nucmednet Chapter 32 The Kobold Leader
Chapter 32 The Kobold Leader
As the sun slowly set, my relentless hunt continued. Guns and daggers seemed to have become an extension of my body. With each battle, I became more skilled and efficient, slaying more kobolds with deadly precision.
Gunshots and the dying howls of monsters echoed through the forest. My skill [ Keen Eyes] allowed me to clearly perceive their movements and weaknesses, giving me the upper hand in every battle. Although the guns themselves were insufficient to penetrate the monsters' defenses, imbued with magic, each bullet ignored their defenses.
'Bang! Bang! Bang!'
More kobolds fell one after another before me, their corpses piling up like a mountain. At some point, I could no longer see any kobolds, which meant only one thing.
"The first phase is about to end."
Most dungeons don't have clearly defined stages or levels, just like in games. However, "stages" usually refer to areas within the dungeon where monsters are of similar strength.
For example, the area where I hunted kobolds is called "Phase One" or "Area One," while "Phase Two" is where more powerful monsters reside.
This roughly defines the stage. At this moment, there are no kobolds around, indicating that the dungeon is about to enter the breeding stage, beginning to regenerate more kobolds.
In the game, the reason for this phenomenon was not explained in detail until later in the game, but for now, these reasons are not important.
In any case, each stage or area usually has a "boss-level" monster. And the kobolds are no exception.
"Kobold leader."
This is a peak Tier 2 monster, and the strongest being in this forest.
"In a one-on-one fight, dealing with this monster shouldn't be too difficult. The problem lies in their numbers."
No matter how foolish the monsters are, when danger arises, they have only one reaction: "Gather," using sheer numbers to defend themselves.
This is the way of survival for the weak, and every living thing in nature understands this.
As night fell, the forest grew dark. I had been fighting the kobolds for quite some time and was feeling physically exhausted. Considering my low physical condition, even using kite tactics to shoot down the kobolds was extremely physically demanding.
"We need to set up a camp."
As the moon hung in the night sky, I climbed down from the tree and found a suitable spot to set up camp. I gathered some dry branches and lit a small campfire. The fire not only provided warmth but also served as a light source to ward off monsters.
I took my tent out of my spatial bracelet and quickly set it up next to the campfire. At the same time, I lit the spices that could eliminate the smell of meat and smoke.
Afterwards, I ate some of the dry rations I had brought with me. Unfortunately, although this was a forest, there were no edible monsters yet.
Kobold flesh tastes extremely bad and offers no health benefits, so it is considered a "blacklist" food by hunters.
Inside the tent, I spread out a blanket, trying to make myself as comfortable as possible. My body ached from the long battle, and I knew I needed a good rest if I wanted to defeat the kobold leader.
After entering the tent, I drank a bottle of enhancement and recovery potion. This potion is different from stamina potions; it acts as a supplement, allowing natural recovery to proceed faster without much external interference.
In contrast, enhancement and recovery potions are more suitable for long-term use because they have fewer side effects.
I closed my eyes and began to focus on controlling the magic within my body to accelerate the recovery process. Slowly, the fatigue began to subside, magic flowed through my body, relieving muscle soreness and restoring some of my energy.
I haven't forgotten to maintain my gun. After all, a gun is a mechanical device, and if it malfunctions at a crucial moment, it's like a sword that hasn't been sharpened for a long time—completely unusable.
......
As time went by, I felt my strength gradually returning.
I know that midnight is the best time to attack the kobold leader's camp. At this time, the monsters will be at their weakest, and I can launch a surprise attack. In addition, both of my traits are very suitable for nighttime operations.
[Moon] is related to the moon, while [Shadow] is related to shadows.
I slept for a while, so I feel much more awake now.
As midnight approached, I stepped out of my tent, feeling refreshed and ready for the next challenge. The campfire was still blazing, providing ample light for my journey through the forest.
I quietly approached the kobold camp, my [Keen Eyes] skill still active, helping me detect any movement in the darkness.
The forest was eerily silent, and the monster seemed to sense the impending danger.
Before setting up camp, I had scouted the entire area and discovered the exact location of the kobold leader and their camp.
They established a fairly nice camp deep in the forest, and even built some primitive huts.
Most importantly, they have shown signs of some kind of civilization, and there are even patrols.
Therefore, the best approach is to use nighttime tactics, surprise attacks, or continuous poisoning to deal with them.
Unfortunately, I didn't bring any poison. I didn't know I would encounter such a monster, so I wasn't prepared. But I've made a mental note to carry some with me from now on.
"I can't use a gun. It will alert them," I thought, and decided to use a bow and arrow instead.
The advantage of the bow and arrow lies in its silence, and if used properly, it can also be more lethal. The only drawback is its rate of fire... which currently needs further improvement.
