I got out of the dungeon after exploring the ninth floor a bit yesterday.
I stopped by the weapons section to check my stats, and bought myself two combat knives and bags.
Today, I’m going to conquer the ninth floor in the afternoon.
I spent the morning working on the eighth floor, so I’m a bit late.
Well then, the new monster on the ninth floor is the goblin.
You know what goblins are. Those monsters that appear in stories and games as the weakling monsters, like slimes.
When I fought them yesterday, it was like fighting grade schoolers. But they use rusty knives and wooden clubs, so I could get hurt if I don’t pay attention.
They always appear in groups of two or more on this floor, and sometimes appear with numbing moths or jumbo frogs.
I’m facing two goblins and a numbing moth. And the goblins can’t move.
…Maybe numbing moths aren’t enemies.
I strike down the numbing moth with the iron club, and finish off the goblins.
I can sell the numbing moth’s wings, so I collect them. The goblins themselves have no salable parts, but their weapons can be sold.
I keep going until I reach the staircase to the tenth floor.
Sure enough, there are over a hundred goblins.
I’m impressed that other seekers can get over this. I’m doing it too, but I’m using all I have.
If I knew it would be this hard, I would’ve started. Other seekers must be monsters.
I take out a back I bought yesterday, and throw it at the goblins.
Its contents spread around, and so do the contents of the second bag I throw.
After a bit, the goblins start falling.
Yes, just as I planned.
The bags had numbing moth scales. That’s why I was on the eighth floor this morning, to catch numbing moths and stuff the bags with their scales.
After checking that all the goblins are down, I grab my combat knives and approach them.
I slash them one by one. If someone saw me now, they’d think I was a psycho killer and report me. But sadly, there are only goblins and me here, so no one would help them.
As I keep finishing them, one of the goblins screams.
I figure the numbness is wearing off, and throw another bag.
It keeps screaming, so I skewer it with magic.
What was it doing? It was just screaming, not even trying to run away.
After all the goblins are down, I just have to collect their weapons. But then I learn why the goblin was screaming.
Another goblin emerges from the staircase leading to the tenth floor. I see, it was calling its friends. Screaming as hard as it could for its brethren to save it.
It’s only one goblin, but it’s not like the others. Goblins are only about as big as kids, but this one is a hundred eighty centimeters tall.
It’s holding a greatsword, and clearly glaring at me.
◇ ◇ ◇
That one was strong. It was close. I even feel like congratulating myself for beating it.
My breastplate and shield are broken, my iron pipe is bent, my magic energy is spent, and my body is full of wounds.
The adult goblin on the floor has bruises in a few places, a combat knife in its eye, and holes from earth thorns.
I’m surprised it lived so long like that.
The adult goblin is still holding its greatsword, not letting go of its weapon even after death.
A true warrior.
I sit down and rest, and take a canteen from my bag.
I’m glad I checked my stats yesterday. If I didn’t notice the Toughness and Physical Strengthening skills, I would’ve lost. I just barely made it by making use of all my skills.
I lost in terms of power, swiftness, and stamina. Not to mention our handling of our weapons.
There’s little doubt I won because of my skills. I would’ve lost if I was missing a single one.
And surprisingly, the one I thought was useless, Trace, was the most helpful one.
I traced the adult goblin’s movements to read what it was doing next. Without it, I would be on the ground right now, split in two.
Once I recover some magic energy, I cast Healing Magic and get up.
My body still hurts a little, but I can move well.
I go back to collecting weapons, but as I’m about to collect the last one, the greatsword, the monster opens its hand and I easily take it.
It’s like it’s giving it to me.
I notice there are two glass balls, one near the adult goblin, and one among the other goblins. These join together to form a yellow ball, that gets sucked into my hand.
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Haruto Tanaka (24)
Level: 10
Skills: Earth Magic, Trace, Healing Magic, Spatial Grasp, Toughness, Magic Energy Control, Physical Strengthening, Poison Resistance, Storage Space
Equipment: Agility bracelet, greatsword of fortitude
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Hobgoblin (unique)
Called an adult goblin, with the Tenacity, Super Strength, and Self Repair skills.
A unique monster that roams the dungeon from the fifth to the tenth floor. Many newbie adventurers have fallen victim to it, so it is known as the newbie killer. Three teams have been sent to put it down, and all three were met with failure.
The greatsword of fortitude it wields was taken from a seeker that came to hunt it.
