I hadn't paid much attention to it at first.
Back when I exited the rabbit's body, there had been a small notification—barely worth noting at the time. A simple message, something along the lines of a reward, a tiny increment that didn't seem significant enough to dwell on.
But now it was starting to add up.
"When I left the rabbit… I got +1 Experience Point," I exclaimed, recalling it clearly. "And when I killed the snake… I got +10."
Then there was the most recent one, a much larger number.
"…And now +100."
I stared blankly ahead, the pattern slowly forming in my mind.
"That's a huge jump."
A tenfold increase from one action to another. That wasn't random.
Merely looking at it and I could tell at a glance, there was a system behind it. There had to be.
"…What exactly determines the rate of the value allotted as reward?"
That was the real question.
If I could figure that out—if I could understand the mechanics behind how Experience Points were distributed—then I could optimize my actions going forward.
Maximize gains. Minimize waste. All to become stronger faster. That of course had to be my number one goal.
It remained a non debatable, non-negotiable option for me.
"I know some things already," I continued, pacing lightly in midair as I thought it through. "Killing living organisms gives experience points. Possession and de-possession also seem to give me experience Points."
That much was clear. But the variation wasn't.
"That's where it gets tricky."
I raised a finger, as though lecturing myself.
"The rabbit was dead. The goblin was alive."
Another finger.
"The rabbit was Rank G. The goblin was Rank F-."
Piece by piece, it started coming together.
"If I combine those factors…" A reliazation countenance crept up on my face, "…Then it makes sense."
Possessing a dead, low-ranked creature yielded almost nothing.
But possessing a living, higher-ranked one?
"That gives a lot more."
Which helped to explain the value difference.
"+1 versus +100," I said, nodding to myself. "Yeah… that checks out."
It wasn't just about possession. It was about what I was possessing.
The quality. The state. The rank. I had to be wary of all that as well.
"…Interesting."
My mind buzzed with possibilities.
If I kept scaling upward—if I targeted stronger creatures, higher ranks, living bodies—
"…Then the rewards should increase accordingly."
That was the logical conclusion. And if that was true…
"I've got a lot of room to grow."
"Who are you?"
The voice cut through my thoughts so suddenly that I froze.
"…Huh?"
I blinked. Once. Twice.
Had I just— "…Did I hear that right?"
My mind, still half-immersed in calculations, took a moment to catch up with reality.
"I said, who are you?"
The voice came again. Clearer this time. Closer, and unmistakably directed at me.
"…Wait." I slowly turned my head. "…You're talking to me?"
It was a dumb question. I knew that. But I asked it anyway. The alternative didn't make sense, hence why I really need to ask.
"There's no one else here aside from you and me," the goblin replied, his tone carrying a hint of confusion. "So who else would I be talking to?"
I stared at him. He stared back at me.
"…Hmm."
Suspicion crept in. Carefully, I raised a hand and waved it in front of him. Back and forth.
"What are you doing?"
I flinched. That was immediate. Too immediate.
My hand snapped back instinctively as a flicker of panic ran through me.
Without thinking, I retreated, drifting backward before quickly slipping behind a nearby tree.
"…You can see me?" I asked, peeking out cautiously, only one eye visible while the rest of my body remained hidden behind the tree.
The goblin tilted his head, genuinely puzzled.
"Was I not supposed to?"
"…No, no you weren't supposed to".
What kinda question is that even? He shouldn't be seeing me, shouldn't be conversing with me. Unless—
"…Unless you're dead."
That would explain it.
If he were a ghost like me, then seeing and interacting wouldn't be strange at all.
"…Are you… dead?" I asked carefully.
Even as I spoke, my eyes scanned the area, searching for a body.
A corpse that would indicate he was a ghost like me. Thus explaining how and why he can see me.
Unfortunately for me and the scenario at hand, there was nothing. No lifeless goblin lying around on the ground.
And more importantly, "He doesn't look like a ghost."
He was solid and in a tangible form. Physical if I do say so myself.
Completely unlike my own translucent form.
"…So that's not it."
Which brought me back to the original problem.
