[Death from afar] seems useful if I had a sniper rifle but I might be able to use it with my revolvers and pick the Goblins off from afar.

Looking down from the cropping I've taken cover in, I can see the Goblins "camp" full of dirt and scraps. They took refuge from the harsh winds between two cliffs, it looks like a hill cleaved in half, their camp festering in the wound.

Goblins are small, humanoids with sharp teeth, green to greyish skin. They kind of look like children if they wore normal clothing. They started spreading eight years ago on the day the system appeared, reproducing at stupid rates.

No one knows what or who created the system but with it came monsters, human and inhumane. It gives one a primary class and subclasses which allow you to do supernatural feats like shooting something from a distance you can barely see the target at or bending steel with your bare hands.

There should be a dozen Goblins, three huts, two cows they stole and kept in tiny pens and the crown jewel, a salvaged Magitech Mech.

It's six and a half foot tall, covered in bloody red paint and with bits and bobs stuck to it, spikes welded onto it at jagged angles and a Farmol Sniper Rifle taped to the left arm. Supplies, a workbench and a little can of fuel are next to it.

My [Magitech Tinkerer] Heart is crying at the sight but it is still salvageable. It also means they have a [Goblin Tinkerer] and tools somewhere which means I can stock up here.

None of the Goblins seem to have advanced classes except the [Goblin Tinkerer], maybe a [Goblin Farmer] for the cows but I doubt it. Non-destructive classes are a rarity among Goblins.

The [Goblin Tinkerer] is probably their leader, they are too unorganised for a [Chieftain].

The [Goblin Tinkerer] leaves the hut next to the mech, welding goggles and a bandana hiding wispy strands of hair and baggy shorts covering most of his legs.

I pull out the Magitech Revolver and put an Airgem bullet into the chamber.

[Steady Aim], [Death from afar]

My breathing steadies and my hand becomes almost motionless as I aim at the Goblins head, Mana quickly going down.

I won't have enough for a second [Reap Shot], I will have to make this one count and deal with the rest while my Mana recharges.

With [Steady Aim] active, I can regenerate 8 Mana per minute, [Reap Shot] takes 10 Mana, and I've got 16 Bullets and a handful of magitech ones.

It should work with my current position if they have no long-range fighters and no one else can pilot the mech.

The [Goblin Tinkerer] takes a wrench and starts whacking the mech with it, trying to impress the other Goblins in his last moments before Death, not that he knows that.

[Reap Shot]

My shot hits true and pierces through his right shoulder, bouncing off the mech's leg without damaging the armour.

The [Goblin Tinkerer] screeches and hops to the side, whirling around as the other Goblins burst out laughing.

I drop [Death from afar] and see my Mana slowly regenerate as I take aim and press the trigger.

His hopping causes my shot to hit him in the stomach instead of the chest but he manages to hop and fall behind his workbench.

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

The other Goblins gather around the workbench and laugh, investigating him as some start looking around, trying to find me.

[Sneaking] comes in handy and I manage to squeeze behind the cropping and peek over it, seeing the Goblins starting to realise their mistake.

They all stand crowded around a barrel of fuel.

I don't have enough for [Reap Shot] but I shouldn't need it.

I've got maybe 18 seconds with both of my skills active. I disable Kill notifications, they will only distract me from the next part.

[Steady Aim],[Death from afar]

I grab my non magical revolver, load in a regular bullet and take aim, leaning onto the edge to steady myself even more.

One of the Goblins notices me, pointing up and shouting something in Goblin.

Too little, too late.

I press the trigger and watch my bullet hit the fuelcan, sparks fly but nothing else happens.

The Goblins burst out laughing, two grabbing shoddy weapons from beneath their clothes and pointing them up.

A high-pitched whistle catches their interest and as they all look towards the fuel can, it explodes.

Fire bursts out of the valley, covering their camp in flames that lick at their huts, destroy their work and burn their flesh.

Just as suddenly as it appears, it vanishes, leaving smouldering woods and charred corpses behind. The paint on the mech has been burned off and the huts have been reduced to rubble, small fires starting within.

A Magitech explosion. Fire burning everything in its path and putting the fire out just a second later, leaving only Death and destruction behind.

One of the Goblins has been caught at the edge of the explosion and I quickly slide down the side of the cliff face and make my way to the camp, dropping my skills.

I've regenerated half of my Mana when I arrive at the camp and see the Goblin writhing on the ground, rolling and getting dust and dirt all into his wounds.

I jog over and take out my dagger, swiftly killing him and ending his agony.

I wait a minute and check my notifications to confirm that all Goblins died before properly going into the camp, letting it cool down.

My Magitech Revolver is hot, it seems like four rounds might be my maximum in such a short span.

Most of the camp is unsalvageable, the cows died and I butcher them as best as I can, getting a day's worth of meat wrapped in wax paper.

The Goblins only had shoddy revolvers that broke because of the explosion, ammunition exploding inside the chamber and ripping their hands apart.

I root through the [Goblin Tinkerer]'s pouches and grab what little materials he has before turning to the mech.

It is an old model, having been repaired dozens of times, but the explosion seems to have done it in for good.

Pipes have burst, the fuel cell in the back detonated and burst its back open.

The Farmol Sniper Rifle still seems functional, having been on the other side of the fuelcan.

It's almost brand new, it must have been from one of their recent raids, and is a bolt action rifle with .50 cal. The scope is cracked but I can work around that.

I cut off one ear from each Goblin before returning to the mech.

Disassembling the Mech, I start noticing all the hack job parts inside that now got obliterated. It has barely been holding on, held together by hopes, dreams and hoblin spit.

I manage to sketch most of the mech, understanding the power system but missing some of the crucial parts.

It's enough.

[Congratulations, Magitech Tinkerer has reached level 2, stats have been awarded.]

Finally, I've been sitting on the verge of a level up for that class for almost half of a year!

I grab the Sniper Rifle and a few dented coins they had laying around before checking the chamber of the Sniper.

The Sniper wasn't loaded, which saved it.

Grabbing a piece of cloth that survived, I make a makeshift sling for the Sniper, strapping it on my back.

I've got no ammunition for it but I can get some in the next town, it's expensive but it'll help against the Dragon.

I depart on the road towards Buzzards Dale, on my way to kill a Dragon.