Chapter 16 – Goblin leader and magic research.

(He is definitely goblin like the rest of them, but he seem to be their leader.)

(Not only that, it has a proper armor and a weapon.)

(Fighting him will probably be way harder than fighting any goblins I encounter before.)

(Not only that, it's not alone.)

(I really want to kill that thing since I want some proper EXP.)

(Not only that, but that guy maybe similar to the human, so getting some fighting experience against will be extremely good.)

(…)

(Okay. Let's do it that way.)

The group of goblins with their goblin leader were traveling in the forest.

However, while walking, suddenly from the nearby bushes something had leaped at one of the goblins and dragged the goblin away from the group.

This was not unnoticed by the goblins and they instantly realized that one of the goblins was just kidnapped.

Suddenly, a sound of leaves could be heard right near goblins, making them face towards the source of sound, but as soon as they turned around, from the opposite side the deerwolf emerge and tacking two goblins and pinning them against the ground with its claws before then stomping on their heads and killing them.

(3 down. 3 more to go.)

The goblin leader pointed its finger at the deerwolf and the pair of goblins rushed deerwolf.

The two goblins however were quickly dealt with by the deerwolf claws and bite, but that was just distraction made by goblin leader.

The goblin prepared to strike with its axe at the deerwolf while it was biting the goblin neck.

However, the deerwolf saw the attack coming and quickly dodged the attack, making the goblin attack sink into the goblin body and kill it.

"…"

(He is strong. With one strike it managed to kill the goblin.)

(Even without his equipment, I can tell that he is noticeable stronger than any of these other guys.)

(Not only that, but it was able to use some strategy by using its goblins as distraction while creating opening for himself.)

(It would have worked, if I didn't sensed his mana.)

(Anyway, where should I aim?)

(He has leather armor covering most of his body, including the neck and joints. Can I pierce through them with my fangs?)

(Honestly, I don't know.)

(However, I need to try it.)

The goblin leader rushed deerwolf and tried once again hitting it with its axe, however the deerwolf was faster than it and dodged the attack before then biting the goblin leader leg.

"!"

The goblin leader tried getting ready to strike with its axe, but the deerwolf noticed the goblin leader action and pushed with all its strength the goblin leg.

"?!"

Goblin lost its balance and ended up collapsing, giving the deerwolf a chance to remove its fangs from the goblin leg and get away.

"…"

(I could pierce through the armor, but its skin is also bit hard.)

(However, I was able to damage him and leave a nasty wound on him.)

(But I need to be carefully. If I didn't tried to make him lose his balance, I would get hit with that freaking axe.)

(If it didn't had an axe, I could have probably deal even more damage to its leg if not crush it.)

(!)

(Oh no you don't!)

The goblin leader tried getting up from the ground, but the deerwolf leaped at it.

The goblin leader in response swinged its fist at the monster, hitting the monster in the face and pushing it away, giving the goblin leader chance to quickly get up.

(Hm…)

(Fuck. I guess because the grass helmet level is so low, it was as affective as I though. Still, it's better to have then not.)

(Anyway, this guy isn't stupid like goblins.)

(Not only that, it has bit tougher skin compare to the human I bit before. Is it because its monster and not human?)

(Either way, I can't look down on him or I will get my head chopped of by his axe.)

(Well, then let's try this thing then!)

The plant deer unleashed a wave of leaves at the goblin leader, blocking it view in the instant.

The goblin leader instinctively tried covering its eyes, but as soon as it did that, the deerwolf came rushing straight at it before then ramming straight into its family jewels.

"?!

"AHG?!"

The goblin got on his knees in agony, however the deerwolf didn't show any mercy and leaped at him and biting into neck.

The goblin tried to get rid off the deerwolf, but it was too late. The goblin neck was crushed and the goblin himself began slowing dying before then stopping moving.

(Huh. So, hitting it in the balls works well.)

(Anyway…. Yeb. My level finally moved properly.)

(But its still nowhere near enough.)

(Anyway, I confirmed that I'm able to deal with goblin that is using both armor and weapon.)

(There was a close call where it almost chopped my head off, so it wasn't exactly one sided fight. If I screwed once or got greedy, I would have gotten killed.)

(I think I can take 1 goblin leader, but fighting 2 at the same time maybe too hard for me.)

(Not only that, I found out that some monster maybe way stronger than other monsters that belong to the same race. I should be wary of that.)

(Anyway, I should eat this thing already. I'm getting hungry.)

(…)

(Hm… Its meat taste…. Just like goblin? I though it would taste bit different, but okay.)

(Anyway, the leaves attack got much stronger than before.)

