Haru moved silently through the dense forest, his steps careful and soundless. He had on a black pelt which blended with the shadows that stretched around him.
The Great Wilderness was alive with creatures, ranging from goblins and ogres to fearsome behemoths that not even the heroes at their peak wished to contend against. These powerful beasts kept humanity's kingdoms far from 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.
> World Knowledge
> Race: 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.
> Race: 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 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 goblins began to wander further from the camp's perimeter. One of them caught the faint scent of something sweet and followed the aroma, drawn to the half-eaten nectar fruit, which had now grown more pungent.
The unsuspecting goblin greedily took the nectar fruit in its hands, looking both ways to ensure no one saw him, before gobbling it up, oblivious to the danger lurking behind.
> Minus Strength
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 out for help, but Haru was quick to react. He jammed his arm towards the back of the goblin's teeth before it could scream, lodging 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.
Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.
'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 a certain amount of materials, making it perfect for his current situation. It was expensive and had cost him most of his Klador he 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 an Elite goblin. It was 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 each other.
Using the light of a crystal he bought, Haru soon found markings on the dire wolves and followed their tracks. Eventually, he reached a rocky area with a large cave in the distance. Wolf-like creatures rested at the cave's mouth, guarding the entrance.
> Race: Dire wolf
>
> Description: Ferocious quadrupeds known for their speed and brutality. They can dismember prey within seconds. Exposure to blood may trigger a frenzy. If they are hungry and catch your scent, escape is nearly impossible.
>
> 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 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 wolves' attention.
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, Haru 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!"
> Minus Strength
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.
> Race: 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
> World Knowledge Lv2
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.
If he had known the wolves had a Greater Ravager, he never would have taken on this mission. 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.
Haru felt like crying but didn't have the chance as the Ravager swiped its claws.
> Minus Strength
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 shredded paper.
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 out 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 artifact 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.