The Bloodied Entrance

The night was ablaze with chaos as Vecna stood before the Chieftain's Hut, his figure a gruesome testament to the carnage he had wrought. 

His pale skin glistened with sweat, and his once-pristine attire was now stained with the dark crimson of goblin blood. The air was thick with the acrid scent of burning thatch and the distant cries of panicked goblins.

Before him, three Goblin Warriors, their battered armor barely holding together, stood as the last line of defense for their Chieftain.

They were weary, wounded, and filled with a mix of fear and determination. They had witnessed the relentless slaughter of their comrades and knew that this intruder was unlike any enemy they had faced before.

Without giving them a moment of coming out with a strategy of stopping him in his path, he engaged in fighting all three of the Goblin Warriors simultaneously. 

He already knew about the attack patterns of the Goblin Warriors, their weapon skills were amateurish, intermediate level at best, meanwhile Vecna was approaching the boundary of Advanced Swordsmaster, being at Intermediate Sword Mastery Lvl 8.

At the outset of the battle, the three Goblin Warriors faced Vecna with a mixture of fear and determination. They exchanged nervous glances, clutching their weapons tightly. The goblin who would later speak defiantly took a step forward, his voice quivering but defiant.

"We won't let you desecrate our home, outsider!" called one of the Goblin Warriors, all of three of them having level 120.

"You'll pay for your intrusion, human!"

"Defend the Chieftain at all costs!"

All three of them were ready at first sighting of the blonde human to kill him, but they overlooked the fact that Vecna's gaze contained blood and macabre thoughts. His confidence was bolstered by the fact those goblins had basic attack patterns, not holding anything that surprised him this far.

"Amusing sentiments. Where is your Chieftain in this detrimental moment for your Tribe? Pathetic. You think you'll be able to stop me, when the rest of your people failed already?"

"Don't joke around with me, green ant."

With his monstrous agility, he used his 'Soaring Leap' that he had efficiently grasped on how to control his jumps and appeared before the first goblin that spoke out. Following his arrival he slashed with Knightsblade, intent on cleaving in halves this creature.

"We're the Elite of our Tribe. The Chosens ones of the Chieftain." shouted the Goblin Warrior targeted by Vecna as he blocked the sword strike.

"Don't look down at us. You HUMAN!" called out the second Warrior who had a decent agility to cover Vecna's back and attempt a Backstabbing attack.

Those were the Goblin's forte, backstabbing. Roguish Techniques.

"You goblins are far too weak than I expected. No wonder you were the first ones to succumb to the Orcs."

This enraged the Goblins beyond what Vecna expected, and from this point onward, the battle raged on.

A symphony of clashing weapons and desperate cries echoing through the night. Vecna, his body seemingly unfazed by the exhaustion that gripped the Goblin Warriors, moved with remarkable agility. Each strike he delivered was precise and deadly.

As time passed, it became evident that the Goblin Warriors were outmatched. Their once-sturdy armor now lay in tatters, and weariness weighed heavily on their limbs. Their attempts to land a blow on Vecna seemed feeble, and the vampire effortlessly evaded their attacks, almost as if he were toying with them.

The goblin who had spoken defiantly earlier was the first to fall. Vecna swiftly sidestepped the warrior's weak strike and delivered a crushing blow to the back of the goblin's neck. The warrior collapsed to the ground, lifeless.

[Ding!]

[You have defeated 'Goblin Warrior, Chab ' gaining the following rewards]

[You have received 38,860 EXP]

[87 Silvers received]

['Goblin Ear' acquired (x2)]

['Goblin Leather Armor' has been acquired]

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The two remaining goblins exchanged a desperate glance, their resolve crumbling. They understood the futility of their efforts, realizing they were no match for the intruder.

Vecna, his eyes gleaming with malevolent satisfaction, activated his debuffing ability, 'Blood Corruption.' 

