The World's Strongest Faker

Instance Dungeon Part 1

“One two three four five six seven eight nine ten eleven twelve thirteen fourteen fifteen sixteen seventeen.”

He counted the goblins around him, it was seventeen yet their numbers kept growing and growing.

They were just goblins that you can see from the dungeon, green, small stature, pointed nose, wielding dull weapons. Although they are weak individually, in groups they are deadly.

As an adventurer, he knows how to deal with their tactics. He remembered where he was used as bait and lured them into one location and a mage would swiftly finish it with a wide-range spell.

But there’s no mage here, he’s the only one in this colosseum.

Normally, he would s**t his pants if he saw numbers like this alone. But this time, he didn’t feel scared at all. In fact, he was pumped up, wanting some actions.

“Come at me! You filthy piece of s**t!” He taunted, the goblins became berserk and started screaming and growling. It looks like they were pissed on getting called filthy.

They charged towards him with murderous intent, raising their dull blades high. Ernest calculated the distance, in less than two seconds, they’ll arrive.

Since he doesn’t have a wide-range magic spell, he chose to confront them head-on.

Two seconds.

The swords clashed with the goblin's blade.

As soon as the blade of his sword made contact with their rusty dull blade, it shattered.

The goblins were baffled but Ernest didn’t give them a second chance. With a swift movement of his arm, he slashed around him, slicing off the head of the goblins around him.

A message from the system was prompted.

[Goblins killed: 17/300]

In just an instant, the number rose. Ernest continued the onslaught, feeling motivated by the number showing up.

He didn’t even waver, he didn’t even retreat. He was swiftly fending and dodging their attacks. With counterattack, all the goblins that have been exchanging blows by blows with him are getting killed.

[Goblins killed: 35/30]

If he just maintains his position, killing everyone who comes forward, he’ll save stamina. Of course, dealing with them is an arduous and exhausting task. He just confronts those who are confronting him.

And then a time comes when he had to change his tactics.

Ripples in the air and a quiet whisper of the wind indicate an incoming projectile. His intuition told him to look to the right. Seeing something coming at him at fast speed, he nimbly leaned backward, dodging the arrow.

While dealing with the pesky goblins, he saw a rank of goblins wielding bows and arrows. They distanced themselves and were just aiming and firing at him.

The arrows rained upon him, but he swiftly dodges it by jumping away. The goblins who were fighting at him have low mobility, so they were caught at the barrages.

He adapted, while fighting close combat goblins, he is moving instantaneously. Thanks to his agility, his plan was working. Now the archers are having a hard time aiming at him, resulting in friendly fire.

[Goblins killed: 75/300.]

The numbers of goblins being summoned around the coliseum continued. Not giving Ernest a break. He’s only twenty-five percent in completion yet he can feel the tiredness catching up to him.

An interface prompted.

[Name: Ernest Teucher

Level:1

HP: 77/100

MP: 100/100

Fatigue: 60/100

]

So that was the effect of fatigue. When it decreases, his efficiency and movement speed decrease.

He began pondering on how to conserve it. Is he just going to idle for a short amount of time and catch his breath? No, it's impossible. Goblins kept coming and coming.

As time goes by, the equipment of the goblins is improving. Now they don’t have dull blades, they have wooden shields, swords, and some were throwing stones.

“Those long-ranged goblins are a pain in the ass.” He irked.

He had no choice but to fight this horde of monsters. In order to stop this, he just needs to kill 300 of them.

He continued. The swords are dancing, blood splattering, corpses piling, stench fouling. A gruesome battlefield was created in the center of the colosseum.

[Goblins killed - 100/300]

System prompted!

[Experience points were now accumulated!]

[Congratulations: You have leveled up!]

[Your new current level now is 7!]

[Fatigue refreshed.]

[Fatigue capacity increased.]

[New skills unlocked and are now available to learn in the skill tab.]

“What? My level jumped seven times? Finally, new skills.”

He opened the menu while dealing with the pesky goblins. He searched the skill tab and saw new skills.

[Passive skills: Dash, Wake Attack, Aerial Evasion.]

[Active skills: Circle Break, Impact Wave.]

[Unique Skill: h****k]

‘Learn all of them!’

[New skills unlocked!]

“Let’s try them out! Activate skill, Circle Break!”

[Circle Break - Slams the ground hard when landing from a jump to blow the enemies away with the shockwaves. High shield destruction ability. Can be used on knocked-down enemies.]

He leaped into the air and aimed for the target. The long-range goblins who were shooting arrows and throwing stones at him.

“You’re finished!”

He crashed.

Dust and smoke flew out in all directions. Ten archers, five stone-throwers were killed.

‘This is interesting...oops.’

The stones hurled at him almost hit his head, but fortunately, he caught it.

Then he throws it back to the goblin who threw it to him. Its head smashed, disfigured, and shattered from the impact.

They are still long-ranged attackers left, so he used another skill.

[Impact Wave - Slams the ground with a weapon to send a shockwave. Can be used on knocked down enemies.]

Holding the hilt of his sword tight, he slams the ground and sends shockwaves towards the archers and stone-throwers. They were knocked off and were sent flying from the shockwave, killing them.

[Goblins killed: 140/300].

Now that all the long-ranged goblins are taken care of, he shifted his focus to the pesky short-range goblins, brandishing their swords, clubs, axes, and daggers.

While doing so, he tipped himself, causing him to fall to the ground. This gave the enemy an opportunity to attack him.

Seeing tens of blades falling to him, something inside was awakened. Grabbing his sword, he immediately got up and swung it around. Sending them flying away.

[Wake attack - When knocked down, it will automatically activate to deal a powerful strike to repel nearby enemies as you get up.]

