12 Goblin and Level Up

Leaving the city, they maintained a cautious distance from other individuals, their weapons at the ready. Talon took the lead, scouting ahead to ensure they didn't walk into any potential ambushes, while Lily remained at the back, keeping watch over their rear.

They walked for two hours, the human population gradually thinning as they ventured deeper into the wilderness.

Today, it was evident that the number of humans in the area had increased significantly.

Approximately 80 per cent of the people had likely already gathered at the city gates, while a substantial number of them formed teams or embarked on solo expeditions to explore the outskirts.

Lucius's goal for the day was simple: they would investigate the area the hunter had mentioned the previous day and seek out goblins to defeat and level up.

Eventually, they arrived at a forest similar to the one they had encountered earlier, but with darker and more foreboding trees.

Taking cover in the shade behind a tree, they took a moment to rest and regroup. Lucius explained the hand signals to Talon they would be using to communicate as they ventured further into the forest.

Moving forward cautiously, they observed their surroundings keenly. In the distance, they could hear the shrieks of animals and clashes of combat.

Intrigued, they proceeded in that direction and came upon a scene where three normal goblins and a bigger one were hunting a wolf.

The wolf, far from being a mindless creature, sensed the danger posed by the goblins and tried to escape.

However, it was quickly surrounded and trapped by the agile and cunning goblins.

Watching from a hidden vantage point, Lucius observed the system notifications that revealed the levels of the creatures: [Goblin LvL 1], [Wolf Lvl 1], and the slightly larger goblin marked as [Goblin LvL 2].

The wolf, despite its wounds, fought valiantly in a desperate attempt to create an opening and escape its assailants.

Yet, its strength began to wane, and it collapsed on the ground, exhausted and panting, with the goblins closing in.

Lucius turned to Talon and whispered, "Aim for the stronger one when we're in position, then provide cover for us, but make sure not to hit us."

They moved closer, taking advantage of the cacophony created by the ongoing fight to mask the sound of their footsteps, but the rustling leaves made it challenging to remain completely silent.

With a swift and precise release, Talon's arrow soared through the air, finding its mark in the chest of the stronger goblin.

The goblin let out a pained scream, green blood splattering as it fell to the ground, its hand on the chest holding the arrow.

"Attack!" Lucius commanded, charging forward towards a goblin closer to him. Kevin and Lily followed suit, each targeting their chosen opponent.

The goblins, in a state of panic and rage, made clumsy attempts to retaliate, but their movements were easily blocked by the skilled trio.

Lucius swung his sword with a powerful strike, the impact causing a loud clang as the goblin's rusty sword failed to hold up against the force. The goblin let out a scream of pain as its hand was shattered.

Taking advantage of the opening, Lucius swiftly delivered a fatal slash to the goblin's neck, ending its life. The system promptly notified them of the experience and gold gained.

Lily and Kevin dispatched their respective opponents with relative ease a bit after, as these goblins were the weakest and ill-prepared for battle.

Turning his attention to the wolf, he swiftly ended the creature's suffering, piercing its hide to ensure a swift death.

Turning their attention back to the stronger goblin, they found it struggling to get back on its feet, pain etched across its face as it clutched its chest.

Sensing its impending doom, the goblin looked around with despair in its eyes, but before it could react, an arrow narrowly missed its head, slicing off its ear.

Screaming in a shrieking voice of pain, Lucius decided to end its suffering, sparing it from further misery. He cleanly severed its head and proceeded to wipe the sword on a cloth from his inventory.

Talon emerged from his hiding spot, a hint of embarrassment on his face. "Well, I aimed for the head, but I guess I'm not yet accustomed to this bow," he admitted, disappointed in his accuracy.

"It's alright," not dwelling on the missed shot. The first arrow had hit its target precisely, after all.

Lucius proceeded to collect the wolf's carcass, storing it in his inventory for later use.

As for the goblins, their green skin didn't look tasty and their humanoid appearance left a bitter taste in his mouth, so he decided against keeping their bodies for food. They might even be poisoned, for all he knew.

Asking the others to help, they checked the bodies of the goblins for any potential resources, only to be disappointed.

Gesturing for the others to pass him the goblins' rusted swords, knowing they could potentially be useful in the future, he stored them in the inventory.

If the need arose, they could always discard the weapons to make room for more valuable items.

The stronger goblin, however, possessed nothing to note apart from a slightly longer, rusty knife and a bone necklace made from small animal bones.

Lucius opted to collect the rusty knife leaving the bone necklace as it had little realistic value.

With nothing else of interest remaining, they pushed further into the forest, moving toward the location from which the goblins had emerged.

Time passed as the group continued their journey, encountering another snake along the way. This time, Lily was prepared and swiftly disposed of it, showcasing her growing combat skills.

Lucius decided to take a moment to check his progress and open the system. As he accessed the system, the rewards from their previous battles were just as he had expected:

--

Solo goblin kill: +10 experience points

Wolf kill: +5 experience points

Defeating the level 2 goblin: +5 experience points

Gold coins obtained: 2

--

The system displayed his updated status:

[Name: Lucius Maxwell]

[Age: 36/200]

[Level: 2 Exp: 0/200]

[Free Attributes: 2]

...

[Gold: 10]

Seeing that he had gained two free attributes upon levelling up, Lucius decided to invest them in his strength attribute.

With the additional points, his strength attribute now totaled 16, and he could feel the surge of power coursing through him, making him stronger than before.

Driven by curiosity, he gestured for them to follow and roamed around. Not before long, they encountered a Level 1 Boar.

He motioned for the group to halt, then swiftly ran forward and struck the boar on the head with his sword, burying it deeply in the skull and ending the creature's life.

He swiftly received the answer as the system bestowed upon him +10 EXP and +1 Gold. Previously, he pondered the possibility of penalties for eliminating lower-level mobs. However, from appearances, none seemed to exist or hadn't been applied yet.

Storing the boar and feeling reassured, they continued their journey, delving deeper into the Goblin Territory with Talon scouting ahead.

As they encountered signs of a recent battle, the group slowed their pace, waiting for Talon to scout ahead while they hid behind a tree.

Talon signaled for them to approach cautiously and take cover. Soon, they found themselves observing a bigger goblin leading seven smaller ones.

The system indicated that the larger goblin was a [Strong Goblin Level 4], while the others were two Level 3 goblins and the rest were Level 1.

This particular goblin stood out from the rest, demonstrating higher intelligence by barking orders and using gestures to direct the others.

It was the first time they had encountered a monster capable of such communication. Meanwhile, the smaller goblins scurried about, gathering wood and fruits for some unknown purpose.

Debating whether they could handle this group of eight, especially with a goblin that could give orders, they decided to follow the creatures from a distance, strategizing and devising a plan as they went.