With a keen eye, Jae-sung scanned his surroundings. Though no immediate threats presented themselves, he soon discovered goblin tracks, and with stealthy steps, he crept along the trail. Pressing himself against the rough bark of a tree, he peered through the thick foliage at the creatures resting before him. The goblins were crudely armed with short, jagged knives, chattering and laughing among themselves, completely unaware of the hunter lurking in the shadows.

As the cold sweat broke out on his forehead, Jae-sung contemplated his options. Should he flee or fight? As he weighed his options, he devised a plan. Summoning steel wire from his fingertips, he attached it to two nearby trees at approximately goblin height. Finding a decent-sized rock, he returned to the spot where the goblins rested.

With a baseball pitcher's stance, he let loose the rock, crushing the skull of one goblin and causing a commotion. As the remaining goblins startled and gave chase, Jae-sung bolted through the bushes, avoiding the traps he had set. Soon, two goblins lay mutilated, their bodies in halves, leaving only one to confront.

With swift precision, Jae-sung disarmed the goblin, kicking its hand, and circled around it, wrapping steel wire around its neck, pulling tighter and tighter, cutting deep, as the goblin suffocated, scratching, biting and kicking in a desperate attempt to survive. But Jae-sung persisted, continuing to apply pressure until finally, the goblin lay motionless.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Exhausted, Jae-sung laid on the floor, recouping his strength, and glancing around for any danger that might have heard the commotion. And as he lay there, he was greeted with the prompt,

"You leveled up."

He then opened his stat window.

Name: Jae-Sung

Level: 2

Class: Ferromancer

HP: 91

MP: 11

[Stats]

Strength: 19

Stamina: 15

Agility: 18

Intelligence: 21

(Available points to distribute:3)

[Skills]

-Steel wire

-Metal body enhancement

Ecstatic at the improvement he had made, Jae-sung hastened to place two skill points into intelligence and one into agility. His aim was to become a casting assassin, capable of quickly eliminating enemies, and this seemed the perfect choice.

With eager anticipation, he sought to test his new abilities. He could feel a part of his body metallicize, as a protective covering formed over his chest. The material was the same as that of the wire. Focusing his energy upon his hand, it too became metallic, and he was able to augment its shape, extending a small, razor-sharp blade, with a blueish tint, curved inward like a scythe, from his arm. A menacing chuckle escaped his lips as he reveled in excitement.

With ruthless efficiency, Jae-sung set about filleting the ears from the goblin corpses, collecting them as a valuable item to sell upon his return and as proof of his successful mission. He then returned his hand to its normal state and set about seeking an exit. His mana was dwindling, and he was not confident that he would be able to engage in another battle, as the class's mana consumption was excessive.

With care, avoiding the goblins, he trekked through the jungle, seeking to make as little noise as possible. As he neared the exit, a scream echoed between the trees.

"Help!"