeling that had been gnawing at him for some time. And then, in a sudden burst of clarity, the realization struck him like a bolt of lightning. Nathan's hand shot up to his forehead in alarm,
"Oh, shit!" he exclaimed, his voice echoing through the tranquil forest. "I completely forgot about the Sentinels. I've already registered that I left the tower, so if I try to leave again, they're gonna be a major pain in the ass."