5

Chapter 5: The Level 4 Goblin

The roar shook the corridor.

Dust fell from the ceiling as the enormous goblin stepped fully into the blue glow of the dungeon crystals.

It was easily twice the size of the goblins they had fought on the first floor. Its muscles were thick, its skin was darker, and a crude metal helmet covered part of its head. A massive stone axe rested in both hands.

A faint system notification appeared before Subin.

[Level 4 Goblin Warrior]

[Strength: High]

[Defense: Moderate]

[Speed: Moderate]

Subin's eyes narrowed.

This was the strongest creature he had encountered so far.

Arjun stepped beside him.

"That thing is mine."

Subin glanced at him.

"You sure?"

Arjun grinned.

"I've got enhanced strength. Let me see what it can do."

He stepped forward.

The Goblin Warrior immediately charged.

Its enormous axe swung downward.

Arjun raised his bat.

BOOM!

The weapons collided.

Arjun's feet slid backward several meters.

His expression changed.

"Strong."

The goblin swung again.

Arjun barely avoided the attack.

The axe struck the stone floor and shattered part of it.

The fire mage immediately launched a fireball.

The attack struck the goblin's shoulder.

Flames spread across its body.

The creature roared and turned toward the mage.

"Keep attacking!" Arjun shouted.

The party moved together.

The tank created a barrier.

The healer stayed behind.

The fire mage launched another attack.

Arjun continued engaging the goblin from the front.

Subin watched.

He didn't immediately interfere.

Instead, he observed.

The Goblin Warrior was strong.

But it wasn't particularly skilled.

Its attacks were powerful but predictable.

Every time it swung the axe, its right foot moved forward.

Every downward strike exposed its left side.

When it became angry, it stopped protecting its legs.

Subin's eyes gradually became sharper.

He could see the openings.

Not just one.

Several.

His Sword Comprehension seemed to be helping him understand the creature's movement in relation to his weapon.

The sword in his hand suddenly felt lighter.

Subin took a step forward.

The goblin swung at Arjun.

Arjun blocked.

Subin moved.

One step.

Two.

The goblin's back was exposed.

Subin's sword flashed.

Slash!

The blade cut across the creature's thigh.

Blood sprayed.

The Goblin Warrior staggered.

Arjun stared.

"Nice!"

Subin didn't answer.

He was already moving again.

The creature turned toward him.

Its eyes filled with rage.

It raised its axe.

Subin waited.

The weapon came down.

He stepped sideways.

The axe struck the ground.

Subin moved into the opening.

His sword struck the goblin's wrist.

The creature released the weapon.

Arjun immediately charged.

His bat smashed into the goblin's chest.

The creature flew backward and crashed into the wall.

The fire mage attacked again.

Flames engulfed the goblin.

It struggled to stand.

Subin walked toward it.

The Goblin Warrior grabbed a piece of stone and threw it.

Subin tilted his head.

The stone passed beside him.

He continued forward.

The goblin roared and charged bare-handed.

Subin didn't retreat.

He stepped forward too.

The distance between them disappeared.

His sword moved.

A single clean slash.

The Goblin Warrior froze.

A thin line appeared across its throat.

The creature fell.

Silence returned to the corridor.

[Level 4 Goblin Warrior defeated.]

[Experience acquired.]

[Level increased.]

[You have reached Level 4.]

Subin looked at the notification.

He had gained another level.

The other party members stared at him.

Arjun was the first to speak.

"That was..."

He laughed.

"I don't even know what to call that."

Subin looked at his sword.

"I found an opening."

"You found an opening and killed it in one strike."

Subin shrugged.

"It was already injured."

Arjun shook his head.

"Still."

The tank walked toward the dead monster.

"It dropped something."

A small crystal lay beside the corpse.

But there was something else.

A metallic object.

The tank picked it up.

It was a ring.

The moment he touched it, a notification appeared.

[Goblin Warrior Ring]

[Grade: Common]

[Effect: Strength +2]

Everyone became silent.

Subin looked at the ring.

So dungeons didn't only contain mana stones.

They could contain equipment.

That changed everything.

A world where monsters could drop equipment would create an entirely new form of power.

Weapons.

Armor.

Accessories.

Materials.

Potions.

Mana stones.

Every dungeon could potentially contain enormous wealth.

Arjun immediately looked toward Subin.

"Who gets it?"

The party members looked at one another.

Subin didn't hesitate.

"Give it to whoever benefits most."

The tank raised an eyebrow.

"You don't want it?"

"No."

"Why?"

"My strength isn't the problem."

Subin looked at his sword.

"I need a better sword."

The others laughed.

"You really like swords, don't you?"

"Yes."

They continued through the second floor.

The monsters became stronger.

Level 3 goblins appeared in larger groups, sometimes accompanied by Level 4 Goblin Warriors.

The party gradually developed a rhythm.

Arjun fought at the front.

The tank protected the group.

The fire mage attacked from a distance.

The healer supported everyone.

Subin moved wherever he was needed.

He didn't try to take every kill.

