I must say I miscalculated. Getting this stinky bastard off my back was considerably harder than I expected, which led to me getting more scratches than I could possibly be comfortable with.
Still, no big deal. After some punches and a well-placed stab, it went down, writhing on the ground, and all I had to do was finish it.
I admit I spent a little more time than what was necessary tormenting the fucker, but can you even blame me?
Either way, after that, I finished off the remaining two enemies with ease, taking my time to also look at the appraisal results of the new goblin variant.
Weak even among goblin kin. Qualified only as fodder. Can be considered an upgraded, less-stinky version of the ugly goblin.
[Tier]: 0
Overall: F
Threat Level: Medium
'So this was considered medium difficulty?' — I pondered, wondering how that classification even worked. I hadn't had much trouble with it at all.
'Maybe it only means it could pose a real threat if I were to face it head-on.' — I concluded, knowing I needed more data before saying anything for sure.
Cutting off the last head, I completed the wave and received yet another completion prompt — basically a copy-paste of the previous one.
[Wave Cleared! You have received a Relic Fragment! Next wave in 1 minute! You can quit at any time by willing for it.]
'A relic? What is it, some special item?' — I wondered, watching as something resembling an old, heavily ornated bottle appeared before me.
It looked like it had suffered heavily with the passage of time — worn-out, missing some gemstones, probably, given the empty sockets in it, basically the kind of junk you wouldn't glance at twice. Still, I reached out, grabbed it, and used appraisal. Since this was a reward for the second wave, it couldn't possibly be bad, right? I did receive a skill for getting rid of three goblins, the reward for clearing five of them shouldn't be any worse.
An old object from the now distant past. It was once a powerful and adored treasure. Oh! How the mighty have fallen...
The water inside should at least still hold some restorative properties… probably…
Active Abilities:
— Water Purification: (Sealed).
Passive Abilities:
— Temporary Item: will cease existing outside the trial.
Not only did it look like a bottle, it was full of water too, and judging from the description, it might be some sort of potion. Too bad it wouldn't be around after the trial — this thing looked incredibly useful.
Even if it was just a consumable with questionable effectiveness, at worst I could use it as a decent water container in the wild. It looked like it could hold nearly two liters, and it had a mysterious vibe to it now that I took a closer look.
It was also labeled as a Relic Fragment. Relics definitely sounded valuable, so maybe later rewards could turn this into the real deal.
My gut says I'm right, so I'll just go with that.
Anyway, it seemed like an all-purpose potion, judging from the description, so I should be fine even if I used my skill a couple more times, right?
The scratches on my back stung a little, but I wasn't going to waste something that could potentially restore my arcana just to heal a few superficial wounds.
With that in mind, I stored the bottle in my inventory for later and got ready, watching as the countdown ended and three light spheres formed.
Now that I think about it, my stats should have risen quite a bit after all those kills. I'd been so excited about the skill and rewards that I hadn't even bothered to check, or rather, that had gone over my head. I should definitely sneak a peek after this wave.
As for the spheres — judging by their size, they were similar to the previous low goblins. I walked toward them, mentally picturing their height, and prepared to unleash Sword Wave for the first time.
I could feel my blood pumping violently through my veins, my eyes wide open, focused on every shift in the spheres, waiting for those green suckers to rear their ugly asses in front of me.
I didn't have to wait long. Soon, their green heads emerged, and as expected, it was three low goblins.
I concentrated and got ready to use the skill. My sword was raised horizontally, with a heavy flow of arcana being channeled into the blade's edge.
Okay — not exactly copious amounts, just a very large amount for me. I estimated I could only use this skill four or five times in a row before running out of arcana — not because the skill was expensive, but because I was simply that weak.
Then, from the edge of my sword, a bright white energy wave shot through the air, streaking toward the three lined-up low goblins, who still hadn't processed what was happening.
I must say, that EX-rank trait of mine really lived up to expectations. With the fourfold spirit increase, the Sword Wave easily tore through the first goblin's throat and made it halfway through the second.
Just like that, two enemies were down. Damn, was this not OP, it was just a bit bloody.
Either way, amazed by how well my plan had gone, I quickly pulled out the relic fragment and took a few sips of the water.
It was probably the most refreshing, delicious water I had ever tasted. This was what all those crazy expensive waters from back in my world dreamed of becoming.
If someone told me it came from a sacred fountain on some monastery atop a Himalayan mountain, I'd believe it instantly. For a moment, I even felt like it was glowing, like the food in those cooking anime.
'Damn, this is good…' — A warm current flowed through my body from my stomach. It seeped into the wounds on my back, and the pain faded.
This shit was miraculous. I could even feel my arcana recovering at an astonishing speed — give it a minute or so and I'd be back to full. All that from just a couple sips.
The bottle held almost two liters. This was massive. — 'If only I could bring it out…' — I lamented inwardly as I rushed toward the last standing goblin, who had raised his stick to strike me.
I blocked the hit, then used my free hand to punch it in the face with a left hook, causing it to stumble backward. I seized the opening and plunged my sword deep into its chest — right where its heart should be, assuming its anatomy was anything close to human.