Kei woke up to the sound of footsteps. As he opened his eyes, he saw a bright light coming from outside; leading him to blink a few times. It was early in the morning and the other goblins were already off to hunt.

(Looks like it’s time for me to get to work.)

In his mind, he already knew how he’d hunt. On the first day, Kei would test the waters and hunt on his own. If it became too tough, only then would he make his own party. Set on following through with the plan, Kei picked up his spear and left the shed. He dropped by the elder’s room for advice on where to find weaker monsters. Since he was still not that strong, there would be no point in asking about ranks or other affairs.

The goblin elder informed Kei that the monsters nearest to the village would be snakes. Although they were the weakest, it sometimes took more than five goblins to fight one. Usually, they would barely manage to defeat it. This was due to the snake’s venom. It caused instant death to any goblin who dared to face it. The elder also informed him that this was why starvation rates within the village were quite high. Unless someone formed a party, it would be difficult to find food. Easier monsters such as rats or slimes required them to venture further into the forest; a dangerous decision. This was because the further one went, the stronger the enemies.

(This trip might be a bit rough. But, then again, I’m not just any “goblin”.)

Confident in his abilities, yet not overly optimistic, Kei followed one of the paths previously recommended by the elder. He walked for about an hour before stumbling upon his first opponent.

Opponent: [“Ssssssssssssssss”]

It was a medium-sized snake. It had yellow scales and was about two meters in length.

(If I was still a rat, I probably would have been the one hunted. Too bad for you.)

He held up his spear and began circling around the snake, waiting for it to attack. However, it continued to stay in place and hiss. This continued on for an entire hour. Kei was getting impatient.

(Well, it looks like I’ll just have to incapacitate it then. I have to hurry if I want to kill as many of these guys as possible.)

Kei then activated “Greed”. He obtained the following skills:

{Poison Resistance (beginner): This passive skill allows the user to no longer be affected by poisons. The more this skill is used and strengthened, the stronger the poison that one can withstand.}

{Venom (intermediate): Upon activation, this skill makes the users’ bodily fluids poisonous. However, the effects of this poison are greater in the saliva and blood. The more this skill is used and strengthened, the stronger the poison that one can produce.}

Now used to stealing abilities, Kei was only moderately pleased. He still had his eyes on the prize.

(I’ve taken away his poison abilities but that doesn’t mean he still can’t attack me. If I have to stare at this damn snake for another second, I think I’m going to go crazy!)

He came up with a plan of action.

[Activate “Hard”!]

He ran towards the snake with his left arm out. It flew towards him and pierced its fangs right into his forearm. Luckily, the weak barrier around him provided protection and the fangs didn’t dig too deep.

(Now, it’s time for you to pay.)

He lifted his spear then began to continuously stab the snake. It tried to wiggle its way out of his arm but it was already too late. Kei did not allow it any time to escape. He held onto its head and continued the assault.

Snake: “SSSSSSSSsssssssssss… ssssss…ssss...ss”

It stopped moving.

(What a persistent bastard! I don’t even remember how many times I had to hit it before it died….)

Having defeated the snake, he could now mimic himself into its form. Kei also gained a large amount of experience points and shot up to level 8. He pulled the snake out of his arm and threw it on the ground. The swollen forearm was dripping with blood. Needing a break, he lied down on a nearby tree. His idea worked this time but he’d have to be much more cautious if he wanted to survive in the forest.