I continued walking deeper into the forest, the pouch of slime cores lightly bumping against my hip.
The air felt heavier here.
Quieter.
Too quiet.
A branch snapped.
I froze.
Three small figures stepped out from between the trees, blocking the narrow path ahead.
Goblins.
Green skin. Yellow eyes. Jagged teeth. Each holding crude weapons — a chipped sword, a wooden club, and a rusted dagger.
My breath caught in my throat.
This was my first time seeing goblins up close.
And there were three of them.
My hands began to tremble.
Hey, Gluttony's voice echoed calmly in my mind. That's only a low-level monster. Why are you trembling there?
"B-but…" I whispered under my breath, my fingers tightening around my sword hilt.
One of the goblins grinned and let out a raspy laugh.
If you don't fight them, your life will be in danger, Gluttony said flatly. They will not hesitate.
He was right.
I swallowed hard.
I decided to grow stronger.
If I want to become strong… then I need to endure this.
Even this fear.
I adjusted my footing and gripped my sword tightly.
The goblins shrieked and charged.
"—Haaah!"
I forced my body forward instead of backward.
My blade swung in a wide arc.
Steel met flesh.
A deep cut tore across the first goblin's torso. Dark blood sprayed as it screeched in pain.
It stumbled—
I didn't let it recover.
I stepped in and swung again, this time aiming higher.
The blade sliced clean through its neck.
For a split second, everything slowed.
The goblin's head separated from its body and hit the ground with a dull thud.
The body collapsed right after.
My heart pounded violently.
I was still scared.
But I had no choice.
I've already come this far.
I can't back out now.
The remaining two goblins roared in anger.
One rushed from the left with the club raised high.
The other circled to the right, dagger ready.
My breathing grew uneven.
They were faster than the slimes.
Smarter.
The club came crashing down.
I barely raised my sword in time to block it.
The impact rattled my arms, pain shooting through my wrists.
The second goblin lunged low, aiming for my side.
Instinct kicked in.
I pulled mana into my palm mid-motion.
Condense.
Liquefy.
A sharp tingling spread across my hand.
Green acid formed quickly — faster than before.
I twisted my body and thrust my palm toward the goblin's face.
A burst of acid splashed across its cheek and eye.
It screamed violently, dropping the dagger as smoke rose from its skin.
The smell was awful.
I hesitated.
Just for a second.
That second almost cost me.
The goblin with the club swung again, catching my shoulder.
I stumbled back, pain flaring.
Focus, Gluttony's voice cut sharply through my panic. Hesitation will kill you.
"I know!"
I clenched my teeth.
The acid-burned goblin flailed blindly.
The club goblin charged again.
This time, I stepped forward instead of retreating.
I ducked under the club swing and slashed upward.
The blade tore across its abdomen.
It howled and tried to back away—
I didn't let it.
Another swing.
This time across its throat.
Blood sprayed.
It fell.
One left.
The injured goblin was still screaming, half its face melted.
My chest tightened.
For a moment, I hesitated again.
But its remaining eye locked onto me with pure hatred.
It lunged wildly.
I steadied my breath.
Gather.
Condense.
Release.
I thrust my palm forward and fired a concentrated stream of acid directly into its open mouth.
The reaction was immediate.
Its scream turned into a gurgle.
It collapsed, twitching, before going still.
Silence returned to the forest.
Only my heavy breathing remained.
I stood there, sword shaking in my grip.
"I… I did it."
Three goblins.
My first goblins.
Fear still lingered in my chest.
But beneath it—
Something else was growing.
Resolve.
Good, Gluttony murmured. You trembled, yet you moved. That is what matters.
I looked at my hands.
They were still shaking.
But this time…
It wasn't only from fear.
It was from the realization—
I survived.
I wiped my blade clean on the grass and knelt beside the fallen goblins.
Near their chests, faintly glowing stones pulsed weakly.
Cores.
I picked them up one by one, feeling the residual warmth inside them.
Why don't you absorb those cores first? Gluttony suggested smoothly. Once you absorb them, your strength will increase. Then you can hunt more efficiently.
I stared at the three goblin cores resting in my palm.
They were darker than slime cores. Denser.