Activating the skill [Keen Eyes], I began to detect monsters and mark their locations.
They are not numerous.
"Twenty kobolds and one kobold leader."
Two of them were guarding the leader's hut, ten were cultivating rubber, and the remaining eight were patrolling.
I remember that kobolds would gelatinize on the night of a full moon, and the scene before me confirms that. It seems like I'm having a lucky day.
I took out a compound bow from my spatial bracelet, carefully nocked an arrow, and drew the bowstring taut.
I've been practicing with this bow at the academy for the past week, and my posture has become increasingly fluid and skillful. My body is truly gifted when it comes to archery.
I took a deep breath and infused the arrow with magic, giving it a powerful enchantment. The arrowhead emitted a faint green glow, indicating that the magic had been enhanced. I had no idea what that color meant.
I aimed at a lone kobold patrolling the outskirts of the camp, and released the bowstring when I was sure I could hit him.
'whoosh'
The arrow pierced the air silently and struck the kobold's neck with pinpoint accuracy.
'goo'
It let out a low whimper, but it was barely audible in the still night. The enchantment on the arrow pierced its skin easily, killing the kobold swiftly.
With the kobold fallen, the forest returned to silence. Only the gentle rustling of leaves and the distant hooting of an owl broke the stillness of the night. My Keen Eye skill continued to guide me, helping me pinpoint my next target.
Another patrolling kobold. This time, there are two patrolling together.
However, that doesn't matter. I nocked an arrow again and prepared.
'whoosh'
The arrow struck the first patrolling kobold precisely in the throat. It let out a weak whimper and collapsed dead. The other kobold turned to look at its fallen companion, its eyes filled with confusion.
"Uh"
Before it could react or warn its companion, I swiftly fired another arrow, striking the second kobold in the throat. It fell to the ground, clutching its neck, but it was too late. The enchantment on the arrow took effect, its magic shimmering in the moonlight.
Having dealt with the immediate threat, I took a moment to scout the area again, making sure no other kobolds had been alerted. Once I was certain the area was safe, I continued my infiltration, using the darkness as cover.
First, I dealt with the remaining kobolds around the camp. It wasn't difficult; I killed them all with just a few arrows. I also remembered to retrieve the arrows.
Next, I stealthily moved from one tree to another, slowly approaching the camp. My Keen Eye skill helped me pinpoint the kobolds' location. I gradually closed the distance, making sure I didn't make any noise that would reveal my position.
Upon reaching the outskirts of the settlement, I crouched down to observe the kobolds' activities. They were engrossed in their gelatinous activities, showing no signs of alertness. This was a perfect opportunity.
After all, I could hear the disgusting groans coming from these monsters, which made me want to vomit.
Normally, when dealing with such a situation, people would take care of the smaller monsters first, and then fight the remaining boss one-on-one. But this is impossible now, because the monsters are too close together, and if one is alerted, the others will be alerted as well.
Therefore, the only strategy that needs to be adopted now is...
First, kill the kobold leader.
And I did indeed find the perfect opportunity. As I moved around, I scanned the entire area, searching for a suitable position to attack. It didn't take long for me to find a tall tree with dense foliage, from which I could clearly see the leader's residence.
I climbed the tree with great stealth and sat firmly on a thick branch. From this concealed position, I could clearly see the kobold leader, who was sitting on a makeshift throne, surrounded by other kobolds.
"A keen eye"
I activated my skill again to observe the monster's weak points. Its heart was located on the right side of its chest, but another area was marked.
"That must be its core." Monster cores do exist in this world, but in most cases, they are only found on rare monsters or boss monsters.
"The core cannot be destroyed. It can fetch a good price."
In addition to these, it has several other physical weaknesses.
My heart slowed down, I nocked an arrow, and prepared to shoot.
For a wanderer, the most important thing is to remain calm in any situation.
I took a deep breath, channeled my magic into the arrow, and added an extra enchantment to maximize its attack power. Over the past week, I've been working on improving my magic usage skills, and I'm much more proficient now.
The arrow emitted a bright green light, and I could feel my own magic flowing into it. This is one of the reasons why bows and arrows are used more frequently—to infuse more magic into the arrows.
However, I still don't understand why the color of my magic keeps changing. I don't understand the reason, so I've decided to investigate it later.
Time seemed to slow down. I steadied my breathing, aimed, and waited for the perfect moment. The kobolds continued their revelry, oblivious to the impending danger. This was my chance.
'whoosh'
As the kobold leader threw his head back and laughed, letting out a hoarse laugh, I seized the opportunity and shot the arrow without hesitation, watching it fly towards its target with deadly accuracy...
This battle began...