Chapter 20: 18. The Trials of Evolution.

"Huh?"

 

I opened my eyes only to find myself in a strange place... I was standing on top of an infinite ocean. No matter how many times I turned around, there was nothing in sight...

 

"Where in the world...?" I was confused.

 

I remember that we were fighting a bear... Ah... Yeah, we managed to kill it... Then I fell unconscious while Silvia was holding me...

 

"Welcome, Ru." A female voice called me from behind.

 

I turned around only to see a feminine figure that was almost completely covered by mist. I could barely see some of her facial features and her silhouette.

 

"Who are you and what is this place?" I asked the mysterious figure.

 

"Hihihihihi!" The figure laughed.

 

"What? Did I ask something strange?" I tilted my head in confusion.

 

The mysterious figure smiled.

 

"No, you didn't. Allow me to welcome you to my realm. I am the goddess who reigns over life itself. All of the life in Astarum exists and will continue to exist thanks to me." She kept her smile.

 

Oh no... Another fucking goddess! WHY!? Why can't I just evolve without having to meet one of these lunatics!?

 

"Ahem... I'm right here, you know!? I know what Electra did to you was bad and all, but we are not here for that!" The goddess got angry at me...

 

"Sorry!" I immediately apologized thanks to the pressure that was being emitted by the goddess.

 

"Good. Anyway... I, as the the Goddess of Life, will be supervising your Trials of Evolution."

 

Trials of Evolution... So she will test me in order to see if I am good enough to evolve... I see.

 

"Oh! You catch on quickly! That's great!" The goddess said while smiling happily.

 

"I have a question though... Why is a goddess like you going to supervise my evolution? Don't you have better things to do?" I asked the goddess.

 

I mean, it doesn't make any sense... Why would a goddess come to supervise the evolution of a mere goblin like me?

 

"Ain't ya a clever lad? You're no common goblin, you know? You have the blessing of two goddesses and the title of Hero, right?" She said with an amused tone.

 

I nodded...

 

"Well, there's your answer! I'm going to supervise your evolutions from now on because you're a Hero."

 

"Okay then..."

 

I'm not entirely convinced about that reason...

 

The goddess suddenly appeared by my side... She was leaning on my shoulder.

 

"But you see... I don't see you having the potential to become a genuine Hero and the potential to evolve, you know? So far, everything has been handed to you without any effort on your part. That's not good at all!" She whispered in my ear...

 

For some reason, her words were resonating in my mind...

 

"But don't worry, I am here to make you put everything you got to be worthy of the title of Hero!" She said with a confident tone.

 

Her words were still engraved in my mind.

 

"My older sister, Arrat helped you on your fight with those wolves by raising the grade of your skill Mana Perception. My little sister Electra, Silvia and your own sisters helped you during your fight against the Braten Grizzly... So far, your only accomplishments are being able to hunt rabbits and boars on your own and being able to make a campfire..." She said with disappointment.

 

She's right...

 

"You can barely do anything on your own." She said while frowning.

 

Those final words were completely engraved in my mind... Looking back at everything that has happened so far... Her words are completely true...

 

Silvia gave me a home, a bed, she teaches me a lot of things and cooks for me without asking for anything in return, my sisters usually hunt more than I do and if it wasn't for Mana Perception, I would be dead by now...

 

The goddess suddenly caressed my cheek.

 

"Isn't that just pitiful? Do you really wish to live like that? Unable to do things on your own? The way I see, it is just way too sad." She whispered in my ear.

 

I'm really pitiful...

 

"That's right." The goddess agreed.

 

I don't want that... I don't want to be useless and have everyone do everything for me... I want to be able to achieve anything I want by my own efforts...

 

I was lamenting on the fact that the goddess was right. Everything I have done in this world was not an achievement of my own... I need to change that...

 

"The trial I will impose on you will be hard. Do you still wish to challenge my trial?" The goddess asked.

 

I opened my eyes with a renewed conviction...

 

"I want to challenge the trial."

 

"Good. Then let's start right away." The goddess smiled at me.

 

Our surroundings quickly changed... The infinite ocean disappeared and it was replaced with a forest... The trees were so large that their leaves were covering almost all of the sunlight.

 

"Welcome to grounds of the trial. In this place you will face many odds if you want to evolve." The goddess said with serious tone.

 

I looked around the area. There was nothing but trees as far as I could see. There were twigs and dry leaves on the ground around us. The mana around the place was indescribable. It was almost infinite...

