ITWOK Chapter 10: Goblins vs...

High in the sky, the moon shone brightly, illuminating the forest below. At that moment, a carriage pulled by a type of horse creature stopped before the entrance of the forest.

"We've arrived, sir."

"Thanks," Haru said as he got off the carriage and paid the driver.

Looking a bit concerned, the driver asked, "Are you sure you wish to stop here? You look to be a new adventurer. In my time, I've seen many rookies overconfident in their abilities and trying to do more than they could handle." The driver sighed. "Don't throw your life away being impatient. There are plenty of opportunities to make a name for yourself."

Haru was a little surprised by the driver's words but smiled reassuringly. "I appreciate the concern, but I'll be fine."

The driver shook his head skeptically and urged his beasts onward, leaving Haru to face the looming forest alone. The expanse before him was part of the Great Wilderness, covering a vast 70% of Kladin and inhabited by monsters of various ranks. It was typically the domain of higher-ranked adventurers, and for an F-rank like Haru, venturing here alone at night was perilous if not downright stupid.

However, he already knew what he was looking for. On the guild board, there were extermination quests for two sets of monsters and a reward that was too lucrative to pass up. He had made all the preparations he could before coming here, even spending all the Klador he had.

"Hopefully, my luck is good and they're not too far from each other," Haru muttered as he stepped into the dark, dense forest.

***

Haru moved silently through the dense forest, his steps careful and soundless. He wore a black pelt that blended with the shadows stretching around him.

The Great Wilderness was alive with monstrous creatures, ranging from goblins and ogres to monstrosities that even the Summoned had trouble dealing with. It wasn't only the demons that kept the humans in check, powerful beasts kept humanity away from encroaching their territories.

While this particular area posed less threat to the fortified capital, it remained perilous. Even a solitary traveler like Haru could easily become prey to the forest's inhabitants.

After navigating for half an hour, Haru noticed a faint glow up ahead. Most adventurers would avoid such a sight, suspecting it to be a monster camp. However, this was exactly what Haru was searching for.

Drawing nearer, his suspicions were confirmed: it was a goblin camp. The perimeter was secured by sharp, crudely fashioned wooden spikes, encircling a central group of goblins who huddled together. Haru focused his attention on one of them and used his skill.

Classification: Goblin

Description: A humanoid race with intelligence to use tools and traps on their prey. Found primarily in groups, the goblins are constantly diligent and can adapt to live anywhere

Potential: F

Goblins were short, ugly, green creatures that roamed the forest, hunting both day and night. They organized themselves into two rotating groups, a strategy that allowed them to cover more ground and prevent sneak attacks while one group rests.

Haru watched from a safe distance as a group of six goblins emerged from their huts and set out to hunt. In a head-on confrontation, he knew he would be at a disadvantage. Leading the group was a particularly large and menacing goblin—a Greater Goblin, an evolved form more dangerous and powerful than the regular ones.

Classification: Greater goblin

Description: An evolved form of the goblin, larger and more menacing. Greater Goblins are stronger, more intelligent, and pose a significant threat

Potential: C

He watched carefully as the night hunting party left. Three goblins remained, standing guard at the camp's perimeter, their eyes scanning the surrounding trees for any signs of danger. Haru took out a nectar fruit and took a few bites, the refreshing juice revitalizing him and giving him a brief jolt of energy. He then discarded the half-eaten remains on the ground and backed away slowly.

As another hour passed, the scent of the fruit grew more pungent and the scent began to waft towards one of the goblins guarding the camp's perimeter. The goblin caught a whiff and as if his legs had a mind of their own, it began to wander closer to that heavenly aroma of the half-eaten nectar fruit.

The unsuspecting goblin saw the fruit and greedily took the nectar fruit in its hands, looked both ways to ensure no one saw him, and then gobbled it up, oblivious to the danger lurking behind.

The goblin immediately felt the impact of the skill, its strength weakened but not knowing why.

Haru acted fast before the goblin could regain its strength and call for help. He quickly closed the distance between them and covered the goblin's mouth with his hand before plunging his short sword deep into its neck.

If Becker were here, he would have been shocked to discover that Haru had lied about the exhaustion his skill caused. In truth, Haru faced no limits in using his skill as long as he had the mana to sustain it, a perk of being a Summoned.

"Dammit!" Haru cursed under his breath, realizing his mistake. The goblin's frantic movements indicated that his blade had missed its mark. If the goblin's cries reached the camp, Haru would be swarmed by dozens of angry goblins with little chance of escaping unscathed.

