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🕑 Added 2024-09-08 15:00:07 +0000 UTC< Previous | ToC | Next >
Theodore pivoted mid-air, his eyes narrowing as they took in everything happening below him. On the ground, it was a battlefield. Goblins, orcs, trolls, and more, their weapons glinting harshly. For a moment, time seemed to slow as Theodore’s mind whirred into action.
What do I need to do? Charging into the black patch thingy mindlessly would be stupid. I need to attack it with everyone else, so as to overwhelm it and kill it easily.
“Levels,” he muttered, and the corners of his mouth curled upwards. “I need levels.”
Yup, he needed levels. And he—no, they—also needed to eradicate all these creatures. Thus, he plummeted toward the ground. The wind whipped past his face as he accelerated, but Theodore’s focus never wavered. He had faced far worse than this rabble, and today, they would serve as nothing more than stepping stones.
As the ground rushed up to meet him, Theodore caught sight of a particularly ugly goblin looking up, its beady eyes widening in shock and fear. The creature’s stubby fingers fumbled for the rusty dagger at its belt, but its reactions were far too slow. Theodore’s blade sliced clean through its scrawny neck before it could even raise a pathetic defense. Green blood spurted from the wound as the goblin’s head toppled from its shoulders.
Theodore landed on the ground just as the head hit it. The air whipping around him slowly dissipated—he no longer needed to fly.
He’d killed his first monster of the day, but there was no time for satisfaction. Theodore was already spinning, his free hand casting a spell. A fireball erupted from his fingertips, its searing heat incinerating three burly orcs where they stood when it slammed into them like an explosion. Their agonized howls were cut mercifully short as their flesh blackened and crumbled to ash.
Theodore allowed himself a brief moment to savor the surge of magical energy coursing through his veins. The familiar warmth of mana replenishing itself after a successful spell was intoxicating, but he couldn’t afford to lose himself in the sensation. Efficiency was key here. No unnecessary flourishes, no wasted motion. Every action had to count.
A thunderous bellow caught his attention, and Theodore’s eyes locked onto the hulking form of a goblin king charging towards him. The creature was easily twice the size of its lesser brethren, adorned with crude armor fashioned from scavenged metal and bone. Its massive war hammer swung in a deadly arc, aiming to crush Theodore where he stood.
But Theodore was already moving. He sidestepped, and let the goblin king’s own momentum work against it. As the brute stumbled past, overextended and off-balance, Theodore’s sword found its mark. The blade slid between the gaps in the creature’s armor, piercing its heart.
The goblin king’s roar of fury transformed into gurgles as it collapsed to the blood-soaked earth. Theodore allowed himself a small nod of satisfaction as a familiar ding echoed in his mind:
Your race, [Human], has leveled up — Lvl 13 -> Lvl 14!
Nice, Theodore thought, acknowledging the increase of power that accompanied the level increase. It was a good start, but there was no time to celebrate.
An ear-splitting bellow drew his attention to a particularly massive orc, its muscles rippling beneath green skin as it swung a enormous battleaxe. The weapon whistled through the air, aiming to cleave Theodore in two. Theodore ducked beneath the lethal arc. In the same fluid motion, he countered with a precise thrust to the orc’s thick neck.
The orc’s eyes bulged in shock as Theodore’s blade found the gap between its collar bones. Blood spurted from the wound, spraying in a crimson arc that painted the surrounding area. The creature fell with a resounding thud, its lifeblood quickly staining the trampled grass.
Theodore didn’t even pause to watch it fall. His senses were already attuned to the next threat, his mind calculating trajectories. When he used [Elemental Spells], he felt the familiar pulse of mana building within him, coming out and bending to his will—and this time he used it to manipulate the water in his pouch. It erupted out, and then he carefully controlled the temperature, using air and water runes simultaneously.
The temperature plummeted as the freezing water burst forth. A dozen goblins caught in its path were instantly frozen solid, their expressions of terror preserved in glistening ice. With a casual swipe of his blade, Theodore shattered their brittle forms into a thousand glittering shards.
But Theodore wasn’t finished. He melted the ice back into water. The shimmering globules weaved through the air at his command, weaving between his foes. They condensed into thin icicles, and he used them to pierce through the monsters’ eyes. Killing as many as he could before he felt the strain on his mind, Theodore called the water back to the pouch at his hip.
He breathed out, a bead of sweat trickling down his forehead.
Your class, [Mage], has leveled up — Lvl 10 -> Lvl 11!
The ding rang out once more, and Theodore felt his magical reserves expanding. Good, he thought. He would need every advantage in the battles to come.
A deep, guttural roar shook the very ground beneath his feet, and Theodore’s gaze locked onto the lumbering form of a troll emerging. Its thick, leathery hide was covered in crude tattoos and battle scars. Lesser warriors might have quailed at the sight of such a monstrous opponent, but Theodore didn’t even flinch.
This was no time for hesitation or half-measures. Theodore reached deep into his well of mana. Fireballs erupted from his outstretched hands in rapid succession, each one striking the troll with pinpoint accuracy.
The monster’s thick hide offered little protection against the magical onslaught. It convulsed violently as the flames engulfed its massive frame, its howls of agony rising above the din of battle. Smoke rose from its charred flesh as it stumbled, fought to regain its footing, and then finally collapsed with a thud.
The acrid stench of burning troll flesh filled the air, but it was quickly overshadowed by another familiar notification:
Your race, [Human], has leveled up — Lvl 14 -> Lvl 15!
