The goblin captain’s beady red eyes locked onto them, and it let out a guttural roar that shook the walls of the tent.
"Well" Jack said, taking a step forward and raising his saber. "Looks like this is the final round."
Nova adjusted his grip on his spear, his knuckles white. "Let’s take it down."
[Goblin Captain]
Rank: 0
Name: None
Species: Goblin
Affiliation: None
Level: 0
Class: None
Attributes:
Strength: 3
Vigor: 3
Dexterity: 2
Speed: 2
Intelligence: 2
Wisdom: 1
Will: 0
Luck: 0
Both Nova and Jack glanced at the goblin captain’s stats, exhaling softly in relief. It wasn’t beyond their capabilities.
Nova turned to Jack, his tone nonchalant. “Which flank are you taking?”
Jack answered without hesitation, “The right.” Then, with a quick glance toward the goblin captain, he added, “Don’t stay in one spot for too long. Keep moving. This thing’s got low dexterity and speed—we can use that against it.”
Nova rolled his eyes but nodded. “Yeah, I figured that out, y’know?” He shifted his stance, preparing to take the left flank.
As if on cue, both of them sprinted at the same time. The goblin captain had barely finished roaring and readying itself for battle when it noticed two figures charging at it like titans. Caught off guard, it hesitated, unsure which target to focus on.
Its indecision didn’t last long—instinctively, it turned toward the nearest threat.
Unfortunately for Nova, that nearest threat was him.
“Ah, come on!” Nova cursed, bracing himself as he shouted, “You lucky bastard, this one’s on me! Hit him, Jack!”
A faint smile tugged at Jack’s lips as he dashed toward the goblin captain’s side. The creature, completely focused on Nova, failed to notice the swift approach. Jack didn’t waste the opportunity—his saber flashed, slicing cleanly into the goblin captain’s exposed side. A deep, jagged wound opened, blood spilling out in thick rivulets.
The goblin captain froze mid-charge, its body jerking as if jolted by a surge of pain. Then came the roar—a deafening, guttural cry that echoed through the battlefield. Enraged, it began swinging its rusty sword and battered shield in a wild frenzy, thrashing at everything around it.
Nova and Jack stood a few paces away, calmly watching the goblin captain’s chaotic rampage.
Jack smirked, his tone casual as he said, “Let’s just wait for this big guy to tire himself out. Then we finish the job.”
Nova gave a small nod, his eyes never leaving the goblin captain. “Fine, but just so you know” he said with a grin, “this kill’s still mine.”
Jack chuckled, saying nothing more as they watched the goblin captain rage on.
After five minutes of relentless thrashing, the goblin captain’s frenzy subsided. Its senses returned, and its heavy, labored breaths filled the air. It dropped its dented shield, desperate to recover faster. As it panted and steadied itself, its eyes finally fixed on the two towering figures standing motionless nearby.
The goblin captain froze for a moment, realizing that the two giants hadn’t lifted a finger during its entire outburst. They stood there, calm and composed, almost as if they’d been watching a performance. And, in a way, they had.
Nova broke the silence, a light laugh escaping him. “Look at that. This little guy finally noticed us. I was starting to think he was auditioning for a solo show.”
Jack sighed and shot him an exasperated look. “Man, can you be serious for once?”
Nova instantly quipped, “Nah, you’re the serious one here.”
Jack shook his head, a mix of annoyance and fondness crossing his face. Sometimes this best friend of his was an absolute pain. “Let’s just finish this guy off. We’ve got better things to do.”
Nova smirked and replied, “Sure, sure. You can stay back, though. No need to strain yourself, old man.” Without waiting for a response, he dashed toward the exhausted goblin captain, spear in hand.
Jack stood there, momentarily stunned. Then he shouted, “I’M ONLY A COUPLE MONTHS OLDER THAN YOU!” His voice echoed as he bolted after Nova, saber ready.
Nova reached the goblin captain first, his movements quick and precise. The spear pierced through the monster’s neck with a satisfying crunch. The goblin captain staggered, its life slipping away, yet it wasn’t done. With one last surge of defiance, it raised its rusty sword and swung it down at Nova in a desperate attack.
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Caught off guard, Nova tried to sidestep, but the strike was too fast. He braced for impact.
At the last second, Jack appeared, his saber clashing against the goblin captain’s descending blade. Sparks flew as the redirected strike missed Nova entirely.
Nova took a shaky step back, exhaling sharply. “You know” he muttered, “I had that under control.”
Jack lowered his saber, glancing at him with an unimpressed expression. “Sure you did” he deadpanned.
The goblin captain finally collapsed, its lifeless body hitting the ground with a dull thud. A moment of silence followed, broken only by the ragged breaths of the two combatants. Then, as if on cue, a notification echoed in their minds.
[Received 500 Stat EXP]
[Spear proficiency increased]
[Skill: Spear Thrust has been learned]
[Mission: Kill all the goblins in the village has been completed]
Rewards materialized before Nova's eyes:
* Item: Goblin Slayer’s Medallion
A medallion imbued with the essence of countless defeated goblins. Grants the wearer increased damage (+15%) against goblin-type enemies and heightened perception of hidden enemies within a 10-meter radius.
* Gold: 50 coins
* EXP: 150
* Title: Goblin Exterminator
This title enhances your reputation in towns and cities, increasing rewards for future quests involving monster extermination.
There were so many notifications flooding Nova's mind that he didn’t know where to start. His eyes darted from one alert to another, overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information.
