The monster was an entity that had been around since ancient times. It said that they come from another realm and try to invade the earth by opening a gate as a means of teleportation.
Monsters are categorized from weak F-rank to strong SS-rank. There is one that is categorized as SSS-rank that is mentioned in the legend that Soma had read about. But that was already defeated by the Martial Saint.
Their appearance was pretty rare, in fact, it was almost none. Because if one of them showed up with the current power balanced on earth, that has no strong figure like the Martial Saint in the present time. The Earth will be doomed, and SSS-rank is also a means for Heavenly Monster.
Monsters are creatures that live by following their instinct. There are some of them that have intelligence, usually this type of monster was found in higher Rank. It usually starts from categories C-rank above.
At present in front of Soma stood a 140 cm tall humanoid figure with a hunched back and green skin all over his body. Despite having a hunched back they had fit bodies for hunting and only wore a rag to cover their crotch.
Its face was hideous with an ugly appearance, a large nose that pointed forward, protruding teeth, a pair of small black dot eyes, and pointed ears. Loitering around while scratching his back head. Still didn't figure out Soma's presence.
"..Goblin".
Goblin was an F-rank monster or a low-level tier monster. That is considered a bottom feeder in the monster hierarchy.
However, the Goblin's strength did not lie in their individual strength. They also could become a major threat if they are grouped with each other or worse if they already created a small squadron.
Because of their lack of strength, they capacitated themselves by using their cunning and cruel nature and used that to endanger humanity. Also, their population is over the top in every corner of the world, they are the monsters that are easy to breed because of their fertile sperm, and their nature that always kidnaps any species of woman then begins to make them their slave for breeding. In summary, they are the enemy of women.
Soma halted his advance as he was still observing the Goblin before him. He estimated that their current distance was probably eight meters in between. But, Soma could clearly see the goblin-like he saw it under the sunlight. It was probably thanks to his eyes that had accustomed themselves to the darkness in this dark stone-paved cave.
He sensed that his heart began to throb as a feeling of fear slowly began to emerge and made his limbs shiver in cold. Soma clenched his fists to chase away the nervousness in his mind and began to take action.
Soma took a fighting stance that he gained from the teaching of his parents from both worlds. Since he was little his father used to teach him a basic Martial art skill before he passed away. But Soma still remembered those moves and if he got spared time he still practiced it even before he transmigrated to this novel world.
exhaling a few heavy breaths Soma lowered his stance as he began to dash with all his might.
The goblin still didn't realize the impending threat that would come to him, He just looked around before deciding to turn his back and stiffened his body because his line of sight was blocked by an approaching fist. It touched his nose and the sound of cracking bones could be heard before it dug deeper and blasted him away.
"Gak".
After rolling for dozens of times the goblin finally stopped and he raised his left hand to touch the throbbing pain that assaulted his face. A blue streak of liquid drenched his hands as his eyes began to turn bloodshot and sprung back to life before charging at Soma with a howl.
"Gyaaaaakk".
Soma, who sees the goblin's current state, ready his middle stance and crosses his arms in front, waiting for the goblin to enter his range.
The goblin swung its wooden bat straight at Soma trying to aim at his head but because of Soma's current state in full focus. He could see the trajectory easily and deflect it using his left hand before unleashing his strike using his right hand with a straight fist to the abdomen. His fist dug deeper until the goblin coughed a mouthful of blue blood in his mouth. The goblin staggered backward while holding its aching abdomen, before his legs turned soft and couldn't lift the heavy burden it was carrying, kneeling in agony.
Soma, who was the one who inflicted the fatal injury to the goblin, stood there calmly seeing the goblin suffering. While he could control his external expression, his insides are telling differently.
The throbbing in his heart intensified; He even doubted that it leaked to the outside world, his limbs were trembling albeit slightly, and cold in his fingertips.
[Mental Enhancement level 7 activated]
Those emotionless voices bring him back to the present, as he observes the goblin who already in his death began opening its mouth only to groan as if it wanted to say something.
Not wanting to hear the last word from the Goblin. He sighs, then put strength in his right leg and used his left foot as an axis before swinging his right leg in full motion. Then circling in place before he connected it with the goblin's left skull. The cracking sound echoed off the wall inside the dungeon, and the goblin head was smashed to a pulp before it blasted away to the side, lying limp on the uneven floor stone.
