Chapter 14
Inside the forest, I was hunting for goblins. For the past three days, I’ve done nothing but train and practice my sword. Swinging my sword all day was getting repetitive and since the exam is tomorrow, I thought I might as well get some real combat experience.
I still remember nearly shitting myself a few months back when I was chased through these woods by goblins before getting saved by that old man, so I consider this payback.
I recalled the words the old man had told me moments ago.
“Caelith, before you go, just a warning—don’t venture too deep into the forest.”
“Why’s that?” I asked, with a confused look.
“You don’t want to encounter higher-level Wraiths with your current strength,” he warned, his demeanor serious.
“Wraith?”
“Creatures born from mana. Essentially, they’re the physical manifestation of mana itself,” he explained.
“Take goblins, for example. They’re low-level Wraiths, born from lesser mana pockets in the forest. The stronger Wraiths form from denser concentrations of mana.”
‘What’s the worst that can happen? Worst case, I run.’
I pushed my way through the dense branches. Sunlight barely pierced the canopy above, casting long, flickering shadows across the forest floor. I could see brief movements from the bushes as small figures dashed between the trees.
Pretending not to notice, I continued forward, my face remaining expressionless.
‘So they’ve already noticed me… I wasn’t expecting it to be this fast.’
They seemed to possess a certain level of collective intelligence. I finally came to a relatively open area in the forest, my hand resting on the hilt of my sword.
Suddenly, one of them lunged from behind me, and I caught a clear glimpse of its appearance—greenish skin, barely half my size and skinny, its sharp teeth rotten as it snarled. Holding a dagger in its hand, it rushed straight at me with surprising speed.
I immediately unsheathed my sword, deflecting the dagger, then spun around, delivering a sharp kick to its body, sending it crashing into a tree.
More of them emerge from the shadows, slowly encircling me, their high-pitched cackles echoing through the forest.
‘One, two, three… seven.’ I counted silently, my hand tightening around the hilt of my sword.
Before any of them could react, I charged the two goblins in front of me, raising my sword and slashing down, aiming straight for their neck.
I felt the blade cut through flesh and bone, their shrieks of terror tearing through the air as blood sprayed across the ground. Their heads tumbled free, rolling across the dirt before coming to a stop.
The remaining five froze in shock for a brief moment, but the hesitation didn’t last. One of them let out a guttural battle cry, and in the next instant, all five lunged at me at once.
Reinforcing my body with mana. I noticed one of them raising its stone club, swinging it down with brute force. I swiftly sidestepped to the right, grabbed its head, and slammed it into the ground with a crack. Without pause, I kicked the limp body back into another goblin rushing me from behind, sending them both sprawling.
Out of the remaining goblins, one driven by desperation, let out a shrill cry and swung its dagger wildly. I dodged effortlessly and in one motion, drove my sword into its chest, killing it.
I shifted my gaze to the last two, watching as they trembled and backed away. Strangely, their fear wasn’t directed at me—they were frantically looking behind me, eyes wide with terror.
I glanced behind me, but the forest stretched endlessly, silent and still. A chill crept up my spine.
‘Probably just a distraction so they can flee,’ I told myself.
Before they could escape, I closed the distance in a flash, dispatching them quickly.
Wiping the blood from my face with the back of my hand, I scanned the area just in case, making sure no others were lurking in the shadows. My hands were trembling slightly, and I couldn’t hide my surprise at my own reflexes and fighting abilities.
‘When was I this good at fighting?’ I questioned.
A low, animalistic roar echoed in the distance. I paused for half a second, listening, then shrugged.
“Sounds like a wild animal to me,” I muttered
Glancing at the area where the goblins had fallen, I noticed a small crystal left behind, shimmering faintly where the corpses had once been. Curious, I went over and picked one of them up.
Upon further examination, I can sense a bit of mana flowing inside.
