NotEvenMyFinalForm
patreon
Goblin Chapter 5: Rest
🕑 Added 2025-07-15 16:00:28 +0000 UTCThe moment Gauss focused his mind and entered the Adventurer’s Manual, several prompts popped up one after another.
At the same time, a strange warmth surged through his body before flowing back and concentrating in his mind.
It was a radiant current flooding his entire body—his brain, spine, and limbs felt as though they were soaking in a hot spring. Countless invisible hands seemed to massage him all over, the sensation so soothing and surreal that he nearly lost focus.
His mind buzzed.
When he opened his eyes again, the world looked entirely different. It was as if a veil over his consciousness had been lifted, and everything appeared clearer, sharper.
A special energy had now imprinted itself into his mind—an ability called Mage Hand.
Though he’d just experienced a short but intense battle, the fatigue from before had been completely washed away by this strange revitalization. His body and spirit were restored.
…
Name: Gauss
Strength: 5 (muscular power, load-bearing, burst strength)
Agility: 5 (physical flexibility, coordination)
Constitution: 5 (endurance, stamina, wound recovery, cardio-metabolism)
Intelligence: 7 (memory, reasoning, mental strength)
Perception: 5 (senses, intuition, judgment)
Charisma: 5 (presence, charm, appearance)
Skills:
Level 0 Cantrip : Mage Hand Lv.1 (1/10)
…
Gauss scanned the changes in his stats.
His Intelligence had just jumped from 6 to 7, putting it a full point ahead of every other attribute.
The most obvious benefit? He no longer had to constantly rely on flashes of the original body’s memory. Everything had been fully absorbed and digested in an instant. His memory was sharper than ever.
Still, Intelligence here didn’t seem to equate 1:1 with IQ. While he did feel mentally quicker, the boost was more evident in memory and mental energy than sheer analytical ability.
And then there was… magic.
Yes—there was a faint but tangible current of magical energy flowing through his body now.
It was weak, like a newborn, darting around like a child exploring its new home—but it was real.
With this newfound mana and the Mage Hand spell, he could finally begin to explore magic.
Though, considering his surroundings, now wasn’t the right time. He pushed the thought aside.
As for the Monster Index, the objective was clear: increase his total monster kills to unlock rewards. The next tier was set at 10 kills.
There also appeared to be separate rewards based on how many monsters of the same species he defeated.
After reflecting on his gains and stats, Gauss refocused on the real world.
The goblin was definitely dead.
Time to collect the spoils.
He retrieved the stone spear he’d kicked away earlier and gave it a few test swings. It wasn’t metal, but it felt sturdier than he expected.
Keep it.
Looking at the goblin, he saw it wore nothing but a filthy scrap of cloth covering its lower body. The cloth reeked.
Gauss hesitated. It didn’t look valuable, and he wasn’t about to strip the corpse for a piece of stinking fabric. Best to leave it to cover the body.
Goblins themselves didn’t have much of value. And since this wasn’t a bounty mission, he couldn’t turn in any body parts for rewards. After a quick search, all he took was a fang necklace around its neck.
He had no time—or reason—to bury the corpse. While goblin blood could be mildly toxic, nature would take care of it soon enough.
He gathered his gear quickly. The scent of blood could attract other monsters or predators.
He hurried back to the oak tree where he’d buried his supplies, and only after reaching it did he breathe a sigh of relief.
His first monster kill had gone more smoothly than expected.
Time to head back to town and recover.
Hunting down ten monsters wasn’t going to be something he could finish in a day or two.
This first goblin had only been so easy because of the original body’s knowledge, careful planning, and a successful sneak attack.
In reality, monsters in the wild—even low-tier ones—often traveled in groups. A single adventurer could easily get overwhelmed by attacks from multiple directions, even if they had better one-on-one combat power.
Right now, Gauss wasn’t strong enough to take on multiple enemies at once and come out unscathed.
He needed to regroup and make the most of what he’d gained.
…
Watching his map, he made his way back.
Once he exited the forest and reached the main road, human figures finally came back into view.
From there, he retraced his original path.
By the time he reached the town gate checkpoint, the sun was already beginning to set.
Golden rays poured over the peaks of the distant mountains. The last light of day painted the town’s grey stone rooftops in a soft amber glow, making the modest town shimmer like gold.
He realized most of his time had been spent on the road. The actual combat hadn’t lasted long.
After a brief inspection, he was cleared to re-enter the town.
Right then, Gauss made a decision: he needed a mount.
Walking everywhere wasn’t sustainable. He’d tire himself out before even reaching his next target.
And if he really was going down the path of a spellcaster, with stats like Constitution and Strength remaining average, conserving energy would be essential.
Afterward, he visited a local bathhouse and soaked in steaming hot water.
Shedding the bloodied armor and putting on a fresh linen outfit, Gauss felt like a new man.
The hot water turned his skin red and washed away the aches and tension from his body. The stress from earlier battles seemed to melt away with the rising steam.
Relaxing the body and calming the nerves after battle was just as important as training. No one could stay wound up forever—eventually, something would snap.
…
That night, Grayrock Town came alive.
Cool summer breezes blew through like crisp spring water. The night sky sparkled with stars, wrapped in a deep, rich blue.
Pine resin torches lit up the marketplace square. Cloth canopies stretched across bamboo poles covered the food stalls, where wind chimes jingled softly in the breeze, and the aroma of hot food filled the air.
In the past, the original Gauss rarely came out at night—afraid he’d waste money.
But now, walking through this exotic night market, everything felt new to him.
Most vendors sold food, but there were also fortune-tellers, cheap jewelry stands, and even a puppet show attracting a crowd of kids and adults alike.
Guards with swords patrolled the perimeter, keeping order.
It was a lively, warm little town—especially after dark.
“How much are these worth?”
Gauss squatted in front of a general goods stall, holding up the goblin’s fang necklace and stone spear.
The necklace had a crude but primitive aesthetic, and under the moonlight, it gave off a faint phosphorescent glow.
“Found this on a goblin, huh?” the shopkeeper, an elderly man, leaned in and examined it closely.
Though it sounded like a question, his tone made it clear—he already knew.
He was clearly experienced with this kind of tribal junk.
“Yeah,” Gauss nodded. “Killed one in the Jade Forest this afternoon and took it off the body.”
“I don’t need the spear,” the old man said. “But I’ll offer you 70 copper for the necklace. You know how it is—there aren’t many customers who like these savage, primitive styles. And this kind of accessory isn’t exactly rare. Still, the fang craftsmanship is decent, and the glow is a nice touch.”
Seeing Gauss hesitate, the old man added, “That’s market price. You can ask other shops if you want, but I doubt they’ll offer much more.”
Gauss was fairly satisfied. Seventy copper was nearly a fifth of the savings he had before the hunt.
Still, not knowing the market well yet, he decided to shop around before selling—just in case someone would pay more.
After all, a few extra coins could go a long way for an adventurer.
Money meant everything—gear, potions, weapon upgrades, training, spell instruction—with enough coin, anything was possible.
More resources also meant better odds of survival in a fight.
…
After checking other shops and stalls, he confirmed the old man was honest. Most offers hovered around the same range.
In the end, Gauss sold the necklace for 78 copper coins—a good deal for his first trophy.
