I Refused To Be Reincarnated

Chapter 54: The Second Trial: A Hesitant Annihilator

Meanwhile, Adam woke up in the underground chamber. Feeling refreshed, he gazed at the enchanting crystalline formations reflecting the sun's light filtering through the ceiling.

However, his annoying sensation of unease remained, a grating echo urging him to hasten the trial's completion. Each second crawling by caused this ominous feeling to worsen, like a ticking time bomb threatening to blast his mind to smithereens.

Unwilling to rush in the gaping maws of uncertainty, he checked his timer first. He still had thirty-four hours to kill three magical beasts. Then, he scanned his condition, noticing the healthy hue of fresh skin forming under the charred one.

'I'm only one hp away from being full, and my mana is entirely restored. Let's end this and see the rewards,' he thought, a flicker of curiosity glittering in his eyes despite the desperate situation. After all, the dagger he got on the first floor proved its usefulness countless times. Yet, he still preferred the mysterious grimoire.

With a shake of his head, he chased his distracting feeling away, walked out of the cave, and ran.

The air whistled in his ears and ruffled his white t-shirt as he sliced through the wind like a bullet, finally witnessing his stats' distribution effects. And they didn't disappoint him in the slightest. His fists trembled as he estimated he could charge faster than the hateful bear. Better, he could keep this pace for a while before exhaustion crashed on him.

After running at top speed for an hour, navigating the slippery paths... and avoiding insects, he found his next target around the mountain's base.

Crude wooden walls built from branches crisscrossed the primitive village's surroundings in a pitiful barricade. Ugly huts, constructed from rough-hewn timber and thatch, could be seen at random intervals. These grotesque habitations were clearly built, with little attention to uniformity or design.

Additionally, there was no central square or marketplace, suggesting a self-sufficient community focused on subsistence rather than commerce.

Intrigued to meet somewhat developed creatures inside the tower, he approached the village, his lips curling into a friendly smile. After all, he didn't have to cut down anything that moved, and, as a civilised earthling, he preferred dialogue over violence.

However, his smile froze the next moment, and his pupils trembled. 'What are those creatures?!' He thought, a deep frown forming between his brows at the sight of the green and ugly short creatures holding rudimentary weapons.

"Goblins?" He muttered, tucking his finger around his chin. He remembered seeing them in video games. They were, typically, low-level monsters, weaker than humans.

Dialogue didn't seem to be an option. He doubted they could communicate in the first place, not to mention these savage creatures would probably attack him on sight. So, his peaceful smile turned into a threatening smirk.

'Should I go all out and wipe the village out for the experience points and, hopefully, to get a better rating?'

Despite his hate for the trials and the risks involved, he reasoned that since he was already there, aiming for better rewards made sense. The longer he lingered, the more the idea appealed. He could level up fast, maybe even boost his rating and, on the same occasion, his reward quality.

Greed sparkled in his eyes as his smile reached his ears.

"Yes, I should use this opportunity and never come again!" He exclaimed, a vicious plan forming in his mind.

He felt a surge of power course through his muscles, causing his hair to bristle as he counted them, confidence reflected in his eyes. With his magic and the super trump card, he would obliterate this village and conclude this trial with a boom!

'Let's suppose there are seventy goblins instead of fifty since I can't count the ones indoors. How can I use my trump card to get rid of that many in one fell swoop?' He thought, the answer evident. 'Pack them!'

With this idea in mind, the sound of his baskets colliding with the ground filled the air as he rushed to the village, his dagger tightly clenching in his right hand. His initial strategy was simple. He would fight in the middle, killing as many goblins as possible.

The commotion should alert the others, making them join the fray before he used his trump, resolving the confrontation in a matter of seconds. After all, the stronger he was compared to his opponents, the less he would need to rely on plans.

As he approached the village, goblins carrying bows noticed him and screeched. Their guttural sounds vibrated in the area, alerting their clansmen of the imminent attack. Then, they shot unrefined wooden arrows at the daring intruder charging at them.

With swift movements, Adam dodged the projectiles before clicking his tongue. 'Tsk. Should get rid of the archers first.'

He raised his index finger to respond to the threat. A condensed sparkling bullet shot from it the next moment, piercing the wind to end the pest.

