The hobgoblins that circled around Jason charged at him simultaneously. A good tactic considering they were up against an invisible opponent. Jason, on the other hand, was in a pinch. He pushed off from the ground jumping into the air. He glanced down as he heard the clashing of weapons.

If that was me, I would have been dead.

The hobgoblins locked their weapons together at the center, seeing no man trapped within their attacks. One of them shouted in the air. Multiple arrows were shot, crisscrossing in the air as they sliced whatever in between. Jason emerged floating in the air as a few arrows struck him. His invisibility vanished when the arrows made contact. The force from the arrows pushed him a few times in the air as his energy guard was depleting fast. He coughed up a few times as the force behind the arrow was not something to scoff at.

Damn it.

He focused himself as his eyes darted around the ground. All he could see were those hobgoblins.

“Shadow Hide,” he vanished once more as gravity pulled him down. He fell on his feet landing on top of a hobgoblin. Using the creature as a platform he lunged himself further away from them. He hid once more with Shadow Hide. The hobgoblins scrambled, searching for the invisible enemy.

Jason ran as he was cursing at these smelly bastards. A single mistake cost him his element of surprise. Nevertheless, it was now or never. Taking cover behind a tree, he waited there as the hobgoblins came rushing forward going past him. Staying still was the best option as he realized they had a hard time finding him when he wasn't moving. A few stood close searching within their surroundings. One was close to him while another a few feet away. Jason didn’t hesitate and shot another arrow at point-blank range.

The hobgoblin let out a muffled scream before dying on the ground. Jason turned invisible but the one closest to him saw him vanishing. It threw the scimitar at the spot where it last saw Jason and stabbed into the tree trunk. It missed. Jason walked closer and turned behind the hobgoblin that was retrieving its stuck scimitar. Another arrow let loose from the back and another one more fallen. Like it was a habit, Jason muttered “Shadow Hide.”

But out of nowhere, an arrow came from above hitting his shoulder. He stumbled and dropped on one knee. He glanced the things above him especially the trees that were close to him and he saw it. An archer hobgoblin perched on the tree branch as it let loose another arrow. Jason rolled to the side and picked up the scimitar on the ground. He leaped off the ground and unleashed a vertical slash. The archer hobgoblin dodged but the scimitar sharp blade along with Jason’s incredible strength cut down the tree branch in one swoop.

The archer hobgoblin lost its footing and fell to the ground. Its luck was running out as the tree branch dropped on top of it. It was stuck. Jason stepped on top of the tree branch pinning down the archer hobgoblin from trying to escape. His cold eyes hid a deep burning rage. He nocked an arrow and pierced the head of the archer hobgoblin. His hands were fast, looting the arrows to compensate his own diminishing ammo.

I have to hurry, those things might hear the noise.

It was impossible to hide the noise of a fallen tree branch. Jason hid once more with Shadow Hide but a surprise message caught his eye.

Skill: Basic Archery acquired

What?

He was dumbstruck. Something impossible turned possible. According to his knowledge, one needs to learn from an expert in order to learn a skill or through a scroll looted from a monster but this sudden message told him otherwise.

Now is not the time.

Brainstorming about the matter was postponed at a later date. He jumped on top of a tree branch as he waited. When the first one arrived, the others gathered quickly. They were talking with one another with their rude interaction of hitting one another as if determining something. One of them shouted in elation as it gorged down on the dead corpse of its kin. Even when hunting down the enemy, they didn’t forget to eat their fill. Even when the snack was one of their own.

Freaking cannibals.

He loathed these creatures, disgusted by their nature. But then he heard something was coming. He turned his head to the back and saw an archer hobgoblin leaping towards him.

Did it saw me?

He reacted and jumped up. But contrary to his expectation, the archer hobgoblin was only finding a spot for a good aim. Jason who was still in the air noticed the oblivious archer hobgoblin. His hand was quick and the motion of him nocking the arrow was smoother, thanks to the aid of the new skill. Bowstring pulled and he released. It was his first time executing a shot in mid-air but he did it effortlessly.

The arrow missed the head and struck its shoulder. It yelped, gaining the attention of those on the ground. Jason stomped on the archer hobgoblin from above and leaped towards the ground as he disappeared in mid-air.

The hobgoblins chased him down no matter if he was invisible or not. Their nose kept on sniffing the air trying to find Jason. But the moment he vanished, Jason turned around. Rather than going straight, he took a detour and came back to the scene of a hobgoblin eating the corpse of its kin. He drew his bow ready to kill another one but at the corner of his eye, he caught sight of the wounded archer hobgoblin. It was doing something and it piqued his interest. He came closer to it and observed.

The archer hobgoblin broke off the arrowhead stuck on its shoulder. It knew how to removed an arrow. It winced as it pulled out the arrow shaft in one stroke.

With the poison, it’s dead already.

Contrary to his assumption, the archer hobgoblin was not giving up on death. It tore some leaves from the loincloth that covered its crotch and consumed it without hesitation. The moment it swallowed, Jason swore he saw a faint purplish light covering the archer hobgoblin before it faded after a second passed.

Jason was utterly horrified.

His eyes were quivering as his hand covered his open mouth. He was shocked by the revelation of this. He knew what it meant. But the notion of it caused him to shivered. He was breaking a sweat as the thought of just doing it was making him retching without a noise.

Fuck.

He was cursing his fate. Nonetheless, he still had to do it. He turned his head and glared at the archer hobgoblin who was picking up its bow. The rage inside of him erupted like a volcano. He drew his bow and approached closer to the archer hobgoblin. As their distance was only a foot away, Jason stared at it with menacing eyes. The bow of the archer hobgoblin bumped into Jason as it revealed Jason into the open. But it didn’t matter to Jason as he released the arrow. Another one put into the grave.

Jason turned around as he didn’t even want to look at the archer hobgoblin. He nocked his arrow once more and aimed at the oblivious hobgoblin who was too occupied in eating. It didn’t even realize one of them had been killed. Jason stood and aimed his sight at the hobgoblin. He didn’t go for his usual point-blank range as he got the feeling that his aim was much improved. He let it loose and the arrow struck right at the head. It fell on the half-eaten corpse of its kin. Dying together with their unbearable stench.

Now, it was time.

Jason stood in front of the archer hobgoblin. His hand reached out to its loincloth, trembling as he didn’t want to do it. He tore apart the leaves at the exact same spot. The leaves look exactly like the one eaten by the archer hobgoblin. Slowly he brought over the leaves to his mouth but suddenly he pulled his head back in disgust.

Fuck.

He cursed once more, hating the fact that he needed to do this. The stench was much worst that he had ever smell. It was closest to the dirtiest spot on the hobgoblin. It made sense that the smell would be intensified. His hand leaned over to the tree trunk, supporting him to stand. Jason was in deep conflict. He wasn't a neat freak but that didn't mean he was dirty. He was like any average clean man. But this…

It was like a nightmare to him. He knew what was in stake here. His own life.

Fuck.

The last curse and then he did it. He put those leaves inside his mouth. The taste, the smell, everything was vile and disgusting inside his mouth. The second he put it inside, he started retching continuously. He slammed his chest with his fist trying to stay focus. He munched down on the leaves as he started to cry. Crying with tears falling over like a torrential river. Then he swallowed it down. A purplish glow enveloped him and that damn blue window appeared.

Your poison has been cured