That vile goblin's gaze lingered on her with a twisted grin, its eyes practically devouring her.
"Dead..."
The elf woman, exhausted and weak from childbirth, felt despair tighten its grip. She had no strength to fight back.
Yet, strangely, the goblin cub before her stared blankly at the umbilical cord still attached to its belly, giggling foolishly.
Another goblin cub crept closer to Kaito and lunged at him.
For a moment, the elf woman thought death would be easier.
"No!"
Almost instinctively, her body moved on its own. Despite her weakness, she reached out and wrapped her arms protectively around the strange goblin cub in her arms.
Bang!
The attacking goblin's fist struck her, but its strength was weak. The blow barely caused pain.
Still...
"Pfft..."
A mouthful of blood spilled from her lips. Forcing her weakened body to move had only worsened her condition.
She didn't understand why she moved. Perhaps it was to repay a debt... or maybe, in this twisted hell, the child in her arms was her only comfort.
"Mother..."
Kaito's voice wavered with emotion. Warmth filled him as the elf woman held him close.
He hadn't felt this warmth in a long time. For this feeling, he'd endured so much. He'd killed countless people just to stay by his mother's side. Nothing else mattered—as long as his mother was there.
But...
Drip... Drip...
Something warm landed on his face. Kaito looked down.
Blood?
Whose blood?
He slowly raised his head and saw blood trickling from the corner of the elf woman's mouth. His heart froze.
"Mom... wait..."
Kaito's voice rasped with panic. He didn't notice the elf's horrified expression as she realized she was cradling a goblin. Instinctively, she pushed him away, her crimson eyes wide with confusion and disgust.
Kaito didn't understand that look. No one had ever taught him to read emotions. Since birth, his only purpose had been to obey orders and kill. The only feeling ingrained in him was loyalty to his "mother."
The goblin cubs began chittering angrily, demanding to know why Kaito was protecting the elf.
He didn't know why.
He didn't care.
One goblin cub stepped forward, opening its mouth to speak — but Kaito struck first.
In a flash, he lunged forward. The goblin cub barely had time to react before Kaito drove a stone into its skull.
Bang!
The goblin cub thrashed weakly on the ground. Kaito knew better than to stop now. His mother had taught him: If you strike, strike to kill.
He drove the stone down again — hard and fast. The body twitched once, then stilled.
Threats were threats. Nothing more.
Then the voice returned:
[Congratulations. You have killed a goblin cub. Due to your skill "Devour," you have gained 1 point of speed.]
Kaito wiped the blood from his face, his gaze cold and sharp.
Another goblin cub snarled and charged at him.
Too slow.
With his newly enhanced speed, Kaito moved in a blur. He circled behind the attacker and struck the back of its neck with brutal precision.
Bang!
The goblin collapsed, dead before it hit the ground.
[Congratulations. You have killed a goblin cub. Due to your skill "Devour," you have gained 1 point of strength.]
His power increased, yet Kaito felt no satisfaction. Only a deeper, gnawing hunger.
He didn't care.
All that mattered now was one thing —
Killing every last goblin that dared threaten his mother.
More goblin cubs screamed and charged. Chaos filled the nest.
The women who had given birth to these monsters cowered in the corners, watching their offspring slaughter one another. There was no pity in their eyes — only hatred. They wished every last one of these creatures dead.
Kaito's expression remained cold and calm. Fear? He didn't know what that was. That emotion had been stripped from him long ago.
All he knew was the stone in his hand... and how to use it.
Bang!
One by one, goblin cubs fell beneath his strikes. Each hit was swift, ruthless, and precise.
The voice of the world echoed in his mind, counting his kills and growing power.