Fall of the Goblin Village III

Prince had quickly taken off, ignoring stealth and aiming to get back to his river while losing the goblins.

The hobgoblins and a few weaker and over-excited goblins took chase, though they couldn't match Prince's speed. The wind rushed past him—no, he was the wind. In moments he found himself close to the line of bushes, his pursuers meters away. 

Prince broke into the forest, hopping over roots and weaving between trees with utmost precision, preforming dexterous maneuvers that no pre-System human could ever hope to accomplish.

And still, Prince's body was failing. His speed wasn't what it needed to be, his muscles were getting weaker and weaker, his breathing labored. His right hand lay limp, swinging idly behind him.

But anger pushed Prince's body forward. He fueled his body with that anger, let it power his systems. He was just an observer.

Prince made a sharp turn, startling a squirrel that had been nibbling on its spoils. In its surprise, the squirrel leapt off a tree and landed on the face of a weaker goblin, temporarily distracting it.

But by the time the goblin wrestled the squirrel away, Prince and the other pursuers were already long gone.

Prince himself knew he was approaching his river. And so he pumped more energy into his legs, feeling the area around him blur.

Prince broke into the the clearing, skidding to a halt. With his good hand, he downed all of his remaining potions and threw them to the floor.

The liquids only served to give him further clarity, and he would need it.

Prince stuck his right hand into the river.

Almost immediately, his head nearly dropped into the river as well. He wanted to sleep right there, and he felt barely lucid. His hand was going numb, and Prince felt the sensation of his hand disappearing.

It was as if his hand was never there. It was a disturbing feeling.

When he heard the sound of feet pounding into the ground behind him, Prince called upon his last dregs of consciousness and drew his right hand out. Thankfully, it was mostly healed.

Prince stumbled, before turning around to meet the goblins that burst onto the scene, hissing.

Goblin - Level 7

Goblin - Level 6

Goblin - Level 3

Goblin - Level 8

Goblin - Level 7

Goblin - Level 4

Two goblins, four hobgoblins, all bloodthirsty.

Prince felt another surge of anger, bringing his mind back in full. Did they really think that they could beat him?

Prince lifted his fists up, adopting a boxer's stance. He was still slightly weak, and his forearms were riddled in minor cuts, but his regeneration would take care of that. 

Instead of letting the goblins slowly surround him, Prince lunged first.

His fist tore into a goblin, killing it in one singular blow. One down, Prince thought, as the goblin dropped to the ground. His predatorial eyes settled on the rest of the startled group.

A few looked uncertain.

Five more to go.

Prince found another goblin, his knuckles extending to meet its face—CRACK! Prince didn't even glance at the goblin as it dropped to the ground, and just like that, four hobgoblins were left.

Prince did not wait. He ran towards them, his fist flying. What hobgoblins had remained enough lucidity to remember to take their swords with them were hurriedly trying to unsheathe them.

But it was too late. Prince tore a large swathe into them anyway.

He was a machine built purely for fighting. He made use of every opening, every slight opportunity to counterattack, while evading every strike the hobgoblins threw at him. It wasn't long before one fell.

Then two.

Then three.

Then the last one. It had attempted to run away, but Prince gripped it by the head and slammed it into a tree. Its nose had shattered immediately, staining the bark with blood.

Prince dropped the body. He released a breath.

Level-up! You are now level 14.

This whole group had only given him a single level. Prince chuckled darkly as his eyes found the discarded bottles on the ground. He picked one up. Crouching low to the ground, he scooped up some water from the stream. As soon as he did so, the almost vibrant water seemed to lose color in the bottle.

Prince sipped it. It tasted cool and clean, not unlike regular water. It seems like it's not the water itself that has its effects... Is it something in the river? 

It seemed like his dreams of creating a custom health potion went down the drain. Prince threw away the bottle, and it clattered amongst the rest. He may have a use for it later.

He would waste no time. The Goblin King would die tonight.

Prince walked through the forest again. This time, he did not run. Did not rush. He was slow and steady, walking with surety in his steps. There was nothing to be afraid of. In this lower part of the forest, he was king.

In a few minutes he reached the goblin village. He didn't even bother to hide. He just walked out into the open, conserving his energy.

A goblin who had been resting against the wall woke up with a start, noticing him. Prince ignored it. 

The goblin shrieked happily and lunged toward him.

Prince ignored it.

A claw raked across his chin.

Prince's hand shot up, gripping the goblin by the wrist and raising it into the air. He was undamaged, but it still felt like a rough massage.

With a growl, Prince shattered the goblins wrist before smashing a punch into its face and killing it instantly. Prince turned around and continued with his walk, throwing the body away.

Prince put his hoodie on, then relaxed his hands, letting them rest at his sides while he walked, instead of balling them up into fists.

Another goblin. Prince easily preformed a judo throw, shattering its spine.

And then he continued walking. Through the shaman's house, out the wall, and finally, into the woods.