"Alright…"
I exhaled slowly and closed my fingers around them.
Just like before, I focused inward — toward the warmth in my chest.
"Absorb."
The cores began to dissolve, turning into streams of energy that seeped into my skin.
This time, the sensation was stronger.
Not just warmth.
Pressure.
It surged through my veins like liquid fire.
My muscles tightened involuntarily.
I clenched my jaw as the energy spread to my shoulders, down my spine, into my legs.
My heartbeat accelerated.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Then—
A sharp pulse burst outward from my core.
I staggered slightly but didn't fall.
My breathing steadied.
The forest felt… clearer.
Sharper.
I flexed my fingers.
The sword in my hand felt lighter.
My body felt more solid. More stable.
"T-this…"
I looked at my arms in disbelief.
"I can feel it. Just absorbing three cores and I already feel like I can hunt a lot."
Excitement crept into my voice.
Of course, Gluttony replied. Goblin cores enhance physical capability. Strength. Agility. Minor endurance improvements.
I rolled my shoulders.
The earlier hit from the club didn't ache as much anymore.
I smiled.
"Then… let's test it."
I continued walking deeper into the forest.
The trees thinned slightly, opening into a small clearing.
That's when I saw them.
Five goblins.
This group looked more organized. Two carried crude shields. One had a short spear. The other two had curved blades.
They were patrolling.
My pulse quickened — but it wasn't the same panic as before.
This time…
It felt like anticipation.
Five, Gluttony observed. A proper test.
One of the goblins spotted me and screeched.
The others turned immediately.
No time to hide.
They charged together.
The spear goblin took the lead, thrusting forward.
I stepped to the side smoothly — far smoother than before — and the spear missed by inches.
I slashed at its exposed arm.
The blade cut deep, forcing it to drop the weapon.
Before I could finish it, one of the shield goblins slammed into me.
But I didn't stumble like before.
I held my ground.
The impact felt… manageable.
Stronger. I'm stronger.
The second shield goblin tried to flank me.
I quickly gathered mana into my palm while pushing back against the shield.
Condense.
Liquefy.
Release.
A focused stream of acid shot forward, splashing onto the wooden shield.
It sizzled instantly, eating through the surface.
The goblin shrieked as the acid burned through and reached its arm.
I kicked forward, knocking it down.
The spear goblin tried to tackle me from behind.
I twisted at the last second and drove my elbow backward into its jaw.
The force surprised even me.
It collapsed immediately.
Two down.
Three left.
The curved-blade goblins attacked together.
Their movements were faster — coordinated.
One aimed high, the other low.
I raised my sword to block the high strike while jumping back from the low one.
Still… the tip of the blade grazed my thigh.
A shallow cut.
I hissed but didn't retreat.
Fear flickered in my chest.
But now—
It didn't control me.
I stepped forward aggressively.
A quick horizontal slash forced one goblin to retreat.
I immediately followed with an acid burst to the ground in front of them.
The sizzling liquid spread, forcing them to reposition.
Using that opening, I lunged at the wounded shield goblin still trying to stand.
One decisive strike.
Its body fell limp.
Four down.
The remaining two hesitated.
Good.
I advanced first.
I swung at the one on the right.
It blocked — barely.
I shifted mid-swing and kicked its knee.
A crack echoed as it collapsed.
Without pausing, I turned and projected acid directly at the last goblin's face.
It tried to shield itself, but the acid splashed onto its chest and neck.
It screamed, dropping its weapon.
I closed the distance and ended it with a clean thrust through the heart.
Silence filled the clearing.
Five goblins lay scattered around me.
I stood there, chest rising steadily.
Not gasping.
Not trembling.
Just… breathing.
"I handled five…"
I looked at my hands again.
They weren't shaking this time.
You adapted quickly, Gluttony noted. Your control over the acid improved. Your physical output increased by approximately twenty percent after absorption.
I smiled faintly.
The clearing wasn't quiet for long.
Rustling spread through the trees.
More goblins.
Three emerged from the left, two from behind the rocks, and another pair climbed down from a small ridge ahead.
Seven this time.
They must've heard the fighting.
One of them looked slightly bigger than the others — broader shoulders, thicker arms, a crude iron axe resting on its back.