 

The forest was completely silent... Not a single sound could be heard.

 

"Your trial will one single rule that you must follow if you want to evolve." The goddess whispered in my ear. "Do you want to know what the rule is?" She said with a teasing tone.

 

I simply nodded.

 

"Survive. That's the rule! Ah, but I will have to forbid you from using Mana Perception since it will destroy the purpose of this trial." She said before touching my my forehead.

 

In that moment, I could no longer feel nor observe mana... It felt a bit strange.

 

"What about the rest of my skills?" I asked the goddess.

 

I can still use a spear, or a sword, or even a dagger... I think I can manage to do something even if I don't have Mana Perception.

 

"Ah, don't worry about that. You won't have those weapons with you to begin with, so there's no need to block those skills. After all, you already have all the weapons you need with you."She explained.

 

For some reason the goddess was holding my hands... She started to touch my claws...

 

I see... She is referring to my claws and teeth...

 

"Jeez! You're really more clever than it says on your file!" She complained...

 

"I feel a bit insulted..."

 

"I didn't meant to insult you." She said while pinching my cheek... She seemed a bit too happy doing that...

 

"Apologies accepted, I guess... Let's begin please." I said to the goddess.

 

I will complete this trial with my own power... I want to be strong...

 

"Oho! That's a good determination you have there! I guess I will give you a point for that! But before we really start, do you want to make a bet with me?"

 

Oh no... Not again! I won't be making bets with any deity!

 

"I won't become your slave..." I said with annoyance.

 

"I was not going to suggest that... Anyway, if you manage to complete this trial, I will tell you my name and I will show you my real appearance! How does that sound?" She smiled at me.

 

Her real appearance and name huh... Well, I am a bit curious about this goddess but...

 

"What if I don't complete the trial?" I asked.

 

"You lose your ability to evolve." She said with a serious tone.

 

What!? No way... I'm not taking such a bet! That's just fucking stupid! Why would I give up my only way to extend my lifespan!?

 

"Too late!" She said before suddenly kissing my forehead.

 

"Huh!?" I was completely flabbergasted.

 

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A strange symbol appeared on the back of my hand... Fuck...

 

"With that, our agreement is sealed. You must do your best on your trial, Ru!" She said with a teasing tone.

 

"I did not consent to that!" I complained.

 

"Your compliance was not a factor!" She smiled mischievously...

 

These goddesses, I swear...

 

"Now about the trial... This trial is called: Trial of Instinct. In order to evolve, you will have to embrace your instincts and the knowledge you gained before this trial. The trial will last a full day. Your only objective is to survive in this forest during that time."

 

Trial of Instinct... I see...

 

"I forgot to mention that if you die here nothing will happen to your real body, so you don't have to worry about that. Despite that, please give everything you got to succeed on this trial!" She said with a cheerful smile.

 

The goddess suddenly disappeared.

 

(I will be speaking to you via telepathy so you won't be alone, m'kay? Anyway, the Trial of Instinct will begin now!) She shouted in excitement.

 

As soon as she said that, dozens of different smells invaded my nostrils. Hundreds of sounds could now be heard around me...

 

I took a deep breath and started analyzing my surroundings... There were no creatures nearby... I could confirm that with my nose and my ears.

 

I took a good look at my claws...

 

"I must survive here for a full day... Then that means that I need food, water and a place to sleep."

 

Food is probably the easiest to solve, water will be a bit tricky and the place to sleep must be completely safe from the other predators...

 

I looked up towards the top of the massive trees, trying to see if there was any suitable branch to use as my temporary sleeping spot... It would be impossible for me to climb the trees. The branches were too high...

 

"Then I should look for a cave..."

 

Suddenly, the smell of blood invaded my nostrils. My nose also managed to catch a familiar smell...

 

"A bear..."

 

Those two smells were coming from the left... It is a bad decision to go there. Unlike last time, I don't have a weapon to kill this one. I should probably leave that bear be...

 

(One point for judgement. Not bad!) The goddess suddenly complimented me.

 

My ears twitched as soon as I heard dozens of footsteps approaching... They were coming from the right... My nose then catched another familiar smell.

 

"Wolves..." I muttered...

 

There was a whole pack of them coming straight at me... My body was telling me to run... Without a second thought, that's what I did. I ran as fast as I could in order to lose the pack of wolves... They were getting closer.

 

I kept running foward while trying to find a way out of this situation...

