Hide and Seek.

Mikael looked deep into the boy's eyes and smiled. He was glad that the boy was more level-headed than his age.

"Okay. So, here's the plan. As of now, I don't have the capability to fend off monsters so while I am recovering, you will have to hide from the goblins for at least five hours." Mikael explained.

"Why five hours... sir?"

"Ah. Because my abilities return after five hours. In my active time, I will assassinate some goblins to reduce their numbers but when I deplete my stamina, I can't protect you. So, you'll have to hide yourselves."

"Ah! Because if we stay here, they can attack us while you're tired!" the boy exclaimed in understanding. The other kids looked at him in pity and shook their heads.

Mikael noticed this and proposed another plan, "It seems like the other kids think you've gone crazy."

"Well, it can't be helped, sir. Since I'm the only one who can hear you." A strange sense of dignity colored the kid's voice.

"Right. So, tell them not to freak out if they hear me talk to them, okay? Since that might just attract the Goblin's attention."

"You can do that, sir?" the boy's eyes flashed with wonder, but Mikael detected a momentary disappointment. 'hah! This kid's got some 8th grader syndrome. HAHAHA!'

"Why? You thought you were the only one who could converse with me? That perhaps you've opened your sixth sense or something?" Mikael teased the kid who blushed furiously in return.

"Haha! You're so cute!" Mikael cackled as his hands reached to ruffle the boy's hair – which, naturally, passed through like air.

The boy turned to his comrades, " Guys… Mister will talk to you so don't freak out. Unless you want those monsters to come here and get one of us again."

The others looked at him in confusion so he elaborated, "So, Mister says he has a plan to save us but we have to cooperate with him for it to work and he needs you guys to trust him so he will talk to you one by one. Understood?"

When they blankly stared at him, the boy huffed in frustration.

"You've done enough, kid. Leave the rest to me. After all, hearing is believing."

Mikael targeted the second eldest-looking kid.

"Hello, Little girl."

The girl's eyes widened, "Woah! It's real! I can hear someone talking!"

"Yes, yes. Now, listen…"

Mikael talked to each kid in turn and explained his plans, but the cautious and logical ones were still wary of him. – Of course. Who would believe a disembodied voice that randomly appeared and said he'll save them without expecting anything in return? If anything, Mikael applauded these kids as he knew how harsh reality could be to naïve children.

"I'm not forcing you to come. You could stay here and wait for someone… but know that your life is your own responsibility so whatever happens because of your choice, don't blame me."

The children looked at each other as if telepathically conversing, and nodded their heads. Right now, Mikael was their best bet at escaping this hellish place.

Mikael went out to find the goblin with the key for the cage's lock which proved to be quite easy as it coincidentally was heading to the third floor.

Mikael used psychokinesis on an iron nail lying on the ground and drove it straight to the goblin's heart.

The creature died without uttering a single word from Mikael's one-hit-kill attack.

Mikael admired his work. Not only was it clean, but it was also MP-efficient.

"Whoo… I think I'll make the perfect assassin." He grinned before strongly shaking his head "No! we're trying to collect good karma, Mikael! Assassination's a thorny road leading to Tartarus!"

He collected the key and went back to the kids.

As soon as he freed them, the kids sighed in relief. After days of confinement, they were finally out of the suffocating cage, but they also understood that this was not the end. They listened to the eldest boy who relayed Mikael's instruction and went to an empty room on the third floor.

Before closing the door, Mikael gave them one last warning, "Whatever you hear, be quiet. And never go out unless I say it's safe."

Ngeeeee…..

He locked the door shut and headed downstairs.

He killed every isolated goblin that he encountered with as little MP consumption as he could, but after his third prey, he ran out of MP.

'Now it is a race against time… Which will be faster? the monsters finding the kids or my MP recovery?'

10 minutes later, a particularly bulky goblin went up the third floor.

"Tsk! Karu… so slow! Hmph! Me hungry!" it grumbled as it went its way straight to the room where the cage was located.

As soon as it saw the empty prison, the goblin's expression turned dark, "Karu! Did eat kids?! KARUUU!!!"

Mikael, who was floating beside the goblin, tilted his head, 'Karu? Was that a name? maybe it's one of the goblins I killed earlier?'

The fuming goblin stomped the floor in frustration.

It opened all the doors it could find to search for Karu and the kids.

<13 minutes.>

The last door.

The monster's green, meaty hands twisted the knob.

Chik. Chik.

But the door was locked.

Inside, the kids held their breaths with eyes shaking in fear. Beads of sweat formed on their foreheads as they fervently prayed, 'Please! God! Please don't let it come! Please. Please go away!'

Silence.

Tick… tock… tick tock…

The ticking of the clock seemed to reverberate in the dead silence, and the children swallowed their saliva from the heightened tension.

'Did it really go away? Are we safe now?' they thought.

<14 minutes.>

Bang! Bang! BANG!

The goblin began pounding the door with its fists.

"Hiiiik!" one of the younger kids could not help but cry in fright.

Unfortunately, the goblin had keen ears that heard even this faint sound. It grinned and bashed the door even more intensely than before!

BANG! BANG! BAAANG!!

Dust particles and debris of wood rained down on the dark room and with every strong pound, the chink of light that momentarily spills from under the door enlarges.

The kids cried silent tears as they resignedly waited for the door to crash open and the monsters to recapture them.

Clang!

A hinge fell down and Mikael shouted "NOOOO!"

<Passive skill: Reverse Clairvoyance Lvl. 1 is activated.>

The goblin abruptly turned its ugly head in Mikael's direction.

'Ah! Right! Passive skills don't require MP!' An idea brewed inside his head and a mischievous smile slowly formed on his lips.

"Hey ugly! Karu stole the food! You're just wasting your time."

Upon hearing that his comrade stole their food supply, the bulky goblin bellowed, "KARUUUU!! WHERE KARU?!"

"I know where Karu is. Do you want me to guide you?" he asked, hoping that his delaying tactics would work.

"GUIDE ME!"

<14 minutes, 50 seconds.>

'To your death?' Mikael internally asked before replying in a servile tone, "As you wish."

Taking advantage of the enemy's excellent hearing and low intelligence, He moved to the opposite direction of the hiding place and called the creature, "Karu's this way! Hurry or he might get away!"

<14 minutes, 55 seconds.>

He led the gullible monster to an empty room and faced it.

"Where Karu!?" it demanded.

<15 minutes.>

<Active skill: Psychokinesis is activated.>

Bang!

Mikael slammed the door shut, surprising the unsuspecting creature who impatiently repeated its question, "I ask! Where Karu?!"

"Oh. Don't worry. You'll meet him soon." Mikael assured.

"Where?"

"In the underworld. 'cause Karu's dead. And soon, so will you." He nonchalantly replied.

*It's math time!

For those who are confused,

Recall: total MP = 100.

Time it takes to recover depleted MP = 5 hours. (meaning, recovery rate is 100MP/5hrs = 20MP/hr = 1MP/3mins)

To use Psychokinesis (MP consumption = 5MP/min), Mikael needs to wait for 15 mins to recover 5MP that he can use for 1 min.