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A branch cracked off in the distance ahead of Hiroshi and Gobu.
"Gobu, get down." He ordered, both crouching suddenly.
Hiroshi's ear twitched.
I can't hear clearly enough. I need to get closer.
"Stay put, I'll investigate."
Gobu nodded in agreement.
Lesser Sneak.
With a thought, his body shone a color for a moment and crept forward.
Voices? What's someone doing here in the middle of the woods?
I should see if I can get a look at them.
The voices got louder as he crept closer, now just a pace away from them. Hiroshi peeked behind the tree.
Two masked men with leather hoods sat crouched behind a tree, two daggers on each of their hips.
"Mi telgnil ouy, we deen ot moev ot a difftnere noitacol!"
"No. Litun Varek syas, ew stya put."
"Tub xis fo our syug tsuj tog clawde nwod by taht gniht ekil yeht erew notingh! XIS!"
"Woh nac uoy eb os mlac!?"
"Peek yuor eciov nwod, taht gniht cuold eb esolc."
Leaves shuffled nearby.
"..."
"...Tahw?"
"Gnihton... I thguoht I draeh gnihtemos."
"Thgir..."
Let's troper kcab, s'ti raelc for won.
The two men dashed away, without making too much noise.
Mercenaries? Bandits maybe? I think I caught a name... Varek?
They're quick and quiet... it’s safe to assume they're up to no good.
Hiroshi turned around and left quietly as he came.
"Gobu, come out." He whispered.
A bush rustled, then the crimson goblin came out, waving.
"Saw. Something?"
"That's right. Some shady figures, they went that way, so we'll be going the other way." He shot back instantly.
Gobu grunted in agreement.
He started walking in the opposite way the figures went and just as Hiroshi was about to take a step, he froze.
Turning his head, he observed the tree line, as if something was watching him.
Is someone—
"Coming?" Gobu interrupted.
Hiroshi turned and smiled.
"Mhmm. Let's move."
After moving through the forest in the moonlight for a while, Gobu asked.
"Why. Save. Gobu?"
Hiroshi's brow raised.
That's a good question. Why did I save him? I guess I just couldn't leave him trapped there all by himself.
"The cave was collapsing. You were in a cage. I Couldn’t let that bother me in the future." He answered.
"You. Kind. Strong. Gobu follows."
He turned and raised a finger, as if it was his thumb, grinning.
"State how long you were trapped in there for." The words came out cold.
Oi oi, what's with the damn seriousness?
"Not. Know." Gobu paused.
"Gobu. Happy. Gobu. Free." He smiled.
Hiroshi nodded.
Well, he's grateful for being rescued at least. Come to think of it, I never inspected Gobu.
Gobu turned back to face where he was walking.
"Status Inspect." Hiroshi whispered.
Gobu.
Level 2
HP: 40/40
MP: 100/100
Class: Builder
Skills: "Double time, lv 9."
He's a builder? Interesting.
His MP is also 100. Come to think of it, mine’s always been 0. Does he know something about this?
"Answer this question, Gobu." Hiroshi spoke up.
He turned his head, smiling.
"Yes?"
"What is MP?"
Gobu tilted his head as if he had just been asked a rhetorical question.
"Everyone. Knows. Mana." He replied confidently
"Mana?"
"Yes. Everyone. Born. Has."
"Everyone?" His tone was surprised. "I don't have any mana."
Gobu stopped, staring at Hiroshi for a while. Then laughed.
"Good. Joke." He continued to walk.
Oi oi, he doesn't believe me!? I suppose there's no way to prove it.
"Ability. Use. Mana." He continued.
"People. Creatures. Mana."
Gobu looked up at the dimly lit green and red moon.
"World. Essence?"
World essence? Like it's the fundamental energy of this world? I need to find out more.
"Thank you, Gobu." Hiroshi responded, his voice softer than usual.
Hiroshi reached into his rags and got out something.
"Here." He stated
Gobu opened his hand, grunting questioningly.
Hiroshi tossed a makeshift necklace made from a wolf's tooth.
He's been helpful, and has kept me company, I hope he likes this token of appreciation.
Gobu's eyes widened, then let out a happy grunt and equipped it.
Looks like he likes it.
"Now you look like a real goblin, Gobu."
They both laughed.
After a short while the woods slowly opened as the foliage became less dense.
Hiroshi pointed forward.
"Look there. A river. We're moving there." He ordered.
Gobu grunted in agreement.
"Let's set up camp here. Gobu, go find some sticks."
"Got it. Boss."
Boss, huh? It has a nice ring to it.
Gobu walked back to the forest where they came from.
Alright, while he gets sticks, I'll go sharpen one and see if I can get some fish.
At the thought of fish, Hiroshi's stomach grumbled.
