CHAPTER 26
It was finally the following week, the time Grey had designated for his daring assault on the Goblin Lord alongside Randin.
They were currently situated within the familiar confines of Randin's cavernous home, meticulously preparing for their perilous journey to annihilate the monster leader.
"Are you truly certain we can accomplish this mission on our own?" Randin asked, his voice echoing with a trace of lingering doubt.
"Yes, I am absolutely certain we can do it," Grey replied with a confident nod.
'And that is because, after advancing to the next star, I am now powerful enough to execute truly complex magical spells. I could possibly incinerate two dozen goblins with a single, well-placed fireball,' Grey thought, a small, determined smile playing on his face.
"Fine, I will just have to take your word for it then," Randin conceded, tightening the straps on his armor.
"By the way, do you feel you know how to utilize that sword properly now?"
"Yes, thanks to your intensive teaching over the past week, I am now able to perform several essential sword techniques," Grey replied.
Throughout the week, while expanding his repertoire of magical incantations, Grey had also been diligently studying swordsmanship under Randin's tutelage.
Thanks to his exceptionally quick understanding of physical mechanics, he was already able to wield the blade with surprising proficiency.
Equipped with both his magic and a physical weapon, Grey felt ready for almost any encounter, especially since Randin had crafted a bespoke sword for him utilizing materials from the powerful beast they had fought when they first met.
"This sword I bestowed upon you possesses a special power, much like those goblins'
spears. I won't tell you what it is; it is left for you to figure out during the heat of battle," Randin said as he strapped a rugged backpack made from beast hide onto his shoulders.
'You don't need to tell me; I can already feel the pure mana flowing through the metal along with a strange, latent energy,' Grey thought, gripping the hilt.
"Alright, just a heads up: after we set off, it might take several days before we arrive at the goblin base due to the specific route we are taking, which is unfortunately crawling with predators," Randin warned.
"That's perfectly fine; it will provide me with enough time to keep on harnessing and refining my powers," Grey said.
"Good, let's set out then," Randin declared as they exited the dwelling and looked down at the steep cliffside the cave was perched upon.
"Allow me," Grey said. He moved his hands in a rhythmic pattern through the air and then mouthed a silent word before speaking aloud.
"Liftus!" he shouted.
A controlled gust of wind surged beneath them, lifting Grey and Randin into the air.
They descended from the cliff face rapidly, dropping like a stabilized rocket, yet maintaining a safe speed.
In a mere minute, they reached the ground and stood in the valley amidst the cluster of caves.
"That is oddly helpful," Randin commented, adjusting his ruffled clothes as they began to briskly walk forward at a demanding pace.
"A question, though," Randin said as they reached the dense edge of the forest. "Why aren't you utilizing that strange power you used to lift us from the cliff to make us run faster?"
"That is because if I were to do that constantly, my energy reserves would be depleted too quickly, and I wouldn't amount to much in a sudden fight," Grey replied.
"Then how are you keeping up with me so easily? I know we dwarves are physically stronger and faster than you humans, yet you are able to keep pace with me just fine."
"That is because I am currently maintaining a subtle wind spell on my own body, making me move faster.
Using the magic on this small, personal scale doesn't consume nearly as much energy as it would if I were to apply it to two separate people," Grey explained.
"That makes perfect sense," Randin said as they crossed into the thick of the woods.
Rather than maintaining their high speed, they decided to walk carefully through the undergrowth, staying alert just in case an ambush occurred.
Looking around with a vigilant eye, Grey placed his hand firmly on the hilt of the sword gifted to him by the dwarf.
'I won't use my magical powers if a common beast attacks; I will strictly stick to my sword. But if the creature is dangerously strong, I will use everything I have. This way, I will be able to improve my swordsmanship while not relying too much on magic,' Grey thought.
They kept walking slowly, the air thick with tension as loud, mournful howling sounds echoed from deep within the forest.
Grey gripped the hilt of his sword with white-knuckled intensity, his eyes darting between the shadows.
"Shhh! Do not make much sound, or else we will have a serious fight on our hands," Randin whispered.
They crept forward, barely breathing, when a sudden blur of motion darted past their feet.
Startled, Grey instinctively shifted his weight and mistakenly stepped on a dry twig.
Snap—!
The sound of the breaking wood seemed to echo like a gunshot through the trees, and the distant howls immediately grew louder and more aggressive.
"What part of 'do not make a sound' do you not understand, you silly human!?!" Randin hissed angrily.
"I'm sorry! Something ran past my feet, which caused me to panic and lose my footing," Grey apologized, his heart hammering against his ribs.
"Well, let's just hope we don't get into a brawl," Randin muttered.
Almost instantly, something fast again zipped past their legs, causing Grey to stumble forward and fall flat on the forest floor.
"What is going on? What keeps running past me?" Grey wondered aloud as he pushed himself up.
He looked directly ahead and noticed a small, jagged cave opening nearby.
Emerging from the darkness of the cave was a canine beast that stood around four feet tall.
It was covered in coarse red fur and possessed a singular, sharp horn protruding from its forehead.
The creature tilted its head back and howled loudly into the canopy.
"Well, so much for avoiding a fight," Randin sighed as the beast locked its predatory eyes on Grey, who began to slowly back away.
"Appraisal!" Grey whispered under his breath.
Seeing the information in front of him, Grey heaved a sigh of relief, feeling he had been worried over nothing.
'It doesn't have any magical abilities and it is only a level 2 beast. This confirms my theory that level 3 and above are the ones with actual elemental powers,' Grey thought confidently.
'Well, since it's nothing to worry about, let's just kill it and gain the free—' He stuttered as the beast suddenly vanished from his sight.
"What the?!" Grey shouted.
The creature that had been standing at least four feet away was suddenly right in front of him, its breath hot against his face.