Chapter 53: Leon vs Goblin Commander...
Leon wasn't able to face the attack head-on; he didn't deflect the blow because he wanted to, but because he was forced to. Mutant beasts were just that powerful.
He gritted his teeth as he felt the force of the impact reverberate through his arms.
But there was another reason he managed to withstand the attack.
Leon used mana. Through the effect of his skill, [Goblin Intuition], Leon instinctively circulated the mana within him as he raised his katana to deflect the blade.
He didn't fully understand why, but he knew that without this skill, he would have ended up with broken bones.
"Damn it," he cursed, gritting his teeth in frustration.
Circulating mana while fighting was like trying to draw a perfect circle with a pen in each hand simultaneously—nearly impossible.
He would need a lot of practice to be able to do it casually. As for how he managed it the first time, he had no idea.
But then he remembered something crucial. He had accumulated about 125 Valor points, and it was about time he put them to good use.
Leon quickly brought up his system interface, glancing at the familiar screen.
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┏━━━━━━༻❁༺━━━━━━┓
[Vice and Valor System]
•─────⋅☾ Host's Details ☽⋅─────•
[Name: Leon]
[Race: Incubus ??? (Anomalous)]
[Age: 18]
[Title: None]
[Physique: 2]
[Affinity: 2]
[Soul: 1]
[Mana Cultivation: [100 Vice points to go up one stage]]
[Body Cultivation: Level 1 [100 Valor points required to level up]]
[Hp: 100]
[Mana: 100]
•─────⋅☾ Stats ☽⋅─────•
[Strength: 45]
[Stamina: 35]
[Agility: 50]
[Defense: 35]
[Intelligence: 35]
[Perception (Hunter's Instinct): 7]
[Soul Defense: 0]
[Luck: 0]
•─────⋅☾ Hall of Skills ☽⋅─────•
Hall of Skills (4)
─────⋅☾ Missions ☽⋅─────•
Tap to see more...
•──────────────────•
┗━━━━━━༻❁༺━━━━━━┛
---
He allocated 30 points to his strength, 35 to his agility, and 20 each to his stamina, defense, and intelligence.
Upon distributing his Valor points, Leon's body felt an immediate change. A rush of energy surged through him, refreshing every fiber of his being.
The fatigue that had weighed him down vanished, replaced by a sensation of renewed vigor. His muscles felt stronger, his movements swifter, and his mind clearer. It was as if he had been reborn, his body and mind harmonizing at a higher level of capability.
Leon took a deep breath, feeling the power coursing through his veins.
The sensation was exhilarating, a potent mix of strength and clarity. He clenched his fists, marveling at the newfound power that flowed through him.
"This is incredible," he muttered, flexing his fingers as the rush of vitality coursed through him. It was like drinking a potion of pure energy, revitalizing his entire being.
His senses sharpened, the world around him coming into focus with crystal clarity. He could hear the rustle of leaves, the faintest of movements in the underbrush.
Leon tested his enhanced agility, moving with a speed and grace that surprised even himself.
His katana felt like an extension of his arm, responding to his slightest command with precision and fluidity. The increase in strength and stamina made his previous exhaustion seem like a distant memory.
Feeling the refreshing boost, Leon's eyes gleamed with excitement. "Let's check things out," he muttered under his breath. He slashed his katana at the goblin to block its short sword.
Clang-!!!
A clangorous sound reverberated through the area. Leon's eyes widened in surprise as the impact rippled through his muscles and tendons, numbing his hands momentarily but not as severely as when he deflected the goblin commander's attack.
Despite the boosts he had gained, he found himself only able to fight on equal footing with this formidable foe.
But then, ever so suddenly, a wave of intense pain assaulted his muscles, disrupting his focus. He had no idea why his body felt this way, and it disoriented him.
Swoosh-!!!
Leon's eyes widened as he clumsily ducked to the ground just in time to avoid the goblin's ferocious strike.
'Why? What the fuck is going on? Why is my body in so much pain?' he thought, extremely confused.
His instincts tingled again. He clumsily rolled to the left.
Clang-!
A short sword struck the ground where he had been moments ago.
'Damn it, the goblin is relentless,' he cursed in his mind as another attack came his way. He rolled to the left again, springing to his feet just in time to dodge another dangerous slash.
