Chapter 10: The First Rank

That was a good sleeping face. Now, goodbye.

I took down another Hobgoblin with the Black Sword Greed.

(Glutton skill activated)

(Endurance +440, Physical Strength +220, Magic +110, Spirit +110, Agility +110 have been added to status)

With this, it’s my 45th kill. Oooh!?

Then, I felt the inside of my body being filled. After that, the hopeless impulse that wanted to eat has disappeared and the tide vanished..

Finally I’ve been released from my starvation state. I felt relieved and leaned against the nearby big tree to take a rest in a dim forest.

[Fate. If you want to take a rest, you should climb up this tree. Although rare, it may happen in the middle of the night that there is an unsuspecting hobgoblin walking around. The effect of body strengthening ability boost from the starvation state has ended. You can’t detect the smell of monsters either, furthermore you won’t be able to see well at night without your red eyes]

[I understand, alright!]

After Greed said that, I climbed the tree that I leaned on earlier. And then, I sat on a big branch.

[If we concealed ourselves here, it should be safe. Moreover, I need to defeat a lot of monsters to satisfy my hunger]

[That’s the case. During the starvation state, you will become crazy according to the circumstances, and you will attack anyone without hesitation. You can’t cancel it easily either. Although it might be unpleasant for you, you need to periodically defeat monsters and absorb their souls with your Glutton ability]

[Yeah, it seems so. This kind of starvation state, I don’t want to feel it again]

I lied down for a while and took a rest.

The moonlight penetrated between the branches in various places on this forest. It felt damp and it was a little chilly, but it felt comfortable for me who was tired.

When I looked at the ground below, there were occasionally Hobgoblins that passed by. It was said that they were not nocturnal, so they might be patrolling around. There seemed to be some others that moved actively in the middle of night too.

I’m glad I followed Greed’s advice.

Then, after I finished resting I wanted to go back down below, but I felt the ground shake a little, there was something big approaching.

As it got closer, I saw a big goblin. It was more than twice my height. The color of the skin was around blue-green.

It held a rough club which seemed to have been cut out from the trees of this forest by its own hands.

When the club was being illuminated by the moonlight, my face cramped instinctively.

Sticky. There was sticky blood on it.

In addition, when I saw what it held with the other hand, I felt nausea.

Perhaps, it was likely have been beaten many times with that club. Although unrecognizable, I’m pretty sure it was a human.

Normal people never visit the Hobgoblin Forest this late at night. So, the corpse that thing dragged was most likely some skilled warrior that I met at the outside gate of the commercial district before I came here. Being proud to that extent and now he is dead!

However, that warrior should be someone who was accustomed to dangerous hunting at night time. So being beaten into that state, the big goblin must be very powerful.

The big goblin passed under the tree where I was.

I’m curious with this big goblin so I used [Appraisal] to it.

– Goblin King – Lv 30

Endurance: 21000

Physical Strength: 24000

Magic: 5230

Spirit: 4560

Agility: 11200

Skill: Auto-Recovery

Goblin King!? This fellow…

The servants of the Hearts family have said that the Goblin King is like a boss of the goblins around here, it is insanely strong. Because there are only a few in the forest, the encounter rate was very low, but if you met one of them, you must prepare for death. This was a monster which can be defeated easily if you were a Holy Knight. However, if you were an ordinary warrior, a single blow will bring you an instant death.

With its status certainly that would be the case. When I compared it with the Hobgoblin, it’s entirely different.

The skill is seems also useful. Appraisal stated Auto-Recovery.

Auto-Recovery: Heal the wound at the regular intervals. Unable to heal a fatal wound

Ooo, it’s really good skill. If I had it, it’s possible for me to keep fighting even if I got injured.

I want it!

However, I can’t kill it with my current status. What should I do? If I took more time, the goblin King would go deeper in the forest.

It is a monster with few in numbers. Even after I become stronger, trying to find it again would be a challenge.

Alright, I have decided.

I quietly got off from the gigantic tree and started following the Goblin King.

It was the king of this forest so it calmly walked forward without caring.

There were no Hobgoblins at all where the Goblin King went. Most likely they have noticed its footsteps and ran away.

The destination that this fellow walking to was a round empty clearing with a small flower bed inside the forest. There was one gigantic withered tree at the center.

Its sat down, leaned on the tree and put down the club in its hand.

Kuchakucha… I heard unpleasant sounds. Even I who lurked in the trees was able to hear it.

The Goblin King ate the defeated warrior. It looked delicious.

Sometimes, I heard munching sounds and the bones crunched too.

Uee… While I held down my nausea, Greed said something.

