I set out for the Mountain of Coropuna after Roran made sure the weakness in my bond wouldn’t overwhelm me. He wanted to be certain I wouldn’t collapse or lose consciousness along the way. Before I left, he handed me new clothes, apologizing for forgetting to replace my prison rags the night before. Along with the clothes, he gave me a sword, a flask of water, and the letter I was to deliver once I reached the summit.

The forest felt different this time—less intimidating. I almost felt connected to it, as though it had embraced me in some fleeting, inexplicable way. Perhaps it was simply the daylight; the sun’s rays pierced through gaps in the dense canopy, scattering patches of light on the forest floor. Even with the towering trees blocking most of the sunlight, the place felt alive rather than oppressive.

As I walked, I realized how strangely enjoyable it was to wander through this forest. For the first time in a long while, my mind felt free of clutter. But then my dream from earlier resurfaced, pulling me back into the memories it unearthed.

Nix had been right—memories do manifest as dreams.

This guy’s memories... they were a painful mirror. He’d been the embarrassment of his family, cast aside until he eventually became an artisan. I couldn’t help but compare his past to mine. Like me, he’d been controlled, his choices dictated by someone else. The difference was in the nature of our captors—their motivations, their methods.

He’d loved someone once, a girl he met and cherished. But fate, or perhaps cruelty, had her betrothed to his older brother—the same brother I’d encountered in the jail. That memory stung with tragedy.

Every fragment of his life I glimpsed was heavy with failure and heartbreak. He tried—tried so hard—and yet, every effort ended in defeat. Was there no joy in his story? No fleeting moments of triumph? All I seemed to see were his scars.

But then the walk distracted me from diving too deep into this guy’s tragic memories. After all, tearing up in the middle of a forest isn’t exactly the look of a heroic adventurer—unless “weeping wanderer” is the vibe I’m going for.

This forest was unbelievably dense, as if it had swallowed everything but the trees themselves. Towering giants stretched skyward, their younger counterparts sprouting hesitantly below. The ground was a sea of orange, red, and yellow leaves—a vibrant testament that it was really autumn. I couldn’t help but wonder how people here prepared for the looming winter. Was it a season of scarcity, or did they harvest so much they couldn’t finish it all?

My musings didn’t last long. A cluster of animal skeletons caught my eye, stark and silent against the forest floor. A grim reminder of nature’s law: the weak get eaten, and the strong survive. It’s a belief I’ve carried with me for as long as I can remember, though I sometimes wonder which side of that equation I truly belong to.

The walk was so quiet that I couldn’t help but break the silence with a little concert of my own. I belted out the pre-chorus of one of Earth’s greatest hits, a masterpiece only a legend like me could ruin.

“Every dream’s a little farther,” I sang, my voice wobbling like a drunk pigeon.

“Every step’s a little harder,” I continued, hitting notes so off-key they could probably unlock a door.

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“But I’ll keep dancing through the fire,” I screeched, aiming for the high note with the grace of a cat stuck in a blender. Honestly, I wasn’t sure if I was singing or summoning wildlife to come end my misery. Either way, it was a show no one deserved to hear—but then, I was killing the silence, and maybe a few birds, too.

image [https://static.vecteezy.com/system/resources/thumbnails/027/187/944/small/gold-and-luxury-under-line-png.png]

When the sun dipped below the horizon, I reached the edge of the forest where the mountain loomed. It was massive, its jagged silhouette cutting into the night sky. Pathways wound their way up its face, but scattered among them were dark caves—likely where goblins slept.

The thought of running into green-skinned goblins lingered in my mind, but I pressed on.

The ascent wasn’t as steep as I’d expected. It was more like a winding road that tilted upward—nothing extreme, just enough to remind me I was climbing a mountain. Surprisingly, I wasn’t as worn out as I thought I’d be, considering my stamina wasn’t great. Maybe it was thanks to Roran’s concoction, the ultimate energy booster.

“Huff,” I muttered, stopping to catch my breath. “Time for a break.” I took out my water and drank the last of it.

Resting was a lesson I’d learned the hard way recently. With the bond inside me and my body starting to feel the strain, pushing forward without a pause wasn’t an option. But resting here, on this exposed trail or near one of those ominous caves, wasn’t exactly comforting.

My mind ran wild with scenarios—a goblin leaping out of the shadows while I let my guard down. Overthinking it wouldn’t help, but neither would ignoring the risk.

I didn’t expect a goblin to jump on me, especially right when I was thinking about one doing exactly that. Perfect timing.

“Heeheehee!” it cackled, landing right in front of me. It must have leapt from above when it spotted me. In its hand was a crude axe.

The goblin was small, but underestimating it would’ve been a mistake. Still, I wondered—are goblins intelligent creatures? Or just aggressive ones?

I dropped to one knee, feigning injury as I subtly twisted my leg, readying myself. It took the bait. The goblin's reckless nature was clear as it advanced, laughing like it had already won.

When it got close, I lunged forward, driving my sword into its neck with minimal effort. The blade pierced cleanly, and the goblin collapsed instantly.

[Goblin Defeated! 2 XP]

Unlike slimes, goblins bleed—a lot. The sight of its blood made my stomach churn. I gagged, barely holding back the urge to vomit. But then I had to keep moving.

More goblins screeched as they leapt towards me, its jagged blade swinging wildly. I ducked, barely avoiding the slash aimed for my neck, and swung my sword upward. It wasn’t clean or graceful, but the edge caught the goblin’s arm, sending it stumbling back.

Before I could catch my breath, two more goblins jumped from above, snarling as they landed. My grip tightened on the hilt of my sword. The weapon felt heavy in my hand, and my swings weren’t precise—clumsy, even—but I had no choice.

"Heeeee!"

The first goblin lunged, and I sidestepped, swinging my sword in a wide arc. It wasn’t a perfect strike, but it was enough to cut across its chest and send it crashing to the ground. The second goblin came at me from the side, forcing me to pivot awkwardly. I swung too late, the blade grazing its shoulder instead of delivering a killing blow.

The goblin snarled and slashed at me with its crude dagger. I stumbled back, barely managing to block its attack with the flat of my sword. My arms were starting to ache, my movements slowing.

This is bad.

But somehow, I managed to kill them all, relying on the bits of knowledge and basic swordsmanship I had. The advantage of having a sword skill had made the difference.

When the last goblin fell, I dropped to one knee, panting. My sword felt like a lead weight in my hand, and my arms trembled from the effort.

+15 XP earned.

Current XP: 73+/99. 15+

Phantom Slash [Mastery: 17+%]

Swordsmanship [Mastery: 11+%].

Damn. That was not what I expected. Facing this many goblins is such a pain. But at least my numbers are going up, even if it's slow. That part felt… satisfying, in a way.

I stopped near a small cave. It wasn’t deep—I could see the back wall from where I stood. It was more like a stone hollow carved into the mountain. Perfect for resting, I thought.

What surprised me was the lack of goblins or monsters inside. It felt oddly peaceful, a safe haven compared to the chaos outside. I glanced back at the scattered goblin corpses nearby and hoped their companions didn’t have a blood-scenting ability. The last thing I needed was a horde tracking me here.

Cling!

[Quest Notification]

Slay 20 goblins

Progress: 8/20

Possible Rewards:

• XP

• New Title: Goblin Slayer (Effect: Instills fear in low-level goblins)

• Unlocked Skill: Artisan’s Insight (Allows you to see weak points for 1 second)