Chereads / The Pinnacle of the Known Universe / Chapter 4 - The Forest and Lake

Chapter 4 - The Forest and Lake

Elijah stepped outside the hall, with the goblins leading him towards the edge of the clearing. The goblins were chattering among themselves, occasionally looking back at Elijah as if to make sure he was still following. Elijah walked a bit slower, taking in his surroundings. The forest was dense, and the trees towered above them, blocking out most of the sunlight. The air was thick with the scent of pine and moss, and there was something different in the air. It was as if he could feel the magic pulsing through the forest, making everything feel alive.

As they walked towards the lake, Elijah noticed that the goblins were becoming more relaxed around him. They were still wary, but they were starting to open up a bit. One of the goblins, a small one with a lopsided grin, sidled up to Elijah and pointed towards the lake.

"That's where we fish," the goblin said, gesturing towards the shimmering water. "We catch big ones, too."

Elijah nodded, impressed. He had never been much of a fisherman himself, but he could appreciate a good catch when he saw one.

Elijah turned to the goblins and asked the system if they could give him more information about them. The goblins looked at each other, unsure of how to respond. Finally, one of them spoke up in broken Language.

"We...goblins. We strong. Fight humans."

Elijah nodded, trying to hide his confusion. He turned to the system for an explanation.

"The goblins have 10 strength, but they are a lesser variation of monster. Their strength is not equal to the 1 strength of a human being. This also applies to higher life forms like dragons," the system explained.

Elijah was taken aback. "So you're saying that if I encountered a dragon with the same stats as me, it could kill me in a blink of an eye?"

The system confirmed this, and Elijah felt a chill run down his spine. He asked the system if there was a way to simplify the data so that it could equal his current status. The system responded by providing him with the stats of the goblins divided by 10.

Species: Goblin

Life Rating: Tier 1 ( Converted from Tier 0)

Strength: 1

Agility: 1

Intelligence: .5

Wisdom: .5

Vitality: 1

As they continued their tour, Elijah began to ask the goblins questions about the forest. They were happy to oblige, and soon he was learning all about the different creatures that lived in the forest. He was fascinated by the goblins' knowledge, and he found himself wanting to learn more.

As they made their way back to the hall, Elijah realized that it was getting late. He was suddenly assaulted by a wave of dizziness, and he stumbled a bit. The goblins immediately crowded around him, their expressions worried.

"Are you okay?" one of them asked.

Elijah nodded, but he could feel his mind starting to shut down. He was mentally drained, and he needed rest. He asked the system why he was feeling like this, and it explained that his mind was tired from all the changes that had happened to him in the past day.

The goblins looked at each other, and then one of them spoke up.

"You can rest here," he said. "We have beds in the hall."

Elijah was grateful for the offer. He followed the goblins back to the hall and settled into one of the beds. As he drifted off to sleep, he couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder. He was in a strange new world, surrounded by creatures he had only ever read about in books. And yet, he felt oddly at home.