Man, seriously?
After all my time in this game, I still trample on this sword. Every. Single. Time. It's my version of the thing you keep forgetting, even if you continuously try to learn it.
Obviously, I heard goblins get up, and prepared to fight. I ran out in the open, but slightly far away from the camp - if they all jump on me, I'm dead.
That wasn't a very pleasant feeling, but still, it didn't affect me much. Probably a side effect of my title.
The first goblin that appeared before me - well, that I appeared before - was the one on the outskirts of the camp, that I avoided a few minutes prior.
With the sword firmly gripped in my hand, I once again attempted a movement I knew.
[ Attempting to use skill 'Dragon Slaying Swordsmanship' ]
[ Action is impossible ]
[ Due to user's probability, the action will be rendered feasible ]
[ Due to the immense power gap between the user and the original skill owner, 'Dragon Slaying Swordsmanship' has been downgraded to 'Basic Swordsmanship' ]
Again downgrading my skill. I didn't expect it to replicate it anyways.
Like last time sparks of probability flew from between my fingers.
And just like last time, I performed movements from the downgraded skill. This time, I slashed the goblin from shoulder to waist, which resulted in a lot of blood splattering around.
I didn't waste time and rushed to his side, piercing him with my sword. This was the strongest technique comprised in that skill. Well, it could be depending on the context, but I don't plan to make a class here.
[ You have slain an enemy ]
[ Your level has increased by 1 ]
[ Points to allocate: 1 ]
This was what it was all about: gaining levels and upping stats. A RPG was still a RPG, after all.
Another goblin rushed at me, and I used his momentum to pierce him in his heart, again with the same technique. Looks like I didn't miss, seeing how he died instantly.
[ You have slain an enemy ]
[ Your level has increased by 1 ]
[ Points to allocate: 2 ]
A third one came, who died in the same fashion.
[ You have slain an enemy ]
Now, I needed more than one enemy to level up - which was entirely logical; no surprises there.
I continued to kill more goblins, still fighting them one by one - if obliterating is called fighting - and, surely enough, they stopped coming at me. Then I'll just take a second to...
I opened my status window.
[ Status Window ]
[ Name: Sean ]
[ Level: 5 ]
[ Stats: ]
- Strength: 2
- Dexterity: 8
- Magic: 6
- Intelligence: 9
- Luck: 5
- Mental: [ MAX ]
- Point to allocate: 4
[ Title(s): ]
- One who Overcame the Trials
I decided to put my point in strength; that was why I was here after all.
Soon, I heard a walking sound. Something heavy was walking. Looks like my Luck isn't lucking today.
In Endless Trials, everything was positioned the same, yes, but sometimes, rarely, random events appeared. And generally, they were not positive. Just like this one.
I sighed and raised my sword again, as the thud of walking became louder and louder. Moments later, a big, fat, dark-skinned goblin appeared before me. It growled, like it was just woken up - which was probably the case - and prepared for fighting.
I didn't lose time to rush at him, and, instead of piercing him, I went for an abdominal cut. That was because this guy was so fat that my sword wouldn't pierce through, just slightly wound him.
However, I was surprised at how much more strength I had. I put my everything in this sword strike, just like last time. But unlike last time, where I felt I was moving inside water, this time my swing was so fast I thought my joints were going to break.
The slash was spot on too. It cut the fat belly of the goblin leaving behind a big, red, trace on its dark green skin.
That must have been quite infuriating. The goblin was now trembling in anger. It threw a big punch, that I skillfully dodged. Had that hit me, it would've - already - become game over.
It then proceeded to throw a series of punches and spartan kicks - it probably didn't have the movement reach for other kicks - that I had to back off of.
This is getting more and more dangerous.
With my newfound strength, I leaped forward, dodged a punch, and passed by him. In that process, I inscribed the deepest cut I could on its flank, and immediately from behind stabbed him.
The goblin, disoriented, turned around 180 to face me, but I was already gone.
When it realized what had happened, it was already too late. I jumped and stabbed through its thick skull, leaving the body lifeless.
[ You have defeated a rare monster ]
[ You have leveled up ]
[ You have leveled up ]
[ You have leveled up ]
[ Points to allocate: 3 ]
Like last time, I immediately allocated my 3 points in strength, because right now it's the stat I would need the most.
Now that I was finished, I was planning on returning to the village, but the smell of blood on me forced me to do otherwise.
I switched route to a nearby stream that I knew, hoping that nothing was there.
The camp was well positioned, so it was only a couple minutes walk.
At the stream, there was nothing. Nobody. I felt stupid for worriying. Who goes in a stream, deep in the forest, at night anyways ?
I went into the stream, fully clothed. Seeing how the light reflection changed, I must've been full of blood.
After bathing for a while, I felt like I was ready to go. I stepped out, and my clothes felt wet.
[ Attempting to use skill 'Basic Fire' ]
[ Action is impossible ]
[ Due to user's probability, the action will be rendered feasible ]
[ Using skill 'Basic Fire' ]
[ Due to very small quantity of mana, the skill power will be reduced to 20% ]
I used some small fire to dry my clothes, before returning to the camp.
The problem I had before leaving was still the same. because all of this didn't take me 12 hours. It was probably around 1 or 2 AM.
So my plan was to sleep in the cleared camp, where there were some sort of accommodation. Thank god I at least didn't have to sleep on the ground. Wait. Which God is it now?
Anyways, I lit the fire of the camp again, and, inside of one of the goblin tent, wrapped a thin cloth around me.
Sleep came surprisingly fast considering how much I didn't feel it. Guess I wasn't accustomed to a full blown Mental stat.
I woke up early - at the rise of the sun - and headed for the village.
Like last night, their were some people in the street, and the clear sky with a small breeze even reinforced the cozy ambiance.
I continued to walk until I was in front of the inn I left the other two last night.
I asked the waitress for their room, and she indicated me how to access it. Small villages sure have it easy. No worrying about an attacker, or anything like that.
Knowing them, they were probably awake by now.
Without even knocking, I entered Tim's room, who was half-awake half-asleep on his bed.
"Let me… continue… to sleep…"
With my now upgrade strength stat, I firmly shaked his mattress until he was entirely woken up.
"Wake! The fuck! Up!"
With a mourning Tim now in tow, I knocked on Aya's door, and she herself opened the door.
"Time to go?"
"Yes."
Downstairs, we saluted the reception lady, and emerged out of the inn. Tim stretched - is this guy always stretching? - and reached for his massive horse. "Aya, do you plan on continuing with us?"
Of course, I knew the answer. "No, sorry. I'm looking for something, and still haven't found it. But maybe one day we can see each other again!". And she went off.
"She's weird", Tom said, and I head-nod. Yeah, she's pretty weird compared to this place.
"Is the castle your final destination?"
"Yes. I have business there. Is it yours?"
"No… I'm only passing."
We continued to chit-chat for a while after that.
The ride was not that long, only 'till this night, but was so, so, uneventful. The new endless trial: horse ride.
Usually in the game small rides like this can be accelerated, but not anymore. And even in the game, as a ten minute ride, I already felt like dying. Every bump, every sway of the horse, felt like immense pain throughout my body. Seriously, I didn't sign up for this.
When we arrived in front of the gates at night, I thought I was seeing Hell. Partly due to the long ride, sure, but also because of the gloomy atmosphere.
And, after passing through those eery gates, we finally arrived in the castle.