"Archie, you are back a little late to… day?" Archie's mother Wylla sat at their table, wooden bowls sat on the shoddily made piece of furniture, a soup of some kind in them. No meat or anything fancy like that but better food than what most smallfolk get to eat, "whose blood is that?! Are you injured?!"
"I… ran into some trouble but I'm fine, don't worry, let's eat" Archie moved closer but his mother was already checking his body for wounds.
"Don't 'don't worry' me, young man! That hole in your tunic looks like someone stabbed you! But… where is the wound?" Her fingers traced the hole in his shirt, around which a circle of crimson stained the fabric.
"Ma, I couldn't feel better if I was the seven damned King of the seven kingdoms, really, the guy just cut my shirt, I am completely unharmed"
It took half an hour to calm her down enough to let them eat. The food was good, Wylla's cooking always was. When the sun went down and Wylla went to bed, Archie stepped out, overlooking the starry sky above their orchard. He had seen something on the way back home and had to investigate it now that his mother was asleep.
Above the wooden gate to the orchard was a floating symbol of a skull and crossed swords. He reached out for the symbol and a transparent slab, like the statblock appeared in front of him.
Dungeon discovered: goblins den
Reward for clearing: 1 attribute point
Do you wish to enter?
"Yes?"
Suddenly, the world melted around him. The ground he stood on turned from soft grass, a little wet still from recent rain, to a hard, stone road. The sudden light blinded him as it was now day once more. Around him were trees and bushes and he could hear the sounds of a forest, birds chirping, leaves rustling and, down the road, stood a small creature. From behind it might resemble a green skinned child with long hair but its nose was hook shaped, its teeth pointy, like a predator and its eyes, they were too big for its face and angled crookedly, their red unnaturally bright, like glowing blood. It carried a sword made of bronze, chipped at the edges and slightly bent but still functional. Archie frowned, was this a… goblin?
Wylla sometimes told stories of goblins and mermaids. This gamer power was truly marvellous, creating monsters, changing the time of day and even transporting him to this forest. He pulled out the knife from the inventory, which he had discovered as he was walking back to his orchard. He stepped closer and the goblin sniffed the air with its hooked nose, before locking eyes with him. It screeched an inhuman, shrill cry, which sent shivers down his spine. They jumped forward, knife and sword clashing, shooting sparks in all directions. The goblin and he had about the same level of strength, neither able to win the upper hand in their clash but Archie wasn't there to play nice. This was life or death, so, he kicked the small thing between the legs. It dropped to the floor howling, when he plunged the dagger into its heart. It died and disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving behind a single copper star.
Killed monsters in dungeons drop loot
The system informed him. He only had time to pocket the coin when two new goblins jumped out of the bushes, having smelled the blood in the air, its Metallic scent permeating the fresh air. These two held bronze daggers. He parried the first one's strike but got grazed by the second one's slash, loosing him 20 health. Unlike with the first goblin, there was no stalemate with this one, Archie was ever so slightly stronger and drove the goblins own knife into his eye, it too puffed into smoke, leaving behind a book but he had the other goblin to deal with, so, he spun around, dodging the second goblins swing by mere centimeters. The rush was amazing as they traded blows, steel clashing with bronze with loud clanging sounds. Archie swept the goblin off its feet and drove the dagger into its throat. It disappeared, leaving behind a sheathed sword. Unsheathing it, it was castle forged steel, no chips in the blade. If only he knew how to use one…
luckily, the book helped. As soon as he touched it, it glowed and disappeared.
Skill book: swordsmanship absorbed
He knew how to use the sword, proper stance, techniques and aftercare. It was as if he had learned swordsmanship for a year, "one miracle after the other, the seven have truly blessed me"
Swordsmanship: 15/100
Walking through the woods, he dispatched a handful more goblins one after another. Where before he had been wildly swinging the dagger, hoping to hit, now he had finesse, skill, refinement. It felt so easy, the green skinned monsters didn't stand a chance. He earned a few more copper stars that way. After having killed two more goblins in front of a tent, Archie walked in and saw something similar to a goblin, same green skin, pointy teeth and long, unkempt hair but it was bigger, 1.40 m compared to 1.15 m of the goblins and broader too. It wielded a sword and unsheathed it, letting its bronze blade sparkle in the candle light.
They rushed at each other, Archie feinted a swipe from the right only to do a downwards slash, which the monster blocked with ease. They jumped back and now it was the monster which acted first, thrusting the blade forward. Archie sidestepped and swiped at its feet, though unlike the goblins before it, it didn't fall, using the opportunity to stab him in the leg. He hissed in pain but twisted his body to wrestle the blade out of its hands and slash the throat in one elegant, flowing motion. It died, leaving behind a silver stag. As soon as he picked it up, the world around him dissolved and he was back at the fence, sword still in one hand, silver stag in the other.
Now looking at his attributes, there was a point and beside his attributes were up arrows. He tapped the one next to strength and could feel his muscles expanding.
"That feeling is addictive…" he sighed in ecstasy, letting the rush of power flow through his veins.