With a swift of his heel, he dodged another goblin’s swing and drove his dagger into its skull, feeling the resistance of flesh and bone giving way under his strike.
‘Did I really just do that?’ Alister thought, a feeling of shock and excitement flooding his senses. The energy surged through him again, and for a moment, he felt invincible.
[3 of 5 monsters killed!]
[The player has leveled up!]
He continued his attacks, his strikes finding their mark, he was feeling confident in himself again.
‘If I continue just like this, I should be able to complete the system quest.’
His movements were smooth, almost instinctual, and each successful hit fueled his excitement.
However, as the battle raged on, Alister couldn’t help but compare himself to his teammates. Jarek swung his battle axe with devastating power, each strike split through several goblins with ease. Erik, with his lanky frame, moved surprisingly fast, his sword flashing as he deflected and countered attacks with skill. Even when he stumbled, he quickly recovered with backflips, his nerves seemed to be steadied by the intensity of the fight.
Amelia, standing back and conjuring streams of flame, directed skilled and powerful long-range attacks that incinerated goblins before they could get close, those that managed to get past would then be cut done by her blade. Her control over her talent was absolute, and she moved with confidence and power that Alister somewhat envied.
‘No matter how fast I get, I’m still not as strong as them,’ he thought, glancing at Erik’s swift movements and Jarek’s brute strength. ‘And Amelia… she’s on another level entirely.’ this was the reality of summoners in a fight without their summons, they didn’t have enhanced strength like those with physical based talents, or obliterated enemies with discharge type talents and would thus be left behind on the battleground.
Despite his increase in speed, Alister felt a bit inadequate. His strikes although effective, seemed small in comparison to the sheer force and power his companions wielded. ‘I shouldn’t feel down, this is only the beginning, I’ll continue to level up and get stronger.’
After a tense and chaotic battle, the group managed to fend off the goblins, their bodies littering the cave floor. Breathing heavily, Alister looked around at his teammates. They were bruised and weary, but victorious.
“Good work, everyone,” Jarek said, his voice a mix of relief and praise. “But this is just the first wave. The Goblin King is still ahead, and he’ll be a lot tougher than these grunts.”
Amelia wiped her blade on a goblin’s tattered clothing and nodded. “Let’s keep moving. We can’t afford to lose time.”
…
Meanwhile, deep within the dungeon, where the air grew thicker and the shadows seemed to cling more tightly to the stone walls, the Goblin King was performing a dark ritual. The chamber was wide and cavernous, lit only by the flickering flames of torches mounted in crude stone pillars. A large, crude altar could be found at the center, carved from black stone and stained with the blood of countless sacrifices.
The Goblin King was massive, covered in tattered robes with bone trinkets around his neck and dark rune symbols could be found all over his body, as he stood before the altar. His eyes gleamed with malevolent intent as he looked around the gathering of goblins before him.
~Kekeke~
He hissed.
These were his subjects, a horde of twisted creatures whose lives were his to command and expend as he saw fit.
A low, guttural chant echoed through the chamber, reverberating off the stone walls.
“~To you, dark one, I present this offering: the flesh of my flesh, the bones of my bones, and the blood of my blood, hoping you may be willing to pull me into the abyss.~”
The Goblin King raised his staff, the tip of which glowed with a sickly green light, casting a bone chilling glow over the gathered goblins. As the chant grew louder, a sense of dread filled the air, causing the lesser goblins to tremble and whimper in fear.
With a swift motion, the Goblin King brought his staff down upon the altar. The green light intensified, and the staff emitted a high-pitched sound.
At his command, the goblins began to march forward, one by one, toward the altar. Each goblin that approached was met with a swift, brutal end as the Goblin King mercilessly struck them down, their blood pooling around the base of the altar.
The air was thick with the stench of blood and the cries of the goblins that met their end, with the Goblin King wearing a sinister grin on his face. He continued, his eyes fixed on the growing pool of blood. As the sacrifices piled up, the altar seemed to pulse with dark energy, absorbing the life essence of the fallen goblins.
Then, with a final, triumphant shout, the Goblin King thrust his staff into the center of the altar. There was a blinding flash of light, followed by a deep, loud boom that shook the very foundations of the dungeon.
The bodies of the sacrificed goblins began to disintegrate, their flesh and bone breaking down into a thick, viscous liquid that condenses into a single, floating orb of blood.
The orb hovered above the altar, pulsing with a strange, red glow. A system window appeared before the Goblin King, its text glowing with a strange red light:
「 B-Rank Item: Blood Orb of the Abyss obtained」. This was a relic of immense power, a forbidden artifact capable of bestowing unimaginable strength upon its wielder.
The Goblin King let out a sinister laugh, a deep, rumbling sound that echoed through the chamber and sent shivers down the spines of the remaining goblins. He could feel the raw, untamed power radiating from the orb, and he knew that with this artifact, his reign of terror would be unstoppable.
With a wave of his staff, the Goblin King made the orb hover into his grasp. As his clawed hand closed around it, the blood orb began to glow brighter, its power seeping into his body. He could feel the surge of energy coursing through him, heightening his senses and amplifying his strength. The goblins around him cowered in awe and terror as their king was transformed into a more powerful monster.
But the Goblin King’s plans did not end with just making himself stronger. With a sinister grin, he raised the orb high above his head and unleashed its power upon his minions.
The orb emitted a blinding red light, sending out waves of energy that flowed into the remaining goblins. They screamed and convulsed as the dark magic flowed through their bodies, their bodies twisting and growing larger, their muscles bulging.
In mere moments, the ordinary goblins had been transformed into hulking Goblin Champions, their eyes sharpened and focused like those of a predator’s. They were now powerful warriors, far more dangerous than the common goblins Alister and his team had faced earlier.
Each champion let out a guttural roar, their bloodlust ignited by the power coursing through them.
The Goblin King’s enhanced goblin horde let out their battle cry. Now turning to face the passage way that would lead towards Alister and his raid team, the goblin king pointed and gave them a signal.
~kikik keke~
The goblins responded to their king’s words and begun charging out.