ARCEUS'S POV
[You have killed a first-evolution goblin (F)]
[You have killed a goblin (G)]
[You have killed a goblin (G)]
The forest held its silence. The leaves whispered secrets only my instincts could decipher. Victory tasted of blood and earth, but there was no time for celebrations. Not when the memory of what I had witnessed hours earlier remained seared into my mind.
I could still see her clearly: that woman with the rusty dagger plunged into her guts. Her abdomen, brutally torn open, revealed a gruesome feast of mangled organs glistening with intense crimson under the forest's faint light. The metallic scent of blood lingered in the air like an omen of my own fate.
A few meters away lay her companion. His thin armor had proven as useful as wet paper against the ferocity of the attack. The multiple wounds adorning his body told the story of a violent and desperate death.
My breathing grew heavy as I observed the fresh tracks marking the damp ground, the blood splatters forming a macabre map on the earth, the crushed grass where something—or someone—had been mercilessly dragged.
The conclusion was as clear as it was terrifying. The goblins, creatures so many considered weak, childish, and inexperienced, had proven that their true strength lay in their numbers. They showed no mercy to humans who dared enter their domain with airs of superiority. And I, in my arrogance, had become their favorite prey.
The darkness thickened among the ancient trees as the forest rumbled with a sound that froze my blood. I didn't need to look to know that dozens of shadows were following my steps, stalking through the underbrush with relentless determination.
Crack, crack…!
A shrill screech tore through the nocturnal silence. The goblin archers nocked their arrows, accompanied by deranged screams that seemed to rise from the depths of hell. It was the moment I had been patiently waiting for.
Snap, snap.
I deliberately stepped on some branches as arrows whistled around me, missing their mark. The delicate sound of wood breaking under my weight was the perfect signal. I propelled my body upward with an explosion of pent-up energy, tracing a perfect arc through the air.
The nervous goblin attempting to flee had no time to comprehend what was happening. My blade sliced through its throat, and green blood, shimmering like liquid emerald, gushed forth like a grotesque fountain.
Plop, plop—
I moved with the fluidity of a born predator, channeling stellar energy into my legs. This ability allowed me to navigate the intricate forest terrain freely, surpassing even the goblins in their own habitat. Neither their familiarity with the environment nor their primal instincts could anticipate my movements.
I extracted the arrow that had lodged between the gap in my armor and my shoulder, piercing the chainmail that should have protected me. Upon closely examining the tip, I discovered a black, viscous, and nauseating substance coating the metal.
The revelation hit my mind like a hammer blow.
I had been poisoned.
The goblins' arrows weren't mere projectiles; they were coated with a vile mixture of poisonous herbs macerated in their own urine, excrement, and saliva. A primitive but devastatingly effective method now coursing through my veins.
The effect was immediate and relentless. A searing heat rose from the back of my hand, spreading like an uncontrollable wildfire through my entire arm. It was undeniable proof that the poison had begun its deadly dance within my body.
I clenched my teeth so tightly I feared they might shatter, trying to contain the roar of pain struggling to escape my throat. My agony, far from subsiding, intensified with each heartbeat, reaching levels that defied my comprehension. The heat coursed through my veins like molten lava, threatening to consume every fiber of my being in a private inferno.
It was an exquisite torture in its cruelty.
Despite the suffering tearing me apart from within, my mind never stopped working. I knew not all rewards justified the price paid for them. My goal had been clear from the start: to clear this level with exceptional performance to earn a proportionally abundant reward.
If the objective was simply to escape the goblins and survive with the treasure intact, the most efficient solution wasn't flight but total annihilation. To continue ascending the trial's floors, I needed to maximize every possible reward. For that reason, instead of avoiding the goblins, I chose to confront them head-on.
But I had made a grievous error in my calculations. I had let my guard down, allowing arrogance to cloud my judgment. I never considered the possibility that such primitive creatures could resort to poison as a weapon. Now I paid the price for my negligence with every spasm wracking my body.
The threat grew with each passing moment. It wasn't merely a matter of numbers; among the goblins' ranks, there existed a hierarchy of power. Not only was the number of enemies pursuing me increasing, but so was the level of danger they posed.
This trial wasn't a sprint I could overcome in one or two days of intense effort. It was an exhausting marathon where knowing one's limits and when to stop to recover strength was as crucial as progress itself.
I spotted a cave in the distance and headed toward it with the determination of a man clinging to his last hope. As I entered, faint rays of light filtered through cracks in the ceiling, dimly illuminating the natural refuge.
[You have entered a safe zone.]
[You are safe from attackers here.]
The words appeared before my eyes like a balm for my tormented spirit. A safe zone, also known as a neutral zone. It was the first respite I had found since my bloody encounter with the goblins.