Without any hesitation, Nova effortlessly dispatched the four goblin generals. His stats had grown so high that they posed no challenge, and he didn’t even break a sweat. Moving on, he proceeded to sever a leg from each of the last two remaining goblin generals. Stopping in front of one of the kneeling goblins, he took a moment to prepare.
With calculated precision, he adopted the Overhead Strike stance. His right foot was positioned behind him, the left foot planted firmly ahead. His knees were slightly bent, and his grip on the spear was steady—his left hand near the rear of the shaft, his right hand placed about a third of the way down. The grip was firm, yet relaxed enough to allow fluid movement.
He slowly raised the spear overhead, the point directed toward the goblin general, the shaft angled just right. With a swift push of his back foot, he generated momentum for the strike. His right hand guided the spear’s trajectory as his left hand drove it downward, carving a controlled arc. The spear tip sliced cleanly through the goblin’s back, emerging from his chest with half the shaft embedded in the wound.
The goblin’s enraged howls echoed in the air, but to Nova, the only sound that mattered was the quiet system notification.
[Spear proficiency increased.]
Nova replayed his actions in his mind, his focus sharpening as he became more attuned to the movement. He corrected the small mistakes he had made and repeated the motion, each time refining his technique. It wasn’t long before he heard the familiar sound he had been waiting for.
[Received 2500 Stat EXP]
[Spear proficiency increased.]
[Skill: Spear Overhead Strike has been learned.]
With a light exhale, Nova returned to his normal stance, resting the spear on his shoulders. He looked down at the remains of the goblin general, his thoughts drifting momentarily. ‘These guys really make great dummies. Wouldn't it be perfect if I could train like this forever?’ He quickly dismissed the thought. ‘Enough with these musings—time to learn the Lunge.’
Nova approached the final goblin general. The goblin had already resigned itself to death, its eyes closed in acceptance of its fate.
Nova shifted into the Lunge stance, which was almost identical to the Overhead Strike but required different execution. Taking a moment to center himself, he pushed off with his back foot, driving his front foot forward in a controlled yet swift motion. His front knee bent naturally as he simultaneously thrust the spear, guiding it with his right hand while using his left to propel it forward. The spear pierced cleanly through the right side of the goblin general’s chest, emerging from the left side. The goblin stifled a scream, but before it could fully register the pain, Nova lunged again, not stopping until the goblin had been reduced to little more than a bloody mess.
[Spear proficiency increased.]
[Spear proficiency increased.]
The only sounds that filled the arena now were the relentless system notifications and the pained howls of the goblin general. Nova pressed on, methodically executing each strike with precision. The goblin, long since silenced by the sheer intensity of the blows, lay motionless—nothing more than a lifeless husk.
Then, finally, the notification he had been waiting for arrived.
[Received 2500 Stat EXP.]
[Spear proficiency increased.]
[Skill: Spear Lunge has been learned.]
A small smile tugged at the corner of Nova’s lips as he muttered to himself, “Now I’m done with the spear basics... just need to level them up.” He paused, a thought crossing his mind. ‘I should check my status and allocate the newly acquired points.’
With that, he called out inwardly.
‘Status.’
[Status]
Rank: 0
Name: Nova Grey
Species: Human
Affiliation: None
Level: 0 (150/500)
Class: None
Titles: Goblin Exterminator
Stat Points: 30
Attributes:
Strength: 7
Vigor: 10
Dexterity: 11
Speed: 12
Intelligence: 6
Wisdom: 8
Will: 6
Luck: 10
Skills
Active: Spear Thrust (3) (9/4000), Spear Jab (3) (700/4000), Spear Sweep (0) (0/500), Spear Lunge (0) (0/500), Spear Overhead Strike (0) (0/500)
‘30 points... they seem like a lot, but... I need more’ Nova thought, a sense of urgency growing in his gut. ‘Even though this trial doesn't seem meant to kill, but to train, I doubt they wanted to train sissies. Focus. I need more Wisdom to accelerate my brain speed—at least 20. I’ll allocate the rest evenly between Speed and Dexterity.’
With a steady breath, Nova concentrated and allocated the points accordingly.
He then checked again.
[Status]
Rank: 0
Name: Nova Grey
Species: Human
Affiliation: None
Level: 0 (150/500)
Class: None
Titles: Goblin Exterminator
Stat Points: 0
Attributes:
Strength: 7
Vigor: 10
Dexterity: 21
Speed: 20
Intelligence: 6
Wisdom: 20
Will: 6
Luck: 10
Skills
Active: Spear Thrust (3) (9/4000), Spear Jab (3) (700/4000), Spear Sweep (0) (0/500), Spear Lunge (0) (0/500), Spear Overhead Strike (0) (0/500)
Nova sprinted forward, eager to test the limits of his newfound speed.
‘133 km/h... I can perfectly analyze it thanks to my brain. My burst speed is double that, and my agility has improved significantly. Did I just become a superhuman after not even three hours in this portal? This is crazy.’
Five minutes passed as Nova stood still, letting the gravity of his transformation sink in. His body felt like it was pulsating with power, and his mind was sharper than ever.