[This is natural, so you don’t need to surprised]

[What do you think would be happen to humans who were killed by monsters? You surely understand. Oh, they are delicious. The monsters love to feast upon humans. Especially to human children…]

[I know, just stop it. I already know. However, this is my first time seeing it]

The monsters ate the human. I already knew about it. But, understanding with the imagination in my head, it was quite different by seeing it in actual reality.

When I saw the fresh meat, I was more shocked than I thought.

After I calmed down for awhile, I stared at the Goblin King again. It seemed already okay now.

Its seemed it was still enjoying its meal.

If I wanted to fight it, aiming for the blind spot on its back seemed like the best strategy.

Since this was a flower bed in an open space, there is no obstacle to hide.

While watching over the Goblin King’s appearance, I moved forward while concealing myself from tree to the tree.

And then, I was reached right behind it. The withered gigantic tree covered me, so I could only see the Goblin King’s shoulder.

[Go slowly from here]

[Yeah]

I paid close attention and stepped, entering the flower bed.

As usual, the Goblin King seemed busy with its meal.

My heart rate went up because of the tension, I quietly drew my breath.

I succeed reaching the withered tree at last. I could hear the munching sound from the opposite side.

[Fate, make your move now!]

Through the mind reading skill, I heard Greed’s voice which gave me the signal. I moved and slashed down my black sword to the right shoulder that was visible from the gigantic tree.

Gyaaa—!?

The right arm which was the size of a log was chopped off.

While I was relieved my preemptive strike was success, Greed brought back my attention.

[The fellow is not dead yet. Retreat now!]

When I jumped back behind, the Goblin King raised its club and swung it at the withered tree where I was a moment ago

Its power was overwhelming, the ground shook and many stones flew.

I’d probably die if I got hit by that.

[That was dangerous. I’m saved]

[It’s still too early to feel relieved. It’s coming]

After it lost its right arm, the bleeding Goblin King roared, and it raised the club with its left hand.

When I was thinking about evading it, Greed said,

[Have faith in me. You’ll have no problems with that sort of club.]

[If that’s the case!]

Believing Greed, I stepped forward and made my attack. From where I cut, the Goblin King’s club slid off and fell to the ground.

What an amazing sharpness. I went and aimed to finish it off.

In addition, I continued my attack and raised the black sword while jumping.

Gyaaa. The Goblin king raised its voice and fell on its knee.

The left hand which was cut flew away.

Even when its body was covered with wounds, it stared at me as I thrust my black sword into its face.

An unpleasant sense and sound have been transmitted from my hand, but I don’t mind it and keep pushed my thrust.

After I pulled out, I shook off the Goblin King’s blood which was attached onto my black sword.

(Gluttony skill activated)

(Endurance +21000, Physical Strength +24000, Magic +5230, Spirit +4560, Agility +11200 has been added to status)

(Auto-Recovery has been added to skill)

In the battle, most of our opponents were usually on the same rank as us. There is a feeling of tension that is nonexistent in our monster hunting. Perhaps it’s the feeling of dying, the feeling we might be dying in the battle.

Therefore, the sense of accomplishment from winning the battle and surviving became larger than usual.

This is might be the real pleasure of monster hunting.

As my feeling of tension lowered, Greed said that to me while I was sitting down.

[You did well. With this you have saved quite a lot of status. In that case, let’s unlock my first rank]

[The first rank?]

[My new form. By offering the user status as offering, my form can increased. What do you think? Do you want to try it?]

[How much status needed?]

[The starting point is when you meet me for the first time. You must offer all of your power obtained from there up to now, so you can unlock my first rank]

In another word, even though I have strengthened myself with great effort, to upgrade the Black Sword Greed, I need to return to the starting point again after I met him?

In addition, it is said that the status on the first rank took the cost from my current status, so it means the second rank, third rank… it will be necessary to dedicate even more status for them. It is also depended on the user’s mental status as the trigger, so I don’t know if I could unlock it when there was something missing.

I guess I have no choice… Good grief, when I listened how much power that Greed needed, he said (It’s because I am Greed, so I am very greedy) to answer me.

[You want to get yourself stronger, do you want to make me stronger too, choose! I will say this, you won’t regret it if you strengthened me]

Well, I don’t think it’s necessary for me to think it over. Greed is my partner. If there is possibility to strengthen both of us, then we will become more reliable in the future.

[Understood. Please do it]

[Then, I’ll go without hesitation!]

Was my acknowledgment needed as agreement? The black sword begins to shine, I felt almost all of my power leave my body at the same time.

And then, when the light died down, I obtained a black bow.

[This is my form on first rank, type: bow. Hereafter, I will help you in two forms, one-handed sword and bow]

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