Solo Leveling: Banishment of the Anomaly

The dungeon was as beautiful as it was dangerous. Trees swayed gently as the wind passed through, creating a false sense of calm amidst the dangers that lurked within as dark green blood of goblins scattered on the earthly ground. Jake sat beside the shade of the tree, resting after the draining experience of inheriting the forgotten memories of the dead and coupling them with the task of killing the revolting goblins.

The system had sent several notifications, but he dismissed them with a swipe, unable to focus on anything, hoping for some peace as the lingering grief still gnawed him.

His meeting with Lee Joo-Hee had been real—he knew it, especially after the system confirmed he had absorbed a fragment of her soul. It was both a comfort and a tragedy, knowing such a kind soul had ceased to exist.

As Jake sat in silence, biting the inside of his mouth to suppress his emotions and exhaustion, his eyes drifted to Min-Soo. The porter was diligently severing the deformed bodies of the goblins Jake had killed, retrieving blue essence stones from their remains. One by one, Min-Soo worked, his hands skilled and efficient. Jake watched, lost in thought, the sight of the essence stones making him space out.

Then, Da-Sol approached, his usual shyness apparent. "Unnie, are you okay now? I mean…" He hesitated, clearly unsure how to address Jake's earlier behavior, likely convinced it had been due to menstruation.

But before Jake could answer, Da-Sol's shyness gave way to excitement, his fists clenched as he forgot his previous discomfort. "You were really amazing there, unnie! I didn't know barrier magic could do that!" He gave Jake a big thumbs up, his wide grin infectious.

Jake could only muster a small smile in return, though the praise felt distant, like a breeze brushing past without meaning. He appreciated Da-Sol's admiration, but his heart was too heavy to fully embrace it.

Eun-Bi, standing a little behind, shyly added her own compliment. "That was… incredible, Miss Joo-Hee. I didn't know healers could fight like that. You're… really, really strong." She spoke softly, clearly inspired by Jake's display of magic, even though she too believed his earlier behavior was because of something entirely mundane.

Yoon-Ji and Jae-Sung remained more reserved, cleaning their weapons in silence while clearly processing what had just transpired. Yoon-Ji focused on stacking her arrows while Jae-Sung wiped his sword clean of goblin blood, both stealing glances at Jake from time to time, their thoughts hidden behind unreadable expressions.

As they busied themselves, Jake sighed softly, feeling the weight of it all—the loss, the lies, and the strange sense of emptiness. He had just seen Lee Joo-Hee, spoken to her, but now, she was gone, and all that remained was this hollow dungeon and the uncertain future ahead.

After a moment of silent contemplation, Jake slapped her cheeks lightly, bringing himself back to the present. He healed herself while gently touching her lower abdomen, continuing the facade of having a period to make his behavior earlier seem more believable.

With a small surge of resolve, Jake's eyes somehow flickered with a newfound fire. I have to keep moving now, he thought. I won't let Joo-Hee's death be in vain. I...I'll see the end of this novel with my own eyes.

Standing up, Jake forced a smile despite the weight pressing on him. His teammates, who had been waiting for her to finish resting, immediately looked over as she straightened up. "Let's go now," Jake said, her voice firm but warm. "We should aim for that prize."

The team's spirits seemed to lift with Jake's words. Da-Sol, ever enthusiastic, shouted, "LET'S GO!" His energy was contagious, and the rest of the group smiled, their confidence bolstered by what they had seen Jake do earlier. They seemed to believe that, with Jake by their side, victory was within reach.

As they walked, Yoon-Ji, ever vigilant, kept her senses sharp, her eyes scanning the dense forest for any signs of goblins lurking nearby. The trees swayed gently, and the faint rustle of leaves filled the air, but nothing threatening seemed to approach them—for now.

Amidst the quiet, Jake whispered to himself, "Status," eager to check the notifications that had flashed earlier during the chaos.

With a flicker, the system responded, revealing the information:

_______________________

[Sage Enlightenment System]

.

Name: Lee Joo-Hee (Jake Garcia)

Class: Sage of Eternal Leaf

Level: 2 (120/150)

HP: 160/160 | MP: 369/575

.

Stats:

- Strength: 18

- Dexterity: 16

- Vitality: 16

- Magic Power: 53

- Intelligence: 33

- Wisdom: 34

.

