My Perfect Meatshield

After resting for a while and gathering his thoughts, Eugene stood up and followed the path.

'For now, I need to find a large group and join them. My stats are absolute shit compared to the average, so I need to use them while I figure out how to become stronger.'

Eugene thought of how MMORPG games usually work, the status screens given by the system didn't show your level, but only your stats and skills.

"[Status]."

[Status][Name: Eugene Moore][Class: None]-[Stats]-[Strength: 5] [Fodder][Stamina: 6] [Common][Endurance: 8] [Common][Dexterity: 4] [Fodder][Intelligence: 13] [Rare][Magic Power: 0] [Fodder]-[Skills]-[Insight: Lv.1] [Epic]-[Overall Rating]-[...]'I need to balance my stats out, especially my strength and dexterity. With how MMOs usually work, if I have low dexterity then I might not be able to use a weapon properly.''Strength is self-explanatory, but my magic...'Eugene stared at his magic stat that had a whopping zero points."First, I need to increase my magic stat as soon as possible."He was weak, Eugene knew very much. He had to leverage himself with other people and possibly win them over, and being in the backline as a magic dealer was the best choice if he wanted to survive.Going solo is simply impossible, as much as his inner boy wants him to become just like that one guy who levels up alone.*Step* *Step*"Speaking of leveling up..."A goblin appeared from the corner of the passage, lucky for Eugene it was all alone.'But... why does it look different from usual?'The goblin had a taller stature than the ones in the main lobby and had quite an amount of muscle, but Eugene disregarded this fact.'It doesn't matter. If I maneuvered through those goblins just now and managed to damage a player who has an Epic rank stat...'"Then I can deal with this goblin alone!"Eugene charged at the goblin who then grinned at him in amusement, which provoked him.'Hah! You won't be laughing any longer when you become my experience points!'Finally, Eugene was in close proximity to the goblin, and he sent a knee toward its solar plexus."I wi-""Kaaghk!"Instead of the goblin collapsing due to his attack, he was launched away and then hit the wall giving him tremendous pain."Fuck! R-Raghk!"Eugene spit up blood as pain spread throughout his body, the goblin who was responsible for his state just laughed and slowly approached him."Jie jie jie jie!"'Why is it so strong?!'"[Insight]!"[Status][Hobgoblin][Class: None]-[Stats]-[Strength: 11] [Rare][Stamina: 7] [Common][Endurance: 12] [Rare][Dexterity: 3] [Fodder][Intelligence: 7] [Common][Magic Power: 0] [Fodder]-[Skills]-[Tribal Call: Lv.1] [Rare]-[Overall Rating]-[Even this hobgoblin has better stats than Eugene Moore!]'Are you kidding me... I had to meet a hobgoblin and not an ordinary goblin?!'In the MMORPGs he has known, the hobgoblin is a stronger variant of the goblin, which made him realize if such a goblin existed in this world...'Shit, there might be a goblin shaman here or even worse...''A goblin that could size up to an orc, a Goblin Chief.'Eugene tries to stand up to flee from the hobgoblin, but his body refuses to do so as he continues to convulse in pain.The hobgoblin slowly nears him, amused when it sees its prey's pitiful state."Jie jie jie!"'This fucker, it's playing with me!'Upon seeing its behavior, Eugene slouches down and stops resisting the pain, seemingly giving up and wanting his misery to end.The hobgoblin stops in front of the collapsed Eugene and momentarily drops its guard down, which Eugene takes advantage of."Jie jie ji-"Eugene adruptly stood up and tackled the hobgoblin to the ground, and pierced its vulnerable spot with his fingers.Its eyes."JIEEE!""Die!""Die!""DIE!"Eugene used up all his strength pressing his finger against its eyes, and also constantly trying to beat up its head with his fist, hoping it would knock the hobgoblin down.But it was not enough.The hobgoblin then kicked Eugene's abdomen, which propelled him away, as the hobgoblin continued to scream in pain, trying its best to stand up.Eugene rolled over as he landed on the ground, somehow minimizing the pain he felt.'Now, I just need to wait patiently and take this thing down while it's blind!'But