A short while later, Hiroshi was sitting on a rock near the water. Owls hooted. A pile of fish was stacked beside the rock, ready to be cooked.
He's not back yet. What's taking him so long?
Hiroshi stood up and walked over to the edge of the forest and shouted out.
"Gobu!"
Nothing. Owls once more.
Seriously... wait. Is he going to try to scare me?
That little...
After walking over to Gobu's last seen place, Hiroshi noticed his footprints in the ground.
Footprints, they're Gobu's. I'll follow them for now while I mentally prepare for a jump scare...
Hiroshi walked forward a while.
Suddenly, his face turned serious. Gobu's footprints suddenly ended.
The footprints stopped!
Maybe he jumped into a nearby bush?
"Gobu! Come out now." He whispered his order to the air.
No response.
Calm down. Think. I should look around.
Hiroshi walked around in circles slowly, examining the spot Gobu was last at.
Aha!
A few broken branches were on one side and the opposite side of the small clearing.
Okay, so he could've gone either way. Which way did he go?
Let's just check both sides for more clues.
Hiroshi chose a side and walked in. The grass had been trampled on the ground, as if someone was there for a while.
Looks like someone was here for a while... but no more signs on Gobu. Was that bugger taking a nap here?!
He backtracked to the small clearing and went to the other side the branches were broken.
His heart dropped.
The necklace he gave to Gobu was hanging on a bush nearby.
Shit! Something happened to Gobu!
Hiroshi snatched it into his hand quickly.
He was about to move forward when it hit him.
Wait. This was the same direction those guys went earlier... I have a bad feeling. I need to hurry and find Gobu before something else happens to him!
Hiroshi burst into a dash.
After a while of running, nothing. Endless forest with no remarkable place nearby in his line of sight.
This forest just never ends. Where could you have gone... Gobu?
Higher... I need to get higher.
He looked around quickly, spotting the tallest tree then leaped up a few times. The top view wasn't much better. Most of the treetops covered his field of view.
Hiroshi's eyes suddenly had a glimmer of hope. It was faint, barely visible, but it was a clue. A plume of smoke rising in the distance.
That's... something. Definitely not the village, that's behind me. Maybe Gobu is there? I need to investigate.
Determined, he began to dash treetop to treetop, getting closer to the plume of smoke.
The sky's usual darkness slowly began to shift colors.
Damn. The sky... I won't make it...
He focused harder, leaping with more precision as he cut out unnecessary moments, his speed increasing a little.
The plume of smoke was larger now, close. The undersides of the clouds were turning a deep crimson color now, the horizon getting brighter.
Please... I'm almost there!
As he jumped treetop to treetop he suddenly came to a stop. The trees in front ended. A large cliff lay ahead.
A large camp with short stake walls was before him. Hiroshi looked closer. There was an entrance to the hill. A cave.
Two men stood in front of it on either side, holding spears upright.
Guards huh? What's that?
There were crates stacked on top of each other on one side behind them. Enough room for a single person to fit.
Hiroshi then looked around the camp. Some guards were sleeping, others were eating in the open, while some faced each other and talked.
The sky was a light blue color now, yellow beginning to dominate the horizon.
Shit! I'm running out of time... I need to act. I won't be able to cross this open field when the sun is up.
A golden semi-circle peeked out of the horizon now.
This better work.
Hiroshi pulled back and with everything he had he leaped forward towards the opening of the cave where two guards stood.
Sunlight was emerging.
Lesser Sneak!
His body pulsed a color.
Hiroshi began to fall.
Sunlight slowly washed over the tops of the trees.
It's here!
The two guards talked.
In one's peripheral, something moved.
SHADOWSTEP!
Hiroshi's body turned to fog.
The guard looked up, seeing a faint fog blow away.
The trees revealed their true colors.
A small thud escaped the crates.
The other guard grunted and began to turn.
"Oi." He pointed upwards.
The other guard stopped and turned to look where the other was pointing.
"Did uoy ees somegniht? Pu ereht."
The other guard yawned and responded sluggish.
"On."
Lowering his hand, he scratched his head with the onother, confused. He swore he saw something move in the air.
Hiroshi was ducked down behind the crates, pressing against the wall.
It worked, but that was too close.
One of the guards spoke.
They're talking... good, it's time to move.
Hiroshi quietly snuck deeper into the cave using the crates and barrels as cover.
The voices of the guards slowly went quiet.
"What do you think he's going to do?"
"With what?" The other asked, uninterested.
"You know... that thing..."
"Ah the goblin? I couldn't care less."
"He does like to make them suffer..."
"..."
"Focus now, we have a job to do."
"Right..."
The guard yawned again and turned to face the outside. A cold morning breeze blew against their faces.