Lucas ventured deeper into the dense forest, the canopy overhead casting dappled shadows on the forest floor. The air was thick with the scent of pine and damp earth, and the rustling of leaves created a constant backdrop of sound. He scanned the surroundings intently, his eyes sharp and focused, searching for any signs of beasts.
It wasn't long before he spotted two goblins, their green skin blending seamlessly with the foliage. They moved with a predatory grace, their beady eyes darting around as they communicated in guttural grunts. Lucas's smirk widened as he recognized this opportunity to test his newfound power.
"Perfect," he muttered to himself, feeling the weight of his dagger in his hand. "Time to see if I still have it."
The goblins noticed him and immediately brandished their crude daggers, snarling as they charged. Lucas took a deep breath, his body instinctively falling into a combat stance. Though he was still a normal human, his body was now stronger due to mana tempering.
His muscles felt taut and ready, and he could sense the mana flowing through him, enhancing his reflexes and strength. His past life's fighting instincts, honed through countless battles, were as sharp as ever.
"Let's make this quick," Lucas said aloud, his voice steady. "I need to get back into the rhythm of fighting."
As the goblins attacked, Lucas moved with practiced precision. He caught the first goblin by the wrist, twisting it painfully. The goblin snarled in pain, its eyes widening in surprise. Lucas easily snatched the crude dagger from its grasp.
"Nice try," Lucas muttered, his voice cold and steady. In one swift, fluid motion, he drew the blade across the goblin's throat. The creature gurgled, its lifeblood spilling out as it collapsed to the ground, dead in an instant.
The second goblin, witnessing this brutal display, froze in terror. It sputtered something in its guttural language, but Lucas couldn't understand a word. Still, the fear in its eyes was unmistakable.
"What's the matter? Scared?" Lucas taunted, his eyes narrowing.
The goblin's survival instincts kicked in, and it turned to flee. Lucas's reflexes were lightning-fast. He hurled the dagger with deadly accuracy, the blade slicing through the air and embedding itself squarely in the goblin's head. The creature dropped like a stone, lifeless.
Lucas took a moment to survey the scene, a satisfied smile tugging at his lips. The two goblin corpses lay still, their once-green skin now pale and bloodied. The forest seemed to hold its breath in the aftermath of the quick but violent encounter.
Suddenly, a system screen appeared before him, its ethereal glow cutting through the forest's shadows. The screen hovered silently, casting an otherworldly light on the surrounding foliage.
[Goblin corpses detected. These can be utilized to provide experience to the Divine Mask.]
Lucas blinked, his eyes widening in surprise. "I can use goblin corpses?" he asked aloud, unable to hide his incredulity.
[Affirmative. Any corpse containing mana can be absorbed by the Divine Mask to gain experience. The amount of experience gained is proportional to the mana content of the corpse.]
He furrowed his brow, deep in thought. "But these goblins... they don't seem to have much mana," he murmured, glancing down at the lifeless bodies.
[Correct. The goblins possess minimal mana, resulting in a modest experience gain for the mask. Despite the small contribution, every bit of experience is valuable.]
Lucas nodded slowly, digesting the information. He began to pace around the corpses, the gears in his mind turning. "So, let me get this straight," he said, his voice steady. "I can use any corpse with mana, no matter how little, to gain experience for the mask?"
[Affirmative.]
A new thought struck him, and he turned sharply to face the screen, his eyes glinting with a mix of curiosity and something darker. "Even human corpses?" he asked, his tone probing.
[Yes. Human corpses containing mana can also be absorbed by the Divine Mask to provide experience.]
Lucas's lips curled into a sinister grin as the implications sank in. "That's... useful," he murmured, envisioning the potential applications. He could eliminate enemies and dispose of evidence simultaneously.
The forest around him was eerily quiet, the leaves rustling softly in the breeze as if nature itself was holding its breath. Lucas took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the dagger in his hand. He turned back to the system screen, resolute. "Absorb these corpses," he commanded.
[Initiating absorption of goblin corpses. Processing...]
Lucas watched intently as the process began. The goblin bodies, once menacing in their crude way, began to wither and shrink.
Their green flesh turned grey, drying out and flaking away like old parchment. Lucas marveled at the sight, his eyes widening as the corpses crumbled into fine ash.
"The system really sucks them dry, huh?" he muttered, half to himself.
[Absorption complete. Zeus's current status: One Star Magic Warrior (0.01%)]
Lucas raised an eyebrow at the update. "So each goblin only contributes 0.005%?" He shook his head, a mix of surprise and amusement on his face. "That's... not much."
"But," he quickly added, his mind already formulating a plan, "there are plenty of goblins in this forest. If I can find their village, I can gather a lot more resources."
He set off deeper into the forest, his senses alert. The trees grew denser, and the sounds of forest life surrounded him. Lucas knew that the goblin village wouldn't be too far; they usually set up camp near water sources. He moved quietly, his footsteps barely making a sound on the forest floor.
As he walked, he thought about the system and its capabilities. The idea of using corpses to strengthen Zeus opened up many possibilities. Not only could he use it to get rid of evidence, but it also meant that every battle, every kill, would directly contribute to his power.
His thoughts were interrupted by the rustling of leaves. Lucas crouched behind a bush and peered through the foliage. Ahead, he saw a small clearing with several goblins milling about. This had to be the outskirts of their village.
Lucas's grin widened as he formulated his plan. "Time to gather some resources," he whispered to himself, his eyes gleaming with determination.