The goblin's body began to emit a faint glow before his body turned transparent and burst forth to a million shades of light and there lay a single small piece of marble in gray color, it was Mana core.
Mana core is a residual energy that is left behind after the death of the monster itself. It stored the remaining or maybe the full extent of the Mana the monster possesses in their heart. The drop rate for this thing was dependent on how high the person's luck was. Soma had quite a high-luck stats. So he benefited from the drop rate. Mana core was also used as a resource that has been used for Humanity since ancient times.
[You gained 2 Exp]
[Exp: 52/120]
"Hm?".
Soma tilted his head, as he saw the translucent window before him that showed a two-gained exp, not one. He remembered well that the goblin in the Chronicles Saga would only give the person who killed it one experience point. Because they are the weakest of other monsters in the Rank category. He clearly remembered it but how come the situation turned into this? All of a sudden as if the god had answered his question, another translucent window appeared before his eyes.
[Title Martial Saint inheritor: Let the user receive a double reward every time he/she gets experience points. To help the user grow fast]
"What? Double the reward".
Soma opened his eyes wide as he began to cover his mouth to dive into his thoughts. "But wait, If the title has such an effect then the curse that was to slow down my progress was meaningless then?". He muttered in his mind. The corner of his mouth lifted and he pumped his fist in the air and opened his mouth.
"Jackpot!".
Soma feels like flying. He feels elated because he doesn't have to worry about the curse that plagued him. He would think back on what he gained earlier. He gained a double reward for every experience point he got, if that is true, he couldn't stop the smirk that eventually came out because of how amazing the title effect was.
"Wait? What if the curse is gone? I will become stronger than anybody else faster".
He looked at the window before him that still wasn't dismissed as the fire in his heart began to ignite once again, but he knew that it was not the time for that. He clenched his fist before he began to focus on the matter at hand.
"Let's go find more prey".
Soma crouched down as he collected the mana stone in his hand before storing it inside the black ring he received earlier. then, resumed his search.
In front of him, there were three mouths of stone wall that stretched far inside, but Soma didn't hesitate. He followed his instinct that had a backup from his luck, choosing to go straight, as he walked on the straight way soon he found the same dome-shaped room but now bigger compared to the other room he ever entered. The room is also a little bit bright, with the added light that comes from the center room.
In the center of the room, there stood five small humanoid figures. That made a circle formation surrounding a fire, it seemed they were relaxing because Soma could also see five wooden bats scattered around them lowering their guard.
"..Okay this was my change, but first..".
[EP: 17]
"Raise Physique and Soul stats".
[Physique: 23 (+10)]
[Soul: 20 (+7)]
[EP: 0]
Soma felt a sudden gust of a raging fire inside his body it spread through all of his veins and started from his throbbing heart. Then it calmed down and his body felt as energized as he had ever been. He clenched both of his fists and lifted the corner of his mouth.
"I feel stronger".
Looking ahead where the five goblins still didn't realize his presence Soma began to launch another ambush with his new acquiring power. Exhaling all of the nervousness inside him, he began to accelerate, raising the dust cloud from his feet. A faint glow of red aura emerged from his skin as he accelerated, but Soma was still oblivious to the change.
Soma's vision began to distort and he appeared before the five goblins who still didn't realize his presence. He swung his fist forward before making contact with one of the goblins' back heads who was showing his back. It burst into a fountain of blue fluid dancing in the air creating a spectacle before it splattered to the fire extinguishing it.
The other two goblins turn their attention toward the fountain of blood. Only to have their body fly away and crash into the dungeon wall embedding themselves with smashed internal organs, dying in place. As for the other two, their head was gone from their body.
Soma stood alone with a raised fist surrounded by the bloody mist that sprayed on the ground and the wall, exhaling himself before straightening his posture.
"Did I become Overpower after raising some stats?".
He still didn't know that his body remembered how to gather a certain power in his limb, concentrating it to the max and creating an explosive strength that surpassed his current limit.
[Soul: 195/200]
[You gained 10 Exp]
[Exp: 62/120]