Gauss looked at the Adventurer’s Handbook, and sure enough.
The Rapid Digestion skill originally looted from the goblins had already been upgraded from Initial Level to Elite Level.
He read the effect description.
The Energy Storage Glands seem to be a more advanced version of a camel’s hump, allowing the body to store more energy in advance, which can be directly converted into stamina or Magic Power in emergencies.
So, having a backup hidden energy reserve?
Not bad.
Gauss felt as though his "mana bar" had invisibly lengthened again.
It’s just that the Adventurer’s Handbook is quite guiding, seemingly encouraging him to kill more hosts of the skill source, that is, goblins.
The more he kills, the better the energy storage effect becomes.
And looking at these levels, Initial Level, Elite Level...
It seems to correspond with the monster levels in the Monster Atlas.
So, this skill can continue to upgrade to Extraordinary Level, Lord Level, Legendary Level, and even higher?
However, to improve from the Initial Level to the Elite Level required killing over two hundred goblins; if one wants to reach the highest level, the number required is probably unimaginably high.
Never mind, take it slowly.
Gauss felt that the skill’s effect was already very good.
It’s mainly convenient because if the enemy thinks they’ve cornered him, he could unsuspectingly activate the hidden energy reserve, restoring stamina, replenishing Magic Power, refreshing his condition, and continuing to fight, which is not a small advantage.
Moreover, as long as he continues to upgrade, his reserve mana bar will grow longer and longer.
The goblin village has already been temporarily massacred to emptiness.
Kevin and others, who had been hiding at a distance, had at some point found clothes to wear, and trembled as they approached the blood-drenched Gauss.
"Sir, is it safe now?"
"Yes." Gauss gathered his thoughts, glancing at the three whose faces were still somewhat pale. "Is it just the three of you? Are there any other companions?"
"Just the three of us."
"Thank you, Adventurer, for saving us."
"Infinitely grateful!"
Though their words were full of gratitude towards Gauss, deep in their hearts there lingered a shadow and fear that couldn’t be easily dispelled.
So the three of them didn’t dare to look into Gauss’s eyes.
The fierceness with which Gauss had slain the goblins left too deep an impression on them, and they still hadn’t completely recovered.
Ordinary people, in the face of a dangerous being capable of effortlessly taking their lives, even if it just stands beside them, have survival instincts that subconsciously urge them to keep their distance.
This is unrelated to moral character and is purely a self-preservation mechanism.
Especially since Gauss had just finished a killing spree, he couldn’t quite control and restrain his aura yet, making the oppressive feeling even stronger!
Gauss noticed the three trembling with fear and their shaking legs.
For a moment, he was full of mixed emotions.
Are they... afraid of me?
Have I already become so terrifying in the eyes of others?
Thinking of this, a complex emotion flashed across his eyes.
The joy brought by the skill upgrade became slightly diluted.
"Eat something." Gauss offered some bread and jerky. "You guys continue to hide. When the goblins that went out return, I’ll kill them, and then take you out of the forest."
Gauss handed over some food.
He turned and walked a bit away, choosing a clean rock to sit on, eating silently to replenish energy.
Meanwhile, the newly upgraded Energy Storage Glands started to take effect, storing more energy.
Leaving the three of them looking at each other, lowering their heads to their trembling legs, filled with shame and humiliation.
Even when facing their savior, their bodies still instinctually felt fear?
They could sense the friendliness beneath Gauss’s calm expression, but their bodies wouldn’t listen.
However, no matter how much they thought about it, they couldn’t think of anything to repay him with.
They were too weak.
And it seemed like he didn’t need their help; alone he could kill enemies that seemed invincible to them.
"Whitney, Wick..."
"What’s wrong?"
"I want to become an Adventurer."
"Are you serious?"
"Yeah, I also want, like the Adventurer, to kill these monsters, instead of being food and only able to shiver."
"But you could die?"
"I want to try."
"Then... I’ll join too."
Gauss, separated by a distance from the three.
But with 7 Perception, he could still hear the conversation in the deathly silent goblin village.
Is the world about to have three more new Adventurers?
Gauss glanced at the three out of the corner of his eye, seeing that the panic on their faces had faded considerably, replaced by the radiant expression of having found a new goal.
Not necessarily a bad thing, right?
Withdrawing his attention, he focused his gaze on the village entrance.
His stamina and Magic were both slowly recovering.
Patiently, he waited for about an hour.
Under Gauss’s eager gaze, a large group of goblins finally returned.
Amidst the noisy footsteps and chatter, the goblins joyfully stepped into their homeland.
However, before they could greet their companions, their expressions were replaced by shock, unable to comprehend the situation before them.
They had only been out for a short while.
But why did the familiar village in front of them become so incredibly foreign?
Blood soaked the earth, entrails, severed hands, decapitated heads, cubs cut in half, an overturned cauldron extinguishing the bonfire, collapsed huts, the once lively village now eerily quiet, a scene of utter desolation.
And in the village, the only living being still moving was the man in the center.
At this moment, he was slowly rising from the stone.
The "white staff" in his hand flickered with a dangerous light.
"Waaaah!!!"
The experienced leader behind them shouted in fear to alert the tribe.
But his warning was too late.
"Boom boom boom!"
Three blue spheres of light tore through the air, instantly exploding within the dense ranks of goblins.
"Bang!"
Six to seven goblins were instantly shattered in the explosion.
"Magic Missile!"
Gauss, watching the utterly terrified goblins, only quickened his hand movements.
For him, the densely packed lower-level monsters were no different from committing suicide.
"Boom!"
Magic Missile achieved remarkable success once again.
As the blood splattered before his eyes, all he saw was crimson.
The tallest goblin in the group had crimson red eyes.
Witnessing the fall of its homeland, its kin slaughtered, a scarlet tear slid slowly down its cheek.
Everything it owned was destroyed by that man!
Hatred spread within its heart.
Gauss’s figure magnified in its vision.
It seemed as if the entire world now contained only Gauss.
He must be killed!
"Buzz!"
A mass of dark, eerie energy rapidly expanded in its mind, causing its whole body to twitch a few times.
It seemed that some primitive power within was awakening.
"Boom!!!"
A full-power Magic Missile sliced through the air.
The leader goblin’s burning blood suddenly chilled, and it looked down at its body.
Its once strong and firm chest had a massive gaping hole blasted through it.
A cold draught seemed to be flowing rapidly through this opening.
"So cold! So freezing!"
For the first time, the leader goblin, whose mind never felt clearer, chattered, eyes filled with unwillingness.
Just another moment, just...
In unwillingness and resentment, its world was engulfed by endless eternity.
A dark energy also dissipated into the formless void.
Gauss looked at the fallen leader goblin and frowned.
He felt that just now, the environment had experienced a strange fluctuation as if some wondrous power had focused its attention on the goblin.
Never mind.
Now that it’s dead, it doesn’t matter anymore.
Prioritizing the elimination of leaders was always his fixed strategy.
And after this leader lost its front-row cover, it dared not retreat, even staring at him with eyes full of intense resentment, actively seeking battle. To not respond would be to dishonor its fighting spirit.
Gauss once again infused Magic into his hands.
His current Magic was sufficient to annihilate all the goblins before him with Magic Missiles.
So, while the goblins fled in a panic, he pursued them, continually releasing Missiles from his hands.
He chased them from within the village to an open area outside.
"Boom!"
When the last Missile was launched.
Gauss glanced around, the open land surrounding him now devoid of any standing figures.