“Okay, it’s time not to be careless.” Ernest declared as he charged forward.

Killing everyone who collided with him, Ernest adopted a new plan. Since he got a new skill, he decided to lure them by running around the coliseum.

Seeing the goblins congregating in one location and following him, he turned and jumped.

“Circle Break!”

“Impact Wave!”

Two consecutive skills were used and deleted the goblins following him.

[Goblins killed: 214/300]

He continued doing this plan and helped him receive a favorable result.

[Goblins killed: 250/300]

He decided to use it again but was prevented.

[Low mana detected!]

“I’ve been using skill too carelessly. Wait...I have a mana potion in my inventory right?”

He opened the inventory and grabbed one vial of a low-grade mana potion.

[Low-grade mana potion - restore 15% mana.]

Just as he was about to gulp it, something exploded behind him. He crashed into the ground, probably breaking his bones. The vial slipped from his hand and shattered from the impact.

In a supine position, he saw small dark clouds forming above him. Then a streak of light.

“Arghhhh!!!”

Ernest let out a scream of pain as he got electrocuted by a lightning strike.

[Low health detected.]

Ernest groans, “Yes I detected that too.” Ernest staggered as he rose to his feet, “Magic?”

There’s another batch of long-ranged goblins again. This time a magic caster.

Before making his move, he gulped two health potions and two mana potions. Restoring his health and mana thirty percent.

“One after another...you’re such a pain in the ass.”

System prompted. [Would you like to test out your unique skill, h****k?]

“I love to.” Ernest simply replied. “h****k!”

He extended his hand and mysterious were drawn towards him

[h****k- Steals enemy abilities and casts them freely two times the power.]

Inside, Ernest felt something mysterious.

[New skills acquired! Firebolt and Thunder Strike.]

Ernest smiled devilishly, “I’ll give it back. I promise.” He grinned maniacally, “Firebolt!”

A scarlet light floods Ernest’s vision a moment later.

“?!”

Scarlet lightning flashes through the hallway. The bolts carve sharp, random lines through the air before piercing the goblins.

An explosive flash of light blinds them in an instant the electric flames reach them.

An orange flower blooms.

The goblins stand there for a moment, covered in burns, its body smoking. Its eyes go white as it flops onto the floor. The last utterance of the monsters echoes around the colosseum.

“Impressive! And it was more potent compared to them.”

There are still goblins standing. Ernest checked the kill count. It was 276. Only twenty-four left to finish this dungeon. But he counted, there are still over 24 goblins. Are they kidding him?

Still, he hasn’t tried the other skill he stole from the goblins. “Thunderstrike eh? Then feel the suffering of being electrocuted!” He let out a deriding smile.

At his will, at his verdict. Small black clouds formed above the coliseum. It was two times larger and wider than the goblins. Raising his hand, he commanded the lightning.

“Descend! Thunder Strike.” Swinging his arm downward, the lightning answered.

Thunderous noise was produced as multiple streaks of lightning struck the goblins.

It was a wide range spell like the firebolt. More potent and more destructive to the point it created a small crater. The intense heat of lightning vaporized the goblins, killing them in an instant.

[Goblin killed: 300/300]

Although it shows that he completed it, there are still goblins running around — They suddenly vanished.

[Stage complete!]

[The leader of the goblins arrived! Leonidas Goblin!]

“What? There’s another?”

After killing three hundred of them and expending a lot of resources, he was exhausted. But to think that there’s another one. He rubbed his head. “One after another.”

A figure jumped from the VIP section hall and landed in the center. It was a goblin with a red cape, donned with helmet and shining armor wielding a large sword and shield. It glared at him.

“Arrrrrrggghhhhh!”

It roared.

Lightly stretching his muscles, Ernest prepared for another battle.

It leaped!

It was so high that the sunlight covered his entire figure. He can’t look clearly as the light is squinting his eyes.

He felt the presence of someone landing on him so he instinctively jumped away. From the landing spot, it created a small crater. If he was seconds late, he could’ve been squashed.

This goblin he is facing is strong and is different from the others. This is his first time seeing one. But he can tell that this one is stronger than the goblin king.

“Arrghh!!”

The Leonidas Goblin came at him, sword flashing. The goblin feinted high, then shifted his attack mid-strike to come at Ernest’s midsection. Ernest read the move and neatly sidestepped, bringing his blade around in a scything arc. The Goblin took the blow on his shield, but it knocked him off balance, forcing him back a step.

An opportunity came, Ernest followed it up and end the fight — A big shadow covered him, it was a shadow of the King’s blade.

Ernest was surprised. He immediately regained his position in an instant?

If he continues on his strike, he might receive a fatal hit. So he retracted his movement using his newly acquired passive, aerial evasion.

Ernest swiftly changed his position mid-air, defying the laws of physics. Then he aimed his hand at the Goblin King. A scarlet light was fired.

“Firebolt!”

The crimson light descended. Piercing through his helmet. The smell of burning flesh wafted. Was he killed?

Ernest doesn't have the means to confirm. If he wants to check it then he’ll have to move closer but it’s dangerous. So to make sure he’s dead. Ernest launches another attack after landing unscathed.

“Thunder Strike!”

Dark clouds covered the coliseum, blocking the sunlight. A streak of blue light descended and struck him.

At this moment, the Goblin fell to his knee, and seconds later, it flopped onto the ground.

Ernest's breathing was ragged. At last, he was finished.

[Congratulations on completing the instance dungeon. Please get your reward at the center of the coliseum.]

A big chest covered in spiraling golden light appeared in the center of the coliseum. Countless confetti rained down and victorious music erupted.

Returning the sword in its scabbard, Ernest walked towards the chest to receive his reward.