Kai stepped out of the guild and looked around the bustling city streets. The noise of merchants, townsfolk, and distant construction filled the air, but Kai had only one thing on his mind. His red eyes gleamed with determination as he muttered, "Let's get this started." Without warning, his body dissolved into the shadows, vanishing completely from sight.
A few minutes later, he reappeared at the northern outskirts, a vast area where the forest met the edge of the city's borders. The trees loomed tall, their dense canopies casting eerie shadows over the ground. Kai began walking deeper into the outskirts, his steps slow and deliberate, his senses on high alert. "Goblins, huh?" he murmured to himself. "Shouldn't be too hard. Just gotta find them before they find me."
As he moved further into the forest, his demeanor remained cool and composed. The faint rustle of leaves and distant bird calls were the only sounds accompanying him. "Not bad," he muttered, glancing around. "Quiet. Too quiet." He smirked, the anticipation of battle making his blood pump.
Seven minutes passed, and Kai's steps slowed. Something felt off. He couldn't shake the sensation that he was being watched. He stopped in his tracks, his eyes scanning the dense foliage around him. "Alright," he said aloud, his voice calm but edged with caution. "I know you're out there. You might as well show yourselves."
He turned slowly, his sharp gaze sweeping the area. "Come on," he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. "Where are you?" The forest remained silent, but the feeling of eyes on him grew stronger.
Suddenly, the sound of arrows slicing through the air filled his ears. Kai's eyes widened as eight arrows came flying at him from different directions. Too fast to dodge, they struck him one by one. His body jerked as the first few hit his arms and legs, followed by several embedding in his torso. The final arrow pierced his head, and Kai collapsed to the ground with a sickening thud, motionless.
For a moment, silence returned to the forest. Then, loud, guttural laughter erupted as twenty goblins emerged from their hiding spots. Their small, twisted forms moved gleefully through the underbrush, their yellow eyes gleaming with malicious joy. They surrounded Kai's fallen body, chattering in their crude language and celebrating their victory. A few poked at him with their crude weapons, while others cheered and danced around him.
As they reveled in their triumph, Kai lay still on the ground, his body riddled with arrows. Blood seeped into the dirt beneath him, his head tilted at an unnatural angle from the impact. But inside, Kai's thoughts were calm, his voice clear in his mind. "Well, that was dramatic," he thought, his mental tone almost amused. "Goblins really don't hold back, do they?"
He remained perfectly still, his breathing shallow and controlled. "Playing dead isn't exactly glamorous, but it works," he mused to himself. "Let them get close. Let them think they've won. Then..." His thoughts trailed off as he waited, his mind already calculating his next move. The goblins' laughter and taunts continued, oblivious to the trap they had just walked into.
The goblins were closing in, their crooked smiles widening as they prepared to touch Kai's seemingly lifeless body. Their claws hovered just inches away when, without warning, Kai's form dissolved into shadows, vanishing into the darkness. The goblins recoiled in shock, their laughter replaced by confused chattering as they looked around frantically, searching for where he had gone.
From the shadows, a calm and mocking voice echoed through the forest. "An arrow to the head, huh? Gotta say, that was a bold move," Kai said, his tone laced with amusement. "But you really thought that would stop me? Cute."
The goblins froze, their heads snapping in all directions, trying to pinpoint the source of his voice. Their yellow eyes darted through the trees, but the forest offered them no answers. The laughter returned, but this time, it wasn't theirs.
A few steps away, Kai reappeared, stepping out of the shadows as if emerging from another world. He stood upright, his body still riddled with arrows. With a nonchalant expression, he began pulling the arrows from his torso, dropping them to the ground one by one. When he reached the arrow lodged in his head, he winced dramatically. "Ouch," he said, dragging the word out with mock pain. "You guys don't hold back, huh? I'm almost impressed."
The goblins hissed and growled, regaining their composure and gripping their weapons tighter. Kai, however, smiled at them, his red eyes glowing faintly in the dim light. "Alright, you had your fun. Now it's my turn."
He extended a hand, and a dark circle began to form on the ground in front of him, black energy swirling ominously. "Skill: Summon Dead," he declared. The black circle expanded, and out of it rose skeletal warriors, their bones gleaming with a faint, dark aura. More and more emerged until the goblins were surrounded by an army of undead. The skeletal figures stood tall, their hollow eyes glowing with an eerie light as their aura pulsed with energy.
Kai tilted his head, his grin widening. "It's only fair, right? You brought your arrows, so I brought my friends. Now, my loyal summons," he said, his voice commanding yet playful. "Attack them. Show no mercy."
The skeletons nodded in unison, their movements sharp and mechanical, and with a collective roar, they rushed toward the goblins. The goblins, startled and overwhelmed, hesitated for a moment before bracing themselves for the fight. The forest erupted into chaos as the summons clashed with the goblins, swords clanging against crude weapons and claws.
One goblin lunged at a skeleton, only to have its weapon deflected by a bony arm. Another skeleton drove its blade into a goblin's chest, sending it sprawling to the ground. The goblins fought fiercely, their snarls filling the air, but the summons were relentless, their dark aura intimidating even the bravest of their foes.
Kai watched the battle from a safe distance, leaning casually against a tree. "Not bad," he mused aloud, his tone casual as if he were watching a friendly sparring match. "I mean, they've got spirit, I'll give them that. But goblins against my summons? Yeah, this isn't even a fair fight."
