Montu's mind raced. He was a Speed 1 zombie against a Speed 3 Spirit; he couldn't outrun death, so he had to invite it. As the Wood Spirit unleashed another Gale Leaves strike, Montu didn't flinch. Instead of dodging away, he leaned into the razor-sharp wind, deliberately sacrificing his remaining hand.
The green blades whistled. Squelch. His right hand joined his left in the mud.
He jumped across a few meters and fell on the ground, trying to play dead hoping that the wood spirit would lose interest and move on. He held his breath—or rather, the stagnant air in his lungs—and went perfectly still. 'Please lose interest. Please think I'm just a corpse and go away.'
But as he lay on the ground, his mind raced with thoughts of how he could turn the situation to his advantage. He knew that he had to act quickly, or his chances of survival would dwindle by the second.
His mind was gripped with fear and desperation as the wood spirit approached him, he watched through narrowed eyes as the Spirit hovered over him. It didn't devour them; it simply gathered his severed hands like trophies and prepared for the final blow.
'Why didn't I think of that, why would the spirit only take the hands, when it could devour me whole.' In his desperation, a primal instinct took over. He couldn't fight. He couldn't run. He just wanted to live. "God, if you're listening... anyone... help!"
And in that moment, it seemed as though his prayers were answered. A deafening roar echoed through the forest, causing the trees to shake and the ground to tremble beneath him.
ROAR.
The forest didn't just vibrate; it buckled. The sound was as if a tectonic plate snapped, a deafening, guttural howl that sent a shockwave through the trees.
Emerging from the treeline was a nightmare made of flesh: a fifteen-foot-tall, moss-covered humanoid monster. Its every step was an earthquake.
The Wood Spirit didn't hesitate. In fear, It dropped the hands and vanished into the bushes like a green ghost. Montu didn't wait to see if the giant was friendly or not. He crawled into the shadows, staying hidden, moving with the agonizing slowness of a wounded insect until he found a hollowed-out log deep in the overgrowth.
Three hours passed in silence, only the wet, squelching sounds of bone knitting to bone. His regeneration was at work.
[NOTIFICATION: Regeneration Proficiency increased 40/100]
[QUEST COMPLETE: Survive the Wood Spirit]
Reward: 50 Gold.
Bonus: Skill [Jab - Lv.1] Acquired.
EXP: +20 (Current: 20/500)
The host can locate and employ the gold from the inventory.
Though not a rare or legendary ability, he was elated nonetheless as it was better than receiving nothing at all.
MONTU〔NPC〕
RACE = Undead(zombie)
Level=1
Exp points: (20/500)
Strength=2
Speed = 1
Endurance=6
Mana=0
Intelligence=5
Mind=0
HP=35/35
Stat Points =0
Evolution Points:(0)
Exclusive skills = God's eye, EVOLUTION
Skills= Regenerate[Lvl 1]
= Jab[Lvl 1]
"A basic punch?" Montu sighed, his voice a dry rattle. "After all that, I get a 'Jab'? It's like bringing a toothpick to a dragon fight."
Still, he needed to move. He tested the skill on a nearby oak. Jab. His fist moved slightly faster than a normal punch, leaving a shallow, splintered dent in the bark. "What a legendary skill," he muttered sarcastically.
He pushed deeper into the woods, his God's Eye scanning the horizon until he smelled it: woodsmoke and greasy, charred meat over a grill. He crept to a ridge and looked down.
A goblin encampment. Fifty of them, chattering in their foul tongue. But in the center sat a titan among vermin—a Hobgoblin.
Hobgoblin
Race= Green Goblin
Lvl=8
Strength=15
Speed=8
Endurance=10
Mana=0
Mind=0
HP=502/502
Skills=Roar[Lvl 3]
=Sword slash[Lvl 3]
=Raging punch[Lvl 2]
Montu felt a cold shiver. Strength 15? 'One hit from that blade and I'm confetti.' He looked at the other goblins—mostly Level 2 with a few Level 3 and 4 guarding the perimeter.
"I can't attack them all at once like this without putting myself in danger. I need to come up with a strategy to eliminate them safely," Montu thought to himself, considering his options.
Montu inquired of the system, "Oyi, Do you have a shop where I can purchase items?"
The system responded, "Finally.... decided to talk. I thought you wouldn't even ask. Yes, there is a shop available where you can acquire nearly everything. Would you like me to open the shop for you?"
"Yes, open it," Montu ordered not paying the system any mind.
He scrolled frantically for flammable items. He needed an equalizer. Every gamer knew goblins hated fire. He found it: Kerosene and a lighter.
"Perfect," Montu grinned, his rotting lips curling. "I'm a genius. A tactical mastermind, there's no one as intelligent as this zombie. "
[INSUFFICIENT FUNDS] the System chimed.
[YOU HAVE 50 GOLD. KEROSENE IS 200. PERHAPS THE 'GENIUS' SHOULD LEARN TO COUNT]
[Weren't you the one boasting about your intelligence a moment ago, where is that intelligence now?] Said the system.
Montu froze. "Did you... did you just mock me?"
[I AM MERELY OBSERVING THE DISCREPANCY BETWEEN YOUR EGO AND YOUR WALLET.]
"Stop mocking me, I'm attempting to come up with a solution here!" He shouted
Suddenly, the system made a strange beeping sound, displaying an emoticon with a confused and surprised expression.
[Beep Beep]
A holographic icon appeared in his vision: ○_○ then shifted to ^_^.
"Where did you even learn this?" Montu hissed, waving a hand through the blue light. "Stop being a brat and help me think!"
The System went silent, the blue screen flickering with a defiant glow. Montu sat back, watching the goblins feast. He had 50 gold, a new punch, and a body that could regrow limbs. He looked at the shop again. He didn't need the expensive kerosene... he just needed a tool.
A new, darker idea began to form. "If I can't buy the fire," he whispered, "I'll have to make something else."