Theodore allowed himself a smile. But he didn’t have time to linger.
As if to emphasize that point, a fresh wave of goblins swarmed towards him, their yellowed teeth gnashing and crude weapons raised high.
Limbs flew through the air, severed by his strikes. Blood sprayed in crimson arcs. Fireballs slammed into their faces. Air whipped around and toppled them, followed by the sword cutting through everything.
It felt good.
It felt really good.
So focused was he on the immediate threats that Theodore almost missed the whistle of an ogre’s club as it sailed past his ear. He rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the crushing blow, and his mind raced as he considered his next move.
In that split second, Theodore’s thoughts flashed back to a memory of Baron Montague. The earth rune the Baron had used... yes, that could work here.
Even as he dodged another wild swing from the ogre, Theodore entered a trance-like state. His consciousness expanded, reaching out to the very essence of the earth beneath his feet. It didn’t take long for him to recreate the rune in his mind’s eye.
Theodore activated the earth [Elemental Spell]. The ground beneath the ogre’s feet suddenly split open, a yawning chasm that swallowed the brute whole. Its surprised bellow was cut short as the earth closed over it, leaving no trace of its existence.
Your class, [Mage], has leveled up — Lvl 11 -> Lvl 12!
[Elemental Spells] — Lvl 10 -> Lvl 11!
Theodore’s eyes widened slightly at the unexpected level increase in [Elemental Spells]. Oh, he mused, even as he continued to fend off attacks from all sides. So the condition was using all elements. I should’ve done it sooner. I’ve been too passive.
He made a mental note to experiment more with his skills when time allowed. For now, though, there were more pressing matters at hand.
A particularly large and ornate goblin caught Theodore’s attention—another of their so-called kings, but this one wielded magic. Green bolts of crackling thunder arced through the air towards him, their erratic paths making them difficult to predict.
Grounding his teeth, Theodore dodged by making it to the sky. Air whipped past him, and the thunderbolts followed. However, they weren’t nearly as fast as real thunder. So Theodore was able to dodge.
Damnit. Theodore growled, outstretching his hand. A barrage of fireballs erupted. Each one unerringly found its mark. The goblin king’s screams of agony were cut mercifully short as Theodore closed the distance in a blur of motion. His blade cleaved through the air, separating the creature’s misshapen head from its body in a single, fluid strike.
Your race, [Human], has leveled up — Lvl 15 -> Lvl 16!
As the goblin king’s corpse crumpled to the ground, Theodore allowed himself a moment of reflection. Hmm, he mused, his sword flashing out almost absently to dispatch another charging orc. I’m leveling up faster. Are these guys higher level than me? By a lot? Otherwise, these level-ups...
He shook his head, banishing the distracting thoughts. There would be time for analysis later. For now…
Theodore pressed on, leaving a trail of broken bodies in his wake. His face remained an impassive mask, his eyes cold and focused. Goblins fell by the dozens. Orcs crumpled like paper dolls. Even the occasional troll or ogre posed little threat. He adapted his tactics on the fly, exploiting every weakness and turning the monsters’ own strengths against them. A troll’s regenerative abilities were negated by a concentrated burst of fire magic. An ogre’s immense strength became a liability as Theodore used its momentum to send it stumbling into its own allies.
Your race, [Human], has leveled up — Lvl 16 -> Lvl 17!
The level-up came quickly now. But he paid them little mind.
To any outside observer, Theodore’s efficiency would have been terrifying to behold. There were no wasted movements, no unnecessary risks taken. He didn’t toy with his opponents or engage in flashy displays of skill. This was no performance, no game to be played. It was pure, unadulterated slaughter.
All because he was pissed off.
As Theodore paused to survey the carnage around him, his keen senses detected a new threat emerging from the chaos. Another goblin king, this one surrounded by a cadre of elite guards. Their armor was a cut above the crude scraps worn by their lesser brethren, and their weapons gleamed with a dull sheen.
The goblin elites charged as one, moving with a coordination that spoke of long hours of training together. But they were still monsters… He could easily see every detail with perfect clarity.
And then he moved.
Theodore’s sword sang through the air, finding vital points with surgical precision. The first guard fell, Theodore’s blade slipping between the gaps in its armor to pierce its heart. Before the body had even hit the ground, he was already pivoting to face the next threat.
Two more guards attacked in unison, their poisoned blades whistling towards Theodore’s exposed flanks. But he was no longer there. With a backflip, Theodore avoided both strikes and countered with a sweeping blow that opened the throats of both attackers in a single, fluid motion.
Within seconds, only the goblin king remained standing, its beady eyes wide with a mixture of fury and fear.
The creature hurled desperate attacks at Theodore. But it was all for naught.
With each step he took, Theodore closed the distance between them, and the goblin king backed away, gibbering in its guttural language, but there was nowhere left to run.
A single thrust was all it took. The creature’s eyes bulged in shock and pain. Theodore beheaded the monster. Its misshapen head clattered to the blood-soaked ground.
Your class, [Mage], has leveled up — Lvl 12 -> Lvl 13!
Your class, [Mage], has leveled up — Lvl 13 -> Lvl 14!
Your race, [Human], has leveled up — Lvl 17 -> Lvl 18!
Your race, [Human], has leveled up — Lvl 18 -> Lvl 19!
A fleeting sense of satisfaction passed through Theodore as he contemplated his handiwork. It had been an efficient culling, one that had granted him several much-needed level increases. But the feeling quickly went away as his eyes lifted to the sky above.
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