Chapter 39: Goblin Looter
As Elizabeth spoke, all the students, including Raven, dashed toward the Mirage Woodlands.
At that moment, every student was ready for the Knight Training School's final practical exam.
This wasn't a normal test but a real-life battle experience. After the monster invasion eight years ago, the Baron had decided the only way to prepare the young was to let them face life-and-death ordeals before graduation.
Though it sounded brutal, his military squad had already swept through the woods, eliminating all intermediate-rank and large-group monsters. Only goblins and kobolds remained.
Similar tests had taken place over the past eight years, and nothing major had happened.
Raven ran alongside his classmates, his breath steady, but his heart pounding.
They were already nearing the woods.
Though he'd read about the Mirage Woodlands—heard wild tales from his sister and aunt—seeing them up close unsettled him.
A cold unease gripped him.
Before he could hesitate, the others pushed past the bushes covering the forest's edge and walked in without pause.
When Raven stepped into the Mirage Woodlands, a surreal atmosphere surrounded him. The dense canopy filtered the sunlight, scattering dappled shadows on the moss-covered ground. The air was rich with the scent of damp earth, and the soft rustle of leaves came from time to time.
The group quickly split up, each student heading in a different direction.
Raven followed a narrow, less-trodden trail, wanting to avoid unnecessary confrontation.
As he ventured deeper, the woods began to feel unnatural. The towering trees twisted and leaned into each other, forming a maze-like structure.
An hour passed with no sign of danger.
Then, a rustle came from the left.
Raven immediately ducked behind a wide tree trunk, holding his breath.
'Enemy? Or an ally?'
He waited.
A minute passed.
Then came a figure—a meter-tall, green-skinned humanoid creature sniffing the air as it walked toward him. It wore animal skin over its lower body, a rusty dagger at its waist. Beads dangled from its neck, and a crude bracelet clinked on its wrist.
'Goblin! As expected, goblins are smarter than other monsters. I read they have sensitive noses... It must be tracking my scent.' A spike of anxiety flared in Raven's chest.
The longer he waited, the more danger he invited.
He reached into his inventory, pulled out the Frozen Ender, and gripped it with both hands.
Then he lunged from behind the tree and charged.
The Goblin sensed him instantly, yanked its dagger from its waist, and raised it.
In less than five seconds, Raven thrust the spear toward its chest.
But to his shock, the Goblin angled its dagger just right and knocked the spearhead off-course. Though it was pushed back, its battle experience clearly outweighed its size.
With a nimble deflection, the Goblin threw Raven off balance.
Then it lunged.
'No good!'
Raven leapt back, shifting the spear to his right hand.
The dagger missed his chest but tore a sharp gash across his left arm. Blood soaked through his shirt.
"F*ck! I underestimated it!* He sucked in a breath and focused on the small, greenish hexagonal structure glowing in his mind.
He cast the 'Regeneration' spell!
A strange energy surged through him, flowing toward the wound. Flesh stitched itself back together in seconds.
The Goblin, startled by the rapid healing, growled and charged again.
A cold smirk appeared on Raven's face.
He gripped the spear and swept it horizontally.
But the Goblin ducked and rolled under the attack.
Raven readied to thrust again, but the creature backflipped, landing two meters away in one smooth motion.
'I'm impressed!' Raven thought, narrowing his eyes.
Compared to the goblin, his battle skills were pathetic.
[This Goblin must have at least two or three years of battle experience. Be careful of a sneak attack.] Zera warned.
'Do I need to use the potion?' Raven shook his head. 'No. I've trained enough with the Wintermoon Spear Dance.'
He had memorized the basic tactics long ago.
'I may not have mastered aura or gathered mana around my heart… but my spearmanship is above average.'
He calmed his breath, assessing the situation.
'It's weaker than me. But its experience is keeping me on edge.'
Two quick steps to the side.
He twirled the spear and charged again.
As the Goblin raised its dagger to block, Raven suddenly pivoted, redirecting the spear with a whirlwind motion.
The spear tip swung from the Goblin's right. It barely managed to react.
Then Raven spun again, stepping back and pulling the spear into a circular arc.
A second later, he lunged forward—his footwork fluid, graceful, timed like water flowing around stone.
The Goblin growled, bracing to block.
But a dull thud echoed as the spear smashed through its defense. The dagger flew from its hand, clattering to the ground.
The Goblin stared in stunned disbelief at its empty hand.
Raven didn't hesitate. He raised the spear high and brought it down.
'Crack!'
The blade sliced clean through the Goblin's skull, splitting it down to the neck.
Dead.
"Finally," Raven whispered. He pulled a knife from his inventory, sliced off the Goblin's left ear, and then dropped it into a small leather pouch. His gaze returned to the body.
"Can I extract its blood essence?" he asked aloud.
[You can. But the purity is low. You'll only gain a small amount of attribute points.] Zera replied.
Raven nodded, cut over the Goblin's chest, and placed his palm on it.
…
[Bloodline Devourer System activated!]
[Goblin Looter's Bloodline Essence has been found!]
[Analyzing purity...]
[0.3% purity of a Rank-1 Goblin Looter detected.]
[Partial absorption is possible. Proceed? Yes/No.]
…
[What?!] Zera gasped.
[Can it extract even this tiny amount?]
Raven tapped "Yes" without hesitation.
A suction force pulled the blood from the Goblin's body. It gathered under his palm, condensed into a small bead, and vanished into his skin.
Notifications flooded his vision.
…
['Bloodline Devourer' ability commencing.]
[Randomizing ability extraction...]
[Goblin Looter's 'Fortuitous Finder' Ability selected!]
[Similar skill detected: 'Wonder Sense'. Merge possible. Proceed? Yes/No.]
…
[Wait! You can merge bloodline abilities with existing skills?] Zera exclaimed.
You're the system. Why are you surprised? Raven thought.
[I am. But this is happening because of the "***** ******* remnant" I extracted from your body. A fragment of Casper's main ability.]
Raven clicked "Yes."
A power surge burst into his mind, forming a new hexagonal structure. Pain flared in his head, making him stumble.
But he clenched his jaw and remained still.
…
[Merging 'Wonder Sense' with 'Fortuitous Finder'.]
[1%... 5%... 20%... 50%... 100%!]
[Merge complete!]
[New Bloodline Spell Acquired: 'Fortuitous Finder'!]
[Host absorbed part of the Goblin Looter's blood essence!]
[+0.1 Spirit]
[+0.02 Vitality]
[+0.01 Strength]
[+0.03 Agility]
[Body is undergoing mutation...]
…
Raven stayed motionless for five minutes before rising to his feet.
'The attribute gain is small…' But his expression didn't show disappointment.
'I've gained another bloodline spell. Unlike regeneration, this one's already fully comprehended—probably thanks to the merge.'
He slid the knife back into his inventory and silently walked toward the left, vanishing into the forest's shadows.