A/N: TITLE UPDATE!
Starting from this chapter, the novel will be titled:
"Hollow Crown: SSS-Rank Godslayer's Rise"
I believe this better reflects the MC's journey and growth. If you're an old reader, no worries—the story continues exactly where it left off.
Let me know what you think!
———————————————
Chapter 17: Into the Hunt (Part 1)
The mission board stood tall in the center of the Adventurer's Guild, covered with parchments of varying age and urgency. Ethan's cold eyes scanned the cluttered wall, sweeping past the fluttering notices with mechanical precision.
C-rank… C-rank… B-rank? Risky for now…
E-rank — pointless. F-rank — non-existent. As expected.
His eyes stopped on a particular D-rank parchment.
> [Mission: Goblin Extermination]
Recent reports confirm an increase in goblin numbers along the riverbank southeast of the village.
Estimated number: 10–20
Threat: Minimal (No hobgoblins detected)
Reward: 1 Silver + all spoils acquired
Rank: D–E
[Confirm and Collect from Reception]
"Hmm." Ethan tugged the paper from the board. Goblins were weak, but clustered together, they posed a decent challenge—perfect for grinding early experience without too much risk. Besides, 1 silver wasn't bad for a solo job.
He walked over to the receptionist and handed her the parchment. She glanced at him, then at the paper.
"Confirmation received. Be careful," she said with a soft smile before stamping the document.
> [New Quest Accepted: Goblin Extermination – Riverbank Nest]
Objective: Eliminate 10–20 goblins
Reward: 1 Silver + Spoils
Optional Objective: Complete without taking damage – Bonus: +5 SP
His expression didn't change. Instead, he turned away without a word and made his way toward the blacksmith. If he was going to kill, he needed a weapon that didn't look like it came from a kitchen drawer.
But the blacksmith shop only disappointed him further.
The cheapest blade—a dull, rust-edged knife—was priced at 50 bronze. And even that seemed too generous for the quality it offered.
"Trash," he muttered, leaving the shop.
Instead, he opened the system shop with a flick of his thoughts.
> [System Shop – Weapons]
Available SP: 50
• Basic Sharp Dagger – 50 SP
• Cracked Iron Sword – 75 SP
• Worn Spearhead – 60 SP
Without hesitation, he selected the Basic Sharp Dagger.
> [Item Purchased: Basic Sharp Dagger]
SP Remaining: 0
A simple dagger with a clean edge. Reliable for quick strikes and light combat.
He materialized it in his hand—sleek, well-balanced, far superior to the garbage on display in the shop.
"Decent," he mumbled. "Now, for armor…"
A glance at the price tags inside the smithy was enough to kill that idea. Even the cheapest chest wrap cost over a silver.
"No point," Ethan decided. "Can't afford to get hit anyway."
He returned to the inn and changed out of his somewhat decent clothes, slipping back into the rough tatters he'd worn when he first arrived.
"They're going to get bloody anyway," he muttered.
Dagger at his side, resolve in his eyes, and the river's direction etched into his mind thanks to the minimap, Ethan set out.
This time, he wasn't hunting to survive.
He was hunting to grow.
——————
Chapter 17: Crimson by the River (Part 2)
By the time the sun hovered high above, Ethan had reached the riverbank.
His tattered cloak swayed in the breeze, covering just enough to keep him inconspicuous. The steady current of the river whispered beside him as he crouched low behind the foliage.
There.
A cave, carved into the earthen slope beside the river. Mismatched footprints marked the damp soil—some fresh, others half-dried. Outside the entrance, he counted eleven goblins.
Small, green-skinned, sharp-nosed creatures with jagged teeth and rusted blades.
"Sloppy," he murmured. "Exposed, relaxed… typical."
Ethan spotted one straying from the group, dragging something like an old bone in its hand. It wandered near the water, alone.
He moved without hesitation. Silent steps, low posture.
Then—
Crack!
His fist drove into the goblin's temple with a sound not unlike shattering glass. The creature's eyes rolled white as it crumpled, skull caved in, lifeless before it hit the ground.
Ethan exhaled slowly.
"No need to waste the dagger," he whispered, already shifting toward his next prey.
The second and third goblins barely noticed before their necks were snapped in swift, brutal motions.
The fourth gurgled a brief sound before Ethan's elbow shattered its trachea.
But the fifth?
It turned.
Eyes widened.
Scream.
Too late.
By then, the others had noticed. Seven goblins shrieked in fury and charged, blades raised.
