Magic Stone, Was It?

Crossing the plain, Kikori entered the forest.

Inside the forest, visibility was poor, and no paths had been properly maintained.

He advanced while carefully observing his surroundings, making sure nothing was there.

Let your guard down and you die—that thought completely erased nibe grass from Kikori’s mind.

Slowly, very slowly, he walked.

To the left… beyond the trees, he finally spotted a goblin.

“Goblin…”

Green skin and pointed ears. A figure that was clearly not human.

What it was holding in its hand was… a club, probably.

It was not facing him. Then this was his chance.

Thinking that, Kikori raised his axe and advanced step by step, never taking his eyes off the goblin.

Closer, closer… but just as he reached what felt like the final distance, the goblin suddenly turned around.

“GIIIIIIII!”

‘It noticed me!? But at this distance!’

He raised his axe high and charged forward.

Now that he had been noticed, there was no reason to hold back anymore.

He swung his axe with all his strength—only for it to be knocked away by the goblin’s raised club.

“Guh…!?”

His hands shook violently. A mere wooden club had repelled his iron axe.

But in a sense, that was only natural.

This was not the same as chopping firewood. Even firewood would not split in one strike if you failed—and facing a club swung by an enemy made it all the more so.

“GIIIIIIII!”

“Gah—!”

Before Kikori could swing his axe again, the goblin thrust its club straight into his abdomen.

With no armor protecting him, the damage was transmitted directly.

As Kikori staggered, another blow from the goblin slammed into him.

A beating—there was no other way to describe the relentless barrage of attacks, and Kikori’s consciousness nearly slipped away.

It hurt. It was strong. He had not let his guard down even once, and yet it was this strong.

And… he himself was weak.

Realizing that beyond any doubt, Kikori let out an involuntary laugh.

“…Haha.”

“Gii!?”

A desperate swing of his axe grazed the goblin, which had completely forgotten to defend itself.

That alone was enough to make the goblin halt its assault.

Gritting his teeth, Kikori forced his battered body upright and firmly regripped his axe.

“There’s no way I’m dying here. I… I…”

“Giiii…”

“I’m going to kill you!”

“GIIIIII!”

Just like before, he swung his axe upward, knocking aside the goblin’s downward club.

Knocking it away—and sending it flying back, if only slightly.

“Gi!?”

“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!”

He screamed. As if splitting firewood, he brought the axe down with all his strength onto the goblin’s head.

With a heavy crack, the sound of something hard being crushed rang out, and the goblin died.

Looking down at the goblin’s lifeless body as it collapsed limply… Kikori laughed again.

“Magic stone, right? How am I supposed to get that out—with an axe, of all things…”

Even so, he had no choice but to do it.

The taste of his first victory was… the taste of blood seeping into his mouth.