Only this Crown Kobold was different from the other Kobolds. Even after it felt that I was stronger than him, he didn't lose his fighting spirit.
From its sharp semi-circle eyes, I felt his hatred at me getting stronger if we kept attacking each others.
The Crown Kobold was careful character, however, once it was being pushed back, its personality would change.
We glared toward each others for awhile. I checked the Crown Kobold's skill possession by using [Appraisal].
Martial Arts: Increases attack power when fighting bare-fisted in very close quarters combat. Capable to use [Chun Jin] arts to destroy the opponent inside body. (TL Note:"寸勁" = Chun Jin (chinese) / Sun Kei (japanese). Chun Jin is One Inch Punch. Sunkei is a punch in the karate)
I see… This is its trump card. Even if I exceed its status, if I was hit by this [Chun Jin] at point-blank range, my bones and internal organs would surely be crushed.
Well, then I just need to careful with our distance. I set-up the Black Sword Greed and looked for an opportunity from the Crown Kobold.
[Fate, let's clean them up at once. With our current status, I can use the 1st rank secret skill]
[Secret skill!?]
[Yes, secret skill. Once you use it, there is no need to worry about being blocked, everything will be blown off.]
While keeping the Crown Kobold in-check, I listened to the necessary steps to unleash it.
[It's easy. Give 10% of your status to me]
To use this secret skill, I just need to sacrifice 10% of my status to Greed, huh…?
When I was unleashed out the first rank, most of all my status were robbed. And when using secret skill, it was being told that it also takes a part of my status. You are really a greedy weapon.
[Can you reduce it to 5%?]
[It's impossible. 10% is already the lowest line. If you want to raise the power, you need to sacrifice more]
[Stingy]
[It's because I am Greed after all, gahahaha]
I wondered how much this Black Sword Greed would take away the status from me. This fellow's greediness was a bottomless swamp.
Still, if possible, I would like to avoid approaching close battle against the Crown Kobold. In battle experience, its likely higher than mine, there was also possibility of my body being destroyed if I failed to evade the Chun Jin arts too..
However, if I released the Black Bow face-to-face while taking a distance, it is likely the shot would be taken down. For bow, the theory is to be used to attack from the cover so the opponent won't notice us.
To experiment it, I changed the shape of my Black Sword into a Black Bow, and then shot a magic arrow at the Crown Kobold.
Ah, as expected.
The Crown Kobold captured the neck of one of Kobold Juniors near it and used it as the shield from magic arrow. The Kobold Junior who became meat shield, blew white foam and stopped breathing.
[Glutton skill activated]
[Endurance strength +880, Physical strength +890, Magic +350, Spirit +400, Agility +780 has been added to status]
When I heard the inorganic voice, I decided to use the secret skill of 1st form.
[I understand, Greed!]
[Well said, Fate! I'll get your 10% status!]
From the left hand who gripped Black Bow, I felt my power being absorbed.
With it, there was a dramatic changed from Black Bow's shape.
It turned bigger, felt more ominous, and the appearance changed.
Absorbing my power, the Black Bow temporarily enhanced, I couldn't help but feel overpowered in this unknown situation.
This was not an ordinary weapon anymore, it's a super weapon. I felt an overwhelming presence from it.
[What was that dumbfounded face for? You should start now. The Crown won't stay idle forever]
[Ah, I know]
[How to unleash it as usual, pull it, and then release! Everything will be automatically corrected afterward]
This weapon was surely very strong. If there was no auto-correction, I doubt I could handle it at all.
As being pointed out by Greed, the Crown Kobold made its move. As soon as it saw the big transformation from the Black Bow, it went to attack me. It thrusted its thick arms forward while guarding.
Even if it lost an arm, I felt like it would be aiming to eat my throat with that sharp fang. Or, do you aim to use Chun Jin by kicking? Either way, it does not change that attack is dangerous for me.
Let's test if the Crown Kobold can endure the attack from the temporary super weapon Black Bow.
[Shoot it! Fate!]
At the same time as Greed said it, I shot the Black Bow arrow.
The recoil was horrible. I was pushed back greatly.
With a thunder-like boom, the released magic arrow turned into a black stream, engulfing the Crown Kobold. It then further swept away even the flustered Kobold Juniors in the back..
It truly looked like a huge black river had appeared in the valley..
All that was left was a deep scar left in the ground where the stream traversed. You could say that not even the 'K' in kobold was left behind. It was destroyed, not even leaving behind a single hair.
[Greed skill activated]
[Endurance strength +228160, Physical strength +228480, Magic +136200, Spirit +147800, Agility +149960 has been added to status]
[Grappling has been added to skill]
From the inorganic voice, I understood that the Kobolds and the Crown had been annihilated.
The Black Bow which had turned into a super weapon exhausted its power and slowly returned to its original shape. And, it became the usual Black Bow which I was accustomed to.
It ended… When I was feeling relieved, the souls that I had obtained a little while ago, an unexpected euphoria surged in. If the pleasantness exceeded, it seems to become suffering instead.
Guaaaaaaaaaa….. Why….
I scratched my throat and writhed in the ground in delight. No, it's more like rapture, it sprang in my body and went up.
[Glutton] skill, it goes mad in pleasure after having consumed the soul of Crown monster, in return I also got affected.
Greed's voice in my mind kept me from fainting.
[Fate, control yourself! If you're not able to do it, you will turn into a state like the starvation state. No, it'll become much worse than that. Bear with it and and endure!]
[Even if you say that, this is…]
I kept my consciousness while striking my head several times over the rock that was close to me, and managed to keep waiting until the Glutton's surge calmed down.
[It seems have calmed down]
[Yeah, that's really awful. Am I gonna become like this everytime I consume a Crown?]
I wiped off the drool from my mouth with a sleeve, and checked the scratches on my head.
Thanks to [Automatic Recovery] skill, it has been healed.
I'm glad that I have [Automatic Recovery] skill
[Well, that should be the reaction when you consume a good quality soul for the first time. You will get used to it, and from then on, when the surge from the Glutton skill appears, you will likely not be as reckless as earlier. Honestly, I do not know what will happen if you consume something like the Heavenly Dragon class]
[I did not know how I can eat such living natural disasters!]
[Hahaha, indeed]
I sat down and looked at the night sky. The moon which was being covered by the cloud, it slowly shone at the surrounding.
The Kobolds' advance had been completely stopped. However, I had no word to say to the valley which was being exposed by the moonlight.
[We overdid it! Such a beautiful valley…]
[Don't worry about it, it was overwhelming victory. There is no result better than this. Right, Fate?]
[How should I do… About this. When morning comes, it will surely become an uproar]
[That's shouldn't be a problem. After 1000 years pass, it's natural the geographical features will change too. You exaggerated about the fact that you made the green valley stark naked. I'm sure it will return likely within 100 years]
The inorganic Greed, this fellow doesn't seem to live in the same timeflow as me. However, in 100 years…
What should I do with this disastrous scene.
The trees fell radically, the natural and rich valley was in horrible state.
Well, the incoming crisis on the territory that Roxy governed has been repelled. However, this is… How should we repair it? I seriously don't have any idea about it.