Eat All the Things
I HID IN THE GRASS at the edge of the Goblin Grasslands. Just a short distance
away squatted a goblin, yawning. The green-skinned monster stood about as
high as my waist, and its tattered clothes looked stolen.
The goblin hadn't noticed me. Its guard was down. I scanned the immediate
area, but the monster seemed alone. Holding my breath, I circled toward the
goblin's blind spot, where I used Identify.
Goblin Fighter, Lv 3
Vitality: 30
Strength: 40
Magic: 10
Spirit: 10
Agility: 30
Skills: Strength Boost (Low) A goblin fighter… It seemed goblins came in a
few different classes. This one's stats were much lower than mine.
Next, I used Identify on the goblin's skill.
Strength Boost (Low): Slightly increases the power of physical attacks.
The skill was a stat boost, then. If this Strength Boost was low, that meant
there were probably medium and high versions, too. I needed to start grabbing
useful skills wherever I could.
The goblin finally lost out to sleepiness and drifted into slumber. This was my
chance!
I leapt out from the grass and dashed to close in on the goblin. It awoke to the
sound of my furious footsteps and turned to face me, but it was too late. The
black sword Greed cleaved a smooth arc through the air, severing the goblin's
head from its shoulders. The goblin died before it even had a chance to cry out,
let alone fight back.
As it died, a familiar metallic voice echoed in my head.
Gluttony skill activated. Stats increased: Vitality +30, Strength +40, Magic
+10, Spirit +10, Agility +30. Skill added: Strength Boost (Low).
Yes! Just to be sure, I used Identify to analyze my stats again.
Fate Graphite, Lv 1
Vitality: 151
Strength: 191
Magic: 111
Spirit: 111
Agility: 161
Skills: Gluttony, Identify, Telepathy, Strength Boost (Low) My stats were
rising. I was getting stronger.
Greed chuckled as I stood there, lost in joy as I gazed at my stats and skills.
"Overreacting a little for a measly goblin, don't you think? If we have to do a
victory dance every time you kill such a wretch, we won't get anything done."
"Give me a break, would you? I just killed my first monster."
Maybe a "measly goblin" didn't mean anything to the other adventurers, but
until yesterday, I'd lived in honest fear of all these beasts. I felt an indescribable
new freedom now that the tables had turned.
I cut off the goblin's ears as proof I'd slain it. The kingdom rewarded anyone
who helped keep the monster population down; you exchanged proof for
money at the designated trading post. One pair of goblin ears was worth ten
copper coins, which was more than my daily gatekeeping wages. Adventuring
was dangerous, but the money was great. I tucked the goblin ears in a burlap
bag I'd brought with me. It was time for the next target.
I cautiously continued through the field until I found two goblins in a clearing.
I could tell one of them was a goblin fighter, based on the sword he carried, but
the other held only a large shield. Fortunately, I didn't need to stand around
guessing what that meant. I had Identify.
Goblin Guard, Lv 3
Vitality: 40
Strength: 20
Magic: 10
Spirit: 10
Agility: 10
Skills: Vitality Boost (Low) The goblin guard had a touch more health than
the goblin fighter and, to go with it, a low vitality-boost skill. But I figured
that, as long as I could avoid letting my attacks bounce off that shield, this
battle was mine.
I watched the two goblins from the shadows of the high grass, deciding which
to take first. At a glance, it looked like the sword-wielding goblin fighter was the
better option. But if my first attack failed, or the goblins noticed me coming,
that shield-carrying guard would be a problem while I took on the fighter.
Though I suspected I could have overwhelmed the two goblins by force, I
wasn't used to battling monsters. I wanted to be certain of my attack plan, so I
decided to start with the guard.
I waited for the goblins to separate and put a little distance between
themselves.
Now!
I dove out of hiding while the guard faced the other way, but its reflexes were
sharp. It sensed me coming and turned with its shield at the ready. Greed was
already flying through the air; my sword was going to bounce off the goblin's
shield.
Or so I thought.
"Augh!"
The guard let out a scream as the black sword carved through goblin and
shield as if through paper. It seemed Greed was far sharper than he appeared. If
that was the case, these goblins had no chance of stopping my attacks.
Gluttony skill activated. Stats increased: Vitality +40, Strength +20, Magic
+10, Spirit +10, Agility +10. Skill added: Vitality Boost (Low) The metallic voice
rang in my head as I dashed toward the remaining goblin. It had noticed me,
of course, and now waved its sword menacingly. I kept a close eye on it as I
paused to ask Greed something.
"Hey, Greed," I said.
"Hey, what?"
"If you're so sharp, why were you being sold for practically nothing?"
"It's simple. I choose who wields me."
"Does that mean you've accepted I have the right to handle you?"
"Ugh. Shut it."
Greed's voice was sulky, but his blade glowed with a keen light. His words
were often spiteful, but in his own way, Greed had taken to me. I intended to
live up to his expectations.
The goblin fighter swung its sword wildly in an attempt to intimidate me, but
it made no difference. I cut both it and its sword clean in half and watched as
the goblin fell, its eyes rolling back into its head.
Gluttony skill activated. Stats increased: Vitality +30, Strength +40, Magic
+10, Spirit +10, Agility +30
This time, I didn't acquire any skills. It seemed I couldn't stack skills I already
owned. If I wanted new powers, I would have to hunt different monsters. But
even the stats alone were delicious enough.
I hunted a further twenty-five goblin fighters and ten goblin guards, until my
bag was almost full of goblin ears. Then I checked my current stats with Identify.
Fate Graphite, Lv 1
Vitality: 1,371
Strength: 1,451
Magic: 481
Spirit: 481
Agility: 1,051
Skills: Gluttony, Identify, Telepathy, Strength Boost (Low), Vitality Boost
(Low) My vitality, strength, and agility stats had all reached four digits,
though my magic and spirit stats lagged, because my enemies were also
lacking there. It was almost impossible to believe that, just yesterday, all my
stats had all been a single digit: one.
One thing bothered me, though—my level. I'd defeated enough enemies to
earn the Spheres required for a level up. But something was weird; my level
hadn't changed at all.
Greed chuckled at my confusion. "It's an effect of your Gluttony. Those whose
skills violate the natural order of the gods cannot receive the blessings of
Spheres."
"'Violate the natural order of the gods…' What do you mean?"
"That's what you're doing. The act of devouring the stats and skills of your
enemies through their death is the rejection of the natural order and the very
concept of levels. There are no blessings for such people. Your stats were meant
to be all ones. And…"
Greed paused. Something was on his mind.
"No. It's nothing. It's almost lunch. Shouldn't we be getting back to the
kingdom?"
I was curious and wanted him to continue, but also he was right, I was getting
hungry—in the more traditional sense. It was time to finish up and head back to
Seifort. My stats had broken four digits, and that was enough for today. Also, I
didn't know exactly why, but the goblins had started getting desperate—near
vicious—in their attacks. I worried it wasn't safe to push them further. In any
case, with my new stats, I could continue on my next hunt—perhaps as far as
the forest, to hunt hobgoblins. They were a rank up from ordinary goblins, so
they'd fill me up even more.
In high spirits, I began the walk back to the Kingdom of Seifort.