A leader.
My pulse spiked.
Good, Gluttony murmured. More experience.
"Seven…" I muttered.
They didn't rush all at once.
This group was smarter.
Two circled to my right. One climbed onto a rock for height. The bigger goblin remained in the center, watching.
They were coordinating.
One lunged first — a feint.
The real attack came from my blind spot.
I barely turned in time to block a blade aimed at my ribs.
Steel scraped against steel.
Before I could counter, another goblin slammed into my back, knocking me forward.
I stumbled but rolled instead of falling flat.
I'm stronger now. Don't panic.
I pushed myself up and immediately released a burst of acid in a wide arc.
The goblins jumped back, but one wasn't fast enough.
The acid splashed across its leg.
It shrieked and fell.
I rushed forward and finished it before the others could regroup.
Six left.
The bigger goblin roared — a sharp, commanding sound.
They attacked together.
Two from the front, one from the side, one throwing a small dagger from behind.
I raised my sword to block the frontal strike, then twisted my body to avoid the dagger.
It grazed my shoulder.
Pain flared.
I gritted my teeth and slammed my elbow into the goblin in front of me.
Stronger.
It flew back farther than I expected.
I followed with a downward slash.
Five left.
One leapt at me from the rock.
I stepped aside and fired a concentrated stream of acid upward.
It hit mid-air.
The goblin crashed down screaming.
Four.
The larger goblin finally moved.
Fast.
Much faster than the others.
Its axe swung horizontally toward my waist.
I ducked, feeling the wind pressure from the swing brush my hair.
It kicked me in the chest.
I slid back several feet.
That one's different.
Higher output. Greater muscle density, Gluttony observed. Focus on it first.
Two smaller goblins rushed while I was still regaining balance.
I raised my palm and released acid directly at their faces.
One dodged partially but still got burned.
The other took the full hit and collapsed immediately.
Three left — including the leader.
The axe goblin charged again.
This time, I didn't block.
I stepped inside its swing range.
It tried to pull the axe back, but I was already there.
I drove my sword into its side.
It roared and punched me across the jaw.
I staggered.
It was strong.
But I wasn't the same as before.
I gathered all the mana I could into my left hand.
Condense.
Compress harder.
My palm burned.
Then I thrust it directly against the goblin's chest.
A heavy surge of acid erupted at point-blank range.
The sizzling sound was violent.
The goblin howled, dropping the axe.
I pulled back and swung once — clean and decisive.
It fell.
Two remained.
Their morale shattered.
They tried to flee.
I chased.
My legs felt lighter than ever.
I caught one quickly and cut it down.
The last turned desperately, swinging wildly.
I blocked and countered with a precise thrust.
Silence returned.
Seven more goblins lay defeated.
I stood in the middle of the clearing, breathing hard but steady.
No trembling.
No hesitation.
Just exhaustion… and growth.
One by one, I collected the glowing cores.
When I finally sat beneath a tree to rest, I emptied my pouch in front of me and began counting.
The faint glow of the cores shimmered against the grass.
"Slime cores first…"
I lined them up one by one.
"...one, two, three, four, five, six."
Six slime cores.
Their soft bluish light pulsed gently, much calmer compared to the goblin cores.
Then I moved to the darker ones.
"Now the goblins…"
I stacked them in a separate pile.
"…one, two, three, four, five… ten… eleven, twelve, thirteen."
Thirteen goblin cores.
I stared at the two small piles.
Seven slime cores.
Thirteen goblin cores.
nineteen in total.
Not bad for a single outing.
My arms were sore. My shoulder still stung from earlier. My mana felt slightly drained.
But I was standing.
And I was stronger than when I entered this forest.
I let out a slow breath and smiled gently.
"Alright… I should head back for now."
The sky was beginning to shift in color, sunlight thinning between the trees.
"And sell these to the guild."
If I kept absorbing everything, I wouldn't earn anything.
And strength alone wouldn't fill my stomach.
I carefully placed the cores back into my pouch and tied it securely to my waist.
As I stood up, I glanced once more at the deeper part of the forest.
Next time…
I won't stop here.
With steady steps, I began walking back toward town.