Chapter 5: The Monster Raid Begins
The moon hung heavy in the sky, a sickly yellow orb casting long, distorted shadows across the ravaged fields surrounding Rivenwood.
An unnatural stillness gripped the village, a silence broken only by the nervous shuffling of the villagers and the creaking of the dilapidated palisade.
Ethan stood atop the wall, the fragmented Hero's Blade clutched tightly in his hand.
He could feel the thrumming of anticipation in the air, the palpable sense of dread that preceded any major conflict.
He knew the goblins would come, and he knew they would be more than Rivenwood could handle alone.
He glanced at his System interface, checking his status one last time.
[Ethan]
[Level: 2]
[Experience: 100/300]
[Strength: 7]
[Agility: 9]
[Stamina: 8]
[Intelligence: 8]
[Wisdom: 7]
[HP: 120/120]
[MP: 70/70]
[Skills: Iron Skin (Lv.1), System Manipulation (Lv.1)]
[System Lord Interface: Available]
[Aethelgardian Language: Basic Comprehension]
He had managed to get in some extra mana control practice, but his progress had been minimal. He could now produce a faint glow around his hand, but it was hardly the devastating attack he needed.
He had to rely on his wits, his skills, and the fragmented Hero's Blade.
A guttural shriek pierced the silence, followed by another, and another.
From the edge of the forest, a horde of goblins emerged, their eyes glowing red in the moonlight.
They were larger and more muscular than Ethan had anticipated, their crude weapons dripping with what he hoped was mud.
He quickly assessed their numbers – dozens of them, far more than the villagers had predicted.
They weren't just goblins, either. Mixed in with the smaller, more common goblins were several larger, more brutish figures – goblin warriors, their bodies scarred and adorned with crude fetishes.
"They're here!" Borin shouted from below, his voice strained. "To the walls! Defend Rivenwood!"
The villagers scrambled to their positions, armed with pitchforks, axes, and whatever makeshift weapons they could find. Fear was etched on their faces, but there was also a glimmer of determination. They knew what was at stake.
Ethan knew he had to act quickly. He opened his System interface and navigated to his System Lord abilities. He couldn't directly control the villagers, but he could influence them.
[System Lord Interface]
[Available Actions: Minor Stat Boost (Allied Units)]
He focused on Borin, who was positioned at the most vulnerable section of the wall.
[Minor Stat Boost (Allied Units) - Borin]
[Strength +5%, Agility +5%, Stamina +5%]
A faint shimmer of light enveloped Borin, and Ethan saw him straighten, his grip on his spear tightening.
He repeated the process for a few other villagers, strategically boosting those who seemed most capable.
He also targeted a young woman named Elara, who was nimble and quick with a makeshift bow, boosting her agility and giving her a slight edge.
The goblins reached the palisade, swarming over the broken sections.
The battle began.
Goblins clawed at the walls, their sharp teeth and claws tearing at the wood.
Villagers fought back with desperate ferocity, but they were quickly overwhelmed. Ethan jumped down from the wall, the Hero's Blade singing in his hand.
He charged into the fray, slashing at the goblins with the fragmented blade.
The sword, despite its age, cut through their crude armor with surprising ease.
He focused his mana, trying to channel it into the blade, but the effort was too much.
He could only manage a faint pulse of energy, not enough to make a significant difference.
He fought his way through the horde, relying on his agility and the sword's inherent sharpness.
He dodged goblin attacks, parrying blows with the fragmented blade.
He was fast, but the goblins were relentless. They swarmed him, their numbers overwhelming his defenses.
One particularly large goblin warrior, wielding a jagged club, roared and charged at Ethan.
The club crashed down, narrowly missing Ethan's head.
He rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding another blow.
He saw an opening and lunged, the fragmented blade slicing through the goblin's thick hide.
The goblin roared in pain, but it didn't go down. It swung its club again, catching Ethan on the shoulder. He cried out in pain, his HP dropping.
[Ethan]
[HP: 75/120]
He stumbled back, clutching his shoulder. The goblin warrior pressed its attack, its eyes filled with bloodlust.
Ethan knew he had to do something, and fast.
He remembered Borin's training, the importance of footwork and timing.
He took a deep breath, focusing on the rhythm of the goblin's attacks.
He sidestepped another blow, using the momentum to his advantage.
He ducked under the club, and with a swift, upward motion, he drove the fragmented blade into the goblin's heart.
The goblin warrior let out a final, gurgling cry and collapsed.
He looked around. The battle was a chaotic mess of blood, fur, and steel. Elara, the young archer, was picking off goblins from the wall with surprising accuracy, her arrows finding their marks with deadly precision.
Borin, his spear glowing with faint blue energy, was holding his own against a group of goblins, his movements fluid and precise.
But the goblins were still coming. They were relentless, their numbers seemingly endless.
Ethan knew they couldn't win this fight through attrition.
They needed a game-changer. He needed to use System Override.
Another goblin warrior, even larger than the first, charged at him, wielding a massive two-handed axe.
This one was different. He could see the intelligence in its eyes, the cunning that set it apart from the other goblins. This was a leader, a chieftain.
The chieftain roared, swinging its axe in a wide arc.
Ethan knew he couldn't dodge this one. He focused on the axe, on the swing, on the power behind it.
He activated System Override.
[System Override (Lv.1) Activated - Power Swing]
For five seconds, Ethan felt the chieftain's strength coursing through him.
He gripped the Hero's Blade with both hands, channeling all his newfound power into a single, devastating swing.
The fragmented blade, now glowing with a faint white light, connected with the chieftain's axe, shattering it into pieces.
The force of the blow sent shockwaves through the air, knocking back the surrounding goblins.
The chieftain stared at its broken weapon in disbelief, then looked at Ethan with a mixture of fear and rage.
Ethan didn't give it a chance to react. He lunged forward, the fragmented blade slicing through the chieftain's thick armor.
The chieftain let out a final, agonizing shriek and fell to its knees.
The death of their leader broke the goblins' morale.
They panicked, their ranks collapsing into disarray.
They turned and fled, scrambling back into the forest.
The battle was over. Rivenwood had survived.
Ethan collapsed to his knees, exhausted but exhilarated. He had faced death, and he had survived. He checked his status.
[Ethan]
[Level: 3]
[Experience: 0/500]
[Strength: 8]
[Agility: 10]
[Stamina: 9]
[Intelligence: 8]
[Wisdom: 7]
[HP: 50/120]
[MP: 70/70]
[Skills: Iron Skin (Lv.1), System Manipulation (Lv.1), System Override (Lv.1)]
[System Lord Interface: Available]
[Aethelgardian Language: Basic Comprehension]
He had leveled up! And he had unlocked a new ability – System Override.
He knew this skill would be invaluable in future battles.
As he looked around, he saw the villagers staring at him with awe and respect. They had witnessed his courage, his skill, and his strange power. They knew he had saved them.
A new notification appeared on his interface.
[Title Unlocked: Defender of Rivenwood]
[Description: Awarded for your bravery and crucial role in defending Rivenwood against the goblin horde.]
[Bonus: +10% to defense when fighting within Rivenwood's territory.]
He had earned their respect, their gratitude. He was no longer just a traveler. He was a hero.
But as the villagers celebrated their victory,
Ethan felt a chill run down his spine. He sensed a presence watching him from the shadows, a dark figure lurking just beyond the edge of his perception. He didn't know who it was, or what they wanted, but he knew they were there.