After my grinding craze, I checked my inventory.

[INVENTORY]

- Crude Flint Dagger (F) – 6

- Crude Wooden Club (F) – 3

- Low-Grade Mana Crystal (F) – 28

I'm now certain the Mana crystals are a 100% drop chance for these monsters, but they're all the same type and grade. That wasn't surprising. The goblins all had similar levels of strength. The weapons were rarer. I noticed that a goblin could drop weapons without needing to carry them.

My next course of action was to find the boss. The goblins I've been fighting had lost their use. I might level up by finding more of their groups, but the speed of leveling decreased dramatically. This dungeon was too easy now. I'm happy I got this dungeon as my convenient bedroom dungeon, and that it wasn't a death sentence.

I traced my thumb along the edge of the kitchen knife. Dullness was apparent in certain areas, along with a couple of nicks. I bet the manufacturer of this knife didn't expect it to be used as a goblin eradicator.

Heading further into the goblin-infested forest. I steered my course towards the center. After a couple more goblin short-stories of tragedy, I could see a clearing ahead.

The location bore a striking resemblance to a camp in the wilderness. Shoddy tents cluttered a large, circular clearing. The crackling sound of the distant campfire reached my ears. A large goblin was in the middle of that clearing. The creature had some pieces of armor covering spots of its body, along with a very stylish loincloth when compared to other members of its group. Its muscular build and long gray hair were notable features. It sat in a confident position. I estimated the height to be around 2 meters. Other goblins seem to belong to a different species! The only similarity was their green, sticky skin.

He's looking straight in my direction! Is he waiting for me?

The Goblin Boss was alone in this camp. Beginners may find it too difficult to handle anything beyond the boss in their first dungeon. This boss stood out from the other mobs. Its presence was vastly different.

My only desire was to have a proper fight with it! I shouldn't get too cocky about my one skill. Until I resolved my Mana issue, I couldn't always rely on it. My fighting skills needed some serious improvement. That way, I could continue building my future skills and abilities on a firm foundation.

Skills were skills in the end. The strength of my lighting ability lay in its power to enhance my current abilities. I would seize this opportunity to duel, using only my enhanced body. I wouldn't risk my life. If things look bad, I will activate my skill right away.

With confidence in my stride, I walked towards the boss. It seemed to know I had arrived. I didn't intend to surprise attack it, anyway. As I got closer, the boss stood up. It reached behind its back to grab some sort of primitive short-sword. The blade was double-edged; it looked clean and sharp. The handle looked rough, with some leather straps spun around it. He held it with one hand.

I'm curious if you've got any sneaky tricks up your figurative sleeves.

I stopped 10 meters away from it. We exchanged a wordless connection as we stared into each other's eyes before springing into action.

"Guhhh–Greeeukh!"

Its voice resonated with a deep, guttural tone, a stark contrast to the high-pitched goblins from before. The gap was decreasing.

As I was about to enter its range, it started swinging its weapon horizontally in advance.

It had more reach than me. I was shorter, and my largest knife was only half the length of its sword.

Caution made me take a step back.

During its swing, it leaned into it, taking an enormous step towards me to close the distance I just created. This boss wasn't stupid!

I let my body fall as I crouched as far as I could towards the ground. Too late for it to change the sword trajectory.

*WHOOOOOSHH!*

I heard the sword passing over my head. An eerie reminder of the consequences of a mistake.

That was way too close!

I loaded my legs with power.

My skill-enhanced speed would overpower the boss, but the fight wouldn't teach me a thing. Like a frog, I extended from my crouched position towards the goblin. This was my chance to strike!

I slashed my hand in an upward arc, going for its massive chest.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

*Swish!*

"Guhh!"

A spurt of blood followed it. The cut was clean and deep enough to cause significant damage. The goblin boss launched a counterattack, but this time I was prepared.

I leaped back, not willing to be caught off-guard again.

*Swooosh!*

As it missed the swing, I started moving towards it again.

The muscles in its shoulder, neck, and waist betrayed the goblin boss. I knew it prepared another swing for me. As I moved, I halted mid-movement of my step, all my momentum freezing, as if time had stopped. It gave the impression that I would come closer.

This time, you will be the one to receive punishment for your mistake!

It seemed impossible to stop the swing at that point. It would lose all its momentum if it did. To the goblin, I must've looked to be off balance with my one foot mid-step like that. It repeated the same move it did earlier. Leaning in to the swing with a massive step, trying its best to reach me.

Sorry but that's not gonna cut it, this will!

I pulled my floating foot back, getting ready to deliver a deadly blow.

The boss could discern that it wouldn't hit me. It had over-extended itself.

*Whoosh!*

Just as the sword went past me, hitting only air, I started my swing. The boss was off balance from overreaching; I aimed for its approaching neck.

*SWIIISHH!*

The cut was precise. Blood spread from my blade in a fan-like pattern.

The body of the boss plummeted to the ground. It must have been critical!

*Ping! ping!*

[LEVEL UP]

[TALENT HARVEST]

- Your talent, Talent Harvester, has activated.

- You gain – Enhanced Strength.

My skill activated! I almost forgot about it since it did nothing earlier. Did the other goblins have no talents?

Time to check it out.

[ENHANCED STRENGTH]

- Enhance the strength of the user.

- Has an additive effect on the Strength stat.

- 50% Strength increase.

"HOLY SHIT! 50%!?? ISN'T THAT TOO MUCH?"

No! I shouldn't be complaining at a time like this! What if the system nerfs it on my request?

Almost afraid to look now, I opened my stat screen

[STATS]

- Name: Arild Dahl

- Level: 6

- Health: 150/150 (15/min)

- Mana: 310/310 (31/min)

————

- Strength: 23 (34.5)

- Dexterity: 20

- Vitality: 15

- Wisdom: 31

- Available stat points: 5

————

…

With that single talent, my effective strength became even higher than the wisdom stat I've been putting most of my points into!

Then this begs the question, if the description said it had an additive effect… Are multiplicative effects out there too?

If that were true, the effective stats would receive a tremendous boost. The only hurdle was stacking those effects. Skill books were available as an item, showing the possibility of obtaining more. Talents, however, were abstract and didn't seem to be collectible. But with my talent harvesting, that shouldn't be a problem for me!

While I focused on my gains, I saw a gate materialize near the corpse of the dungeon boss. Relief washed over me.

I checked my inventory for the boss' drops.

[INVENTORY]

- Chieftain Short-Sword (D) – 1

- Crude Flint Dagger (F) – 6

- Crude Wooden Club (F) – 3

- Low-Grade Mana Crystal (F) – 30

- Mid-Grade Mana Crystal (F) – 1

I got the weapon the boss was using. It should be better than the kitchen knife I can't even put in my inventory. The weapon belonged to a magical realm, not for chopping veggies. The boss has dropped another Mana crystal. Still a rank F, but the type was different. It seemed larger and purer; it had a slight blue tint compared to the colorless low-grade ones I had.

[Mid-Grade Mana Crystal (F)]

- A crystal containing Mana. Can be consumed.

- Grade: F

- Mana: 50

It contained more Mana, so it's the same as getting 5 low-grade ones? I checked out my new weapon.

[Chieftain Short-Sword (D)]

- Damage: 10

- A short-sword used by a goblin chieftain.

I had no way to compare the stats to my knife. It would require a combat test to see the effects.

Switching my focus on the gate that materialized, I moved towards it.

I hope things are okay on the outside. I've been away for many hours since the world changed.