Chapter 38: The First Quest is Always Goblin Subjugation
Amy hid herself using the trees or anything else for cover. The dungeon could see through her eyes as well as the three shroom gnomes, so it gave her updated information on any goblins she couldn't directly see.
The original number of 30 had seemingly increased to 40 over the past several days; another goblin group seemed to have challenged this one and lost, the survivors joining the original group and not only replacing the lost numbers, but also bolstering them.
She silently drew her manasteel sword, whose center of gravity was uncomfortably halfway up the blade.
"The goblin sentry will approach the corner of the building in 5… 4… 3…"
Trusting in the dungeon, she stepped out from around the corner and attacked in one fluid motion. The sword was infused with a small amount of mana, drawn back and thrust forward in perfect form.
The goblin sentry didn't even have time to sound an alarm as the sword stabbed it through the eye like a bolt of lightning, the blade not encountering any resistance until it met the back of its skull, which even that was pierced through with little effort.
[Goblin <Lv. 3> killed!
+ 45 exp]
She only needed 30 more experience until she levelled up, which she quickly did upon finding another goblin and catching it by surprise.
[Goblin <Lv. 3> killed!
+ 45 exp]
[Experience threshold met. Level Up!
Lv. 2 -> Lv. 3
Accumulated skill experience bonus:
Weaving <Lv. 9> -> <Lv. 10>
+ New Subskill: Thread: Auto-Spin
Archery <Lv. 6> -> <Lv. 7>
Flower Arrangement <Lv. 7> -> <Lv. 9>
+ New Subskill: Defense Alignment
Concealment <Lv. 4> -> <Lv. 6>
Swordsmanship <Lv. 2> -> <Lv. 3>
All Stats(Non-Luck): +1
Class bonus: Dex +2, Int +1
Mana: 128 -> 191
+ New Title: Child of Mana]
[Species: Nature Elf
Name: Amy Soni
Class: Healer
Age: 40
Mana: 191/191
Exp: 15/956
Level: 3
Strength: 5
Dexterity: 12
Endurance: 7
Vitality: 14
Intelligence: 11
Skills:
Nature Touched (Racial) <Lv. MAX>
• +20% Dex, End, Vit when in forested regions.
• Forest wildlife is less hostile to you.]
Amy was stunned. Not at the bonus skill experience; she hadn't levelled up for nearly ten years, so she had accumulated a lot. What astonished her were two things.
Firstly, her mana increased by a huge amount for going up a single level. When she went from <Lv. 1> to <Lv. 2>, her mana pool had increased from 22 to 34, only a 12 point difference. This level up had it increase by 63 points.
Second was the title. It was incredible and shocking at the same time, especially considering it was supposed to be a title given at birth. She wasn't gifted with a huge mana pool for her level, not until recently at least.
'Could it be an error in the world? One doesn't need to specifically be "born" with it in order to earn the title, or is it something else? Such as levelling up counts as being "reborn" which fulfils the criteria.'
Amy mimicked how the dungeon considers these things while pondering the answer. She believed it was the latter, else she should have gotten the title long ago. Of course, it could just be a gift attached to her bonus experience to consume anything leftover from the potential she had accumulated.
Throwing her questions to the back of her mind for later, she continued moving around the site ambushing goblins along with the three shroom gnomes. They managed to assassinate ten goblins before they were discovered, screeching goblin cries alerting the tribe of their presence.
Amy hid amongst the trees, doing her best to not pay attention to the dead bodies everywhere. The goblins knew she was here, but they didn't know where exactly she was.
They still had nearly thirty goblins, including two much stronger than the rest with iron swords, and a goblin shaman who looked like the leader of the tribe. If its crooked staff was anything to go by, it could also use magic.
Most goblin shamans knew spells which would make their allies stronger and enemies weaker, while also often being able to cast entry level elemental spells.
The goblin shaman split his forces into four different groups. It was smarter than the rest and had some understanding of tactics.
Four groups of six goblins prowled through the surroundings, not doing anything to hide their presence as they searched for the intruders.
Amy ambushed one of the groups along with the three shroom gnomes once they were far enough away from the other goblin search parties.
Two goblins died from the iron maces splitting their skulls open, but another survived by instinctively attacking back with a wooden club and luckily managing to redirect the blow to the side.
Amy attacked at the same time, thrusting her sword in a quick, pinpoint attack. The goblin raised its club to hit the sword, but she had already stabbed it through the eye before it could defend itself.
With three goblins dead at the very start, and now being outnumbered 4:3, the remaining goblins fled while screaming to raise the alarm. Amy pulled off a razor sharp steel throwing knife from her waistband and flicked it at one goblin, striking it in the back of the leg and causing it to stumble, while killing another goblin with a thrust of her sword.
She then dashed to the fallen goblin and stabbed it in the back of the head before it could get up and flee.
[Goblin <Lv. 3> killed!
+ 45 exp]
[Goblin <Lv. 2> killed!
+ 31 exp]
[Goblin <Lv. 3> killed!
+ 45 exp]
The shroom gnomes were a bit shorter than the goblins, but that didn't prevent them from ganging up on the final goblin and bashing it to death with their iron maces.
They were much more effective with these weapons than compared to when they were using stone spears.
No need to think, just bash.
This group of goblins had been killed and Amy had recovered the throwing knife, but another goblin search party appeared at this moment and ambushed them.
Amy flinched back but thrust her sword out in reflex. The goblin managed to guard its body with a round wooden shield and caught the blade, which stabbed through and into its hand, but not killing it.
"Don't just rely on your sword, you have your entire body. Kick the goblin back and recover your sword. You have almost lost your sword as it is stuck in the shield; pull a dagger out with your spare hand to defend yourself."
Zach spoke in her mind and reminded her of things to focus on. She pulled out a dagger with one hand, catching a goblin's club on it and dampening the blow, but still took a decent hit to her ribs which made her wince.
She raised a leg and kicked back the goblin which had released the shield from its crippled hand. She bashed another goblin with the shield stuck on the sword, knocking the enemy back and loosening the shield enough for her to flick it off.
The three shroom gnomes were fighting dumbly, even with the dungeon macro'ing their fighting style. It was basically bash and be bashed until one fell. They still held off three goblins, one getting a lucky strike in and crippling its arm, while all three were beginning to suffer more injuries.
"You need to be quick, more will be here shortly."
Amy charged at the goblins attacking the shroom gnomes and swiftly killed them while their attention was on their current opponent, although she suffered several blows from clubs, one on an unprotected section of her arm which hurt enough she couldn't use it properly. She suspected the bone may have fractured judging by the level of pain and was thankful she could at least hold onto the dagger still.
[Goblin <Lv. 3> killed!
+ 45 exp]
[Goblin <Lv. 2> killed!
+ 31 exp]
[Goblin <Lv. 3> killed!
+ 45 exp]
With the shroom gnomes freed up, she could bring her attention to the remaining goblins. She quickly dispatched one, while the gnomes outnumbered and brought down the other two, their green blood dripping off the sinister maces.
[Goblin <Lv. 3> killed!
+ 45 exp]