He decided to focus on one thing first: the Stat EXP he’d been accumulating since the mission began. However, he was stuck. He didn’t understand the difference between Stat EXP and EXP, and there was only one person he trusted to explain it.
Turning his head slowly, Nova’s gaze locked onto Jack, a mischievous grin creeping onto his face. “Hey man, you know I like you, right?” he said, his tone dripping with shameless charm.
Jack let out an exasperated sigh, already sensing where this was going. “What do you need now?” he asked, rubbing his temple.
Nova wasted no time. “Look, I’ve been getting Stat EXP and EXP, but what’s the difference? Also, I kept seeing something about ‘Spear proficiency’ whenever I got Stat EXP. Care to explain?”
Jack could only shake his head. He was just as new to all of this as Nova, but thanks to his passion for RPGs, he’d managed to figure out a few things during their short time in this strange world. He decided to share what he knew.
“Alright, listen up” Jack began. “There are two types of EXP we can get. Stat EXP, as the name suggests, is used to directly increase your stats without needing to level up. From what I’ve seen, you need 500 Stat EXP to get 1 free stat point that you can allocate however you want.”
Nova nodded, his curiosity piqued.
“As for Spear proficiency” Jack continued, “it increases the more you kill with that weapon. Basically, the more you use a specific weapon type, the better you get at it. And when you unlock a skill, like your Spear Thrust, it’s best to level it up by using it in battle or through dedicated practice. Skills improve with use.”
Nova listened attentively, taking in every word. This was vital information, and without it, he knew he’d struggle to keep up in this new life. After a moment of contemplation, he gave a confident nod. “Got it. Makes sense.”
With that, he called up his status screen, eager to review everything he had gained from this adventure.
‘Status’
[Status]
Rank: 0
Name: Nova Grey
Species: Human
Affiliation: None
Level: 0 (150/500)
Class: None
Titles: Goblin Exterminator
Stat Points: 13
Attributes:
Strength: 4
Vigor: 3
Dexterity: 3
Speed: 4
Intelligence: 6
Wisdom: 6
Will: 6
Luck: 10
Skills
Active: Spear Thrust (0) (0/500)
“Hm, I have 13 Stat points to distribute…” Nova thought out loud, but before he could say anything to Jack, his friend interrupted him.
“You really do take me for a library, don’t you? Bet you don’t even know what those stats mean, right?” Jack said with a smirk.
Nova, as usual, nodded without shame.
Jack sighed. “Alright, listen up. Strength is pretty straightforward. It boosts your physical power—your punches, kicks, and weapon use. The higher it is, the more damage you’ll deal. Vigor increases your body’s defense and vitality. It’s like body tempering. Think of it like this: the higher your Vigor, the more resilient you’ll be, your injuries will heal faster, and your stamina will be greater. Dexterity’s all about agility and explosive speed. High enough, and you’ll be able to perform moves that seem almost impossible and use your power more efficiently. Speed, well, that’s just how fast you are in a straight-up sense—your maximum speed.”
“Intelligence should affect your mana capacity, while Wisdom’s all about control—basically, your brain processes things faster and gives you better control over mana. As for Will, I have no idea. Luck, though… it’s probably related to finding rare items, getting better drops, or maybe even getting out of tight spots alive. I’m not 100% sure about that one either” Jack explained, taking a deep breath after that long explanation.
Nova listened intently to Jack's explanation, then began to consider his options carefully.
‘Should I focus on Strength? But if I face an enemy with high dexterity and speed, I won’t even know how I died…’ He thought to himself. ‘I’ve already started with the crappiest Class, so survival is my priority. I need to secure that first. Speed should come first, then Dexterity, and lastly, Wisdom. If I can increase my body’s speed and make my mind fast enough to process it, I’ll be able to keep up.’
Nova slowly made up his mind, convinced that this was the best path for him at this stage. He’d just have to bear with it until he reached the mid-late game, where he could finally start reaping the rewards. But for now… he and Jack were the weakest humans on Earth.
With that, he focused and allocated his points accordingly. Once he finished, he called up his status.
[Status]
Rank: 0
Name: Nova Grey
Species: Human
Affiliation: None
Level: 0 (150/500)
Class: None
Titles: Goblin Exterminator
Stat Points: 0
Attributes:
Strength: 4
Vigor: 3
Dexterity: 8
Speed: 10
Intelligence: 6
Wisdom: 8
Will: 6
Luck: 10
Skills
Active : Spear Thrust (0) (0/500)
‘Good, I can already feel the changes. My thinking speed has skyrocketed. Now that I’ve upgraded my Stats, I can confidently say that 3 is the average human’s benchmark, and 6 should be humanity’s cap. That means I’ve broken through the limits of human potential in three different areas. Pretty cool.’ Nova thought to himself, a sense of satisfaction washing over him.
He started doing small sprints, and the difference was clear. Then he pushed himself, testing his maximum speed. To his surprise, it broke the current Olympian record—his top speed now reached 65 km/h.
‘Why am I shaking so badly?’ Nova wondered, a huge grin spreading across his face. The look he wore would have sent shivers down anyone’s spine.
Jack wasn't paying attention, too focused on testing his own progress. But even if he had been looking, he wouldn’t have been surprised by Nova’s look. His friend was a freak, and Jack knew it all too well. If he had to categorize the danger level of every human, none of them would even come close to Nova.
By society’s standards, Nova wasn’t human.