He snapped out of his reverie, stepping into position as he muttered to himself, "I will bring all of them as high as possible in 55 minutes. With my improved body, I should be able to level up a couple of these skills."
This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.
[Spear Thrust proficiency increased.]
[Spear Jab proficiency increased.]
[Spear Sweep proficiency increased.]
[Spear Lunge proficiency increased.]
[Spear Overhead Strike proficiency increased.]
[Fight starts in 05:00.]
[Be at the arena by the end of the countdown. The penalty is death.]
Nova stopped to give a final check to his progress.
Skills
Active: Spear Thrust (3) (1659/4000), Spear Jab (4) (0/8000), Spear Sweep (1) (490/1000), Spear Lunge (2) (150/2000), Spear Overhead Strike (2) (150/2000)
"Not bad, I did 1650 thrusts, 990 sweeps, 1650 lunges, 3300 jabs, and 1650 overhead strikes. Sweeps are too slow; it’ll take a while to improve them" Nova mused. "I wonder what’s the max level for these skills... if only I had my encyclopedia here!" He started seriously, but by the end, he chuckled at himself.
Soon...
[Fight starts in 00:01]
[Fight started]
"Let me guess, 18 goblin generals?" Nova said aloud, a grin tugging at his lips.
And he was right. As the fight began, 18 copies of the first goblin general he had defeated appeared, marching toward the center of the arena.
‘This is going to go to shit really soon’ Nova thought, already dreading what he knew was coming. He had an unsettling sense of what the fight would entail, and he didn’t like it one bit.
The battle, however, was over far quicker than expected. Nova had outgrown the goblin generals, and 18 of them were nowhere near enough to close the massive gap in stats and skills between the two sides.
[Received 2500 Stat EXP.]
[Spear Thrust proficiency increased.]
As the last notification echoed in his mind, Nova lowered his spear, watching the 18 bodies disappear right before him. He was softly panting, his energy reserves running low. ‘I need to increase my Vigor more, he thought. Otherwise, I won’t last much longer here.’
He called for his Status, but when it appeared, he noticed something unusual.
[Status]
Rank: 0
Name: Nova Grey
Species: Human
Affiliation: None
Level: 0 (150/500)
Class: None
Titles: Goblin Exterminator
Stat Points: 54
Attributes:
Strength: 7
Vigor: 10
Dexterity: 21
Speed: 20
Intelligence: 6
Wisdom: 20
Will: 6
Luck: 10
Skills
Active: Spear Thrust (3) (1670/4000), Spear Jab (4) (3/8000), Spear Sweep (1) (492/1000), Spear Lunge (2) (151/2000), Spear Overhead Strike (2) (150/2000)
‘The points required to earn 1 Stat point changed. I should’ve gotten 90 from the 18 goblin generals, but I only earned 54… Let me think... The only threshold I can see is the 100th point. I had already received 58 Stat points in total, so I only earned 42 out of the 90 before I hit the threshold, and then I only received 12 instead of 48... That means I need 2000 Stat EXP for each point of Stat. This is becoming painful. Difficulty is going up, but my strength will soon not be able to keep up. I’ll add points to Vigor and shorten my breaks. I will also increase some Strength, and the rest will be split between Dexterity and Speed.’
‘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: 20
Vigor: 24
Dexterity: 28
Speed: 30
Intelligence: 6
Wisdom: 20
Will: 6
Luck: 10
Skills
Active: Spear Thrust (3) (1670/4000), Spear Jab (4) (3/8000), Spear Sweep (1) (492/1000), Spear Lunge (2) (151/2000), Spear Overhead Strike (2) (150/2000)
‘That’s better, I can finally feel the +15% from the medallion, it’s giving me +3 Strength but only against goblins, so it’s not shown... I see. I don’t have time to waste. I will focus on jabs for now.’
Nova focused his mind as he resumed the jab training, pushing his body into a steady rhythm. Every jab was a repetition, a motion that ingrained itself into his muscle memory. His body didn’t tire, and with each jab, his proficiency increased.
Time seemed to blur as Nova continued his relentless pace.
[Spear Jab proficiency increased]
[Skill: Spear Jab (4) (8000/8000) -> Spear Jab (5) (10043/16000)]
[Fight starts in 05:00]
[Be at the arena by the end of the countdown. The penalty is death.]
The system’s notification came through as he finished his session. ‘18,000 jabs in an hour, that’s okay. The more I increase my Dexterity and Speed, the higher the number will be. Let’s rest for the next 5 minutes.’ Nova muttered to himself, settling down momentarily to catch his breath.
[Fight starts in 00:01]
[Fight started]
Nova stood up, taking a deep breath and rolling his shoulders. He had rested just enough to keep going. He turned his attention to the sand shifting beneath him. The ground trembled as the next wave of enemies appeared.
52 goblin generals, a staggering number. They marched toward the middle of the arena, their eyes locked on Nova.
Nova didn’t wait for the 52 goblin generals to reach the center of the arena. He charged forward with a burst of speed, closing the gap before they could organize themselves. The fight began to take a heavy toll on him, however. It wasn’t just about raw stats—numbers made the real difference. While he was focused on one goblin general, four others would creep up from behind, forcing him to continuously fight in multiple directions. There was no way to avoid taking injuries under these circumstances.
