The first sound Emil heard inside the Ancient Monster Labyrinth was not a roar.
It was laughter.
A cruel, twisted laughter that echoed through the dark corridors.
The goblins surrounded him.
Small creatures with green skin, sharp teeth, and crude weapons.
To anyone else, they might have appeared weak.
But Emil noticed something immediately.
They were organized.
They were not acting like beasts.
They moved in groups.
The stronger goblins stood in front.
The weaker ones stayed behind.
The archers positioned themselves on higher ground.
The assassins disappeared into the shadows.
Emil narrowed his eyes.
"They have tactics..."
This was different from every battle he had fought before.
---
Ding!
[Analysis complete.]
Monster Information
Species: Goblin
Rank: First Order
Intelligence: Above average
Strength: Low
Combat Ability: Moderate
Threat Level: Depends on numbers
---
Emil looked at the hundreds of goblins filling the corridor.
"...The numbers are the problem."
---
The goblin at the front raised a rusty blade.
It shouted something in its strange language.
The others responded with a wave of excited cries.
Then they charged.
---
The first wave attacked from the front.
Emil moved instantly.
Sun Step.
His body disappeared.
The goblins swung at empty air.
Before they could react—
Sun Sword Technique!
Golden light flashed.
Several goblins were forced backward.
Emil landed smoothly.
But he did not relax.
More came.
Then more.
The corridor seemed endless.
---
A normal cultivator would have panicked.
Hundreds of enemies.
Limited space.
No escape.
But Emil had learned something from the forest.
A battle was not won by strength alone.
It was won by understanding.
His golden eyes activated.
---
Energy patterns appeared.
He saw the goblins' movements before they happened.
The archers gathered energy before firing.
The assassins prepared before striking.
The warriors shifted their weight before attacking.
Every action had a sign.
Every attack had a beginning.
---
Emil moved through the battlefield like sunlight passing through clouds.
A step.
A strike.
A dodge.
A counter.
His sword became a golden line cutting through the darkness.
---
Ding!
[Combat experience increasing.]
[Sword understanding improving.]
---
The goblins became more desperate.
They changed their formation.
The front warriors attacked together.
The archers fired from behind.
The assassins attacked from blind spots.
For the first time since entering the labyrinth...
Emil was forced backward.
A dagger grazed his shoulder.
He moved away immediately.
"They are learning."
That surprised him.
The goblins weren't mindless monsters.
They adapted.
They improved.
---
A goblin warrior twice the size of the others stepped forward.
Its body carried scars.
A larger weapon rested on its shoulder.
The surrounding goblins immediately moved aside.
---
Ding!
Monster Identified
Goblin Warrior Captain
Rank:
First Order Peak
Ability:
- Enhanced strength
- Battle command
- Improved combat instinct
---
The captain roared and charged.
Unlike the others...
It was fast.
The massive weapon came down like a falling tree.
Emil used Sun Step.
The weapon struck the ground.
The entire corridor shook.
The goblin captain followed with another attack.
And another.
Its strength was overwhelming.
---
Emil blocked one strike.
His arms trembled.
"Strong..."
The goblin captain smiled.
It understood.
It knew it had power.
---
But Emil had something else.
Experience.
He watched the creature carefully.
The captain relied on strength.
Every attack was powerful.
But predictable.
After several exchanges...
Emil saw the opening.
---
The goblin raised its weapon.
Too high.
Too wide.
Its entire chest was exposed.
Emil moved.
Sun Step!
He appeared beside it.
His sword carried golden energy.
Sun First!
---
The attack struck.
The goblin captain fell.
The remaining goblins froze.
Their leader was defeated.
---
Ding!
[Goblin Warrior Captain defeated.]
[Experience gained.]
[SCP +50.]
---
The other goblins hesitated.
Then they attacked with even greater desperation.
Their fear had disappeared.
Only survival remained.
---
Emil understood.
This was the true purpose of the labyrinth.
Not simply defeating enemies.
Learning.
Adapting.
Growing.
Every battle forced him to become better.
---
The battle continued for hours.
By the end, Emil stood alone among the defeated goblins.
His breathing was heavy.
His clothes were damaged.
His body carried several minor wounds.
But his eyes were brighter than before.
---
Ding!
Battle Results
Enemies defeated:
- Goblin Warriors: 143
- Goblin Archers: 86
- Goblin Assassins: 31
- Goblin Captain: 1
---
Rewards
Experience gained.
SCP gained:
+500
---
Level Increase
Level 5 → Level 15
---
Emil looked at the notification.
His first large-scale battle had changed him.
He had entered the labyrinth as someone who hunted monsters.
Now...
He understood how armies fought.
---
Ding!
New Skill Acquired
Battle Awareness
Description:
A combat instinct developed through repeated battles.
Effects:
- Improves battlefield analysis.
- Allows faster reaction against multiple enemies.
- Reduces mistakes during combat.
---
Emil closed his eyes.
He could feel the difference.
His sword felt lighter.
His movements felt smoother.
The battle had become part of him.
---
Then...
A deep sound echoed from deeper within the labyrinth.
BOOM.
The walls trembled.
The defeated goblins had been only the beginning.
---
The system activated.
[Warning.]
[Higher-level monster presence detected.]
[Approaching second layer of labyrinth.]
---
Emil looked toward the darkness ahead.
The corridor continued downward.
The air became heavier.
Stronger monsters waited below.
He tightened his grip on his sword.
"Only the first floor..."
A faint smile appeared.
"Then show me what the next one has."
---
Emil stepped forward.
Behind him was the battlefield of goblins.
Ahead was the unknown.
The Ancient Monster Labyrinth had begun revealing its true nature.