The first goblin hit the clones like a bag of wet cement.
It shrieked, clawing at the clone's face. The clone didn't blink. It simply drove a rusty dagger under the creature's ribcage. Punctured the heart. Twisted.
[Critical Hit!] [Target Eliminated.]
The goblin went limp.
"Next," Lin ordered.
The clone shoved the corpse backward, jamming the gap for a split second before the body began to glow. Blue light fractured the goblin's skin. In three seconds, the flesh dissolved into motes of mana, vanishing into the dungeon air.
[System Logic: Dungeon bodies decay in 10 seconds to prevent congestion.]
"Good," Lin muttered. "No clean up."
Behind the dissolving corpse, three more goblins were already squeezing into the crack, climbing over each other in a pheromone-fueled frenzy.
Stab. Stab. Kick.
The two clones worked like pistons in an engine. One blocked high, one stabbed low. They felt no fatigue. They felt no fear. They were perfect killing machines.
[Experience: +15] [Experience: +15] [Experience: +15]
The blue text scrolled across Lin's retina like a waterfall.
But Lin wasn't just watching. He was working harder than the clones. Every time a goblin died, a small, glowing orb or a jagged tooth dropped to the ground. He had to grab them before the 10-second decay timer wiped them out.
Kill. Loot. Kill. Loot.
Ten minutes passed. Fifty goblins dead.
Lin was drenched in sweat. His breathing was ragged. Not from fighting, but from the drain.
[Warning: Calorie Reserves at 0%.] [Warning: Consuming Muscle Tissue for Energy.] [HP: 98%... 95%... 90%]
His vision swam. His hands started to shake. The clones in front of him flickered like dying holograms. Their movements slowed. One goblin managed to bite a clone's arm, tearing off a chunk of shadow.
"Not now," Lin gritted his teeth. "I need fuel."
He looked at his inventory. The expired biscuits were long gone. He looked at the ground. Among the pile of loot, there was a chunk of dark, purple meat. It pulsed slightly, still warm.
[Item: Goblin Essence Meat] [Grade: F] [Description: Raw muscle tissue rich in mana.] [Warning: Highly Toxic to humans. Causes paralysis and vomiting.]
Toxic. But it had calories.
The screeching grew louder outside the crack. The horde was endless. If the clones vanished, Lin would be torn to pieces in seconds.
"Eat or die," Lin whispered.
He grabbed the purple meat. It smelled like sulfur and unwashed armpits. Slime coated his fingers. He didn't hesitate. He didn't close his eyes. He shoved the raw, pulsating chunk into his mouth and bit down.
Crunch. It tasted like battery acid and rotten eggs. Lin gagged, his stomach contracting violently. Tears streamed from his eyes. His throat burned as he forced himself to swallow.
[System Alert: Toxin Detected.] [VIT Check... Failed.] [Paralysis Status Applied: 3 seconds.]
Lin fell to his knees, unable to move. But then—
[Digestion Complete.] [Mana Energy Converted to Calories.] [Energy Restored: +500 Kcal.] [HP Recovery Started.]
Heat exploded in his belly. The shaking stopped. Strength flooded back into his limbs. The clones stopped flickering. They solidified, their blades moving faster than before.
Lin wiped the purple slime from his mouth. His eyes were cold, savage. He grabbed another piece of meat from the ground. "More."
He ate again. And again. He became part of the grinder.
[Ding!] [Level Up!] [Rank: F (Mid) -> F (High)] [All Stats +2]
A golden light bathed his body, washing away the fatigue. Lin stood up, feeling the power surge through his muscles. He looked at the endless wave of goblins not with fear, but with hunger.
"Keep them coming," Lin growled.
("Enjoying the massacre? Drop a Power Stone to feed the Clone Army!")