Dizziness and blurriness enveloped Asher's vision, guiding him to the second level of the trial. To his astonishment, he found himself in a serene haven teeming with lush greenery and vibrant trees.
The atmosphere was rich with the earthy scents of the forest, a harmonious blend of pine, moss, and wildflowers. Sunlight streamed through the leafy canopy above, casting shadows on the forest floor. Asher's ears delighted by the melodious chirping of birds and the soft rustling of small creatures in the underbrush.
Initially, he hadn't noticed, as he had been pursued by a massive bear upon his arrival in this place. But now, as he marveled at the verdant paradise surrounding him, he couldn't help but be awestruck. Towering trees with emerald leaves reached the sky, their branches swaying gently in the soft breeze. All seemed peaceful until a realization struck him.
"Wait! Am I going to get attacked by that bear again?"
Anxiety gripping him at the thought of facing the massive bear again on the second floor, Asher swiftly scanned his surroundings for a suitable hiding spot. However, his concerns were swiftly laid to rest as the true focus of this trial revealed itself before him.
Trial's Objective: Eliminate 25 goblins within the allocated time limit!
Failure from completing the trial - Closure to further floors
Reward for completing the trial - Random Common Skill Book
Time Remaining: 10:00:00
09:59:59
"Goblins?"
Considering the trial's goal, Asher didn't see it as particularly challenging. It felt more like a standard task you'd give to new players in video games. It was quite straightforward, like entering a level 1-5 area, avoiding the simple rabbits and boars, and going straight for the third-weakest enemy in an RPG game - those small and seemingly weak goblins.
Asher knew what goblins usually looked like from depictions in all the books and video games he has consumed in a daily basis – small humanoids with green skin, pointy ears, and a knack for causing trouble. What puzzled him was why this objective was so different from the tough trial he faced on the first floor. It felt more like an average difficulty task, which was a stark contrast to his earlier experience.
Asher's train of thought might have seemed reasonable in the context of a video game, but this was reality, and the Trial of Awakening didn't bend its objectives to accommodate progress. It was at this very moment that Asher was about to discover the stark reality of the situation.
As he ascended to the second floor, his life teetered on the precipice of danger. While he took in the beauty of his surroundings and contemplated the trial's objectives, a sudden projectile hurtled toward him, aimed directly at the back of his head. In an instant, his attention was drawn by a swift movement, and as he turned his head, he was met with a shocking sight: an arrowhead embedded in a familiar object—a clean bedsheet, the very same one he had attached to his Animated Guardian.
"Ah! What the hell!"
Unbeknownst to him, the trial had already commenced, and Asher was not just the hunter but also the hunted. This fact became painfully evident as he realized that his head would have been pierced had it not been for his Animated Guardian, which had used the bedsheet as a makeshift shield, halting the arrowhead's advance midway through its deadly trajectory.
"Where on earth did that arrow pop out from?!" Asher was utterly bewildered by the sudden projectile. He squinted and scanned the area, but the situation was as clear as mud. The surroundings were quieter than a mouse in a library, and there wasn't a soul in sight, except for himself and his floating bed sheet.
It was like a magician pulling a rabbit out of a hat, except, in this case, it was an arrow seemingly conjured out of thin air.
In a swift and unexpected move, Asher's guardian extended the bedsheet once more, now forming a makeshift shield of considerable size. Just as the sheet unfurled, a second arrowhead pierced through it, leaving another hole in its fabric.
"Seriously? Again? Where's the bastard that's pulling these tricks?" Asher grumbled, frustration creeping into his voice. He was growing more and more anxious by the mysterious assailant who seemed to have a bone to pick with him and a talent for hiding.
"How am I supposed to find him? I can't make sense of his location...! Wait!" As Asher pondered a way to uncover the assailant's whereabouts, a sudden revelation struck him. How did his Animated Guardian always manage to intercept the arrows heading his way? Each time an attack was about to find its mark, the guardian somehow pinpointed it and deflected it just in the nick of time.
"What if..." His thoughts materialized into a plan.
"Animate Guardian, seek out the bastard that's been raining arrows on me!" Asher commanded, determination in his voice.
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Following his orders, the bedsheet began to float away from him, leaving him momentarily exposed, vulnerable to yet another arrow.
"He's actually going for it. That means he knows where that scoundrel is! I've got to limit the open space of his firing zone until it captures him."
Asher's heart raced, his senses on high alert. He could feel the tension in the air, the anticipation of the next arrow's flight. It didn't take long; a third arrow whizzed toward him without him noticing .Pain surged through Asher as the unexpected arrow embedded itself in his right shoulder. He grimaced, gritting his teeth to suppress a cry of agony.
"Aghr! That fucker!"
Through clenched teeth, the pain was excruciating, but he knew that attempting to remove the arrow would only exacerbate the situation, turning the scene into a gory mess of spurting blood. With his fingers trembling from the agony, he reluctantly made the gruesome decision to leave the arrowhead buried in its bloody enclave, opting to avoid further damage.
As Asher grappled with the searing pain in his shoulder and the gruesome decision to leave the arrow in place, a sudden scream shattered the silence of the forest. His head snapped in the direction of the cry, eyes widening in shock.
