Change of plans. Goblin extermination is gonna have to wait for a moment. I completely forgot to check for anything of value on the girl's body. I mean, it's not like she'll be using it.

Casually walking up to the corpse, I carefully examine the crime scene. The girl sported a designer bag that was absolutely drenched in blood. She was also wearing some jewelry that was of no use to me.

Grabbing the bag off the body, I open it up and look inside. There are things like chapstick, makeup, cash; nothing that looks to be of much use as of now. I did, however, find a perfume bottle that I proceeded to empty out in order to obtain a new container for liquids.

After emptying out all the contents of the bag, I set it aside and take one last look at her for anything on her person.

...

Nope. Nothing.

Bloodied bag in hand, I make my way out of the staff room. I had gotten quite used to this room in the short amount of time I had been in it. Sure I had to come here nearly every day when I was doing my job, but I never quite appreciated how secure it felt. I guess it takes a real fucked up situation like this to bring me to appreciate being at work.

Once I got outside, the most apparent thing was the smell. It reeked of death and it only got worse as I continued. The only reason I didn't regurgitate my breakfast is because I didn't have any. Which reminds me, I'm starved. But that hunger went as soon as it came because the smell quickly made me lose my appetite.

Anyway, the plan right now was for me to get a decent weapon. I would have brought the mop, due to its decent range, if not for the fact that it had been broken the first time I used it to hit that girl. Don't know what I expected to be honest. Mops weren't exactly designed to be used in combat.

To get my weapon situation resolved, the only place I could think of was the gardening aisle. There was also the storage room that had all the new supplies in them, but I doubt that it's any less dangerous than my current plan, considering it's all the way on the other side of the store, and I sure as hell need a weapon to get there.

Quietly treading through the maze of aisles, I noticed a few similarities between them. First, there were multiple bloodstains in each aisle, but no bodies. There could be a multitude of reasons for this, but I decided not to think about it too much.

Second, there was no food. Every single food item, canned or not, had been taken. I had been planning on grabbing something to eat on my way to the gardening aisle, but it seemed that somebody or something beat me to it.

Finally arriving at my destination, I take a look at the shelves.

There was a shovel, a gardening fork, two trowels, gloves, and an abundance of rakes. Not considering the army of rakes, there is a lot less here than I thought. Did other people have the same idea as me? As I am still a staff member at this fine establishment, I sure hope they paid for those. Huh? Why do I get to take them without paying? Staff discount of 100% of course.

Crossing out the rakes from potential tools of death, I had the choice of a shovel, two trowels, and a gardening fork. While I take my time thinking, I grab a pair of gloves and put them on. No point in passing up a little extra defense.

Onto the pros and cons of each weapon. If I were to pick the shovel, I would have decent damage, along with enough range to keep myself an arm's length away from danger.

The trowels looked to be of the triangular variety, making them significantly sharper than their round-tipped cousins. Since there were two of them, I could potentially duel-wield them, resulting in even more damage.

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The fork might have some capability when it comes to grappling targets, but I don't exactly feel like it has the firepower or range that I need, so I quickly cross it off the list.

That leaves me with the shovel or trowels.

What I need right now is high damage output. Can't take damage if my enemies don't get enough time to hit me, am I right? I know I'm right.

I put my bag on my back, freeing up both hands, and pick up the trowels. I hold them as if they are daggers, ready to slice the throat of any unfortunate creature that comes my way.

I continue to sneak through the aisles, looking to find any signs of life, and after only a few minutes, I did.

I heard grunts and groans, and the distinct sound of chewing. I turned the corner and was immediately greeted by the source.

A small green figure was hunched over in the corner, gnawing on a human arm like a chicken drum. It was wearing nothing but a loincloth and looked to have a small sword near its waist.

It didn't take a genius to realize that the creature was currently wide open, so I held my trowels tighter than ever and began to make my way towards the off-guard monster.

Everything was going smoothly until I was a few feet away from the beast and a loud clanging noise was made behind me. The creature quickly got up and turned its head, obviously not pleased to see me.

Trying to salvage the situation, I go in for a swipe to its head, just barely missing as the creature ducks and charges at me.

You have taken 34 damage!

Managing to knock the trowels out of my hands whilst simultaneously pinning me to the ground, the creature made a series of noises, I can only assume to be laughter.

"Khakhakha!"

Now that I'm getting a closer look at it, I can indeed confirm that this is a goblin.

Trying to overpower the creature, I attempt to push it off of me, just to get pinned right back down and have a chunk of flesh torn out of me with its teeth.

You have taken 55 damage!

You are now bleeding.

You will lose 1HP/min. until the bleeding stops.

Well, that fucking hurts.

Putting one of my gloved hands on the goblin's face to keep it at bay, I reach for one of my trowels. The goblin's hands were too short to stop me, as I successfully grabbed a trowel and started viciously stabbing the thing.

Goblin has taken 20 damage!

Goblin has taken 12 damage!

Goblin has taken 28 damage!

The goblin's viscous blood sprayed from every wound, covering the area in a red mist as it screamed.

The goblin proceeded to reach for its shortsword, but only ended up pathetically fumbling with the strap on its side, as my trowel came down on the creature's back, knocking it to the ground.

Goblin has taken 34 damage!

The goblin screamed even louder as I pounced on it and began to mercilessly pelt it with stab wounds.

Goblin has taken 12 damage!

Goblin has taken 23 damage!

Goblin has taken 11 damage!

...

I stopped thinking and just let instinct take over. I lost the ability to focus enough on holding the trowel and just started punching. The creature's screams soon turned into a melody I couldn't stop listening to. My vision was getting darker and I couldn't muster up the willpower to stay aware, so I didn't. All I could feel was a blissfully warm sensation spreading throughout my entire body.

The whole ordeal had taken around thirty minutes if I had to guess and the actual fight taking maybe three minutes tops. The rest of which, I don't exactly know what happened besides the fact that I now have a distinctively pleasant taste in my mouth.

Snapping out of my thoughts, I take a look at the notifications bombarding my vision.

You have slain Goblin Lv. 2

+190 EXP

Gained Title: [Predator]

Gained Skill: [Blood Trance]

Quest: "Tutorial" updated!