Broken Tower Saga: The First Swordsman

It was another bright and hot day in the wilderness of the Trial. Wrik didn't sleep much like the other three days here; most of the night he spent on mediations and his other two companions did the same as well. Miss, the emerald eyed girl was already decent at Mana manipulation, yet she didn't rest up a single day. 

On the other hand, Davin was on the poorer side. That guy was like him, didn't come across Maha Mana before coming to the Trial. But he was making steady progress.

Their purpose of today was to acquire information about the surrounding region of the goblin settlements and the necessary things like food and water.

Their main issue was water. It would run out by tomorrow. So, it became necessary to find a convenient source of water. Moreover, Miss's mood was on a rougher side, not bathing for days in this feverish summer. Even, Wrik was struggling in the combat suits, and he is a guy. So today their primary goal was water—maybe a lake or river, and if they come across any nutritive varmint, it would only add a silver lining on top of that.

Eating anything would have side effects on their current vitality and metabolism. So it's necessary to find healthy sustenance that could sustain both the source of nutrients and energy.

They had been travelling for two hours already, and yet they found nothing but some wild fruits and berries; with the help of his Inspection, it was easy to determine if it's poisonous or not. And the creatures that they encountered were nothing but goblins in small packs.

"Is there really no river, lake or even pond nearby?" Davin grumbled, cleaning the sweats from his forehead and cheeks. His fair skin was red from all this heat.

"There has to be some source of water nearby, otherwise how would the monster or animals live here?" Wrik reasoned. His condition was no better either, with all the thick armour and clothing.

"And yet we didn't find any."

"I should be able to generate some water with Mahasaying, it's not convenient, but it keeps the door open in an emergency." The dark-haired girl chimed in. She was soaking in sweats. Droplets were forming on her forehead. She had already braided her hair on the top of her head. Her two cheeks were brimming red, but her lips were still rosy with vitality.

Finding a water source would solve many of their current problems, from food to hygiene. From ancient civilisations to the current age, everything depended on a suitable source of water. Even the savages knew to develop civilisations near a river.

"Maybe we should search up the goblin dwellings," he sighed. "They should have a water source in there."

"You know," Miss cleaned the sweats from her forehead with a handkerchief. "That's not a bad idea."

"It's not a bad idea if hundreds of goblins don't gang up upon us together." Davin watered their idea. "And I don't want to tussle with those savages in this damn heat."

"I don't know, if I don't have water by tomorrow, I might consider raiding the goblin settlement."

Both of them nodded at the emerald-eyed girl. The heat had already blown their head. Moreover, there's the shortage of drinkable water. If they couldn't solve it by tomorrow, they might have to drink their own urine.

But soon, their query for water came to hold as they discovered a pack of goblins, attacking three humans. They were able to hold it in with the goblins quite well, but another pack of goblins emerged, bringing the numbers of them to over two dozens, making them helpless.

One of the trios was already helpless even before the numbers rose. Wrik was stunned to find it was a kid who seemed to just step in his teenage years. The boy was already tearing up with his nostrils in snot. Beside him was a young woman with a blade, protecting him in her desperation. And a tall man with a sword was protecting the both of them, but it appeared he had exhausted most of this stamina and Mana by now, fighting on just instinct.

"Should we help them?" Davin inquired.

"Yes, we should. . ." Wrik looked at the emerald-eyed girl for confirmation. He continued, seeing her nod. "I and Davin will sneak them from behind. You back us up."

The three of them exchanged glances as they took the battle stance, equipping their weapons. Davin and Wrik advanced side by side, unleashing their long sword and the girl stood behind them in cover with her staff ready.

These Goblins were about 1.4 - 1.5m tall, with grey skins. Their strength varies from 6 to 10; while agility 6 to 9 points. They were equipped with pikes, clubs and rigid armour; so it would not be easy to smash down all.

Wrik and Davin still couldn't use mana discharge, so the battle will highly depend on their physical fitness. Though, both of them had learnt Mana Sense, which would come in handy.

With his current progress in mana sense, it would be quite hard to maintain it in a prolonged battle, Wrik could only maintain it for about a few minutes. So he planned to finish the assault as quickly as possible.

He slammed the blade of his sword to the back of the neck of a goblin. The goblin's neck wasn't fully severed but its life had ceased to exist.

Wrik assaulted another one nearby when his instinct told him to move away from the spot, sensing some danger approaching. He discovered a pike was heading his way from behind; he dodged the approaching pike sideways. Then he increased the radius of the Mana Sense. With his current mastery of mana sense, he could grasp the current situation in a two metres radius around him immediately.

There was a goblin coming from the front, while one from the left and another two from the right. He charged straight towards the single enemy in the front and seized its pike, tearing its hand. He could only be this fearless because someone was watching his back.

The goblin shrieked, waving its torn hand. Some pale green-grey blood spurted in his face, but he didn't have time for it. Three more goblins were coming his way. Wrik triggered the [Eye of Insights]. Soon his vision enlarged, his perception heightened as a silver ring condensed around his pupil. He expanded the mana sense to five metres and sped up to his right. He shot the pike that he just seized towards the head of a goblin. It pierced the bullseye—over the nose of the goblin. And it fell, without making any riot.

After activating Eye of Insights his sense, sight, and instinct doubled, there's no way he would miss the target in a few metre distance. Then he slashed towards the remaining goblin. It blocked the strike with its pike, but the stalemate didn't last long as he bustled with strength, pushed the pike away, and finished it with a hack at its neck.

He looked back to notice the goblin on his back was already dead. He looked at the girl, who also sensed his gaze, acknowledged. Then he bolted toward Davin, who was currently shouldering goblins with the exhausted man. With Miss in the back, he didn't have to worry about any sneak attack, so he started smashing the goblins without care.

As the number of goblins dropped, the battle became effortless. The battle was soon over. The group of three together at least killed over 20 of the goblins.