"Congratulations, you have awakened."

While those words floated in front of Roy's eyes, a green dense light basked his body. As the light penetrated his skin, Roy screamed his lungs out. A sharp pain like that of a thousand needles struck every inch of his flesh. His muscles contorted, expanded, and then became tighter. Overflowing energy and vitality took over his body and mind as if he had gained the strength of an ox and the speed of a cheetah.

“Think of the word status to see a visual representation of your strength.”

Following the floating words’ command, Roy thought, ‘Status’.

Looking at the status screen in front of him, Roy was flabbergasted. However, even though he didn’t know any of the words written, he was able to somehow deduce their meaning. He also understood that his power has just increased by leaps and bounds. Even his lowest stat, constitution, should have been a measly E or an F before his awakening, but they have now all upgraded. Roy didn’t understand how he came about such knowledge—it was as if the information was implanted at the stem of his brain along with the green light that penetrated his skin. The only thing he couldn’t really understand was the stat at the very bottom: Mana.

“This, this is amazing…” Roy couldn’t help but mutter as he clenched and unclenched his fist.

“For the next thirty days, you will experience a massive growth spur. Keep fighting, keep killing, and keep evolving.”

Roy’s eyes were fixated on the place where the words were floating even after they long disappeared. It was only once Jack interjected that he snapped out of his daze.

“Wow, what was that? How do you feel?”

Roy looked at Jack and Robb’s incredulous expressions before looking back at his own body.

“I feel strong enough to beat anyone in the world.”

Roy looked at the house Robb used to bait the tall goblin earlier before he dashed towards it in barely a second. He went to and from it before neither Jack nor Robb could process what had happened. The speed he showed was so far beyond anything a human could do that they thought he was an enraged horse.

“What the hell…” Jack’s eyes were fixated on Roy’s body as he could not believe what was happening in front of him. “So this is what they meant by status awakening. We’re going to become heroes and demi-gods from the legends.”

“I guess so,” Roy replied. “We need to get you guys to awaken as soon as possible too. Just in case there are stronger monsters than that tall goblin from before.”

The two nodded at Roy’s words when Jack said, “I think Robb has to get it first. He has more kills than me so it’s only fair.”

“Are you sure about that?” Robb glanced at Jack from the side, surprised at his unusually serious demeanor.

Jack clicked his tongue in response and replied, “It’s all good. It’s more efficient this way.”

“Okay, since we’re all clear on the plan, let’s get started.” Roy clasped his hands. He then went over to the tall goblin’s corpse and looted his long sword. It was of a much better quality than his trusty knife and had a much better reach too.

“Anyone wants this sword?” Roy asked.

“Shut the fuck up and just take it, you stupid idiot.” Robb’s answer was immediate, making Roy’s cheeks become red as he chuckled to himself.

“Thank you,” he mumbled softly before the group continued on the dirt road, diving deeper into the village. On their way, they found traces and movements of large goblin groups which they avoided. However, soon, they found a pack of six goblins—one tall variant, and five small ones.

The three friends took a stance with their weapons and slowly inched toward the group of monsters. The tall goblin, who was the leader of the group, took the charge and pounced at Roy. Seeing the incoming attack, it felt like the goblin was moving in slow-motion. Roy’s concentration was so high that he could make out the minute movements of the monster and calmly deflect its sword. Using his superior agility, Roy cut the distance between himself and his opponent and slashed its wrist.

With an ungodly scream, the goblin let its sword go and kneeled on the ground. Roy, on the other hand, charged past it and fought with the rest of the goblins. They were panicked and in disarray from the loss of their leader, which made them that much of an easier prey for Roy. With quick slashes using his long sword, Roy either disarmed or incapacitated the monsters in his way.

Robb who was behind Roy easily collected the kills by stabbing the monsters in the throat or the chest with his dagger. Once he killed the last goblin, the same green light that covered Roy before encompassed him. When the light penetrated his skin, he too screamed like a banshee.

“Fuck!! This shit hurts!”

Roy smiled wryly at Robb who was contorting in pain. He, more than anyone else, knew how painful of a sensation it was to awaken.

