He looked at me... not just as an enemy — but as prey.
A twisted silhouette, a predatory grin, and burning eyes that gleamed with an almost sentient malice. This goblin was different from the rest — madness didn't just simmer within him; it ruled his every move. As if his entire existence had been reduced to a single purpose: to destroy. Not by order. Not for survival. But for the sheer thrill of the hunt.
"Mad Goblin"
Level: 5 [☆]
"Damn..." I whispered. "You really are a beast."
A cold shiver ran down my spine. His mere presence pressed down on me, paralyzing my instincts, forcing my body to tense to its limit. Yet the next instant, everything became clear. The goblin lunged forward — the ground cracked beneath his sudden burst. A flash, a blur — he was already flying at me, claws outstretched, ready to rip flesh. I instinctively sidestepped, summoning as I moved:
"Come forth... devils."
From the sea of darkness, two emerged. One threw himself straight into the goblin's attack, taking the claws into his own body. A shriek. The devil's body shuddered — and crumbled into ash. Gone.
"This is... bad." I staggered backward, almost losing my footing, and barked out, "Berserk! On both!"
Space flared. The devils howled — and rage flooded their bodies. I felt my own muscles swell with strength, but it wasn't enough. Far from enough against an enemy like this. I yanked open the status window and gritted my teeth.
Points Available: 10
Distribution: Agility +10
"I am the wind..." I whispered, and my body responded.
I moved faster than I could anticipate myself. One devil distracted the goblin for a breath, and I used him as bait — a step, a thrust, a sweep of the sword. Yet sensing danger, the goblin twisted aside, moving like a serpent. I passed through, feeling the blade carve nothing but air.
"Seriously..?" I muttered, rolling aside and calling out again: "New devil, forward! Enhance!"
Another devil burst from the void, crimson energy flaring from its frame. We regrouped. One left, one right, and I in the center. Three of us surged toward him — he met us alone.
The ground trembled beneath our steps. Each swipe of his claws carried raw, bestial fury, but the devils' coordination allowed me to control the battlefield. We gave him no breath. I struck from a distance; the devils lunged head-on. He tore them apart, shredded their flesh, but I kept the pressure, forcing him to flinch, to tire, to falter.
"Don't let him rest!" I shouted — though I knew I was the only one who could hear.
The goblin roared and lashed out, driving his claws through another devil. Ash. The second devil staggered, weakened. I gasped for air — and realized: my mana was gone.
"Shit, I'm done..."
I dropped to one knee. My chest blazed, my lungs felt scorched from within. The last devil shielded me — and then vanished. The goblin did not hesitate. He leapt. He howled and dove, claws aimed for a killing blow.
I raised my sword to block. His strike slammed into the blade. Blood misted from the trembling steel. Pain tore through my arms as I was hurled backward, dragging across the asphalt. The metallic taste of blood filled my mouth. The impact pinned me to the earth.
HP: 10/170
I coughed, feeling blood drip from my lips.
"...All worn out?"
The voice in my mind was mocking. Yet I only smirked... and raised my eyes.
The goblin loomed over me, victory blazing in his gaze. His claws lifted for the final strike — and then...
"Welcome," I exhaled, clenching my fist. "Ocean Plunge."
A flash. Above him — a devil. One. Newborn. A blow landed — clean through the goblin's neck. He shrieked, stumbling backward, but I was already on my feet. I lifted my sword. One savage strike slashed across his side. The blade sank deep. The goblin gurgled, flailing, but I kept swinging. Again. And again. Until he stilled.
A heartbeat of silence. And then:
Victory!
Mad Goblin defeated!
Rewards: 500 Experience, 100 Coins
I collapsed onto the ground, legs sprawling.
"Phew..." I fell onto my back. "That was fun. Almost."
A notification flickered before my eyes:
Quest Completed!
Hidden Quest Finished.
Reward: 200 Coins, Random Skill Upgrade Coupon.
Exit Unlocked.
A click. The door I had entered through creaked open once more.
I glanced at my trembling mana panel, still flickering from exhaustion.
"Well... didn't think my gamble would actually work."
I cast a glance toward the fallen goblin and continued:
"In that moment, when my mana was nearly drained... I drank a potion. Right in the middle of the fight. Then summoned two devils — but instead of throwing them into the fray, I immediately sealed one away. It looked like I had collapsed, like I was helpless. But all I did was wait... waited for him to come close — and then struck."
I chuckled, looking at the screen:
Current HP: 10
"Yeah, the risk was insane. But the gamble paid off. Otherwise... I'd still be lying here, rotting like fertilizer for these monsters."
I opened my inventory, pulled out the Skill Upgrade Coupon, and clenched it tightly.
"Even if it's random... I have no bad skills. So... it's time to get even stronger."