MTLNOVEL Chapter 62: Coitus
Her voice was quiet but firm.
"Don't run away."
The words made my heart skip a beat.
For a moment, I was tempted—truly tempted—to close the distance and kiss her. Her lips were right there, parted slightly, her eyes steady and searching.
But I held myself back.
I couldn't afford this. Not now. Not while threats still loomed over our heads—enemies, survival, the fragile state of our clan. The death of Zzok just this morning.
This wasn't the time to get comfortable.
I sighed, already knowing I'd regret pulling away.
With a flash of light, I activated [Warp], blinking up onto the mossy bank beside the pond.
Water dripped from my body as I turned, keeping my tone steady.
"Time to head back. We've been out here long enough."
I didn't wait for a response. Just started pulling my covering back on, trying to ignore my desires.
One day—maybe—I'd let myself want this.
But not today.
Zarah lowered her head, a flicker of disappointment passing over her face, and quietly stepped out of the water.
I kept my gaze pointed elsewhere, giving her the privacy she deserved as she dressed.
Only when I was sure she was fully covered did I turn back around.
She was walking toward me now, her expression unreadable—something between calm and distant, with just a hint of something else I couldn't quite place.
I found myself wondering what she was thinking. Why she'd done what she did. Was she fully aware of it? Or had it just felt natural to her?
She stopped in front of me and looked up with a neutral, almost deadpan expression.
"Are you angry, Chief?" she asked.
I blinked. Angry?
I had no reason to be. Conflicted, maybe. Awkward, definitely. But angry?
"No," I said simply, shaking my head.
She nodded once.
"Then let's return."
She held out her hand, palm open.
I took it without hesitation.
But just before I activated [Warp], I glanced at her and asked quietly:
"Are you angry?"
"No," she replied, turning away with a dismissive shrug.
I sighed softly.
Like hell she wasn't angry.
We warped back to the cave, and the moment we landed, she let go of my hand and walked off without a word.
Yep. Definitely mad at me.
"Welcome back, Chief!" Thok called out, his usual chipper tone cutting through the air.
I gave him a small wave. "Hey, Thok."
The rest of the goblins began to greet me as well, their voices overlapping with excitement.
I made sure to respond to each one, offering nods and a few words here and there. A good leader doesn't ignore his people—even when his head's spinning.
A few minutes later, Zarah reentered the cave with Narg at her side. They'd been outside for a bit, probably checking on something—or more likely, she needed space.
As soon as one of the younger goblin girls spotted her, she gasped softly.
"You look different. Did something happen?"
Zarah straightened her posture slightly, a proud glint in her eye.
"I got stronger," she said, her voice holding just a touch more weight than before.
"Anything else happen?" Flogga asked, peering curiously at her.
Zarah hesitated for just a second.
Then shook her head.
"No. Just that."
Zarah walked off, and almost immediately, Flogga turned toward me, her sharp eyes narrowing slightly. She must've sensed something was off.
Damn, that intuition of hers.
I quickly turned away, pretending to be engrossed in something. An act not suspicious at all.
Thankfully, Narg stepped in to save me—intentionally or not.
"Chief, we camouflaged the cave entrance," he said, his tone matter-of-fact. "We also set a few basic traps around the perimeter. Just in case."
"Good," I nodded, grateful for the update and the distraction.
Right then, my stomach growled loud enough for a few nearby goblins to glance my way.
That's right. I hadn't had a meal since I arrived in this world.
How the hell was I still standing?
Right on cue, Flogga approached, holding out a wooden bowl filled with steaming soup. The rich, meaty scent hit me immediately.
"Eat," she said firmly, handing it over.
Her gaze was still filled with question marks, but I ignored it, collecting the bowl.
Inside the bowl floated chunks of meat—direwolf meat, if the smell was anything to go by. Probably mixed with some wild herbs and mushrooms she'd gathered.
The rest of the goblins were already seated around the central fire, eagerly tearing into their meals. The sounds of slurping and chewing echoed through the cave as they devoured their portions like starved beasts.
I sat down with them, bowl in hand, but didn't eat right away.