Plop

The first archer died silently, plopping powerlessly to the ground as bright emerald blood gushed from its forehead.

Six more bullets followed, finding their marks with lethal accuracy. Like stringless puppets, six archers shared their brethren's fate, coloring the white ground green.

Exhilarated by the easy battle, tremors coursed through Adam's body as he resumed his charge. 'I'm strong now! I won't risk dying anymore!' He thought, the sinister guttural screams echoing in the air sounding like jokes to him.

Some goblins tried to intercept him, swinging crude wooden spears and rusted iron swords in his direction in a desperate attempt to slow him down.

But he was too strong.

With a swift swipe of his dagger, he sliced the necks of the closer ones, making their blood cascade as their ugly pupils constricted in horror and their screams turned into blood-curdling gurgling noises.

Soon, leaving a chaotic trail of death and misery behind him, he reached the village center.

"Come out, bastards! I'm here to obliterate all of you!"

His voice filled the air, echoing in the mountain's base like a starving beast's roar out to feed on the goblins' flesh.

Alerted, the entire village mobilised their forces to stop the mad human from annihilating them. Fifty-eight goblins rushed at him two minutes later.

Their steps collided with the ground, causing the earth to rumble as they yelled courageous battle cries to bolster their morale. Yet, they were unaware... unaware that they were playing in the insidious palm of his hand.

Adam fought the first few. Blood splattered on his face, painting his t-shirt green as he killed nine more in gruesome ways before the advantage in number took effect. He was now surrounded. Yet, despite the dangerous situation, his lips stretched into a grin.

They were where he wanted them to be.

He fished a round object emanating a dim light from his pocket as his right hand blurred to block the incoming blows. Then, his mana surged in his circuits as he injected the object with a torrent of potent energy before tensing his leg's muscles.

The rocks cracked under his feet, and dust rose with his movement as he jumped five meters high. His clothes stuck to his skin as the air pressure battered his body for a second.

But his focus was on something else.

With deadly precision, he hurled the swelling light guardian's core in the middle of the goblin's army. Then, he landed on a hut's roof before scrambling away.

"EXPLOSION!"

Meanwhile, the core's dim light intensified until it blinded everyone in the area. It swelled to its limits, tripling in volume, before...

BOOM

A dome of sizzling light engulfed the village, expanding with each passing second and threatening to engulf the entire mountain's base. Pitiful shrieks filled the air for a moment before dozens of bodies disintegrated under the intense heat.

Despite the distance, the shockwave reached Adam, sending him flying off his feet. He rolled for several meters, enduring the painful collision with the rocks with a grimace before colliding with a distant boulder.

"Urgh."

His arms trembled as he rose to his feet, feeling a sensation of temporary weakness wash over him like a tidal wave. He stumbled a few steps back, trying to restore his balance before gazing at the settling cloud of dust engulfing the village.

The explosion had vaporised anything that once stood in a radius of six meters, goblins and huts alike. The furious blast further increased the devastation, throwing scalding gales to collide with the huts. Pieces of burning wood littered the place, releasing twirling black smoke.

But wild tremors shook his body as if zapping him awake as he gazed at the epicenter.

The mountain's sturdy rock became a bubbling red liquid, turning the surrounding an orange hue and leaking appalling heat.

The stench of carbonised wood and flesh, carried by the wind, filled his scrounged nose. An icy shiver ran down his spine, and a hesitant grimace graced his face.

"Huh... Let's forget about magic grenades for a while. They are a bit scary..." he said, his voice a murmur contrasting with the calamity he unleashed upon the poor goblins.

"But, I have to admit... they are incredibly effective..." he added, his lips curling upwards as he focused on his interface's notifications.

[Tier one goblin archer slain, You have gained 50 experience points.] x7

[Tier one goblin swordsman slain, You have gained 50 experience points.] x22

[Tier one goblin lancer slain, You have gained 50 experience points.] x26

[Tier one goblin brawler slain, You have gained 50 experience points.] x15

"So much experience!" He yelled in, his fist cutting through the wind as he raised them in a triumphant pose. His strength will rise again, not to mention the mysterious tower's reward.

Elation wrapped around his heart as he imagined the incredible items he would get.