Demon King

The First Evolution (2)

I knew from some point that an exit existed.

I believed that there was a hole that brought in wind from the outside.

However, I didn’t even think of going outside. What is even out there to prompt me to go??

Even if there were a lot of people outside, I had the body of a monster. There was a high chance that they would try to kill me without listening to a thing I would say.

Within the Black Palace, I was at a place where only the weakest goblins resided. I only wandered around these places, which was very different from those the goblin fighters and powerful monsters would go.

Simply said, I would describe this place as the dungeon yard. A dungeon yard that one could sweep so easily with a broom in a game.

I always thought that people would be able to come inside, but I never imagined them to come inside this quick.

Is it the end for them too? Would people even leave this place alone?

I don’t think so. Always at a time like this, my feelings hit it on the nail. I felt that there would soon be someone who was unmatched to them in power. No, the truth is even now I couldn’t defeat them.

The two left were very average. However, the one who said he had the experience and strength of that of a mercenary had something more to him. I felt at the very least he was higher than a Golbin Fighter. Even if I had the strength of the Ebon heart and ran into it like crazy, I had no faith in myself.

What if people even stronger than the warrior came in? What if more people came?

The experience that I gained killing goblins and bronze wasn’t only given to me. Furthermore, in this new world, these things were bound to be of importance.

Just as in a game, players will find the dungeon, other people could find this place and come in.

‘What should I do? What?’

I knew what I had to do.

I have to go inside. Deep inside.

I had no way of knowing how many strong people would come through that entry. Goblin Fighters could be a joke. People that would come in might be able to end Goblin Fighters with a fist. They might be that OP.

But the monsters get stronger as you go. The deeper and the lower you travel, they get stronger slowly, as if someone had set it up this way.

Also, I knew for sure that if I followed a quest I could get stronger faster. If I stayed here with these goblins, there was no way that I could do that. The 10 EXP they gave were not helping me much.

The danger that one could not pinpoint with that of growing stronger.

It was clear which path to take.

‘Go.’

Inside. To the place where I’ve always disregarded. Where the Golbin Fighters wander.

“It’s dingy and damp. I want to go out.”

“Even so, strong monsters don’t just appear in the dungeon.”

“Uhhh, I want to go home. Of all people, why does my partner have to be an ordinary flower shop owner? Why, Team Leader?”

“My guy is a plumber.”

“Don’t worry Miss Seo-rin! I’ll take care of you! Hahaha!”

“Haaa… Yeah. Thanks a lot, Mr. Han Seong Ji.”

“It’s nothing! Hahaha!”

‘Dumbass.’

He is a dumbass, but he’s strong. If he were to get caught, things would become difficult. We needed to head inside while we still had the heart to.

I placed the rusty sword back into the inventory and grabbed the 2 highest stamina potions with delight. Next to that, I took out a very sharp sword and held it.

It was very sharp. Very agile. Furthermore, it was much longer than the rusty sword. It seemed to be about 50 cm. It may not be that long to a human, but it was more than enough for a goblin with short arms, legs, and height.

‘I can do it.’

I nodded firmly. The feeling of facing a goblin and detesting death was the same. The only difference is that the knife is sharper, longer, and more charismatic than a goblin’s fist.

Predation doesn’t erase scars, but it helps you heal quickly. Even if one were to be defeated with a knife, there’s no saying that one would die immediately.

‘This is good.’

I moved my feet inside. Finally far from the place where goblins were, I entered the opening made for Goblin Fighters.

“Creak.”

I saw it immediately. A well-developed upper body and a rusty knife in hand. It was no doubt a Goblin Fighter.

“Creak, creak.”

However, I wasn’t scared as I was before. I had now become a Goblin Fighter. Even if it was only of recent, I had the Ebon Heart and a sharp, steel sword. It was possible.

I threw a rock at the Goblin Fighter. It avoided and started running towards me with intense anger.

“Eeeeeeechhh!”

My eyes were only set on the knife it had in its’ hand. His fists didn’t scare me too much. The knife… now if I could just take it away!

Suddenly, I had an idea. It was the same moment when the Goblin Fighter was closing in on me.

I took the rusty sword out of inventory and threw it at him with my right hand. As a metal object came out of nowhere, the Goblin Fighter, taken aback, quickly used the knife in his right hand to deflect.

But I ran at him first and struck him down with my right arm.

“Creeeeeeeak!”

The Goblin Fighter wailed and screamed. He was in pain and let go of his knife! The blood dripping down from his arm landed on my face.

“Creeak!”

“You’re dead meat!”

The Goblin Fighter’s face immediately turned gray. The moment I saw that my heart began to pound profusely. Yeah, this is how it’s supposed to go.

