The sudden blasts shook the infirmary hut. In the ensuing panic, the protagonist bolted through the back exit. He reached the edge of the village, but the sight of the massive, muscular guards at the main gate made him halt. I can't fight them yet. I'll hide until dawn. When the hunting parties leave, I'll slip out with them. He dove into a thick, thorny bush near the perimeter, his green skin blending perfectly with the darkness.
Morning arrived with absolute chaos. The village was in an uproar over the "spontaneous" explosions in the hospital. As he peered from his hiding spot, he saw the darker side of the tribe—a section of the village where females of various species were kept in cages, subjected to the Goblins' cruelty. His stomach turned, and his jaw tightened with a mix of rage and helplessness. He wasn't strong enough to stop it yet.
To distract himself and calm his racing heart, he called out to the only thing he could rely on. System... show me my progress. How much Experience did I get from that massacre?
[System Window]
[Experience Points: 140 / 1000]
140?! he screamed internally. I killed twelve of them and I'm not even a quarter of the way to Level 2? System, this is insane! I'll be dead before I reach Level 10!
[System Notice: Most inhabitants of this world spend months, even years, to gain a single level. You only need to kill 86 more of these creatures to transcend. Do not be ungrateful.]
"Shut up," he muttered. "At least tell me how to check if a monster is too strong for me before I get my head bashed in again."
[System Notice: Why? You already have the 'Scanning' skill.]
He froze. I have a what? Since when?!
[System Notice: You unlocked the 'Basic Scanning' skill the moment you reached Level 1. It allows you to see the stats of any creature at or below your current level.]
Then why the hell didn't you give me a notification?!
[System Notice: You never asked. 🤣]
Fuck you! You're literally playing with me! he raged, but he didn't have time to argue. The village gates were creaking open.
A large hunting party began to march out into the forest. He waited for the rear guard to pass and then slipped into the line, mimicking their hunched gait. No one noticed the extra Goblin in the middle of the chaos. Once they were deep enough in the woods, he waited for the party to get distracted by a scent and bolted in the opposite direction, toward the human city.
Hours passed. His legs burned, and his mana was low, but then he saw it—the towering stone walls and the massive iron-bound gates of the human city. Relief, pure and overwhelming, washed over him. He was finally going to be safe. He began to run, faster than he ever had before.
But as he crossed the clearing toward the gate, a sudden, icy chill gripped his soul.
SHING!
A flash of silver light cut through the air. A sword strike, blindingly fast and aimed perfectly at his throat, forced him to react. He threw himself backward, tumbling into the dirt as the blade hissed just millimeters above his skin.
He scrambled to his feet, gasping for air. Standing between him and the city gate was a warrior, eyes cold and blade held in a lethal stance
The protagonist lay flat on the cold ground, his chest heaving as he stared at the knight. Why did he attack me? he wondered in a daze.
Just then, a cold, mocking voice echoed from behind the knight. "What's the matter? Have you grown so weak that you can't even finish off a single lowly Goblin?"
Oh, shit! Panic gripped the protagonist's heart. I'm still in my Goblin form!
"System, deactivate the mask! Now!" he commanded urgently in his mind.
In a flash of light, the grotesque green creature vanished, and a young human boy appeared in its place. The knights froze, their eyes widening in pure shock at the sudden transformation.
That was way too close, the protagonist thought, wiping a bead of cold sweat from his neck.
They escorted him to a private room for interrogation, but the atmosphere was surprisingly lenient. The guards barely asked any probing questions. In their minds, anyone possessing a high-tier magical artifact like a "Legendary Mask" had to be the scion of a wealthy or aristocratic family. They didn't dare offend a young noble.
Once cleared and released, he stepped into the bustling city streets. Right... I took that Guild mission to hunt five Fints, he remembered. Ah, to hell with it. Let it fail. Right now, I need to figure out where this Academy Test is happening.
He made his way to a familiar place—the local blacksmith shop owned by his friend's father.
"Uncle," he called out to the old blacksmith. "Can you tell me where the Academy Test is being held? And... do I have to pay an entry fee?"
The old man looked up from his anvil and smiled warmly at his son's friend. "No fee required, my boy. It happens right nearby every single year. There are five trials in total."
Exactly as the system had mentioned, the protagonist noted.
"Could you tell me what the tests are like, Uncle?" he asked.
"Of course," the old man replied, setting his hammer down. "The tests change every year, except for two that remain constant. The first test is simple—it merely checks your Class Rank. The fifth and final test, however, is the 'Stairway'. That's where most participants fail. But don't worry, failing the stairs doesn't mean you get kicked out of the Academy. Do you know? The highest record anyone has ever achieved on those stairs is climbing just 49 steps."
Forty-nine steps... he pondered. Well, I still have ten days left to prepare.
Suddenly, a suspicious thought crossed his mind. He narrowed his eyes and addressed his internal interface. Hey... is there anything else new that unlocked, but you didn't tell me just because I didn't explicitly ask?
[System Window]
[Yes, Master. Your System Storage capacity has increased from 0 to 50 kg. You can now easily store items up to 50 kilograms.]
He gritted his teeth, a sarcastic, irritated smile forming on his lips. I know you, you bastard. I know your habits too well now.still have ten days left," he thought, deciding to return to the Guild. Upon arrival, a specific posting caught his eye: a bounty for ten Goblins, requiring their ears as proof of the kill.
A wave of frustration washed over him. If only I had known, he lamented. I could have harvested them all back in that infirmary. That entire trip was a waste of effort and stamina. He accepted the mission regardless; the reward of five golden coins was far too valuable to ignore.
While exploring the market to gather more information about the region, he discovered a specialized butcher shop. He watched as hunters struggled to sell monster parts, specifically Goblin hearts and Fint carcasses. These items were worth a fortune, but most hunters were forced to leave them behind in the wild because they were simply too heavy to carry back to the city.
This is a gold mine for me, he realized, a smirk crossing his lips. Weight isn't an issue when I have system storage.
With his plan set, he made his way back toward the city gates. System, he warned internally, don't give me any suicidal missions. My life is on the line, and this mask's durability is down to 9. One more mistake and I'm exposed.
Moments later, he stood once again at the edge of the forest