ALL NOVEL Chapter 273 270: Against a tribe of wizards
Chapter 273 270: Against a tribe of wizards
Val went closer to the clearing which was inhabited by the tribe of glowing goblins. They didn't notice him as he took cover behind one of the largest trees that surrounded the clearing and spied on them from there.
After making sure that no one was looking in his direction with the heavenly eye skill, he dared to poke his head out from his hiding spot, focus his gaze on the glowing goblins, and activate his "Detect" skill.
A moment later, a system notification with a lot of detail floated into his field of vision.
[Name: Lumisoul Goblins
Type: Evolved Variant
Monster level: 30-50
Stats:
STR: 15
STA: 25
AGT: 26
Soul power: 100-1000
Description: The Lumisoul Goblins are amongst the most special inhabitants of Mon. They are considered special because, over generations, they've transformed, adapting to the unique environment they reside in to become the ruler of their world. The outcome of their evolution is the manifestation of additional sets of extraordinary vessels that crisscross the outer surface of their bodies in the shape of stripes. These stripes grant them the unparalleled ability to soak up soul power from the atmosphere around them and wield it like a weapon in combat, making them stand apart from other goblin breeds.]
From the notification, Val grasped two crucial insights.
Firstly, dungeons were not mere artificial constructs but genuine worlds with their own histories and tales. They had been manipulated into what they now were and sent on a course to invade Eldrich by either a certain force or a ridiculously powerful creature. In any case, whoever was behind the appearance of the dungeon in Eldrich wielded tremendous power and most likely a terrifyingly twisted intent. Val couldn't grasp their intention, but he knew it would be anything but good.
The second was that the physiology of the Lumisoul goblins made them strikingly akin to human wizards. After all, they had the ability to not only accumulate vast reservoirs of soul power within their unique vessels but also expel it directly from them in the form of strong magical eruptions. In terms of wizardry, their lethality was no less than that of a low-rank wizard.
He had to be extremely careful if he wanted to confront them.
Val's eyes narrowed in contemplation.
He had faced many foes in his time, but going against an entire tribe of wizard-like goblins would be the first even for him.
'I won't mess with them if they lack what I need.'
It's a fight he wasn't certain he was gonna fight, but he might have to fight it if the treasure they were guarding was the item he needed to get to the other side of the lesser dimension.
In the midst of the verdant clearing stood a dignified altar. It seemed to have been meticulously carved and appeared as though it had weathered many seasons.
On top of it was a mirror-like object.
Its smooth and reflective surface was punctuated by odd scribbles that resembled ancient runes. These runes not only added to its aesthetic allure but also hinted at an underlying power that it held within. An aura of mystique surrounded it, making it stand out even from a distance.
Its significance was quite evident from the protective ring of Lumisoul Goblins surrounding it. Val believed it must be something extraordinary.
He focused his gaze on it and cast Detect. Instantly, a semi-transparent screen popped up in front of him.
[Name: Dimensional Mirror
Rank: Level 2 Artifact
Description: The most important treasure of the Lumisoul goblin tribe.
Function: When placed over a body of water, the Dimensional Mirror has the ability to transform it into a teleportation pool. Thid pool can transport an individual to the other side of the lesser dimension.
Limitations: This artifact is only usable within the lesser dimension.]
Upon reading the system's description, Val's eyes lit up in elation and his face broke into a wide grin.
"This is it! This is precisely what I've been searching for," he thought to himself.
His elation, however, was soon overshadowed by the realization that before he could lay his hands on the Dimensional Mirror, he'd need to deal with the entire tribe of Lumisoul Goblins guarding it.
'There's no time for hesitation. Every fleeting moment I let slip by brings Oliver closer to the risk of certain death.'
'This confrontation, it's inevitable anyways. So what's wrong with making it take place right away?'
A steely determination became evident in Val's eyes. His gaze became razor-sharp.
Taking a deep breath, he summoned his army of undead from the shrine of evil.
One by one, they began to materialize around the periphery of the clearing. Their imposing and sinister silhouettes were cleverly obscured by the dense foliage of the trees. Thus, the Lumisoul goblin didn't notice them. They were still blissfully unaware that they were about to be embroiled in a battle to the death.