I removed the blade that was stuck in its arm. The blade surprisingly slipped out easily. The Goblin Fighter’s face was filled with sadness and came for me.

“Creeee!”

With its arm lazily hanging, the Goblin Fighter clenched his left fist trying to ward me off. His state was amusing. It can’t place fear on me any longer!

I extended the knife forward, just like the fencers I saw on TV. The Goblin Fighter stopped soon after it came for me. The knife was inside his chest and peeked outside its back.

“Gruuuup.”

The Goblin Fighter stopped moving completely. As its hazy eyes stopped moving, I removed my blade quietly. Blood started spouting and the Goblin Fighter was no more.

[You’ve earned 100 EXP.]

[You’ve earned 10 Bronze.]

Wait. I did it. I actually won by facing the Goblin Fighter myself! This pure feeling of ecstasy, I could shout! Of course, from my time in the dungeon, I knew that making big noises was the dumbest thing I could do. So, I suppressed my feelings of joy and excitement.

I looked at my surroundings as if I’ve always had done so. After checking that there was no one, I placed the Goblin Fighter’s rusty knife in my inventory.

Even if one doesn’t collect the item, it comes into inventory after a certain amount of time passes. I knew this, there was no reason to try.

All of my money was in one place, as well as the two potions. So, I thought that the knife would be in one place. However, in between the money, potions, and knife, I saw the shape of another item.

I just noticed that the inventory was bigger than before. It was definitely 3×3, but was now 3×4. It must have changed as I defeated the Goblin Fighter.

“Uuuuh, this tunnel is creepy. It feels like there’s something moving inside. I’m sure I heard something earlier that sounded like horrible screeching sounds.”

“No way. Let’s just hope there’s nothing inside.”

“I’ll eliminate anything that comes our way!”

Right at that moment, I heard voices of idiots that were coming closer. Even though I was human once, they were enemies at this point that could kill me.

I hoped that the goblins would gang up on them and kill them. Just thinking that made me feel as if my morality shriveled away from me.

Doesn’t matter. The important thing is that I would live. That I would grow stronger. Only these things were of the upmost importance.

“Thank you for the food.”

I’ve eaten countless goblins. Even though this one was similar to my size, I felt nothing eating him. It felt normal.

Before it took me 10 minutes to finish eating a goblin, but now I could eat a slightly bigger Goblin Fighter in 3 minutes.

It must be around that time, even without a timer.

[Goblin Fighter Predation 1/100]

[Stamina increase by 1.]

Tears welled up in utter happiness as I looked at the status window. I couldn’t put into words the pride I felt for achieving this.

Yes. Goblins have low IQ, and even Goblin Fighters are low as well. They do however possess knowledge much greater than Goblins. I felt like I could raise my knowledge in times to come. I could become more powerful quickly.

As I was dwelling in my happy thoughts, noisy voices coming shattered my dreams into a million pieces.

“Mon, Monster!”

“It’s a goblin. Yu Seo-Rin, it’s your time. Bring popcorn.”

“Team Leader, stop making jokes. It’s really not funny right now!”

“You two should step aside.”

These humans didn’t realize it, but their uncontrolled voices were dispersing uncontrollably.

Up until now, the Goblins felt the power of the mercenaries and avoided contact, but that seemed to change by circumstance.

I felt a large scale movement of Goblins. When alone, one tends to go for it. It is a valid choice. To stop humans from escaping, only a couple of Goblins are sent. Within that time, they were building a plan to siege.

In the dungeon, Goblins fight amongst one another, but when there is a foreign enemy they are scary efficient at coming together.

How do I know so much? The time I spent predating these Goblins, one wouldn’t be able to measure. Furthermore, I was equal to an enemy to these Goblins as they were.

‘No need to involve ourselves with these idiots. Let’s just go deeper.”

I went in without hesitation, deeper into the path. However, in the second tunnel, I suddenly felt chills running up my body.

“Ugh.”

What was this situation? Near the tunnel, there it was. A goblin.

“Creeeaak.”

Only

Its head was one bigger than mine and had a rare, huge body. Oh, and it was wearing a leather jacket, even as low as it was.

Lastly, its thick Bastard sword made mine look elementary. If I were to exaggerate, the sword would be comparable to my height.

Though that wasn’t what scared me. It was its aura.

It was on a higher level than a Goblin Fighter. On a way different level than me.

This was my way to death. No way I could beat someone of this caliber.

My heart started to beat. The Ebon heart kicked in, increasing my blood flow. The thought of surviving surpassed way beyond me.

Automatically, I was gauging how I needed to move in this situation to survive. Would one consider this growth? As I was reaching the pinnacle of contemplating, I heard “Creak?”.

It moved its neck and faced me. And as if it was nothing, he wielded his Bastard sword.