2 Human Nature Is Kicking In
I'm sure you're wondering how I got here. My name is Keino Cain, but you can just call me Keino. The guy who stabbed me twice was my best friend, Riel Peck. A little over two years ago before we were summoned to this world. We didn't even know each other existed, although we were in the same class.
There were three of us in the beginning. Me, Riel, and Cara… She isn't around any more. We were students and by pure happenstance, we were in the same room, at the same time. I was held back because I hadn't done my homework, Riel was held back because he punched someone who was bullying someone else, and Cara was held back due to her arguing with the teacher. She never was good with doing as she was told.
We were summoned to this world, Kyriaki. By the Goddess' Church, we were called heroes. We were given a system, just like in those stories I'd read to while away the hours.
Wait.
Keino blinked at the dim light. 'And here I am, betrayed by the guy I called friend. Talking to myself as a strange lady I've never met strokes my head. Oh, I see what's going on. I'm going mad.'
The sound of footsteps outside their cell brought Keino back to his senses.
Lauri froze, "T- T- They're coming back."
Keino sat up as the light pitter-patter of feet echoed around their small enclosure. Before he could see them properly, cast by the light of the dim torches, the goblin's shadows made them seem more intimidating than they actually were. Painting the picture of something larger than a man. Keino looked at the people he was stuck with. The mother and son held each other even tighter, the other lone men and women sobbed. Lauri sat still in place, looking at the floor.
'Always picking on the people weaker than them.'
Three goblins no taller than Keino's waist turned the corner, the lead goblin walked up to the cage. Pulling it open, the goblin stepped inside.
'The door wasn't even locked? I guess the people being held prisoner are too scared to leave.'
Shuffling inside, the goblins looked around as they spoke in their language of gnashing teeth.
Cringing at the sound of teeth clattering together, Keino slightly turned to Lauri. "Do you know what they want?" He whispered.
Lauri couldn't speak.
'Worth a try.' Keino turned in time to see the goblins had finished talking. Shambling to the mother and son, one of the goblins grabbed the son's arm.
"No, no!" She screamed, "Please no, don't take my boy!" Looking at the other prisoners, she began to plead, "Please help me, don't let them take my boy!"
The one woman, her eyes wide with her own fear, stared at the mother. "Why should we risk our lives to save your son? You didn't even flinch when they took others. So why should we flinch because of you."
The mother responded with rapid accusations, but Keino had already zoned out of the conversation.
'I see human nature is kicking in. We want to protect ourselves and throw everyone else under the bus.' Keino stood, Lauri grabbed Keino's arm in the blink of an eye.
"L- L- Lawrence, pl- please sit back down. Don't b- bring their attention to you."
Keino squinted, 'Interesting.' Crouching down, he ruffled Lauri's hair. "Don't worry," Taking Lauri's hand, he picked up her other hand, linking her fingers together. "I'll be back before you know it." He spoke with a smile.
Standing again, he turned to the goblins. "Hey, pissants." Seeing Keino walk towards them, the goblins drew their daggers. Holding his arms out to show he is unarmed. Keino kept smiling. "Leave the kid alone, you want to take somebody? I'm right here."
Again the chattering of teeth as the goblins conversed. The lead goblin nodded. Pointing its dagger at Keino, it gestured towards the door out.
"Say no more." Keino walked ahead, offering one last look to Lauri. Tears brimmed at the corners of her eyes. Keino winked as the last goblin left the cell, swinging the door shut behind it.
Stretching his arms, Keino held his palms on the back of his head as they walked through the dim hallway. 'I'm so screwed. Open skill menu.' As he thought it, a blue screen appeared in front of Keino's eyes.
[Skill Menu: Soul Absorption F-Tier, System Amplification ???-Tier]
Doing his best to keep his cool in front of the goblins behind him, Keino began to heavily sweat, seeing the screen. 'Where are all of my skills? Where are all the skills I've been cultivating for the last two years? My S-tier summons, I'm a summoner, where are my summons-' A goblin poked Keino as he began to slow down. Jumping, Keino sped up.
'I had over three dozen skills, over two dozen summons… Now I only have two? What do these even do.'
[Skill Menu: Soul Absorption F-Tier: Touch the souls of those who had died within the past minute in order to absorb them.]