"I only have one command for you all. Kill them all!" Val said to his undead while pointing at the monsters in the clearing.
The level 1 to 3 undead didn't hesitate for a moment before blindly following his command, indicating they were utterly loyal to him. They stepped out of their hiding spots and charged at the Lumisoul goblins in unison to fulfill their master's order.
Rustling noises emerged from all around the clearing, alerting the lumisoul goblins. Immediately, they turned their heads to the source of the rustling noises. As a result, they were met with a surreal sight that left them shocked to the core. A shiver went down their spines as they saw a large number of monsters they'd never seen before emerge from the tree line and burst into the clearing. Each undead looked more menacing than the last to the evolved goblins.
The battle between the undead and Lumisoul goblins began with a big loss for the latter.
At the very start of the battle, a level 3 undead swiftly ran up to a level 37 Lumisoul goblin that was at the edge of the clearing. Before the goblin could muster any defensive reaction, the undead's jagged bony fingers, which eerily resembled ancient, rusted daggers, closed around the goblin's throat. The goblin's eyes widened in sheer terror and it struggled to free itself from its deadly drip. It threw wild punches at the undead and delivered frantic kicks. However, its desperate efforts were all in vain. Against a creature that knew no pain or fear, its strikes had little to no effect, and the undead's grip on its neck remained as unyielding and lethal as ever.
Crack!
A crunching sound rang out as the undead squeezed the life out of the goblin by crushing its neck. Seeing that it was dead, the undead released it.
Thud!
The goblin's limp body dropped to the forest floor with a dull thud as the level 3 lunged towards its next prey like a freaking spider and tackled it to the ground.
Woosh!
Before the goblin could react, the undead, with a swift, merciless motion, ripped its head from its shoulders so violently that the entirety of the goblin's spine was wrenched out of its body, trailing gruesomely behind the severed head.
Not far from this chaos, another level 3 undead, its fingers as jagged and sharp as the first, maneuvered its body in a zig-zag pattern to dodge the attacks of a level 39 Lumisoul goblin before retaliating. It slashed repeatedly at its opponent. Each slash was delivered with such force and precision that the goblin was shredded to pieces, as though it were made of paper.
A number of notifications rang in Val's ears.
[Your level 3 undead has killed a level 37 Lumisoul goblin. You've gained 370 EXP.]
[Your level 3 undead has killed a level 38 Lumisoul goblin. You've gained 380 EXP.]
[Your level 3 undead has killed a level 39 Lumisoul goblin. You've gained 390 EXP.]
'Not bad.'
It had only been 5 seconds since he commanded his undead to eradicate the tribe of lumosoul undead, and they had already killed 3 of them.
"At this rate, the battle will end sooner than I expected!" Val jinxed himself.
Suddenly, their chief barked orders, urging them to snap out of it and face the undead assailants, emphasizing that if they didn't act, they would fall without even putting up a fight.
'Yeah, we gotta fight back!'
The goblins' stripes brightened as a surge of soul power erupted, colliding with the several undead leading the army, exploding them into countless little pieces. However, these undead were all level 3, meaning they all possessed the semi-immortality skill. Although they were shattered into pieces by the goblins' coordinated attack, it didn't mean they were dead.
The fragmented remains of their body rolled towards one another, fusing back into several level 3 undead.
The sight terrified the goblins. They were left stunned and bewildered. How can one recover from such extensive damage? Just what the hell were they up against?
"Splash them with acid."
Val telepathically commanded his level 2 undead to attack the motionless and confused goblins.
Without hesitation, the level 2 undead raised their arms and when their palms faced the goblins, they activated their strongest offensive skill. Waves of acid streamed out of their palms and splashed on the goblins.
The goblins shrieked in pain as soon as they were doused in acid as the corrosive substance not only devoured their skin and muscles but also dissolved their vessels. These vessels were withholding vast amounts of soul power. The second they ruptured, the soul power trapped inside could only go out instantaneously.
The consequence of this was the goblins exploding on the spot and reducing to a mess of flesh and blood that rained down and splattered everywhere on the ground.