Linear Motion A Life Worth Living

”You two! Keep those eyes shut! And keep the [Solid Barrier] up! ”

I shouted at the two newbies back there. Making sure they are still safe. The newbies are pretty smart. They didn reply. This way, the goblins wouldn shift their attention to them. I have to remember to praise them for that later.

I stood and fixed my posture, taking up my combat stance. Simply swinging around a sword won cut it. Theres too many goblins. Its an ocean of green midgets humanoids in front of me.

I gripped my swords handle hard and I braced myself.

”[Combat Skill: Echo]! ”

My body is immediately enveloped by a refreshing blue shimmer.

I do not know what a Combat Skill is. However, I do know that whatever that is, I am only able to comprehend it, and use it, when I am using this black sword.

As far as I understand it, [Combat Skill: Echo] copies any sword slashes that I made. It essentially made an invisible copy of my sword that follows my movement after a delay. The details don really matter for me, since I am going to forget about this as soon as this black sword disappears. I can afford to find out more anyway, with the green ocean in front of me.

In the time I activated this skill, the goblins have managed to regain control. The goblins were shouting at each other about something, angry, probably.

All of a sudden, the many melee goblins went prone, revealing several cascading goblin archers, ready to fire their arrows straight at my direction.

Tch! Radius, make it as big and as thick as possible!

”[Solid Barrier]! ”

I executed the motion for the Sign. Just in time for the barrier to block the incoming barrages of arrows.

Probably realizing that the arrows wouldn work, the melee goblins all rushed at me. I should be safe from ranged attacks for a while, that barrier is going to be there for some time. With that in mind, retreated a few meters to make some distance between me and the barrier.

I swung my sword at the first goblin that reached me. I can waste any time with fighting, so I aimed for the neck. The goblin behind it followed the same fate from the Echo.

Two goblins were trying to jump me from the side. I dodged to the right by rushing and stabbing several goblins, skewering them like satay, all the way, until I hit the caves wall. The Echo follows. Making sure that these goblins are dead.

As soon as I did, I forcefully swung the sword in a 180* degree behind me, making sure that I have some more room to breathe. I cut down several more goblins with that. The Echo stopped the goblins from approaching me carelessly.

These goblins probably already realized that whenever I attacks, a similar attacks follows in the same spot after a short time. So they are keeping themselves at a distance.

I took a deep breathe while I have the chance and re-took my combat stance. The barrier is still on. The archers are still on the other side, They aren pushing. The goblins melee fighters are still rushing in. Theres still no sign of them stopping.

”Fuuh… ”

Ill have to use it. Its dangerous. I have never used it, but I KNOW that it is dangerous. I have to make sure not to swing my sword in the newbies direction.

”COME! GOBLINS! [Mass Attraction]! ”

I struck we sword to the ground and swung my right hand to the side. With that, the Sign was activated. With this, I will hold the goblins aggro for a while.

I now see the goblins took a far more aggressive stance towards me. They seem to lose their caution. Well, only for the melee goblins. The goblin archers and those still on the back are unaffected. They have to get near first for the Sign to take effect.

”Lets go! ”

I shouted and dashed at them, brandishing my sword.

”[Ougi: Sever─ ”

Suddenly, The ground started shaking. The caves walls and ceilings started to crack, letting out a deafening sound.

Although a little bit faint, I can hear even more loud noises from outside the cave. Shit. What the hell is happening? An earthquake?

Not just me, the goblins are also confused. The effect of [Mass Attraction] was cancelled by the shaking and noises.

Even with all these shakings and noise, I still held my combat stance. Thanks to [Borrowed Power], Im able to do that. I can let my guard down yet. The goblins may be in chaos, but that doesn guarantee that they wouldn still attack.

Because of my caution however, I failed to notice an even more dangerous sign. The wall and ceilings are cracking. They are starting to give. But its not only those two parts of the cave. The ground is also cracking down.

By the time I noticed it, its already too late. The ground is starting to fall.

I ran back to the newbies as soon as I could. Several of the goblins fell down to the hole that started to spread from the entrance.

”Hey! Can any of you use [Fall Control]? ”

I asked the two as urgently as I could. None of them could.

”Damn it! ”

Soon enough, the falling cave floor reached us and we fell down.

I looked down.

I can see the ground.

The two newbies are still together. In fact, they are hugging one another. Tears running down their faces.

Damn it. I can use [Solid Barrier] to break our fall. I don have the Specialization to strengthen it yet.

What can I do? What can I do to keep us three alive?

As my last resort, I can use the teleport orb to escape by myself… But only after I exhaust every other options.

I racked my brain as hard as I could, trying to find the solution to our falling problem, when I realize something.

My hand is starting to dissolve into particles of light. And not just me. The two newbies too.

”This… ”

This could be a blessing for us. Or it could be a fate worse than death.

It seems we are caught on a forced teleportation of some sort.

I braced myself for the worst, as I watch my whole body dissolve into white light.