[System Amplification ???-Tier: JdnA heAV Oc janEhd Ved BavFghAeEt vH Iap CiftDm]
Keino blinked at the random jumble of letters, 'So dead.'
As they passed by a couple of entrances to what served as rooms in the goblin's den, the loud chatter of teeth was evident, casting his attention to these rooms. Keino felt a shiver run down his spine, a dozen goblins to one room and within each room they seemed to be having a banquet, chewing on meat from who knows where.
Waiting till the chattering of teeth could be heard no more, Keino stopped. "So, where are you taking me." The goblins began gnashing their teeth, the goblin closest to him stepped forward, attempting to poke Keino again. Side-stepping the goblin, Keino grabbed the dagger with one hand and the goblin's wrist with his other. Pulling the goblin's wrist down, Keino slammed his knee into the goblin's wrist.
Reeling from the pain, the goblin loosened its grip. Snatching the dagger away, Keino grabbed the goblin's shoulder, bringing it closer to him, he shoved the dagger into the goblin's throat.
Leaving the goblin to grasp at its mortal wound drop, Keino was able to reach the second-closest goblin, slashing at the goblin. The poor-quality dagger slid off of the goblin's leather armour, slashing back. Keino hit his initial target, slicing the goblin's throat.
Breathing heavily, he looked at the last of the three goblins. It looked back at him. A moment of pause. The goblin spun, running in the opposite direction, it began gnashing its teeth as loudly as it could. Chasing the goblin down, although his current body had less stamina than his own body. Try as it might, the goblin's small legs offered little chance at escape.
Tackling the goblin, Keino slammed it into the ground. The goblin lashed out, its long nails scratching at Keino's exposed arms. Grabbing the dagger in both hands, Keino slammed the dagger into the goblin's throat.
As the goblin's arms fell onto the floor, Keino let go of the knife. Dropping onto the floor at the goblins feet. Keino couldn't stop his hands from shaking. "H-Happy thoughts." Closing his eyes, Keino held his hands close to his head but didn't touch his head due to the goblin's blood on his hands.
A ding alerted Keino to open his eyes.
[Passive Skill gained: Dagger Proficiency F-Tier: Whilst using daggers, your reflexes are enhanced by a small amount.]
"Wait." Scrambling, Keino picked himself up. Running to the first goblin, Keino looked down at it. "Let's try this."
[Activate Skill: Soul Absorption F-Tier]
Green mist swirled around the goblin's body for a moment before dissipating.
[Skill failure: It has been longer than one minute since this body died]
"Shit-" Keino turned to the second goblin, "Has it been over a minute?"
[Activate Skill: Soul Absorption F-Tier]
The green smoke rose from the goblin's body. Moving together, the smoke formed a ball above the corpse. Looking side to side, Keino reached out towards the ball.
As his fingertips touched the ball, the smoke moved up Keino's fingers, up his arm and into his chest. This didn't phase Keino much, he could still feel his heart beating from having killed the goblins.
[Soul Absorption: Success. You have absorbed a goblin soul. Current souls in possession 1]
"That smoke was the goblin's soul? Noted." Quickly standing, Keino sprinted to the last goblin. He repeated the process.
[Activate Skill: Soul Absorption F-Tier]
For a third time, the goblin's soul swirled up into an orb above its corpse. Snatching the orb out of the air, Keino quizzically watched as the soul moved into his chest.
[Soul Absorption: Success. You have absorbed a goblin soul. Current souls in possession 2]
Keino sat on his haunches for a moment, and then another moment, and then a minute passed, two minutes, three, four. At the fifth-minute mark, Keino stood up.
"What the hell! What's the point of this!? Give me back Ursa Major, give me back the Insectling Queen! Useless system." Kicking the goblin's corpse, Keino put his hands together in an attempt to calm down. "Happy thoughts, happy thoughts."
Snatching the goblin's unused dagger, Keino walked back to the two goblins. Taking the last dagger. Keino kept walking to where the goblins were leading him.
It was a door, a fancy door. With a door knob.
"Why would goblins have a door at the end of their cave…" Pulling up the back of his shirt, Keino his the daggers. "Eh, what the hell. It can't be any worse than a bunch of goblins."