Skills:

- Healing Touch (Skill Level 3 - 2%)

- Verdant Growth (Skill Level 5 - 2%)

- Nature's Embrace (Skill Level 4 - 17%)

- Basic Swordsmanship (Skill Level 3 - 9%)

- Basic Meditation (Skill Level 3 - 74%)

_______________________

Jake felt the weight of his new power after absorbing Joo-Hee's soul fragment. His Magic Power, Intelligence, and Wisdom had all increased to an unbelievable degree, especially for someone still only at level 2. But the surge of strength brought no joy—only a silent ache in his chest.

The price for this power was Joo-Hee's final departure, leaving him without any desire to celebrate. He sighed inwardly, careful not to draw attention or suspicion from his teammates.

His mind briefly returned to the notifications—Nature's Embrace had grown stronger, his proficiency increasing despite using it only once. But he noticed the immense drain on his mana. At most, Jake realized, he could only use the same strategy four more times before his mana would be completely depleted.

Just as his thoughts were racing, Yoon-Ji's sharp voice broke through, "Shhh!" She raised her hand, signaling the group to hide. Instinctively, they ducked behind the thick foliage. Yoon-Ji's heightened senses had picked up something, and sure enough, just ahead, they spotted nine goblins resting, unaware of the hunters nearby.

Jake grimaced at the sight. The goblins' grotesque, twisted forms sent shivers down his spine, but unlike before, he no longer felt the instinctual fear that had once paralyzed him. There was only disgust.

Da-Sol crouched low beside him, his face etched with worry as he clenched his sword. "We're outnumbered," Da-Sol whispered, his voice tense. "If any of them ambush us from behind, we're in serious trouble.

Yoon-Ji nodded. "We should lure them out slowly one by one. Or we can..."

Before she could finish, Jae-Sung, brimming with overconfidence, stood up from cover and said, "Don't worry! With our healer's magic, I'm sure we can take them all!"

The goblins turned, their beady eyes locking onto Jae-Sung as he stood in plain sight. A guttural scream erupted from the creatures, alerting not just the nine, but four more goblins that had been hiding in the bushes nearby. Their high-pitched screeches echoed through the forest, sending a chill through the team.

"YOU FOOL!!!" Yoon-Ji yelled, her eyes wide with anger.

Da-Sol's expression darkened, and in a flash, he grabbed Jae-Sung by the collar, shaking him. "WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?! You've now put us ALL in danger!!!" His voice was laced with fury as he shoved Jae-Sung back toward the group.

Min-Soo, their porter, visibly shook with fear, dropping to the ground, his face pale. Eun-Bi, trembling, took a step back, her instinct to flee kicking in as her eyes darted toward the nearest escape route. She looked ready to bolt.

But Jake grabbed her arm, stopping her from running. "Stop, Eun-Bi!," he said firmly, his voice sharp with frustration. Bastard! This idiot's going to get us all KILLED!, Jake thought, his patience wearing thin. His mana hadn't fully recovered, and now they were faced with 13 goblins—far more than they were prepared for.

Jake's eyes twitched with irritation as he moved quickly to where Jae-Sung stood, still stunned from the goblins' sudden aggression. Without hesitation, Jake raised his hand and slapped Jae-Sung hard across the face. The sound echoed in the tense air, silencing the forest for a moment.

"If any of us die here," Jake hissed, glaring at Jae-Sung with icy eyes, "I'll swear to the very heavens!" His voice dropped, cold and deliberate as he leaned in closer, his words slow and laced with venom, "…to make sure you accompany them."

The intensity in Jake's voice made Jae-Sung shrink back, fear flickering in his eyes as the weight of his reckless actions settled in.

Jae-Sung, his face stinging and shocked into silence, looked down in shame.

The goblins were closing in, their jagged weapons—clubs, pointed stakes, and rusted daggers—glinting menacingly in the dappled light of the forest. Their shrill, guttural cries echoed through the trees, sending a wave of tension rippling through the group. There was no time for hesitation.

"Get ready!" Da-Sol shouted, gripping his sword tightly, his voice betraying a mix of fear and determination.

All of them were in danger, teetering on the edge of disaster, and it was all due to one man's reckless fault. The goblins were closing in fast, their shrieks growing louder as they swarmed from all sides. The battle had only just begun, but survival felt far from certain.