Ethan didn't run. He surged forward.
Thud. Crack. Snap. Bam.
His fists became hammers. Each strike calculated, yet vicious. One goblin's face folded inward. Another had its chest caved in. Bones shattered like dry twigs. Green blood painted his hands, splattered his cloak, and sprayed across the earth.
"Die."
Another blow.
"Stay dead."
One more.
A few tried to flee—four goblins, their tiny limbs flailing, desperation in their eyes.
Ethan moved faster.
Smash. Smash. Smash. Smash.
No survivors.
Panting lightly, he stood amid the bodies. The river's gentle sound clashed against the raw violence he had unleashed.
Stillness.
Then—movement.
From inside the cave.
He stepped in, dagger drawn now, eyes sharp.
And froze.
There was one more goblin, staring at him from the back of the cave—small, almost pathetic. It hadn't moved yet.
But Ethan wasn't looking at it.
He was looking past it.
There—
A human woman.
Naked.
Bruised.
Bite marks along her shoulders, legs.
Dried blood between her thighs.
Tears had crusted on her cheeks, and her lips were swollen, cracked, as if she had screamed herself hoarse before passing out.
Unconscious.
Barely breathing.
Ethan's heart slowed.
His jaw clenched.
"…Shit."
He took a step back and looked away, then back again.
I knew… one day I'd see something like this.
But why now…?
He squeezed his eyes shut. But the image burned into his mind like acid.
"…Now I understand." His voice was low, trembling with restraint.
"That anime… that guy. Why he hated goblins so much."
He wasn't some soft-hearted hero, but this—this was—
A shrill noise.
The goblin had picked up a rusty cleaver, thinking Ethan had frozen.
Wrong.
What followed wasn't a fight.
It was an execution.
Ethan didn't kill it in one hit.
He made sure it felt every second.
A knee to the ribs.
A stomp to its arm.
A punch that shattered its jaw.
Another that ripped out a shriek.
It crawled, gurgled, begged.
But Ethan didn't stop.
His eyes burned cold, mouth silent, knuckles dripping.
Then—
One final strike.
Neck twisted.
Dead.
Silence returned.
But it wasn't peaceful.
Ethan looked back at the woman.
Unmoving.
He didn't speak.
He just stood there.
Then reached into his inventory and pulled out his cloak.
Gently, quietly, he stepped forward and draped it over her.
> [Optional Objective Complete – No Damage Taken: +5 SP Earned]
[Quest Complete: Goblin Extermination]
You have slain 16 goblins.
+80 XP
+80 SP
(125/230)
The system felt… hollow this time.
He crouched beside her, expression grim.
"…Let's get you out of here."
---
He gently lifted the woman in his arms, her frail body limp and cold to the touch. Not a word escaped his lips, but his brows were furrowed—an expression somewhere between restraint and rage. He carried her out of the cave and laid her carefully on the grass just outside the entrance, letting the sunlight touch her battered form.
His cloak was already draped over her for warmth and dignity, but it wasn't enough. He tore pieces from his own newly bought tunic—no hesitation—turning them into makeshift bandages. He wet one with water from the river and wiped the dried blood from her face and shoulders, trying not to flinch as he saw the bruises underneath.
"...I wasn't ready for this," he muttered, more to himself than anyone else. "But who ever is..."
He pressed the cloth onto a deeper gash, his hand steady despite the burning in his chest. "This isn't mercy... it's the bare minimum."
His eyes flicked upward.
"Oi, system... you got anything that can help her? Anything I can afford?"
> ❖ [Ding!]
Lowest Tier Health Potion – 60 SP
Effect: Heals superficial wounds. Will not heal broken bones or deep internal damage.
"Tch... Better than nothing," he said under his breath.
He purchased the potion and gently tilted her head to feed it to her. As the faint, glowing liquid slipped past her lips, a shimmer passed over some of her wounds. The smaller cuts closed up slightly. Some turned dark—scabbing over in that familiar process called necrotic sealing, the body's way of cauterizing what couldn't be instantly healed.
Her breathing steadied.
He exhaled slowly and pulled the cloak tighter around her.
Then, without a word, he returned to the cave. He moved mechanically, extracting mana crystals from the goblin corpses, piling them neatly on the riverbank. His thoughts wandered—not to the reward, not to the strength gain... but to the girl lying outside, unconscious and torn.
When he returned to check on her again, he saw the smallest twitch of her fingers. Her lips trembled. A soft groan escaped.
She was waking up.
And just like that... the weight of the moment shifted again.