 

The wolves were quickly approaching me even as I ran at my full speed. The poor fools, I can keep running like this for hours! Never understimate the stamina of a goblin!

 

While was running something suddenly jumped at me from the ground... I felt how time slowed down for me... My body moved to the side on its own... I barely managed to dodge...

 

I then saw it clearly... A snake with bright red scales and white stripes. It had a massive pair of fangs. The fangs were dripping liquid...

 

My body knew before I could even notice it... One bite from that thing and I would be done for... The snake is extremely venomous...

 

The snake landed on the ground and it quickly slithered away...

 

"Holy shit..." I said while being completely bewildered.

 

If I was still a human, that snake would have certainly killed me...

 

My nose was telling me that there were more snakes like this one up ahead... I followed my instincts and ran towards my left. I could no longer smell the bear from that direction... Hopefully, the bear went somewhere else.

 

I could hear and smell the wolves that were still chasing after me... They seemed to have slowed down thanks to the snakes from before. I continued to run just to make as much distance as possible between the wolves and me.

 

After what seemed to be an eternity, I managed to lose the wolves... I could no longer smell them.

 

I stopped running and confirmed that there were no creatures nearby, I sat down to consider my options...

 

"Damn..."

 

If it wasn't for my instincts as a goblin or my superior senses of smell and hearing, I would be already dead... I guess that's why it is called the Trial of Instinct.

 

"That goddess didn't lie... Surviving here will be difficult..." I said while remembering my encounter with that mysterious goddess.

 

I have to survive on this place for 24 hours... It has been barely five minutes and I might have been close to dying at least two times...

 

I took a deep breath... I tried to remember every detail of my conversation with that mysterious goddess... With some effort, I managed to remember a bit of what she said...

 

'In order to evolve, you will have to embrace your instincts and the knowledge you gained before this trial.' That's what I managed to remember...

 

Embrace my instincts and the knowledge I gained before this trial...

 

It is thanks to my instincts that I'm still here... But, what knowledge? I mean, sure I can set up a campfire but... What else did I learn...?

 

C'mon Ru! I must remember every single detail of every event that occurred this week... Just think...

 

Let's see... One of the first things that I learned is that goblins can eat raw meat without any risk of getting sick...

 

"That's good, I won't need to make a fire in order to cook anything I manage to hunt."

 

I continued to be vigilant of my surroundings while trying to remember the things that I have experienced this week...

 

For some reason, Mi came to my mind... I remember that the first time we cooked something, she brought me some ingredients that she deemed safe. She said that they didn't smell like poison...

 

I noticed that there was a mushroom at base of the tree behind me... It was brown coloured. I focused my sense of smell on that mushroom...

 

"Ewww..." I covered my nose for a second... The mushroom had such a rancid smell that almost made me puke...

 

That one is definitely poisonous!

 

(You know? The sharp noses and ears of you goblins always amaze me! That mushroom over there is indeed poisonous. If you had eaten that thing, you would probably be dying about now-ish. You have another point for judgement!) The goddess said casually.

 

I was relieved to have such a pair of powerful tools to aid my survival... Well, at least I know I can detect poison... Speaking of that, There's a strange smell in the air...

 

Time slowed down for me again... I managed to detect a presence above me... I quickly jumped backwards, away from that tree.

 

There was now a gigantic spider in the place where I used to be... That thing is almost as big as me and it was planning to fucking eat me!

 

"..." I could only look at it in confusion...

 

How the hell did that thing sneak on me!?

 

That spider didn't make any sound at all...

 

While I was standing there confused, the spider suddenly turned around to face me... Its eight eyes were completely focused on me... The entire body of the spider was white coloured... There was a certain rancid smell coming from the spider.

 

Yup... The spider is also fucking venomous... Which means, If that thing bites me, I will become its dinner...

 

I slowly started to take some steps backwards in order to gain some distance... The spider followed me while approaching me slowly...

 

My back suddenly hit a tree... Oh no...

 

"..." I kept silently watching the spider...

 

My instincts quickly gave the alarm to my brain... My instincts sent clear and simple message to my brain... It said: "RUUUUUUUUUN!"

 

I immediately ran away from the place... It was a good choice.

 

The place where I used to be was completely covered in webs... The spider was now chasing after me...

 

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" I shouted as I ran away from this predator...

 

I don't know if this ones will be my last words but... Fuck you, Electra!

 

I continued to run away in order to save my life while being chased by a hungry gigantic spider...

 

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