(I was trying not to use it, since I didn't wanted to relay on it too much, but I kind of got curios if it would work against goblin leader.)

(But still.)

The deerwolf towards the nearby by tree and unleashed a wave of leaves at it.

(…)

(The damage is nowhere near satisfying, even when I focus quality.)

(I can shoot way more of these after the amount of mana I can hold got much bigger, but that it.)

(Honestly speaking, this thing is at least for now more useful than plant magic, until I learn how to properly cast spells.)

(…)

(Hm?)

(Wait a second.)

(…)

(Oh my fuking god…. Am I an idiot?)

(Plant magic. "Plant Magic".)

(PLANT.)

(So far, I tried making stuff using my magic like summoning things, but what if this is not the only thing I can do?)

(What if I can somehow manipulate plants with my magic or something?)

(Wait! I'm a freaking plant myself! Does that mean I can somehow manipulate my body?)

(Or maybe I will get a hint on how to use magic properly!)

(Anyway, let's try it.)

The deerwolf approached the nearby by stomped grass and began using magic.

"…"

"…"

(Em…. Nothing happened…)

(I could tell that I was able to somehow able to target the grass and touch it with my magic, but nothing happened?)

(Am I using it wrong or something?)

(…)

(Hm… Lets maybe touching the grass directly.)

(…)

(!)

(Holy shit! The grass grew by few centimes?!)

(It worked?!)

(…)

(…)

(Hm…. This is the limit huh? Only few centimeters?)

(Still, this is a huge discovery.)

(Right now, I cannot make anything with my magic, but what if I should start with manipulation first before trying to learn magic?)

(Anyway, can I influence my own body with magic?)

(…)

(…)

(…)

(Nope. Not a single reaction what soever.)

(But… What was that?)

(It was…Weird?)

(It felt like my body was rejecting it somehow, similar to the grass, but in different way? Like it couldn't do anything?)

(Maybe because I'm monster, I'm somehow unaffected by the plant magic? Or maybe I'm my magic is too weak to affect a being like me? I'm not just a plant, but a monster, so either of those option could possible if not both.)

(Still, it would be nice if it worked.)

(I could maybe use plant magic to regrow my arm in the instance or something.)

(Anyway, one more thing to test out.)

(Grass limb and leaves attack.)

(First, let's try grass limb.)

The deerwolf sprouted root like tentacle from its mane.

"…"

(Hm…. Almost the same reaction. Is it because this thing is a bonus limb I created that ended up making the reaction slightly different?)

(!)

(Now that I think about, can I use limb extend on it? This thing does count as part of my body.)

(…)

(!)

(Oh! I can!)

(Interesting. If I knew I could use this combo, I would use this bonus limb more often, for example to hit the enemy in the eyes or something.)

(Anyway, next. Leaves)

"…"

The deerwolf unleashed a barrage of the leaves at the tree once again.

"?"

(Weird. This felt… Different?)

(It kind of felt like when I was doing the thing with the grass, but also similar to the grass limb?)

(…)

(Hm…)

(Let's try few things.)

I've began experimenting a bit with the plant magic and leaves, since I could tell that something was going on.

At first, there were no real results, but after bit more testing, the leaves started to act up?

Sometimes the leaves flew much slower and sometimes they flew faster.

Sometimes the leaves trajectory changed and ended up going in different direction but sometimes the leaves spread in different directions?

Interesting.

The differences are small, but noticeable. Am I somehow influence how these leaves works?

But why it works?

Maybe the reason why it works is because I produce these leaves from my body?

Or maybe because these leaves use mana to operate?

Either way, I was able to find a link between those two skills that I may somehow use.

[[Novice - Plant Magic ] LEVEL 2 has reached level 3.]

(!)

(It finally leveled up?!)

(Last time it took me 3 days to level it up, but it now somehow level up?!)

(!)

(By any chance I'm on the good tracks?)

(The only one way to find out is to keep going!)

The rest of the day I decided not to hunt if not necessary and instead focus on learning magic.

I've began trying do a lot of different stuff, but so far, the only thing I achievements were minor.

I wanted to train more, but then I found out that a proper magic training drains a LOT of mana.

I had to stop since my mana was running low and instead focus on hunting before then hitting the night.

Anyway, the next day was the same, I focus mostly on magic and leaves attack.

One of my experiments was trying to gather the leaves together. I was thinking if I could give some sort of shape to the leaves. Maybe make them into a shield or make their edges bit sharper?

At first, I could only make them be close together, but after speeding, I don't know, 3-5 hours training maybe, I was able to create a hollow sphere.

Well, the thing is, it was useless. It couldn't do much and I even tried hitting a goblin with it… It was far worse than my normal leaves attack.

