When Monsters Flee [Bonus Chapter]

Why exactly were dungeons given grades? Obviously, it was due to the difficulty of raiding them, considering the terrain, the monsters, and the nature of the final boss. A dungeon's grade indeed reflected how challenging it would be to raid.

However, the major factor in determining the grades has always been the strength of the monsters and how difficult the raiders would find combat with them.

But what if combat was not an option? What if the monsters didn't fight back but instead ran desperately for their lives while the raiders simply slaughtered them?

In that case, the current grading system would hardly be necessary because the raiders wouldn't need to worry about casualties, as they would essentially be on a wild deer hunt.

So, in theory, if monsters ran from raiders instead of fighting them, even the weakest of raiders would be able to solo a dungeon, right?

…

At this point, Alister had reached the maximum stacking limit of his stat boost from the Draconic Rage skill.

Due to the nature of this skill, which initially increased his stats by 50% and then compounded by 10% ten times, his stats were actually being increased by 289.06%.

In essence, his base stats were being tripled, and he was rampaging through the dungeon like a tempest of destruction. However, such an abnormal and incredible increase in strength over such a short period of time was certain to have side effects, one way or another.

….

Alister's body surged with power as the Draconic Rage skill coursed through his veins. His muscles rippled and his senses heightened, every movement he made now gave off an aura of dominance.

Small black scales were appearing around his neck, making his dragon features more visible. He appeared to be at his peak, perhaps even better, but for some reason, he thought, 'I feel like I could fall unconscious at any moment.'

The power flowing through him was becoming too much for his body to handle. Although he did not have a scratch on him, he was starting to feel weaker than when he had been left bleeding under that pile of rubble earlier.

He was far deeper into the cave now, his eyes locked on the hulking figure of the Goblin King. The creature stood taller and more imposing than the others, its dark green skin covered with rune symbols and a necklace of bones around its neck. It gripped a blood-red orb in one hand and a jagged, rusted sword in the other, in actuality it was his staff that had taken that form.

The Goblin King sneered, raising the blood orb, which began to pulse with a bright red light. Alister's gaze fixed on it, noting how the orb seemed to draw energy from the surrounding blood, swirling into a concentrated, dark red mass.

The king's lips curled into a cruel grin as he chanted in a guttural language, causing the orb to glow brighter.

'Alright, time to end this,' Alister thought, he couldn't afford to waste time. Every second counted, not just for his life but for the lives of his teammates.

With a sudden burst of speed, Alister launched himself at the Goblin King, his movements a blur. The king barely had time to react before Alister was upon him, slashing with his claws. The claws met the king's flesh, cutting deep, but the goblin king retaliated with a powerful swing of its sword. Alister ducked under the arc, feeling the rush of air as the blade missed him by inches.

The Goblin King roared in frustration, lifting the blood orb high. Dark tendrils of blood shot out from the orb, coiling and twisting like living serpents. Alister leaped around them, his enhanced reflexes allowing him to evade each strike easily. The tendrils struck the ground, exploding into small craters, but Alister remained untouched.

'He's trying to poison me,' Alister realized, noting the acidic hiss where the tendrils met the stone floor. 'But with this…. skill, it won't work.'

He was still new to this thing the system called a skill, it was a strange power but he remembered catching a glimpse of being immune to poisons.

'Stay focused,' he told himself, forcing his attention back to the Goblin King.

With a ferocious roar, Alister charged again, his movements smooth and lethal. He darted around, his body a blur, He then approached directly, the goblin king tried to counter but he feinted to the left, then struck from the right, his claws slicing through the king's left side.

Each hit landed with devastating force, easily digging into the goblin king's flesh due to the enhanced strength of Draconic Rage allowing him to cut deeper and faster.

"You think you can beat me, human?" the Goblin King spat, its voice a guttural growl. "You are nothing compared to the power of the blood orb!"

'This goblin can talk?' Alister wonderd, 'The grade increase of the dungeon must have allowed it to gain some level of intelligence.'

'I do remember reading that high grade monsters have higher levels of intelligence and some can also talk.'

"Is that so?" Alister taunted, a smirk spreading on his lips as he sidestepped another of the king's attacks. "Because from where I'm standing, you're the one who's bleeding."

Alister's demeanor had changed noticeably, this wasn't how he'd normally act, the skill was having an effect on his personality.

The Goblin King's body was riddled with gashes, blood oozing from the wounds despite its regenerative abilities. Alister pressed on, his slashes relentless and merciless. He could feel the Draconic Rage pulsing within him, feeding his fury and driving him forward.

In a desperate move, the Goblin King thrust the blood orb toward Alister, unleashing a barrage of blood spikes. The projectiles tore through the air, aimed directly at him. But Alister's speed was unmatched; he weaved through the projectiles easily, closing the distance between them.

"You'll have to do better than that," Alister growled, his voice low and dangerous.