In the depths of the goblin lair, the smoke from the earlier chaos still lingered, cloaking the once bustling production base in a thick, choking haze. Amidst this pandemonium, Dick faced a formidable figure: the elder goblin Blin, trapped at an alternate exit.
Blin was no ordinary goblin; he was an advanced breed, larger and more robust than his peers, with enhanced physical strength and defense. In the hierarchy of the lair, he was a figure of authority, commanding respect and fear in equal measure. The captive females in the lair were under his dominion, and few dared to challenge his rule.
Dick eyed Blin, estimating his level to be somewhere between F and D. Though unable to precisely gauge the elder's abilities, Dick sensed the formidable presence before him.
"Save me, you fool! Have you forgotten who rules here?!" Blin bellowed, his voice muffled by the thickening smoke. His face was turning a deep shade of purple as he struggled for air.
"I am your king, you dim-witted child! As your sovereign, I command you to free me from this accursed cave at once!" Blin's voice was laced with desperation, though he managed to maintain a semblance of authority despite the suffocating smoke.
Blin's thoughts raced with regret and fury. He cursed the circumstances that led him to the production base on a day like this, driven by his base desires. Now, he found himself trapped, his life endangered by the very captives he had come to exploit.
His eyes, filled with malice, shifted blame onto the captive females, struggling and bound, as they gasped for air in the smoke-filled lair.
Dick observed Blin's predicament silently. The elder goblin, who styled himself as the 'king' of the lair, had fallen victim to his own greed and lust, leading to his current trapped state. Dick took in the sight of Blin – massive, obese, and stuck in the narrow exit.
"What level are you, King?" Dick asked, a hint of challenge in his tone.
"You dare question me? I am a powerful E-level Big Goblin!" Blin roared back, his anger causing him to inhale more smoke, triggering a fit of coughing.
"Quickly, save your king! I promise you a bounty of women and food!" Blin's eyes glinted with deceit. In his mind, he plotted revenge against the young goblin before him, envisioning crushing him underfoot.
But Dick had other plans. "It's a pity, King, but I won't save you," he said calmly, his voice cutting through Blin's fantasies.
Blin's shock was immediate, but it was nothing compared to what followed – a sharp, perfectly aimed arrow shot by Dick, striking Blin directly in the right eye.
"Ah!!! My eye!" Blin screamed in agony.
Without hesitation, Dick had utilized his archery skills, targeting the vulnerable elder goblin trapped at the cave entrance. The shot was swift and merciless, marking a pivotal moment in the chaotic rebellion within the goblin lair.
Dick's eyes narrowed as he focused on his target: the right eye of the elder goblin Blin. The arrow flew true, striking with unerring precision.
"You! You!" Blin roared in agony, teeth clenched in pain.
Before he could recover, another arrow, swift and relentless, pierced his left eye. Blin's screams echoed through the lair, a mixture of pain and rage. "Curse you! You wretched goblin child, how dare you blind me!"
The pain overwhelmed him, plunging his world into darkness. The smoke, thick and unyielding, filled his lungs, suffocating him. Blin's face turned an alarming shade of purple; he could neither scream nor breathe.
"Go to hell," Dick said coldly, his eyes glinting with cunning. He loosed another arrow, this time aiming for Blin's mouth. The arrow pierced his throat, silencing him forever. Blin's life ended there, blood seeping from his eyes, suffocated and defeated.
[System Notification: 400 evolution points gained from the big goblin.]
[Host has reached evolution conditions. Start evolution?]
"No," Dick murmured, a sinister smile playing on his lips. He had just vanquished a high-level goblin, an E-level adversary, and earned a significant number of evolution points. Dick had no allegiance to goblin laws or hierarchies; his actions were driven by the pursuit of his own freedom and evolution.
However, he chose not to evolve immediately. Evolution required time, and the moment was not right. Survival was his priority.
Dick had completed his task of hunting down thirty lives, but he still needed to survive the Goblin Slayer's attack for ten minutes. "It must be close to eight minutes by now," he mused, scanning his surroundings. Goblin Slaying Knight was nowhere to be seen yet.
Unsure of Goblin Slayer's level and potential threat he had to face, Dick decided to avoid confrontation. Opting for caution, he turned towards a cave entrance to make his escape.
Suddenly, a whooshing sound filled the air. A sharp pain in his right foot stopped him in his tracks, sending him crashing to his knees, an arrow lodged in his knee.
"The smoke was too thick, the shot missed," came a dull voice from behind. Dick turned, anger flaring in his eyes, to see a formidable figure: a knight clad in impenetrable armor, wielding a sword and shield, and armed with a bow.
It was the Goblin Slaying Knight, the hunter who had been relentlessly pursuing him.