The bright blue magic missile shattered the chest of the first Goblin-like creature almost instantly as it stood in front of him.
Then its momentum slightly weakened but still struck the second Goblin-like companion behind it.
The second skinny Goblin-like creature was blasted several meters away by the magic missile, like a cannonball.
Amidst screams and explosions, chunks of flesh and blood splattered everywhere.
"Goblin-like creature kills: 2"
"Total monster kills: 52"
"First kill of Goblin-like creature achieved, unlocked title [Goblin Hunter]. This title will upgrade as the number of kills for this species increases!"
With this kill, text flickered again in front of Gauss’s eyes.
At the same time, the Monster Encyclopedia in his Adventurer’s Manual completed the record entry for the Goblin-like creatures.
"Monster Encyclopedia species count reached 5: Goblin, Slime, Common Skeleton, Water Ghost, Goblin-like creature."
"Random racial talent ability being drawn, adjusting and adapting to physiology."
"Random ability drawn from monster Goblin race: [Instant Dissolve Stomach]."
"Improving into racial talent ability: [Rapid Digestion]."
Rapid Digestion (Initial Level): You can slightly accelerate stamina and mana recovery through eating.
"Notice: [Rapid Digestion] can also be enhanced by the number of Goblin hosts you have killed."
"Next racial talent ability draw will occur when Monster Encyclopedia species count reaches 20."
Gauss stared at the flashing text before him.
He wondered—was the ability drawn really from Goblins?
He quickly thought it over.
Could killing Goblins actually enhance the effect of [Rapid Digestion]?
Suddenly, he found himself somewhat longing for Goblins.
Especially since the talent he just received suited him very well. His heart beat faster in his chest.
First, whether practicing weapons or spells, he always consumed corresponding stamina and mana, and after consumption, he had to silently wait for recovery.
This was one of the obstacles to skill proficiency improvement.
Now, rapid digestion could speed up this recovery process. Obviously, this was a great advantage for his path as a profession.
Although it was a small increase, it was also noted that this ability could grow stronger with more Goblin kills, meaning its effect would only improve over time.
Moreover, Gauss considered a potential future route.
He tentatively set the core skill [Mage Armor] as having growth potential, and the racial talent [Rapid Digestion] obtained from Goblins also possessed “growth.”
In the future, stacking levels of core skills and racial talents together, and linking their synergy, wouldn’t that achieve a 1 plus 1 greater than 2 effect?
He could easily first cast a “shield” on himself, then use consumable food supplies or other special means to replenish, quickly restore mana through advanced rapid digestion talent, and then cast more spells. If Mage Armor was weakened, he could recast it; if mana ran out, continue consuming supplies to restore it...
This cycle could go on indefinitely, like a spell cannon.
Of course, this premise required his own mana, Mage Armor, and Rapid Digestion all to develop, none dispensable.
It was a good plan, but the road had to be taken step by step.
Gauss retracted his thoughts.
His previous consideration had only taken a short time.
Now, with the two Goblin-like creatures collapsed on the ground, others hurriedly gathered from other places.
Suddenly, howls of Goblin-like creatures echoed throughout the cave.
Amid the firelight, small creatures with lizard heads held weapons, trembling as they looked toward the darkness.
They were timid and life-cautious by nature, but seeing their comrades die horribly, they knew they had to pick up their weapons and kill the enemy.
The squad, long ready and equipped, suppressed their frustration from crawling through the corridor, and their desire to fight soared.
They charged forward.
Compared to the Goblin-like creatures’ skinny, short stature, they seemed like unstoppable giants rushing ahead.
But the moment they made contact, the Goblin-like creatures were crushed.
Cold blades mercilessly cut through their not very tough lizard-like scales, and dark red blood sprayed everywhere, covering the ground.
In direct combat, Goblin-like creatures were comprehensively disadvantaged in both size and weaponry, so naturally, they could not gain any advantage against a well-equipped team of adventurers.
In just a short time, the first wave of Goblin-like creatures fell to the ground.
Gauss also casually finished off one with his rapier.
Suddenly, he noticed a small platform on the rocky wall in a dark corner not far away, where an elderly Goblin-like creature, smaller than the others, with a long lizard-like snout, was concentrating a red glow in his hands.
"Watch the left side!!!"
Gauss hurriedly warned his companions.
Shortly after his warning, the elderly Goblin-like creature, towering above them, suddenly unleashed a breath of fire from his long snout.
A fireball flew toward the group.
Fortunately, Gauss’s timely warning allowed everyone to dodge and avoid the fireball’s attack range.
The fireball smashed onto the ground, scattering sparks like fireworks.
Close call! Everyone silently admired the narrow escape.
Although the fireball’s intensity, even if it hit the armored group, was unlikely to cause fatal damage, injuries were inevitable—and no one wanted to be roasted that way.
After exhaling the fiery breath, the elderly Goblin-like creature’s face suddenly looked several years older, visibly gray and withered.
"Spellcaster?" Gauss quickly shook his head. He felt no magical fluctuations. "Maybe just a Goblin-like creature with purely mutated organs?"
Seeing the elderly Goblin-like creature take a deep breath, the red glow surged again at the throat pouch.
This time, with sufficient reaction time, Gauss naturally would not give it another chance to breathe fire.
He activated Mage Hand, forming it.
Then he pressed it onto the creature’s long lizard-like snout.
The elderly Goblin-like creature was interrupted by this sudden force pressing on its snout.
But the flames exploding from its chest and throat pouch could no longer be retracted.
With a flicker of terror in its vertical pupils, the next moment, the red glow at its throat rapidly intensified!
The fire exploded again like a burst of fireworks at the creature’s throat!
Its neck was blasted to pieces by the fiery eruption.
A lizard head then crashed from the platform onto the ground, rolling far away.
Its slit-shaped pupils contracted tightly, still showing traces of terror and confusion.
It seemed to wonder how it could die from its own breath.