Awakening Potential

The sun shone brightly, casting dappled shadows through the forest canopy, while a cool breeze kept the air fresh. Akira walked with purpose, recalling his knowledge of goblins as he moved deeper into the woods. Alfred's voice echoed in his mind, providing valuable information.

"Goblins usually live in caves," Alfred reminded him. "They hunt in packs, typically wielding small daggers and blunt weapons. They are around 3-4 feet tall and tend to hang out near bodies of water, waiting to ambush animals or adventurers who come to drink."

Akira's senses were on high alert as he observed various small monsters, like slimes, double-tailed rabbits, black porcupines, feathered snakes, and spitting frogs. He noted the useful herbs along the way, mentally cataloging their locations for future use. He also spotted an orc roaming with a makeshift weapon but decided to avoid it for now.

After a couple of hours, Akira finally spotted a small pond. On the other side, four goblins were sitting, seemingly relaxed. He crouched down, hiding in the underbrush, and formulated a plan.

"If I charge in directly, I'll win, but I want to be cautious," he thought. "A well-placed fireball should disorient them, and I can finish them off one by one."

Carefully, he sneaked closer, narrowing the distance. When he was within range, he pointed his hand at the biggest goblin and whispered, "Fireball." The spell shot out, but the larger goblin grabbed a nearby smaller one, using it as a shield. The unfortunate goblin took the brunt of the attack and perished instantly.

"Smart move," Akira muttered as he dashed out of the bushes, instructing Alfred to control his arm and throw a knife at the nearest goblin. The blade found its mark, killing the goblin instantly. Now, only two were left: one small and one large.

The smaller goblin charged, but Akira swiftly drew his sword, decapitating it in one fluid motion. The larger goblin roared and swung its blunt weapon, but Akira used his Dash skill to evade, then jumped and plunged his sword into the goblin's skull, ending its life.

Akira quickly hid in the bushes again, his heart pounding. He remembered that the goblin's roar had two purposes: to scare him and to call for reinforcements. Moments later, seven more goblins arrived, sniffing around the bodies and trying to locate the killer.

"They'll find me if they catch the scent of blood on my sword," Akira thought. He took a deep breath, preparing for the fight. One goblin got close, peering into the bush where Akira was hiding. Without hesitation, Akira shoved his sword into the goblin's eye, killing it instantly.

The other goblins saw this and charged. Akira used a Water Jet spell to push them back, but two managed to evade the attack. One goblin continued its charge, and Akira used Dash to close the distance, cutting it in half with his sword. The other goblin jumped at him, but Akira blocked with his shield and struck it down with his sword.

Four goblins remained. Akira used his Wind Blade spell, cutting two of them down diagonally. The last two goblins attacked simultaneously with their daggers. Akira rolled, pulled the knife from the previous goblin's head, and threw it, but the goblin jumped to evade. This gave Akira enough time to close the distance with the other goblin, kicking it in the stomach and sending it flying backward. He then killed the goblin that had evaded the knife.

The final goblin tried to crawl away, but Akira swiftly ended its life with a sword thrust to the back of the head. He sighed in relief as Alfred congratulated him on handling the situation well.

"If things had gotten out of hand, I would have taken control and done the dirty work," Alfred commented.

"Goblins' biggest edge is their numbers," Akira mused. "If I can take them on one by one, it's pretty easy."

Akira carved out the goblin cores, which he needed as proof of completing the quest. He also collected any ornaments, jewelry, and bronze coins he found on their bodies. Satisfied with his haul, he pondered what to do with their weapons.

"People usually leave them as they are, considering them trash," Alfred informed him.

"They're pretty trash, but some are made of iron," Akira noted. "It would be a waste to leave them here."

He gathered the bodies in one spot and used a fireball to burn them. Then, he pocketed the four dull knives and began his journey back to the city.

As Akira walked back to the city, he encountered a slime. The creature leaped towards him, but Akira was quick, slicing it in half with his knife and collecting its core. He also gathered herbs along the way, planning to make venom resistance potions later.

He spotted a horse-like monster with six legs and two unicorn-like horns on its head but decided to ignore it for now. After a few more encounters with minor monsters, he finally exited the forest and made his way to the Adventurers Guild.

Inside the guild, Akira presented the goblin cores to the receptionist. They counted the cores and handed him one silver coin plus two copper coins for the cores, along with an additional silver coin for completing the quest.

As dusk settled, Akira returned to the tavern, enjoying a hearty dinner before heading to his room. He emptied his bag, examining his haul: goblin cores, dull knives, bronze coins, and various herbs. Content with his progress, he lay down, planning his next steps.

As dusk settled, Akira returned to the tavern, enjoying a hearty dinner before heading to his room. He emptied his bag, examining his haul: goblin cores, dull knives, bronze coins, and various herbs. Content with his progress, he lay down, planning his next steps.

"Today was just the beginning," Akira thought. "I've only scratched the surface of what I can do. My physical and magical abilities are impressive, but I need to learn more."

He recalled the gifts he had received from the god. "What was the other thing I got?" he asked himself.

"Crafting abilities," Alfred replied in his mind.

Akira's eyes widened. He quickly got out of bed and went to the table with his collected items. Looking at the various goblin cores, dull knives, and other trinkets, he pondered the possibilities. In this world, items were made by blacksmiths and craftsmen using traditional methods of melting metal and hammering it into shape. This process made equipment expensive. To imbue weapons with magical abilities, elemental cores from monsters with elemental powers were added. He thought about the fire horse he had seen earlier, which could shoot fireballs from its horns, potentially housing a flame core.

"Let's forget about that for now," Akira told himself. "I haven't tried using the other three types of magic, and I want to learn more about my crafting abilities."

Excited by the prospect of discovering his crafting skills, Akira wanted to start experimenting immediately. However, Alfred intervened with a word of caution.

"It's best to rest for now," Alfred suggested. "You need to replenish your MP."

Akira reluctantly agreed. He lay back down, his mind racing with thoughts of the new possibilities that awaited him. He drifted into sleep, eager for tomorrow and the new adventures it would bring.