Chương 3: First Fight

I stare at the collar sitting on the ground. My smile turns upside down at record-breaking speed.

"No. No, please." My steps tremble as I pick up the item of my despair. My lip quivers as I stare at the collar in my hands. It's made of a thick black leather with spikes embedded all around. It has no holes for adjustable size, only a single, simple clasp. Along with a quick look and a hunch, I can tell that this thing fits my neck perfectly.

"No way in hell am I wearing a damn collar while fighting."

"Identify." This time, I'm prepared and don't flinch when a blue screen pops up in front of my face. [A sturdy leather collar fitted with metal spikes to prevent attacks to the neck] A sigh escapes my throat.

"I'm going to die." It's exactly what it looks like. I have no doubt that warriors got some kind of melee weapon, like a sword or an axe. Mages probably got a staff or some kind of spellbook. And I got a collar. For a dog that doesn't exist. … I don't want to die. The thought lingers for a minute before I shake my head and turn back to the room. Something about the room is strange. It doesn't take long to realize it. The moss on the cobblestone isn't more or less clumped up anywhere in the room.

It's all spread evenly. Perfectly evenly. No single stone in the room has more moss coverage than another. Head turning on a swivel, I confirm the thought. My brows furrow in confusion. Wait, where are the lights? My head moves faster, turning around in a circle. It's about as bright as a cloudy day in the room, but there's no source for that light. The cobblestone has some kind of filler in it, so there aren't any gaps for sunlight, but there also aren't any candles or torches on the walls either.

Taking my first step forward, I trip on something and stumble over myself. I look back and see a large, white plastic bag. It's the order I was picking up before I transported. At least I know I won't starve in here. After ripping the receipt off, I take a look at the order. Two mighty meaty pub burgers with fries and three chicken salads. As well as three large sodas and two large waters. I was never really a fan of soda, or any carbonated drinks for that matter, but it sure as hell beats dying of thirst.

"Alright, that's enough stalling, I guess," I say to the empty room. I slap my cheeks lightly to hype myself up and walk over to the metal cell door. Instead of a hunk of metal acting as a locking mechanism, there's just a simple latch on my side of the door. The room between bars isn't nearly enough to fit through, but plenty enough to stick a hand through. On the other side of the gate is a room exactly like the one I'm in. Maybe slightly bigger? I'm not completely sure.

In that room resides a single green being sitting in the middle of the floor, poking a loose bundle of sticks on the ground like there's a fire going. Goblin? A goblin in the flesh. My heart fills with wonder as I get my first taste of a mythological creature. Based on its sitting height, it seems to be about four feet tall. It has something like elf ears, but far larger and taller. I think it's safe to say this thing has good hearing. My thoughts brew as I continue looking.

A giant nose that's pumped to the extreme with blood vessels. Good sense of smell. Thin, spindly limbs and a grotesquely large stomach. High agility, low strength. Wait, how did it not notice me with the way I was screaming before? I shake my head and mutter to myself.

"Focus, Kevin." Like a receding tide, errant thoughts and all other outside stimuli flow out of my mind as the goblin becomes the center of my attention. Can't see its eyes, no sense of how well it can see. No clothes, a stick for a weapon, and low intelligence, I hope. Non-sharpened nails, no sight of teeth, no natural weapons. Sixty, maybe seventy pounds in total with that body type. Goblin is perpendicular to the door, facing to the left.

The best plan of action is to move quietly to the left and assassinate from behind. I nod my head once before my eyes widen slightly. Shaking my head, I step back. A small pang of fear shocks through my heart as I realise what just happened. Something's messing with my mind again. Is the system really micromanaging me to this degree? If so, why is it giving me so many decisions? I step back towards the center of the room and look back over my status, hoping to find some answer to my question.

It only takes a few seconds before it finally clicks, and the answer stares me in the face. [Class skills: Control Tamed Being(lv. 0)] No way, right? It can't be.

"Sit down," I say to myself. Seconds pass, but nothing happens. My brows furrow.

"Sit down right now!" Conviction fills my voice. Still, nothing happens. The edges of my lips tug down.

