I gracefully jumped off the deer's body. I didn't intend to kill it. It just happened. That aside, the deer, too, didn't have any drop. I wasn't bothered as I didn't expend much energy to kill it. My eyes linger on the lifeless deer for a bit as I recall something. When the goblins killed a deer, there was a smell that greatly interested me. But right now, I am getting nothing, "maybe it was a drop?" Ilhena said I should expect more drops in the lower floors, so I should expect to experience that sensation again.

This makes me want to find that [boss] and be done with it. That's easier said than done. Though I wonder, what is the boss like? Is the boss a kobold or a goblin or a deer? The second floor had the big bad goblin as the boss, I think. Aaah, I guess I will have to wait and find out. In the meantime, I have kobolds to hunt and levels to raise.

***

After my sleep, I was energetic as a bat, so flying wasn't an issue but damn it, where is the boss? Everywhere I look, I see the ugly kobolds. Kobold here, kobold there, I am tired, I haven't even seen a deer again. Currently, I am resting on a branch hidden from view by thick leaves. I have hunted quite a number of kobolds. My current level is [14], I think. I am not sure, and I am too lazy to check. Maybe I should sleep?

Obviously, this is the only choice I have. Maybe after I wake up, I will find the [boss] just as I am about to sleep. My ears perk, and my eyes travel through the tiny spaces in the leaves up to the ground. A group of kobolds? I had seen these guys before. They are the same I avoided earlier since I was too lazy to fight them.

Though the kobolds look almost the same, I can identify the slight differences that they have. One is the smell. They each possess a distinct smell that is hard to miss.

"Why aren't we meeting the others?" I heard one kobold with a sharper nose ask.

"Maybe they have gone to see the boss?" The one at the front answered.

Boss? So they know where the boss is? Then I shall follow you. I immediately concluded and shook off the sleep that was overwhelming my eyelids.

Kobolds are much more sensitive than goblins. Any mistake and they would easily detect me, so I have to be careful.

I wait until they are at a considerable distance and silently and carefully give chase, success, the stupid kobold don't detect me, and they continue chatting.

"What are we even doing?" The kobold with a sharp nose asks.

The kobolds question makes me wonder. They don't know what they are doing? What stupid creatures, unlike me who has a goal, they appear to be wandering like the kobolds they are.

"Well, the boss told us to patrol and report if we see anything weird," as I was busy thinking, the kobold at the most front answered.

"But we have walked and searched every corner of this damn forest and found nothing other than the horny bastard," a kobold with a distinguished smell complained.

"You can complain to the boss after we arrive," the kobold at the front barked.

Immediately, silence overcomes the group of three as their faces grimace with dread.

A smell I am well aware of assaults my nose, fear. After hunting several goblins and kobolds, the moment I'm about to deal the final blow, they always have the same exact smell the kobolds are exuding. What is making them fear? I'm sure they haven't spotted me as I'm well hidden. Maybe it's the boss? That would make sense as they are currently discussing it.

I continue to follow behind silently, and I have to say it, this is very tiring. I don't know how long it has been. All we have been doing is walking. Actually, I'm considering letting the kobolds go and resume my sleep.

Hmph, I will give you ten blinks. If we don't get there... I am going back to sleep. I decided to count the number of blinks. If I reach ten, then I'm done.

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One

The kobolds aren't stopping. They continue walking.

Two

They aren't stopping, a little more, and I'll go back to my sweet slumber.

Three

Four

Just as I'm about to show my excellent counting skills, the scenery changes in front of the kobolds. The whole journey has been nothing but the dense green forest, but now, the place is open devoid of trees. A lush of short greenery reflects in my eyes with the occasional random rocks and stones.

I had seen this place before, earlier when I was searching for the [boss]. I didn't spot any, but why is the fear of the kobolds rising? I watch in wonder as their ears droop and their previously erect tails become limp.

The kobolds aside, I discovered a problem. How am I supposed to follow them now? My tree cover ends here, and I risk detection by the kobolds should I descend.

As the kobolds warily proceed forward, I resolve myself and descend. Should they spot me, I will fly away.

Once on the ground, I hide at the nearest underbrush and give the kobolds time to move forward, but the kobolds surprise me.

They move towards a rock about my size and kneel in front of it. What are they doing? The kobolds surprised me. I turn to the stone beside me and poke it. Nothing happened.

The kobolds also seem to realize their awkwardness and quickly rise to their feet only to move to another rock and kneel before it.

I wonder between the kobolds and goblins, which is the most foolish. Suddenly, something shocking happens. A thick vine with a sharp tip shoots out from the stone in front of the kobolds and heads directly to one kobold. My body shrinks as I watch the head of the kobold fly off.

The other kobolds are also surprised, but remain unmoved, their body trembling uncontrollably. They are not the only ones. Suddenly, I remember there is a rock beside me. Needless to say, my fantastic flying skill propels me out of harm's way, and I fly back to the safe canopy cover.

That was close. I try to calm my heart that is beating out of control. What was that?

"Stupid, where were you guys," a groggy voice disrupts my thoughts. It is the stone's.

The stone that, to my knowledge, shouldn't be moving scuttled closer to the two unmoving kobolds, and the dark vine-like thing assaults the two kobolds.

*Crack*

The vine-like thing cracks the air and heavily descends on the two kobolds. I grimace as I imagine how it feels. Why are they not running away? The kobolds sure are stupid, in fact, more than the goblins. Despite the pain, they remain unmoved and endure.

My eyes move away from the stupid kobolds. I narrow my eyelids as I gaze at the stony beast. "[ Appraise]"

Mimic: a deceitful beast that targets its prey by mimicking other creatures and objects. They can become undetectable once their skills grow to a high level.

So it's not a rock? To confirm, I appraise the stone that was beside me, and it is a rock.

With my newfound information, I heave a sigh. Not all rocks are dangerous. Only some are mimics, I have to be wary of rocks from now henceforth.

"Where are the others?" After the mimic was done with its lashes, it finally asked.

"W-We..d-don't..k-know," a trembling kobold answered.

The mimic seemed unconvinced, a barrage of lashes descended on the kobold. It should have stayed silent. Before my very eyes, I watch as the stupid kobold lifelessly falls to the ground.

How am I supposed to slay it? Where is the neck? It finally dawns on me that the mimic could be the elusive [boss]. But its body is round, hence no neck. Also, I doubt if my claws could pierce its Stony body.

The mimic's long vine seems dangerous. I mean, it was able to kill the kobold in one strike. I don't know how I would fare under the same attack, and I'm reluctant to find out.

Slay the mimic and gain a new skill

This is unexpected, I was about to look for a perfect place to sleep, but the system had other plans. Ilhena explained such a situation to me; the system could randomly give you a task in exchange for a skill. I had long forgotten such a phenomenon. Luckily I had my mind castle.

My body shudders in excitement. Sleep aside. I have a mission to accomplish. The mimic is tough, but I am graceful and magnificent, as long as it can't fly. It wasn't my match. Even if it could fly, it wasn't my match. None was my match. I will slay the mimic and gain my new skill.

My eyes glow red, and I spread my long wings, stony beast, your reign ends now. I activate [airdash] and shoot towards the stupid mimic.