He crouched low inside the dense thicket, holding his breath. Gripping the hilt of his newly acquired sword, he tried to channel his so-called 'Dark Corrosive Power' into the blade. He strained, but nothing happened. The blade remained as ordinary as a piece of scrap iron.
According to the Guild's map, this area should be crawling with Fints, he thought, peering through the leaves.
Instead of a swift, white Fint, his eyes landed on a grotesque, green-skinned creature loitering nearby. A Goblin.
What kind of joke is this? he grumbled inwardly. System, I've already received my class. Why the hell can't I use my powers?
[Ding!]
[System Notice: You have acquired a Class, not instant mastery. Native children train their bodies and mana from birth. You, as a newcomer, have bypassed this entirely. To truly unlock and utilize your power, you must initiate the system by securing your first kill.]
He cursed under his breath. What's the point of having a system if you're this useless? You bastard, you didn't even give me a beginner's task! Suppressing his frustration, he asked, Fine. System, scan that Goblin. Can I kill it or not?
[System Notice: Error. The User does not possess a 'Scanning' skill.]
"Fuck," he muttered silently. Closing the system window, he tightened his grip on the sword, preparing to ambush the Goblin himself.
But before he could even take a step out of the bushes, a blinding white blur flashed across his vision.
Squelch!
The Goblin's head was cleanly severed from its shoulders, spinning into the air while a fountain of dark blood erupted from its neck. Two Fints materialized out of thin air, their blade-like arms gleaming. Without a moment's hesitation, they began tearing into the Goblin's corpse, eating it raw.
A shiver ran down his spine. I almost stepped out there. I would have been sliced to ribbons!
He desperately needed a distraction. Picking up a small rock, he threw it as far as he could in the opposite direction, hoping to lure at least one Fint away. But amidst the cacophony of the wild forest—the rustling leaves, distant howls, and snapping twigs—the faint thud of the stone went completely unnoticed.
What do I do now? Panic began to set in. Stepping out there is basically suicide.
Suddenly, the rustling of leaves announced the arrival of two more Goblins. The Fints immediately snapped their attention to the newcomers and dashed forward like lightning. Seeing the deadly predators, one of the Goblins frantically pulled out a crude horn and blew into it. A highly irritating, screeching sound pierced the air.
In the next second, the Fints closed the distance, and both Goblins' heads hit the ground.
But the horn had done its job.
The bushes around the clearing violently rustled. From every direction, dozens of green figures poured out. Thirty... no, forty Goblins! They completely encircled the two Fints.
What followed was an absolute massacre. The Fints were terrifyingly fast. They moved like streaks of white light, their blade-arms slashing through the air. In the blink of an eye, six to seven Goblins were decapitated, their bodies collapsing before they even realized they were dead.
Right then, a blue screen popped up in front of him.
[New Mission Activated!]
[Objective: Kill a Goblin within 5 minutes.]
[Reward: Rare Mask]
His eyes widened in sheer disbelief. Are you serious?! You want to get me killed? Look at that battlefield! He quickly scanned the system window and let out a sigh of relief. Well, at least there's no penalty for fail—
[System Update: Penalty for Failure applied.]
[Penalty: The XP required to reach Level 2 will be permanently doubled.]
"Fuck you, you absolute bastard!" he cursed the system furiously.
He analyzed the chaotic battlefield. The Fints had managed to slaughter seven Goblins, but the sheer numbers were overwhelming. The Fints were growing visibly exhausted. Soon enough, the tide turned. The Goblin horde brutally battered the male Fint to death and restrained the female Fint, tying her up.
Only two minutes remained on his mission timer.
His eyes darted around the clearing until they landed on a specific target. Pushed to the far edge of the battlefield, isolated from the main horde, lay a severely injured, half-dead Goblin.
Going out there is madness... but I have no choice.
Gathering every ounce of his courage, he exploded out of the bushes. He sprinted toward the dying Goblin, raised his sword, and drove it straight into the creature's heart. Without pausing for even a fraction of a second, he yanked the blade out, spun around, and ran for his life.
The sudden intrusion caught the horde's attention. Leaving a few behind to carry the captured female Fint, the rest of the enraged Goblins roared and charged after him.
Running out of breath, he screamed in his mind, System window open! Give me my damn reward!
[Ding! Mission Completed.]
[Reward upgraded due to Class interference.]
[All Stats: +10]
[Mana Power: +20 (Granted via Class Ability)]
[Mission Reward: Legendary Mask (Divine Grade Artifact)]
Description: Allows the user to flawlessly alter their physical appearance into any living species. Mimics voice, scent, and mana signature perfectly.
Durability: 10 Uses.
[User Status Updated]
Level: 1
XP to Level 2: 10 / 1000
My luck just turned around! he thought, feeling a sudden surge of strength from his boosted stats. Feeling overconfident, he skidded to a halt, gripped his sword with both hands, and turned around to face his pursuers.
He swung his sword at the first Goblin that reached him. Clang! The Goblin casually blocked the strike with a thick wooden club. In that split second, reality hit him hard—he couldn't fight a horde, not even close. Before he could retreat, a massive, muscular Goblin stepped in from the side and swung a heavy wooden bat right into his stomach.
The impact was devastating. He was launched through the air, crashing hard into the dirt several meters away.
Coughing up blood, he groaned, Oh shit... System! How do I use my Mana power?!
[System Notice: Figure it out yourself.]
"You useless piece of—!" he spat, scrambling to his feet. Fine! Give me the mask!
With a thought, the Legendary Mask materialized in his hand. The Goblin horde was closing in fast, their crude weapons raised. He dove into a thick, thorny bush, hiding himself from their line of sight just as they surrounded his location.
Cornered and desperate, he pressed the mask to his face.
"Turn me into a Goblin!" he whispered.
Instantly, a blinding, radiant light erupted from the bush, forcing the surrounding Goblins to shield their eyes. And then...