For the First Time... It Was a Goblin... Plop

Speaking of which, I think I've figured out the possible quests for now and have an idea about the reward amounts.

Let me check my TODO list first.

[x] Confirm the difficulty and reward amounts for each quest

Rather than difficulty, it was clearly divided by rank.

The path from the village to the northern forest had been trodden enough, but since it's nighttime, there are no people around. Everyone starts their activities much earlier in the day. As I gaze at the road, I notice familiar and unfamiliar weeds scattered along the roadside.

"Plant life is definitely off here. Maybe the god of plants brought them from another world, and they started growing on their own?"
I walk slowly, thinking to myself, "If they turn into something like giant ragweed, that's fine by me." After about an hour, the trees begin to thin out.

"Hmm. This area seems dominated by coniferous forests. Is it because of the soil or some protective magic? There are pine trees, red pines... maybe cypress and cedar too?"
The residents of the northern forest probably rely on pine nuts and mushrooms as their main food sources. I suppose they also peel tree bark for sustenance.

"Aha, there are unfamiliar trees here too. Some have fruits, but I don't know if they're edible."
I decide to pick a few of these unknown fruits and put them in my satchel to ask Rizatia about later. As I walk, keeping an eye on the ground, I don't see any Vaz grass.

"Probably all dead near the entrance."
Using my phone's compass for guidance, I veer off the path and head straight north. Every 5 meters or so, I carve a "1" and a north-facing arrow into the surface of the trees with my axe.

"At least having a compass helps prevent getting lost."
The forest isn't very dense, and it doesn't feel particularly lush. Maybe it's just that the southern forest was unnaturally overgrown. As I move deeper into the woods, an indescribable presence begins to make itself known.

<Notice: The sensation you are currently feeling is a recognition of mana.>

Sage sensei immediately informs me. This sensation grows stronger, making it harder to detect other presences. Honestly, as an ordinary person, sensing "presence" is just using my five senses, and when other sensations become too strong, they interfere. After another hour or so, the terrain begins to resemble a marshy area.

"From what I can see around me, there doesn't seem to be any river. Maybe it's just generally swampy?"
Before the ground becomes too unstable, I look around and finally spot some Vaz grass scattered about.

"Hmm. They probably can't survive without water nearby. It must also depend on the concentration of mana."
As instructed by the receptionist girl, I pull out the roots of plants clearly over 20 cm tall. Using Recognition sensei to confirm each one, I silently continue pulling them up for about two hours. Since my body shape makes staying in a crouch impossible for that long, I occasionally sit down on nearby rocks to rest while working.

"Phew. That's 100 done. Any more and my back will give out."
I tie five at a time with random grass, making about 20 bundles. Exhausted, my spirits drop. Checking the time, it's already past 1 PM.

"I guess I'll have to eat now, but are there any leeches around?"
I roll up my trouser legs and check my socks and neckline, finding nothing.

"Alright, mission accomplished. I'll head back to the forest and eat lunch then."
Using the compass for guidance, I head south and notice some trees with markings. From here, heading further south should get me back to the path.

"Hmm, decent income. Are adventurers really that well-off? Well, without a compass, there's a risk of getting lost, so it's not all that great."
As I walk, slightly letting my guard down, I notice some bushes rustling in the distance.

"Is that an animal?"
The area isn't densely wooded, and I'm in a clearing. For safety, I grab the makeshift glaive I've been using as a staff and hide behind the bushes. Out comes a gray, bipedal creature. Its ears are long and sideways, its eyes almost entirely black. Its nose is pig-like, curling upwards, with thin lips. In its mouth, among the jagged teeth, two fangs protrude from the upper jaw. It's about 130 cm tall, hairless, wearing a piece of animal skin wrapped around its waist. In its hands, it carries a spear-like object made from a sharpened wooden tip, about 1 meter long.

"Whoa. That's a goblin? I imagined something more like a servant fairy, but this one is pretty ugly."
It looks around nervously, starting to patrol the area.

"Hmm. From its movements, it seems like a scout. It probably won't be alone for much longer."
Grunting "gik" and "ga," it slowly approaches me.

"If I stay put, there's a good chance they'll find me and send more to chase me. Better take the initiative here."
Honestly, I've hunted quadrupeds before, but facing a bipedal creature is my first time.

I quietly move around the bushes behind the goblin, trying not to make any noise. The goblin continues its patrol, seemingly unaware of its surroundings and defenseless.

"Charge!"
I burst out from the bushes, swinging the makeshift glaive at the goblin's right thigh. My intention was to cripple it with the weight of the blade even if it didn't cut through, but the axehead sank halfway into the bone.

"Gii, Giaaaa!"
The goblin lets out a scream. I pull the glaive up and down, freeing the bone from pressure. The goblin is stunned by fear and pain, unable to check behind itself, and starts to crouch.

"This is it! Finish him off!"
I twist the blade halfway and swing it left, aiming for the side of its head. I hoped that even if the blade didn't fully rotate, the blow would cause a concussion, but instead, the edge sliced through the left side of its head down to its face. The goblin's spasms slow down before stopping completely.

<Skill Acquisition Notice: The conditions for Skill Acquisition has been fulfilled. You have inherited the target's skills: Spear Technique 0.16, Vigilance 0.08.>
I've always thought it was silly in anime and period dramas how they shout during attacks. But actually, to kill a creature so close to humans, you need momentum and determination. Yet, I'm surprised there's no fear or disgust. I thought it would be different from hunting animals for food, but...

<Notice: Skill Valorous neutralizes fear-related skills up to twice their power. It also affects the state Cowardice.>
<Current Status: Skill Valorous is at 0.2, so it hasn't fully manifested yet. However, some effects are already influencing you.>

Sage sensei explains as always, calm and precise.

For now, having faced a bipedal creature for the first time, I'm left feeling a bit overwhelmed about what comes next.