The Awakening Of The Shadows

Lian gripped his sword tightly, still feeling the newly acquired energy from the magic crystal his weapon had absorbed. The weight of the black metal in his hand was almost comforting, as if the sword was an extension of his body.

He walked through the forest of the Rank E portal, the scent of damp earth and the sound of rustling leaves filling the air. But Lian knew that this place was far from peaceful.

"Goblins, hobgoblins, goblin shamans, and a goblin king," he repeated Vida's words in his mind. These monsters were just the beginning, an introduction to the real world he would have to face. Despite this, the setting felt incredibly real. The sunlight streaming through the trees, the warmth on his skin, the distant chirping of birds, it was easy to forget he was in a simulated training exercise.

Lian advanced cautiously, keeping his sword in a defensive position. He knew he couldn't rely solely on the element of surprise to win every fight. The first goblin had been defeated effortlessly, but he was aware that facing groups of monsters would be far more dangerous.

After a few minutes, he heard light footsteps and grotesque laughter. Quickly moving behind a large tree, he peered through the foliage. Three goblins were gathered around a makeshift campfire. They laughed and talked in a guttural, incomprehensible language, their crude weapons, knives and clubs made from bones resting on the ground.

"Three at once… This will be more complicated," Lian thought, controlling his breathing. He knew he needed to plan his attack. "If I focus on one at a time, the others will react too quickly."

He closed his eyes for a moment, feeling the pulse of the sword in his hand. The weapon's energy seemed alive, as if waiting for his next move. He remembered his father's words: "Calm beats chaos. If you act without thinking, you'll be defeated before you even realize what happened."

Opening his eyes, Lian took a deep breath and dashed out from behind the tree, running straight toward the group of goblins. The sound of his footsteps caught their attention, and they turned to face him, their expressions shifting from surprise to alarm as they grabbed their weapons.

Before they could fully react, Lian was already upon the first goblin. He struck with a quick, precise slash, cutting the creature from shoulder to abdomen. Dark blood sprayed as the goblin fell, but Lian was already moving toward the next one.

The second goblin swung a club at him, but Lian sidestepped the attack, using the flat of his blade to deflect the blow and unbalance the monster. Taking advantage of the opening, he spun around and drove his sword into the goblin's chest, pushing it back until its lifeless body collapsed to the ground.

The third goblin, larger than the others, seemed more agile. It screamed, backing away a few steps as it raised its crude knife.

Lian observed its stance, it was different from the others. It wasn't attacking recklessly. It was waiting for the right moment.

"Patience, huh?" Lian thought, adjusting his footing.

The goblin suddenly lunged, aiming to stab Lian's side. He narrowly dodged, feeling the air cut by the knife's edge. With a swift motion, Lian swung his sword downward, striking the goblin's leg. The creature screamed in pain, falling to its knees. Before it could recover, Lian delivered the final blow, slashing its throat.

Silence filled the area, broken only by Lian's heavy breathing. He looked down at the fallen bodies, feeling a mix of adrenaline and satisfaction. Energy from the three goblins condensed into small magic crystals hovering above their corpses.

Lian collected the crystals, examining them briefly before repeating the process of absorption with his sword. The weapon pulsed again, as if satisfied with the new power it had gained. Lian smiled.

"That wasn't so bad. But they were just goblins. I need to prepare for the hobgoblins and the others."

He wiped the blade clean with a piece of cloth he found near the goblins' campfire and continued on his way.

Some time later, as he moved deeper into the forest, Lian began to notice something strange. The temperature seemed to drop, and the sound of birds had disappeared. Everything was eerily silent.

His instincts flared, and he tightened his grip on the sword. Scanning his surroundings, his eyes searched the shadows between the trees. Then, he saw it.

Emerging from behind a large tree, a hobgoblin appeared. It was much larger than the previous goblins, standing over two meters tall. Its skin was a dark green, almost black, and its muscular frame radiated raw power. In its hands, it held a massive stone axe that looked incredibly heavy.

Lian swallowed hard, adjusting his combat stance. He knew this would be a completely different challenge.

The hobgoblin roared, slamming its axe into the ground and creating a loud, echoing thud. Lian didn't hesitate. He charged forward, aiming to use his speed to compensate for the monster's overwhelming strength.

He dodged to the side as the hobgoblin swung its axe, the weapon smashing into the ground and leaving a crater. Taking advantage of the opening, Lian delivered a quick slash to the creature's leg. The blade cut deep, and the hobgoblin roared in pain, but it only seemed to enrage the monster further.

The hobgoblin spun quickly, swinging the handle of the axe toward Lian. The strike grazed him, knocking him backward. He hit the ground hard, pain shooting through his right arm, but he forced himself to his feet.

"It's fast for its size," Lian thought, panting. "I can't afford to make any mistakes."

The monster charged again, lifting its axe for a crushing overhead strike. Lian waited until the last second, dodging to the side and delivering an upward slash to the hobgoblin's arm. The blade struck the joint, and the axe fell with a thunderous crash as the monster howled, clutching its injured limb.

Seizing the opportunity, Lian moved in quickly, jumping and driving his sword into the hobgoblin's chest with all his strength. The blade sank deep, and the monster tried to grab him, but Lian pulled the sword free before it could react.

The hobgoblin let out a final roar before collapsing, its energy condensing into a large, glowing magic crystal.

Lian dropped to his knees, breathing heavily. He looked at the crystal, amazed by its size and the intensity of its glow. He picked it up, feeling the warmth radiating from it, and pressed it against the purple gem embedded in his sword. The weapon absorbed the crystal, and a surge of energy coursed through Lian's body.

"That was close," he thought, slowly getting to his feet. "I'm getting stronger, but it's still not enough. Not yet."

He looked ahead into the forest. He knew the real test was still waiting for him.

"Goblin King, I'm coming for you."