The night wind blew with the scent of death. The once bustling human village was now a burnt ruin, the ground was stained with blood, and only the screams of the wind remained. But in the darkness, a new danger lurked.
On the hill, Gorath's eyes glowed red, staring at the footprints left in the wet ground. The hunters had fled. A few humans had escaped the night's slaughter, and now they would surely report this to the nearest town. If left unchecked, the hunters would come in greater force, and despite his growing strength, Gorath was not willing to risk fighting a more organized human force.
"They won't get far," he murmured with a grin.
With a swift movement, he bent down and sniffed the ground, smelling the remaining scent of humans. He could feel their fear, could imagine them running in panic in the darkness.
He turned to his troops, now more numerous than before. After the conquest of the village, more wild goblins had come to join him. Some even brought better weapons that they had seized from human corpses.
"Hunt them down. Don't let a single one escape."
The goblins nodded, their eyes blazing with excitement.
They scattered into the forest, following the trail left by the humans. Gorath himself moved faster than them. With each step, his body blended into the darkness more and more, moving like a predator ready to pounce.
Meanwhile, in the forest, a group of human survivors continued to run, gasping for breath. There were five of them—three men and two women—all wounded and frightened.
"How far is it to the city?!" asked a young man with a long cut on his arm.
"At least three hours!" replied an older man, his face covered in sweat.
"We won't last that long..." whispered a woman, clutching the hand of a small child at her side.
Behind them, the sound of twigs snapping. Something was chasing them.
"They're coming!"
A man in the back row turned and saw a pair of red eyes glowing in the bushes. His heart sank.
Out of the darkness, the first goblin lunged, swinging his dagger at the man's neck. Blood spurted.
"RUN!!!"
But they could run no further.
From ahead, Gorath appeared at a leisurely pace, blocking their path. A savage smile spread across his face as he looked at the trapped humans.
"Please continue," he said, his voice deep and intimidating. "I want to see how long you can run before I get bored."
The humans' eyes widened. There was no escape.
A man who appeared to be a former soldier raised his sword with trembling hands. "You... monster!"
Gorath laughed. "Oh, I am more than that."
In an instant, he was upon the man, gripping his head with one large hand.
CRACK!
With one movement, he crushed the man's skull as if it were an empty shell. His body crumpled to the ground.
The woman carrying the child screamed, trying to protect her little boy, but the goblins immediately pulled them to the ground, tearing their bodies apart mercilessly.
The two remaining men tried to flee, but Gorath was too fast.
With his sharp claws, he ripped open one of the men's back, making him fall and scream in pain before he stomped on his neck until it was crushed.
There was only one left.
A young man with a thin body who was scared to death.
Gorath approached him slowly, enjoying the look of despair on his face.
"We... we just want to survive..." the young man pleaded.
Gorath looked at him. "So do I."
And with one bite, he ripped the young man's neck.
Blood flooded the ground.
[Consume Human. Ability gained: Enhanced Reflex Lv.1]
Gorath's body felt another change. He felt his body's reactions quicken, his instincts sharpened.
He licked the blood that was still dripping from his finger.
Humans were weak, but they had something valuable—power that he could steal.
He turned to his goblins who were now standing with bloodied bodies.
"We're done here. We're going back."
Meanwhile, in a nearby town, a man ran breathlessly into the Hunter Guild headquarters.
"THAT VILLAGE! OUR VILLAGE HAS BEEN DESTROYED!" he shouted in panic.
The Hunters who were resting immediately turned their heads. A tall man in a black robe stood up and walked over to the bearer of bad news.
"Sit down, explain calmly," the man said in a cold voice.
The messenger sat up trembling. "A monster... a monster we've never seen before! A giant orc! He slaughtered everyone! And... and he... devoured them!"
The atmosphere in the room grew tense.
The black-robed man narrowed his eyes. "Devoured them...?"
"Yes!" the messenger replied. "He ate human flesh, and after that, he grew stronger! It was as if he took power from them!"
Whispers began to rise among the Hunters.
The black-robed man stood up. "We have to move quickly."
A woman with silver hair carrying a large bow turned to him. "What do you think, Ragnir?"
The black-robed man, now known as Ragnir, narrowed his eyes. "If this monster can really draw strength from its prey, then it is far more dangerous than a mere orc."
He turned to his subordinates.
"Gather all the top Hunters. We hunt tonight."
Inside his cave, Gorath sat on his throne made of human bones.
He knew that he had attracted even more human attention.
And he was ready.
His eyes blazed in the darkness, a savage smile on his face.
"Come, Hunters..."
"I will show you the true meaning of terror."