"We're approaching the town!" Jessica's shout pierced the air, jolting me out of my trance-like state.
I had been idly lazing around for hours, my mind wandering aimlessly as the sun beat down on us.
It had been three days since we left for Oak Town, and the excitement of our journey had begun to wear off, replaced by a dull sense of monotony.
As I sat up straight, my eyes scanned the horizon, taking in the sight of Oak Town in the distance.
The sun was directly above us, casting a warm glow over the landscape. But as I gazed at the town, my excitement began to build once more.
The walls, which had once stood proud and strong, now showed signs of damage, the wooden palisades splintered and broken in places.
The work of the goblins, no doubt.
I had been training my swordsmanship throughout our journey, honing my skills and experimenting with different techniques.
I had also been attempting to find ways to utilize my magic spells in combat, particularly [Devour], a sub-skill of the Deadly Sins series.
It seemed too powerful to be simply an ability to absorb corpses and turn their strength into mine after all.
As I gazed at the town, I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease.
The civil war in Smallive had left Oak Town vulnerable, and the lack of an adventurer's guild branch in the area meant that they had no access to trained adventurers.
The town was truly in a pinch.
Krieek!
A screech pierced the air, and I turned to my left, my eyes scanning the horizon.
A group of goblins had appeared, their beady eyes fixed on us as they let out a chorus of cackles and screeches.
The others noticed them too, and our group fell silent, our eyes locked on the goblins as we prepared for battle.
As Joseph drew his sword, his voice boomed out across the landscape, "Everyone, prepare for battle!"
The words were like a spark to dry kindling, and our group erupted into a flurry of activity.
Everyone immediately took a battle stance, their eyes fixed intently on the goblins as they prepared for the impending fight.
I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath as I focused my senses. I spread my mana out to a ten-meter radius, feeling the familiar tingle of energy as it responded to my will.
A 3D view of the surrounding area sprang into existence before me, a mental map of the terrain and the creatures that inhabited it.
This was mana sense, a skill that Zahara had taught me, and one that allowed me to actively control and manipulate my mana.
I drew the mana I had spread out behind me, sending it forward in a surge of energy that increased my view to twenty meters in front of me.
The goblins came into sharp focus, their twisted faces and wicked-looking blades etched clearly in my mind's eye.
I counted their numbers, my mental tally coming to around twenty. But I didn't see the hobgoblin or shaman, which meant that this must not be the main group.
A surge of excitement ran through me as I realized that I might be able to take them down quickly.
I opened my eyes, the bright sunlight a shock after the darkness of my mental landscape.
I unsheathed my sword, the familiar weight of it a comfort in my hand. As I walked forward, I called out to the others, "Hey guys, let me handle this."
The words were barely out of my mouth when lightning crackled all over my body, the air around me seeming to vibrate with energy.
My hair stood on end, spiky and wild, as my body oozed with power.
The others looked at me with a mixture of awe and surprise, their faces impressed by the sudden display of energy.
Joseph just gave an awkward smile, his eyes darting towards the goblins. But they all cleared the way as I moved forward, nodding in approval.
They knew that I was ready to take on the goblins, and they were willing to let me take the lead.
Bending my knees low, I coiled my body like a spring, channeling mana into my feet as I prepared to launch myself at the goblins.
The air seemed to vibrate with anticipation as I exploded into motion, the ground shattering beneath my feet with a deafening CRACK!
I shot towards the goblins like a human bullet, my body a blur as I closed the distance in the blink of an eye.
Arriving before the goblins, I grasped the first one by the neck, my fingers closing around its scrawny throat like a vice.
With a swift twist, I snapped its neck, the sound of cracking bone echoing through the air.
The next goblin charged at me, its crude blade flashing in the sunlight.
I met it with a swift swing of my sword, the blade biting deep into its neck.
The goblin's head toppled from its shoulders, its body crumpling to the ground with a wet thud.
Conjuring three lightning spears, I launched them into the midst of the goblin group.
The air seemed to rip apart as the spears struck, unleashing a blast of electricity that incinerated everything they touched.
BOOM!
The sound of the explosion echoed through the air, leaving behind a smoldering crater and a scattering of ash.
Krieek!
The survivors let out a terrified shriek as they stumbled backward, their eyes wide with fear.
I charged forward, my sword slicing through the air with deadly precision. I slaughtered each of the goblins one by one, their bodies crumpling to the ground with a sickening crunch.
Finally, there was only one goblin left. My surroundings blurred around me as I activated my speed, reappearing before the goblin in the blink of an eye.
Krie-!
The goblin let out a terrified shriek as I grasped it by the neck, my fingers closing around its throat like a vice.
In a cold and detached tone, I spoke a single word: "[Devour]"