I stared at the soup.
It smelled good. Looked decent.
But after what happened the last time I ate something Flogga made—that strength potion—I was understandably hesitant.
In the end, hunger won.
I took a cautious first spoonful. Then a second.
And just like that, I was devouring the rest. Before I knew it, the bowl was empty, and I was holding it out like a beggar.
"Seconds?" I asked, not even trying to hide the desperation.
Flogga raised an eyebrow, but handed me another bowl without a word.
It was good.
Or maybe it wasn't. Maybe my new goblin palate just couldn't tell the difference. For all I knew, it tasted like boiled leather to a human.
I didn't care.
I wolfed it down.
Then asked for another. And another.
The large pot over the fire seemed endless, and no one stopped me as I kept helping myself.
By the time I finished my fifth bowl, I leaned back with a groan.
I was full. Properly full.
I exhaled, sated.
It felt great—no, amazing—to eat a warm meal after such a long, bloody day. My body relaxed without permission, slumping a little as the heat of the stew settled in my gut.
Then I felt it.
A stare.
My eyes flicked up, and sure enough, Zarah was watching me.
But the moment our gazes met, she quickly looked away, pretending to focus on her own bowl. She stirred it absently, lips barely touching the spoon as if eating was an afterthought.
Flogga, sharp-eyed and annoyingly perceptive, didn't miss a beat. She glanced between us, squinting slightly.
"Did something happen between you two?" she asked bluntly.
"No," I said too quickly, straightening my back.
Flogga raised a brow. Not convinced. She didn't say anything else, but the look she gave me spoke volumes.
That infuriating spill the beans or else kind of look.
I tried to hold her gaze, maybe silently tell her to mind her business—but nope. She didn't budge. Her eyes narrowed, daring me to lie again.
I folded instantly.
"Right... It's late," I mumbled, already pushing myself to my feet. "We should all get some rest. Big day tomorrow."
I rose to my feet and headed back to the quarters. The rest of the goblins, especially those whom I had promised to level up tomorrow, also stood up to go to rest.
Zarah didn't say anything. Flogga kept staring.
I was certain Flogga wasn't going to let it go. She'd keep poking and prodding until she got an answer. And I wasn't ready to spill anything.
Not yet.
Once we got back to the quarters, I slipped inside quickly, pretending to yawn as I waved the others goodnight.
Inside, I let out a breath and dropped onto the mat with a soft thud.
Another day. Another battle won.
But the weight of it lingered.
We'd lost Zzok.
The thought made my chest tighten. He may have been rough around the edges, but he fought bravely. His absence left a gap, not just in numbers, but in spirit.
It was a wake-up call.
Things were only going to get harder from here. Stronger enemies. Riskier missions. More loss.
I couldn't afford to coast anymore.
With a grunt, I sat up and summoned my status window, eyes scanning the glowing interface hovering in the air.
[Status Window]
Name: Eli Cross
Race: Goblin
Title: Drugar's Chosen
Level: 19
HP: 655
MP: 345
Kill Count: 3
[Stats]
Strength: 36
Stamina: 38
Agility: 30
Intelligence: 25
Perception: 24
(Available Points to Distribute: 15)
[Skills]
Innate Skill: [Phase Walker (SSS)]
Passive Skills: [Analyze (N)] [Iron Fist (E)] [Roar of Intimidation (C)] [Finder (N)]
Active Skills: [Stealth (C)] [Mana Shield (B)] [Flame Orb (C)] [Warcry (C)]
Not bad.
I'd made real progress.
Three new skills had been added—rewards for defeating another of Drugar's Chosen—and I now had 15 stat points to allocate.
Twelve came from leveling up. The remaining three were from today's daily quest.
As for where to put them?
I wasn't leaning heavily toward any specific attribute, so I wasn't too stressed about it. I preferred keeping my stats balanced.
Strength, Stamina, Agility, and Intelligence all served clear and practical purposes in combat or survival. They complemented each other. As for Perception? That one was still a bit of a mystery. I had a feeling it sharpened my awareness, maybe enhanced my reaction time or even helped spot hidden things—traps, enemies, weaknesses.
