Chương 4: The Goblin Smoothie

Recap: You bit Chief Grumble's hand. He kicked you into a wall. Three goblin warriors arrived. You voted to TARGET THE WEAK LINK (GRIB). Risk assessment: High. Survival chance: Low. Dignity: Non-existent. Grib was slumped against the wall, maybe ten feet away. To a human, that's two steps. To a Level 1 Mimic with the mobility of a constipated snail, that was a marathon. Move, I commanded my base. My muscles contracted. The wood scraped against stone. Scrrrrrapeape. I lurched forward. One foot. Two feet.

"Stop it!" Nose Ring Goblin shouted. He thrust his spear. The iron tip slammed into my side. SYSTEM NOTIFICATION Damage Taken: 4 HP Defense Applied: -5 DR Net Damage: 0 HP Wait. Zero? I felt the impact—a dull thud—but my weathered oak skin held. The rusted iron bands around my sides sparked against the spear tip. My Defense stat wasn't just numbers; it was literal hardwood and iron reinforcement.

"Hard wood!" Nose Ring yelled.

"Stab harder!" Another spear thrust. This one caught the hinge. SYSTEM NOTIFICATION Damage Taken: 6 HP (Critical Hit on Weak Point) Defense Applied: -5 DR Net Damage: 1 HPCurrent HP: 11/15 Ow. Okay. Hinges are weak points. Noted. I kept sliding. My Stamina bar dipped. SYSTEM NOTIFICATION Stamina Cost: 1 SP (Movement)Current SP: 16/20 I was halfway there. Grib was trying to stand, eyes wide, clutching his ribs. He saw me coming. He saw the teeth. This story originates from Royal Road.

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"No! No! Chief!" Grib squealed. Chief Grumble was still wrestling with his sword. He looked up, eyes blazing.

"Kill it! Kill it now!" The third goblin stepped in front of Grib, raising a wooden shield. I didn't have time to go around. I had to go through. I saved 2 Stamina. I needed everything for the finish. I launched myself. Not a slide. A hop. I flexed my base and popped into the air—maybe six inches off the ground—and slammed down onto Grib's position. The shield goblin was too slow. I clipped his leg. He stumbled. I landed squarely on Grib.

SYSTEM NOTIFICATION Skill Used: BiteCost: 2 StaminaCurrent SP: 14/20 My false bottom dropped. My tongue lashed out, sticky and purple. It wrapped around Grib's face. He screamed. It was muffled instantly. I didn't chew. Chewing takes time. I engulfed. My jaw unhinged—literally, the wood splintered slightly to allow expansion—and I pulled him in. It was grotesque. It was wonderful.

SYSTEM NOTIFICATION Target Consumed: Goblin (Level 1)XP Gained: 5 XPCurrent XP: 10/50 (Level 2)HP Regeneration: +5 HP (Meal Consumed)Current HP: 16/15 (Overheal capped at 15/15) A warm, fuzzy sensation spread through my lid. Like drinking hot cocoa after a snowball fight, if the cocoa was made of goblin essence. My splintered hinge knit itself together. The spear scratch on my side smoothed over. I was full. I was healed. I was Level 1 still, but closer to Level 2. But I was also busy swallowing.

While I was digesting my appetizer, the main course was arriving. The two warrior goblins didn't flee. They stabbed. Again. And again. SYSTEM NOTIFICATION Damage Taken: 3 HP (Multiple hits)Current HP: 12/15 I shuddered. They were chipping away at me. I couldn't stay here. I had Grib in my stomach (digestion timer: 4 hours), but I had three angry goblins and one hobgoblin chief outside. And then I heard it. Shhhhk. The sound of metal sliding out of stone. Chief Grumble had freed his sword. He stood up.

His right hand was bloody, wrapped in a strip of his own leather armor. His left hand gripped the rusted longsword tightly. He didn't yell. He didn't scream. He just walked toward me.

"Burn it," Grumble said to his warriors.

"Bring torches. Burn the wood." Torches. Fire. My Camouflage skill didn't protect against fire. My Defense stat didn't stop heat. Wood burns. I burn. The warriors backed off, looking for loose torches on the wall. Grumble stepped forward, raising his sword for a two-handed cleave. I was healed, but I was surrounded. And fire was coming.

Current Stats: HP: 12/15 (Regenerated from meal, took damage from warriors) Mana: 7/10 (Tremorsense upkeep) Stamina: 14/20 (Movement + Bite) Inventory: Old Bone, Spider Web, 3 Pebbles. Grib (Digesting). Status: Healed, Surrounded, Fire Threat. What do you do? A) SPIT THE BONE (PROJECTILE) You have an Old Bone in your stomach. Regurgitate it at high speed toward Grumble. Aim for the face. Maybe blind him or knock him back. (Cost: 1 SP. Lose Old Bone. Ranged Attack.) B) SLAM THE LID & ROLL Close everything up.

Tuck your limbs (if you had them). Roll down the slight incline of the room toward the corridor. Gain speed through momentum. (Cost: 3 SP. Movement Speed Doubled while rolling. Risk: Dizzy/Disoriented.) C) PLAY DEAD (AGAIN) Stop moving. Open your lid slightly to show you're "empty" now. Maybe they'll think the goblin vanished into magic and leave you alone. (Cost: 0 SP. Charisma Check. Risk: They burn you anyway.) D) USE THE SHIELD GOBLIN One warrior is still close. Lunge at him. Try to knock him into Grumble.

Use him as a meat shield against the fire. (Cost: 2 SP. Grapple Attempt. Risk: Close combat with spears.) VOTING CLOSES IN 24 HOURS. Reply with A, B, C, or D. Most votes wins.