Once the pain subsidized, Robb saw the same words that Roy saw floating in front of him. After thinking the word “Status” in his mind, a screen appeared in front of him.

Finally, the same words that urged Roy to fight appeared in front of Robb, before they too faded out. Robb was then left mesmerized by his newfound power.

“So, how does it feel?” Roy coyly asked.

“Like you said, strong enough to beat anyone in the world,” Robb replied with a look of amazement in his eyes. Even he, who was usually stoic, couldn’t help but have his heart flutter at the gain of such immense power.

“Oh fuck off with that,” Jack interjected with an annoyed expression. “If you have the time to feel so good about your power, use that to help me awaken too.”

“Oh, what is that? Is that jealousy that I sense from you, Jack.” Robb looked at Jack with an inquisitive look, as if he was clues to a case he had wanted to crack for months.

“Oh fuck off with that stupid shit.”

Roy couldn’t help but chuckle at the two’s antics before looking at Robb who was having fun poking at Jack. “Come on, come on, let’s stop playing around for a bit. We have to get moving.”

“Sure, whatever you say, boss,” Robb relented with a smile as he already had his fun.

“Just you wait until I awaken too.” Jack clicked his tongue but he ultimately complied.

The three continued running around looking for a suitable pack to hunt. With their newfound power came newfound confidence. While they still wouldn’t dare fight with the large packs, they didn’t have to scurry around deathly afraid of making even a single noise.

In their way, they were able to kill straggling goblins to raise up the number of kills Jack had. They found three to be exact, bringing the count to six. And as if brought by destiny, they found a pack of four goblins—two variants and two normals.

“Robb, you handle the left one. I’ll go for the right.” Roy issued his order before dashing toward his target. With his superior speed, he feinted a downward slash before changing it to a forward trust stabbing the tall goblin right in the chest. Not leaving it any chance to defend itself, Roy swept the goblin’s weapon with his sword before slashing its wrists, crippling it.

He looked at the small goblin who was staggering backward in fear before he stabbed its shoulder. Somehow, as its sadistic tendency died and a primal fear took over its place, the goblin started resembling a sickly child even more—an ugly, green sickly kid.

Swallowing down the bitter taste in his mouth, Roy swept away the knife that the little goblin was wielding and waited for Robb to finish. Jack, on the other hand, killed the tall goblin before moving toward the small one. Even in its death, it had a pitiful look on its face, making Roy even more conflicted.

What the fuck are you thinking, idiot? Roy scolded himself. These are monsters—monsters that killed so many villagers and would kill you too if given the chance.

“Yes! Finally!” Jack’s triumphant scream snapped Roy back to reality. He already killed the goblins Robb had defeated and a glimmering green light was basking his body. However, after a few seconds, his smiling face soon contorted into one full of pain and suffering.

“Oh fuck! Fucking shit and balls! What the fuck is this!!”

Robb chuckled from the side as Jack knelt on the ground from the overflowing pain. His eyes were hollow, and his expression was like that of someone on his deathbed.

Once the fateful words hovered in front of his face, the pain mellowed out and only a fresh sensation of power and vitality was left in its wake. He followed the words’ command and the status screen hovered in front of him.

With the words floating in front of him fading into nothingness, Jack couldn’t help but laugh. “Yes, this is it! I did it! We did it! No one can tell us shit, now! We’re going to rule this damn world!”

Robb who couldn’t believe what he was hearing sat down next to Jack with an incredulous expression before flicking the latter on the forehead.

“Fuck! What was that for?!” Somehow the little flick from Robb left a red mark on Jack’s forehead.

“That’s for you thinking you’re hotshit when you just awakened. How the fuck do you want us to rule the world when we haven’t even killed all of these damn goblins yet?”

“Just let a man dream in peace,” Jack growled back.

Seeing the situation devolving, Roy clapped his hands twice. “Okay, okay, let’s leave it at that. We need to go and do what we set out for. Let’s go help the Jacobs and the Davids—should be easy, right?”

Jack smirked at Roy’s remark, “Don’t even mention it.”

As such, the trio set out once again, this time with a power much stronger than before. Following Robb’s guidance, they marched toward their destination.