‘I should keep these and ask Gramps later.’ I stuffed the crystals into my pocket and prepared to leave.
RUMBLE
The ground suddenly trembled beneath my feet, dust and loose leaves shifting with the vibration. Behind the trees, I could make out a towering figure slowly making its way through the trees, each step sending tremors through the forest floor.
“What the fuc—?!”
Standing before me was a massive, hulking creature, two long fangs jutting from its mouth, its eyes sweeping the surroundings before finally locking onto mine. I swung my sword but it bounces off harmlessly.
“Fuck my life.”
‘AHHHHHHHHHHH!’
I was now sprinting for my life, the forest blurring around me as footsteps thundered right behind me. Glancing back, I saw the ogre’s bloodthirsty gaze, its roar tearing through my ears.
‘How bad is my luck to run into a damn ogre?! I wasn’t even that deep in the forest!” I cursed inwardly.
Regret was surging in me for not heeding that old man’s warning as I continued to run, vaulting over a tree trunk.
Soon, I ran into a dead end, the sound of trees snapping echoing closer and closer behind me. Suddenly, two massive tree trunks hurtled toward me. I barely managed to leap aside in time as the logs wedged themselves into the mountainside behind me.
CRRRAKKKKK
I had no time to catch my breath, the ogre had already caught up and swung its massive fist at me. I ducked, sliding between its legs as the punch slammed into the wall behind me, sending chunks of stone flying.
Taking the chance, I drew my sword and thrust it up toward the ogre’s back, aiming between its shoulders. Again the blade bounced off its thick, tough hide with a quiet thud, barely leaving a mark.
The ogre spun around, its eyes blazing with fury, and immediately swung another massive fist in my direction. I barely managed to raise my sword in time to block it, the sheer force of the punch sending me hurtling backward several feet into a tree.
“U-urgh?!”
I crashed with tremendous force, splinters flying in all directions, my body slumping against the trunk. A warm sensation began to trickle down from my head. I looked up and saw that ugly bastard making his way toward me.
‘Shit, think, Caelith!’
A low, mocking laugh vibrated through the air, the ogre’s gaze raking over my battered state as if savoring the sight.
‘This bastard’s toying with me!’ I gritted my teeth, frustration boiling up as I forced myself to stand.
The ogre lunged, its massive hand reaching for me, but I twisted my body just in time. Gripping the hilt of my sword, I propelled myself forward, driving the blade straight into one of its eyes.
He howled in pain, his roar shaking the air as he swung his massive body, flinging me aside. I tumbled across the ground, still gripping my sword. That attack seemed only to enrage him further, and he began charging straight at me.
“Shit!” I shouted, bracing myself for impact.
Staring into the remaining eye of that behemoth, I felt chills down my spine, as I tensed up. My breaths grew heavier, as the towering figure thunder toward me.
Death.
Suddenly, my body began to move on its own, a surge of mana welled within me, reinforcing every fiber of my body. Before he could grab me, I struck—cleanly slicing through both of its hands like butter.
“GRAAAHHH?!” the ogre screamed, staggering back in shock and pain.
Still bewildered by what just happened, I immediately lunged forward again, driving my sword into his good eye and dragging it down across his face, as it collapsed on the ground.
Relentless, I swung my sword into his neck, slicing cleanly. With a cold, expressionless stare, I began smashing the ogre’s face with my fists, feeling bones crack beneath each strike.
I don’t know how much time had passed, but by the time I finally stopped, the creature’s face was completely unrecognizable, its body lying utterly still.
“Hah… hah…” I panted, my chest heaving
‘Bastard’s finally dead…’
Looking down at the corpse below me, it was already starting to dissolve into dust, leaving behind nothing but a faint, shimmering crystal.
Stumbling, I stuffed it into my pocket alongside the smaller crystal, then bent down to retrieve my sword. The sun had just begun to set. I glanced around, taking in my surroundings.
“Well shit… I’m lost.”
