Chapter 9: Shadow Assault
Riven stood in the chamber of the fallen goblin shaman, his newly acquired Goblin Shaman Shadow kneeling before him. He could feel the difference already. Unlike the standard goblins, this one held an eerie stillness, a latent power thrumming beneath its undead form.
He opened his status page, checking his progress.
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◆◆ STATUS PAGE ◆◆
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◆ Name: Riven
◆ Level: 6
◆ HP: 720/720
◆ MP: 540/540
◆ Strength: 11
◆ Agility: 12
◆ Intelligence: 13
◆ Endurance: 10
◆ Free Stat Points: 10
◆ Shadow Soldier Count: 30
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His intelligence had gone up, and with it, his mana pool. The shadows under his command were growing, but now, he needed to optimize them for combat.
He turned to his shaman. "What spells did you have in life?"
Though it couldn't talk, the moment the question left his lips, knowledge flooded his mind. A perk of being the Shadow Monarch—he instinctively understood the capabilities of his minions.
The Goblin Shaman Shadow possessed:
Firebolt – A concentrated burst of fire, single-target.
Weak Barrier – A defensive spell, reducing damage from attacks.
Minor Heal – A weak but useful healing spell, applicable only to organic beings.
Riven clicked his tongue. "Minor Heal is useless for the shadows, but Firebolt and Barrier could be invaluable."
His eyes flickered to the darkened tunnel ahead. If this dungeon followed a pattern, the 14th floor would be even more dangerous than this one. He had no time to waste.
"Move out."
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The 14th floor was different. Instead of narrow corridors and crude goblin-made huts, this was a vast, open cavern filled with crude wooden fortifications. A goblin war camp.
Riven narrowed his eyes. These weren't random scouting parties or loose groups of goblins. This was a full-fledged base.
His shadows knelt around him, awaiting his orders. He surveyed the area. At least thirty goblins were stationed here, along with three hobgoblins. Worse, in the center of the camp stood a towering figure—a Hobgoblin Captain.
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◆◆ ENEMY ANALYSIS ◆◆
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◆ Goblin Soldiers (x30) – Basic foot soldiers, lightly armored.
◆ Hobgoblins (x3) – Stronger, bulkier goblins, wielding steel weapons.
◆ Hobgoblin Captain (x1) – A powerful leader among goblins. High endurance, skilled fighter.
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Riven exhaled, steadying himself. "This will be my toughest fight yet."
He had 25 shadows, but a direct assault would be suicide. If they got overwhelmed, it'd be over.
His gaze shifted to his Goblin Archer Shadow. "Pick off their sentries first."
The archer moved swiftly, drawing back its shadowy bow. A dark arrow shot through the air, piercing the throat of the nearest goblin lookout. The creature collapsed without a sound.
One down.
They repeated the process three more times. By the time the goblins realized they were under attack, four of their lookouts were already dead.
Then, all hell broke loose.
The goblin soldiers sounded the alarm, screeching in their guttural tongue. The camp erupted into chaos as weapons were drawn, and the Hobgoblin Captain bellowed orders.
Riven smirked. "Too late."
◆ Shadow Assault! ◆
His shadows surged forward, a wave of darkness crashing into the goblin ranks.
The Hobgoblin Warrior Shadow led the charge, cleaving through two goblins with a single swing. The Dire Rat darted in and out, ripping at tendons and ankles, bringing enemies to the ground. The Goblin Shaman Shadow raised its staff, unleashing a Firebolt that engulfed a cluster of goblins in flames.
Riven moved with them, ducking under a goblin's wild swing before slashing his dagger across its throat. One kill.
A goblin lunged at him from behind—
THUNK!
An arrow from his archer shadow struck it between the eyes. Two kills.
But the Hobgoblin Captain wasn't standing idle.
With a guttural roar, it waded into battle, swinging a massive greatsword. Three of Riven's shadows were cut down instantly, vanishing into wisps of black mist.
"Tch." Riven clenched his fists. He couldn't afford to lose too many shadows here.
"Shaman! Barrier!"
The Goblin Shaman Shadow raised its staff, and a faint shimmer of energy enveloped Riven just as the captain's greatsword came down.
CLANG!
The force of the blow sent him skidding back, but the barrier had held. Barely.
Riven narrowed his eyes. He needed to end this quickly.
He activated Shadow Extraction on the fallen goblins, reinforcing his army mid-battle. More shadows rose, bolstering his dwindling numbers.
Then he charged forward.
The Hobgoblin Captain swung again. This time, Riven ducked under the blade and drove his dagger into its exposed side.
The creature roared, staggering back, but it wasn't dead yet.
"Now! Arise!"
From the corpses of the fallen goblins, fresh shadows burst forth, overwhelming the remaining soldiers. The battlefield was turning in Riven's favor.
The Hobgoblin Captain swung wildly, but it was already over. His Hobgoblin Warrior Shadow drove its axe into the captain's back, and Riven followed up with a precise strike to the throat.
The captain collapsed.
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◆◆ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ◆◆
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◆ Enemy Defeated: Hobgoblin Captain
◆ EXP Gained: 150
◆ Level Up!
◆ Shadow Extraction Available
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Riven exhaled, wiping blood from his cheek. The battle was won.
He raised his hand over the fallen captain. The air around him darkened as he spoke the words.
Arise.
A new shadow emerged.
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◆◆ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ◆◆
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◆ Shadow Extraction Successful!
◆ New Shadow Soldier Added: Hobgoblin Captain (B-Rank)
◆ Shadow Soldier Count: 30
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Riven grinned. A B-Rank shadow.
With this, his army had just grown even stronger.
And deeper into the dungeon, greater threats awaited.
To be continued...