"Kevin, sit down right now," I say with all my heart like I'm scolding a child. Before my mind can process it, I begin sitting down. One hand to stabilise, I fold both my legs before sitting on the damp cobblestone cross-legged. Like waiting for an animation to finish in a video game, I can move manually the second I'm fully sitting down. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. My eyes widen fully now.

"Holy shit" I shoot to my feet and examine my legs. It felt so natural. It's like I was deciding for myself that I wanted to sit down. Hope rises in my chest. Maybe I did get a useful skill after all.

"Kevin, get furious," I say happily. My joy fades in an instant, replaced by a scowl and a deep fury bursting out of my core. The directionless anger fills my mind as I lose track of what I was doing before. I turn and march towards the cell gate, aiming to kill the only living being that I'm aware of. The feeling is startling. I'm usually pretty easygoing and can't remember the last time I was genuinely angry at anything.

Right as I'm reaching for the latch on the cell door, I grind out a few words with serious conviction.

"Kevin, calm the fuck down" My anger drains in an instant, covered by an overbearing nothing. The world unfocuses as I stare blankly ahead. The surroundings feel faded and muted. Thinking of anything other than the serene ocean my mind is floating in becomes extremely difficult. Standing and breathing become unconscious as my thoughts are suppressed. I've never felt this clear before. The static is gone. The constant static of a running brain and unrelenting thoughts are gone. It's so smooth.

Like my consciousness is on a floatie in the middle of a serene ocean, not a single ripple in sight. I know I need to fight it and focus on reality, but my mind doesn't even think of the option. The silence feels so good. After an indeterminate amount of time, I finally eke out "Kevin, think normally." Like coming out from underwater and putting glasses on, my mind resurfaces from a murky and empty silence. I gasp, and my eyes focus as I fall to my knees.

My lungs rake in full breaths as I come to terms with what I just did.

"Damn" This skill is powerful. Really powerful. I need to be more careful. As I feel my muscles again, I notice my jaw feels sore and my fingers feel stiff. I spend only a second in confusion before I realise it. Must have clenched my jaw and hands when I made myself angry. For a few seconds, I move my jaw and hands, working out the tension inside them. I nod to myself seriously. Alright, time to get to work. Thoughts churn while looking through the bars in the door.

I reaffirm that my best plan is to move quietly and attempt an assassination from behind. Looking down at the spiked collar in my hand, an idea forms in my head as a smile forms on my face. Let's make you into something more useful. Placing the collar on the ground, I hold it down with one foot and grab one spike near the clasp. Thankfully, there is an indent at the base of each spike, giving me some sort of traction. My back tenses as I pull with all my might.

I spend a few seconds yanking, but the spike remains firmly in place. I huff and begin again, clenching my jaw as I hopefully pull a little harder this time. After a couple more seconds, the spike gives slightly, but not nearly enough to remove it. Annoyance grows. Not at the collar, but at myself. I really should have worked out more. A light bulb suddenly shines in my head. I reach down and grab the spike again with a smirk.

"Kevin, rip the spike out." My entire body tenses, and without thinking about my actions, I pull. The sound of a dozen joints popping echoes through the room as all the muscles in my body retract and extend like they never have before. The spike slips out with a pop and I land on my rear, my muscles feeling like they just performed a set of deadlifts. I groan as I rub my back. Probably should have stretched before doing that. My mouth curves upwards as I see a gleaming metal spike in my hand.

Without thinking, I stand up and repeat the process, but not before stretching in ten different poses. Two spikes gone. Three spikes gone. Four spikes gone. My body feels thoroughly worked through after I stand up for the fourth time.

"Gah." I've had hour-long workouts that were lighter than these few minutes. Flinching, my head flicks around as I hear a beautiful chime in my head. But as usual, no one is there. Sighing, I turn back.

"Alright system, what do you have for me?" Tiredness saturates my voice. I'm ready for the screen as it expands in front of me. [Control Tamed Being(lv. 0) > (lv. 1)] I nod happily. Wonderful. My waist bends as I continue. Five spikes gone. I collapse on my butt, panting as I look at my finished product with a wide grin. six spikes have been removed from the edges closest to the clasp, leaving five in the middle.

