with what may be my final cast I focus my gaze upon the goblin throwing a knife at me. "[ARCANE SHOT]" I yell at the top of my lungs, venting my frustration and self-hate all out at the final second as we take each other's lives.
the deep blue ornate arrow flies out of my hands scraping against the throwing knife hurtling towards me. knocking it off-course but not far enough off-course, it's still flying towards me faster than my weak body can realistically dodge.
*splurt* I hear blood hit the floor. the goblin's headless corpse dropping down. "did I dodge it?" I wonder. setting my sights on the newly appeared notifications.
[killed goblin wanderer level 1 creature: gained +10 exp]
[you have levelled up. level 4]
[exp: 0/1000]
[-4. minor injury]
[hp: 16/20]
i feel my body go limp, as the panic is over. goblins are still surrounding me but I'm no longer worried. i drop to the ground and take a deep breath.
"never knew the air tasted so good, it's nice to be alive" The flurry of emotions I went through in the past 10 seconds forever scarring my psyche. this experience surely will alter the course of my future.
then joy, I start giggling and am about to burst into full-blown laughter when...
[-4. minor injury]
"sigh. Can't you guys give me a few seconds to calm down?".
[arcane shot]
[-24]
learning from my mistakes, I quickly get up and start moving around. there isn't much room, with the 14 others dealing with the wolves. they are strong enough to handle them with near-enough ease now. by even with my build my agility eclipses these goblins.
I try dodging as many knives as possible while casting my arcane shot and whittling down their numbers to 0.
[killed 13 goblin wanderers. +130exp]
after killing the last goblin I get a bulk notification. curious I try tapping on the number 13.
[hello Ai juxi, automated system response. due to the number of monsters killed. setting change bulk notifications has been automatically enabled to allow you to focus on the fight without your vision being clogged up. Have a nice hunt]
"relay my notifications after I leave combat unless it's a level-up notification.
[set level-up notifications to highest priority]
with that settled I turn my sight back on the wolves. licking my lips at the walking exp bags I start casting spells while backing up as far as I can.
[-24]
the wolf explodes into bloody gore, its entire chest rupturing outwards. "well it's nice to know I one-shot them now. even with how disgusting that was"
I keep my back to the ledge of the rooftop this time, so I can hear the goblins when they next try climbing up.
minutes pass in this fashion.
[you have levelled up. level 5]
[you have levelled up. level 6]
with my near-infinite mana and massive capacity. I'm the only one still fighting. the others are all taking a break while I 'spawn camp them' as they try to leave the door. the wolves' numbers are dwindling massively. only one or 2 every 10 seconds.
[-36]
[you have killed 171 wolf mounts. +3420exp]
[status]
[name: Ali Juxi
age: 15
race: human
level: 6
exp: 550/5000
HP: 30/30
MP: 148/150
stats:
strength: 6
constitution: 6
agility: 6
intelligence: 30
skills: arcane shot level 3 (exp: 2480/6250)
passive skills: minor MP regeneration]
"I guess. it's over?" the mage-boy neighbour of mine somehow snuck up next to me during the time I was finishing all the wolves off.
"looks like it. the system said we are no longer in combat" I plant myself on the floor taking a large breath of air. "what's your name?".
"I'm Jamie. Jamie Smith, been living here for years now, never seen you around. what's yours?"
"ah, I'm Ali, Ali Juxi, I don't get out often, don't know anyone around here."
the group takes a further 5-minute break. listening to the continuous gunshots in the distance that are getting drowned out by screams of goblins.
eventually, the gunfire dies down completely. and one of the adults has a look over the rooftop ledge, his face going white as snow. "looks like the goblins won guys".
I quickly ran up beside him and drew my gaze across the destroyed street. it looks like a hurricane drew through. corpses everywhere. human and monster.
A few scattered groups of goblins are left, though the path to the portal is clear and there isn't more than 100 goblins left. setting my sights on the portal. the cogs in my head begin turning.
"hey everyone. I have a plan. though I'm going to need to ask you guys for help". I turn and ask the crowd.
the bulky swordsman leader speaks up. "haha go on kid. we're listening." throwing an empty bottle of water into the corner of the rooftop.
"well in novels and games with portals. usually, the main characters have to enter the portal to close it from the inside. in order to clean up the area."
"otherwise the monsters would just keep coming. and although the smell of the corpses isn't bad now. when these goblins start to rot, we won't even be able to live here."
the swordsman leader's face goes cold. and he clearly starts to think. "so you want us all to enter the portal with you?" he among the others looks apprehensive. scared even. and I can't blame them. I'm terrified too, yet excited.
"Although it's going to be really risky, I think going towards the other end of the portal is our safest option. we barely survived the enemies from this green one. what if the monsters from a stronger portal come over? like the dragon portal that was on the news".
at the mention of the dragon, everyone's mood changed. most of us became excited. though a few of the elder ones got scared.
"I personally think we should push for the portal now while we have a chance. set up some form of base in there, close to the exit and start farming the monsters inside to level up. also stopping the monsters from leaving. hopefully, we can get backup from others nearby when they see what we are doing as well."
I gave my speech and turned around to get prepared. heading back downstairs to my room, I have a few things I need to check.
while trekking to my room I go over everything I've learned so far. my 30 intelligence propelling my thinking capabilities towards the best of humankind. judging from how clear my head feels. my intelligence must be miles above even the best scholars at this point.
'im clear-cut as a mage now. even if I wanted to change. i dont think i can. plus magic is the safest bet, if i want to improve more i should start studying my own spell. see if i can learn anything.'