Ethan: "Come on it can't be that bad, it's only two stat points. Here, I'll also increase my stats."
Dylan: "Yo—... nevermind, go ahead."
Ethan: "Stat distribution."
[ Name: Ethan
Class: Mage
Race: Human
Level: 6
Exp: 13/500
Hp : 96/100
Strength : 7 [ + ]
Defence : 7 [ + ]
Intelligence : 15 [ + ]
Mana : 11/11 [ + ]
Speed : 9 [ + ]
Bonus points : 5
Skills: Mana blast
Race Skills: Stat distribution ]
Ethan stared at the interface, intensely pondering on his choices.
Ethan: (Strength and defence are out of the question. I am not struggling on mana management. Does increasing speed also increase my casting speed? I am a mage— intelligence is never a bad option... Video games have taught me that speed is always a good stat to invest in regardless of class, except in some niche cases like hypixel.)
He invested two bonus point into intelligence and one into speed.
A sharp pain exploded inside his head.
Ethan dropped to one knee, clutching his temple. Thoughts rushed through him at terrifying clarity—memories sharper, calculations faster.
After a few seconds the pain began to subside.
He steadied himself and got slowly got up on his feet.
Dylan smirked.
Dylan: "Told you."
Ethan: "Ya I get it, no need to rub it in."
Ethan raised his hand at a random rock.
Ethan: (I should test this out first.)
Ethan: "Mana blast."
Just like the previous times the skill takes it's own sweet time like it's a unskippable ad.
Eventually it fired.
The rock vanished on impact—obliterated. Almost no debris remaining.
Ethan frowned.
Ethan: (The output has definitely increased.)
He sighed.
Ethan: "Man.. That's disappointing. I was really hoping to increase the casting speed, even by a little bit."
Dylan: "We should get moving now."
Ethan: "Ya. Sure."
Dylan switched on his flashlight, and entered the woods with him leading.
The forest swallowed the light. Darkness pressed on from every direction.
(30 minutes later)
They were forced to take a break because Ethan almost fainted, again.
With nothing eventful happening, except Ethan regretting coming with Dylan.
(35 minutes later)
(Dylan POV)
They finally catch a glimpse of their house, as they approach closer.
As the flashlight shined, revealing a massive hole, in place of once what used to be a entrance and claw marks at the edges.
Something had forcefully entered.
Ethan: "Ah, shit."
They began retreating back into the woods, slowly.
Suddenly, Ethan's foot jerked.
Something snapped tight around his ankle.
Before he could react, he was dragged into the darkness.
Dylan attempts to go after Ethan, but stops instinctively.
A wooden spear swooped past his face, bairly missing him by an inch.
Another spear flew and another, followed by a barrage of spears.
At a glance the spears were crude, poorly made and rushed.
Relying on his instincts Dylan dodged, dropping the flashlight. Darkness consumed him.
He dove, taking cover behind a tree.
Or so it seemed. One of the spears had pierced straight through his foot.
Pain shot up his leg.
Teeth clenched, heart pounding, he snapped the shaft in half but left the logged tip inside to limit bleeding.
Dylan: (I can't get to Ethan without killing that thing first. Since when are goblins smart enough to set traps?)
He pulled out a knife from his backpack and tossed the bag away.
Dylan: (This is that sixth sense that Ethan mentioned...)
The barrage of spears stopped.
Dylan: (.....Why did it stop attacking? Did it run out of spears or can it not detect me from this distance?)
*Rustle, Rustle*
Footsteps, but not headed towards him.
His eyes widened as he immediately realised what it was planning.
Dylan: (It's going after Ethan!)
Rather than charging in recklessly, he cut his backpack and encased it around his arm to mimic a makeshift shield.
Keeping the knife in one of the pockets.
He grabed the broken spear, and hurled it towards the sound.
Goblin: "AKAAK!"
A shriek pierced the forest.
Dylan: (A hit.)
He sprinted forward, grabbing one of the many missed spear from the ground as he moved.
A spear flew from the darkness–
He dodged effortlessly.
More spears followed.
He raised his backpack, trying block the relentless onslaught of spears as he advanced step by step.
The assault suddenly stopped.
Without hesitation Dylan hurled his spear in the direction of the goblin–and charges.
From the corner of his eye he finally spots the silhouette of the goblin.
It immediately thrusts a spears at him,
Dylan instinctively blocked.
The spears pierced through the backpack–and partially into his arm.
Dylan gritted his teeth.
Dylan: "Strike!"
Dylan's hand swiftly snapped the wooden shaft in half.
The goblin, noticing the opening stepped in and drove a brutal punch into his gut.
Dylan: (Not again.)
Dylan was sent flying–into the walls of his own house.
Wood splinted behind him.
Darkness pressed in.
Dylan: (It's stronger than me in almost every aspect. I need an opening, to end it in one shot.)
Despite his body screaming not to, he forces himself to get up. Still griping tightly to his knife.
His foot trembled. His arm throbbed, the splintered spearhead remained lodged.
The goblin tilted it's head, confused.
Dylan is still somehow standing.
Dylan staggered backward, barely keeping his balance as he entered through the gaping hole in his house.
The goblin followed immediately.
It's claws scraped against the floorboard as it tracked him, guided by his presence more than sight.
Dylan stumbled into the living room, breath ragged, vision bluring at the edges.
As the goblin stepped into the room.
*Click*
A sudden flare lit up the room.
The goblin shrieked, it's hand flying to its face as it's wide pupils constricted violently. It staggered, squinting, disoriented by the sudden brightness.
Dylan didn't hesitate.
Dylan: "Strike."
The knife swung in a sharp arc, across its tors, fatally wounding it. Green blood sprayed across the wooden floor.
The goblin stumbled back, tring to retreat.
Dylan: (Oh no you don't!)
Dylan: "Strike."
The blade carved into its leg, nearly slicing it apart. The knife stuck tight in its knee.
The goblin, collapsed on one knee.
But then it snapped back with a desperate right hook.
The punch connected, knocking him aside.
But Dylan smirked, as he knew that punch didn't have much power behind it.
The goblin is getting weaker.
Dylan: (It's almost dead.)
Dylan charged in and drove his fist right into it's gut. Sweet revenge.
Green blood spilling out of it's mouth as it fell onto it's back.
Without wasting a second he followed it with another punch.
and another.
and another.
The goblin raised it's arms weakly, trying to shield it's face.
Dylan grabbed his hands together and smashed it into the goblin.
Again.
And again.
And again.
His knuckles scraped. Skin torn.
Pain flared through his injuries.
He didn't stop.
The goblin's resistance weakened.
It's movements slowed.
It's eyes lost focus.
Still, Dylan kept striking non stop.
[ Level up ]
A familiar message popped up.
Dylan finally exhaled a sigh of relief, as he tried to stand up, his body physical couldn't, his vision bluring.
His body collapsed on the bloodstained floor, finally giving up on him.