The moment Denzel stepped out of the portal, he found himself in a desolate, ruined clearing. Crumbling stone pillars and broken carts littered the landscape, hinting at a place long abandoned. The scent of smoke and rot hung faintly in the air.
Standing around the ruins were a dozen goblins and hobgoblins, snarling and bickering among themselves. Looming behind them was a much larger figure — the Goblin King, a grotesque creature in battered armor, wielding a club the size of a small tree.
Denzel cracked his knuckles and grinned.
[Ping!]
[Quest: Goblin King Subjugation - Ongoing]
[Rewards: 10,000 EXP, 10 Gold, Goblin King's Treasure Chest]
He took a deep breath, his aura flaring faintly red.
"Alright, folks," Denzel said, stepping forward casually, "party's over."
The goblins turned at once, screeching in alarm. Some raised crude weapons, others backed away fearfully.
Denzel drew his dagger.
"Come on. Let's dance."
The first goblin lunged. With a single clean strike, Denzel decapitated it.
[Ping!]
[You have killed a Goblin! +100 EXP]
Without missing a beat, he spun and drove his boot into another goblin's chest, sending it crashing into a broken pillar.
More rushed him — three at once.
Denzel grinned wider. "Now that's more like it."
He unleashed a quick flurry of strikes, cutting them down before they could even react.
[Ping!]
[You have killed three Goblins! +100 EXP each]
The hobgoblins hesitated, smarter than their smaller cousins.
One bellowed a war cry and charged.
Denzel sidestepped neatly, slicing through its leg tendons, then finished it off with a precise stab.
Another hobgoblin tried to flank him, swinging a rusted axe.
Denzel ducked low, sweeping its legs out from under it before driving his blade through its throat.
[Ping!]
[You have killed two Hobgoblins! +500 EXP each]
Arrows suddenly whizzed through the air. A hobgoblin archer had climbed onto a ruined cart and was taking shots.
"Tsk. Annoying," Denzel muttered, dashing forward at inhuman speed.
He leapt up, kicked the archer square off the cart, and drove his sword down into its chest before it could even scream.
[Ping!]
[Critical Hit! +700 EXP]
At the far end of the ruins, a goblin shaman began chanting, dark magic swirling at its fingertips.
"Oh no you don't," Denzel said, grabbing a dagger from his belt and throwing it with pinpoint accuracy.
The dagger lodged itself straight into the shaman's forehead, dropping it instantly.
[Ping!]
[First Kill Bonus! +1,000 EXP]
The ruins fell silent — only the Goblin King remained.
The towering monster growled low in its throat, stepping forward heavily.
"You dare interfere?" it rasped in a surprisingly deep, guttural voice.
Denzel tilted his head. "Huh. Talking goblin. Not bad."
The King roared and charged, swinging its massive club.
Denzel narrowly dodged the devastating blow, feeling the wind rush past him.
"Okay, you're a bit serious. Fine. I'll get serious too."
He activated [Aura Slash], his sword igniting with red energy.
Denzel met the King's wild attacks with precision and speed, each clash sending shockwaves through the clearing. The King's strikes were heavy, but sluggish — Denzel's superior agility let him chip away at its defenses.
A heavy swing grazed Denzel's shoulder, sending a sharp jolt of pain through him.
His health bar dropped slightly.
"Ow," Denzel muttered, annoyed. "You're gonna regret that."
Pouring more aura into his blade, he unleashed a rapid series of slashes, finally breaking through the Goblin King's guard. In a final, decisive motion, he leapt into the air and drove his blade downward, cutting deep into the King's chest.
The monster staggered, gasped, and crashed to the ground.
[Ping!]
[You have killed the Goblin King! +10,000 EXP]
[Level Up! +5 Levels]
Denzel stood over the fallen body, breathing heavily, adrenaline still pumping through him.
A loud [Ping!] echoed again.
[You have obtained the Goblin King's Treasure Chest!]
A large, ornate chest materialized nearby. Denzel approached it, curious.
Inside, gleaming among gold coins and relics, was a strange mask.
[Ping!]
[Item: PsychoMask]
[Description: A mask that contains the soul of the ???. Unknown effects. Requires Appraisal Skill to fully identify.]
Denzel picked up the mask, turning it over in his hands.
"Looks suspiciously evil," he muttered. "I love it."
Activating his [Appraisal] skill, he tried to analyze it.
[Ping!]
[Appraisal Failed.]
[Ping!]
[Unknown Interference Detected.]
[Warning: High-risk cursed item. Proceed with caution.]
Denzel grinned.
"High-risk, high-reward, baby."
He tossed the mask into his inventory and stretched lazily.
Time to head back — but somehow, he had a feeling his problems were just beginning.
Behind him, unseen, a faint whisper echoed across the ruins.
A promise of future trouble.
End of Chapter 2
[Status Window: Player No.9,999,999]
Name: Denzel
Race: Human (??? — Possibly Mutated)
Class: None
Title(s):
[Newcomer]
[Goblin Slayer]
[Mask Bearer]
Level: 6
EXP: 500 / 12,000
HP: 920 / 920
MP: 250 / 250
Stamina: 480 / 480
Strength: 22
Agility: 30
Vitality: 20
Intelligence: 15
Luck: 1 (???)
Charm: 5
Skills:
Basic Swordsmanship (Lv. 4)
Aura Slash (Lv. 2)
Throwing Weapons Mastery (Lv. 1)
Appraisal (Lv. 1 - Very Unreliable)
Enhanced Reflexes (Passive)
Unique Traits:
Psycho Mode (EX-Rank, Sealed)
(Warning: Ability currently unstable and extremely dangerous.)
Psycho Mask Resonance(Passive - Incomplete)
Inventory:
[Rusty Iron Sword] (Durability: Low)
[Cursed Goblin King's Mask] (??? Unknown Effects)
[Minor Healing Potion] ×3
[Traveler's Cloak] (Torn)
[Random Junk Items] ×5
Status Effects:
None (for now)
(Warning: Cursed Mask may trigger at any time.)
"You are alive. That's good enough for now. Try not to die stupidly."
[System Advice: Highly recommend upgrading equipment soon. Current gear is pathetic.]