Chapter 16: Goblins

I was running, my footsteps could be heard everywhere around the tunnel. It was dark but by using my mana, I could enhance my night vision in my eyes and see a lot better. I don't know what my level of control in mana is but this is quite cool!

While running as fast I could to return to the safe house, I was suddenly stopped when the wall in my right was suddenly broken by something. Reacting as fast I could, I moved away from the destroyed wall, dodging the debris that was shooting towards me, and when I was finally able to properly see who caused that, I saw a creature that chilled me to the bones.

They had two pointy ears, grey skin, as tall as a child which is still taller than me, they have yellow eyes that strike me to my core, and they were holding pickaxes in both of their hands and blades right by their waists. I have read about these creatures; they are called goblins.

And by their grey skin, I immediately realized that they are goblin miners. These type of goblins usually stays underground, mining for minerals or any other rocks that could be of use to them. It is said that a single goblin village has so many expensive rocks that most knights of the empires would try to take over the village, only to get annihilated because goblins are also smart creatures. They had realized a long time ago that these people are targeting their golds, and that single realization changed the situation of their race for good.

Immediately, I retreated my back to the other wall behind me and used my earth magic to move the earth behind me and use it as my hiding spot. I quickly closed it, only leaving a small hole for my eyes to peek at them. With my mana enhanced night vision, I was able to see them in the dark and, thankfully, they haven't seen me.

I am spying on them instead of charging in so that I could see if there are other species of goblins with them. Goblin miners are said to bring warriors from their village when they are mining so that they could fend off other underground monsters, and a goblin warrior's skin color is red.

And as I expected, when they all got out of the hole in the wall they made, there were 3 goblins with red skins and 10 goblin miners. The goblin miners all wore silver helmets and leather armor. The goblin warriors, though, wore silver armors that were designed to better enhance their agility, and the three of them all had silver shields and silver long swords equipped.

If I were to battle them head-on, there's a huge chance that I could lose. But right now, I have the element of surprise. They won't expect someone as small as me to kill them. I remained calm, panicking would only kill me. I didn't project my intent to kill them, only watching their every movement.

They were looking around, confused as to why there was a tunnel under the surface. As I stayed inside my hiding spot, I suddenly heard something from inside the hole they made.

"Grah, graah gur gar! Gar, gar, gor!" It was a high-pitched and rough voice, sounding as if it was criticizing the goblins. Another goblin came out of the wall, and immediately as soon as I saw it, I was petrified. It was looking straight at me, wearing a red pointy hat and a red robe with talismans on its belt. It has green skin, which is the thing that scared me the most because green goblins are usually mana users and could cast spells.

'It noticed me?! How!?'

The other goblins immediately looked at the wall I was hiding in, and I noticed how that green goblin ordered them around. It must be their leader.

'There's no use hiding any longer, the only way out of this is to battle!' I said in my head.

'But charging head-on is not the right away, I need to be sneaky!'

One of the goblin warriors walked towards the wall I was in and peeked through the small hole I made for my eyes. The goblin with the pointy hat was about to yell to warn the goblin warrior, but it was too late; the goblin warrior instantly had its head impaled by a lightning bolt that came out of the small hole it just peeked in.

*Ding*

[You just earned 100 Kill Points for Killing a Goblin Warrior!]

Moving as fast as I could, I opened the wall and grabbed the shield that the goblin I just killed had. I ran away from them to the opposite direction of the safe house so that I could lead them away far from my family.

"Gaaaaarr!" The goblin mage pointed at me, yelling at its companions to chase after me.

They all ran after me while the goblin mage sat on top of one of the two remaining goblin warriors. It is obvious that this goblin mage is arrogant to think that it could defeat me but that is simply not the case right now.

I put the shield behind my back, thankful that it was quite small. This is a small trick that I learned so that I could protect my back while running away so that whenever the goblin mage casts an attack spell at me, I could defend my back by using this shield.

As I ran, I saw the destruction I caused earlier, which I now realized that I'm far away from the safe house. I stopped running, and the goblins did, too. They were just 10 meters away from me, and they were all smirking, thinking that I had stopped because I was tired and afraid.

"Kakakakakaka! Gar, gar, gur!" The goblin mage laughed, it was as if it was mocking me.

Using a bit of my mana, I spread my arms wide and open, and dozens of fireballs appeared everywhere around their area. They have been caught in a trap, I saw the goblin mage realize that as I saw its smirk drop little by little.

This is a technique called "Spell Invisibility". For most mana users, this technique is an absolute need if they want to set up a trap. It's something I learned from Alexander when I was attending his lessons, and I am currently feeling gratitude towards him.

I set up this trap the moment I noticed this area which was destroyed by me earlier while I was rampaging with my magic spells.

As I saw the mage goblin's smirk drop, I closed my hand and said, "Die!"

*Woosh!* *Boom!* *Boom!*

The fireballs shot towards them in an instant and smoke filled my vision of them.

But I didn't immediately celebrate, and fired a wind spell everywhere to erase the smoke made by the fireballs, "Hah!" I shouted.

