After the fierce battle, Morgan truly grasped the danger hidden in every swing of the goblins' weapons.
His arm still trembled, breath ragged as if his lungs were crushed under the weight of an entire horde.
If not for the violent aura of Hunting State that made them falter at the very first moment, giving him the chance to swiftly take one down, he would likely be lying in a pool of blood right now.
"Ha ha, damn it. It's been a long time since I struggled this much. Coming here was truly the right choice. A hunter without strong prey to face has nothing to live for." Morgan gave a weary smile tinged with yearning.
In his memory, the images of his relentless training resurfaced vividly: hands bleeding after every session, sharp eyes tracking the traces of prey, until the day came when not a single creature on that planet could escape his hunt.
He staggered forward, bent down, and yanked the spear lodged deep into the corpses of two goblins.
Thick black blood poured out as he dropped to the ground with a heavy thud to rest.
Morgan opened his palm. The skin was calloused, rough, cracked, marked with countless lines. Because of that, the spear could no longer easily harm his hands.
"Never thought mining crystals would end up helping me fight," he muttered.
The former owner of this body might have been a spearman by class, but cowardice had kept him from ever wielding a spear.
Yet the endless days of digging crystals—hands gripping the pickaxe, striking against stone—had unknowingly toughened them into the sturdy strength he carried now.
'Looks like I should stop for today. With this current condition, another fight would certainly mean death.' Morgan closed his eyes, forcing his erratic heartbeat to settle.
Though he was someone who never considered death worth fearing, he was by no means a fool willing to throw his head onto the executioner's block.
To die at the hands of a mighty foe might still be glorious, but to lose his life to a few worthless goblins would be nothing short of disgrace.
Rustle… rustle…
The sound broke through the silence, like footsteps pressing against dry leaves. The pace was unhurried, yet each step heavier than the goblins' from earlier, and the air instantly tightened with tension.
"Damn it, I need to allocate my stat points quickly." Morgan frowned. He could already see an unpleasant outcome if he delayed.
***
Morgan: Lv.4
Class: Spearman
STR 12 → 16 | AGI 9 → 11 | VIT 13 → 15 | INT 6 | WIS 6 | DEX 9 → 11 | LUK 5
HP: 650 → 750 | MP: 180 | ATK: 33 → 43 | DEF: 19.5 → 22.5 | SPD: 18 → 22
Stat points: 0
Skill:
Thrust [Active]: Rapidly stabs with a spear, dealing 120% ATK damage.
Weapon Mastery – Spear [Passive]: When using a spear, attack accuracy and speed increase by 10%.
It's Hunting Time! [Active]: When activated, enters the Hunting state, causing weak-minded prey to fall into a state of fear and increasing self-focus.
Power Evaluation: F
***
After distributing his stat points, Morgan felt a surge of energy rushing through his body. Muscles tightened, power rose violently, and his grip on the spear's shaft cracked audibly under the pressure.
Though his wounds remained, the boost in stamina made him feel far more at ease. Each breath came lighter, as if he could inhale just a little more than before.
"Good. This should be enough to withstand the next wave." Morgan smirked, eyes gleaming with anticipation.
Two levels were no small matter. He swung the spear in a wide arc, the blade slicing through the air with a sharp whoosh.
With this strength, the five goblins from earlier would never have forced him into nearly losing his weapon again.
From within the darkness, a familiar yet unfamiliar silhouette emerged. Still a goblin, but its skin was darker, muscles swollen, face so ferocious with its gleamed fangs. In its hands was no crude wooden club, but a heavy metal mace.
***
Elite Goblin
Rank: E
***
The words that appeared before his eyes made Morgan unconsciously tighten his grip on the spear. His heartbeat thundered, pupils narrowing.
This was no longer a minor prey but a deadly challenge, one that could easily devour him if he slipped.
"Rank E, huh? My first time facing something at this level… this will be quite fun." Morgan muttered, his grin stretching wider, showing not the slightest trace of fear.
For a hunter, the harder the prey, the greater the worth. And for one who had always stood at the top, Morgan's desire to bring down this Elite Goblin burned fiercely.
A difference in strength? Overcoming higher ranks was something he had always done.
"It's hunting time!" Morgan's trademark smile surfaced, his eyes shining as if touched by divinity.
The Elite Goblin stared at him, frozen for a brief moment before breaking free of its fear. Its gaze swept over the sprawled corpses of its kin.
Its facial muscles twitched, fangs bared, a growl rising deep from its throat. It clearly felt no grief—only the insult of being humiliated by a weakling. The flames of fury in its eyes looked ready to burn Morgan alive.
It charged, its speed tearing through the air, far faster than any ordinary goblin.
Morgan flinched in surprise, barely managing to raise his spear to block his chest.
Clang!
A harsh metallic crash rang out, sparks flying. The heavy impact forced Morgan back several steps, his heels gouging trenches into the ground.
[Thrust]
Barely regaining his balance, Morgan roared and lunged with his spear. The spearhead gleamed, carrying the force to pierce through anything.
But this opponent was not so easily dealt with. The Elite Goblin spun its steel mace, slamming it against the shaft of the spear, knocking the strike aside.
Then it leapt back, widening the distance like a predator toying with prey.
Morgan narrowed his eyes. Not only was it powerful, but its reactions were shockingly sharp. The realization made his body tense.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Weapons clashed in rapid succession. Every thrust of his spear was deflected. Every swing of its mace was blocked. Blow after blow, neither side gave even half a step.
Morgan's expression darkened. Sweat streamed down his forehead and back like a flood. His breath grew heavier, his muscles drained quickly.
His stamina was burning out faster than his opponent's. If this dragged on, he would undoubtedly be the one to collapse first.
He gritted his teeth, ready to unleash everything for a swift victory when—
Clang!
He spun instantly, spear raised to block the strike from behind, dispelling Hunting State at the same time.
"Damn it!" he hissed, eyes flashing with rage as a second Elite Goblin loomed in his path. The spear shaft shuddered in his grip from the aftershock.
This was no longer a hunt. The advantage had shifted entirely to the enemy.
Fighting above his level against one Elite Goblin was a battle he had confidence in winning. But two? That was utterly impossible.
Morgan's eyes darted rapidly, heart pounding. The only escape route lay deeper into the dark forest.
"Never thought these creatures, who don't look all that intelligent, could be this cunning." His voice dropped, tense yet tinged with reluctant admiration.
In the past, he had brought down countless foes stronger than himself, but none had ever been clever enough to reverse the hunt against him like this.
The two Elite Goblins were clearly not acting at random. One sealed off the path behind, the other blocked the way ahead.
This was no coincidence. They were working together, targeting him like hunters driving their prey into a trap.