Watching them fight had been entertaining… at first.
There was something oddly captivating about witnessing two creatures locked in a battle of survival, each movement carrying weight with each of their decision potentially leading to life or death. In those early moments, I had been genuinely invested, leaning forward in my imaginary seat as I observed the exchange.
But now? Now it had become repetitive.
Strike. Dodge. Reset. Strike. Dodge. Reset.
Over and over again, like a broken cycle that refused to evolve into anything more interesting. The tension that once held my attention had dulled, replaced by a growing sense of boredom that I could no longer ignore.
I let out a long, exaggerated yawn, raising a hand to cover my mouth out of sheer habit. The motion itself felt unnecessary, considering my current state, but some things were hard to unlearn.
"…Yeah, I'm done," I muttered.
From what I could tell, this wasn't going to change anytime soon. They would keep going like this until one of them made a mistake. A slip. A moment of exhaustion. One of the two could happen, and just like that, the fight would end.
Simple. Predictable. And honestly?
"Kind of disappointing."
I sighed, shaking my head slightly.
"My first fight scene in a new world, and this is what I get?"
It wasn't bad. But it wasn't great either.
I had expected something more. Something… exciting.
"…Unless…" A slow grin crept onto my face.
My hands came together, rubbing lightly against each other as a quiet, almost mischievous giggle escaped me.
"Well… I guess there's one way to fix that."
I drifted closer to the scene, positioning myself just near enough for the interface to respond.
Right on cue, it appeared.
[Notice! Would you like to use Possession on the Nameless Goblin]
[Yes / No]
"…Nameless?" I repeated, frowning slightly.
That part didn't sit well with me. Still, I didn't dwell on it. "Whatever."
My focus shifted back to the more important part. "Yes."
The moment I confirmed it, the process began.
[Attempting possession on the living organism, Nameless Goblin]
[Ghost Rank: D- | Target Rank: F-]
[Calibrating success rate… 100%]
[Commencing Possession…]
The transition was smooth. Almost too smooth.
For me, it felt natural, in the same easy way it had been the first time with the dead rabbit. For the Goblin however, it or rather, his reaction to my invasion of his body played out differently for him.
His body convulsed violently, as though struck by a surge of electricity. Muscles tensed, limbs jerked, and for a brief moment, it looked like he might collapse entirely.
On the contrary, stillness came for him before his consciousness went lights out for him, while for me? I was in.
First use of possession on a living creature turned out to be a grappling success.
I blinked, adjusting to the new perspective of my thoughts inside the goblin's body, in control.
"I like this.". Unlike with the rabbit, this was fun, but there was no time to enjoy the moment.
The snake was already moving. It lunged fast and direct, aiming straight for me.
I reacted instantly.
Without overthinking it, without making any unnecessary movements, I stepped back just enough for its head to pass harmlessly by my side. At the same time, my grip tightened around the club.
Then I swung. Hard.
The impact rang out sharply as the club connected with the snake's skull. The force behind the strike drove its head straight into the ground with a heavy thud.
"…That felt good." But it wasn't over just yet.
The snake recovered quickly, lifting its head with surprising resilience before retreating backward, putting distance between us.
"…Running?" I tilted my head slightly. "No, no, no mister snake. We're not done, you and I, yet."
This was my show now and I wasn't about to let it end like that.
I moved, easily closing the gap without hesitation.
The snake reacted immediately, whipping its tail toward me in a wide arc. The intent was clear. A direct hit would send me flying, possibly leaving me open for a follow-up attack.
But as I watched it come toward me…
"…It's slow." That was the only thought that crossed my mind.
Compared to before, compared to how it had been moving against the goblin earlier, this felt different.
Slower. Predictable to a fault.
I didn't know if it was because of the goblin's reflexes or my own perception, but either way, the difference was undeniable.
Being in the Goblin's body had caused me to be stronger, taking me one leap high above the venomous snake.
And in that one brief realization, Ideas formed. Multiple possibilities. Different ways to counter. Different ways to end this.
I could dodge and strike again. I could close in and overwhelm it. I could play it safe and wear it down.
"…Or…" A grin spread across my face. "I could make this interesting."
Because if there was one thing I wanted right now, it was style.
This was my first real fight after possession. My first chance to do something memorable in this world.
And I wasn't about to waste it on something boring.
"No," I muttered. "We're doing this properly."
We will make it a bit flashy. Something worth remembering.
With that decision made, I moved.
I dodged the tail strike effortlessly, stepping aside before it could even come close to hitting me. Then, instead of pressing the attack immediately, I pulled back.
Creating distance.
"…Let's set the stage."
It was easy. Too easy.
Right now, I am faster than the snake. That much was clear. Putting space between us wasn't a challenge.
Not in the slightest.
And once I had had enough of it, I jumped.
One powerful stomp against the ground, and my body launched upward, soaring high into the air. The force behind it was more than I expected, sending me far higher than any normal human could ever achieve.
"…Whoa."
Even I was surprised.
For a brief moment, I simply floated there, suspended in the sky, taking in the height I had reached.
"…This is insane."
But the moment didn't last. Gravity kicked in and I began to fall at an alarming rate.
"…Now this is where the fun begins."
I adjusted my body mid-air, flipping smoothly until I was upside down. My legs pointed toward the sky while my upper body faced downward, the club held firmly in my grip.
Below me was the snake right where I wanted it.
It tried to move. Of course it did. Instinct demanded it.
But I couldn't allow that.
"Stay."
I activated my skill. Fear Pulse.
This time, it worked with immediate consent.
The snake froze.
Its body trembled, its movements halted as an invisible force gripped it in place. Fear, raw and overwhelming, rooted it to the spot, stripping away its ability to react.
"…Perfect."
The impact came, shuddering!
A thunderous crash erupted as I slammed down onto it, the force of the blow shattering the ground beneath us. The earth cracked, forming a crater as debris scattered in all directions.
The wind surged outward, rattling nearby trees, sending leaves and dust flying into the air.
And the snake? Gone. Completely decimated. There was nothing left of it. Only scattered fragments, splattered across the ground as remains and proof that it had been there.
I straightened slowly, taking in the aftermath.
"That was… something."
A notification appeared.
[Notice! You have eliminated an F+ rank organism… +10 Experience Points]
"…Nice."
My first victory. It felt… good, really good.
Without thinking, I raised my fist into the air. A celebratory gesture if you will.
Also, I do believe I need to input. Against my ever so denying will, my body moved.
My lower half began shifting, swaying in what could only be described as a strange, celebratory dance.
"…Wait." I paused. "…I'm not doing that."
I stared down at myself. "…I'm definitely not doing that."
This was the Goblin's doing. So I pinned it on him. There was afterall no evidence to support otherwise.
So yup, definitely the Goblin's doing and not me refusing to admit I was petty enough to do a celebratory dance after my first, mini-scale combat win.
I blinked. "…Yeah, let's go with that."
Before I could think about it further, another notification appeared.
[Notice! 1,260 Spirit Essence consumed]
[Spirit Essence: 8,383 / 10,000]
"…That much?!"
My eyes widened slightly.
I hadn't even noticed.
If it wasn't for the notification, I would have had no idea my energy had dropped that significantly.
"That's dangerous."
Without wasting another second, I withdrew.
Slipping out of the goblin's body and returning to my ghost form.
The moment I did, the goblin convulsed again, its body reacting violently to the sudden loss of control.
As soon as I left his body, I had my attention rammed with another prompt up message...
[+100 Experience Points]