Demon King
chapter-18

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[The buff ends.]

When that reminder popped up, there were three warriors in front of me. The two are wielding swords, the one on the right held a spear.

“Kirut!”

They slashed at the Warrior’s body that I dragged to protect myself, and I grabbed the one holding the spear. I twisted his neck and finished him off. Then, after biting off its arm, I threw the rest of the body against the others.

[You received 640 experience.]

[You acquired 1 silver.]

[Beginner Physique has become Lv4.]

The body did not hit them, and they simply cut it off and continued to approach me.

But the purpose of throwing the body is to obscure their vision and slow them down.

When their swords were aiming at my abdomen and shoulders, my sword was already stuck in them.

“Key?!”

I charged my sword with black lightning and watched them collapse helplessly. That was it.

[You acquired 710 experience.]

[You gained 1 silver, 5 bronze]

[You acquired 660 experience.]

[You gained 90 bronze.]

[Beginner Black Lightning has become Lv5.]

I pulled out a Goblin Warrior’s leg and looked around as I chewed it.

Indeed, there was no living Goblin Warrior at least near me.

There were only bodies around me. The floor was filled with blood, bones, and flesh. It looked like a scene from hell—what a terrible sight.

There was a stinging pain in my back. I didn’t pay it too much attention. My armor will absorb the blood.

“Hoo.”

Now, my mind is starting to calm down. My whole body was throwing. I leveled up; my body was full of wounds.

There was no fatal wound, thankfully, but there were countless cuts, even on my face. All my injuries began to ache.

I thought I wouldn’t get killed in battle. Of course, without Blood Colossal Sword and Blood Iron Armor, I would have already been dead multiple times.

However, my own combat ability has also increased. Not just status or skill-wise, but my basic movements in battle and in killing enemies improved.

Since the moment when the Ebon Heart was activated, I felt myself feeling that the sensation needed to win a battle was increasing.

Suddenly, I felt a tingling sensation at the back of my head. It’s not because of the wound. It’s because of the stare.

Yes. There is a guy watching me from a distance. I have a low-level detection of level 2, so I have already grasped the guy’s position, but I was deliberately pretending not to notice.

I couldn’t kill him unless he steps within my range.

“Then, I will eat well.”

I have to show him that I was vulnerable. I was ready at any point to attack him as I began eating. It was indeed a dangerous meal.

No matter how much you eat, your ability does not increase unless you eat a Goblin Warrior completely, from head to toe.

During the battle, I ate countless Warrior meat, but my ability has not increased since no one has been eaten from head to toe.

So I was going to consume the bodies of all the Goblin Warriors scattered. Probably the level I’ll receive from them will be close to 10 levels.

[The strength has risen by 1.]

The response came quickly. I continued to eat.

Little by little, the guy was coming closer to me.

The enemy is likely to have a ranged weapon or magic. I am firmly prepared. Sensing can capture the moment the enemy strikes. Immediately, you need to protect yourself and counterattack.

20 meters. 18 meters. Not yet. 16 meters. He will be within my range soon. My Black Lightning can only reach 5 meters, but I can throw a weapon from a longer distance.

[15/200 Predation after hunting Goblin Warriors]

I ate two. The moment I picked up the third Warrior, an eerie feeling came. I quickly lifted my right arm, covering my neck and head, and at the same time, I felt my arm burning.

I threw the Blood Sword in the direction that Sensing was pointing!

“Kit!”

With the sound of a tongue that wasn’t like a goblin, he started to escape. But where did he think he’s going, there are still more than ten swords in my inventory!

“Stop!”

I protected myself with my right arm, relying only on the senses to locate the enemy and throw the swords in succession. Then, his attacks stopped for a few seconds, I pulled an ax out of the inventory and threw it.

Kring! With a loud sound, the ax connected.

I took it as a signal to get up and start running, even if there were arrows flying towards me.

Most of the arrows simply bounced off the armor, but the first one he shot pierced through the armor and hit my flesh. Obviously, the first one was a skill!

It was painful, but the pain was already familiar. The thing that worried me more was the identity of the short arrow.

A bolt. It was a crossbow arrow.

“Kit! Kit!”

