With two blades in hand, Kenji pressed forward, each movement fluid and deliberate. A grim trail of goblin bodies marked his path, a stark testament to his lethal skill. He was a force of nature, relentless in his pursuit, undeterred by the chaos he left behind.
["Congratulations! You have killed a goblin. You gain one mana stone."]
The system chimed, an alert flashing before Kenji's eyes.
["Congratulations! You have killed a goblin. You gain one mana stone."]
The system chimed, an alert flashing before Kenji's eyes.
["Congratulations! You have killed a goblin. You gain one mana stone."]
The system chimed, an alert flashing before Kenji's eyes.
In a minute, he had dropped another four. Kenji got the system alert of leveling up again
["Congratulations, you are now in level 4."]
["You have gotten two cumulative points as a reward"]
[" to get to level 5 needs 4300 xp"]
Kenji barely paid attention to the system, his focus entirely on the goblins. Using his breathing technique and conserving his energy by striking only at their vital points, he still had enough strength to continue fighting.
When the goblins appeared, the markers above their heads glowed red, signaling they were a serious threat. At level 3, the markers had been orange; now, at level 4, they shone pale white.
The other goblins soon joined their fallen brothers, charging with a semblance of bravery. But facing Kenji, their expressions quickly shifted from bravado to fear and timidity. The battle dragged on for over fifteen minutes, a chaotic clash where their courage melted away, leaving behind only the harsh reality of corpses scattered across the ground.
["Congratulations! You have killed a goblin. You gain one mana stone."]
The system chimed, an alert flashing before Kenji's eyes.
["Congratulations! You have killed a goblin. You gain one mana stone."]
The system chimed, an alert flashing before Kenji's eyes.
["Congratulations! You have killed a goblin. You gain one mana stone."]
The system chimed, an alert flashing before Kenji's eyes.
Kenji surveyed the battle's aftermath, his blades and face smeared with the goblins' dark, viscous blood. The sight was both grim and exhilarating, a testament to his ferocity. He wiped his right hand across his palm, clearing away the stains, and turned his attention to the glowing screen before him, eager to see the results of his brutal victory.
["Congratulations! You have killed 27 goblins. You gain 31 mana stones."]
The system chimed, a notification flashing before Kenji's eyes.
["Congratulations! You have earned two cumulative points."]
Another alert followed, adding to his sense of accomplishment. Now Kenji had 4 cumulative points
"I killed all that and only got 2 points? By leveling up, I got another 2," he thought, frustration flickering across his face as he inspected his rewards. The meagre gains felt disproportionate to the brutality of the battle he had just endured. What could he expect when he was battling weak goblins?
Suddenly, an alert popped up before Kenji:
["Would you like to upgrade your inventory system to see more features of the system?"] The cost was displayed clearly: 20 mana stones.
He hesitated, weighing the potential benefits of upgrading his system
Kenji wasted no time thinking about upgrading the system and did it. Right now, his system color was light brown, but now, it gave off a brown color
Kenji glanced at the lifeless goblin bodies scattered across the floor, their green skin pale and still. There were many, but Kenji started looting all their corpses, taking anything he deemed valuable. Soon his inventory was full.
The 20 mana stones were removed from his low amount, with the killing and rewards from the first mission, Kenji now has 154 mana stones
["Congratulations! You have unlocked your system and upgraded it completely."]
["Congratulations! Your system is in level 2."]
["your benefit, 20 more storage space, more weapons for purchase now classified in the era, Viking weapon, England army weapon style, etc, info about monsters, etc".]
"Just upgrading it to level 2 and it brings the level of benefit," Kenji thought with a smile as he continued to loot the goblin corps
Another more important benefit he got now was that he could see the level of the goblins.
He glanced at the goblin bodies scattered on the floor, checking their level with his new system update. Most goblins were below level three, and their defeated forms testified to their weakness.
"I see why I didn't level up," he thought, realization dawning on him. "Seems I have to kill something stronger."
Determined, Kenji weighed his options. If he wanted to increase his strength and unlock his potential, he would need to seek out more formidable foes.
