“Time to deal with the Bosses,”
Do-Yun was quick on his feet, making his way in the direction the Hobgoblins were trying to lead the crowd towards. While following this trail of corpses riddled with stab wounds on the streets painted with blood—belonging to both the civilians and soldiers—he arrived at the source where the monsters responsible for this tragedy came from.
It was an Indigo colored gate that was about two and a half meters tall with broken barricades. Around it were multiple mutilated corpses of soldiers and Goblin corpses riddled with bullets. This was exactly the Gate he was looking for.
“I’ll deal with this one before looking for the Rank D Gate,” Do-Yun muttered.
Searching around, he examined the dead bodies and the damage down to the property. But there was nothing that could help him decide in which direction the boss strolled off. So, he went with his best bet…
“Zara, Zana, Zulla, Zee. Oh where will that goblin be? Glimmer, Glamour, by the tree. Choose a fairy, one, two, three… Hmm, north it is.” He chose the direction based on a nursery rhyme and kicked off with a smile.
Running through the eerily empty streets he leaped over damaged walls and crashed cars sweating profusely, but he kept his eye peeled for any stray monsters. That was until Do-Yun came across a gaping hole—one that could only be formed by a speeding car—in the outside wall of a convenience store.
“Kyaaa!!!!” And from within came a high-pitched scream. So, he rushed into the opening, kicking the cans on the floor to create a lot of noise on purpose. Then he arrived in the middle of the store after passing through another hole. There amidst the smashed shelves and scattered food items, Do-Yun saw the boss of the E Ranked Gate.
Taller than the average male, green-skinned with bulging muscles sporting what appeared to be similar to pants, and a necklace around his thick neck made with a thick red string and 11 finger bones. This was a Goblin Warrior, and he was standing in the middle of a convenience store baring his sharp fangs at a handful of trembling women and children.
But the most important thing was that the Goblin warrior—who turned towards his general direction after hearing the clanking of several cans—was now flying through the air. He was swiped off his feet by a woman nearly as tall as him in a convenience store uniform. And before it could come to its senses, he was flipped upside down and sent head-first to the floor like a sledgehammer.
The Goblin Warrior was dazed after being dropped square on his head, bleeding profusely he couldn’t make sense of his surroundings. And that was the woman’s intention, she did not want to fight this monster. So, she twisted its arm to restrain it in place, there was a chance that it could go on a rampage and that was the last thing she wanted to happen in this messy area filled with sharp objects.
“Everyone get out!!” She urged the ones behind her while holding the struggling Goblin down, but what happened next was something that shocked them all.
Do-Yun skipped over swiftly before they could react, and swung the dagger at the Goblin’s temple with all of his strength, but this time the dagger wasn’t able to pass through the temporal bone and got stuck, but that was to be expected. This was the boss of a Gate, so he had to improvise and he did.
“Kids… you don’t want to see this!” Do-Yun said but he was already swinging the blunt weapon like it was a golf club, and instead of the ball his target was the butt end of the Dagger. With a heavy sound, the target was hit and some blood burst out with the dagger digging into the temporal bone, but this wasn't enough.
—Kieekkkhhh!
—Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
The Goblin shouted in pain, throwing his arm and legs on the already cracked floor in a crazed state, but Do-Yun brought the club down a few more times without worrying about it. He continued even when the Goblin stopped moving after the third hit, only stopping when the Dagger was poking out the other end of the target’s skull.
Regardless, the Boss of Rank E level Gate, The Goblin Warrior was defeated in a more brutish form than its appearance. The one who did it ignored the horrified looks of the humans around him, his eyes turned to the woman who held down this monster through this.
“Kim Eun-Young, do you want to die?”
And the words that left his mouth left her stunned. It was by no means something she expected him to ask, but there was a bigger question. How did he know her name? She certainly hadn’t met him before, because she wouldn’t forget a face with such an annoying smile. Her red eyes squinted dangerously, but as if understanding her thoughts Do-Yun pointed at her chest, or more precisely the nametag on the uniform’s breast pocket.
“Oh!” Eun-Young was now unsure of how to react to that.
But the confusion lasted for a moment, as even if he wasn’t a dangerous guy who she met before. He was still a dangerous guy, why? Because Do-Yun was in the middle of taking the necklace off the dead Goblin Warrior, he did it so naturally while humming a cheerful tune that it unnerved everyone who was watching him.
It was similar to watching a madman and no one wanted to approach him, all but one person. Even she didn’t want to be entangled with him. But the question from before was something she couldn’t wrap her head around.
“What did you… mean by that?”
Why was that the first thing he asked her? Was there some sort of hidden meaning or was it a warning? But the one thing she knew was that he was the last person she should show her back to, especially in this chaos where things can be covered up with little effort.
“I was just asking if you were interested in dying, but no need to answer. I already understand.” Do-Yun jumped up to his feet and glanced at the people behind her, shaking the blood off the necklace in the meantime. Four middle-aged women, two young girls and a young boy around five to seven years, and two teenage girls in their school uniform.
The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
‘How did they end up in this place?’ Do-Yun tapped his chin, looking at them with squinty eyes.
This area should’ve been attacked first by the hobgoblins that were rushing south, that is how the horde was formed in Song-pa even if many others were able to get away from their net.
“What do you want?” Eun-Young asked.
Getting between his gaze and the others her facial features were as sharp and threatening as her actions, but he just laughed. There was no need to think too deeply about this, at the end of the day they were alive, but things might take a turn if they stayed for too long.
“Take them and go to Garak Market—South from here—if you don’t want to die. A Boss Monster is approaching this place, one that is far more powerful than this one,” He tapped at the Goblin Warrior’s head with his foot.
