Chapter 16: Unique (1): Not A Hobgoblin

Chapter 16: Unique (1): Not A Hobgoblin

Jasper couldn't understand what Eliyah meant when she said, "Monster."

Everything they faced was a monster.

Every goblin, dwarf, or even mice that were mutated or used skills were monsters.

He simply tilted his head and stared at her as if demanding an explanation.

Eliyah didn't even look at him and began muttering when the surroundings felt abnormally quiet.

"We should have listened to Gilbert. This dungeon was... no, is unique. The monsters are unique..."

"I don't understand, Eliyah. What unique? What monster? Did you encounter another beast inside or what?"

Eliyah sighed, her lips quivering as she agreed, "Yes. A beast."

Jasper's eyes widened.

'We kept killing the goblins... so, did we trigger some hidden boss?' Jasper still had no idea.

Ellen, on the other hand, even more confused, asked, "What beast? A mouse? Mutated cat or dog? Or wolf? What exactly?"

Eliyah kept quiet for a moment.

She visualized the scene from within. Her body trembled.

"A goblin."

"..."

The surroundings were silent yet again.

Everyone wondered what she meant by goblin.

Surely, they were going into a goblin cave and therefore, it would have goblins. So what beast?

"Did the goblins evolve?"

That was a good question from Jasper's side.

Goblins usually evolve into a Hobgoblin.

It happens when a unique goblin meets the required conditions.

Even the weakest Hobgoblin is a D-rank monster, so it would make sense that Gilbert was killed.

But Eliyah simply shook her head, "Just a goblin... a normal, scrawny, weak monster... a goblin... THE GOBLIN!"

She raised her hand and held her ears a bit, her head trembling.

She wasn't exactly traumatized but couldn't get rid of the thought of losing Gilbert.

"We're not understanding, Eliyah. Could you care to explain... what exactly happened?"

And then she started her little narration.

She rubbed her arms.

"By the time I arrived..."

"...Gilbert was dead."

"..."

Everyone experienced goosebumps after listening to her narration.

"It was not any ordinary goblin."

"It was... clever, smart, and sneaky enough to be terrifying."

Jasper gulped a large chunk of saliva.

"And maybe that's how he got Gilbert, by being sneaky... and then..."

"I killed him. I was enraged. So I killed him and I waited inside... to torture the bastard once he respawned."

"Surely, it wouldn't have the memory and would question why we were attacking... that is, if it was any ordinary goblin."

Jasper gasped as he added, "Wait, so the uniqueness of this dungeon is not only unlimited respawns but also that... monsters retain their memories after respawn?"

She simply nodded.

"Now that's terrifying... a dungeon that respawns monsters and they have their memories intact... that means... they had an endless amount of time to learn tricks and tactics to defeat the hunters!"

Indeed, that was really dangerous.

Ellen could hardly believe what she was hearing.

"Dragon's Nest? It doesn't sound as terrifying as this now..."

They all gave a brief nod, as if agreeing.

Eliyah, however, was not done yet.

"It could use Fire Bolt."

"..."

This silenced them yet again.

Their eyes wide and they felt their jaws, almost literally touching the ground.

No way was there a goblin that could use skills of such caliber. Now that's unique!

But wait, it could use the same skills as the man it killed...

Jasper took two steps back and Ellen three.

"It used... Fire Bolt? Gilbert's favorite skill?"

Eliyah nodded and further added, "I assume that it... the goblin, can use the skills of those whom it has killed."

The moment she mentioned that, the topic was not just limited to discovering and learning tactics anymore.

If the goblin could really do this, then it was over...

If the goblin was left alive and left to evolve, then it would be over.

"But what can we even do? Kill it? It will just respawn!!!", Bredy, the last male member, screamed from behind.

What he said made sense.

The only way to stop someone was by killing them. Now, if the being was immortal... would death really mean anything?

Eliyah started laughing in a slow pitiful manner... "Haha... hahaha... Gilbert died... now a goblin can use his skill... haha... haha... we are dead. We are dead... haha... we are so dead... we—"

And just then Ellen walked forward and gave a nice slap to Eliyah's face.

"I know. What we've done is wrong... hoarding a cave and using it as a money farm... but, we can still rectify our mistake."

Eliyah stared with a blank expression, as if asking, how to rectify something that has gone so south?

And that's when Ellen decided to take a step.

"We'll ask Sir Raymond."

"..."

[3 Hours Later...]

Raymond, the Captain of the 31st Division, arrived at the scene in a G-Wagon.

He walked out in a calm demeanor while noticing the group on the side.

From the car came out two more prominent figures of the 31st division of the New Sun Guild — D-rank hunter: Jeroy and D-rank hunter: Dex.

Their levels were comparable to Sir Raymond however when fought in a spar, Raymond would always end up winning, purely due to his overwhelming strength.

They had also come to investigate this unique dungeon that Ellen had mentioned.

"I don't blame you," said Dex calmly. "If it was me, I'd also have done this. I mean, money is the way of the world, isn't it?"

He was kicked in the butt by Jeroy.

"That's why you don't have a girlfriend yet."

Rubbing his butt, Dex jumped and turned behind looking at her, "Does that sentence... even make sense here!?"

"Yes, it does. As long as you breathe, it is justified," she said nonchalantly, sighing briefly.

"You bitch! It's because of this attitude of yours that you're stuck with that... Jeroy name. Pfft," Dex tried to get back at her.

"As if that childish taunt is gonna work," while Jeroy did say that, her left eye twitched a little.

"I mean, I know you are insensitive. Don't need to tell it out loud..." Dex raised both his arms as if trying to irritate her.

"Dex! You son of a—"

She wanted to curse out loud but Raymond stopped them. If not for him, they both would have a complete brawl out here.

"You both, stop will you!" he raised his voice and both of them stopped whatever they were doing.

"He started."

"No she did."

"I don't care, just shut up!"

They both shut their mouths, giving each other silent glares.

Sighing at these childish sides of theirs, Raymond turned towards the group.

He started walking.

"I assume you're Ellen."

"Yes! I mean, no sir. I'm Eliyah."

Eliyah was a fangirl of Sir Raymond, who looked extremely handsome, so she had momentarily forgotten... everything!

"...then you must be Ellen?" he turned towards the only other lady present there.

"Yes sir. I'm Ellen and I was the one who told you about the situation..."

"So, this is the dungeon…", Raymond stared at the dungeon's blue-portal.

"Yes Sir."

"Hmm. Alright. I'll take a look.", Raymond, in his gears, holding a pouch, entered the dungeon.