The walk to the lake took me an hour, though I felt it was faster thanks to the level than I thought it'd be. Thank Isis for that. I continued wandering through the forest, and I couldn't help but notice something.
Usually when your friend goes missing, you would do anything to find them wouldn't you? At the very least, you'd send an investigation party to find out if something is posing a serious threat that lives nearby right?
Not a single goblin showed up looking for the fool.
Of course, that could be due to multiple reasons. They live in the forest after all (and so do I now) so maybe death is common. Goblins have never been shown to be particularly smart, so it's possible they dismissed his disappearance.
It is equally possible that he was just a singular goblin, spawned by the natural density of mana, and I killed him before he was able to ... populate the location.
I do have a personal theory though, and I think it's the most amusing. What if he was so stupid, that he was kicked out of his settlement. I don't know how stupid goblins usually are, but considering it was using a club 2 times its size, I could see it as being the stupid one of the groups. I was also sure it was cross-eyed. I think. I'm not sure, I was taught to watch out for signs of higher-level settlements, not study the anatomy of goblins.
After using the vine lash, and producing stake strike, I decided to experiment. Life was going to get boring quickly if I don't have a little fun. And I won't have any fun at this rate I'm walking.
First off, according to Stolidus, I can buy skills since I got a skill point from my last level up. Stolidus?
[Yes, I heard you. You want to buy a skill, right?] There you are my lazy guide. Are all the other guides like you? Like, really lazy? [No, most of them are either active or professional. They decided for the guy who will be living a slow life, that you should have a slow guide. ] That's stupid. [Yup] Agreed the little illusion. Today he looks weird and deformed, like a children story illustration. Stolidus coughed. [It's called chibi. What skill do you want?] He asked, clearly trying to steer the conversation off-topic.
He succeeds though, as an illusionary table appears before me, stocked with all these skills, with some of them having rather impressive names, and equally horrifying prices. Stolidus, don't point bait me with stuff I can't afford. Only 1 skill point skills please.
The table flickers for a second before the expensive skills disappear, leaving me with 1-point skills only. By the way, get rid of all the wood and plant-based skills. I'm sure I can learn those in my spare time.
And again, the table flickers, and soon I'm left with a smaller set of skills, among which, I think I've found one that could be used quite well. I want that one please.
A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
[This is going to go so wrong]
This is going to go great.
[Skill gained: steel imbuement.]
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So, I found out I can fit inside my shell completely, so I at least know that this part of the plan should work fine.
[None of this plan is fine. I thought you were a noble. This is a stupidly impractical plan. It's insane]
No innovators were ever sane. I spent my whole first life cooped up; I'm not spending this one the same.
[Fine. Whatever. At least you bought the right skill for this.]
You're damned right about that. I focus, thinking of my brilliant plan and soon, a rumbling sensation begins beneath me as the ground begins to lower around me.
Or I rise above it.
I've often been told that hawthorn, ash or even blackwood is great for my purpose, so I imagine ash in particular to create what I want.
[Skill: wood work is unlocked]
I can even see Stolidus gripping his forehead and sighing, though it looks more cute than anything else in this form. Chibi is quite cute, isn't it.
Soon, a wooden y structure is present near me, attached to a clump of vines, carefully created, and woven into a comfortable shape.
I always wanted a slingshot; never quite had the time to play with one, and I always envied the commoners in this way, free to use their life the way they want.
Now, I get to play with the slingshot I always wanted.
[Are you really sure about this?] Asked Stolidus worriedly.
Absolutely. And using steel imbuement, I turn my whole body into steel as I will the vines to pull backwards, and the ash screams as the slingshot is pulled backwards by an invisible hand, and the vine grows taut, that I can't see it go any further.
And I tell it to let go.
[Skill unlocked: Turtle Launcher]
Despite not seeing a thing, I can hear plenty, as the immense change in air pressure around me creates a roar of winds as I fly through the woods, literally, as I hear myself fly though a tree or two, and I even hear a horrendous squelch. did I just fly through something?
[Congratulations! You blew through a mimic magpie! It didn't feel a thing! You gained a level]
I did kill something.
Soon I crash into something hard, but thankfully, it doesn't seem hard enough, as I don't feel my shell hasn't been broken in any way, though I do feel a bit hurt.
I check my stat box:
Level:3/5
Hp: 224/244
Spd:22
ATK: 14
Def: 480
Moves: Photosynthesis, harden, vine lash, bite, Appraisal lvl 1 stake strike, steel imbuement, turtle launcher
+[Shop]+
Skill points: 1
Points: 14
Neat. I got 10 points from killing a mimic magpie. No clue what that was, but it seems stronger than the goblin at least. That was fun!
[Neat! Neat my ass! You could've killed yourself like that! You moron! Where is any of that noble self! You were 18! Bull**it! You were practically 10 with a stunt like that!] I ignored him of course, he needs to cool down. I pop my head out and find myself buried into a stone wall, as I even see smoke coming out of the wall. Did I really do that much? I look at my shell and find splotches of flesh and feathers.
Yuck.
Alright. Time to head back.
[Don't you do it!]
I ignore him as I start setting up another turtle launcher. Why shouldn't I? Why shouldn't I fly like a cannonball?