After the long battle, Kenji felt exhausted, his muscles heavy and weary. A grumble echoed from his stomach, reminding him how hungry he was.
"I need supplies," he thought. He rubbed his belly and decided to check the student store. It was next to the large cafeteria, where students chatted and ate.
Kenji isn't a stranger when it comes to Rose High Environment; he had come here multiple times to deliver food, so he knew where to go.
Kenji began to head toward the store, keeping his senses sharp. As he moved, he remained vigilant, scanning his surroundings for any trace of goblins lurking nearby.
The hallway was dimly lit, shadows flickering as the overhead lights buzzed softly. Kenji could feel the tension in the air, a reminder of the battle he had just fought. Every creak of the floorboards and distant murmur from the cafeteria heightened his awareness. Kenji knew he couldn't let his guard down, not even for a moment.
This was one of the disadvantages of having no safe place to rest. The goblins were crafty, and the thought of their hidden traps crossed his mind. That was why he remained cautious, activating his heightened scene skill and adapt skills.
Kenji arrived at the store, and to his surprise, it had already been looted. As he stepped inside, he noticed traces of snacks scattered on the floor, a telltale sign of hasty hands.
"It seems he wasn't aware of the system inventory yet," Kenji thought, glancing at the remnants of the snack bar littering the ground.
The current surviving student above had picked the shelves clean, and barely anything was left worth eating. Only a few candy bars remained, their wrappers crumpled and unappealing. Kenji sighed, knowing that these wouldn't provide the sustenance he needed. Frustration bubbled beneath his fatigue as he scanned the empty shelves, searching for anything that might help him regain his strength.
Before entering the store, Kenji had checked his surroundings, relying on his heightened senses. But now, as he picked up a candy bar, a chill ran down his spine. He could sense a few presences nearby, lurking just out of sight.
The realization struck him like a lightning bolt: the store might be a trap. The thought raced through his mind, adrenaline flooding his veins. He quickly scanned the area, alert for any signs of movement. He had to stay sharp; whatever was watching him could strike at any moment. Kenji's instincts kicked in, and he was ready to react.
The goblins started approaching one by one, their eyes glinting with malice. Four were in total, each looking more formidable than the last; they were in level 4 and one at level 5.
The first goblin brandished a sickle-like blade. Though the weapon appeared low-tier, its durability far exceeded the makeshift weapons Kenji had picked up from their fallen comrades.
Next came the second goblin, clutching a wooden shield. A patch of iron reinforced the centre, giving it an unexpected strength that made Kenji wary.
The third goblin wore a brown hat that pointed upward, partially obscuring his eyes. He had short blades strapped around his body, ready for action. He stood confidently in the middle, flanked by the shield-bearer and the sickle-wielder.
The last goblin stood slightly apart, exuding an eerie presence. Dressed in tattered robes like a shaman, it held a gnarled wooden staff that seemed to pulse with energy.
Kenji's heart raced as he assessed the situation. These were no ordinary goblins; they were a coordinated threat. He needed to think fast if he was going to survive this encounter.
"They are all level four, and the shaman is in level 5," Kenji assessed calmly as he stepped out of the store, his blade steady in his grip. The new system feature had revealed the goblins' levels and the quality of their weapons, but he felt no fear.
"This will be difficult to handle," he thought, a cool calculation settling over him.
The sickle-wielder's weapon glinted dangerously, the shield-bearer stood firm, and the shaman's staff pulsed with ominous energy. Kenji's expression remained unreadable, his mind already strategizing how to turn their strengths into weaknesses.
With a steady breath, he prepared himself for the confrontation. He would not falter. He would assess, adapt, and strike with precision.
Poison endurance wasn't the only thing he had developed through his adaptive skills. He also possessed pain endurance. From that, he unlocked another ability within the adaptive skill: healing. The adaptive skill was only an E-rank skill, so his healing wasn't exceptional, faster than a normal human, yes, but far from impressive. What he truly relied on was his ability to endure pain.
This battle was just another challenge to overcome, and he was ready.