(5 days later)
(12:30 a.m)
Ethan is stood near what used to be the front entrance. The hole had been patched with wooden planks nailed together to form a rough barricade. He carried a new backpack, and held a lit torch that cracked softly in the cold air.
Ethan: "Did you find it?"
From inside the house, hurried footsteps echoed.
Dylan emerged from the darkness, carrying a shovel over his shoulder.
Ethan: "What took you so long?"
Dylan gave him a flat look.
Dylan: "Are you seriously asking me that?Have you seen the state of our basement?"
Ethan: "Yaaa. I'll work on that later."
Dylan: "You better."
Ethan: "If you want it cleaned so badly, then you should do the cleaning from now on."
Dylan instantly understood the horrors he will have to do.
Dylan: "I am kidding.. Anyways why did you ask me to bring a shovel?"
Ethan pointed the torch at two uneven lumps in the dirt a few meters away from the house.
Ethan: "I noticed something seems to be buried in that spot. I wanted to check it out before we left."
Dylan: "Sure."
Dylan stepped forward and began digging in the spot.
(45 minutes later)
The shovel struck something, contrary to expectations it was soft.
The sickening quench immediately engulfed the area.
Both of them recoiled, covering their noses in disgust.
Dylan pulled out the shovel dripping with green blood.
Ethan: "Don't tell me..."
He dropped to his knees and began digging with his hands despite the smell.
Upon further digging he saw green skin, realising his hunch was true.
Ethan: (These are... Graves.)
Ethan quietly got up.
Ethan: "I'll wash my hands. Fill this back up?"
Dylan: "Sure..?"
Ethan walked back inside without another word.
A few minutes later, he returned.
Ethan: "Let's go."
Dylan: "I'm not done."
Ethan: "This much should be fine."
Dylan: "Whatever works for you."
Ethan: (How did I not notice that the corpses in the kitchen were missing.)
Both of them began their journey back to 'The Enoshima no Kura'.
(33 minutes later)
They rested on a cluster of rocks along the forest path.
Dylan: "Are you good? You seem distracted."
Ethan: "Really?"
Dylan: "You tripped multiple times. Almost went the wrong way. And haven't said a word."
Ethen sighed.
Ethan: "I have been thinking about goblins. I originally thought of them as some mindless monsters, but now. Seeing them bury the dead knowing that they can feel remorse and sorrow makes them feel more human."
Dylan: "So.. you are regret killing them."
Ethan: "Not really, it was either us or them. I don't regret surviving, but I do feel bad."
Ethan looked up staring into the darkness.
Ethan: "I am more confused."
Dylan: "Confused of what?"
Ethan: "That goblin layed down traps, it played smart... You are extremely talented and experienced in all sorts of hand to hand and weapon combat. All that before, you got buffed by the system. Despite that you baerly managed to win.
Ethan paused.
Ethan: "It's scary to think a creature that outclasses us in every category exists, but I don't get why the other goblins acted like savages. Do these guys have some sort of a curse or did that one eat some sort of a fruit that made it a hundred times intelligent."
Dylan: "I don't know if it's related, but when I was fighting it. I noticed that it didn't have red eyes like the others."
Ethan: "You didn't think to tell me that EARLIER?!"
Dylan: "Sorry. It slipped off my mind. Why didn't you notice that?"
Ethan: "Because you bashed his face inside out. I couldn't tell if I was looking at it's face or it's ass.
Dylan: "By the way what did you do with the body?"
Ethan: "I burnt it. It started to smell quite bad."
Ethan got up.
Ethan: "We should get moving."
Dylan: "Sure."
Dylan got up and followed.
(25 minutes later)
They exited the forest and before entering the city took a quick break with nothing eventful happening.
(20 minutes later)
They safely made their way to the hotel without encountering a single goblin.
They quickly approached the entrance.
Ethan tried opening the door, but it wouldn't budge.
Ethan: "Shit. It's locked."
Ethan scanned the nearby area and spotted a half–open window.
Ethan: "Can you get in through that?"
He pointed at the window.
Dylan looked up.
Dylan: "Ya."
Dylan expertly climbed up to the window with ease. Like he was never injured in the first place.
Ethan: "Wait–Catch!"
Ethan tossed his flashlight. Dylan caught it and cleanly slipped inside.
After a few minutes later the front door clicked open.
As they entered Ethan turned on the lights.
Ethan: "Elin's probably out. I'll go whip up a quick snack. What do you want?"
Dylan sank into the soft bed.
Dylan: "Anything warm."
Ethan nodded and disappeared down the hallway.
(20 minutes later)
Ethan enters room 101 with two steaming bowls.
Ethan: "Here."
Dylan: "Thanks."
Dylan quickly began eating
Ethan: "So, how do you feel."
Dylan: "It still hurts a bit, especially my foot."
Ethan: "You should focus on resting. What does your system say?"
Dylan: "I am at sixty–three out of hundred hp and I leveled up to seven."
Ethan leaned back
Ethan: "After your fight you were at eight hp. The system is definitely improving our healing rate. For most athletes wounds like these means months in a hospital or the end of their career."