16 The Goblin Cave [3]

["Assassination" has been upgraded to level 2]

The first thing Max wanted to do was read the new features that he had gotten alongside the upgrade of his skill, but he didn't have time to read the screen below it as he heard footsteps coming from the depths of the cave.

And when the footsteps were extremely close, he would finally see it: a singular goblin, it didn't come alongside dozens of other ones like they usually did, instead it approached the corpse of the goblin chief Max had slaughtered and looked at it, completely ignoring the human standing a few meters away from him.

"Dad..." it muttered as it touched the corpse, and Max couldn't help but feel pity for the monster as it was clearly grieving the loss of its relative.

'WAIT WHAT?' he suddenly realized he could understand the words the goblin had spoken.

And that's when he finally decided to check his assassination skill.

[Special Ability: Assassination (Level 2)]

[Getting powerful is something important, but allowing yourself to comprehend situations as an assassin is just as much, the level 2 of the assassination ability allows you to now speak the tongue of any enemy (monster), whatever the race]

Max's eyes widened upon reading those words, he had truly gained a useful skill, and it was one that would surely help him in the future, most humans probably couldn't understand what monsters said when they spoke, and if he came face to face with a monster way stronger than him, he could definitely try to talk his way out of dying...

His gaze then reverted back to the goblin that was touching the corpse of the goblin chief, it was still crying, tears now visible in his ugly eyes.

But Max didn't care about some goblin grieving the loss of his family member, after all his "father" could have just run away, yet he stayed there to fight.

'Sorry, he thought as he approached the monster, 'but I need to live.'

The goblin heard the footsteps of the human and immediately turned around, looking at Max with hatred in his eyes.

"You killed my dad..." he muttered, "you'll pay for this!"

Max ignored the goblin's words and raised his sword, preparing to end the monster's life, but before he could swing his blade, the goblin threw a small dagger at him, which he easily dodged by moving his head to the side.

"You think you can kill me?" Max asked, smirking as he noticed the monster's level, "you're only level 7."

"Y-you can speak our tongue...?" the small goblin was surprised that a human understood them, but he also knew that the situation didn't allow him to be surprised.

"Do not fret goblin, your father was strong, he was amazing experience that allowed me to become stronger," Max smiled at the creature before slashing its body and killing it, making its corpse fall next to its deceased father.

"You two attacked me first..." he whispered as he looked at the two corpse, not feeling a single thing towards them, not even pity.

[An assassin needs to abandon his feelings during such situations, survival and victory are the only goals]

He sighed and continued walking towards the depths of the cave, which were now lit by torches that the goblins carried, he didn't know how long it would take for him to reach the goblin king, but he hoped it wouldn't be too long.

"It's time to find that king," he muttered as he walked deeper and deeper into the cave, killing every goblin that stood in his way, "and get out of here."

***

After killing hundreds upon hundreds of goblins and possibly creating what could only be seen as a genocide from the monster's standpoint, Max noticed something strange: the small green things would now run away from him.

Every time he sensed one close or saw some in the cave talking to one another, they would point at him and run away while screaming: "THE HUMAN'S HERE, RUN!"

This did advantage him as he didn't have to fight anybody, keeping his energy for the king, but this also meant that he couldn't get experience or assassination points anymore.

And in the circumstance where they couldn't run away as they were already injured or because they tripped, they would look Max in the eyes and beg him to spare them as he approached, his sword in hand.

"P-Please human, you may not understand but s-spare me," the only problem was that Max didn't care, he could understand their words now thanks to the upgrade of his assassination skill, but acting like he didn't put less of a burden on his shoulders.

He slashed the creatures' necks and continued his journey as if nothing happened, he didn't feel like he was emotionless, but goblins are weak beings.

And after a few hours of this same scene happening to him over and over, the scene of goblins running away from him, abandoning their duties as monsters and instead focusing on their survival, he arrived in front of a giant wooden door.

"This must be it..." he muttered as he looked at the door, which was guarded by two level 30 goblin guards, they were holding a conversation with each other.

'Weak Points,' he whispered, activating his skill and immediately noticing the red line drawn upon the necks of the monsters.

"There's been a human causing havoc in the cave, be ready as he might come here," the one on the right said.

"I know, these humans come in our territory and kill our kind, then expect us to not counter-attack as well-"

Using the darkness of the cave as cover, he advanced towards the guard on the left and slashed its neck before it could realize what was happening and before it could finish its sentence.

"W-WHAT?" the other goblin guard was shocked but immediately pulled his weapon out, Max could see that his hands were shaking though, "g-get away from me..." it yelled as it pointed its spear at Max, who simply dodged it and stabbed the monster in the heart.

"..." he didn't think about anything at that moment, the only thing on his mind being to kill.

He pushed the wooden door open and entered the room, only to be met with the sight of a huge throne, one that was bigger than any he had ever seen in his life, and on top of it, there was a goblin sitting.

But it wasn't just any goblin, it was the Goblin King.

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[Author Note]

Finally, I can introduce the first feature and first upgrade of the assassination skill: the fact that the mc can now speak to monsters, whatever the race.

It might not look good right now, but I promise it becomes really important later, also doesn't it feel great knowing our mc can talk to all monsters, maybe even the demon king :).