Eren stood before the massive boss gate at the heart of The Weakest Goblin's Paradise. The structure loomed over him, towering nearly thirty feet high, its surface a mix of jagged stone and pulsating green veins that seemed alive. Ancient runes, glowing faintly, spiraled across the frame in chaotic patterns, radiating an ominous energy. The gate was split down the middle, sealed tightly, with two grotesque goblin faces carved into its surface. Their mouths were twisted into snarls, and their emerald eyes glowed faintly in the dim light of the dungeon.
The air was thick with a foreboding energy, making every breath feel heavier. Eren tightened his grip on the hilt of his knife, the weight of exhaustion from earlier battles settling into his bones.
"This is it," he muttered. "The boss fight."
The System's interface appeared in front of him.
[Caution: Boss-Level Entity Detected. Prepare Accordingly.]
Eren exhaled slowly, rolling his shoulders. "No turning back now."
He placed his hand against the cold, pulsating surface of the gate. With a rumbling groan, the stone faces twisted, their eyes glowing brighter as the gate split open, revealing a swirling vortex of darkness beyond. A wave of frigid air rushed out, carrying with it the stench of rot and blood.
---
[Entering the Gate]
The moment Eren stepped through, the atmosphere changed drastically. The ground beneath his feet felt heavier, as though gravity itself had intensified. He stumbled slightly, his legs straining under the oppressive weight.
"What… is this?" he gasped, beads of sweat forming on his brow.
The air was thick and suffocating, carrying a pressure that made his chest tighten. His instincts screamed at him to kneel, to submit to the overwhelming aura that filled the room.
[Alert: Environmental Debuff Detected. Presence Suppression Activated.]
The System's voice chimed in, sharp and almost amused.
[Such a weak-willed host. Stand up and prove you're worthy.]
Gritting his teeth, Eren forced himself to stay upright. Each step was a struggle, his legs trembling as if they were burdened with lead weights. But he refused to falter.
As he pressed on, a warm sensation filled his chest, cutting through the suffocating pressure.
[Congratulations! Unlocked Passive Skill: Indomitable Spirit.]
Effect: Grants immunity to presence-based suppression from entities Level 20 or lower.
The aura lightened slightly, enough for Eren to catch his breath.
---
[The Goblin Chief Appears]
At the far end of the chamber, a massive figure sat upon a throne of bones. The Goblin Chief.
The creature was nearly twice the size of the goblins Eren had fought before, standing at eight feet tall with bulging, muscular limbs. Its green skin was marred with scars, and its yellow eyes gleamed with malice. In one hand, it held a crude, oversized axe, the blade chipped but radiating a dark energy. Around its neck hung a necklace made of human teeth, and its guttural growl echoed through the chamber.
When the Goblin Chief saw Eren standing upright, a snarl escaped its lips.
"Hu-man… not kneel?" it bellowed, its voice deep and guttural. "Hu-man… DIE!"
With a roar, the Chief leapt from its throne, the ground trembling as it landed.
---
[The Battle Begins]
The Goblin Chief charged, its axe raised high. Eren barely managed to sidestep as the weapon came crashing down, sending shards of stone flying.
[HP: 230 → 195]
The shockwave from the impact knocked Eren off balance, but he quickly recovered, slashing at the Chief's leg with his knife. The blade barely pierced its tough hide, drawing only a thin line of blood.
"Damn it," Eren muttered, backing away.
The Chief snarled, swinging its axe in a wide arc. Eren ducked just in time, the blade whistling past his head and embedding itself in the wall. Seizing the opportunity, Eren lunged forward, driving his knife into the Chief's exposed side.
[HP: 195 → 170]
The Chief howled in pain, ripping the axe free and slamming the handle into Eren's chest. The force sent him flying backward, skidding across the ground.
[HP: 170 → 125]
Eren gasped for air, his ribs aching. He struggled to his feet, sweat dripping from his face.
The Goblin Chief roared again, rushing toward Eren with terrifying speed. This time, Eren was ready. He sidestepped the charge, slashing at the Chief's arm as it passed.
[HP: 125 → 110]
The System's voice rang out, calm but insistent.
[Host, you're losing too much health. Be more efficient.]
"I'm trying!" Eren snapped, dodging another swing of the axe.
The battle raged on, with Eren chipping away at the Chief's health while taking heavy blows in return.
[HP: 110 → 75 → 50]
Eren's vision blurred, his body screaming in protest. But as the Chief raised its axe for a final blow, Eren found an opening. Summoning every ounce of strength, he lunged forward, plunging his knife into the Chief's throat.
The Goblin Chief's eyes widened in shock as it gurgled, blood pouring from the wound. It collapsed to the ground with a heavy thud, its massive body twitching. Eren still continuing his stabbing several time before stopping.
Eren staggered back, gasping for air as the System's interface appeared.
[Defeated F+ Rank Goblin Chief. EXP +80.]
"Devour," Eren said hoarsely.
[Do you want to use Devour for EXP or Stats?]
"Stats."
[Gained +5 Strength, +6 Endurance, +1 Intelligence.]
[Updated Stats: Strength: 31 | Agility: 25 | Endurance: 29 | Intelligence: 21 | Mana: 105.]
The System's tone shifted, its usual mocking edge replaced with rare approval.
[Not bad, host. You're finally starting to act like a true Devourer.]
Eren allowed himself a small smile, wiping the sweat from his brow. He retrieved the Goblin Chief's mana core, marveling at its faint, pulsating glow.
---
As Eren exited the dungeon through the Return Rift, he briefly wondered how much the core would fetch at the Association. "An F-Rank boss core… must be worth a fortune," he thought aloud.
[Do you want to devour it?]
Eren froze, staring at the glowing interface in disbelief. "Devour it? Humans can't consume mana cores. The impurities alone would kill us."
The System's voice cut through his thoughts.
[Humans can't. But you're no ordinary human. With me, you can devour anything.]
Eren hesitated but decided against it for now, tucking the core safely into his pouch.
---
The Association was bustling with activity as Eren returned, exhausted but victorious. At the counter, he presented the Goblin Chief's mana core to the clerk, who stared at it in awe.
"This… this is worth 700 dollars!" the clerk exclaimed.
Eren's eyes widened. "Seven hundred? For just one core?"
The clerk nodded. "Boss cores always fetch a high price, even at F-Rank."
Eren sold the core and immediately headed to the supply shop.
---
Eren browsed the shelves, his eyes scanning rows of health potions and weapons. The potions were reasonably priced, but the weapons were another story.
His gaze landed on a sleek crimson blade displayed in a glass case. A small plaque read: "The Crimson Claw – $1.5 Billion."
"Who the hell can afford that?" Eren muttered.
In the end, he settled for a basic steel sword priced at 200 dollars. "Cheap, but it'll have to do," he thought grimly.
---
Eren returned to his apartment.
Collapsing onto his bed. His body ached, but a small sense of satisfaction lingered. He pulled up the Dungeon Explorer App, registering for another F-Rank dungeon before drifting off to sleep.
---