Gun Chapter 35: Goblin Boss (Patreon)

By now, the sun had climbed to the center of the sky. It filtered through the branches and leaves of the low, moisture-loving plants around the muddy marsh, scattering mottled patches of light across the sticky ground and reflecting a faint green glow.

The sour, rotting smell in the air was still thick, mixed with the scorched odor left behind by the battle, enough to make anyone frown.

Wakasha took out the herb pouch Old Boss from the general store had given him, pinched out a bit of the powdered herbs, and rubbed it beneath his nose. The faint herbal fragrance immediately covered up the sharp stench, making him feel much better.

Leaning against the trunk of a thick moisture-loving tree, he slowly closed his eyes and focused, bringing up his system panel to carefully sort through everything he had gained that morning.

The EXP he had on hand had once again climbed to nearly 500.

So there was really nothing to think about—Wakasha dumped all of it straight into Spark at Fingertip.

[0(1)-ring Spell · Spark at Fingertip LV MAX (5) (0/500): Consumes a certain amount of mana to generate a spark at a chosen fingertip with a temperature of 1500° (1 + Intelligence × 0.3), lasting 25 seconds

Bound Effect: Ring Promotion]

[Skill · Spark at Fingertip has reached LV5, triggering bonus options—

1. Flame Without Light: Casting concealment +50%; the fire produced by the spell becomes a lightless flame

2. Trigger Casting (Ultra Rare): Designate an action, and when that action is triggered, the spell can be cast instantly; mana cost reduced by 50%

3. Embers (Epic): Killing enemies with this spell can strengthen the spell’s power and increase your mental power and mana based on the target’s life force and soul strength

—Please choose one of the three bonus options to permanently bind to this spell]

Wakasha glanced at Spark at Fingertip’s EXP bar. It had already hit the cap, though EXP could apparently still be poured into it. He had no idea what would happen if he filled it completely.

As for this upgrade choice, Wakasha didn’t need to hesitate either. Trigger Casting looked very tempting, but Spark at Fingertip was already an extremely fast and convenient cantrip. Even with that option, the room for improvement wasn’t all that great.

But Embers was absurdly good. It gave the skill a truly limitless future.

So the moment Wakasha saw its effect, he chose it without hesitation.

After making the choice, he checked his mental power and mana. Both had increased dramatically. A max-level skill had directly raised them by around 30%.

That was a pleasant surprise.

And more than that, Wakasha felt as though his Intelligence had once again reached some kind of threshold, as if another breakthrough might come very soon.

He could also sense that something within his soul was beginning to take shape, waiting only for the right moment to be born.

Wakasha knew then that he was already standing on the verge of becoming a true class-holder.

After that, he checked his bearings and set off briskly toward the outskirts of Chalk Forest.

When he reached the entrance to the forest, the same huge white boulder stood there, with the four bold characters “Chalk Forest” carved into it. Though worn by the years, the inscription was still clear, radiating an ancient and mysterious aura.

A few adventurers’ wagons were parked nearby, and several people in adventurer gear were gathered together talking, their expressions wary and serious, as if discussing the latest monster activity in the forest.

Wakasha didn’t go over to speak with them. He simply slowed his pace and listened from the side, trying to gather anything useful from their conversation. After all, goblins on the outskirts of Chalk Forest had become more active recently, and the more he understood the situation, the better he could avoid risk and complete his commission efficiently.

“Did you hear? Yesterday afternoon, a rookie adventurer ran into a goblin boss while hunting goblins on the forest outskirts. That thing was twice the size of a normal goblin and carried a huge saber. It was unbelievably strong. The rookie stood no chance and got one of his arms chopped off. Lucky bastard barely escaped with his life. He almost died in there.”

The speaker was a burly man in heavy plate armor with a massive battle axe slung across his back. A vicious scar ran across his face, and his eyes were fierce. His tone carried a trace of lingering fear, mixed with a little disdain—in his view, a rookie wandering in recklessly and running into trouble had only himself to blame. Still, the appearance of a goblin boss had clearly made even him cautious.

“A goblin boss?”

Another adventurer in light leather armor with a bow on his back frowned in surprise.

“I’ve been hunting on the outskirts of Chalk Forest for nearly half a year, and I’ve never seen a goblin boss before. Could it be that the goblin tribe has grown large enough lately for a boss-level monster to appear?”

“Hard to say.”

The burly man shook his head, his tone serious.

“I heard from some of the guild veterans that goblin bosses usually only show up near goblin nests, and they’re always surrounded by a dozen or more ordinary goblin guards. They’re several times stronger than normal goblins—not just physically stronger, but capable of simple tactical coordination too. They’re hard to deal with.”

“Then doesn’t that mean the forest is dangerous now?

We originally planned to hunt a few goblins today for some bounty money, but it sounds like we should forget it. If we run into a goblin boss, it won’t be worth it.”

A young adventurer with a babyish face had already gone pale, his voice full of panic. He was the same one who had heard about the mutated Windgrass on Sunward Slope yesterday and had changed his mind, planning to try his luck on the outskirts of Chalk Forest instead. He clearly hadn’t expected this place to be dangerous too.

“There’s no need to be that scared.”

The burly man waved a hand, his tone easing somewhat.

“Goblin bosses are dangerous, but there aren’t many of them, and they only operate near their nests. As long as we don’t go too deep into the forest and only hunt in the outermost area, and stay away from goblin nests, we should be fine.

Still, everyone needs to be careful. If you spot signs of a goblin nest, or run into an unusually large goblin, retreat immediately. Don’t try to act tough.”

“Exactly.”

The archer nodded and added,

“And goblin bosses give off a much stronger stench than ordinary goblins, and they make a distinctive kind of roar. If we keep our ears open and pay attention to the smell, we should be able to spot one in advance and avoid the risk.”

Their conversation went on, but Wakasha was already growing more cautious inside. A goblin boss was something he had never encountered before. From the way they described it, it sounded even more dangerous than a mutated slime, and it also had guards with it. If he ran into one by accident, the danger would be very real.

After hearing enough, Wakasha didn’t linger any longer. He took a deep breath, prepared himself, then slowed his pace and carefully stepped into Chalk Forest.

The moment he entered, the light dimmed sharply. Towering trees blotted out the sky, their branches and leaves interwoven overhead. Only scattered rays of sunlight slipped through the gaps, forming patches of light on the forest floor and illuminating the path ahead. The forest was quiet, filled only with the rustle of leaves in the wind and the occasional calls of birds and insects, making it feel all the more mysterious—and dangerous.