A short moment of what could only be considered a display of psychoticism, Ethan gathered his bearings surprised by his own actions, ‘This was...Dark…’ He coughs awkwardly.
“I am sorry for the unsightly moment, Don’t you just love when things just work exactly like you need them to?” Ethan asks innocently.
“I really want to go and save my family now” Leah calls out, her patience and mind is at the limit.
“Sure, Dana, you can keep the spear, also, quickly decide:
Kill him or let him go. secondly, join us or let us know if you ain’t coming along so we could move on”
Standing above the trembling man who betrayed her mother, a spear goes cleanly in his throat, not even a moment of consideration was needed, not a inch of remorse in her eyes.
Ethan and Lead open their eyes wide, surprised by the decisiveness and cruelty of the young lass.
A green orb manifests itself on the man's chest and rolls down.
Picking it up the orb turns to a piece of paper.
Moving toward Ethan she offered the paper, “I don't know what it is, please take it as a token of my request to become a student of your ways in this new world!”
Surprised by Dana's suggestion, he starts by Inspecting the paper she received from gracefully dispatching that man.
‘She was not a big fan of this man, inspect’ He makes a quick assumption as a black screen appears in front of him.
[Ding!
Type: Active skill
Name: Heavy Strike
Grade: uncommon
description : This is an active skill that allows the damage of this strike to ignore mental and physical defenses
Buff: A damage that slashes through whatever it strikes avoiding a minor amount of mental and physical defenses]
“This is a great skill, and your decisiveness is highly evaluated, but we are far from a master-disciple relationship. There is a lot to cover, and there is still a lot I need to study and make sure of myself” He subtly placed the piece of paper she offered back to her.
“First I'm gonna recap our current situation as we make our way to where Leah's family is.
When we finish the explanation, I'll teach you how to learn the skill you just earned.
This is a skill, a good one.
“You were gifted it by fighting your inner demons and conquering them and I dare not take this from you” He pushed her insisting hand away.
Walking past the body Dana dispatched, He didn't feel that tug of his bloodline’s talent, nor any energy he can extract, ‘of course, such talent has To come with restriction, must be enemies I killed myself or something’
Making their way, now with faster Pace, Dana is taught how to use ‘status’, ‘inspect’ and general knowledge of the situation.
“You are receiving it quite calmly” Ethan complimented Dana, Leah in the background agreed, nodding her head.
“Had an hour to deal with my mother's death in a collapsing building, her boyfriend's betrayal and attempt to assault me, and I just witnessed two people die, the two being the one who practically caused her death, one I killed myself” she shrugs
“So yes, at least your explanations are as bizarre As they are, they give this whole thing a different meaning, as weird as its meaning is. Also I am now in a group of three, all armed to the teeth and seem to be well informed, that's without talking about the gun you carry” She flatly rationalized her thoughts.
“Your willpower and decisiveness are admirable, I would be honored to have you around” Ethan replies and mentally notes to himself ‘her cooperation and adaptiveness to the new situation is incredible’.
With everything covered they found a safe isolated place, hidden in a cross of two small alleys, Dana gets instructed how to learn the skill.
Taking longer than Ethan to study the skill, , she stands up as the paper disintegrating to small ash like powder, informing her two companions about her succeeding she gestures to the two to move on.
“Thank you, Ethan, the resolve and the offer I asked of you, stands stronger than ever” she pushed once more, “I have a feeling this skill you decided to leave to me is not something simple”.
“discussion for later, With earth still expands, the way back won't be any shorter, also we currently Stays at Leah's place so she's the one to ask permission from” Ethan turns to Lead giving her some credit.
“Leah, we have yet to speak but it seems I was rude to not ask for your opinion, you are Obviously currently partnered with Ethan and your opinion has Weight to the decision, please, consider me staying with you” she asked politely.
“Letting a powerful and polite young woman like You be left behind, especially with what you have been through, only a monster will deny you” In a surge of motherly emotional burst, Leah takes Dana for a hug.
‘She does look a bit younger than me, I’ll ask her when we will have spare time’ Ethan threw that thought to the back of his mind for now.
All of a sudden the fresh wounds of Dana's heart came at full force as she burst out crying, the Mother-daughter moment hit her current repressed mental state - it was super effective.
Five minutes was needed for the trio to keep moving, Dana still periodically whipping the last remnants of the emotional moment she's been through.
Along the way their presence dispatch some heated arguments but with no time to spare they let minor events be, “whoever can’t diffuse an argument in this world is going to have a hard time” Ethan states coldly and moves forward.
not long is left as the shopping center comes to sight.
It's a 300m shopping center, three stories tall.
The building doesn’t have many entrances and in it there are many food and clothing stores.
The sight of the white and modern off white building was bright, contrasted by the color of the dark gold-purple hues of the skies that seemed to sway like the aurora of earth’s poles.
The team of three picks up the pace, seeing the building still standing Intact, Leah takes a big sigh of relief.
“Look Ethan! The building it’s fully intact!” Leah called out happily
The relief sadly, was but a momentary thing, Blood were starting to get in sight as they came closer, And what Ethan could assume was a small space rift was floating at the entrance outside of the shopping center.