"Damn it! Damn it!" he cursed, breathing heavily. His eyes were red from the blinding pain that assaulted him, numbing his other senses. If not for the [Goblin Intuition] skill, which tinged his senses and forced him to dodge almost subconsciously, he would have been severely injured or worse.
'Why?'
Leon continued dodging clumsily. The goblin saw it had forced him into a defensive position and cackled loudly and viciously.
It licked the blade of its dagger and attacked Leon with wild abandon, giving him no moment of respite.
Its eyes were filled with a thrill as if it was enjoying every moment, and its cackle was loud and vicious, sending a shiver down Leon's spine.
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'What the fuck is going on?! Is the pain a skill the goblin has?!' Leon's mind was in complete disarray.
The goblin's attacks were relentless, each strike coming faster and harder than the last. Leon barely managed to dodge, his body moving almost on autopilot. He felt like a puppet, his strings pulled by the [Goblin Intuition] skill to avoid fatal blows.
He ducked under a wild swing, feeling the air whistle past his head. Rolling to the side, he narrowly avoided another strike aimed at his midsection.
The pain was overwhelming, making every movement a torturous effort. Sweat dripped down his face, his breaths coming in ragged gasps.
The goblin's vicious grin widened as it pressed its advantage. Leon stumbled back, his legs nearly giving out from the sheer agony that wracked his body.
He parried a blow aimed at his chest, his arms trembling from the strain. The goblin's strength was immense, each strike sending shockwaves through Leon's muscles.
He gritted his teeth, trying to push through the pain. He needed to find a way to turn the tide of the battle. His mind raced, searching for a solution. His body screamed in protest with every movement, but he refused to give in.
Another swing came at him, and he ducked low, feeling the blade graze his shoulder. The pain intensified, but he managed to keep his grip on his katana. He needed to focus, to find an opening in the goblin's relentless assault.
The goblin swung again, and Leon sidestepped, barely avoiding the blade. He retaliated with a quick slash, but the goblin blocked it effortlessly. It laughed, the sound grating on Leon's nerves.
Leon could feel his strength waning, his stamina depleting rapidly. He had to end this soon, or he would be overwhelmed. His eyes darted around, searching for anything he could use to his advantage.
Suddenly, a message appeared before him.
┏━━━━━━༻❁༺━━━━━━┓
Host, such a sudden increase in strength by such a huge margin is against the law of nature... Host needs to level up your body cultivation as soon as possible...
CIRCULATE THE MANA WITHIN YOU TO STABILIZE THE SITUATION TEMPORARILY
•──────────────────•
┗━━━━━━༻❁༺━━━━━━┛
Leon saw the prompt and now had a general understanding of what was going on, but still, the situation was tense. His life was in constant danger with each attack from the goblin commander. How could he relax and circulate the mana within him at this moment? It was simply impossible.
"Damnit!" he cursed as he suddenly saw a blade glint in his face. He tried to dodge, but the attack was too fast. The blade still ended up grazing his cheek, marring his handsome face.
Leon wiped the blood from his cheek with his hand and gritted his teeth. The goblin commander stopped attacking, licking the blood from its blade and laughing viciously, its eyes never leaving Leon.
Leon was furious, but he was still sane. His mind was as clear as undisturbed water. Despite his anger, he knew this was his chance.
In the dangerous and tense moment, Leon closed his eyes and tried to feel the mana within him. The goblin saw Leon close his eyes and scoffed at his foolishness. It moved quickly and slashed at Leon.
But with the [Goblin Intuition] skill, his senses were enhanced. He could hear the tiny whooshing sound of the short sword blade as it sliced through the air.
It was almost as if time slowed down when Leon leaned his upper body backward, the blade zipping through the air in front of his face, mere centimeters away from grazing his nose.
Leon focused inward, trying to feel the flow of mana within him. The sensation was faint at first, like a gentle current running through his veins. He concentrated, willing the mana to circulate through his meridians. The pain in his muscles intensified, but he pushed through it, feeling the mana spread throughout his body.
The goblin commander, seeing its attack miss, snarled in frustration. It attacked again, its blade whistling through the air.
Leon, eyes still closed, could sense the movement. He sidestepped, feeling the wind from the goblin's swing brush past his ear.