To his astonishment, his Animated Guardian had not only tracked down the elusive assailant but had also taken matters into its own spectral hands. It was dragging the assailant in question toward him fully tied up by the bed sheets, restraining its movements.
Asher watched in awe as the archer was deposited at his feet, disheveled and sheathing with anger. It was a sight to behold, the hunter becoming the hunted.
"Is that... a goblin?!"
To his amazement, the very entity responsible for his current predicament was none other than the infamous low-intelligence goblin. Yes, those goblins widely known for their lack of intellect compared to other races. However, contrary to Asher's preconceived notions, this particular goblin seemed like a masterful hunter. Its emerald-green skin was expertly concealed by a carefully applied coat of mud and crushed leaves, making it nearly invisible against the woodland backdrop in addition to his small stature advantage, making even harder to locate. Every inch of exposed skin had been obscured, allowing it to seamlessly blend with its surroundings.
Its keen eyes darted around with a purposeful intelligence, searching for an escape from its current situation. A gnarled and weathered bow, along with a quiver of arrows, were strapped to its back, though its captor had rendered it unable to utilize them, having tightly bound the goblin.
In that very instant, Asher came to realize how ignorant his earlier assumption had been, entirely off the mark. This was no run-of-the-mill quest; it was precisely what he had willingly committed himself to—a hard difficulty trial. Without the aid of his guardian, he wouldn't have had the faintest chance of locating, let alone apprehending, a solitary goblin. And yet, his mission entailed not just confronting one of these creatures, but rather with a tally of 25 of them.
"Gruk shemlok blork!"
Asher furrowed his brow, trying to decipher the goblin's bizarre words. It was clear that whatever message the goblin intended to convey was utterly unintelligible, leaving him both puzzled and intrigued.
"What is it? Huh? Let me guess, are you asking me to free you?"
"Zik-morlock mookle-doodle!"
The goblin's attempts at communication continued, each phrase more nonsensical than the last. Asher couldn't help but chuckle at the absurdity of the situation. "You're quite the linguist, aren't you? I wish I spoke 'Goblinese'!"
"@#$@#@#!!!"
"Whoa there, buddy! I have absolutely no clue what you just uttered, but it doesn't seem like the friendliest of phrases, does it? Let's put an end to this 'Goblinius Ridiculousness,' shall we?"
"clabberoo?!"
"Kill him."
Following his master's command, the guardian swiftly untied the goblin, setting him free from his restraints. Thinking that he had escaped, the goblin lunged at Asher. However, in the blink of an eye, the bedsheet wrapped around the goblin's neck, halting his movement once again. With a deft motion, the bedsheet ascended to a sturdy tree branch, and with a quick but forceful tug from the guardian, the goblin found himself suspended in the air, gasping for breath.
As the goblin dangled helplessly, its face contorted in desperation, struggling for even the slightest breath, Asher couldn't help but wonder if perhaps he had taken the "Goblinius Ridiculousness" a bit too far. But that fleeting thought was quickly dismissed as he laid his eyes on the arrowhead still embedded in his right shoulder.
You have killed a 'Goblin Hunter'. You have earned 5 EXP! (5/100)
Kill Count: 1/25 'Goblins'
While his summon dangled the goblin from the tree branch, a message materialized before Asher, its vibrant letters confirming the successful kill. He couldn't help but arch an eyebrow at the sudden and unexpected notification. Here, right before him, was tangible evidence of his very first experience points, something he had anticipated based on the character windows he had observed in the lobby. Yet, it felt oddly surreal to actually obtain them.
"I suppose one way to earn experience is by genuinely grinding monsters." Asher mused, contemplating the adventure that lay ahead.
As Asher gazed down at the lifeless goblin swinging gently from the tree, he couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions - from the strangeness of the situation to a hint of remorse.
"I'm sorry, but it's a matter of survival – kill or be killed."
As Asher looked at the lifeless goblin, something caught his eye. Right beside the goblin lay its belongings, including the same bow it had used against him.
Bending down, Asher picked up the goblin's bow and the nearby quiver.
https://i.imgur.com/ARx0PaP.png [https://i.imgur.com/ARx0PaP.png] https://i.imgur.com/E85ZPwW.png [https://i.imgur.com/E85ZPwW.png]
An idea struck him - this could be a useful tool, especially in a tough trial like this. With a knowing grin, he stowed the newfound weapon and handed it to his guardian.
"It's amazing I'm already getting an upgrade. This should make things a bit easier for us. Here, use these instead of the bedsheet. "
Your 'Animated Guardian' has unequipped the One-Handed Whip 'Clean Bedsheet'
Your 'Animate Guardian' has equipped the Two-Handed Bow 'Wooden Crude Bowt' & the Off-Hand Quiver 'Rusty Quiver'
"Now, let the hunt commence!"
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https://i.imgur.com/USf1QeB.png [https://i.imgur.com/USf1QeB.png] https://i.imgur.com/7RB4zXt.png [https://i.imgur.com/7RB4zXt.png]