The clearing fell silent after the Goblin Brute collapsed. For a moment, Alex simply stood there, breathing heavily as he tried to steady himself. The fight had drained him more than he expected. Even though he had fought the Shadow Wolf Alpha before, the brute's raw strength had been terrifying.
If even one of those club strikes had landed…
Alex shook the thought away.
"I'd probably be dead."
The system interface appeared in front of him again.
Boss Enemy Defeated
Goblin Brute Eliminated
EXP Gained
A warm surge of energy rushed through Alex's body. The familiar feeling of leveling up followed almost immediately.
Level Up!
Level 6 Reached
Strength +1
Agility +1
Alex smiled slightly as the exhaustion in his muscles faded a little.
"Level six already…"
That meant he had gained another level in just two days. The system really was powerful. But the quest wasn't finished yet.
Alex looked toward the three remaining goblins. They were still standing near the trees, staring at the fallen brute with wide eyes.
Their leader—the strongest one among them—was dead. Fear quickly replaced their earlier confidence. One of the goblins suddenly shrieked and turned to run toward the forest.
"Yeah… I figured," Alex muttered.
He rushed forward.
The fleeing goblin barely made it ten steps before Alex caught up and struck it down.
Enemy Defeated
Progress: 6 / 8 Goblins Eliminated
Two left.
The remaining goblins looked completely panicked now. One tried to attack Alex out of desperation, swinging its crude spear wildly.
Alex easily dodged the clumsy strike.
One quick slash ended the fight.
Enemy Defeated
Progress: 7 / 8 Goblins Eliminated
The final goblin froze. For a moment, the creature simply stared at Alex. Then it dropped its weapon and ran. Alex watched it sprint toward the trees.
He sighed.
"I guess that's one way to survive."
But the system quest still required eight goblins. So unfortunately for the goblin…
Alex had no choice. He ran after it.
The chase lasted less than twenty seconds.
The terrified creature stumbled over a tree root, giving Alex the opening he needed.
One clean strike ended the hunt.
Enemy Defeated
Progress: 8 / 8 Goblins Eliminated
The system screen flashed brightly.
System Quest Complete
Goblin Threat Eliminated
Rewards:
• 250 EXP
• 1 Skill Point
• Bonus Reward Unlocked
Alex wiped his dagger on the grass and sheathed it.
"Let's see that bonus."
The system responded immediately.
Bonus Reward Granted
Item Acquired: Ring of Minor Agility
Effect: +1 Agility
A small silver ring materialized in Alex's hand.
He stared at it in surprise.
"…That's new."
So the system could create items too.
Alex examined the ring carefully. It was simple in design, with a faint blue symbol engraved on the inside. Nothing flashy.
But if the description was accurate, it would permanently increase his agility.
"That's actually amazing."
Without hesitation, Alex slipped the ring onto his finger. The moment he did, he felt a subtle change in his body. His movements felt slightly lighter.
Faster.
The system updated instantly.
Agility Increased
New Stat: Agility 6
Alex grinned.
"Okay… I like this system."
He walked back toward the clearing where the goblins had gathered earlier. The overturned merchant cart was still there, along with several broken crates. Inside them were scattered supplies—cloth bundles, dried food, and small trade goods.
Alex knelt beside the cart.
"Looks like these goblins attacked a caravan."
The merchants had probably escaped… or been rescued by guards. But the supplies were still here. Alex gathered a few of the undamaged items.
"Maybe the guild will want these back."
As he finished collecting what he could carry, he suddenly felt something strange. The system flickered briefly again.
A message appeared.
Warning
Host Power Increasing
External Detection Risk: Rising
Alex frowned.
"External detection?"
Before he could question it further, the message vanished. The forest around him returned to normal. Alex stood there quietly for a moment.
"…That doesn't sound good."
But with the goblins defeated and the quest complete, there wasn't much he could do about it right now. He adjusted his bag and started walking back toward Riverwood.
Unaware that far away… Someone had just detected the faint signal of the system again.
And this time— The signal was stronger.