before Eugene was able to initiate his plan, the hobgoblin shrieked loudly, making him cover his ears in pain."JIEEEEEEEE!"'Shit...! Don't tell me!''The hobgoblin's [Tribal Call]!'As the hobgoblin's shriek stopped, five goblins suddenly arrived and went to the hobgoblin and formed a defensive formation to protect it.Eugene seeing this felt his heart drop, he was already exhausted and damaged by the hobgoblin, and what more if you add five more goblins to the mix?"You are out of your fucking mind..."As he was about to make a run for it, he felt a sudden pain in his leg, he sustained a broken leg."Jieee!"The hobgoblin who now stood up on its feet, shrieked as the five goblins started charging towards him.Eugene grits his teeth, his only choice was to somehow hold them off, and wait for a miracle to happen."That's right! If I were to die here, then I'll bring one of you fuckers with me!"Suddenly, heavy footsteps of someone resounded behind him, and a man's voice shouted at Eugene."Get out of the way!"Eugene jumped to the side in time, as a big burly man charged toward the goblins, propelling them to the air while the hobgoblin topples to the ground."Hey! Are you okay?!"The big burly man asked Eugene, who didn't expect this kind of outcome, perhaps he still wasn't destined to die."Y-Yes, I'm okay. Thank you!""Let me help you."The big burly man extended his hand as Eugene held it and helped him stand up from his feet.'[Insight].'[Status][Name: Mark Rocel][Class: None]-[Stats]-[Strength: 18] Rare[Stamina: 13] [Rare][Endurance: 17] [Rare][Dexterity: 9] [Common][Intelligence: 6] [Common][Magic Power: 4] [Fodder]-[Skills]-[Taunt: Lv.1] [Rare]-[Overall Rating]-[You possess above-average talent and are destined to become a tank in the frontlines, and Eugene Moore still can't be compared to how good your stats are.]'This... Isn't he the guy whose status screen I checked for the first time?''And his stats, they increased!'Seeing the increase in Mark's stats ignited the hope inside Eugene, that he could truly become stronger through efforts.Mark tapped Eugene who seemed absent-minded but was actually reading his status screen."Ah, sorry. I spaced out a bit.""It's okay, did you see anyone also come here?"As Mark asked Eugene, he started shaking and hung his head down, which panicked Mark, thinking that he asked a question he should've had."I-I'm sorry for asking something like that! It's okay if you don't te-""No, it's fine... I was originally with my friends, I recognized them at first when we were all summoned into the main lobby.""But they... they-"Eugene 'genuinely' cried in front of Mark, even going as far as having a mental breakdown.Well, he wasn't really though.Mark tapped Eugene's shoulders and bowed his head to him."I'm sorry for your loss.""No, it's okay... They died so that I could live, that's why I need to survive this place.""For their sake."'For my sake.'But their emotional talk was interrupted by the shriek of the hobgoblin, who stood up on its feet once again, with the goblins also recovered from Mark's attack.Mark stood in front of Eugene who was surprised by his action.'He really is...'"Hey, what's your name?""...Eugene.""I see."Mark closes his eyes, strengthens his resolve, and gets into a defensive stance, and he speaks."I will hold them off from here, while they are distracted you should run away from here Eugene.""...Eh?""I have a skill that gets their aggro and they will only target me for ten seconds, use that time to run away and find a group."For the first time ever, Eugene heard words that he truly wanted to hear a long time ago.Words of kindness."W-W-Why?""You said you wanted to survive for their sake right? Go find a group of people where you will be safe, I will be taking care of them."Mark's kind nature confused Eugene even more, why would he even consider saving him, someone he knew just now?'This naive bastard...'"I will taunt them now, prepare yourself!""W-Wait!"Eugene's words were unheard by Mark as he started charging towards the goblins with no fear and full of resolve."[Taunt]!"