Bab 9: Hunt
After finally shaking down enough information from his father, Adam chose to start his first task.
To 'go hunt a Goblin'.
Simple. Concise.
It didn't matter how he hunted one. Only that he was able to get this fantasy creature's dead body.
So he headed into the forest while trying to hide his tracks the best he could. A hunter needed stealth.
Predators didn't show themselves until the last moment. They assassinated their prey silently.
Adam lowered his stance.
It was a good time to try out his Intrinsic Skills in the field, so he expanded his senses while moving.
Each step having purpose.
It was better to stand on tree roots rather than leaves or branches. Move with a sense of balance.
[You have activated 'Sixth Sense' and 'Seventh Sense' at the same time. A new Skill is created.]
[You have created the Intrinsic Skill of 'Awareness'.]
[Hidden attribute of Innate Semblance: 'Discipline' found. Control type mental Skills are easier learnt.]
Any signs of life became clearly detectable within his sight. As if they were being highlighted.
The messages in his eyes gave him a hint on what direction he should grow his current set of Skills.
'Sixth Sense' and 'Seventh Sense' might not provide him with attack abilities, but having better ways of using his enhanced senses was always welcome. It allowed him to tune his concentration.
Making his eyes and ears secondary in his ability to hunt. His focus entered a new level while moving.
[You are on the brink of learning a rare Skill.]
The red messages confirming that this wasn't useless. That his efforts would be rewarded.
Adam finally found a footprint under the leaves.
He lowered his hand to touch it.
"It's recent…" The boy unconsciously muttered while gaining a new Skill in his growing repertoire.
[You have gained the new Personal Skill: 'Track'.]
Rather than following the footprints, Adam made the decisive decision to improve his current Skills.
[You have initiated 'Skill Tree'. Target 'Track' is to be supplemented with the Skill: 'Awareness'.]
[You have created the Unique Skill: 'Life Radar'.]
[Synergy effect is created with Miracle Gamer of Taboo Fate within your Alpha Gene. Activating…]
A vague map outlining the distance between Adam and the source of life popped in front of his eyes.
Even pointing the direction of further signs of life.
Adam continued to sneak towards his target.
There were three of these little skinned creatures hanging around without a care in the world.
They were wearing some shabby equipment.
But some armour and weapons were better than having none. Even if not the best, they worked.
The boy assessed the situation…
A werewolf was a lot higher in terms of danger level compared to goblins. The latter were too weak.
However, that's only under the best circumstances.
If he had Estelle with him and used Spirit Union, it would be safe to say that they wouldn't hurt him.
But with how he was now, Adam had no way of taking on three goblins at the same time.
His opponents also weren't fools.
They stuck in groups because they knew their weakness. Wielding weapons to make up for it.
A strange thought crossed his mind while looking.
'How did they get them?' These mismatched and oversized equipment sets were likely stolen.
No, it was better to stop thinking of weird stuff.
Where they got the equipment didn't matter. All that mattered was completing the first task given.
Adam 'disciplined' himself and allowed his hunting instincts to take his concentration to the extreme.
Purging any excess thoughts. His eyes glowed red.
[You have created to the Skill: 'Battle Zone'. The requirement to enter it is purging excess thoughts.]
[Synergy effect has been created with your Alpha Gene. Evolution of the Personal Skill in progress.]
['Sixth Sense' and 'Seventh Sense' integrated.]
['Battle Zone- Stealth Genre' is now in effect.]
Like the incomplete Minimap earlier, Adam suddenly found himself able to see more game-like elements. This time, it looked like there was a sort of 'Detection Bar' along with lesser statistics. He seemed to be completely under the radar right now. His game HUB saying no one could see him.
Adam walked with an undetectable rustle, at least that was what he believed… until the red Detection Bar showed the loudness of his each step. His eyes narrowed while moving himself ever so carefully.
The Mana inside his body started circulating and thumping. Contracting and softening like a muscle.
It was because the flame of magic was his heart.
Nothing separated from the rest of the body like how Humans saw it. Mana was a biological cell.
The very blood flowing through his veins…
[Assassination commencing…]
Adam had submerged himself in the zone. A state of being that brought his Skills to their very limit.
He vanished like a shadow in the leaves.
…..
….
…
..
.
"Exa! Exaaaaa!" A goblin shouted at his companion.
"What? Whaaaat?!" Another shouted right back.
"Exa, Human at home today. Big meal! New blood! New family!" The goblin seemed very excited.
It danced by skipping with both feet in one place like a child. Roaring without any sense of danger.
"Uxa! Noisy!" The third goblin roared, but with a different nuance. It looked drowsy from fatigue.
