As I levied my Bat and swung I felt time slow down as I waited for either club to hit first. Smack! The feeling of force rebounding from the hit traveled up my arm. My bat is slightly longer than his club was giving just that little bit of extra reach. The [Goblin Warrior] gave a screech of pain and agony as my bat struck him in the temple I heard a sick crunching sound as his body crumbled to the ground knocked out.
"Should we tie them up to see if we can get information from this green bastard?" I asked, looking at Mr. Johnson, who shook his head.
"We can't guarantee that the rope will be able to tie him down, do you think you'll be able to kill it?" He asked his brown eyes locking on me.
"Yeah, I'm going to have to get used to it," I said pulling a knife from my right jacket pocket. Bringing it to the creature's neck, I took in a deep breath and dug the knife deep into its neck. Green syrup-like liquid spewed from the gash in its neck the same that bubbled from the injury in its shoulder. It spasmed a few times, causing a few of the Scouting Party to back off; I had killed and skinned a rabbit once and had done something similar, so I somewhat suspected it to happen. After a half minute passed I got a system notification.
...
[Level Up]
You have killed a level 3 [Goblin Warrior] of the [Blood Guzzlers Tribe] an enemy faction.
+200% XP from killing something (3x) your level.
+25% XP for killing a member of a Warring Faction.
-75% XP from massively outnumbering your foe.
...
[Congratulations]
You are Now a Level Two [Low Human].
+1 Stat Point (can be Broken up and distributed).
...
[Achievement Earned]
-[Hierarchy Denied]
Kill a higher-level monster or Sapient. This achievement is consumable, allowing you to enhance your records and, henceforth, your class options upon evolving to Rank Two.
...
"Did any of you level up?" I asked as I read over the notifications. The Achievement [Hierarchy Denied] gave a whole host of information; you pick a class when you evolve, if it upgraded your current class or used your Secondary and Trinary Class slots, I didn't know. Achievements could also be consumable, kinda like an investment for future power and abilities, or could be like [Homebase], a situational but permanent buff.
"Nope, it said I got XP from assisting, and a consumable achievement [Pack Rat] says it will slightly boost my records when I evolve to a Rank Two," Mr Johnson said, and by the nods from the rest of the group, I'm pretty sure they got the same thing.
Picking up the Goblins club, I saw that it had 'Awakened' and was called a [Crude Goblinic Club] and was worse than my baseball, only giving a 1% buff to blunt damage and a worse reach.
"Anyone want the spoils of war," I asked waving the Club in the air. "I'll take it," said Mr. Johnson. I handed it to him, and he held it in his hand, feeling for its weight, and made a few swings.
"Alrighty, then let's rest. I've got to allocate my stat point." The others began to sit at the curb, relaxing before Mr. Johnson told a few to spread out and carefully check on the other two goblin warriors and for one to go and check the Manor. I opened up the stat allocation screen and began to strategize.
...
[Available Stats to Increase]
Free Stats Point:1
Strength:1.1
Agility:1
Regeneration:1
Endurance:1.2
Durability:1
Mind Status:
Wisdom:1
Intellect:1.6
Memory:1
Perception:1
Intuition:1.2
...
It seemed like I could only upgrade my Mind and Body stats, I would have to find another way to increase my Soul stats. Really I could split my stat points evenly amongst all of the body stats boosting each by .2 or I could through them all into strength for shits and giggles. Though thinking about it I decided to split it in half, .5 Into Agility and the other in Durability. Hopefully, that could keep me alive as the 'Tank.' I imputed my choice and my skin scrawled as I felt a strange energy permeate my skin. It felt unnatural as the energy seeped into my bones as they began to feel heavy. Next, the energy moved to my tendons as they became loose. Knots I didn't know I had loosened in my shoulder and neck. My calves flexed and grew along with my other muscles all over my leg and slightly dispersed into my core making it stronger.
I was right on the edge of being superhuman not quite but almost there. I looked around as the members of the Scouting Party looked at me questioningly.
"It's weird as fuck that's all I got to say," they broke out laughing as I continued to look to see if anything else changed.
...
Health:(150/150)
...
It seems like Durability correlated with Health, which was neat and would probably help me survive the day. Soon enough Mr. Johnson stood up as the scouts he had sent out had returned.
"Report is the Manor okay and the Goblins at their predicted places?" Mr. Johnson asked the scouts who had approached. One was missing.
"Sir, I confirmed the Manor is safe. They've seen no sign of Goblins," one of the scouts reported. The second scout began to speak next.
"The Goblin seemed worried, Sir, muttering in their weird language, but otherwise, they were at the location," he said uneasily. Clearly, the nerves were getting to him.
"Where, is Mr. Gonzalez?" Mr. Johnson asked; I recognized a glint of hope in his eyes, a hope we all shared that Mr. Gonzalez, the third scout, sent out to check the goblin's location and to report any deviances had not returned. Even more worrying was the Warrior was the one closest to our location.