The goblin opened its mouth wide, preparing to scream for help, but Haru was quick to react. He jammed his arm towards the back of the goblin's teeth before it could scream and lodged it firmly in place. The goblin let out a few pained grunts as he drove the blade deeper in. After a few short seconds, it finally succumbed to its injuries and collapsed to the ground.

Haru breathed a sigh of relief as he fell to the floor, exhausted from the fight. "Damn, that was close," he muttered to himself, still trying to catch his breath. He dislodged the goblin's jaw and saw the deep gashes in his leather bracer, revealing the bloodied skin beneath.

'Without the [Minus Strength] skill, I would have struggled to take down even a single goblin,' Haru thought to himself.

This was the harsh reality of fighting monsters. Regular humans, without the aid of skills and magic, were among the weakest creatures in the world. Even goblins, considered low-class monsters, were a formidable threat to them.

"Focus," he told himself. "I can do this!"

Refocusing on the task at hand, Haru quickly took out a small bag and jammed the goblin's body into it. The bag had a sub-space feature that allowed him to store anything he wanted within a confined space, making it perfect for his current situation. It was expensive and had cost him most of the Klador he had borrowed, but it was worth it.

There was still time before the hunting group would return, but he wasn't going to dally.

The guild request board had posted two subjugation quests. The first targeted a goblin camp led by a Greater Goblin, which was likely the same camp he was facing now. The second focused on dire wolves. Both goblins and dire wolves were fiercely territorial, and not surprisingly, they were located within the same area of the forest. The two groups were rivals, and Haru knew the dire wolves wouldn't stray far from their enemies.

Using the light of a crystal he bought, Haru made his way past the camp and eventually found markings of the dire wolves and followed their tracks. He reached a rocky area with a large cave in the distance. Wolf-like creatures rested at the cave's mouth, guarding the entrance.

Classification: Dire wolf

Description: Ferocious quadrupeds known for their speed and brutality. They can dismember prey within seconds. Exposure to blood may trigger a frenzy. Hunts in packs.

Potential: E

Haru set his plan into motion. He took out the goblin corpse and carefully cut it open, soaking his black pelt he had used to cloak himself. Once the cloak was saturated with the scent, he donned a mask resembling a goblin's face.

He then took out a short bow and an arrow. Taking a deep breath, he nocked the arrow and released it. The arrow whistled through the air, drawing the attention of the dire wolves.

One of the dire wolves snapped up and caught the arrow in its jaw before breaking it in half with a crunch.

Haru remained calm; this was all part of his plan. He quickly retreated into the shadows back to the goblin camp.

The other wolves rose and growled, seeking the source of the attack. Their enhanced senses picked up the scent of goblin blood.

The wolves howled, alerting the rest of the pack. A massive wolf emerged from the den, three times the size of the others. Its black fur was as dark as night, and its teeth were as large as a baby's head. It snarled, annoyed at being awakened.

Even the other dire wolves seemed frightened by the massive beast. As soon as it caught the scent of goblin blood, it turned toward the direction where Haru had been moments before.

Having fled immediately after releasing the arrow, he was unaware of the beast he had awakened.

The gargantuan wolf pounced and quickly took to the trees, chasing the scent. It moved with incredible speed and agility, its powerful muscles propelling it forward as it tracked its prey.

***

"SHIT! SHIT! SHIT!"

Haru dodge-rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the creature as it landed with a heavy thud next to him. His heart raced as he faced the beast.

Classification: Greater Ravager

Description: An apex predator that will hunt its own kind if necessary. These wolves separate from their pack after their first successful hunt and challenge the Alphas of other packs to form their own

Potential: B

<Examine>

Haru's [World Knowledge] skill leveled up, allowing him to use <Examine> on his targets. However, he had no time to process this information, he needed to act fast.

"Why the hell are you even here?!" Haru turned and yelled in frustration. He couldn't believe he had stumbled upon a Greater Ravager, a creature far stronger and deadlier than the dire wolves.

'Fucking hell, if I knew there was a Greater Ravager, I wouldn't have even tried!' Despite his knowledge of the future and his past experiences, he knew he had no hope of dealing with the Greater Ravager alone.

It would take a full party of high-tier C-rank adventurers to stand a chance against the Greater Ravager and the dire wolves. Even then, victory was far from guaranteed.

He felt like crying but didn't have the chance as the Ravager swiped its claws.

The Greater Ravager struck at Haru, its massive claws slicing through the air. He ducked at the last second, narrowly avoiding the deadly blow. The strike landed on the tree behind him, splintering it like toothpicks.

Haru gritted his teeth and reached into his bag, pulling out his last resort. He had made extensive preparations, but he never expected to use this so soon. Retrieving a spherical item, he squeezed down until he heard a crack and threw it out.

