’So, System... how do I absorb this?’ I asked.
For a second, I seriously wondered if I am supposed to eat this.
[Host, simply hold the core and try to draw the energy within it into your body.]
’Okay...’
I followed the instructions.
One minute passed.
Nothing happened.
Just as I was beginning to lose patience—
Huh?
Something moved.
A strange flow of energy slowly emerged from the core and entered my hand.
Warmth spread through my palm, traveled up my arm, reached my chest, and then circulated throughout my entire body.
"Ahh..."
An indescribable feeling washed over me.
It felt incredible.
Two minutes later, the F- rank core suddenly shattered into fine dust and scattered into the air.
At the same time, a surge of energy erupted within my body.
Then I felt it.
Something new and unfamiliar.
It is almost as if a new organ has formed somewhere inside me.
Yet no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t locate it.
I could only vaguely sense its existence.
After that I absorb the remaining nine cores as well.
After the short break ended, we began exploring the basement once again in hopes of finding an exit from this nightmare.
But after nearly half an hour—
A sharp warning suddenly pierced through my mind.
"—!"
My Sixth Sense screamed violently.
Every hair on my body stood up instantly.
I stopped moving immediately.
Without wasting even a second, I scanned my surroundings before quickly slipping behind a nearby stone pillar.
"Hide."
The command traveled instantly through my connection with the undead.
The goblins and wolves silently disappeared into the surrounding darkness like shadows.
Not a single sound escaped them.
Slowly...
I peeked ahead.
Far in the distance, a small group moved through the corridor toward our direction.
At first, I couldn’t make out their appearances clearly beneath the dim light.
So I stayed completely still.
Waiting and Listening.
Then—
"Krek... Krrrk..."
My expression instantly darkened.
I recognized those irritating screeches immediately.
Goblins.
Soon, the group entered my sight completely.
Around twenty of them.
Each carried rough wooden clubs while casually talking among themselves as they walked through the corridor.
"This is bad..."
Even with my undead army, fighting twenty goblins head-on would be dangerous.
One mistake—
And I could easily get overwhelmed.
But then—
My breathing slowed.
One of them looked completely different.
Its body is far more muscular than the others.
Unlike the normal goblins carrying clubs, this one held a rusty sword over its shoulder.
And the pressure coming from it felt completely different.
My throat tightened unconsciously.
"...A hobgoblin?"
Cold sweat slowly trickled down my back.
Even from this distance, instinct screamed at me immediately.
That thing isn’t weak.
Not even close.
"Tch..."
I clicked my tongue softly.
Retreating immediately sounded like the smartest option.
Yeah... I should ju—
DIIIIING!!!
A sharp mechanical notification exploded inside my head.
I nearly flinched.
Then a blue screen appeared before my eyes.
[QUEST TRIGGERED]
[ELIMINATE GOBLINS AND HOBGOBLIN]
[QUEST REQUIREMENT: Kill 19 Goblins and 1 Hobgoblin within 1 Hour.]
[QUEST REWARD: 1,000P, Appraisal (F), Eyes of the Ruler (F)]
[QUEST FAILURE: God of Death Class will be removed.]
"...What?!"
My eyes widened instantly.
Then disbelief turned into anger.
"This is suicide..."
I nearly cursed out loud.
There is no way I am strong enough yet.
And that hobgoblin definitely didn’t look like an F- Rank monster.
For a moment, my fists clenched tightly.
Panic surged through my chest.
But slowly...
I forced myself to calm down.
"Haa..."
I exhaled quietly.
"...But those rewards are too good to ignore."
1,000 points alone is insane.
And two new skills on top of that?
If I survived this fight, my strength would increase massively.
The goblins would reach my location in less than five minutes.
I needed a plan.
My eyes darted around the surroundings desperately until they suddenly landed on a split pathway covered with loose stones and broken debris.
A perfect ambush point.
"...Good."
Without hesitation, I quickly opened the system shop.
DING!
Bone Shield [F]
Cost: 100 Points
I purchased it immediately.
The moment the skill entered my mind, instinctive understanding followed.
Then I quickly ordered my undead to gather medium-sized rocks nearby.
The undead moved instantly.
CRRK...
SCRAPE...
Goblin undeads silently piled rocks beside the pathway while I prepared the terrain carefully.
A few minutes later—
The goblin group finally approached close enough for me to see their disgusting faces clearly.
I waited, Patiently.
They still hadn’t noticed us.
At least... not yet.
Then—
I gave the command through my mind.
The undead reacted instantly.
WHOOSH!!
WHOOSH!!
WHOOSH!!