"I don't know, sir. After we had split ways to go to our individual targets, he didn't meet back up, and I was hoping he would be here, sir." The Second scout responded uncertainty and sadness swelled up in his voice as he spoke.
"FUCKIN SHIT!" Mr. Johnson cursed, causing us to flinch, for Mr. Johnson's traditional values and attitude meant none of us, including people who had known him since kindergarten, had ever heard him cuss. He steeled himself before addressing the group.
"For right now we have a rouge element, and in all likelihood, Mr. Gonzalez is either grievously wounded or in the worst-case scenario dead, we have to move on to the location of the third Goblin Warrior to make sure they don't team up or worse get reinforcements from where ever their base of operation is located, SCOUTS with me, we will split up and try to blend into the ruins on either side of the road, Kien you will walk in the center of the street hopefully drawing the attention of the rouge [Goblin Warrior] if that happens to try and stay alive."
We nodded along before the scouts dispersed into the ruins of the homes on either side. I began to walk in the middle of the street, waiting for the whisper from the [Persephone's Timepiece] or my skills.
As we passed through the streets, occasionally, I would catch a glimpse of one of the scouts. They were definitely getting better at staying hidden. Eventually, I once again saw a flash of green cloth. The third [Goblin Warrior] was close.
I saw emerge out of a backyard gate... Its grip was a small child being dragged by the arm, trying to struggle out of the monster's grip. Ah, Fuck this. It had a hostage, the beady-eyed bastard.
Yelling hoping to release the child from its grip and attract its attention.
"Hey, Fucknut, come and get me; I already got both of your friends looking for a third Goblin ear to add to my collection," I yelled out, hoping that by lying, it wouldn't try and hold out for the rouge Goblin to reinforce it. Luckily, it did release the child and zoomed at me. Focusing on it, I saw a Line of text right above its head.
[Goblin Warrior Lvl: 5]
I had to rap up this fight quickly; dodging to the side, I saw the thing was wielding a crude short sword, which, given its short stature, was really just a really long knife. Its blade knicked my side, easily ripping through the leather of the [Flameborn Jacket] and into my flesh, freeing the red blood. I tried to retaliate against the green bastard but he easily dodged my attack. Quickly I pivoted to make sure I didn't get run through by the fuckers blade as [Knight's Intuition] buzzed in my head. Once again, I got nicked, this time on my thigh.
...
[You have been poisoned]
As this is a low-quality venom you can tell immediately.
-5% Agility and -.1 HP per second.
You have 23 Minutes to Live as long as you don't take more damage.
...
FUCK!!!!
My anger roared in my chest like a great beast, my heart began to pump as I dismissed the notification and began sweeping at the Goblin. The Scouts had circled us and had tried to help but Goblin was too quick for their spears and nets. He kept on knicking me all over my body, refusing to take the final blow. Soon, I had only 60 HP and about 10 minutes to live. My body was burning as I felt the poison slowly drain away from my health turning my organs to mush as the goblin loomed over me.
I snapped, my anger became too great for Brutish, and as it went to knick me again I grabbed the little shit tackling him. As my body began to fail me I started to punch the little green fucker over and over again. It desperately tried to throw me off; It stabbed me, draining my time to live away; it clawed at me as I bashed my fist over and over again. Until finally, it went limp. I wasn't satisfied with how many people, how many fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, brothers, and sisters had this sick fuck killed this way. I continued to punch him until hands grabbed my shoulders and pushed me off the corpse.
They laid me down on the street as I bled out slowly there in the street there were voices I couldn't make out what they were saying.
I felt something press against my lips, and an awful-tasting liquid spilling my throat. I heard a voice telling me to drink, and I did.
[Antidote Received]
You have been cleaned of the venom [Goblins Spite] your health will stop declining.
...
[Trait Gained]
-[Venomous Blood]
You have been brought to the brink of death by poison at less than a single health point remaining. As such your blood has become an antidote to all Rank One Poisons however your blood has also become poisonous to those not directly related to you.
This is considered a [Bloodline Trait] as such all your future offspring will possess this Trait.
...
[Level Up]
You have Leveled up twice by killing a level 5 [Goblin Warrior] on your own as a level 2 Sapient.
+ 200% XP For killing a Higher leveled Sapient
+20% XP for Killing a member of a Warring Faction
+10% XP for doing it with very little no help.
One level of XP has already been used to heal you to full.
...
[Skill Gained]
You have gained a Skill [Barbarian Tackle] a Rare Skill.
-[Barbarian Tackle] lvl: 1
When you tacke an opponent whilst either dieing or filled with Rage you gain a Regeneration and strength boost. +25% Regeneration and strength when activated.
...
A blossoming energy entered me and seeped deep into my body as I felt myself slipping away. I was yanked back from the shadow of the door of Death. The pain was gone the feeling of life leaving my body was gone to. I'm pretty sure that I've never felt better in my life.
"He's healing, he's going to make it!" I heard a voice yell.