Chapter 11: Prey
Ashen's journey didn't take long. After almost two hours of walking, he finally arrived at the scene, his heart pounding with anticipation. Carefully, he scouted the area, his sharp eyes darting around, assessing the situation before jumping into action. In the distance, he spotted a group of villagers held captive by a group of filthy Goblins.
His blood boiled with rage as he witnessed the humans being treated like livestock, crammed inside wooden cages, their eyes filled with fear and despair. However, Ashen knew that if he allowed his emotions to control him, his mission would fail. He took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.
"I need to control my anger... stay focused," he muttered under his breath, gripping the handle of his knife tightly.
After regaining his composure, Ashen began to assess his enemies. He observed numerous ordinary Goblins, along with several Hobgoblins patrolling the perimeter of the village. Yet, despite his keen observations, he couldn't locate the [Goblin King].
While the regular [Goblins] were not a threat to him, the Hobgoblins were a different story. He knew all too well that their archery skills, coupled with their size and strength, could severely restrict his movements and turn the tide of battle. He had to tread carefully.
"If I don't come up with a strategy, the casualties could be severe," Ashen thought, his mind racing as he considered his options. He needed a flawless plan, not only to save the villagers but also to eliminate the looming threat of the [Goblin King].
Before making any decisions, Ashen decided to check his character stats to see if he could boost his capabilities before the fight.
---
Name: Ashen
Race: Human
Level: 8
Experience Bar: 1,780 / 6,000
Health Points: 130/130
Mana: 25/25
Physical Attack: 13-16
Magical Attack: 5
Physical Defense: 28
Magical Defense: 5
Job Class:None
Sub Class: None
Attributes:
- Strength: 13
- Agility: 18
- Intelligence: 5
- Vitality: 5
- Dexterity: 15
- Attribute Points Remaining: 40
---
Skills:
- Active: None
- Passive: Martial Arts (LVL 1), Vital Strike
---
Titles: None
---
Items
Weapon:
- (Timber Wolf Tooth Knife) [Common]
- +8 Physical Attack Damage
Armor:
- (Timber Wolf Torso Pelt) [Common]
- +8 Physical Defense
- (Timber Wolf Leg Pelt) [Common]
- +5 Physical Defense
- (Timber Wolf Fur Shoes) [Common]
- +5 Physical Defense
- (Timber Wolf Fur Cape) [Common]
- +5 Physical Defense
Accessories: None
Pet System: None
Mounts: None
---
Without hesitation, Ashen allocated his remaining attribute points. He added +7 to Strength, +7 to Agility, +5 to Dexterity, and +5 to Vitality, leaving him with 16 free attribute points. With almost all of his stats now nearing 20, except for Vitality and Intelligence, Ashen felt a surge of power course through his body. His muscles tightened, and his senses sharpened.
"This should be enough to handle the Hobgoblins. Their arrows won't be able to touch me with my improved agility," he said, a confident smirk appearing on his face.
With his stats boosted, Ashen stealthily entered the village from the rear, taking advantage of the shadows to ambush his enemies one by one.
He snuck up behind a Goblin that was standing guard, distracted and unaware of the danger lurking behind it. Ashen's knife gleamed in the dim light as he plunged it straight into the Goblin's chest, piercing its heart with precision.
You deal a critical hit!
-48 Health Points
Before the creature could even scream in pain, Ashen followed up with a swift slash to its throat, ending its life instantly.
Ding!
You killed a [Goblin]
+ 15 Experience Points
Moving with the grace of a shadow, Ashen continued his assault, eliminating Goblin after Goblin in rapid succession, his movements efficient and lethal.
Ding!
You killed a [Goblin]
+ 15 Experience Points
Ding!
You killed a [Goblin]
+ 15 Experience Points
Ding!
You killed a [Hobgoblin]
+ 25 Experience Points
The green blood of the fallen Goblins splattered across the ground as Ashen carved his way through the village, his Timber Wolf Tooth Knife dripping with their thick, pungent liquid. His heart raced with the thrill of battle, his mind focused solely on reaching the captured villagers and putting an end to this nightmare.
However, as he approached the center of the village, Ashen failed to notice the looming figure watching him from above. Perched atop one of the dilapidated houses, a hulking figure observed the massacre with cold, calculating eyes.
It was the [Goblin King].
The massive creature watched Ashen with disdain, not seeing him as a threat but as a mere plaything, a weak human foolishly treading into his domain. A sinister grin crept across the Goblin King's grotesque face, his beady eyes gleaming with malice.
Little did the king know that understimating Ashen would be his gravest mistake.