"Ixa! Ixa! New blood! New family! Yeeaaaah!" Exa didn't mind and continued to dance with glee.
Ixa sighed. For a race that consisted mostly of male goblins, they had a certain method of reproducing.
It was using the 'Bloodfeast Ritual'. They offered a prayer to their God, then sacrificed Humans for new blood. If they were lucky, those who had been summoned with this method would be stronger.
Unlike other kinds of Beasts, Goblins didn't age much over time. Instead, they stayed the same.
A lesser goblin will never grow sword talent or magic talent. They were who they were at 'birth'.
Which was the moment the ritual succeeded.
"Enough! Job!" Exa only said a few words, but Uxa finally quieted down and let Ixa have some rest.
The trio of Exa, Uxa, and Ixa had been tasked with finding lives they could sacrifice to their God.
Weaker prey was preferable.
Especially if there were women and children involved. Their God liked softer meat to devour.
At least, that's what the goblins believed.
For their deity was the dreadful 'Evil God' only worshipped by Demonic Beasts with intelligence.
Sacred creatures such as themselves.
Exa lead Uxa to a nearby tree and tracked more Humans down. They needed to catch them alone.
Travellers and Adventurers were the best resource.
It hadn't been that long since they had raided a carriage full of weaklings that were already injured.
Those pieces of armour and weapons worn by the Humans was robbed. They were captured the rest.
Male or female didn't matter. The more meat the merrier. Only straggler goblins far from their home would do things like waste lives. Eating the women even though they didn't need flesh to survive.
If one looked at it this way, then goblins were the most troublesome opponents to have in the long run. They were tireless and expansive. Many of them able to survive even if starved for months.
But that wasn't the reason a Clan Leader like Fenrir l left them near his turf. Nothing was that simple.
After all, goblins didn't discriminate with targets.
Just from looking at them, one would think this trio would be worth something after being hunted.
Only… reality wasn't that nice.
Exa, Uxa, and Ixa were unaware about the techniques needed to maintain their equipment.
Their swords had dulled due to old blood rusting it's edges. Their armour deteriorated similarly.
Meaning there was nothing to sell on them.
Their meat was also poisonous due to the special nature of their Mana, so it wasn't really nutritious.
That much alone drove away any adventures.
Regardless of how many goblins were slain, they multiplied endlessly and were hard to fight due to how they stayed in groups. Those more organised were worse than the stragglers in this aspect.
"Yaaaaa! Exa! We live! Today! We live!" When the order was given by their leader to return back to base, Uxa couldn't help raising his fist and celebrating. It was a beautiful day today.
The sun was shining and flowers were blooming.
A smile was plastered across the goblin's face while grasping the warm sunlight. He turned his head, wanting to share his happiness with the rest of his comrades. It was rare for them to be happy.
Everyday was a struggle. Their stomachs were never filled and the world was harsh to them.
But they found solace in each other's company.
Wasn't this a family?
Uxa turned his head, but…
…there was no one there.
"Exa…?" A strange sound of something snapping could be heard in the background when Uxa spoke.
"Exa? Exa?" Uxa looked at Ixa, but both of them were unaware where Exa had suddenly run off to.
He looked down to find a trail, only to hear a scream of anguish to resound right next to him.
"Ixa!" The goblin screamed while reaching out to its blood brother. Red droplets stained the trees.
The goblin, Ixa, had an astonished look while gazing down. Something was piercing his chest.
'Exa…?' Ixa thought the blade looked familiar. Was this not the sword Exa liked keeping with him?
Why was it… piercing directly through his heart?
This was his last thought before falling lifelessly in front of Uxa, who was going mad in total despair.
"IXA! Aaa… AAAAARGH!" Uxa roared in the direction the blade had come flying from…
…only to see his enemy wasn't far away.
Without disturbing the air, a figure had snuck up in front of him and stood tall like a silent mountain.
It looked down on the goblin heartlessly.
A roar came out from the pit of Uxa's stomach. He was willing to do anything to destroy his enemy.
The killer of Exa and Ixa.
But not all strong feelings were rewarded. The killer radiating Dark Mana only reached out towards him.
The man's hand rested on Uxa's neck, before…
…a familiar crunching sound could be heard.
The goblin didn't even have the ability to scream in anguish, similar to what Exa must've felt earlier.
Falling without being able to voice his agony.
The pain started to fade along with his life. Uxa's eyes lost their light after he fell onto the ground.
No longer making any sounds.
Once all three of them were dealt with, the dark figure seemed to have broken out of his trance.
He stopped looking like an incarnation of death…
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone