The World of Tactics

Chapter Seven II: A Battle In The Night

"A battlefield only exists when two parties are intent on battle. The moment that one side is left, the battlefield will disappear on its own. However, under the condition that a battle is imminent. A battlefield would immediately be formed. There are also special occasions when a battle is formed.

Such a special occasion involves a special class like the assassin. An assassin could easily get close to the intended target before launching an attack or two. This would initiate a battle. However, it could be fatal since the battlefield generated is limited in this case. A hunter's trap initiates a battlefield once the enemy triggers such traps. This is true as long as the hunter is within a distance of the trap. A mage's magic trap also acts the same. Likewise, many others could do the same under specific conditions." -Said a battle master.

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The hit hurt like hell and he could not help but leave off some drops of tear as the sharp pain was too much. He knows that this is a life-and-death battle, but it was too painful. He could not help but give props to those others that went into a war where lasers were flying everywhere. He could not have imagined being in the place of those others, but this made him realize that soldiers at the forefront took painkillers for nothing. Compared to the huge gaping wounds that he saw through videos, that sort of pain. He can not imagine how intense it would have been if he were in the same situation.

He almost releases his training lance and uses his left hand to massage his temple to help relieve some pain. He had wanted to use some herbs before, but he told himself that he could not do so. He has to get used to pain because if war were to start between countries. He did not know if he could avoid all of those. And one day, he will be conscripted into the army and it is better to learn more about pain rather than to learn it during a raging war. By then, he would regret not learning it sooner because he might faint again at the immense pain. The world is not peace-loving like he is.

After a few gaps, he realized that he had missed the goblin chopping down the tree and clearing the obstructing tree. He just saw Goon taking no damage while dealing two damage to the third goblin that was able to make an attack (Goon, EXP + 50). Just as the [Enemy's Turn] ended. He saw that he had leveled up from the previous bout. It was just in time for the [Player's Turn] and he naturally had to put one point into his defense and one more point into his strength.

He knows that there is no goblin here that can deal any damage to him now that his defense has reached eight points. His pain was still blazing, but he did not use any healing herb batch to heal himself up. Having pain is good too, it is also best to get used to being numb to the aching pain. It is not too late to heal himself afterward. He targeted the goblin that clobbered his head and sent the goblin into the hereafter while dealing three damage (John Smith, EXP +50). The number of experience points he got from defeating a goblin was substantial.

In this turn, Goon got rid of the goblin, who had four health points (Goon, EXP +100, Level up). He elected to put one more point into maxing out Goon's strength stat. It has a rainbow-colored highlight around the stat just like the defense stat. The feeling of getting indirectly stronger was fantastic and he could only compliment himself for getting Goon's soul core developed so early on. Now, it was showing its worth brightly before his eyes. He had also never expected that a goblin's soul core would be this useful.

With two goblins dead on the ground. The two squares adjacent to them were both completely opened up by the remaining goblins that were staring at them. However, with high defense and high strength. He felt confidence coursing through his body. What he did not realize was that as his strength got greater, his muscles were also coming into huge development as well. His muscles are growing in size, while he has never even felt the strange change that he is going through.

It was the [Enemy's Turn]. He had lost count of how many turns it had been. It might have been five or so, but he did not care. What he cared more about now was to clean up the goblins here faster and run away. He did not have the current ability to face a hobgoblin. The goblin first attacked Goon as expected. With Goon's current strength, he was not surprised to see that Goon had dealt five damage to the goblin (Goon, EXP + 40, Level up). That damage was comparable to Lawrence and the others.

He felt that Goon's maximum health points are discrediting Goon's current levels. Compared to the goblins that they are facing now, it was much lower than average. He had to put the points into Goon's maximum health points. He felt better seeing that Goon's maximum health points were able to get to fifteen. As for the remaining levels that Goon has, he was also planning to pump more points into maximizing Goon's health points.