His actions aside, everyone behind Eun-Young froze up at his words. They witnessed how terrifying the Goblin Warrior was when he burst through the walls like it was made of paper, it was fortunate that they came out of it unscathed. And they weren’t in the mood to try their luck against something more powerful than that.
“We have to get out of here!” Eun-Young was calm, as calm as she could be in that situation.
Turning around she helped the kids stand up, carrying the two crying girls in her arms as one of the teenage girls picked up the unconscious boy. The four women were also scrabbling to get up, none of them wished to stay here for another moment.
“Eun-Young take the gloves on this one. It will increase your Strength, Vitality, and Magic power. So, if you come across some strays you can deal with them easily.” Do-Yun said.
He just got done peeling the leather gloves off the Goblin warrior as they were preparing to leave, It was too bad that it was covered in sweat and blood, but it was bearable at least.
“…You can have them,” A frown formed on her forehead, Eun-Young had many things she would like to address with this man. But time wasn’t on her side today, so she decided to let it go.
“Well, if you do encounter monsters my advice is that you run away, you don’t want to die after all.” Even then Do-Yun kept on speaking to her, in a tone that seemed rather condescending.
“I do not need your advice,” She said, turning her heel to get out of here. If push came to shove she wouldn’t hesitate to fight, but there was no point in doing that if it could be avoided.
“You may be ok in a fight, but you are no good in a battle. If you don’t follow this, it would be bad for you and the ones with you, Eun-Young.” Do-Yun said.
She looked over her shoulder, the red eyes gleaming at that moment when she saw him shrug. Eun-Young didn’t know what his problem was, she couldn’t make any sense of him and why he was like this.
‘Did he set something up? That’s not impossible… or is he trying to buy time.’ The suspicion rose astronomically, should they trust his word? What if there is a group lying in wait? She can fight but what about the others? If she couldn’t protect them then…
“U-Unnie, let’s just go…” But before she could ask him, the girl wearing a school uniform spoke up. She was trembling, and it wasn’t just her, the others were the same.
“…Yes, let’s go…” Eun-Young nodded sternly and stepped towards the entrance.
Her plans changed, before the plan was to check up on the roads leading south and then use them, but now she would surely not follow his words.
‘Going North wouldn’t be good, there was a gate in that direction… in the east, there is a bridge… going west might also be dangerous…’ She was trying to figure out the best course of action.
“Eun-Young…” But then Do-Yun called for her again.
And without looking back, she decided to continue towards the door. There was no point in hearing him out he was just trying to waste their time.
“Oi!”
“Hey!”
“Kim Eun-Young!!”
“Eun-Young-Ah!!! (-Ah, used to call someone endearingly) I have an important question!!!” But his voice didn’t stop, and every time he called out. A new vein popped up on Eun-Young’s forehead.
‘I am smashing his face in if I see him again.’ She was livid and unknowingly increased her speed. The others tried to catch up hurriedly, they were afraid of being left behind as Eun-Young matched forward.
Being left alone in the convenience store, he sighed.
“Man, all I wanted to ask for was whether she worked here or not. Even after I helped her out she gave me the cold shoulder, youngsters are so disrespectful these days.” Do-Yun felt hurt.
But then he looked around the store and saw that the cameras were all destroyed. He made sure to check it a few more times before he smirked.
“Meh, it is not like anyone will notice,”
Picking up a packet of banana milk with a few Triangular kimbaps—with undamaged packaging and filth—off the ground, he chowed down on the snacks without a shred of shame rather the bliss on his face showed how much he enjoyed eating these. It has been years since he enjoyed this taste, and he would like to eat some more, but he was done soon. Throwing the trash into the twisted dustbins after he placed it upright, he rubbed his full belly with satisfaction.
“Food always tastes best when you don’t have to pay for it,” Do-Yun was now teeming with newfound vigor. Putting on the partially cleaned gloves and necklace of the Goblin Warrior he stretched his body a little before thinking of the status window, and a blue panel with golden words appeared before his eyes.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Name:- Lee Do-Yun
Age:- 28
Gender:- Male
Profession:- None(5 choices Available)
Main Skills:- Adaptation(Ex), Regression(SSS).
Extra Skills:- Instinct(D)
Stats:
Strength:- 12 (+15)
Agility:- 10 (+11)
Vitality:- 9 (+13)
Intelligence:- 15 (+5)
Magic Energy:- 8 (+7)
[The Skill Adaptation(Ex) has started to adapt to the System Interference(Ex) progress 0.0000000178325%...]
‘Ok, no changes here either,’ Do-Yun’s steps had a new spring when he looked through the broken refrigerator for some ice cream as his dessert. He felt his overall strength and stamina increase by a good amount as the fridge door went flying across the store, but he didn’t care for that. Now standing alone in the middle of the destroyed store, he was enjoying his ice cream with a satisfied smile.
And as soon as he was done, his eyes glanced over his loot.
“A necklace made of eleven Hobgoblin fingers, and the gloves made of leather obtained from Hobgoblin skin. Both are made for a goblin when he gathers the necessary materials as proof of his battle prowess. That is how a Goblin officially turns into a Goblin Warrior.” Do-Yun laughed examining the items, it was the source of his boosted stats and also the key to his next plan.
The Goblins hated the Hobgoblins as the latter treated them as slaves. So, they targeted Hobgoblins in their own way. And when there is an action, there will be a reaction.
His lips quirked up in a smirk, grabbing onto the corpse’s leg he dragged it out of the store. Letting it hang upside down he allowed the blue blood to create a puddle on the street, as the smell spread with the wind he nodded in satisfaction.
“We have the bait, so let’s wait for the fish.”