In the eastern flank of the mountains, a group of goblins was moving in the snow with proficiency. As they encountered another group of goblins, it was only natural that those territorial humanoid creatures would go into conflict.
Pereuth, the goblin warrior acting as the leader of the first group, moved forward with a single stone axe and shield as his weapons. As a goblin warrior, an elite from the second generation of the white lion tribe, Pereuth's charge could not be blocked easily.
Furthermore, the goblin he had targeted was a complete beginner.
"To your right!", Pereuth shouted after bashing his axe through the skull of his target.
Naturally, a young goblin, none other than Gurk, obliged.
SWOOSH
In a single strike, his sturdy wooden stick deflected the incoming spear, and he nimbly moved behind his opponent. Taking a stone dagger from his waist, a single stab in the back, targeting the heart, allowed him to finish his opponent in grace.
[You have killed a Lv. 3 Goblin. You have earned 20 EXP]
It had been so fast that Pereuth himself felt some chills.
He growled.
This was the signal for the three other goblins under his command to continue fighting.
Pereuth engaged with another goblin, slightly stronger and bulkier. Not a goblin warrior, but almost like one.
Gurk observed the battlefield.
Pereuth was engaged with a Lv. 9 Goblin. A good match, as he was stalling against the strongest.
However, Gurk had grown tremendously since they had set out of the White Lion Tribe Village. He was faster, stronger, and more importantly, his gear had become much better. He could use his swordsmanship to deflect and disarm his opponents, and finish them off with the stone dagger he had looted from the Fire Wolf Tribe Patrol.
The goblins they were facing were no warriors. They were agile, but they clearly lacked goblin battle experience. They were used to hunt beasts, whereas they had already shed blood of another goblin group.
The difference was unmistakable.
Gobnir was using his massive wooden stick with ease, his swordsmanship rough but still showing skills, skills that usually did not belong to goblins.
It had taken a long time, but Gurk had managed to teach Gobnir the swordsmanship skill. It was not to the level he had mastered himself, but it was more than enough to make a difference.
Additionally, Gobnir possessed immense strength, higher than himself. Likely, he was bulkier by nature, and his unlimited belly probably helped in mustering strength.
With rough strength and skills outmatching his opponent, it was only a matter of time before his opponent fell. But Gurk moved in the right time and finished his opponent's off with a backstab.
[You have killed a Lv. 4 Goblin. You have earned 30 EXP]
He did not just finish off Gobnir's opponent. Moving from goblin to goblin, he stabbed, retreated, and charged again. Each time he charged, he claimed a goblin's life.
[You have killed a Lv. 3 Goblin. You have earned 20 EXP]
Gurk was about to help Pereuth, but the sturdy goblin warrior had been faster. The difference of class was just that big. Even if they only had two levels of difference, Pereuth likely awakened a warrior perk after advancing.
'Tch…I could have claimed the optional task', Gurk cursed inwardly.
However, he still levelled up.
[You have levelled up]
[You have gained one attribute point!]
[You have invested 1 free attribute point in Perception]
[Perception 10 → 11]
[You have repeatedly learned the skill Backstab [E]. You are more likely to inflict bleeding ailment and critical damage when using this skill]
"They were weaker", Gurk observed
Pereuth nodded: "Except the one I fought, indeed. They were hunter, judging by their attire"
Pereuth then threw a weapon at Gurk.
"Take this. You use swords, right? It will fit you better than a stick"
Gurk's eyes shone. He hadn't seen it at first, but the Lv. 9 Goblin was indeed using a sword. A crude one, made of stones, but a sword nonetheless. It's like he hadn't attempted to craft something better than a wooden stick, but anything too big was too difficult to wield with his puny strength, and anything too fragile would break after some strikes.
That's why at the end of the day, he had opted for something more durable, even if it wasn't sharp.
Obviously, the sword came from much better craftsmanship. At the very least, he could tell that there was some sort of craftsman among the Fire Wolf Tribe. Even Pereuth's gear, a noble goblin warrior, was quite shabby. His leather armour was looted. As for his stone axe, it was better than a stick, but crude.
His stone sword, however, had some rope stabilising the rock and wooden spot. Additionally, the rock was refined and sharpened to increase its lethality, whereas Pereuth's stone axe was just one big rock.
[You have acquired a Fine Stone Sword (E)]
[Fine Stone Sword (E) – Sword Type Weapon
A sword made by a goblin craftsman with utmost care. It is durable, sharp and easy to maintain.
Damage: 4-12]
Gurk smiled. He had grown stronger, again.
[Name – Gurk (Yeol Park) | Lv. 7 Goblin (40 / 200 EXP) [E]
Attributes:
Strength: 11 | Agility: 13 | Vitality: 11
Perception: 11 (↑) | Mana: 2 | Charisma: 3
Perks: Goblin Eyes (Nocturnal Vision) [E], Wilderness Instinct [E]
Passive Skills: Swordsmanship (D)
Active Skills: Backstab (E)
Items: Fine Stone Sword (E), Wolf Leather Armour (E), Crude Stone Dagger (E)]
Gurk took a look at the rest of the loot. More wolf leather armour, enough to equip everyone with the best looking one. As for the rest, they carried it in a bag that Gobnir carried.
There were two bows and two quivers filled with a dozen arrows each.
Pereuth looked at Gurk, then Gobnir and shook his head.
Gurk smiled: "Aeruth and Tyreuth could learn to become archers, right?"
"The battlefield is not a good place to learn new weapons", Pereuth muttered
Gurk titled his head: "Why not learn it as we travel? We will need to get food anyway. As for the next patrols, we can keep lurking around this area, and ambush the passing goblins"
Pereuth nodded: "This is a good suggestion. Looks like you have more than strength and good eyes…You will make a fine warrior"
Gobnir continued: "Plus, Grunty said we would retreat after three days. Depending on the results, we will either retreat to the village or launch a decisive attack"
Gurk had a wry smile: "Even if we were very successful, there is no telling this is the case for everybody. Even if the Fire Wolf Tribe seems to have few goblin warriors, they also seem to be very well equipped. We were lucky to have looted some early on"
Pereuth shared the same view, nodding again.
"Let's do just that then"
"Understood!", Aeruth and Tyreuth shouted in unisons, happy to get new weapons.
[Aeruth – Lv. 5 Goblin]
[Tyreuth - Lv. 4 Goblin]
[Gobnir – Lv. 6 Goblin]
[Pereuth – Lv. 13 (↑) Goblin Warrior]
[Gurk – Lv. 7 (↑) Goblin]
Gurk smiled. He wasn't the only one who had levelled up. Pereuth, too, had gained a level.
This was good.
The stronger his group became, the better his odds of survival.
Plus, the combat had strengthened their bonds. They would make good allies in the village's politics.
'Seems like I have become a goblin through and through, huh…', Gurk thought inwardly.