(A/N: This is a SFW version of the novel, for the NSFW one please go to my patreon page, link on my bio)
#######
Finally, the goblin died.
Its remaining eye glazed over completely, staring blankly at nothing.
The rhythmic twitching stopped abruptly.
His jaw hung slack, foam drying around his lips.
#######
Silence returned to the corridor, heavy and suffocating.
#######
"I just noticed I leveled up. Great!" she laughed cheerfully, eyes shining with excitement.
#######
Looking at the System panel, she discovered that the Inventory Tab was finally unlocked.
A new menu glowed softly before her vision.
“How can I use this inventory?”, she wondered aloud.
#######
To her delight, it vanished instantly.
Poof.
Gone.
Replaced by a ghostly icon in the grid.
[Success!] flashed on the screen.
Each slot of the inventory could store a specific type of item, separated neatly.
There were many such slots available, ensuring she wouldn't need to worry about running out of space anytime soon.
"I'll save my food in here," she mused, satisfaction growing within her.
"Hunger won't be a problem in the future."
She checked the status window once more.
That appeared to be the only good news this particular level-up brought; only the Inventory feature had been unlocked.
No stat boosts, no new skills, just storage space.
"Let's go then," she decided, shrugging off the disappointment.
"Too bad I didn't get any good information from those goblins. Well, I didn't even understand their language anyway."
Picking a random direction down the dark corridor, she began walking forward with purpose.
About the goblins, she thought carefully while walking down the dimly-lit stone corridor.
Their habits dictated they usually lived in tribes.
This meant a larger settlement, or at least a band of others, must be nearby.
If so, the chief—the leader of the entire tribe—had to be a Hobgoblin.
But how did she know this?
She didn't exactly possess prior knowledge of these monsters.
Yet the information simply popped up inside her mind.
It felt like an instinctual download.
She just *knew* it now, clear as day.
"I hope I don't get swarmed by them later."
Suddenly, a commotion erupted just as she rounded the corner.
Muffled voices rose in argument from behind a jagged rock formation.
Two groups of goblins were huddled together, gesturing wildly with crude weapons drawn.
They seemed to be dividing their numbers for a hunt, shouting orders in their guttural tongue.
Lyssandra slowed her pace, pressing herself against the cold damp wall to observe unseen.
She watched silently, analyzing the chaos unfolding before her eyes.
A significant number of goblins were leaving the cave entrance deeper into the maze.
Was it enough to thin the herd inside?
Or too few to make a difference against what remained?
Her mind churned with tactical hesitation.
Going back now would feel cowardly, especially after killing few already.
Staying here risked walking straight into an ambush with superior numbers waiting.
Every second of indecision felt dangerous in this place.
If she moved now, she might catch them off guard while they're distracted.
Wait too long, though, and reinforcements could return.
Would she dare face a swarm alone?
"I should check the Shop first. Maybe something will give me an advantage."
She tapped the Shop Interface, ready to browse.
The list scrolled rapidly across her vision.
[Item 1]: Locked. Not enough LP.
[Item 2]: Locked. Not enough LP.
[Item 3]: Useless potion. Too weak.
[Item 4]: Locked. Requires higher level.
"Locked, locked, locked… Nothing useful. This is frustrating," she muttered, folding her arms tightly.
One hand came up to clutch her temples in annoyance.
67 points wasn't nearly enough for any game-changing gear or spells.
"Oh, this one is interesting. I think I have an idea."
She purchased the special potion immediately.
Twenty LP vanished from her counter in an instant flash.
#######
Ripping out a rotted, swollen arm, she held it over damp stone ground.
Pouring exactly one-quarter of the potion's content onto the fleshy limb.
It sizzled upon contact, turning the rotting flesh into something that smelled deliciously savory.
A thick aroma wafted outward, sweet and meaty.
"This will be so funny," she giggled softly behind cover.
At the cave entrance stood two scrawny sentries guarding the way.
One leaned heavily against a rough pillar, eyes half-closed, head resting beside the wooden spear he clutched loosely.
The other, looking bored, dug deep into his nostril with a greasy thumb while scratching between his legs..
From thin air, the severed arm materialized right in front of their feet with a wet *thud*.
Startled by the noise, the scratcher jumped violently.
He fumbled clumsily, dropping his rusty spear with a clang.
The noise woke the sleeping guard instantly, who scrambled upright, grabbing his weapon defensively.
Both peers stared down at the strange object bobbing slightly on the ground.
They sniffed the air, nostrils flaring as the scent hit them hard.
Meat? Real meat? Fresh meat?!
Hunger gnawed greedily at their bellies.
They exchanged glances, confusion morphing quickly into anticipation.
Without hesitation, the one holding the spear approached slowly.
He crouched low, poking the arm with the tip of the wood.
Nothing happened. No magic trap triggered.
He grabbed hold of the wrist, feeling the warmth seeping through skin.
Leaning forward, he took a tentative bite into the shoulder joint.
Juices burst forth, richer than anything they had tasted in weeks.
The second goblin lunged, snatching the hand portion.
Tears welled up in their small eyes as chewed flesh and gristle gave way under sharp teeth.
They tore into each piece voraciously, snapping tendons like twigs, swallowing whole chunks without chewing properly.
Scratches filled their faces as they fought briefly for scraps before realizing the temperature was getting higher.
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