Weird humidity was present in the area spreading the iron tinge of the blood covered ground in many areas of the parking lot they had just entered.
The rift looked like a floating window with edges that resembled a blurred broken glass and a hazy view of what one can only assume was a cave seemed to be on the other side, coming closer to it, the humidity was far more noticeable and the smell of what an urban man could assume what animal’s den would smell like was permeating the air.
Among the store's green humanoids, about a meter and half, even less, was walking ungracefully, some ram wooden clubs or crude attempt of an axe on a closed store, probably trying to reach people or food that are hidden there.
“Leah, Dana hear me out, “ taking a patch of bushes to hide, he started speaking. “I would take a not so wild guess, those are goblins, green humanoid creatures, surprisingly agile, weak and working in groups”
“As weak as they are, they are cunning when working together.
I don't see too many of them but we are far from speaking about anything confidently” He takes a dramatic pause before presenting the harder information to digest.
The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
“Also, be advised, based on the lore about those creatures the possibility about their nature is wide in range. It goes from stupid first game stages monsters and ends in them being dark creatures that are deeply disturbing in their costumes. I would rather keep less descriptive for you two, but you need to be prepared for anything” Ethan explains avoiding Gorey descriptions.
“I will ask you two once more, this is a high risk, high reward kind of a thing, we must secure levels by killing monsters and have heads up on everyone else. Imagine that the two we fought earlier were stronger than us” The ladies looked at each other knowing very well how things could've ended like in such a case.
“Last thing, by the look of how many of them are trying to break into the big stores I can only assume that there are still survivors. Leah, your family might still be alive, Are you with me?” Ethan asks for final approval of the two.
‘This is the chance that I needed, after devouring so many, I might receive a great stats boost!’ With eyes full of determination he said to the two spear women Companions, “we will slowly get rid of them in small groups, I will take initiative and draw here individuals or small groups. Stay here, if you look like in a pinch, Leah you make an appearance first and help me out, if we both get in a pinch, Dana sweeps in. Whenever the coast is clear we repeat the process, clear?” Ethan lays the plan for the two.
With final polishing of the plans he waits for a single goblin to walk around as he draws him closer. When he is close enough to a stray goblin, ‘inspect’ he calls mentally.
[Ding!
Name: goblin
Level: 3
Description: A humanoid creature of malice and mischief]
‘Seems like I was right, weaker monsters are first to arrive’ he pondered letting out a mental sigh of relief.
Drawing him closer to the free space in the parking loot between a few cars, he reveals himself to a wandering goblin.
Holding the sharp knife in the right hand and bug killer spray on the left, he takes his usual improvised stand.
The goblin takes the taunt, and charges wildly.
‘Yes, intelligence is indeed lacking’ he smiled at his luck.
He was about to recreate the wolf scene but the goblin movement was slower. Not only could he feel the flow of the attack, but also imagining multiple courses of actions he could do with this knife. He was surprised how easy the shallow and predictable simple club swing was.
‘Why am I having so much knowledge of possible attacks, not only mine but the goblin’s club too’ a mental light bulb flickered in his mind, he would’ve face palmed himself If he wasn't fighting a monster.
‘That's what the skill description means: efficiency and knowledge of a weapon acquired…it's a cheat weapon mastery skill?’ he focused on the knife he held and imagined how he could attack as a set of combos came to mind, some easier some a bit on the more difficult side, in his mind he looked for the most complicated feint and attack.
Thinking it through before conducting the technique, his improvised stance was changed to a proper one, the wrist work of the technique he wanted to try was no joke, but he wanted to see how far the system assists.
He tried conducting his theoretical knowledge to action, but a sudden change of movement from the goblin, made him alter the grip and improvise another attack, in a moment of confusion, he picked an attack that was not suitable to combo with what he went with causing a strong sting of pain that almost made him drop the weapon.
Luckily, the blade moved in a direction the goblin didn't expect, it was not the throat cut he aimed for, but hitting a main vein, it took the goblin 20 seconds to get woozy from blood loss, from there on, it was too easy.
[Ding! Defeated lvl 3 goblin]
Feeling the energy of the dead goblin he used his talent and cozy warmth engulfed his inside.
The amount of energy was even smaller than the man he fought against, and he received no stats, ‘more must be needed with such weak creatures, also not every time loot is dropped’ he took notes.
putting The knife in the plastic sheath, he Held his still aching wrist, painfully understanding the difference with, knowledge, mastery and physical abilities.
Doing and knowing were two different requirements.
Shoving the corpse of the goblin beneath a car he went on again as his wrist recovered a bit.
Bringing a level 2 goblin, he approached it more cautiously picking easier techniques, and made an easy game out of it.
No drops, no level up, no stats from bloodline talent again.
‘A good chance to train my swordsmanship, I need to get a longer and straight blade’ although a knife, it was 45cm, its definition debatable.
After one more run, the third goblin fell.
[Ding! level 3 goblins defeated]
Using his talent he got a stats point.
[Ding! Agility increased by 1]
‘So it takes three? Let’s make sure’ he decided to put it to the test.
