CHAPTER 10: HUNTING 2

Every demonic creature above initial-stage Iron Rank possesses a demonic core.

These cores can be sold or used to craft magical weapons, armor, and runes with special effects. The stronger the demonic creature, the more potent the core it yields, and the greater the potential of the equipment made from it.

The round, blue orb dropped by the Water Slime was precisely such a demonic Core.

Ray pocketed it, planning to deal with it later once he returned to town.

"I am quite close to leveling up."

Ray’s experience points had surged to 7 after bringing down the Water Slime, leaving him just 3 points shy of leveling up.

Slaying an initial-stage Iron Rank beast would net him 2 EXP, while killing an intermediate-stage Iron Rank beast would reward him with a hefty 5 EXP.

To level up and complete the quest that would solve the ticking time bomb threatening to explode in his body at any moment, he could either hunt down two of the former or one of the latter.

One path was clearly easier than the other...

But Ray decided to leave it up to fate.

He would strike down whatever crossed his path first!

***

A while later, Ray’s eyes fell upon a creature barely a foot and a half tall.

Its skin was a sickly green, stretched taut over a disturbingly thin and completely hairless body. It lacked eyebrows, its head was like a barren plain, and it was so malnourished its back stuck to its chest. But it held a spiked club in its hand and it was a demonic creature, so it was dangerous nonetheless.

Most notably, it walked upright on two feet like a human.

"A lone goblin?" Ray’s lips curled into a grin as he felt incredibly lucky.

Goblins were considered the second easiest demonic creatures to kill after Green Slimes, after all.

It should be mentioned that the reason he was only coming across weak demonic creatures was because, every now and then, beast tamers would be dispatched to hunt down and eliminate every powerful monster in the vicinity of the town, preventing those dangerous beings from ever getting close enough to cause any real harm to the town or its people!

"It’s unaware of my presence."

Seeing that the goblin hadn’t noticed him, Ray kept low as he moved.

Using the terrain to the best of his ability to mask his presence, he got to a spot where he could come at it from its blind spot without being noticed.

If he could kill without risking a bloody battle, why wouldn’t he?

He slowed his breathing, inhaling shallowly and exhaling silently, and his footsteps grew as soft and weightless as falling leaves on a windless day as he moved to get behind it.

Once he did.

His left hand shot forward like a striking snake, clamping tightly over the goblin’s mouth and smothering any chance of a scream.

Almost in the same second, his right hand flashed with cold steel. The cold edge of a blade swept cleanly across the compromised goblin’s throat in one swift stroke.

A crimson line bloomed instantly, followed by a spray of hot blood.

The goblin, with its mouth blocked and throat slit, convulsed and choked on its own blood as its gasp turned wet and ragged under Ray’s palm.

After that, it was only a matter of time before all light drained from its eyes as it sagged, limp and lifeless, in Ray’s grip.

Ray let go of it, and it collapsed to the ground lifelessly.

[You have killed a Goblin. You have gained +2 EXP.]

[Total EXP: 9]

"Just one more and my quest will be done." Ray couldn’t help but look forward to it as success meant growing strong and gaining freedom from the threat of becoming a fool.

Just then—

GRRR!

A growl sounded from ahead.

Ray tensed, feeling as though he were about to face a fearsome enemy, but what came into view was a rabbit-like creature, deceptively cute, with snow-white fur, ruby eyes, a soft, small build, and tiny horns jutting from its head.

Many might not take it seriously due to its unthreatening appearance and size.

However, Ray knew it was a Demonic Horned Rabbit, one of the strongest among initial-stage Iron Rank beasts, so his expression remained tense and his vigilance raised to the maximum.

Don’t be fooled by its heart-melting appearance. It could open its mouth wide enough to swallow a man’s head whole, and its teeth were razor sharp. One chomp was all it needed to kill a man!

"Here it comes."

Ray saw it leap off the ground as it lunged towards forward with blinding speed.

He ducked under its charge, letting the momentum carry it forward as it collided with a tree trunk with a heavy thud, before collapsing to the forest floor, imaginary stars spinning over its head.

"Hahaha! Dumbass, die!" Ray mocked as he quickly ran over to it and plunged his dagger deep into its skull.

[You have killed a Horned Rabbit. You have gained +2 EXP.]

[Congratulations, Host. You have leveled up. You have gained +2 stat points.]

[Stat points can be freely allocated to improve your strength in the direction you desire. If you want to gain a stronger body, look tougher, and deal more physical damage per hit, invest in Strength. If you want to be quicker, more agile, and nimble, invest in Agility. If you want to increase your endurance, physical resilience, and fight longer battle, invest in Stamina. If you want to amplify your magic power, enhance your Soul Quality.]

[Congratulations, Host. You have met all the requirements to complete the quest assigned to you. You will now be rewarded.]

A cascade of notifications rang in Ray’s ears before the lingering pain from his disastrous encounter with the Water Slime began to fade, his injuries healing at an astonishing rate.

But that was not all.

The fatigue he had accumulated from hours of hunting in the wilderness melted away.

Along with it, black impurities were expelled from his skin, showcasing he had been detoxified from the poison that had hovered over him like the scythe of a reaper!

[You have experienced full status recovery.]

[Your HP has been fully restored.]

[Your Stamina has been fully restored.]

[Your body has been completely detoxified from the residual traces of the soul-dissipating poison.]

"Good riddance," Ray muttered to himself.