A blinding light filled the air, illuminating the space directly in front of the Greater Ravager. Its enhanced night vision was overwhelmed by the sudden burst of brightness, causing it to stagger back, growling in pain. As the dire wolves arrived, the Ravager, still struggling to regain its sight, communicated with them. Responding to its command, the dire wolves howled in confirmation and began their pursuit of Haru.

The item Haru used was a single-use magic item infused with light magic. It was the second most expensive purchase he'd made, but it was a wise investment for situations like this. For nocturnal creatures like the dire wolves, the blinding light was a formidable countermeasure. Haru was grateful for his foresight.

He sprinted with all his might, his heart pounding as the snarls of the dire wolves grew louder behind him. Finally, he spotted a familiar tree. Reaching into his bag, he retrieved a bone whistle. Bringing it to his lips, he blew, mimicking the cry of a goblin.

He blew sharply three more times, the sound echoing through the forest. "Please reach..." he muttered, hoping the signal would carry far enough.

The dire wolves quickly caught up, cutting off his escape as they surrounded him.

"I really messed up…" Cold sweat dripped down his head.

One of the dire wolves leapt into action, its powerful muscles propelling it forward, jaws snapping open.

The effect of the skill was jarring for anyone who felt it. The dire wolf, momentarily confused by the sudden change in its body, was caught off guard. The short sword swished upwards, catching the wolf by the neck. It took a few steps before bleeding out and collapsing, causing the other dire wolves to step back in fear.

There was only silence as the wolves looked on in disbelief that one of their own was slain. Haru panted harshly, his sword radiating steam as the last vestige of mana left it. In his other hand, the remnant of the now used mana stone dissipated into the air.

In battle, a mana stone could be used to infuse into a weapon, dramatically increasing its sharpness, or when used with the body, it could bolster one's strength. The problem was that mana from mana stones was fleeting and lasted only a few seconds. With their exorbitant cost, they were used only in emergency situations. In Haru's case, the mana stone allowed him to quickly clad the sword with mana, making it easier to penetrate the thick hide of the dire wolf. Although he now had his mana circuit open, the mana that could be derived from his body wouldn't be enough to even clad half of the sword and wouldn't be able to do it as quickly either.

The dire wolves began to circle him, reassessing the threat. They snarled and growled but were hesitant to leap in.

This was a last-ditch effort by Haru. He had only four more mana stones left.

Just then, the Greater Ravager arrived. The other dire wolves made way for their leader as it stared menacingly at Haru, who no longer had any inclination to flee.

"I won't run!" Haru shouted. "There's no point. No, I'll take you down, and then we'll see who's top dog!"

With four remaining mana stones, every move had to be calculated. Haru knew he couldn't afford any mistakes.

Suddenly, the loud roars of angry beasts echoed through the forest, reverberating through the trees. But it wasn't just any beasts—it was goblins!

The entire camp of goblins, led by the Greater Goblin, appeared in the distance, carrying torches. The Greater Goblin, wielding a long wooden stake, charged forward and hurled it with incredible strength. The dire wolf it aimed at wasn't fast enough, and the spear pierced it, pinning it to a tree.

The field fell into disarray as a two-species battleground emerged. Haru blinked for a moment before taking sneaky steps backward, using the opportunity to blend back into the shadows. The Greater Ravager stared down the Greater Goblin, scrutinizing its long-time rival.

With [World Knowledge] leveled, Haru focused his attention on the Greater Goblin.

<Examine>

Greater Goblin

Description: An evolved form of the goblin, larger and more menacing. Towering over their lesser kin, Greater Goblins are hulking figures of muscle. The Greater Goblin craves violence, its existence driven by a ravenous hunger for flesh and battle.

Physical Characteristics:

Height: 5'9"

Weight: 185 lbs

Appearance: Greenish-brown, with a rough, scaly texture

Potential: C

Equipment: Broad Iron blade

Rank: IV

Looking a bit shocked, he then turned his attention to the Greater Ravager

Greater Ravager

Description: A creature of primal dominance, the Greater Ravager embodies the brutal efficiency of evolution. This wolf creature is cloaked in a coat of pure jet black fur. Driven by insatiable ambition, a Greater Ravager breaks from its original pack after its first taste of blood, seeking its own pack. It challenges alphas of other packs in battles to the death, aiming to usurp their position and establish its own reign over the pack.

Physical Characteristics:

Height: 6'1"

Weight: 225 lbs

Appearance: Jet black matted fur, yellow iris, quadruped

Potential: B

Rank: IV