The next goblin to attack was the one on the square besides Goon. Goon was attacked yet again. The result was almost the same. With Goon dealing four damage to the goblin and gaining another good chunk of experience points (Goon, EXP +30). He readied himself again, this time against a new goblin. The goblin leaped at him while swinging the wooden club. Somehow, the world within his eyes slowed and he was able to awkwardly move outside of the goblin's attack. He stuck back dealing three damage and gaining another good chunk of experience as well (John Smith, EXP +34, Level up).

He had considered his unallocated points for a bit while it was within [Enemy's Turn]. He cast off his caution afterward because he knew for sure that he would not need to bother paying attention. After all, the remaining goblins would not be able to reach him anyway. Just when it was [Player's Turn], he had decided to put more points into his strength (Strength +2). It was not a bad call at all.

Both of them attack the same goblin that attacks them. Goon was able to deal another four damages on Goon's goblin and he was able to deal five damage on his (Goon, EXP + 30). The contrast was quickly apparent (John Smith, EXP + 34). He was stronger compared to the goblins around and against Goon. He could still feel some brief pains on impact. However, he is not bleeding compared to his previous bouts. This is a great result. Only if he could get armor, would he practically feel no pain.

The two end their turns and it becomes [Enemy's Turn] now. The same three old goblins that could attack, attacked them yet again. If only they knew that they would not be able to inflict any damage on them at all. Goon's got another level up and was still in the lead in terms of levels (Goon, EXP +30, Level up). He put the point into increasing Goon's max health points. The second goblin was no better against Goon (Goon, EXP +20). And he had to face the third attacking goblin. He had no problem grinding for experience (John Smith, EXP +34).

The remaining three goblins were unable to attack and had to end their turns by waiting until there was an open square for them to squeeze in. Too bad for them, they will not have any chance unless he opens up that chance. He had just finished planning the next move and [Player's Turn] landed just in time. He made Goon attack the goblin, who only had five health points left. He knows that Goon would be able to deal with that goblin with just one hit (Goon, EXP + 40). The experience that Goon can get has diminished by quite a bit.

The moment that Goon was able to defeat the goblin, he moved into the open square and attacked the goblin that had always been attacking him. He dealt exactly five damage to the goblin and the goblin was also defeated (John Smith, EXP +50, Level up). He added one point to max out his strength value. The strange part was that it did not turn a rainbow-like Goon's strength and defensive stats. It was highlighted in green. After a few guesses, he only concludes that it was due to his potential to become even much stronger and that Goon's has reached its absolute limit. Or it might just be because of the differences of their species, different from human versus soul cores. Without further ado, he also added the last points to his defense.

It was such a strange, but acceptable thought within this crazy-like fantasy world. He had ended the turn and it switched back to [Enemy's Turn]. The thing that he forgot to take into his calculations was the one goblin that was attacking Goon while on the tree stump. That goblin was also close to dying and it only needed one good hit from Goon. The goblin will go into the hereafter. This means that the square where the goblin would be open for one more attack. He had hopes that he could fight against two goblins within the [Enemy's Turn] to grind for more experience.

The plan backfired on him. He realized how childish he had been. Technically, his body is of a child and his mind is of an adult. The two sides are influencing his thoughts, which is why he had made such a comical mistake. Goon gains enough experience to level up (Goon, EXP +40, Level up). And another point went into Goon's health points. Goon got another two more battles from two incoming goblins (Goon, EXP +10, EXP +10). Compared to the start of the battle, Goon only received ten experience points each for one bout. It was about nothing now. Even so, he knows that ten experience points are a lot of experience.

He continues with a bout against the final goblin on the map. The result was great. He was able to deal six damage (John Smith, EXP +34). Thinking of it now, his strength had reached the minimum requirement of the stronger soldiers that he had seen practicing within the manor. Unconsciously, he had become strong already. He did not know if he should be happy or not because his pace of getting experience points was way too unusual.

