"So we do have a problem, huh?"
Remembering both Syl's previous reaction and the way that Hobgoblins generally saw Goblins, Amon thought there was only one response susceptible to de-escalating the situation.
"I already told you all," He said. "I have a problem with Hobgoblin breath."
She stared.
Despite Syl's best effort to remain menacing and serious, Amon noticed her lips curling upwards ever so slightly.
"You're the funny Goblin." She chuckled as she recognized him. "Be out of here by the time I come back." Syl said with a nod before turning around.
"I don't even get to spend one night in my new house?" He asked, gaze slowly descending towards her bottom.
"What are you suggesting?" Syl asked, stopping just as she was about to exit the hut.
Despite feeling some pressure, Amon had trouble looking away from her round and thick glutes.
"I'm sure I can bring another bed in here." He suggested half jokingly.
Syl turned around and stared like it was the most ridiculous suggestion in the world.
"You think I would share a roof with a Goblin?"
"I'm really not that bad." Amon argued.
Her stare made the refusal obvious.
'Worth a try.' He shrugged as the female Hobgoblin walked out and away, slightly amused by the Funny Goblin.
***
"Well?" The Hobgoblin asked in annoyance. "What are we waiting for?"
The Goblin Chief remained seated with his hands together.
"For everyone to be asleep."
"How long are we going to wait for?"
"Two hours or so. They will have trouble sleeping… When your offering is still-"
"Alright, alright." The Hobgoblin interrupted, clicking his tongue.
"They'll sleep." The Goblin Chief nodded.
Amon was almost one of those Goblins preparing to sleep. Syl's interruption felt like a slap in the face that got him right up and awake. Only a couple of steps separated his hut from the Chief's.
Standing with his eyes closedl, Amon could eavesdrop on them pretty easily.
'Black Wolf's Hearing, thank you.' He chuckled. 'Two hours, huhh? Might as well hunt some more.'
Amon thought for a moment.
'It's likely that creatures different from those I have already seen come out at night.' He nodded to himself before starting to head towards the forest. 'I'll have to be careful. Get some hunting done...'
Amon couldn't help but smile.
'Before turning this whole village upside down!'
***
Because all the Goblins and Hobgoblins, apart from a couple, were still awake, Amon needed to move discreetly to exit the village.
He entered the dark forest, and was immediately impressed by the "Disappearing Chameleon's Eyes" Passive Skill that he had obtained through his Palm of the Devourer Skill.
'In these conditions, I wouldn't be able to see anything without it.'
Now it was just a question of finding creatures to defeat and absorb!
'I'll have to be careful. The creatures that roam at night will most likely have good eyes as well.' Amon thought to himself as he bent down in front of a bush and reached below its leaves.
From that bush, the two sharpened horns he had obtained earlier were pulled out.
'I'll be using these a lot.' Amon nodded to himself. 'And since I'm leaving the village before dawn, I won't need to hide them again.'
He did not know the rules of the Goblin tribe, the reason why some had weapons and others didn't, or why they didn't use and sharpen the horns of Horned Hares as he had.
Amon did not care enough to find out the answers to those questions.
'They do things their way, and I'll do things my way.'
It didn't take long for something to catch Amon's attention.
He walked carefully. With his sense of hearing improved, he could tell that something was rummaging through a nearby bush.
'Let's see.' Amon thought as he stopped a couple of meters away, hidden behind a tree's thick trunk.
Seconds later, red eyes pierced through the darkness of the forest.
Thankfully, those eyes were tiny.
'It's not really a question of size though.' He sighed internally. 'Some kind of Rodent.' Amon noted after getting a better look at it.
[Species: Infectious Rodent[F Rank]
-Stats:
Strength: 1
Agility: 3
Perception: 6
Endurance: 6
Vigor: 1
]
'Infectious? I gotta steer clear of those claws and teeth then.' Amon stared as the Infectious Rodent slowly moved through the grass, sniffing to the right and to the left. 'I can use my Palm Of The Devourer Skill on it, right? Despite the fact that it's Infectious?'
[Correct.]
'What about Poison and Venom?'
[Dead Poisonous and Venomous Species can be Devoured safely.]
'Hm… So I won't be harmed by Devouring them if they're already dead.' Amon nodded to himself as he raised one of the sharpened horns and took aim.
Hit!
'Nice throw!'
The Infectious Rodent's body had been pierced through.
'Now, let's see…' Amon reached for the Infectious Rodent's body and used his Palm Of The Devourer Skill as soon as physical contact was made.
The dead creature was absorbed, but no System Messages popped up.
'Guess I'll have to hunt more of these to get something out of it.'
And he did.
***
'So that's the boss, huh?' Amon thought to himself.
He was standing behind a tree, gazing at a sniffing Infectious Rodent.
It was at least six times the size of the dozen other Infectious Rodents he had previously defeated.
The creature's eyes shone brightly in the darkness, and heaps of saliva were going down its open mouth.
[Species: Enraged Infectious Rodent[F Rank]
-Stats:
Strength: 3
Agility: 6
Perception: 6
Endurance: 7
Vigor: 5
]
'It's got the rabies, huh?' Amon chuckled internally as he raised the sharpened horn.
Hit!
But it wasn't enough to bring down the Enraged Infectious Rodent.
It shrieked and started moving in the opposite direction despite the sharp horn embedded in its body.
Before the Enraged Infection Rodent could take ten steps, a second horn pierced its body.
'Nice.' Amon thought to himself.
The Enraged Infectious Rodent didn't stop though, and Amon was forced to start running after it, the blood flowing out of its body leaving a trail behind.
***
The Enraged Infectious Rodent fell before it arrived to its destination.
Amon sighed as he pulled one of the horns out, and thrust it again, finishing the job.
Devoured.
[The Palm Of The Devourer presents three choices.]
[Choose two of the following choices:
[1-Infectious Nails.]
[2-Infectious Black Wolf's Fangs.]
[3-Rodent Sense Of Smell.]
'So the second one builds on the Black Wolf's Fangs and adds an Infectious aspect to it.'
Amon lowered his gaze towards his hands for a bit.
'Infectious Black Wolf's Fangs and Rodent Sense Of Smell.' He chose. 'My nails aren't sharp enough to cut anything. After my Evolution, however…'
Amon suddenly raised an eyebrow and turned to the left.
'Did I just hear a splash?'
He walked in the direction that the Enraged Infectious Rodent had aimed to continue in.
A couple of minutes later.
'It's a small pond.' Amon noted. 'Did it want to rest here? Or are there more of its kind around here? I wonder if there are creatures in the water…' Amon thought as he moved cautiously towards the pond, leaving the trees behind him and going into the open.
He circled around the pond before sighing.
'There isn't anything.' Amon sighed.
He scratched his chin and started moving closer to the water.
Amon stared at his reflection for a bit.
'No wonder she didn't want us to share a roof.' He chuckled to himself. 'I sure am ugly right now.'
The next second, a voice echoed.
"Finally found it."
A chill immediately ran down Amon's spine.
His first instinct was to activate the Disappearance Skill he had obtained from absorbing Disappearing Chameleons.
He frowned, recognizing the voice, and slowly turned around.
'What the…?'
In front of him, walking past the trees and towards him was the Female Hobgoblin.
He stared in disbelief.
'She's…' Amon thought to himself with a gulp. 'Going for a swim?'
The Female Hobgoblin slowly started undoing her clothes.