I used the ten million gold I had borrowed from Bagas and purchased leather armor enhanced with durability and noise reduction. The price was 9.2 million gold, and with the remaining funds, I bought various potions. If I couldn't earn money today, I wouldn't even have a place to stay.
However, I wasn't concerned at all. If I couldn't even earn enough for lodging expenses, there was no way I could make ten million gold in a month. In that case, I'd surrender early and become a slave to Bagas. I figured he would at least provide the basic necessities of life.
"Please! Please!! Please!!!"
By shedding a few tears, I managed to get the leather armor size adjusted by morning and headed to Bigina Forest.
I didn't take on any quests. There were no F-rank quests for subduing monsters or collecting materials within the field, so for a while, my sources of income were purchasing materials and receiving rewards for monster subjugation.
First, I explored the shallow parts, much like the previous time. After a brief exploration, I found my intended target: a goblin acting alone.
Today, my plan was to explore the central part of Bigina Forest and engage in battles with stronger monsters. However, before that, I wanted to put my magic into practical use.
Just as before, I cautiously approached, making sure not to be noticed. However, I didn't get as close as I did last time.
I halted at a distance of 15 meters from the goblin, shaped my mana, took careful aim, and unleashed Wind Blades. They were nearly transparent and made barely any sound.
The goblin's head was swiftly severed without it even noticing the attack.
"Alright!"
It was a perfect hit. Wind Blade was one of the magic spells I had intensely practiced, perfectly suited for surprise attacks.
While its range was relatively short, only 15 meters, the closer I got, the better my accuracy, so by aiming for the head like this time, I could take down the enemy with a single strike.
Moreover, this tactic of one-shotting enemies saved mana and compensated for the low durability of mages in prolonged combat situations. This would become my fundamental strategy.
I collected the goblin's nose to claim the reward and resumed my exploration.
After a while, I came across another four goblins. I decided to use them as subjects for my magical experiments.
Slowly, I approached and unleashed Wind Blades. One of them died without comprehending the situation, while the remaining three were cautious of their surroundings, yet they didn't seem to notice me.
Using the same approach, I took down two more. Finally, the last one noticed me as I deliberately let it spot the third attack.
The goblin charged toward me. With a distance of less than 10 meters, Wind Blades wouldn't reach it in time.
I then activated another magic spell I had practiced intensively. It took less than a second to cast.
Not because I had rapidly improved, but because I wasn't employing precise mana control. This spell involved scattering a dozen or so stone bullets like a shotgun, sacrificing accuracy and range for casting speed. Although it consumed a significant amount of mana, its power was fairly high.
The goblin, which had come within 5 meters of me, took most of the bullets in its torso and was sent flying. It didn't get back up. Its torso had almost been torn apart.
◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇
After that, I encountered monsters several times, successfully subduing them all. Among them was a group of thirteen goblins, but by maintaining distance, I deprived them of any means of attack other than stone-throwing, enabling me to deal with them safely.
However, things wouldn't remain so easy from here on. I reached the central part of Bigina Forest.
I discovered trees with stripped bark and scattered black, short hairs beneath them. These were the markings left by a creature known as the "Great Fang Bear." As the name implied, it possessed formidable fangs and tremendous strength. However, its ability to detect mana was low, and its agility wasn't remarkably high.
For me, it fell into the category of manageable monsters. If I couldn't defeat it, it would be wise to abandon exploration in the central area.
After ensuring there were no other monsters nearby, I approached slowly.
As I got within range, the creature, previously hidden in the foliage, became clearly visible. Its length was approximately 5 meters, almost twice the size of a polar bear.
Monsters in the shallower areas of the forest could be defeated with modern weapons like assault rifles or shotguns. So, it was easier to imagine victory against them. However, the Great Fang Bear was different. I wouldn't dare to approach too close, even if I were in a tank.
I had calculated my chances of winning, but instinctual fear struck me. From now on, I would have to face monsters possessing power that surpasses common sense.
I took a slow, deep breath.
I now had both magic and armor. I had gathered prior information as well. Since it hadn't detected me, I held the advantage. As I objectively listed reasons I could win, the fear gradually waned, leaving behind a moderate sense of tension.
With precision, I took my time to form twelve stone bullets. I sharpened each one, slightly larger than a ping pong ball, into a cone shape, and infused them with mana far exceeding what I used against the goblins.
If the information I had gathered was accurate, this level of power should be more than sufficient.
Concealing myself within the foliage, I patiently waited for the right moment. When the Great Fang Bear's attention was drawn towards a bird taking flight, and it reared up on its hind legs, I fired all twelve bullets.
I aimed for its large, unprotected belly. Due to prioritizing power, I missed one shot, but the rest hit its belly as intended. The impact caused the bear to stumble slightly.
While the bullets didn't penetrate fully, they seemed to have reached its internal organs, as a significant amount of blood spilled out.
Anticipating a counterattack, I prepared to retreat, but the bear collapsed without any movement.
I observed it for a while, cautious of a potential feigned death, but there was no sign of movement. Having lost a considerable amount of blood, it appeared to have died from shock.
I felt a bit disappointed but also relieved that the battle wasn't a struggle. Since I had planned on utilizing hit-and-run tactics for a battle of attrition, I had mentally prepared to expend a substantial amount of mana.
With results better than I had expected, I reconsidered my future strategy. Since I had started exploring in the afternoon and initially planned to defeat just one opponent as a test, I still had mana to spare.
With the aim of achieving even greater success, I resumed my exploration.
