After devouring the goblins, Gorath felt the changes in his body. His muscles hardened, his senses sharpened, and the primal urges within him grew stronger. He stood up, staring at the dense forest before him.
I need more strength.
The scent of blood still lingered in the air. With his newly acquired Night Vision, Gorath could see further into the darkness. In the distance, he saw something moving among the trees—another group of goblins, but this time more numerous.
'Ten… no, twelve creatures…' he thought.
They carried simple weapons, like wooden spears and rusty knives. One of them was larger, wearing an animal skin coat. A leader?
Good. If I can kill them, I'll be even stronger.
Silently, Gorath moved, using the speed he gained from his Agility Boost to sneak up on the group. When he was close enough, he grabbed onto a tree trunk and leapt high onto one of the large branches, stalking like a true predator.
The goblins gathered around a small campfire, speaking in a language he could barely understand now.
"—Our friend didn't come back."
"Was he killed by another monster?"
"I don't know. We should return to the nest tomorrow."
A nest? If there were more of them somewhere, there would be more meat and more strength.
A plan began to form in Gorath's mind.
With a swift movement, he leapt from the branch and charged into their midst.
"GRAAAAAH!!!"
Panic gripped the goblins. Before they could react, Gorath tore one of them with his claws. The others tried to fight back, but he was faster, stronger.
Their knives and spears left only small scratches on his skin.
Gorath grabbed the largest goblin—the leader of the group—and bit into its neck. Blood spurted.
[Consumed Goblin Warrior. Ability gained: Strength Boost Lv.1]
He felt new energy flooding his body. More. He needed more.
When the hunt was over, only Gorath was left standing atop a pile of corpses.
And he smiled with satisfaction.
Gorath stood atop a pile of goblin corpses, breathing heavily, but a smile of satisfaction spread across his face. His body was now stronger, faster, and his predatory instincts were sharper. Blood still dripped from his jaws, the smell of iron filling the air.
However, one thing still bothered him.
The goblins had mentioned their lair…
If there were more of them, that meant more meat, more power for him to absorb. Quickly, Gorath began to examine the body of the goblin leader he had killed. Among the animal skins the creature was wearing, he found something interesting—a necklace of wolf fangs, and a piece of leather containing a rough map of the area.
'This is it…'
Gorath looked at the markings scrawled on the map. Not far from here, there was a cave that seemed to be the goblins' main lair. If he could attack that place and wipe out all its occupants, his strength would increase many times over.
Without wasting any time, he began to move.
The journey to the goblin cave took about an hour. Along the way, Gorath used his Night Vision ability to avoid traps or enemy patrols. The cold night air bit his skin, but his now much larger and stronger body was able to withstand the cold with ease.
As he got closer, sounds began to emerge from within the cave—screams, harsh laughter, and the sound of metal clashing.
Gorath stopped behind a bush, watching intently. In front of the cave, two goblins stood guard, each holding a wooden spear tipped with rusty metal. They seemed relaxed, unaware of the death that lurked in the darkness.
Gorath tightened his grip. The first two enemies, easy…
In a flash, he darted out of the shadows.
CRACK!
Gorath lunged at one of the goblins and grabbed its head with one hand, then slammed it into the ground with incredible force. The goblin's skull cracked like rotten fruit, blood and brains spilling across the ground.
The second goblin reacted and tried to stab him with his spear, but Gorath caught it easily, then pulled the goblin towards him. He opened his jaws wide and bit the creature's neck, severing it.
[Consumed Goblin Scout. Ability gained: Stealth Lv.1]
Gorath grinned. Now, he could move more silently.
He dragged the goblin's corpse into the bushes so that it would not be seen by other enemies, then started to enter the cave.
The air inside the cave was damp and foul-smelling. Gorath walked slowly, letting his eyes adjust to the dim light from the torches hanging on the walls.
Inside, he saw a sight that made his blood boil.
Goblins gathered around a large bonfire, laughing as they feasted on raw meat. In the corner of the cave, several captured humans were tied up, their bodies emaciated, their faces filled with fear.
Gorath clenched his fists. He may have become a monster, but seeing humans treated like this angered him.
But I am no hero… I just want power.
Quickly, he began to formulate a plan.
His first move was to kill the goblins guarding the prisoners. With his newly acquired Stealth ability, he moved almost silently. In one swift movement, he grabbed one of the guards by the head and twisted it until his neck snapped. The other goblins only realized the attack, but before they could scream, Gorath had lunged at him and torn his body apart with his claws.
Blood spurted everywhere.
The commotion naturally attracted the attention of other goblins.
A warning cry echoed through the cave, and within seconds, a group of goblins armed with spears and wooden axes began to swarm Gorath.
But he was ready.
"GRRAAAAHH!!"
With incredible speed, Gorath charged into their midst, his claws hacking away at the smaller creatures with ease. One of the larger goblins tried to swing his axe at Gorath's head, but he dodged and retaliated by grabbing the goblin's arm and ripping it off.
Blood gushed like a fountain.
One by one, the goblins fell, their bodies torn apart, their heads severed, and their flesh scattered across the cave floor. No one could match Gorath's power now.
In no time, all that was left was silence and the stench of blood.
[Consumed Goblin Berserker. Ability gained: Berserk Mode Lv.1]
Gorath smiled in satisfaction. He could feel his newfound power flowing through his body, like a fire ready to burn everything in its path.
However, his joy was interrupted when he heard heavy footsteps from within the cave.
'What is this?'
From the darkness, a large creature emerged—taller than the other goblins, with a muscular body and darker greenish skin. It wore simple armor and wielded a dangerous-looking spiked mace.
A Goblin Warlord.
The creature stared at Gorath with hateful eyes, then let out a low growl that echoed throughout the cave.
"Bastard… you will die here."
Gorath grinned, tightening his grip.
Good. Stronger opponents mean more power for me.