"…Then how can he see me?"
That wasn't supposed to happen. Not according to everything I understood so far.
Ghosts weren't visible. Not to the living. At least, they shouldn't be.
"…This is weird."
The goblin, meanwhile, seemed less concerned about my existence and more focused on something else entirely.
His gaze shifted to the ground. Specifically to the crater, at Shattered Earth reminiscing about the aftermath of my earlier attack.
He looked around slowly, taking it all in. Then he turned back to me.
"…Did you do all of this?"
"…I mean…" A brief hesitation. "I didn't not do it."
His expression shifted. Subtly. But noticeably.
A tilt of the head. A slight narrowing of the eyes. Confusion.
"…What does that even mean?"
"Forget that," I waved it off quickly. "That's not important."
Because it wasn't. Not right now at least.
"You can see me," I said, pointing at him. "That's what we should be talking about."
Honestly, priorities.
Why was he focusing on the damage instead of the clearly supernatural entity floating right in front of him?
"…This kid."
I shook my head slightly.
But before I could press the matter further, something seemed to click in his mind.
His expression changed. From confusion to alarm.
"The snake," he said suddenly, turning around. "Did you see a snake nearby?"
And just like that, he was gone mentally, completely draining his focus on something else.
He began searching frantically, moving around with urgency, scanning the area as though his life depended on it.
"…Seriously?" I watched him for a moment, unimpressed. "You're worried about the snake?"
Of all things?
But to be fair, he should be. If he had any idea what had happened to it.
"…Yeah, you're not finding that."
At least not in one piece. Still, I decided to play along.
Clearing my throat—purely out of habit—I spoke.
"Is the snake that important?" I asked, trying my best to sound casual. "Why are you looking for it?"
I wasn't exactly eager to admit responsibility.
I mean I would love to take the credit for the beautiful splatter of art I had made using the snake's body as my instrument.
But courtesy and caution dictate that I know what the circumstances were first before I jump the gun.
He kept searching, didn't even bother to spare me as a glance as he mentioned, "I need its skull," There was a momentary stop on his part, "To propose to a girl I like."
I blinked. "…Wait." I blinked again. "…What?"
"I'm sorry," I said slowly. "Did you just say you need its skull… to propose?"
Surely, I had misheard that.
There was no way, "…Right?"
He didn't respond. Or rather, he didn't care to. His attention had already shifted elsewhere.
"…Hey." I frowned. "Are you seriously ignoring me right now?"
Apparently, he was. Because whatever he had spotted was far more important.
He approached a tree, his movements cautious, deliberate.
"…Now I'm curious."
Despite being ignored, I couldn't help myself.
I drifted closer, following his line of sight. At first glance, I didn't see anything.
Just bark. Just wood. Nothing unusual going on here.
But then on closer inspection, there it was. A skull, the skull. Embedded into the tree itself.
Its jaws were locked tightly onto the bark, as though it had bitten into it with its final breath and never let go.
"…You've got to be kidding me."
Out of everything that survived? That snake has sure got a thick skull for a head.
I let out a small huff. "Congratulations, I guess."
The goblin stepped closer, reaching out. His hand wrapped around the skull.
Then he pulled. Hard.
"…Not happening." The skull didn't budge. Not even a little.
Or maybe it did. But if it did, it was too slight to matter.
"…You're not strong enough."
That much was obvious. Still, he tried again. And again.
Each attempt was more forceful than the last.
"…Hey, you should probably stop. You are going to hurt yourself doing that"
He didn't. Of course, he didn't.
"…You're going to hurt yourself," I warned, a second time now.
His hands were already showing signs of strain.
The skin had tightened and the pressure had built on his palm.
It wouldn't take much for it to tear.
"…Seriously." I shook my head. "Pulling on a bone like that with bare hands?"
That was just asking for trouble.
"And for what?" I glanced at the skull. "…To propose?"
I couldn't help it. A small, incredulous laugh escaped me.
"I don't know if you're brave… or just stupid.
…Or maybe just desperate."
Because honestly?
Going this far, hurting himself for something like that—
"…That's something else."