*Ding*A shockwave spread throughout the passage as the goblins who were locked onto Eugene started frantically charging towards Mark.While Mark started fighting off the goblins, Eugene still stood in his place motionless.An opportunity was right in front of me, a guarantee for his survival, but strangely he couldn't move from his place, no matter how much he wanted to.'Why, why am I not moving an inch?''I could run away now, so why?''I said move!'Eugene frantically panics in place, having an inner battle with himself, while Mark slowly but surely starts exhausting himself.As Eugene finally managed to move his feet and neared Mark fighting off the goblins...Are you gonna run away again like last time?'!'A sudden thought emerged in his mind, was it a demon? His other self? Or rather another person talking to him?He never knew.All he knew was that this voice had haunted him ever since.Trash of all trashes.'...Shut up.'You are running away yet again.'...I said shut up.'In the end, you are still the same.The weak and useless Eugene Moore.*Break*----------Mark POVKindness.That's what my parents always upheld and told me to do.'You must be kind and virtuous to others, give them service and you will receive the same kindness and treatment as you give to them.'But no matter how kind I was to others, strangers, my friends, and even my enemies.I still didn't receive the same treatment as I gave to them.All my thoughts didn't matter much as I was somehow summoned into this world.Countless people were dying, being massacred by monsters as I struggled to fight against them.The true nature of people was shown, others used others to bait the goblins into attacking them to save themselves.Others killed each other for the sake of their own survival.I'm sorry mother, father. But I don't think I will be kind to others anymore when I see the real nature of these people.It was disgusting.Luckily, my status was well-balanced and I managed to kill a goblin, not without struggling and sustaining a bit of injury, and I exited the main lobby.[Scenario 0][Kill Detected.][Killed a Goblin.][Your strength increased by 2][Your stamina increased by 1][Your endurance increased by 2][1. Kill a living being. 1/1]...[Scenario 0][Quest Completed][Please wait for the next Quest][23:47][23:46]...As I walked towards the passage in the hope of seeing people who also survived, I saw a man.He looked like a high schooler, which impressed me considering he survived and managed to kill a goblin and enter the passage.But he was now being ganged up by five goblins and a bigger goblin, maybe a stronger type of goblin.As I saw the determination in his eyes, it sparked something inside of me.And so I ran to him."Get out of the way!"..."He should have already ran away right?"I said to myself as I continued handling these goblins, I was getting exhausted, really exhausted.But I persevered.'They died so that I could live, that's why I need to survive this place."'For their sake.'Eugene's words shook me to the core, someone as young as him shouldn't have experienced this kind of tragedy.That's why, for one last time.I will help this man out of kindness.Because it's what they told me to do.But it didn't go as I expected it to be."RAAAAAH!"Suddenly, a man's shout resounded throughout the passage and one of the goblins was stabbed by its own knife, and as I looked towards them..."...What are you doing in here!?"----------Third Person POV[You killed a Goblin.][Your strength increased by 2][Your stamina increased by 1][Your endurance increased by 1][Your dexterity increased by 3]Seeing Eugene kill one of the goblins, Mark pushes all the goblins off and maintains a distance from them."What are you doing in here?! You should have ran away!"Yes, he should have ran away by now. Eugene thought of that so many times, but he decided now.You are still the weak and useless Eugene Moore.That he isn't gonna run away anymore."Hah... Why should I run away?""Huh?"Eugene stared at Mark who was surprised by Eugene's gaze.It was different from the gaze of determination he saw back then.It felt...Eerie."I'm not leaving you to die like this.""But-""Shut up!"Eugene shouted at Mark who was surprised by his outburst. Eugene couldn't let Mark die just like this, because he was far too valuable to just throw off."I'm not leaving my teammate behind!"'I'm not letting my perfect meatshield go!'