When the smoke was gone, it was as I suspected; this goblin mage is really annoying. It erected a barrier around them by using its mana, and it took all of the blunt force of my fireballs. I frowned, knowing that barrier spells are quite the pain in the ass. But thankfully, I've also learned how to counter barrier spells due to the lessons I took with Alexander.

I am totally going to hug him later for teaching me all of this.

The barrier spell that this goblin mage is using is the most basic of them all, it's only fueled by mana and without elements. Elemental barriers are easier to counter if I had the right elemental magic, but this is just a basic barrier and to counter it, the only thing I need to do is fire tons of spells at it.

As I prepared myself to unleash random spells, I noticed that one of the goblin warriors was gone. I couldn't see it in that goblin mage's barrier!

Using everything I had, I jumped towards the ceiling of the tunnel, narrowly dodging a sword swing that came from my right. If I hadn't dodged that, my head would've been chopped into two!

I grabbed onto the ceiling, digging my fingers through it so that I wouldn't drop to the ground. I then saw the goblin mage raise its right hand, and a bolt of lightning came crackling towards me! In the nick of time, the wall extended in front of me, blocking the lightning spell. I used my earth magic to block the attack!

I can't attack freely if the goblin warrior below me is just lurking everywhere, I need to go melee!

'Tutorial bot, is there an item that could let me blend into the darkness?' I asked in my head.

[Yes, it's called "The Necklace of Shadow". It has an edgy name but it's quite useful in places where the sun doesn't shine. But it will cost you 100,000 Kill Points, would you like to buy it?]

'Yes! That sounds extremely useful at the moment!'

[Will do… here you go!]

A black necklace appeared around my neck, and as soon as it was placed, I saw the faces of the goblins grow confused since they could no longer see me. I confuse down from the ceiling, right by the side of the goblin warrior and it didn't even notice me! Without any remorse, I pointed my right hand towards it and an electric spark touched its armor.

Since it was wearing metal everywhere on its body, the goblin warrior was electrocuted to death by that simple trick. It cost me barely any mana at all!

"Gar gura gorra!" The goblin mage raged as it saw one of its bodyguards die right in front of it.

I had to be careful, every step that made any sound would alarm them of my location. There was only one goblin warrior left, and since they are wearing metal everywhere, a simple lightning spell would fry them to death. The same goes for the goblin miners, they have silver helmets equipped.

It seems like no matter how smart they are; they still don't know much about the human knowledge.

They are basically wearing lightning conductors everywhere on their bodies!

But this is not enough to kill them all, no, I'll have to use more drastic options. I have many elemental spells in my hands, and water and electricity seem to go well when both are used.

I backed off far away from the goblins, and they didn't even notice it due to the effect of the necklace I was wearing. Slamming my hands on the ground, I cut both of their paths by erecting thick stone walls.

*Rumble* *Rumble*

The goblins were panicking as they saw their paths being blocked, but the goblin mage was already forming a plan in its mind. How to escape this situation, and how to kill the little bastard that killed its bodyguards. But it didn't know I had another plan in mind, a plan more sinister.

Parting a small hole in the stone wall I erected, I used my mana to pour huge amounts of water through that hole towards the goblins, and slowly, their entire area was being filled with water.

The goblin mage then broke down the barrier it put up and tried to escape by using earth magic to dig down, only to be countered with my own earth magic, blocking its path once again. It knew that I was trying to drown them, but it didn't realize another part of my plan.

The goblins were scrambling, swimming in the water to find some hole to escape in but it was futile. The wall I erected was thick and hard, it cannot be broken down unless someone has the force of Hercules.

I stopped pouring water into the small hole and blocked it, then with a clap of my hands, electricity flared everywhere, entering the water-filled room.

"Gu-a-a-a-a-a-a!! G-rau!" The goblin mage's voice sounded inside, its desperate screams tried begging me to let them go but I didn't. They were monsters who I've read stories about how they rape, steal, kill from many races. Goblins are evil, and they will do anything to satisfy their desires.

Soon, the screeches of the goblins stopped and I received notifications.

*Ding*

[You just earned 100 Kill Points for Killing a Goblin Warrior!]

*Ding*

[You just earned 50 Kill Points for Killing a Goblin Miner!]

*Ding*

[You just earned 50 Kill Points for Killing a Goblin Miner!]

*Ding*

[You just earned 50 Kill Points for Killing a Goblin Miner!]

*Ding*

[You just earned 50 Kill Points for Killing a Goblin Miner!]

_________

______

____

*Ding*

[You just earned 300 Kill Points for Killing a Goblin Mage!]

I managed to kill all of them, and I earned 1,100 KP. This is extremely insufficient, killing millions of insects is much, much more profitable.

I sighed, resting my back against the wall. I need to take a break. After all, the hole those goblins made leads to somewhere, right? The only place that would lead to is either their village or some cave. If it's just some cave, then I'll just go back home. But… If it's their village, then it's only right that I finish what I started…