In the dim light of the corridor, soaked with the stench of blood and damp rot, Reinhard stepped forward, his sharp gaze immediately catching sight of three goblins prowling for prey. Without hesitation, he summoned his loyal imps. The demons materialized from thin air, their hideous faces stretching into eager grins at the promise of battle. Three enemies? Nothing but a trifle for them.
Two of the goblins didn't even have time to comprehend what happened: one imp sank its teeth into the first goblin's throat, tearing his trachea to bloody shreds, while another leapt onto the second's back, claws ripping through the spine. A mere breath later, two corpses sprawled in puddles of their own blood, discarded like old rags.
Only one goblin remained. Reinhard flicked his gaze at the imp but then stopped it with a silent gesture."I can't keep relying on the demons forever..." he muttered under his breath, tightening his grip on the sword's hilt.
The goblin, noticing him, let out a high-pitched screech and lunged forward, raising a bloodstained club overhead. Yet this time, Reinhard felt his body respond faster than usual: the Shadow Bracelet he had recently found was enhancing his movements. At the last moment, he dodged, sliding aside like a blurred shadow.
"Still dangerous..." he noted coldly, stepping in.
A sharp, swift slash of his blade cleaved the goblin in half. Blood, like a dark fountain, sprayed from the torn body, and the creature crumpled to the ground, split from head to groin. Reinhard stared in mild astonishment at the sharpness of his blade."So that's what two hundred attack power feels like..."
Without wasting words, he continued the purge. His imps leapt and tore, rending flesh and slitting throats, while he joined them, sowing death and devastation with every heartbeat. One after another, the enemies fell — cries, wails, splashes of blood. Eighteen more corpses added to his tally. Total kills: twenty-one goblins.
When the last of them gasped its final breath, the corridor fell into ominous silence.
Reinhard wiped his sword on a filthy rag abandoned by one of the dead and moved forward slowly. Thick, dark trails of blood — like pointing fingers — led upwards, toward the second floor of the crumbling building.
Each of his footsteps echoed through the empty stairwell. At the top, he stood before a massive, warped classroom door. His body tensed, his hand tightened around the sword.
He pushed the door open.
The squeal of rusted hinges shattered the silence. The moment he stepped inside, the door slammed shut behind him with a thunderous boom. A heartbeat later, the air trembled, and a cold, metallic system voice rang in his ears:
[Attention.]
[Hidden Quest Activated.]
[Quest: "Mad Goblin."]
[Objective: Slay the mindless goblin.]
[Reward: Random Skill Upgrade Ticket + 200 coins.]
Reinhard slowly shifted his gaze deeper into the classroom.
There, amidst a heap of corpses soaked in black, coagulated blood, stood a figure. Tall and hunched, its body was marred by grime and gore, and where its hands should have been, grotesque claws stretched — long and curved like twisted blades. Its jaws dripped with fresh blood, and behind the jagged teeth, eyes gleamed with feral, murderous madness.
A goblin?
No.
It was something else entirely.
The creature stood, swaying slightly, its ragged breathing filling the room with a heavy, oppressive hum. It was as if the very air had thickened, growing viscous, resisting the presence of this abomination.
Reinhard tightened his grip on the sword. His muscles tensed; his heart raced."And this... this is what I must face?"
He took a step forward, never once breaking eye contact with the deranged goblin.
End of Chapter.