Hours ticked by as I navigated through the forest. The sun now hung directly overhead. Three times I encountered similar groups of goblins, and three times they met their demise. However, the giant ape-like monsters were nowhere to be seen again.

Checking my progress on enlightenment, I found disappointment.

Elidranthia Shadowstep, Blessed of the [Killing Star That Wanders The Cosmos]

Blessing Tier 1: [The Crimson Larva]

Enlightenment Rate: 14%

Metamorphosis Conditions: [Locked]

Current Perks:

* Fearlessness

* Eyes of Terror Evocation

* Adaptation

Skills:

1. Keen Perception

2. Aerial Grace

3. Visionary Mastery

4. Featherweight Descent

5. Lethal Precision

6. Umbral Concealment

7. Fleet Footed Sprint

Unfortunately, there wasn’t much improvement. It seemed that hunting the same kind of species repeatedly had diminishing returns. Despite dispatching over twenty deformed goblins, the increase in the Enlightenment rate was a mere two percent.

Time was not on my side. Uncertain about how far I had wandered into the forest, I knew I was still in the shallows. As the sun traversed the horizon, the expedition would soon reach the conflict area—or not. I had no knowledge of the path the expedition was taking. Assuming they were covering one part at a time due to the lengthy preparation, it marked a long expedition.

Despite my assumptions, I couldn’t be certain. It was best to prepare for the worst.

Hence, consequently, I decided to ignore the next two groups of goblins I encountered and kept moving.

Around another dense cluster of burnt trees, I witnessed a new scene: another deformed ape accompanied by about a dozen goblins. Though I was still far away, [Visionary Mastery] granted me the ability to see minute details from a distance. Opting to observe, I climbed a nearby tree.

The giant ape was grunting in an unintelligible manner. I couldn’t comprehend what it was saying, but it was unmistakably communicating with the other goblins. This revelation contradicted my understanding of these monsters as mindless agents of destruction. The idea of them engaging in civil conversation seemed absurd.

But there it was, the bizarre monster summit, the giant ape was holding a goblin TED Talk, sharing insights on tree-climbing strategies or maybe the latest trends in burnt-tree aesthetics.

It took a moment for the notion of intelligent monsters to settle in. Once it did, I swiftly dismissed it. Regardless of their intelligence, these creatures were still monsters, and it didn’t alter their purpose: to unleash havoc upon anything that breathed or moved.

My hands instinctively moved toward my dagger, and my heart began to race. The big one had provided a significant challenge during our previous encounter. If only it hadn’t been so foolish as to lose its stability, I might never have been able to hunt it.

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With my dagger in hand, I descended from my treetop perch, ready to add my own commentary to their intellectual discourse.

[Fleet Footed Sprint]

Silently gliding through the shadows, I navigated around the clearing, positioning myself just behind the giant ape without getting too close.

Initiating an approach would undoubtedly attract the creature's attention, especially with its keen sense of smell. My stealth abilities were ineffective against such heightened senses.

A major constraint was my lack of ranged spells and limited endurance for engaging in close combat. A single strike from the giant ape could prove fatal. While I theoretically could employ my daggers as throwing knives, I lacked experience in this area and hadn't tested whether [Lethal Precision] worked for ranged attacks.

Opting for the tried-and-true method, I embraced my inner gremlin.

[Fleet Footed Sprint] [Keen Perception] [Aerial Grace] [Lethal Precision]

With a burst of strength propelling me forward, I closed the distance. The giant ape's grotesque nose twitched as it belatedly sensed my presence, but by then, I was already on it.

Surprising a three-meter-tall monstrosity was a bit like ambushing a boulder, but I had the element of surprise on my side. To reach its towering neck, I'd need to give away my own stability by jumping, so I opted for a more grounded approach. [Lethal Precision] engaged once again as my dagger sliced cleanly through one of its legs.

A deafening shriek echoed through the clearing, announcing the commencement of yet another round in our game of rat and giant-ape-cat.

The hunt was on once again.

***

Amongst the trees, I danced with the grace of fleet-footed elegance.

The wind, now a companion, playfully smacked against my face. Carrying with it the scent of burning wood, intermingled with the coppery aroma of warm vitae.

Coming to a momentary halt, I surveyed the area around me—the violent hollers and shrieks orchestrated by the ongoing battle. A grin played upon my lips, a subtle invitation to the mad goblins on my heels. Some of them closed in, drawn by the allure of the hunt.

I welcomed them, observed their eager approach with a smile on my face.

Tiny goblins, their wobbly claws reaching out for a little tickle, though their expressions hinted at desires far less innocent.

[Lethal Precision]

"Tee-hee. You fell for it again!"

Heads rolled in quick succession, each one met with a surge of rejuvenating energy coursing through me.

I led the grotesque entourage on a merry chase through the forest, the little goblins scurrying after me like pesky insects. Their ugly faces and annoying presence grated on my nerves, and I dispatched them swiftly whenever they drew near.

But it was the giant ape that held my focus. Despite having one leg severed, the wound had healed to a stump without actual regeneration. An interesting discovery.

Now, in a fit of madness beyond comprehension, the ape screeched and pursued me with violent fervor. Its eerie gait and combination of clawed limbs made for a horrifying spectacle as it closed in on me.

Employing a similar tactic, I waited for the moment when its rage would cause it to lose its stability. As it paused, its limbs contracting in readiness, I seized the opportunity to make my escape.

Leaping away, I watched from a safe distance as the once lush green clearing was torn to shreds by the ape's savage claws.

In a moment of triumphant pause, a few steps away from the infuriated ape, I flashed it an innocent smile. The head of a goblin that dared to approach already rolled on the ground, further fueling the ape's frustration.

Unable to contain its rage, the ape charged at me once again. However, my strategic movements always kept me just out of reach of its attacks. This continuous evasion pushed the ape over the edge, shattering any semblance of order in its pursuit.

As before, I soon found myself in the perilous proximity of the deformed ape's horrifying visage. Its needle-like teeth threatened to devour me whole, yet the exposed neck presented an irresistible opportunity.

Activating [Lethal Precision], I coated my dagger with the deadly skill. This time, however, a second activation of [Lethal Precision] found its way to my feet.

I jumped.

Time seemed to slow as the dagger made contact with the exposed neck of the ape.

With the burst of strength propelling me forward, the ape's head flew off in a triumphant display. The Ape's body crashed below me, having learned my lesson the last time.

However, my celebration was cut short by a stark reality—I had overlooked the surrounding trees in my victory leap.

As I sailed through the air, the realization hit that my line of flight wasn't clear.

In an ungraceful turn of events, a tree loomed in my path, closing the distance faster than my thoughts could keep up. The collision was inevitable, and I found myself crashing face-first into the unforgiving bark.

Ouch.