"Identify" [A leather collar with defensive spikes ripped out] My smile doesn't fade as I read. The corners of my lips grow even taller as I fasten the collar around my hand. Two clasps and now exposed leather are gripped in my fist. Five spikes point out from in front of my knuckles.

"The system may call you a collar, but by my hand, you have been reborn anew."

"You are now my precious spiked knuckles", I valiantly thrust my fist into the air. With conviction, I stand up and walk towards the cell door once again. Game time. With a loose thought, I take off my shoes.. Based on the size of that thing's ears, I'll accept wet socks if it means I'm not heard clomping around on the rocks.

"Identify" I whisper as I use Identify on the goblin. [Subject out of skill range] What? It's like ten feet away, twelve tops! This skill really is basic, huh? As I reach for the cell door, my nerves grow. An image of my hand covered in blood with a piece of meat from my neck on the ground flashes through my mind. My heart thumps loudly in distress. My breath starts to feel strained. Before my panic can grow, I whisper.

"Snap out of it, Kevin." My heartbeat quickly wanes back to normal, and my lungs expand. Oh yeah, this skill is going to become a massive crutch. I mumble to myself, "Kevin, grip the collar firmly and don't let go." My already tired hand gets a second wind as it tightens, tendons showing themselves from the strain. My hand is going to ache so bad when I'm done. Before I can distract myself again, I look at the goblin, still sitting in the same place and doing the same thing. I notice its lack of clothes again.

I really hope I don't have to face this thing with its junk swinging in front of me. Still, how didn't it hear me? Is it deaf? Not wanting to chance it, I grab the latch on the cell door and move it incredibly slowly, setting it down against the stone. My heart rate picks up again, but it feels controlled this time, so I don't stop it. I grab a bar on the door and tense as I slowly open it inch by inch. Surprisingly, it doesn't creak or groan at all, as if it were recently oiled.

When enough space is open for me, I slowly enter the room, praying that the goblin doesn't see me at the edge of its vision. The feeling of nervousness fades as I follow along the right side of the wall, out of its eyesight. I choose my steps carefully, not wanting to trip and screw everything up. After a minute, I'm at the center of the wall behind the goblin. I tip-toe up slowly. Step after step, I come closer until I'm only two feet behind it.

My heartbeat thumps loudly as I'm about to enter the second life or death battle of my life. I spend a few seconds deciding on how to kill it in one strike. Do I pull the collar with the spikes inwards on its neck? No, that might give it a chance to resist. Should I kick it as hard as possible like a soccer ball? No, it might absorb the impact with its skull. It could also have some sort of anatomy or skill I'm not familiar with.

In the end, I decide to go with a low uppercut directly between the skull and the top of the spine, hopefully hitting something important and paralysing if not killing it outright. I change my posture multiple times, taking advantage of the goblin's inattention. Once I find something perfect, I pull my arm back and prepare. A second passes. Then two. Then three. My heart picks up even further. My nerves are too powerful to let me move. The goblin moves its head slightly and takes a deep breath through it's nose.

My shoulders tense. I whisper almost inaudibly, "Kevin, punch it as hard as you can." Before I can process anything further, my body tightens like a coiled spring as my fist pulls back. What I expect to happen is to hit hard and send the goblin's head into its lap, hopefully paralysing it. Instead, my muscles tense and clutch against my bones painfully. My body twists perfectly with my arm, swinging up and forwards with a strength I've never had before.

The middle spike on my makeshift spiked knuckles hooks under the base of the goblin's skull and pierces to the base, with the two adjacent spikes digging in halfway. My fist continues, pulling the goblin's entire body up off the ground a couple of feet, peeling the back of its skull off and sending it flying a few feet forward. The goblin lands in a heap as I watch in awe. I feel the blowback in my arm instantly. My arm falls down to my side as pain digs deep.

My muscles feel like they've been curling my max for thirty minutes straight. My bones feel like they were hit with a bat repeatedly. The goblin twitches slightly instead of standing up and facing me. I stare at the goblin lying on its front as it goes limp. …

"Oh my God."