Stones suddenly flew through the air like arrows.
THUD!
CRACK!
BAM!!
The moving goblin group instantly descended into chaos.
"KREEEEKKK!!"
Several goblins got smashed directly in the face.
Others were struck in the chest or shoulders before collapsing painfully onto the ground.
One goblin’s skull cracked open instantly.
SPLAT!!
Blood splattered across the stone floor.
But then—
THUD!
A rock struck the hobgoblin directly in the head.
...And it barely reacted.
The creature simply turned slowly toward our direction.
Its yellow eyes glowed with fury.
My heartbeat skipped.
"Is the gap between ranks really this ridiculous...?"
Within seconds, the goblins completely lost formation and rushed toward us angrily.
"KREKKK!!"
"GRAAAAH!!"
Almost half of them are already injured from the surprise attack.
The remaining ones looked furious and desperate for revenge.
"Attack."
The moment my command echoed mentally—
My undead charged forward instantly.
GRAAAAH!!
The battlefield exploded into chaos.
CLANG!
RIP!
SCHKK!!
Undead goblins collided violently against the incoming monsters.
Unlike normal creatures—
My undead felt no fear.
Even when injured, they continued fighting endlessly like broken machines.
But my attention isn’t on them.
It is on the front line.
The hobgoblin.
BOOOOM!!
Its rusty sword smashed directly into my first undead wolf and sent it crashing violently across the ground.
CRASH!!
The wolf slammed into the wall hard enough to crack stone.
"...Damn it."
The difference in strength is obvious immediately.
Every exchange left my undead at disadvantage.
It is losing badly.
I clicked my tongue.
Then slowly raised my hand.
Dark necrotic energy gathered around my palm.
"Necro Bolt."
ZAAAAAP!!
The black bolt shot forward like dark lightning.
The hobgoblin roared furiously and tried to break free from my undeads holding it down.
"Hold it!"
My command snapped through the connection instantly.
The undead wolf clung onto the monster tighter without hesitation.
BOOOOM!!!
The Necro Bolt slammed directly into the hobgoblin’s chest.
Dark energy exploded outward violently.
The monster staggered backward several steps.
Smoke rose from its burned flesh.
It isn’t enough to kill it.
Quickly, I prepared another cast.
But then—
The hobgoblin suddenly changed.
A deep red aura erupted from its body violently.
FWOOOSH!!
The pressure around it sharpened instantly.
Its muscles swelled slightly.
And in the next instant—
It moved.
Too fast.
My eyes barely tracked its movement before it suddenly appeared directly in front of me.
"...Shit."
Instinct took over immediately.
I rolled sideways desperately.
BOOOOM!!!
The ground where I had been standing exploded apart violently.
Stone fragments scattered everywhere.
My unfinished spell shattered instantly.
Before I could even recover—
The hobgoblin lunged again.
Its sword descended straight toward my head.
"Bone Shield!"
FWOOOSH!!
A circular barrier made entirely of white bone materialized instantly before me.
THWAAAAACK!!!
CRAAAAACK!!
The impact nearly shattered my arms from the vibration alone.
Pain shot through my body violently.
The bone shield cracked everywhere.
But somehow—
It held, Barely.
Just then—
My undead finally finished clearing the remaining goblins.
One after another, they rushed toward the hobgoblin without hesitation.
"GRAAAAHH!!"
The hobgoblin roared furiously and swung its sword wildly.
SLAAASH!!
One undead goblin’s head flew clean off.
Then another.
THUD!
But then—
Something horrifying happened.
The first undead didn’t stop moving.
Even without its head—
Its body continued attacking wildly.
Swinging its rusty sword endlessly like a broken puppet that refused to die.
The second undead did exactly the same.
The hobgoblin froze for a split second.
Confusion filled its eyes.
Then fear.
And that tiny hesitation—
Cost it everything.
CLANG!
RIP!
CRACK!!
Clubs, claws, and rusty swords struck its body from every direction simultaneously.
The monster stumbled backward violently.
Then—
I raised my hand one final time.
"Necro Bolt."
ZAAAAAP!!!
BOOOOM!!!
The black bolt slammed directly into the hobgoblin’s chest.
Its red aura flickered violently.
Cracks spread across its burned body.
Then—
THUD.
The massive creature collapsed onto the ground lifelessly.
Silence filled the corridor once more.
"Huff... Huff..."
I stared at the dead hobgoblin while breathing heavily.
Sweat dripped down my face.
My legs still trembled slightly.
"...I almost died."
Then suddenly—
DING.
[HOST CONGRATU—]