Chapter 58: Racial Talent
"Boom!!"
The azure missile shattered the chest cavity of the first kobold in an instant.
Then, with slightly reduced momentum, it struck the second kobold companion behind it.
"Bang!!"
The second, skinny kobold was blown several meters away by the magic missile like a cannonball.
Amidst screams and explosions, fragments of flesh and blood splattered everywhere.
"Kobold killed *2"
"Total monster kills: 52"
"First kobold kill, earned the title [Dogman Hunter], this title will upgrade as you kill more of this race!"
"Current title effect: False Long Wei. When you mimic a dragon’s roar to a kobold, it inflicts a certain mental attack, reducing the kobold’s strength and combat desire by a certain extent, current effect: 10%."
With this kill, words flickered again in front of Gauss.
Meanwhile, his mind’s Adventurer’s Handbook’s Monster Atlas was updated with the kobold information.
"Monster Atlas now contains 5 species: Goblin, Slime, skeleton, Water Ghost, Kobold."
"Randomly selecting a racial talent ability, adapting and improving it for Constitution."
"Acquired one random ability from the goblin race, [Instant Dissolving Stomach]."
"Improving into racial talent ability [Quick Digestion]."
Quick Digestion (Initial Level): By eating, you can slightly speed up stamina and magic power recovery.
"Note: [Quick Digestion] can also be enhanced based on the number of goblins killed."
"Next racial talent ability selection, Monster Atlas species number reaches 20."
Gauss looked at the text flashing before his eyes.
Acquired a goblin’s ability?
He quickly thought for a moment.
Killing goblins can enhance the effect of [Quick Digestion]?
Suddenly, he found himself missing goblins a bit.
Especially since the talent ability obtained this time suited him well. His heartbeat grew faster within his chest.
Normally, whether practicing weapons or spells, he needed to consume the corresponding stamina and magic power, and after consumption, he had to wait quietly for them to recover.
This was one of the obstacles to enhancing skill proficiency.
Now, with quick digestion speeding up recovery, it was clearly advantageous for his professional path.
Although said to be slight, it hinted that this ability could be enhanced as he killed goblins, getting progressively better over time.
Moreover, Gauss pondered a possible future path.
His provisional core skill [Mage Armor] had growth potential, and the [Quick Digestion] racial talent acquired from goblins also had "growth potential."
When core skill and racial talent levels stack up and cooperate together, might that not achieve an effect greater than 1 plus 1?
He could totally shield himself first, then use food or other special supplies to replenish, then use the advanced quick digestion talent to rapidly restore magic power, cast more spells, if the mage armor got reduced, then reapply it, and if magic power depleted, continue to replenish and recover magic power...
Cycling like this, akin to a spell turret.
Of course, the premise is that his magic power, mage armor, and quick digestion must all mature, indispensable.
The idea is good, but the path must be walked step by step.
Gauss withdrew his thoughts.
The contemplation took only a short time.
At this moment, after the two kobolds fell to the ground, the other kobolds hurriedly gathered from elsewhere.
"Whoa!!!"
For a moment, the cave was filled with barks.
In the firelight, small creatures with lizard heads brandished weapons, trembling as they gazed into the darkness.
Despite their timid, life-cherishing nature, seeing their comrades die miserably drove them to pick up weapons to kill the enemy.
"Leave no one alive!"
The already-prepared team, holding a grudge from crawling through suffocating passages, now brimmed with battle excitement.
The group charged forward.
Compared to the slender, small build of the kobolds, they were giants rampaging unstoppable.
At the first touch, the kobolds were shattered.
Cold blades mercilessly sliced through the not-so-durable scales of the lizard-like kobolds, and the dark red blood spurted, drenching the ground.
In a head-on fight, kobolds, with a full disadvantage in size and weaponry, stood no chance against well-equipped adventurers.
Within moments, the kobolds of the first clash had fallen.
Gauss also casually dispatched a kobold with his rapier.
Suddenly, he noticed a shadowy corner not far away, where on a platform along the rock wall, a smaller, older kobold, more diminutive than others of its kind, held candles, and its elongated, snout-like lizard mouth was gathering red light.
"Watch out on the left side!!!"
Gauss quickly called out to alert his comrades.
Shortly after he sounded the warning, the high-positioned old kobold’s long snout spewed out a breath of flames.
"Boom!!"
A fireball flew towards them.
Fortunately, Gauss alerted them in time, and they all swiftly dodged, avoiding the fireball’s attack range.
"Boom!!"
The fireball smashed into the ground, scattering sparks like fireworks.
Close call! Everyone was startled.
Though, given the strength of the fireball, even if it hit the armored group, it likely wouldn’t be lethal, but injuries were certain, and no one wanted to be roasted just once.
After exhaling fire, the old kobold’s face turned visibly older, a gray pallor creeping over it.
"Caster?" Gauss quickly shook his head, sensing no magic fluctuation. "Perhaps just a kobold with simple organ mutation?"
Seeing the old kobold take a deep breath, its throat and pouch once again glowed red.
With ample time to react, Gauss certainly wasn’t going to give it another chance to breathe fire.
Mage’s Hand activated, forming.
Then, it pressed down on the kobold’s lizard-like snout.
"Cough, cough!"
The old kobold was interrupted by the sudden pressure on its snout.
But the flames erupting in its chest and throat pouch couldn’t be withdrawn.
As fear flashed in those vertical pupils, the red glow at its throat heated intensely in the next moment!
"Boom!!!!"
Firelight exploded like fireworks again in the old kobold’s throat!
Its neck was blown to shreds by the bursting flames.
"Thud!"
A lizard head fell from the platform, rolling far away on the ground.
The pupils shrunk to the tightest, still holding a trace of fear and bewilderment.
As if wondering, how could it die from its own breath.