Red Monster

Chapter 84: Evolution?

Red had his own theory about loot exchange. He would get more loot if he exchanged the loot from a higher-level creature killed. That was why he picked the three highest-level kobolds. The normal loot was two cores, and he often got three or even four cores.

That was how he came to such a conclusion. It seemed the hobs were not aware of this fact. Or maybe they just didn’t know which one was the high-level kobold.

It didn’t matter to him. He exchanged the bodies for loot right away, in case these hobs suddenly changed their mind. He didn’t hesitate to absorb them all right away.

His theory might be right because he got ten cores, seven Magic Cores, and three Might Cores. The composition itself was not ideal since he needed Might Core more than the Magic Core. In fact, he maxed out his magic stat with those seven magic cores. It meant he could no longer absorb Magic Core until he leveled up.

Red’s eyes moved to the side where the hobs exchanged their loot. As he expected, most of them got two cores from one body, except for a few who got three.

’I might have maxed out my Might Stat if I didn’t share the loot.’

The thought of killing them to get more loot crossed his mind. That was extreme thinking, but considering what happened in the village. He didn’t really hold any feelings or pity for the goblins in the village. Especially the Matron who tried to get him killed just for a trivial slight.

He quickly threw the extreme idea away. They didn’t corner him to the point that he must act on his extreme idea. It was always a few individuals.

Red watched them absorbing the cores, seemingly more excited than he was. That made him curious about their level because they were so excited over four to five cores.

He was surprised to find that two hobs were actually level 10, and one hob was level 11. Two of them were level 12, and another one was level 13, and he could not identify the last one.

[Appraisal has reached Level 17!]

A notification rang in his head as the translucent screen blocked his eyes. It was indeed about time for his [Appraisal] to level up since he had been using it a lot on kobolds. With one level higher, Red used the skill again.

Hobgoblin Warrior

Level: ???

The skill still didn’t work, meaning this hob’s level was so high. At least Level 15 and maybe higher. He took a note on the job with the axe. He needed to be careful around it. Again, he was confident when the battle was inside the jungle. But it would be different if it were a duel.

He just needed to make sure that he didn’t get dragged into that stupid. Especially against the high-level hobs.

"How is it? Are we going back now and report it to the Chief? Or..."

The seven hobs turned toward him, waiting for him to finish his sentence.

"Or we can kill one or two groups."

The seven hobs exchanged glances. The fight had been easy for them. Their eyes filled with greed at the promise of more cores. Eventually, the six hobs turned toward the highest level hob.

The highest level hob turned toward Red, and Red didn’t shy away from the stare. He met the stare with his stare, "Let’s kill more kobolds. It’s still too early to return."

"Then we will do it with the same plan again?"

The hob responded with a nod. There was no reason to object since it made the fight easier for them.

"Then I need you to listen to me. I need your trust! We will face a bigger group."

The hobs nodded without hesitation. Red managed to gain their trust with this fight.

"Gather their armor and weapons. Keep them here, and we will get them back to the village on our way back."

The hobs listened to him and sorted the item. He used [Appraisal], telling them which one to keep and which one to throw away.

"The same as before. I will scout the area ahead from the tree. You guys wait here for my further instruction."

Red climbed up and left the group. He would run back after ensuring the area was clear, which took most of his time and slowed him down. That was another disadvantage of moving with a big group. On top of that, he got less loot.

It was not without benefit. It was less risky for sure, having more people with him. He didn’t need to do a hit and run, as he could use the hobs as a distraction while sniping the kobold from the tree. Another benefit was that he didn’t need to run from a big group. He believed that he could destroy a group of twenty kobolds.

It took him some time to find another group, but not that long after the first one. It was a group of fourteen kobolds. There was no need to change the strategy if it worked.

Red would snipe three kobolds, luring them into the ambush they set up. Taking advantage of their panic with the ambush. He easily hunted them from the tree. He killed eight out of fourteen kobolds. This time, the hobs didn’t even get injured.

There were only fourteen bodies for eight of them. Red insisted on taking two, and they didn’t have a choice but to relent since he contributed the most. The two youngest hobs took the brunt, just one loot each.

The two youngest hobs complained that it should be Red who didn’t get loot instead of them. But they were silenced by the high-level hob quickly. Red didn’t even need to get involved in that matter.

They encountered a little bit of a challenge in the next two groups. The third group comprised eighteen kobolds. The two young hobs were injured in that fight. A stab in the thigh, a gash on their back and chest. However, they got two loots each this time, while Red and the highest-level kobold got three.

Red thought they would return after the third group, but the highest level kobold was quite greedy, forcing the two young hobs to bear with it and continue hunting the kobold.

He found a group of twenty-one kobolds. With two of them being injured, he thought he should not fight them. However, the highest level hob insisted, in fact, being forceful.

It was just that the plan was adjusted that Red needed to reduce the number further than just three or four before luring them to the ambush spot. In exchange, Red was allowed to get four bodies’ worth of loot, but he asked for five instead.

He was so close to leveling up that he asked for five bodies. Since he did the most work this time, he wanted five. The highest level hob agreed.

The task was trickier, not harder, as he just needed to be more patient. It was just like usual, a hit and run. He was not worried about leaving the dead body behind since it was not him who would retrieve it.

He reduced the group number to twelve kobolds, killing six kobolds and leaving three kobolds immobilized. Then he lured them to the ambush spot, where a messy fight started. The hobs were getting overwhelmed at first, but each of his arrows relieved the pressure on them.

By the end of the fight, Red had almost emptied his arrows. He only had four arrows left by the end of the fight. On top of that, he lost eleven arrows. It was either they snapped, or the arrowhead shattered into pieces. The reason why he almost emptied his thirty arrows.

Most of the hobs were injured except for the level 13 hobgoblin and the highest-level hob. They suffered stabs and cuts, blunt wounds to their ribs and belly, but they were alive.

The sight of the loot made them forget their pain. That was truly a bizarre sight to Red. He felt like that when he got his first loot. For the first few days after the first loot as well, but he no longer felt that way now.

Even when he was almost Level 10, he just needed another six Might Cores, then he would reach Level 10. That didn’t excite him at all. To him, that was just another level unless...

Red paused as he recalled something. He earlier used Appraisal on them, and all of them were level 11 and higher. Did that mean he would evolve when he reach level 10?