His breath grew laboured, each inhalation feeling more difficult than the last. As his spear pierced through the final goblin general's body, he could hardly find the energy to pull it out.
[Received 2500 Stat EXP]
[Spear Jab proficiency increased]
‘It’s finally over…’ Nova thought to himself, struggling to inhale as much air as his lungs could hold, as if he were starving for oxygen. The battle had drained him far more than expected.
He quickly checked his status, eager to allocate his points where they could make the most difference. This time, he was prioritizing Wisdom, Dexterity, and Vigor. His max speed against such overwhelming numbers had proven to be useless—the goblins could tire him out before he could even finish a single wave. He needed more efficiency in dealing with them and, above all, more stamina. Wisdom would give him the mental clarity and processing speed to analyze the battlefield more effectively, allowing him to react faster and dodge more efficiently.
‘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: 20
Vigor: 50
Dexterity: 47
Speed: 30
Intelligence: 6
Wisdom: 40
Will: 6
Luck: 10
Skills
Active: Spear Thrust (3) (1692/4000), Spear Jab (5) (10043/16000), Spear Sweep (1) (492/1000), Spear Lunge (2) (151/2000), Spear Overhead Strike (2) (150/2000)
‘As long as the injury isn’t too deep, I shouldn’t lose my combat strength.’ Nova thought, already moving into the Spear Jab stance before he had even finished processing the idea. He knew that there was no time to waste—practice was the only way forward.
Time passed quickly as Nova repeated the jab over and over. The 6th wave of goblin generals arrived with 152 enemies. Despite the large number, Nova managed to kill them all. He sustained only light injuries, and as soon as he sat down to rest, they began healing. His body’s resilience was improving—each battle seemed to add a bit more endurance and speed to his every movement.
Then came the 7th wave. This time, 444 goblin generals charged at him. Nova fought fiercely, but one of them got the upper hand for a brief moment. A goblin's spear managed to graze his arm, and with a swift movement, he avoided a fatal blow—but not without consequences. His arm was fractured, but Nova didn't flinch. He kept going, barely feeling the pain as his adrenaline surged. He finished the battle victorious, his arm still hanging awkwardly but not slowing him down.
The 8th wave brought a massive increase to the number of enemies: 999 goblin generals. Nova was surprised. He had expected 1296 but pressed forward, deciding not to question it. The battle was intense, but Nova’s experience and battle instincts were sharper than ever. He tore through them with increasing efficiency, and his injuries—though present—slowly healed with each passing moment. His senses for combat had evolved so much that he was probably one of the most experienced fighters on Earth at that very moment.
As he finished the last of the goblins in the 8th wave, he paused for a moment to catch his breath.
[Fight starts in 05:00]
[Be at the arena by the end of the countdown. The penalty is death.]
Before the 9th wave began, Nova opened his status window to take stock of his progress.
[Status]
Rank: 0
Name: Nova Grey
Species: Human
Affiliation: None
Level: 0 (150/500)
Class: None
Titles: Goblin Exterminator
Stat Points: 0
Attributes:
Strength: 50
Vigor: 67
Dexterity: 100
Speed: 80
Intelligence: 36
Wisdom: 80
Will: 6
Luck: 10
Skills
Active: Spear Thrust (6) (11492/32000), Spear Jab (7) (16043/64000), Spear Sweep (1) (492/1000), Spear Lunge (2) (151/2000), Spear Overhead Strike (2) (150/2000)
Nova muttered under his breath as he studied the increasing cost of Stat EXP, his mind working quickly. “Not bad, but it’s taking 32,000 Stat EXP for a single point now, and soon it’ll quadruple again. I have 16 waves left... I wonder what the next one will be. The last wave should’ve had 1296 goblin generals, but it stopped at 999, like something’s about to change at 1000.”
[Fight starts in 00:01]
[Fight started]
The ground trembled as Nova focused intently on the arena gates, which creaked open with a foreboding rumble.
A towering 14-foot monster emerged, its imposing form a testament to years of battle. His dark, sickly green skin was marred by deep scars, each one a story of survival and bloodshed. His eyes glowed with an eerie yellow light, radiating a chilling blend of malice and intelligence.
He wore an armour adorned with spikes, skulls, and the bones of fallen enemies—an unsettling display of his dominance. In his massive hands, he gripped a giant battleaxe that seemed to pulse with an ominous energy, glowing faintly in the shadows.
Above his head, in dripping crimson blood, a name hovered:
[Goblin Overlord]
Nova’s heart raced as he immediately checked the status of the goblin overlord.
[Goblin Overlord]
Rank: 0
Name: None
Species: Goblin
Affiliation: None
Level: 1
Class: None
Titles: None
Attributes:
Strength: 86
Vigor: 91
Dexterity: 75
Speed: 68
Intelligence: 15
Wisdom: 41
Will: 0
Luck: 1
“This…this is going to be fun” Muttered Nova as he gripped his spear tightly smiling.