[14th Everdusk, 2103] – CGA Branch, Dyna Crest Country
The rustling of leaves signaled their approach.
I stood ready, having already anticipated what would follow. Goblins burst through the underbrush, shrieking in their twisted tongue and brandishing wooden clubs with wild grins. Only four had shown themselves, but I knew better.
These were scouts.
More were nearby—too many. Maybe twenty or thirty goblins in total, and this was just a taste of what was coming. A whole hunting party? Or worse… a tribe.
"Let's get this over with before your ugly friends show up," I muttered, tightening my grip on my blade.
The four goblins snarled and charged from all sides, trying to box me in. But they weren't ready for what I had planned.
A skeleton clawed its way up from a magic circle beside me. It wasn't particularly strong—only half my stats—but enough to shift the battle.
One goblin lunged at me, but my blade was faster. It sliced through his club like butter and cleaved into his chest. He crumpled without a sound.
Another followed. I parried his frantic swing and impaled him through the ribs. His body stuck on my sword, so I used him like a meat shield—swinging him into a third goblin, knocking them both back.
The fourth tried to flank me.
I ducked under his club, slashed across his chest, then finished him off with a reverse cut.
The third goblin scrambled to his feet, saw the carnage, and panicked. His scream echoed through the forest as he turned and bolted, desperate to alert the others.
"Shit." My heart sank.
And like clockwork, more goblins began to emerge from every direction—dozens of them, hissing, grinning, and ready to tear me apart.
A horde.
I quickly checked my mana bar: [235/360 MP]
"Alright then," I smirked, hiding my anxiety. "If you're calling backup, I'll call mine too."
Seven more magic circles flared to life. Skeletal warriors rose, weapons drawn, their eyes glowing with pale blue light.
"Let's see whose party wins," I said, taking command.
The goblins screeched and charged. My skeletons formed a rough phalanx, each taking on two enemies. I had at least five to deal with myself.
The real battle began.
One of the goblins was different—bigger, with thick muscles and a brutal iron club. A pre-evolution? I didn't have time to think.
Steel clashed with rusted blades. I fought one sword goblin, shattering his weapon on the second parry, then stabbed him clean through. But before I could pull back, I felt a burning pain in my lower back.
Another goblin had slipped behind me, piercing my armor just enough to draw blood.
With a growl, I spun and grabbed him by the head. He shrieked—but too late. I slammed him into the dirt so hard it cracked his skull. Blood gushed from the back of his head.
No mercy. I was done playing nice.
Another goblin came. I welcomed him with a horizontal slash, splitting him and his club in half.
I looked at the last two goblins in my immediate radius—wide-eyed, trembling. Three had died in seconds, and I was still standing, eyes burning with fury.
They tried to run. I didn't let them.
I closed the distance and struck again and again. Their weapons broke by the seventh clash; their bodies fell by the twelfth.
My skeletons were struggling. I ran to support them, dispatching goblins one by one with swift, ruthless precision.
In the end, blood soaked the ground. Goblin bodies lay scattered, most of my summons had faded, and I was panting, skin stained in red—but alive.
I had won.
Just as I was about to absorb the stats from the corpses, I froze.
A faint rustle.
My eyes darted to a tree in the distance… a scout. One goblin, eyes wide with fear, watching.
I reached for a spell—but too late. He vanished into the woods.
"Damn it." I clenched my fists.
He'd alert the village. Reinforcements were coming. Maybe even the boss.
Still, I couldn't let the opportunity slip.
{You've killed 15 Lv.9 and 4 Lv.10 Goblins. You've gained 930 EXP.}
[Level Up: Lv.8 → Lv.10]
{You've gained 20 Unassigned Stat Points}
{EEP Gained: 176 | Total EE Points: 541}
I reached for my talent—ready to Plunder their souls—but then everything changed.
{System has detected host has met the minimum threshold to unlock the First Seal on m######s o#b. Integration commencing. Host advised to hide.}
A strange cold washed over me.
My vision flickered.
My body grew weightless.
I collapsed to the ground, blackness swallowing me.
But not before giving a single command.
"Guard… me..."
My remaining skeletons followed orders. They dragged my limp body away from the blood and tucked me into the bushes. Blades drawn. Silent. Waiting.
And then… darkness.
When I next opened my eyes, I wasn't in the forest.
I was nowhere.
An endless void of black surrounded me. Cold… ancient… familiar.
And then something—someone—appeared.
My lips parted in disbelief.
"What… but how…?"
To be continued…
Author's Note:Hey everyone! I hope you enjoyed this chapter—packed with combat, strategy, and mystery. What did he unlock at Level 10? What is this seal? And how will it shape his future path?Get ready… things are about to get seriously intense.