[System Notification]
Kill 5 Goblins — 0/5
Reward: 5 Experience Points
"…Five goblins, huh. Alright," Eokimo muttered, studying the nearby trees.
"If I use that branch… I can rig it as a swinging trap. And just in case it fails, a pitfall should work too."
He crouched, examining the ground.
"…Yeah. Not a bad plan."
Two hours later
"Phew…" Eokimo wiped sweat from his forehead.
"Spikes are done. The trap's set. And—tada."
He held up a roughly sharpened wooden spear.
"Used the same wood for the branch trap and the pit. Simple, but it'll work."
He exhaled slowly.
"Alright. Now to actually find the goblins."
Five minutes later
"Huh… six?" Eokimo whispered from behind a boulder.
"Well… an extra one wouldn't hurt."
He stepped out.
"Hey! Over here!"
The goblins' heads snapped toward him. Their voices came out in harsh, clicking growls.
"Ghrik-krii!"
"Kraah-kiik!"
"Yeah, yeah, come chase me, you little gremlins," Eokimo muttered as he turned and sprinted.
The pack shrieked and charged.
"Oh shit—" he gasped as multiple sets of feet thundered behind him.
His legs burned. Branches whipped against his arms.
"Huff… huff…"
He leapt over the camouflaged pit.
Two goblins didn't react in time.
KRAAK!
They plunged in, impaled and writhing.
"Nice!" Eokimo grinned.
But the remaining four skidded to a stop, snarling.
"…That's not good."
They charged.
Eokimo jumped again, triggering the branch trap.
"NOW!"
WHUMP!
The heavy branch slammed into three goblins, crushing them into the dirt. They groaned, stunned and broken.
The last one—larger than the rest—dodged.
It landed lightly, yellow eyes locked onto him.
"Oh come on. Seriously?" Eokimo backed up slowly.
"Now this is actually bad."
The goblin advanced, tail flicking.
Eokimo's heart pounded.
"Okay… think. You handled five. One more isn't impossible."
The goblin crouched and lunged.
Eokimo rolled aside, dirt spraying where he had stood.
"Not bad… not bad at all," he whispered, gripping his spear tighter.
"Just one clean hit."
It circled him, movements sharp and deliberate.
He jabbed forward to bait it.
The goblin lunged again.
Eokimo jumped back, barely dodging. His spear sliced air.
It was fast. Smarter.
"Ugh… this thing's different…"
He edged backward—toward the pit.
The goblin charged once more, claws slashing.
Eokimo blocked with the shaft of his spear, staggering from the impact. His arms trembled.
There.
The incline near the pit's edge.
The goblin lunged again.
Eokimo pivoted sharply, hooking its arm with the spear and shoving with everything he had.
The goblin skidded.
Its foot slipped.
"YES!"
It tumbled into the pit, scrambling against the spikes before going still.
Silence fell over the forest.
Eokimo dropped to his knees, breathing hard.
"…Finally."
[System Notification]
Task Completed — 5/5 Goblins Defeated
+5 Experience Points
He stared at the floating text.
"…Wait. I killed six."
No response.
No bonus.
Nothing.
He clicked his tongue.
"Tch. Figures."
A soft chime echoed again.
[System Notification]
New Task Assigned.
Eokimo looked up at the trees.
"…Of course it's not over."