Elrick and Beatriz moved carefully through the forest, each step measured and silent.
That was when Elrick saw it—just beyond the treeline.
A thin column of smoke rising steadily into the sky.
"Smoke," he said, pointing.
Hope flared in his chest for a brief second. Could it be a village? People?
But the memory of the goblins quickly surfaced, dampening the spark.
His expression shifted.
"Wait… this could be a goblin camp," he muttered. "Those ones we fought earlier… what if they were just scouts?"
Beatriz nodded once, eyes fixed on the drifting smoke.
"Could be."
They didn't rush. The underbrush grew denser the closer they got, the scent of woodsmoke mingling with moss and rot.
Just before the clearing, Beatriz halted abruptly.
"Two—there," she whispered, gesturing toward a thick tree. Two goblins sat on one of its thick branches, lazily chewing on bones and speaking in their rough, guttural tongue.
Elrick leaned in, eyes narrowing.
"I see two more," he said, nodding to the right. "Patrolling."
Beatriz narrowed her eyes. "I'll deal with them."
Before Elrick could say a word, she moved.
She leapt into a nearby tree, then began hopping branch to branch with terrifying grace. Not a single leaf rustled beneath her steps.
From above, she observed the lounging goblins. No armor. Just worn leather. One had a wooden club resting beside him. Their guard was completely down.
Pathetic.
She dropped like a phantom.
Mid-fall, her spear swung in a blinding arc.
Fssshk!
Two heads flew from their shoulders before they even registered her presence. Their bodies slumped, still seated—then slowly toppled from the branch.
Before they hit the ground, Beatriz was already moving.
She hurled herself toward the patrolling goblins, her figure blurring across the forest floor.
The two goblins turned, alerted by the thuds and rustling grass.
But Beatriz was already there.
Fssshk!
Her spear plunged cleanly through the first goblin's midsection, lifting it off its feet.
Without pause, Beatriz slammed the butt of her spear into the back of its skull, driving it face-first into the dirt. Then—with a smooth twist—she impaled it through the back, still skewering the first on her weapon.
Four goblins. Dead in seconds.
Elrick stepped cautiously into the clearing, eyes wide with a mix of awe and discomfort.
Beatriz withdrew her spear and wiped the blade clean on a patch of moss. Her crimson eyes scanned the area, as cold and detached as always.
"They weren't hiding. Just resting," she said bluntly. "I'll retrieve the crystals."
"You handle the two that fell from the tree," Elrick said. "It'll be faster that way."
Beatriz tossed Elrick a small dagger.
Elrick caught it "Right…"
He crouched beside the nearest corpse, grimacing as he made the first incision. "This is just like dissecting a frog in biology class," he muttered. "Except, y'know… way bigger. And smellier."
The goblins were three feet tall—small, but still bulky enough to make the task uncomfortable.
Beatriz returned moments later, two crystals already in hand.
Elrick handed her one of the crystals he extracted. "Three should be enough to level you up, right?"
As she absorbed the first crystal, a soft chime echoed in Elrick's mind.
> Beatriz
Level: 1 → 2
Strength: 15 - 20
Agility: 20 - 25
Constitution: 15 - 20
Endurance: 10 - 15
Spirit: 15 - 20
"Five points in every stat…?"
He stared at the floating screen. "Is that how leveling works in this world?…"
Elrick couldn't help but wonder—if leveling up was this easy, why were the goblins still so weak?
Beatriz glanced at him, then tossed one of the crystals toward him.
"So three small crystals are enough to reach level two… I wonder how many it'll take to hit level three," he murmured.
Elrick then absorbed the two crystal.
Another UI flashed.
> Elrick
Level: 2
Strength: 2 - 7
Agility: 2 - 7
Constitution: 2 - 7
Endurance: 2 - 7
Spirit: 1- 6
The surge hit him immediately.
Warmth bloomed in his chest, spreading through every limb. His muscles expanded and tightened, his vision sharpened, and his reflexes felt faster. He could even feel his mana expanding slightly.
He took a few steps, then jogged in place. "This… this feels incredible. If I had this level of strength and agility back in the modern world, I'd be at the peak of human potential."
Beatriz said nothing, she absorbed the last crystal and her eyes drifted back toward the rising smoke in the distance.
"You're planning to raid the goblin camp?" Elrick asked.
She turned to him. "Would you allow me to?"
Elrick hesitated, then shrugged. "Sure. As long as you're confident you can wipe them out."
As they crept forward, the clearing came into view.
Tattered tents. Burnt wooden stakes. Crude weapons piled beside the fire.
Fourteen goblins.
Elrick crouched low behind a log, counting them silently.
A few goblins were moving in and out of the camp, carrying crude tools and scraps of meat.
What concerned Elrick was that some of the goblins appeared more organized—light warriors equipped with swords and shields, and others positioned as archers.
But the most alarming of all was a goblin standing slightly more than five feet tall—nearly more than twice the size of the others—clad in heavy armor and exuding a far more dangerous aura.
"Doesn't look like a main camp," he whispered. "Probably just an outpost."
Beatriz didn't reply.
Her crimson eyes were already locked on the largest goblin at the far end.