He focused on learning.

Every battle taught him something.

Every movement became clearer.

Every attack became more efficient.

His swordsmanship proficiency continued rising.

[Basic Swordsmanship: 54% → 61%.]

Then:

[61% → 67%.]

By the time they reached the third floor, Subin's swordsmanship had improved enormously.

He no longer needed to consciously think about basic movements.

His body simply responded.

If an enemy attacked from the left, he moved.

If an opening appeared, he struck.

If two enemies attacked simultaneously, his feet adjusted before his mind finished processing the situation.

His comprehension was becoming frightening.

But Subin didn't notice how unusual it was.

To him, it simply felt natural.

The third floor was different.

There were fewer goblins.

Instead, the group discovered several rooms filled with treasure.

Old weapons.

Pieces of armor.

Crates containing strange herbs.

Small bottles filled with red liquid.

The healer picked one up.

A notification appeared.

[Minor Health Potion]

[Restores a small amount of health.]

The party became excited.

They had found another resource.

Subin looked at the bottles carefully.

The potion was bright red.

But its color wasn't completely uniform.

There were tiny particles suspended inside.

He examined it.

"Don't drink that yet."

The healer looked at him.

"Why?"

"The mana distribution is uneven."

Everyone stared at him.

Subin pointed toward the bottle.

"There are two different concentrations."

The mage looked confused.

"How can you tell?"

Subin didn't know.

He simply could.

"It's visible."

The mage took the bottle and examined it.

"I don't see anything."

Subin frowned.

He took another look.

The difference was obvious to him.

It was like looking at two shades of the same color.

"The potion isn't properly mixed."

The healer looked uncertain.

"What happens if I drink it?"

"I don't know."

Subin thought for a moment.

"Let's not risk it."

They stored the potions.

They continued exploring.

Eventually, they reached the final chamber.

A massive stone door stood before them.

Above it were the same strange symbols they had seen throughout the dungeon.

The system translated them.

[Dungeon Guardian Chamber.]

Arjun took a deep breath.

"That's probably the boss."

Subin nodded.

He could feel something on the other side.

Not fear.

Pressure.

A dense presence.

The party prepared themselves.

The tank activated his shield ability.

The mage gathered flames.

The healer prepared healing magic.

Arjun tightened his grip on his bat.

Subin drew his sword.

The stone door opened.

Inside was a massive underground chamber.

A throne stood at the far end.

A goblin sat upon it.

Unlike the other goblins, this one wore armor.

Its body was covered in metal plates.

A large sword rested beside its throne.

Its eyes opened.

[Dungeon Guardian detected.]

[Goblin Captain]

[Level: 5]

Subin stared.

Level 5.

The strongest monster they had encountered.

The Goblin Captain slowly stood.

It reached for its sword.

Then something unexpected happened.

The creature looked directly at Subin.

Its eyes narrowed.

Subin felt the atmosphere change.

The Goblin Captain didn't roar.

It didn't charge.

It simply drew its sword.

The blade scraped against the stone floor.

Subin's eyes became focused.

That weapon was different from the crude axes and blades they had seen earlier.

It was an actual sword.

Old.

Damaged.

But still sharp.

Subin's fingers tightened around his own weapon.

For the first time since awakening, he felt a strange anticipation.

He wanted that sword.

Not because it was valuable.

Not because it might be stronger than his current weapon.

He wanted to understand it.

The Goblin Captain suddenly moved.

It crossed the chamber in an instant.

Its sword swung toward Subin's neck.

Subin raised his blade.

CLANG!

The collision sent sparks across the chamber.

Subin's feet slid backward.

His eyes widened slightly.

The Goblin Captain was fast.

Much faster than the Level 4 Warrior.

It attacked again.

Subin blocked.

Another strike.

He parried.

Another.

He dodged.

The Goblin Captain's swordsmanship was completely different from the monsters they had fought before.

It wasn't simply attacking.

It was using techniques.

Footwork.

Feints.

Timing.

Subin's eyes became brighter.

His mind began analyzing every movement.

The angle of the blade.

The position of the feet.

The rotation of the waist.

The timing between attacks.

The rhythm.

Everything.

A notification appeared.

[Sword Comprehension has detected an unfamiliar sword technique.]

Subin's expression changed.

[Analyzing...]

The Goblin Captain attacked again.

Subin blocked.

[Analysis: 13%]

Another strike.

[Analysis: 21%]

Subin stepped back.

Another strike.

[Analysis: 34%]

His breathing slowed.

He was beginning to understand.

The Goblin Captain wasn't simply an enemy anymore.

It was a teacher.

Every sword strike revealed another piece of information.

Subin smiled.

The Goblin Captain attacked again.

This time, Subin didn't block.

He moved.

His body slipped past the blade.

His sword rose.

Slash!

Blood appeared across the goblin's armor.

The creature staggered.

Subin looked at his sword.

Then at the Goblin Captain.

His smile widened slightly.

"I understand."

The Goblin Captain roared.

Subin raised his sword.

The battle had only just begun.