Chapter 12: Goblin

I had already killed several slimes and continued to gain experience. Slimes always attacked if they encountered an enemy and ran off fast if they realized that they had a low chance of winning.

I pursued them if they escaped and cleanly cut them in half with one hit. There were almost no uses for the slime's body aside from its magic crystal. I just dismantled the magic crystal and left the body behind. It will either rot or be eaten by other monsters.

The magic crystal of a monster contains mana. It is the crystallization of a monster's mana reservoir. Creatures called monsters were the ones who had a magic crystal in their bodies. Animals, humans, and demi-humans do not contain crystals in them. It is usually used as a power source for a magic item.

The amount of mana in a single magic crystal depends on the monster's ranking. The more powerful the monster, the more mana is in its magic crystal. Of course, the value increases at the same rate as its capacity.

The color of the magic crystal becomes more saturated as the mana inside increases. I was holding a pure white magic crystal between my fingers as I stared at it in the sunlight. This was a magic crystal from a slime.

Mom told me that there were superior species of slime, like the Black Slime and the Crimson Slime. Black Slime is a C-ranked monster, while the Crimson Slime is B-ranked. Slime was only at F-ranked, the lowest monster rank.

"Are there any monsters other than slimes?"

After I dismantled the last slime with an iron knife, I raised both my arms and stretched my body. I've been killing slimes repeatedly and got bored of it. I want to encounter monsters other than slimes and gain more combat experience.

The more monsters I encountered, the more strategies I devised. I've been repeatedly using the evade, chase, and attack strategy against slimes. I gained levels and power-ups, but not a broad range of strategies.

That's why I decided to dive deeper in the forest. The deeper you dive, the stronger the monsters lurking around. Stronger monsters mean having more ways to defeat them and more strategies at my disposal.

After walking deeper into the forest, my Detection detect something that was different from the slime. It was slightly more powerful than the slime. The Detection skill increases its accuracy if used frequently.

(This is it. This must be a stronger monster.)

I walked toward the target and stopped when our distance was about fifteen meters. I activated Concealment and used the Telescopic Eye to observe the new monster.

As I can see, it was a humanoid monster at a child's height. It had a pointed nose and ears, goat-like eyes, and green skin. And this monster is a goblin.

The goblin had a wooden club as a weapon. The only clothing it's wearing is a loincloth to cover its crotch. It was currently observing the area in search of food.

Unlike the slime, it uses a weapon and fights at close quarters. Upon seeing a new monster, I activated Analysis and appraised the goblin.

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Race: Goblin

Condition: Normal

LV: 30

MP: 80

STR: 390

DEF: 230

MAG: 60

MDEF: 170

AGI: 290

Skill: Martial Art: 3, Club Art: 2, Keen Smell

Resistance: Fear Resistance, Pain Resistance, Hunger Resistance

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This goblin had a higher level than the slime. It also had high stats, especially in strength. It had no magic skills and a low mana reserve and magic power.

It specialized in physical attacks and learned some Martial and Club Arts. The goblin also had resistance to fear, so it would not run away immediately.

The slimes immediately ran away if they sensed danger, and I had to finish it in one swipe because of its racial skill. If I face the goblin, I can use a variety of attacks to defeat it. Goblins are humanoid monsters, so I can use them as a reference against humans.

Unlike monsters, humans can use a variety of attacks and strategies in fighting. Monsters always use the same attack pattern again and again, while humans can change their strategy depending on the situation.

The goblin halted and slowly turned its head in my direction, sniffing its nose. Its Keen Smell must have noticed my smell. Even though I activated Concealment, my scent is still lingering on my body.

When the goblin approached closer to me, I unsheathed the blade of my sword with my right hand. After killing slimes, this is my status now.

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Name: Raphael Raevender

Race: Human

Title: Reincarnator, Heir of the Raevender Viscounty

Condition: Normal

LV: 15

MP: 380+76

STR: 520+104

DEF: 260+52

MAG: 350+70

MDEF: 250+50

AGI: 390+78

Ultra Skill: Ultimate Art, Monarch of the Night

Unique Skill: Parallel Profile, Plunder, Skill Synthesis, Computerized Mind

Extra Skill: Inventory, Regeneration, Limiter

Racial Skill: None

Skill: Item Enchant, Weapon Enchantment, Magic Sense, Thought Acceleration, Parallel Thinking, Martial Art: 4, Sword Art: 5, Close Quarter Combat: 3, Detection, Danger Detection, Weakness Finder, Concealment

Magic Skill: [Elemental Magic: Light Magic: 5, Lightning Magic: 5, Fire Magic: 4, Water Magic: 3, Wind Magic: 3, Earth Magic: 3, Dark Magic: 2, Compound Magic: 3] [Non-Elemental Magic: Space-Time Magic: 7, Pure Magic: 5, Force Magic: 5, Illusion Magic: 3]

Resistance: Pain Resistance, Impact Resistance, Asphyxiation Resistance, Exhaustion Resistance, Magic Resistance, Mental Attack Resistance, Visual Effect Resistance

Blessing: God's Vessel, God's Eye, God's Veil

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I had higher stats and more skills than the goblin, even though it had a higher level than mine. Goblins are only F-ranked on the monster tier list, so they have a lower stat growth rate than humans. Monsters do not train their bodies, so they do not gain more stats when they level up.