I checked the shape of the goblin in front of me.

High-quality leather armor that still has some swords I thrown in but still does not lose its luster.

An iron shield held in both hands.

It appeared lighter than a Goblin Warrior, but the energy from its body surpasses the Warrior.

“Goblin Knight.”

I muttered like a whisper and hit him. He also pulled a long sword in place of the crossbow and stabbed me straight. The sword was shining unexpectedly!

“Shhh!”

I jumped back, avoiding it in an instinctive sense of crisis. Surprisingly, his attack pierced the exact spot where I was just a while ago.

Upon missing, it clicked its tongue as if in anger. I stretched out a black lightning bolt and attacked him.

“Kiyyiiii!”

He was not shrunken, paralyzed, or cursed after being hit by a black thunderbolt. Rather, he rushed at me with a loud yell.

The sharp shield tip is aimed at my face! Moreover, the shield was shining. He has three attack skills!

I quickly jumped to the left. The momentum was so strong that I crashed against the wall, but I was able to avoid the attack.

I immediately ran forward. The goblin knight was surprised by my unexpected behavior and carried out a retreat.

I picked up one of the bolts scattered along with the crossbow from the floor and considered it.

In addition, I was converting all the magic left to me into black lightning and charged it into a bolt.

“Key!?”

I fired the bolt wrapped in Black Lightning. It broke through the air and stuck his neck, much faster than any of his previous attacks.

I never thought I’d pick up a crossbow and attack.

The Goblin Knight fell on the floor as it was running away. It didn’t move afterward.

I laughed because I knew what it was up to. Another bolt left on the floor was loaded into the crossbow and shot.

I shot it through the neck of the Knight, pretending to be dead.

[You received 1,600 experience.]

[You acquired 70 silver bronze.]

[You acquired the key to the boss room in the 7th floor of the Black Palace.]

My movement stopped. 1F, boss, key. What it meant was clear.

The heart of this place I’ve never been to. This key will drive me there. Goblin King and Goblin Knights, I have to battle with them.

It was going to be a fight to survive, but I was enjoying the battle from a certain moment when my head almost insane. I was astonished by the change.

But it is dangerous. Of course, it’s not a good idea to not give your all during a battle, but if you get too involved in the battle, you’ll risk your life. It was necessary to find the right balance.

While fighting the Warriors, I went around the rest of the dungeon quite a bit, except for the central area, but there are definitely spaces and monsters under this layer.

If so, should I dig the floor with a shovel? Until you reach the underground stairs? No way.

Perhaps this key is the answer…

The Goblin King, and possibly a number of Goblin Knights he might have.

After defeating them and moving on, there will probably be something that will allow you to go down.

I realized it by fighting the Warriors. I have the talent of fighting against a group. Probably thanks to the Ebon Heart and Predation.

A Goblin Knight is a more demanding opponent than a Warrior, but it is likely that I could defeat them. As with the Warriors, I’ll keep eating their parts while fighting the others to stay strong.

Only one variable, the Goblin King. Can I beat the Goblin King, not knowing what abilities he has, and perhaps, leads a large number of Goblin Knights?

“Is it possible?”

I found myself saying out loud and laughed at myself a little.

Yes, it is possible if I make the most of my abilities.

I’m not like how I was when I faced my first Goblin Fighter. I got used to my skills to some extent, and I also had more combat experience.

Moreover, I’m not a Goblin Warrior, but a Hob Goblin. I have already deviated from the normal goblin lineage.

More than anything.

I have Predation.

I looked around the room full of Goblin Warrior bodies. Now, there was nothing to disturb my meal. As long as I have this key, the Knights and the King could wait.

I thought about the process I’ve been through. I killed a lot of warriors, and I was able to overcome all the warriors in the dungeon, so a monster with the means to reach the boss appears. I defeated it, giving me access to the boss.

‘You don’t have to worry about things that haven’t happened.’

I pushed my thoughts out of my head and sat down again. I was interrupted and couldn’t eat properly, but now it’s different.

Hundreds of corpses with good bodies; I can expect changes in status by eating only five of them.

I am expecting at least a 10 level upgrade.

“I will enjoy this food.”