[SSS-Rank Talent: Eternal Extraction has activated!]
[Targets Locked: 8]
The moment the System confirmed its lock, reality shuddered.
Not visually.
Not physically.
Existentially.
A ripple tore through the air like the world itself had swallowed a glitch.
The goblins froze mid-charge, their snarls twisting into choking, static-like croaks as their bodies spasmed violently.
Their crude weapons rattled.
Terrence's eyes glowed gold—
but deeper.
Much deeper.
As if rings existed inside the rings, spinning in endless recursion across timelines he wasn't supposed to see.
But unlike the last time something unexpected happened.
[/!\ WARNING /!\ External Memory Thread Detected!]
[Unregistered Cognitive Link…]
[Multiple Goblin Mind Signatures Detected…]
[Cluster Connection: ACTIVE]
Terrence's brow twitched.
"…the hell does that mean?"
[Eternal Extraction is accessing more than the 8 locked targets.]
[Goblin Hive-Memory Detected.]
[Pulling additional threads…]
Silhouettes flickered behind the frozen goblins. They were faint, ghostly projections of other goblins far away:
Goblins dragging prisoners through tunnels
Goblins eating and laughing around a firepit
Goblins sharpening crude weapons
Goblins guarding cages of terrified women
Goblins chanting at a bone altar
A massive Goblin King roaring orders
A shaman painting symbols in blood
Terrence's pupils tightened.
These weren't the eight in front of him.
These were..
Somewhere else.
Far.
Hidden.
Alive.
[Warning: Mind-Range Exceeded.]
[Multiple Unscanned Entities Detected in Extractive Field.]
[New Count: 66 Additional Goblin Signatures]
[Total: 74 Goblins Registered]
[Proximity: Between 600–1100 meters underground.]
"A Goblin's Den?" Terrence muttered, eyes narrowing.
[Correct. Accessing shared memory for coordinates.]
A memory flashed into Terrence's mind. The memory was chaotic, filthy, damp, unmistakably goblin-made.
He nodded sharply. He couldn't waste time.
Time resumed.
WHIFF.
Terrence flicked the Dual Starkiller Daggers like boomerangs.
8 sharp POPS echoed, and marble-sized black dots formed on the chests of each goblin.
Then they imploded.
No flesh.
No bone.
No blood.
Just small dents in the dirt, like they were never alive at all.
"Terrence!" Kasper shouted as she and Kya rushed into the clearing, but they froze when they saw the daggers sticking out of the ground where he once stood.
No Terrence.
Just silence.
At the Goblin's Den
Hidden between two massive boulders lay a narrow entrance leading to a vast, dim underground chamber.
Terrence crouched at the edge, listening.
Snarls.
Growls.
Laughs.
Crude chatter.
Claws scratching stone.
[You ready for this?]
"Of course," Terrence whispered, eyes hardening. "Why wouldn't I be?"
[Just asking..it's about to get ugly. You do remember the first episode of Goblin Slayer, right?]
Terrence shook his head at the memory. "Yeah. Always wanted to avenge that girl anyway."
[Good. Then do what you came to do. Here's another sword for you!]
[x1 Epic-Grade Sword Received!]
[Elemental Raining Nova LV.1]
[Description]
A massive storm-forged greatsword pulsing with rotating elemental energies. Sparks of lightning, flame, frost, wind, earth, light, and even the faint pull of Fundamental Forces continuously shed from its surface.
[Effect]
Every swing releases hundreds of miniature elemental swords. Lightning blades, flaming daggers, ice shards, stone spears, wind scythes, gravity knives, and light razors. Each raining down behind the attack like a meteor shower forged by gods.
[Compatible with A-Ranked Talent: Elemental Resonance]
Terrence smirked.
"One things for sure is you never miss when it comes to giving me badass swords. And to think I've still got thousands more in storage."
[Want another?]
Terrence chuckled. "I'm good. For now."
He dropped into the den.
Inside the Goblin's Den
"Heh heh heh…"
A large, obese goblin exited a room with a dark chuckle.
"Feels good to release that…pressure."
Muffled screams continued behind the door.
He ignored them.
"I'll be back later-"
He stopped when he saw her.
The only female goblin.
Long silver hair.
Piercing pink eyes.
Dark pink armored dress hugging a perfect hourglass shape.
Black boots.
Arms folded.
Jaw clenched.
Pure fury in her gaze.
"Tch..what are you looking at, Princess?" he spat.
"Didn't I say those heinous acts are forbidden?" Her voice was quiet yet authoritative, smooth, and feminine.
"Psh. Doesn't matter unless the King says it. And his last word was…" He leaned toward her.
"We can do whatever the fuck we want."
He pushed by, mocking her with laughter.
Her fist hit the wall and a dent formed instantly.
She hated this place.
Hated what they did.
Hated what they were.
Hated herself for being born a goblin.
She even feared that if she wasn't the Princess, they would've even tried her. She caught the disgusting looks they would always send her way whenever her Father wasn't looking.
It was too bad her Father, the Goblin King, was one of them too. Ever since her Mother died due to an unknown illness, his warm heart turned the coldest of colds.
"Treasure.." she whispered bitterly, the name her mother gave her.
The only girl.
The only "treasure" in their race.
More screams echoed.
She clenched her chest.
"Someone… anyone… please…"
Seconds passed.
Wish granted.
BOOOOM.
The entire den shook violently.
Treasure's eyes flew open.
She sprinted toward the sound, boots slamming against dirt. Goblins panicked, scattering in every direction.
"What is happening—?!"
Another BOOM shook the tunnels, strong enough to throw several goblins off their feet.
Treasure skid to a halt.
Her pupils shrank.
The dust cleared and standing in the middle of the chamber was a tall, broad-shouldered human
He was 6'6, holding a mythical greatsword glowing with storm-forged energy.
Calm.
Still.
A storm in human skin.
His golden ringed eyes lifted, halos rotating infinitely.
Treasure felt her heart stop.
This man…
He did not belong here.
Not because he was weak..
but because he was far, far too strong.
Goblins encircled him, gripping stolen hunter weapons.
Treasure snorted softly and stepped back.
She wanted to see this.
Terrence closed his eyes, resting the massive blade on his shoulder and waited.
The goblins whispered in confusion.
"No point just watching! Let's kill him!!"
"Yeah! He's surrounded!"
They charged.
Terrence's smirk sharpened.
His golden eyes opened again—
gleaming with layered power.
He dragged two fingers across the blade.
[Elemental Resonance Detected]
[Gravity + Ice Selected]
[Resonance Fusion: SUCCESS]
[Mode: Absolute Frost Collapse]
The sword transformed.
A black gravitational core.
White frost rings orbiting it like frozen moons.
The temperature plummeted, Treasure's breath forming visible mist.
Goblins slowed mid-charge, limbs locking from the cold.
Terrence raised the blade.
[New Active Skill Acquired!]
[Zero Kelvin Implosion LV.1]
[Description]
A catastrophic dual-force technique merging Absolute Ice and Crushing Gravity. Target area freezes at 0 Kelvin, halting all molecular motion before collapsing into dust under gravitational compression.
Terrence grinned wider and swung.
FWOOM.
A perfect white dome blossomed from the sword, expanding outward like a silent supernova.
Every goblin froze instantly, their bodies crystallizing mid-motion.
CRACK..CRACK..CRRRRSHHH.
They imploded violently. Their bodies shattered into billions of frost particles sucked into a single gravitational point.
Treasure's jaw dropped.
Dozens of goblins were..
obliterated in three seconds.