But I wasn't planning to invest too heavily into it, at least not yet. Whatever I gained from passive stat increases when leveling up would be enough for now.
With that, I made my decision.
I added 4 points to Strength, bringing it up to 40. A cold shiver ran through my arms as the change took hold, like a thin layer of ice settling just beneath my skin.
Next, I put 2 points into Stamina, also bringing it to 40. The effect wasn't dramatic, but I felt a subtle shift in my breathing, a steadier rhythm in my pulse. Like I could run just a bit longer, endure just a bit more.
Then, 5 points went into Intelligence. A slight pressure bloomed behind my eyes, not painful, just... present. Thoughts felt sharper. Clearer.
That left 4 points.
I allocated 3 to Agility. My limbs tingled faintly, muscles twitching as if eager to move. The last point, I placed into Perception, just to test the waters.
Immediately, my hearing spiked. I could hear the bubbling of the soup pot several paces away, the quiet shuffling of feet outside the hut. Even the faint wind rustling the leaves far beyond the clearing. It was disorienting for a second, like my mind had been handed too many puzzle pieces at once.
I blinked, steadying myself. Then checked my updated sheet:
[Stats]
Strength: 40
Stamina: 40
Agility: 33
Intelligence: 30
Perception: 25
(Available Points: 0)
Not bad. Actually, better than not bad.
For my level, it was impressive.
And with the new skills I'd earned from the Drugar's Chosen fight, I was far from weak.
But I wasn't satisfied.
I wanted more. More power. More options.
Not just to survive, but to win. To dominate.
I didn't know how powerful the other Drugar Blessed from the Shaman Clan truly were.
And that was just one group.
There were likely other Drugar Blessed out there—ones not tied to his clan, with different skills and unknown abilities. Anyone of them could spot me at any time. And if they did… they might not hesitate to attack.
That meant I needed to be ready. Not just strong, but prepared.
I was strong. That much I knew.
But was I strong enough?
I wasn't sure I was yet.
I needed to level up more.
I needed to evolve.
Like Narg and the others had.
I'd seen the changes—how their bodies transformed, how their auras shifted. Evolution wasn't just a power boost; it was a leap. A rebirth.
Now that I knew it was possible, I couldn't ignore it. I had to chase it.
The goblins had evolved at level 10. I'd long surpassed that, so the threshold was certainly different for me.
If I had to guess, level 25 seemed like a reasonable milestone. It wasn't a guarantee, but it was the best lead I had.
I was level 19. Just six more levels to go—and I wasn't going to get them by sleeping or indulging in coitus.
I stood, brushing off my knees.
Beasts were stronger at night, which meant more risk… but also more rewards. If I wanted to level up faster, I needed to take advantage of that.
Time to go hunting.
Deeper into the forest.
Find something stronger. Kill it. Grow.
I thought of the Deer Gnarlbeast—the one Narg and the others had taken down. According to him, that was just a weaker variant. There were more powerful ones out there. Some with what he called "ocular abilities"—skills that affected the mind or perception.
If I could take one of those down… maybe I could gain something rare. An ocular skill, perhaps.
The idea wasn't without risk. Monsters like that wouldn't go down easily.
But I had [Warp].
If things got too dicey, I could blink away. Escape before it was too late.
I stepped out of the room and nearly bumped into Zarah standing just outside.
She quickly unclasped her hands at the sight of me. Had she been waiting here?
Once again, we were just… staring.
The air felt thick with unspoken things.
Awkward.
But this time, she spoke first.
"Hmm... Aren't you going to sleep?"
I shook my head. "No. I'm heading out. Going on a hunt."
"Is that so…" she murmured.
I nodded once, firm.
"Okay."
Zarah turned without another word and walked away.
I watched her go, unsure if I should've said more—explained myself, maybe.
Then I noticed Flogga watching from a distance, arms crossed. She shook her head with an exaggerated sigh, then turned her back on me, too.
What? What did I do?
I mouthed the words, but she didn't look back.
I sighed. Now, two of them were upset with me.
Rather than risk another cold glare, I found Narg and told him...