This also includes the fact that he could put the points into any stats that he wanted. This ability excludes his hidden stats, though. Even so, it was a great personal ability to have, even though he might have thought of it as an innate skill. Since it was not listed as a skill within his skills slot. Everything that he sees now is outside the scope of his skills.

[Player's Turn] came quickly because there were only three goblins left on the map now. He made Goon attack the first goblin that attacked Goon in the previous turn. At least, Goon was also able to gain some sort of experience points in return (Goon, EXP +10). He, too, attacked the goblin that attacked him. There was no point in moving just to expose Goon to one more additional attack. Exposing two attacks on Goon is good enough (John Smith, EXP +34).

Just after his attack, [Enemy's Turn] starts. The situation was the same as in the last turn. Goon got attacked two times (Goon, EXP +10, EXP +10). As for the final goblin, he finished it off with six damages (John Smith, EXP +50, Level up). He also manages to level up as well. He immediately put one point into defense, which also maxed it out in green. As for the last unallocated points, he realized that he did not know where to put the points.

Thus, even after [Player's Turn] flashes before his eyes. He was still confused as to where he should put the points. He was tempted to put the points into magic, but he knew that right now he had no way to access magic. It would be useless to put points into magic for now. But, thinking about it again. He felt that it was better if he put one point into skill, speed, or luck, and maybe resistance.

Thinking about it over and over, his hand slips while hovering over the stats and he accidentally presses the speed stat when his finger trembles. What was done was done. He could not change the outcome, so he hoped that speed would be useful.

With that one goblin down. There are only two goblins left. One only had six health points left, while the other still had nine health points left. He made another quick calculation and quickly developed a plan. He made Goon attack the goblin with just six health points. Goon was able to deal four damage and gain a quick amount of experience (Goon, EXP +10). Then he came in for the final killing blow (John Smith, EXP +50). At this rate, the final goblin would also contribute another fifty points of experience to him, which would result in another level up.

The enemy goblin attacked right after it was [Enemy's Turn], it was not strange at all. Goon deals four damage in return (Goon, EXP +10). The [Enemy's Turn] ended with the goblin attacking and it was quickly switched to [Player's Turn]. He made Goon attack the goblin in return for another grinding experience (Goon, EXP +10). Then he moves in for the kills since the goblin only has one health point left (John Smith, EXP +50, Level up). He could have given the kill to Goon, but that would mean wasting one more turn and he is not willing to wait for the goblin to attack Goon.

The moment he stabbed the heart of the goblin was the moment that the grid lines started to fade away. His exhaustion came all at once into his body. In the previous battle, there was no energy drain. However, the moment he exited the battle was the moment that all of the battling movements that he made during the bouts came to him. He could feel his muscles trembling uncontrollably like snakes and his body bending wherever his muscles move. The pain of getting into all sorts of poses was too dramatic and his mind had almost slipped by. Snots and tears came in response to the pain and the gurgling saliva came gushing from the corners of his mouth.

He did not notice, but this was also the cause of leveling up too much during battle. He went through such a serious number of levels and it came to him after the battle. It was only five minutes, but this immense pain went beyond his current pain capacity that he could take on. Before he closes his eyes after the muscles finally settle down. The training lance that he held at the end has already been broken and he is just holding on to a piece of wood. In between his sight was the soul core of Goon.

His eyes closed and since he could not see. He heard a few fleeting messages ringing in the back of his mind.

[A Training Lance broke!]

[Obtain EXP + 50.]

[Levels up to 17! ]

[Gains 2 unallocated points!]

[Please assign the unallocated points!]

[Lance Mastery Rank Up!]

[Lance Mastery: D -> C]

[Iron-type weapon unlocked for lance!]

[Lance will become effective against enemies that equip sword-type weapons during the bout. (Lance Effective: +1 Might, Receive -1 Damage, Hit Chance +10).]