If I would try to fill that ball with more leaves, it wouldn't fly far and the damage output would not change, it would only eat more mana.

HOWEVER!

It did confirmed that I could somehow change the leaves size and make them stick together to some extent.

Not only that, but the skill [Basic Plant Magic] got a level up again AND the skill [Leaf Attack] ended up evolving! It became skill [Leaf Assault].

After evolving, the number of leaves got much higher and their fire power got very slightly increased.

However, this is not the only good thing.

I think I learned bit about the skills.

Just using them over and over won't make them stronger. You need to understand them and grow them to make them stronger.

If I want to make skill grew, I need to research them and train in using them. This is interesting, very interesting.

This world isn't just: "Fight. Kill. Evolve.". But instead: Learn and understand yourself.

Being muscle brain won't make you stronger, you need to train and understand your own power.

And this not only includes skills.

I could tell that I become much stronger after I got used to my body and began exploring my body poetical.

There is also the fact that I saw these humans.

When I was still in that part of the forest, I saw some humans with bit better developed body, like they had better stamina and weren't tired after fighting or they had muscles.

Heck. My skills like bite and other stuff are too weak and the only reason they work is because of my body.

Train and learn.

Those are the things I need to do in order to become stronger.

Honestly, my skills are extremely weak right now and they took a lot of time to even level up once.

But what if I could level up them faster like those two skills if instead of just using them, I would try to learn about them more?

Honestly, this is a good thing I discovered this now and not later, since if I could level up my skills faster, I would be able to leave this area earlier than planed and began hunting more powerful monsters.

Anything that can boost my growth, even by 1% is worth it.

Anyway, while experimenting with the skills, I was also training the skill [Grass Limb].

As of right now, this skill is my weakest skill, however! Its not a passive skill and I'm able to use it while training my magic.

This skill unlike magic and leaves, it uses stamina, so it didn't bothered me one bit using this skill.

Anyway, my control and magic got much better after experimenting.

I don't know if it is because I was experimenting with my leaves, but my understanding of plant magic as well as control got slightly better.

The grass that I can affect my touch are now growing slightly faster than before.

Not only that, but I could also make grass bit bigger by few centimeters thanks to my skill plant magic leveling up.

Anyway, I continue my research of the plant magic and the leaf assault and tried something new.

I learned that I can somehow stick my leaves together, but it does consume a bit of my mana to do something like that.

However, I wonder what exactly I can do.

I tried changing the shape of my leaves into that of a blade, since I wanted them to do ANY DAMAGE.

I tried again and again, but it was harder than I though to change the shape of my leaves. Well, not exactly, I was able to make leaves edges bit sharper, but they couldn't do any damage, since you know, leaves. They kind of ended up bending on contact or something and they were kind of small in the first place.

I then though of an idea.

How about I try to make a single leave bigger first as well as make it edges sharper? Maybe if I make the leave bit tougher, the leaves power would end up increasing and it would not bend, making it finally able to cut things.

It took me few tries but I was able to make a leaf that was a bit bigger than my normal leaf and it was bit tougher.

Anyway, used the [Leaf Assault] and [Novice - Plant Magic] and shoot that enchant leaf at the tree.

"!"

(Holy shit!)

(The leaf! Its tip got into the tree! It didn't singed much but it freaking hit!)

(It fuking worked!)

[Skill [Leaf Blade] had been acquired.]

"?!"

(What was that?!)

(Skill had been acquired?!)

[ [Leaf Blade] LEVEL 1 ]

"?!"

(Holy shit! I really did got a new skill!)

(The only times I got a new skills was when I evolved!)

(This is a first time I got a skill, outside evolving!)

(Holy fuking shit!)

(I did consider that I could maybe learn skills by maybe fluffing some conditions or something, but so far, I didn't get anything.)

(But now?! I now know that it is possible to gain a skill outside evolving!)

(Another huge discovery!)

(Anyway.)

The deerwolf turned towards the tree and unleashed a barrage of the leaves that flew at the tree, hitting the tree and making some of the leaves stuck on the tree side.

"!"

(Holy shit…I like this!)

(Still it did right next to no damage, but it got poetical, a poetical to be a proper weapon for my use!)

(Not only that, but with this new knowledge that I now possess, I maybe able to boost my growth tremendously!)

(This is nice! This is nice!)

(Not only that, but once I understand more on how to use this new skill as well as [Leaf Assault] and [Basic Plant Magic], I would finally be able gain some sort of range attack and I would finally ready to leave this place and head into the deeper parts of the forest.)

(Well then! Let's get to work already!)