The Ice goblins (3)
A sword and a rapier? Seriously? Did they really know how to fight? I wanted to tell them that sports and real life weren't the same things, but we didn't have any more time.
'A sword needs to be balanced. It shouldn't hinder the wielder with its weight, nor should it be too light or it won't do well. Its pommel should also be easily wieldable to ensure the grip on the sword.
And with that in mind, I started to use nanobots to make a sword. I visually knew how a sword should be, so I could somewhat come up with something. I did the same for the rapier, and in no time, two swords formed in my hands.
[Be careful, your magic power is dangerously low!]
The two swords were grey. They looked pale without any distinctive features. Still, I could see the two excited faces in front of me and I smiled bitterly. Did they think it was a game?
*Pat*
*Pat*
No, it wasn't a game. Those steps once again reminded me of this bitter reality.
I quietly gave them their respective swords before somewhat telling them that I'll kill the approaching goblin with the mice.
Both of them nodded, and once we were ready, I released both nano-mice.
*Hwah*
*Hayhhh*
The goblins screamed at the sudden appearance, but they become angry the moment they saw their fallen comrade. It died under their eyes in an instant.
[40 EXP earn for killing an Ice goblin]
The mice started moving around to scatter the goblins under my order, and Julius and Roselle came out of our hiding spot. I didn't know if I could trust them, but I didn't have anything else to do in this situation. I only had 3 magic points left after making their swords, so I could only lean on them this time. Thankfully the mice managed to take another goblin down, leaving 8 goblins.
Taking them by surprise, my companions took 2 more goblins. I was surprised at how both of them were skillful with their sword.
Roselle managed to accurately pierce the goblin she killed by slowing it down with her telekinesis, leaving the latter open to attacks, while Julius increased his speed with his chronokinesis, taking the goblin he killed by surprise and cutting its head in an instant.
Were they good at their sports? Was I the only one not doing any physical activities?
However, now started the real game. The ice goblins stopped chasing after the mice and went to Roselle and Julius instead. There were still six of them while we were only three.
I quickly came out as well to face them. The moment they saw me, the goblins felt wary. They had a 100% chance of winning if there was only Julius and Roselle, but now that I came, it was another story.
'Thank god they don't know I'm out of tune.'
"August please step back." Julius came in front of me as if to protect me. Was he thinking about me for real?
"I-it's okay, I-I can fight." I said so, but unlike them, I only had a lamp in my hands. Could I even damage the goblins with a lamp?
No, I couldn't. I didn't have any strength in the first place, so I doubted I could do much with this poor lamp.
But my strength wasn't lying here.
The mice were sneaking around without a sound. It was as if the goblins completely forgot them.
Thanks to that, both mice came out of their hiding spot and rushed toward one goblin each.
The ice goblins were surprised to see them again, but while one didn't have the time to protect itself, and thus died, the other manage to dodge and even kick the nano-mouse.
The latter flew and hit a desk. I hoped it wasn't broken, but seems like luck was against me.
[Some nanobots have been disabled.]
I quickly ordered the other mouse to hide again, but it was hard as it got encircled by the five remaining goblins.
"The mouse's going to die at this rate." Roselle analyzed quickly as she hesitated to run forward. Julius was the same.
Seriously we will die if this continues.
At this moment, I got an idea. "Can you g-guys protect m-me?" I didn't wait for their answers as it was urgent and ran toward the disabled nanobots. The nano-mouse was being hit by the goblins. It tried to defend itself, but it was hard as the attacks kept raining down on it.
[Some nanobots have been disabled.]
Julius and Roselle quickly came over and started facing the goblins that were coming to us. Nothing could distract them anymore, so my companions had to face them now.
Three against six. Could we win?
They were surely thinking that, and so do I.
Thankfully, we managed to come over the first dead nano-mouse. The nanobots were now apart from each other as they lost their primal function of being a mouse.
'I hope it'll work!'
I put my hand above the nanobots and wished to change their shape.
"August do you have a plan?" Roselle asked nervously. Thanks to the earlier sneak attack, the goblins were wary, but they wouldn't stay like this for long. One of them even started running frenetically toward us.
Julius and Roselle defended at the same time against the goblin, but they were both pushed backward.
They gritted their teeth as they look at me.
'Come on!' I shouted in my head, and the disabled nanobots started moving again. They were wriggling around my hand and quickly reshaped. They didn't reshape into a mouse, but into a praying mantis instead. A female praying mantis.
It was smaller than the mice and was probably deadlier thanks to the two blades in its hands. It was also easier to make as I didn't need to change the nanobots into a big form.
And thanks to that, I could focus the nanobots on a small being to make it more resistant. 'I wish I could do the same to the other nanobots.' Alas, they were too far away from me.
The praying mantis quickly jumped and aimed for a sneaking goblin. Julius and Roselle didn't see it as they were too focused on the goblins ahead of them. I could see they had sustained several injuries as their skin bled in several places. Thankfully for them, the praying mantis was even quicker than the mouse.
It had more strength, so with one jump, it managed to reach the goblin in an instant before beheading it with its two blades.
[40 EXP earn for killing an Ice goblin]
It then jumped again, killing another one who was a little at bay from the fight.
[40 EXP earn for killing an Ice goblin]
I could see Julius and Roselle increasing their efficiency in their ability. I think that without them, they would have already died.
Both of them used it to slow down their foes.
While Julius was slowing their time, Roselle used her telekinesis to weigh them down and slow them as well.
However, as they had to deal with two goblins each, it was difficult as they had to spread their abilities evenly so that they could face them.
But surprisingly, both of them suddenly managed to overpower them, killing one of their foes, while the others died quickly after as they were too slow to defend against Julius and Roselle.
'Seriously how did they move so fast just now? Did they use their ability on themselves?' Both of them felt relieved and released their concentration as they could finally breathe.
However, the moment they both spotted the praying mantis, they got scared and went back into stance.
"It's o-okay. I m-made it."
"Really?" Julius asked as I nodded. "Thank god. I don't think I would have been able to continue fighting."
"Me neither. It was so hard." They both sighed in relief before sitting down. Their faces looked exhausted not because of their bleeding, but because this fight wore down their mental states.
It was their first true fight, after all, so it was normal, I guess.
"D-did you g-guys leveled u-up?" I asked. They both killed three goblins each, so they must have evolved as only a hundred EXP were needed to be level two.
"Yes," They both nodded. "But does it changes something? I don't think we got anything from leveling up."
The three of us stood silent as the system started speaking to us individually to answer Roselle's question.
[Every time you level up, your proficiency in your post increase. The first skill given to you is the basic skill that will allow you to find your own path and carve your own story. It's up to you to choose your path, but leveling up will help you build the foundation of your power in this cold environment.]