He chuckled softly as one goblin attempted to flee, only to be cornered by two skeletons, their blades crossing to block its escape. "Oh, come on," Kai called out to the goblin. "You're not giving up already, are you? You were so confident a moment ago."
The goblins' numbers dwindled as the summons pressed on, their relentless attacks breaking the goblins' formation. Despite their efforts, the goblins were no match for the sheer numbers and coordination of the undead army. The forest floor became littered with goblin weapons and bodies, their cries fading into silence as the last of them fell.
Kai pushed off the tree and walked toward the aftermath, the remaining skeletons standing at attention as the battle ended. He glanced around at the carnage, nodding approvingly. "Well done," he said to his summons, his tone almost proud. "You've earned your rest."
With a wave of his hand, the skeletons dissolved into the same dark energy they had risen from, vanishing back into the ground. Kai knelt down by the goblin bodies, pulling out a small knife. "Alright, let's make this official." He began cutting off the goblins' ears, each slice clean and precise. He deposited the ears into his item box, the magical storage ensuring they wouldn't decay. "Proof of a job well done," he muttered, satisfied.
As he stood, he extended his hand toward the fallen goblins. "Skill: Resurrection," he intoned, his voice steady and commanding. Dark circles appeared beneath the goblin corpses, and the air grew heavy with energy. One by one, the goblins' bodies began to twitch, their lifeless forms rising slowly. Their eyes now glowed with an eerie, unnatural light, and their movements were stiff but purposeful.
Kai smirked as he observed his new undead goblin legion. "Now this... this is interesting," he said, talking to himself. "Never thought I'd have goblins working for me. Skeletons are great, but these little guys? They've got potential."
He waved his hand, and the goblin summons bowed before disappearing into dark mist, vanishing from sight. "Alright, minions. Rest up. We'll have plenty to do soon enough."
Kai dusted off his hands and started walking further into the forest, his thoughts drifting. "Not bad for a warm-up. Let's see what else this place has to offer. Hopefully something a bit more challenging."
Kai walked deeper into the forest, his footsteps crunching softly against the leaves and twigs on the ground. The sunlight filtered through the canopy above, casting dappled patterns on the forest floor. The sounds of the woods surrounded him—birds chirping, animals rustling in the underbrush, and the occasional snap of a branch in the distance. Kai smirked to himself, his thoughts turning inward.
"This place has a certain charm," he mused, his tone playful even in his thoughts. "Peaceful, but not too peaceful. Keeps you on your toes."
A squirrel darted across his path, drawing his attention momentarily. "Guess even the animals here are lively," he muttered under his breath. Looking up, he watched birds flit between the branches, their songs echoing above him. The warm sunlight filtering through the trees felt almost serene. "Alright, Kai, focus. You're here for goblins, not sightseeing."
As he continued walking, a faint noise reached his ears—laughter, guttural and crude. It was coming from further ahead. Kai's pace slowed as he strained to listen. "Well, well," he whispered to himself, his red eyes narrowing. "Looks like I'm not alone."
The noise grew louder with each step, the unmistakable sound of goblins cackling and chattering in their harsh language. Kai's smirk widened as he moved closer, his footsteps deliberate and silent. "They sound way too happy. Let's see what the party's about."
He pushed through a cluster of bushes and stopped abruptly. Before him was a large clearing, and in it, a goblin army was gathered. Dozens of them milled about, laughing and playing crude games with each other. Some were sharpening their weapons, while others lounged around, gnawing on scraps of food. Kai's gaze shifted to the center of the clearing, where a massive goblin stood. Clearly the leader, this one towered over the rest, his muscular frame covered in scars. He wore crude armor made of mismatched metal plates, and a jagged sword rested against his shoulder.
Kai's eyes widened slightly, though his smirk remained. "A goblin leader? Didn't expect that. Looks like today just got more interesting."
Raising his hand slightly, he muttered, "Skill: Appraisal."
In an instant, translucent screens appeared before his eyes, detailing the stats and descriptions of the goblins in the clearing. Kai scanned the information, reading aloud softly to himself.
---
**Goblin Warrior**
- Level: 5
- Health: 150/150
- Strength: 30
- Agility: 25
- Skills: Crude Slash, Group Tactics
- Description: A standard goblin fighter. Stronger and more disciplined than regular goblins but still relatively weak in one-on-one combat.
**Goblin Archer**
- Level: 4
- Health: 100/100
- Strength: 20
- Agility: 35
- Skills: Precise Shot, Hide in Shadows
- Description: Quick and stealthy, these goblins specialize in ranged attacks. Vulnerable in close combat.
**Goblin Leader**
- Level: 27
- Health: 500/500
- Strength: 80
- Agility: 50
- Skills: War Cry, Command, Heavy Slash
- Description: A powerful and intelligent goblin who leads its tribe with brute force and cunning strategy. Its presence boosts the morale and effectiveness of other goblins in its army.
---
Kai chuckled softly, his eyes lingering on the leader's stats. "Level 15, huh? And a skill like War Cry… That's going to be a problem if he uses it. Looks like I'll need to take him out fast."
He glanced over the rest of the goblins, noting their numbers and positions. "About twenty grunts, a handful of archers, and one big guy. Not exactly a fair fight," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "For them, I mean."
Kai leaned against a nearby tree, his smirk growing wider. "Alright, boys," he muttered to himself. "Let's see how much fun we can have before they realize they're outmatched."