"Speed Boost, Power Up, Acceleration, Defense Break."

I activated some Martial Arts and readied my sword. I jumped over the bush and ran towards the goblin.

"Giiiiii?!"

The goblin screeched in surprise and raised its wooden club. The goblin panicked for a moment and charged toward me. I ran forward until I reached its attack range.

The goblin's club glowed a pale light, indicating that it had just activated a Martial Art Technique. The club swung downward with great speed and was aimed at my head.

I did a side step to avoid the club and leaped at the right side of the goblin. The club hit the earth, and the goblin raised it again. The club glowed again, and he swung it horizontally toward me.

I took a duck to evade the swing. I swing my mithrill sword to scrape the goblin's right lower leg.

"Giyaaa!"

The goblin screamed in pain as a strip of red appeared on its leg. It was tougher than the slime, but it was still easily sliced due to my superior strength and the sharpness of the blade.

It took multiple steps back to distance itself from me and increase its awareness. The goblin hesitated for a second, then attacked me without fear that its awareness from before looked like a lie. Its starvation must have overpowered its fear.

I stood from my ducking position and brandished my sword. Then I held the hilt with both hands and raised it overhead. I silently cast Level 1 Martial Art: Concentration to narrow my mind and focus on the approaching goblin. Upon reaching the appropriate distance, the blade of my sword glowed, and I slashed the empty space vertically.

"Sword Wave!"

"?!"

A blade-like wave was released from the swing of my sword. The wave flew straight at the goblin. The goblin stopped upon seeing my attack and reflexively covered its head with its club.

The wave was so fast and sharp that it easily sliced the wooden club. It continued on its way until it reached the green flesh of the goblin. The wave cleanly cut the goblin in half from head to crotch. A large tree trunk nearby finally stopped the wave, leaving a deep vertical mark behind.

"Phew."

I wiped my forehead after the two halves of the goblin fell to the ground, splattering its blood. I just unleashed my current strongest sword technique at my disposal. It was the Level 5 Sword Art: Sword Wave. It releases a fast and sharp wave by slashing the sword at incredible speed. It also consumes too much stamina, so it is commonly used for a certain kill.

<Experience fulfilled. You leveled up by 1. MP +15, STR +30, DEF +10, MAG MDEF AGI +20.>

<Skill Club Art or Keen Smell can be plunder. Choose which one to obtain.>

(Keen Smell.) 

<Skill Keen Smell can be plunder. Would you like to obtain it? Yes No.>

(Yes.) 

I leveled up again, and I can plunder the Keen Smell from the goblin. My sense of smell has been significantly enhanced after acquiring this Skill. 

Goblins had the Club Art but I don't want to learn it for the time being. I will be focusing on my sword for now. I would accept it once I had a good mace in my hand.

I approached the goblin's corpse and took my knife from its scabbard. Like the slime, there's nothing to loot from the goblin aside from its magic crystal. The hue of its crystal was the same as the slime since they were in the same rank.

"You observed your opponent and easily killed it afterwards. But I noticed that you used your sword more often than magic."

"I'm very sorry, mom. I just can't find an opponent worth my magic."

"Really?"

Mom suddenly appeared out of nowhere and said that with a sad tone. I apologized for not using her forte and found a reasonably good excuse. I cannot really say what my forte is. Is it swordsmanship, magic, or something else? Based on my stats, I am more of the physical type than the magical type. But I have more magic skills and spells than physical techniques.

The more important thing is that I have more power and many types of abilities that I can use to protect myself and my family. But I doubt that I can protect my parents, who had monstrous strength. Even though I will still try my best to protect them.

"For the next monster, I'll try to use magic to fight it."

"In that case, let's find a monster right away. Look, I've detected a goblin a hundred meters north. Let's go and show me the results of my lessons!"

"Affirmative, mom!"

Mom already found a monster in a distance that my Detected cannot cover. She pointed her finger in the direction of the goblin as she ran, dragging my hand.

When we reached the destination, I immediately cast a Level 4 Fire Magic: Flame Pillar and easily roasted the poor goblin in one shot. Mom looked so happy to see me using her forte in a fight.

We continued looking for monsters to be used as my target practice for magic. Not only could I see the results of my training, but I also gained experience and leveled up. I also gained more combat experience and made my parents happy. So it's like killing four birds with one stone.