With a quick flick of her wrist, Liria gathered the last bit of energy she had, casting Ember Swipe in a slicing arc of black flames across the clearing. The flames surged toward Gruzh, who was already charging at her.
But, in one shocking leap, the goblin dodged, tumbling to the side just in time to avoid the searing flames. Liria's heart sank. The blast left her panting, her magic reserves completely drained.
[Warning: Magic energy depleted. Mana: 0/200]
"Perfect," she muttered. "Now what?"
Gruz's beady yellow eyes gleamed, clearly realizing she was out of tricks. The goblin snarled, baring its sharp teeth in a smug grin as it advanced. Liria tightened her grip on the sword, bracing herself. This was it—she'd have to rely on nothing but raw grit and clumsy sword swings.
From the edge of the clearing, Daena's voice rang out, calm but firm. "Liria!" she called, folding her arms with a sly smile. "If you manage to take that thing down, I'll show you my real self."
Liria's head shot up, her eyes narrowing. "Wait… are you serious?"
"Oh, quite," Daena replied, a glint of mischief in her eye. "You want to see what a true demon looks like, don't you?"
Liria grinned, feeling a surge of adrenaline. "Alright, Gruzh. Time for round two. Let's go!"
Gruz hissed, launching itself toward her, claws outstretched. Liria steadied herself, her mind racing. The goblin was fast, but she knew now to watch its feet, just like Daena had taught her. She took a breath and sidestepped, swinging her sword up in a quick arc. Gruzh stumbled back, barely dodging her blade.
The System chimed in with a glimmer of encouragement.
[Skill Swordsmanship has leveled up to Level 2. Precision and control have improved.]
Perfect timing, Liria thought, taking a stronger stance. Gruzh, realizing she wasn't backing down, let out a guttural snarl and darted forward again, this time feinting left before trying to swipe at her side. But with her improved sword skills, Liria was ready. She ducked and struck, her blade grazing the goblin's side.
Gruz's Health: 2/60
[Warning: Enemy is critically low on health. Approach with caution; desperate strikes expected.]
But Gruzh was determined not to go down quietly. With a fierce yell, it sprang forward again, its claws slashing wildly. Liria's heart raced as she blocked one swipe after another, her arms starting to ache from the effort. The goblin was weaker, but its attacks were erratic, forcing her to keep her guard up.
Just as her grip started to slip, she felt a strange rush of strength flow through her.
[Skill Endurance Training has leveled up to Level 2. Stamina and resilience increased.]
She grinned, realizing she could push herself just a bit harder. Gruzh lunged at her one last time, aiming for her shoulder, but she sidestepped, pivoted, and swung her sword in a powerful arc, putting everything she had into the strike.
The blade connected with a sickening crunch. Gruzh froze, its eyes wide with shock, before it collapsed onto the ground, its health bar vanishing from her vision.
"Ha! Take that, you moldy excuse for a goblin!" Liria shouted, raising her sword triumphantly. She barely had a second to celebrate before her vision started to blur, the exhaustion finally catching up with her. Her arms felt like lead, and her legs wobbled under her.
[Mission complete. Level up achieved: 6. Please take immediate rest to prevent collapse.]
"Oh… wonderful timing, System," she mumbled, feeling her legs give out.
Just before she slipped into unconsciousness, she thought she saw Daena stepping toward her, a proud smile on her face.
"You did well, kiddo," was the last thing she heard before darkness claimed her.
Liria's eyes fluttered open to the dim light filtering through the small window above her bed. She blinked, trying to piece together her last memories—Gruz's snarling face, the weight of her sword in her hands, and Daena's proud expression before everything went dark. Now, nestled under a warm, scratchy blanket, she realized she'd been brought back home.
As she sat up, her body protested with soreness in every muscle. A quick check with the System brought up a fresh view of her improved status.
[Status Update for Liria Silverthorn]
Level: 6
Experience: 15/300
Health: 350/350
Magic: 250/250
Attributes:
Strength: 12
Agility: 15
Endurance: 12
Intelligence: 10
Magic: 18
Abilities:
Swordsmanship (Level 2)Endurance Training (Level 2)Fireball (Level 2)Ember Swipe (Level 1)
Liria's jaw dropped as she took it all in.
"Level six, huh? I'm practically a mini-warrior now." She flexed her arms, feeling a tiny hint of muscle beneath the soreness.
[Notice: New skill acquired Blade Mastery (Level 1). Increased accuracy and control with bladed weapons.]
A new sword skill? She grinned, her head already spinning with thoughts of her next training session. "Well, Gruz, at least you were good for something," she muttered, rubbing her tired shoulder.
Just then, the door creaked open, and Daena's voice filled the room. "I see you're awake," she said, carrying a tray with a warm bowl of stew.
Liria's stomach growled, loud enough to make Daena chuckle. "Worked up an appetite, I see."
"More like starving to death." Liria grinned, diving into the bowl of stew. "That goblin wasn't exactly what I'd call easy."
Daena nodded, her face softening as she watched Liria eat. "You did well, Liria. I didn't think you'd have the strength to finish it off."
Liria glanced up, swallowing her mouthful of stew. "Well, I didn't think I would either, but… you promised to show me your 'real self,' so I couldn't just pass out before winning, could I?"
Daena chuckled, her expression shifting ever so slightly, as if she were weighing something in her mind.
"Oh, yes. That," she said, setting the tray down and stepping back. "I suppose a promise is a promise. When you're ready, come outside. I think it's time I show you a bit more of who I really am."
Before Liria could respond, Daena turned and walked out, leaving her in silence. A thrill ran down her spine. She had sensed there was something unusual about Daena, but could she really be what Liria had begun to suspect?