Astrael stood in the middle of the tunnel, his chest heaving as if he had run a marathon. Blood dripping from his temple, soaking his body around his shattered shoulder.
He grimaced at the pain, but it was nothing compared to the million deaths he suffered. The hobgoblin was fully enraged.
ROOOOOOOAAAARRR!
The enraged hobgoblin let out a thunderous roar and charged straight at him, its heavy stone maul carving a deep trench in the cavern floor as it dragged behind. At the moment, Astrael thought of a crazy idea.
Astrael his ground, sword held low in his hand, its blue light flickering erratically. The plan was insane. It relied on timing, agility, and the monster's rage, which clouded his judgment.
Ten feet.
Nine feet.
Astrael closes his eyes. The surrounding mana responded to his will, and the magical energy within him surged out in full force, unrestrained, as he concentrated entirely on his opponent.
Seven...
Astarel could feel the tremor of its footsteps shaking him. His eyes never wavered from the hobgoblin.
Five feet.
Astrael threw himself forward and down, not back. He slid feet first on the stone, directly under the hobgoblin's massive legs, like a mouse darting beneath a charging bull.
He concentrated all the mana on his sword, giving an intense blue light. He activated his only skill, {Quick Draw,} not to attack the incoming creature, but to slash upwards with blinding speed at the tunnel wall beside him as he passed.
SHINK! SHINK! SHINK!
ENDER, fueled by his holder determination, bit down into the rock where the ceiling met the wall. Not to cut the stone, but to strike at the already cracked and unstable section of the tunnel walls he'd identified during his frantic dodging earlier.
The hobgoblin, focused solely on crushing the spot where Astael had been, slammed into the narrowing tunnel entrance. Uts massive shoulders hit the constricting stone walls.
CRACK!
At the same moment, Astrael's frantic slashes and the immense impact combine. A hairline fracture in the ceiling appears, resulting from Hobgoblin's charge and Astrael's targeted strikes.
CRACK!
BOOM!
A section of the ceiling, roughly the size of the hobgoblin itself, collapsed. The heavy and massive rocks, dust, and debris crashed down directly onto the monster's head.
SKREEEEE-
The hobgoblin's roar of rage was instantly choked off, replaced by a sound of pure, agonised fear of death. The impact drove it to its knees, his body buried under the rubble, writhing uncomfortably as if suffering the most terrifying pain.
Astrael, coughing violently, scrambled backwards on his elbows. He stared at the trapped hobgoblin. The hobgoblin wasn't dead. It was roaring and writhing under the rubble.
The hobgoblin was indeed powerful, but in the end, it was a mindless beast with little intelligence. The beast writhed in pain
And Astrael does not wish to miss this opportunity. Ignoring the screaming protest from his body, Astrael pushed himself upright. He started channelling all the remaining mana he had left into his sword. The sword, which was dimmed, began to glow again.
Astrael didn't hesitate to plunge the sword into the hobgoblin with every ounce of strength left in his battered body. He drove his sword like a spear, aiming for that single hate hate-filled eye.
SHLUCK!
The shimmering blue blade pierced the mouth of the beast and deep into the skull behind it. The hobgoblin's thrashing ceased instantly. Its crimson eyes dimmed. Its massive body gave one final, shuddering convulsion, then lay limp, pinned beneath the rubble that had become its tomb.
Astrael gasped and sagged against the tunnel wall, sliding down until he sat on the cold floor. The sword slipping from his numb fingers. He stared at the creature's corpse, half-buried. Then several blue letters flashed in his eyes.
Astrael was very happy to see strange messages. His lips parted and moved several times as if he were about to speak, but exhaustion overwhelmed him, leaving him silent in the end.
In his previous life, Astrael had been an ordinary man enduring constant pain. Though he had tried to find bits of happiness amidst the suffering, everything took a drastic turn after his reincarnation.
The bones in his left shoulder were shattered, his left eye swollen shut from the blood trickling down his forehead, parts of his dark hair now stained crimson, and his feet were twisted grotesquely, aching with every breath. His only open eye barely registered the world around him.
Had he ever endured such agony in his previous life?
He had once heard that when pain became unbearable, the brain would shut down the receptors to protect the body, an automatic defence. He had doubted it before, but now, with his mind numb and body broken, he knew it was true.
He was in a dreadful state. However, the system's level-up effect, triggered after the ordeal, began to magically and automatically mend his body. After a few level-ups, it became clear, his wounds would fully heal with each advancement. While his enemies would leave battles bloodied, he would emerge untouched. For any future foe, that was nothing short of a nightmare.
Yet, despite his body recovering, the deep mental fatigue he had endured remained beyond the system's reach.
Standing over the creature, triple the size of his, Astrael could not help but lie on the ground still. Although the battle was already over, his grip on the ENDER sword had not loosened, as this sword was the only way he had to feel safe at the moment.
But he doesn't know why, his smile rose unconsciously on his face.
[You have acquired the soul energy of a level 7 Hobgoblin]
[+1000 exp]
[You have levelled up and reached level 4]
[You get 2 status points to distribute freely]
[You have levelled up and reached level 5]
[You get 2 status points to distribute freely]
[Ding!]
[You have acquired Rare Drop: Monster Core (Low-Grade)]
[Ding!]
[The skill Quick Draw (E) lvl.2 -->lvl.3]
[Ding!]
[The skill Sword Mastery (Beginner) → Sword Mastery (Apprentice)]
[Ding!]
[You have learned a new skill, Mana Augmentation (E) lvl.1]
[The host has acquired:
Heavy Stone Maul x1 (Damaged)
Thick Hobgoblin Hide x1,
Three-coloured mushroom x1
gold coin x15]
Seeing the System message, a smile rose unconsciously on his face.
He gets up and lies still, taking the take of the wall.
He checked the system, and he levelled up two times. His mastery of the sword advanced to the next level, in addition to the skill Quick Draw. And he learned a new skill, also.
Without a shred of hesitation, his gaze focused on the skill.
[{Mana Augmentation} lvl.1: Channel and infuse mana into your body or weapon, enhancing strength, speed, and durability. Effects scale with mana control, physical condition, and intent. Duration is limited by mana reserves and focus.]
'Mana Augmentation...' The new skill's description echoed in his mind.
Then his mind shifted to the crimson sphere in his inventory. He willed it, and it dropped into his hand. It was a glowing crimson sphere pulsating with energy, the size of a pigeon egg.
[Monster Core (Low Grade): A crystallized core of condensed mana found within low-tier magical beasts. Can be used as a minor energy source, for basic enchantments, alchemy, or to aid in mana cultivation.
Warning: Direct absorption requires a compatible cultivation technique or risk of mana corruption.]
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🌟 Hey, fellow traveller of tales and treasures! 🧭 Your presence here is a journey filled with surprises, like uncovering hidden gems 💎. Isn't it fascinating how a little GOLDEN ✨ something can change everything? 💛