Acquiring Skills, Potion Vaporization!
With the elite goblin joining the fray, the scattered soldiers who had just retreated were once again inspired and regrouped, surrounding John from all sides.
However, they dared not get too close, fearing the elite goblin might accidentally injure them.
The elite goblin took the lead, swinging its massive stone column with such force that it created a sonic boom, aimed directly at John's position.
"Boom—"
A loud explosion echoed throughout the cavern, filling it with deafening noise and clouds of dust.
Seconds later, as the smoke gradually cleared, the elite goblin peered at the cratered ground, only to find no flattened corpse of John. Its smug expression turned to confusion, followed by screams of agony from its companions the next second.
The last goblin warrior was pierced through the heart from behind by John, falling to the ground with eyes wide open.
After dodging the attack, John had used the cover of thick smoke to close in on his enemy, simultaneously using half a bottle of healing potion to poison his katana.
[Killed Goblin Warrior, gained 500 XP.]
[Current XP: 370/800.]
[Leveled up to 8.]
[Attribute Points +1, Skill Points +1.]
[New Skill Acquired: Potion Vaporization.]
[Skill Description: Potion Vaporization.]
[Cool Down: None.]
[Effect: Transforming potions into a vapor form greatly enhances the effects of the potions.]
[Note: This is an exclusive skill for the Alchemist profession and cannot receive skill points.]
John smirked coldly. He was well aware that he would acquire the "Potion Vaporization" skill upon reaching level 8, which is why he opted to kill the goblin warrior and level up.
Typically, this skill was intended to improve the efficiency of potion usage, as directly applying potions to external wounds could result in significant waste.
However, John was now a poison master. Vaporizing potions mixed with toxins would easily deal with enemies who were hard to breach.
All this was part of John's plan. Dealing with the elite goblin in full armor in front of him couldn't be easier.
The elite goblin raised its foot to kick John, but with his vast combat experience, he anticipated it in advance. Before the goblin could lift its foot, John jumped up, landing on the goblin's foot, and leaped onto its shoulder.
The elite goblin's armor covered almost its entire body, but there was one place left unprotected - its eyes.
John thrust his sword forward, but the elite goblin quickly lowered its head, causing sparks to fly off its helmet.
As the elite goblin reached to grab John, he swung his left hand towards its head, activating the "Potion Vaporization" skill. The remaining half-bottle of snake poison potion spilled out, instantly turning into a thin, pale green mist.
Landing on the ground, John watched as the elite goblin inhaled the venom-laced mist with its breath.
The potent and brutal snake venom entered the elite goblin's system, rapidly taking effect along the capillaries in its lungs under the activation of the active agents.
"Cough cough—" The elite goblin coughed violently twice, black blood mixed with toxins oozing from the gaps in its helmet. It became painfully aware that this human excelled in using poisons.
John sighed lightly, "Seems like the dosage was a bit too low, but then again, it has such a large body."
This is an elite level 8 goblin after all, different from those low-level goblin grunts, it also has a certain level of poison resistance. Its innate talent, S-rank Toxicity Penetration, can take effect as long as the enemy's skin comes into contact with the poison. But faced with its huge body, a correspondingly larger dose is needed.
Yet, John wasn't worried. He felt that handling it wasn't as difficult as it seemed. Goblins, being humanoid creatures, still needed to breathe oxygen, and Jon doubted it could hold its breath indefinitely.
Suddenly, the elite goblin let out a loud cry, its voice echoing throughout the cavern. John recognized this as the goblin language. It seemed to be communicating with its companions.
Suddenly, a green light enveloped the elite goblin.
[Toxin Resistance Amplification.]
[Toxin Damage Reduction by 20%.]
John narrowed his eyes, observing through the system panel that an enhancement effect had appeared on the elite goblin, indicating someone had cast a buff on it. John felt the direction of the magical energy fluctuations and saw a tall figure standing at the back of the cave, dressed in shaman attire, looking hunched over, a goblin.
[evel 10: Voodoo Goblin Shaman (BOSS).]
The boss of this goblin den finally made its appearance: a Level 10 Voodoo Goblin Shaman.
"Alchemist, your methods of attack are quite unique, aren't they?" The Voodoo Goblin Shaman actually spoke. Although its voice was deep and hoarse, with some strange intonations, it was indeed speaking in human language.
John wasn't surprised. Some higher-intelligence monsters are capable of mastering human language. But the voodoo goblin shaman in front of me should be using some kind of magic for communication, after all, different races of monsters do not have the same language, which gives rise to magic for communication between each other.
John remained silent, seeing no point in conversing with these lower-level monsters.
The Voodoo Goblin Shaman ordered the elite goblin, "Keep him alive. I find him quite interesting."
With the toxin resistance enhancement, the elite goblin moved again, no longer fearing the poisonous mist in the air.
John chuckled coldly, amused by the naive thoughts of that Voodoo Goblin Shaman. Did it really think that a low-level toxin resistance magic would guarantee its victory?
He had more than just snake venom up his sleeve!
Toxins are a broad concept, encompassing biotoxins, plant toxins, fungal toxins, and bacterial toxins. Toxin resistance might at most immunize against the chemical effects produced by toxins, but some physical symptoms could still not be avoided.
The elite goblin attacked again, following the Voodoo Goblin Shaman's orders not to deliver a lethal blow but instead trying to capture Jon.
John dodged the attacks while activating his skill.
[Activating Skill: Healing Potion.]
The system voice echoed in John's mind, "Would the host prefer a standard healing potion, or one mixed with a certain toxin?"
"Mix it with Giant Jaw Spider Bristle Poison," John said softly, and a potion appeared in his hand, dotted with tiny black particles.
John had extracted a large amount of "stinging hairs" from the Giant Jaw Spider's bristles, which are defense mechanisms of some arthropods. They are extremely fine and sharp, like needles only a few micrometers thick, causing intense irritation upon contact with skin or inhalation into the lungs.
Holding the potion, John saw the elite goblin disregard it, thinking the foolish human was attempting the same trick. Now with toxin resistance enhancement and simply holding its breath, the poison mist couldn't harm it.
John deliberately slowed his movements, letting the elite goblin see an opportunity to catch him. The goblin fell for the trap, lunging at Jon without any guard.
Seizing the moment, John splashed the full bottle of healing potion, activating the "Potion Vaporization" skill.
A large amount of green potion instantly turned into a mist, enveloping the elite goblin. Initially, it seemed unaffected, thanks to its armor. However, the fine mist gradually seeped through the gaps into its armor.
"The show is about to start," John sneered, jumping back to create distance.
The Voodoo Goblin Shaman on the platform shook its head, a hint of disappointment flashing in its murky green eyes, feeling it had overestimated this alchemist. It seemed just another foolish human.
But the next second, the Voodoo Goblin Shaman's expression turned serious.
The elite goblin, which had seemed fine moments ago, now began to tremble uncontrollably, as if seized by something beyond its control.
"Oh FUCK!" It let out a piercing howl, then unexpectedly removed its helmet. The elite goblin's face was swollen, and its dark green skin was covered in large red spots.
"What did that human do? I had already enhanced its toxin resistance!"
The Voodoo Goblin Shaman murmured in confusion, refusing to believe it. It cast the toxin resistance enhancement again, a green light bursting from its skull staff and falling upon the elite goblin...
Yet, the elite goblin continued to scratch its face incessantly.