It was with the light of dawn that I found myself near the gates of the goblins camp. They had not yet noticed me.
Maybe it was because of the light that they had yet to adjust to after the days of rain or maybe they really were just not paying attention.
Whatever it was I was not complaining as it allowed me to sneak in much easier than I had expected it to be.
Of course there were some tense times where I found myself almost face to face with some of the guards but they were not aware enough of me to be able to find me.
I took advantage of those gaps in awareness to swiftly take them down. A swift cut to their necks and mouth so that they would both die and do so quietly.
I took the runes that hid within their bodies and immediately crushed them. Most were for mana meaning that my own reserves were growing with each and every clash.
But the same could not be said for my abilities as they seemed to have stagnated.
Before they would grow by at least a couple percentage marks after a battle but I guess because I had ambushed them and had not learned much they wouldn't grow.
It was more of an afterthought anyways. I would rather have the runes than the experience as anything to cross the gap between our physical and spiritual abilities would be welcomed.
And while progressing in my abilities would help it would only be minor as even the small percentages that I grew would do nothing but slightly boost my abilities.
Take swordsmanship for example, I had grown it quite some much but it didn't feel as though I had progressed.
It had just felt like the sword responded better to my commands and was lighter in my hands. Technique and experience weren't gained, at least not for something as trivial as how much I had progressed.
It was why, right now, I was focusing more on the physical side of my abilities.
SLASH
I cut through another neck of a guard, dashing towards his partner before he could react. Another swing of the sword and he too had fallen.
For a moment I caught my breath before digging into the corpse and grabbing the runes. By this point I was most certainly around the center of the camp.
I knew this not only because of the amount of distance I had traveled but because of the giant hut that stood in front of me.
It almost looked like a mansion, given that compared to the rest of the buildings it had this aristocratic feel to it. Yet I ignored that in favor of the being in front of me.
He stood stock still as his gaze roamed around me. The staff in his hand oozing this chilling energy.
I couldn't take my eyes off of him. Not only because of the feeling but because I knew that the moment I did he would take action.
It was why even as I harvested the corpses of useful things that I still kept my eye on him.
Honestly it was a bit grotesque, the way that these goblins had no respect for their own kind.
It was as if they saw them as nothing more than pawns. The ones weaker than their own strength at least.
"Human…" The being growled, my arms tensing as he addressed me.
"You have taken my second… in fair combat at that. You are worthy of my respect."
"Respect huh." I growl out, glaring at him. It wasn't just for the savagery that he had displayed but because some instinctual part of me knew. Knew that this go- this thing was responsible for the death of my subordinates.
"Die with that honor in your heart." He seemed to ignore even my own growl. His pride and arrogance on display for anyone to see.
However it was not all talk as but a mere moment after those final words I felt a chilling cold wash over me.
I looked up to see several arrows of what seemed to be black energy… no black mana. It chilled even my soul, just to look at it.
However I did not let that affect me as immediately upon seeing that I charged forward. The arrows were let loose.
Yet they missed their mark as the amount of power behind them launched them clear behind me.
"Tsk" He growled out, the staff in his hand pounding into the ground.
I felt a wave of something flow through me before I was forced to my knees. The energy had done something to me.
The mana that I had been using to reinforce me had dissipated completely. There was nothing that I could do to take back control.
It would just not move, no matter what commands I forced through them.
I think that he had expected this as instead of finishing me with some spell or some ranged option the chief had decided to finish this himself up and personal.
My mouth was dry heaving, the empty breakfast not helping the sensation but even then I tried to raise my head. To glare at the chief.
He thought that he had me, that I would be useless without my mana. And while that may be truthful to a certain extent I could still fight.
Yet I didn't do anything, I waited seconds as he slowly approached. A smug grin on his face. The dagger that laid on his waist was pulled from its place as it fell onto my neck.
It found nothing but air though as with as much strength as I could muster I jumped.
My leap found purchase on the muscled arm. The look of surprise on the Goblin's face was almost as satisfying as when I plunged my sword directly into his neck.
"GRAOAOAOA" It was loud, loud enough to alert the whole village however I did not care.
All I did was pull the sword from its place to the side, shredding the side of his neck and leading to his death.
I jumped from where I was and watched the corpse fall. A loud thud echoing through the air. And with that the return of my mana. It empowered me, almost apologetic in its enthusiasm.
My mouth twisted into a smile as I pulled the rune from the corpse. Yet when I was looking through the body I found more than just one or two runes.
I found a whole bunch. There must have been at least ten in there. Though most of them were mana runes. Not that I was complaining just that I would have preferred them to be more physical in nature.
With a flex of my fingers they were all crushed. The power flowing through my veins almost addicting.
…
[Mihr Masamune]
Vitality: 1.6
Strength: 1.8
Dexterity: 2.2
Mana: 4.3
[Skills]
[Memoria(rank 1) (10.23%) Allows the user to remember] [Swordsmanship rank 1 (1.46%)]
[Mana Manipulation (rank 1 2.81%)] [Fire Resistance rank 1 (20%)]
[current pts:1850]
…