After one more successful encounter he decided, 'let's pump up those rookies number’ he smirked to himself, the ground around him stained with green viscous blood, the smell was so bad he considered relocating the ambush.
This time he brought two goblins, looking around he saw Leah was about to join but he gestured her to wait.
The two goblins noticed him, before attacking they looked like they sniffed the air.
Their noses were saggy, a bit puffy and pointy, ‘I guess size does matter’ he joked with himself and noticed they were looking at the two cars he used to hide the now 4 goblin corpses, ‘Their sense of smell is quite good’
As if to acknowledge his thoughts, the two goblins started to act all Maddened and charged, mad goblin, is still a goblin, it seems, their attack slow, their weapon line of attack is crystal clear in Ethan's Eyes. Their only redeeming feature was that they fought very complementary with one another, the sync was decent fitting to their lore.
He dodged the first goblin, released a slash, dodged the second attack, second slash, dodge the first goblin again, and a slash - in turns he gave each one a slash, 7 slashes in they both fell.
[Ding! level 3 goblins defeated]
[Ding! level 3 goblins defeated]
[Ding! Level increased! Level 3!]
‘One to strength, one to agility’ he didn't waste a moment spending his two free points he gained from leveling up.
Using his talent, he devoured the remnant energies of the two goblins.
[Ding! Strength increased by 1]
With a wild grin, the feeling of 3 new stats points was washing over his body, he felt nimble And stronger.
doing the same routine, he did a quick job of a goblin in two hits.
Meanwhile in the bushes the two girls looked at Ethan dispatching goblins right and left.
“Leah, is he a monster? Where did you meet him?” Dana asked with excitement oozing from her eyes.
“He just appeared on my door steps, I hope my son and his family are safe” she answered, pondering, she decided to ask “how did you manage to kill that man so easily back there?” she lowered her gaze, this was a private and tough question.
“Oh..” thinking for a moment Dana replied “why not? From the first second I saw Ethan I became jealous of him, the good kind of jealous. I want to be him, I want to be an aid to him. He gave me all the reasons and comfort to act as I wish, when he spoke of path, I chose mine even before he gave me the options, even the way he acts and works people, the way he fooled the armed man, waiting for the right moment…it's art…”
The more she talked, the more Unrestrained her thoughts became, until she heard Leah laughing.
“That's one way to get a crash, I guess” Leah held a burst of laughter that would be inappropriate in such a situation.
“A cr..I don't have a crush on him!” she looked at the ground, her cheeks bright red.
Leah was about to keep on teasing her but the scene of four goblins giving chase to Ethan froze her blood.
She was about to come out and help, but Dana hand’s stopped her, “not yet…”
Back in the parking lot 20 meters away from the girls, Ethan, surrounded by four goblins, he took out the bug killer spray, ready to use if for the first time. Dodging a wooden club he sprayed the first goblin’s face, following with a dodge from the second attack and aiming a slash to the third one who was open as he overcharged a exaggerated powerful crude axe swipe, a powerful swipe that never came to fruition as the attacker fell to the ground, the slash cut through a vital.
[Ding! Level 4 goblin defeated]
That enraged the three remaining goblins, with the three of them in range and blinded by the fall of their brethren, Ethan went low, super low, and did a 360 degree slash.
Two dropped their weapons, one got his belly opened, guts started to spill out, falling to the ground he is slowly dying. The other two now unarmed, quite literally, came again with their one working arm, each.
Not a minute later, four new goblin corpses got their energy siphoned.
[Ding! Level 3 goblin defeated]
[Ding! Level 5 goblin defeated]
[Ding! Level 4 goblin defeated]
[Ding! Agility increased by 1]
[Ding! Strength increased by 1]
Checking the bodies, it seemed like one was level 5, not that Ethan complained.
Going to the awestruck ladies, full of goblins blood he asked, “I am not sure about the numbers inside, but I don’t see too many by now, Do you wish to join me for a frontal attack to gain levels?”
While Leah was pondering, Dana answered excitedly “Yes! There is this skill I need to try out!”
With two looking surprised at her sudden excitement, she lowered her head embarrassed.
“Let’s get you two dirty, come on” he gestured to the two to follow.
Going past the space rift cautiously he inspected it
[Ding!
Dungeon: goblin cave
Difficultly: First circle of power
Requirement: Second Circle of power or lower]
Narrowing his eyes he pondered the system prompts, ‘circle of powers…is it like tiers? Interesting…problems for later’
Just as he was about to let it be, Dana spoke up, “Ethan, Leah, have you also inspected the gate?”
A nod from Leah shows that by know they are on the same wavelength in their thinking, “We should leave it be for know, trying to figure important things will harm our focus when we fight, also it stinks here”, He wave his palm, trying to clear the den like aroma from his nose.
Another second of focus on the phenomena, a collective intrusive thought that the broken space made a very unpleasant sound, was ringing in their ears, quite literally. Mesmerised by its otherworldly looks, a sense of wrongness came from this, it was as if this crack in the fabric of space was a deviation that shouldn’t exist.
With a final nod, they classified it as ‘troubles for later’. They enter the shopping center, crackling voices of the goblins and cries of people can be heard all over the place