A sinister smile played on his lips as he watched the dark energy surge through the remaining two Goblin Warriors, who were already battered and exhausted from the prolonged battle.

The effect was immediate and brutal. The goblins' cries of agony pierced the night, but their voices were lost amidst the chaos of the burning tribe. As the dark energy coursed through their bodies, their forms contorted and twisted in torment. Muscles spasmed uncontrollably, and their once agile movements became sluggish and erratic.

One of the goblins, clutching his chest as if trying to suppress the searing pain, stumbled backward, his weapon slipping from his trembling hands. The other goblin's legs gave way beneath him, and he collapsed to the ground, convulsing uncontrollably.

"Do you understand now, how futile your actions were?"

Vecna moved forward, his predatory instincts fully awakened. With deliberate, almost leisurely steps, he approached the first goblin, whose strength had been sapped by the Blood Magic. 

The goblin's terrified eyes met Vecna's cold, crimson gaze as he struggled to lift his weapon. But it was a futile effort. Vecna effortlessly disarmed him, sending the weapon clattering to the ground.

The Goblin entered into its primeval instincts, and began whimpering pathetically, gazing at the Devilish figure that was worse than any nightmares they had. "Please, spare us..."

Similarly, the second goblin left alive, gasping for air because of the torment caused by Blood Corruption, only pleaded for mercy. "We yield... mercy..."

"You're yielding? That's troublesome. I wanted to kill you two and reach a new level."

Giving them the impression he was pondering about a difficult choice, in a final, desperate act, the goblin lunged at Vecna with his bare hands, but his movements were slow and uncoordinated. 

'Haha, as I expected.'

'Split Second.' Vecna activated one of his unique abilities from the Disciplines he awakened when he was turned into a Vampire.

As if the world turned in slow-motion with his crimson-eyes overlooking the desperate goblin, it sent a spasmic shiver down the spine of the green creature as he noticed the sinister grin on the monster's face.

Vecna sidestepped the feeble attack with ease, his fangs glinting in the firelight. With a swift and precise motion, he struck the goblin down, ending his suffering with a quick and merciful death.

[You have defeated 'Goblin Warrior, Kukov' gaining the following rewards]

[You have received 38.580 EXP]

[35 Silvers received]

['Goblin Ear' acquired (x2)]

['Goblin's Brew' has been acquired] 

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[Goblin's Brew]

Description: A questionable potion with unknown effects, often brewed by goblins

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Turning his attention to the second goblin, who was still writhing in pain on the ground, Vecna regarded him with a cold detachment. The goblin's convulsions were growing weaker, and his strength was waning with each passing moment.

The goblin warrior found his voice despite his injuries. "You monster," he spat out, his words laced with pain and hatred. "You will not be forgiven by the Chieftain."

Vecna watched the goblin for a short moment, scoffing afterwards, while saying. "You first ask for Mercy? Not long after you label me as a monster. How quaint."

"Hahaha. You truly are stupid creatures. Did you expect kindness from a monster like me?"

He continued to press his advantage, his crimson eyes devoid of empathy.

With a flick of his wrist, Vecna summoned a small orb of blood magic, allowing it to hover ominously above the goblin's trembling form. The goblin's wide eyes locked onto the hovering orb, and a guttural plea for mercy escaped his parched lips.

Vecna watched for a moment longer, relishing the fear and despair that radiated from the goblin. Then, with a flick of his fingers, he released the orb, and it descended upon the goblin, extinguishing his tortured existence in a blaze of dark magic.

  "Be at ease," he replied with chilling indifference. "Your Chieftain… will join you soon enough."

[You have defeated 'Goblin Warrior, Reb' gaining the following rewards]

[You have received 39,240 EXP]

[87 Silvers received]

['Goblin Ear' acquired (x2)]

['Goblin Iron Dagger' has been acquired]

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[You have leveled up!]

[You have reached level 96!]

As the last remnants of life flickered out in the goblin's eyes, Vecna stood amidst the burning chaos of the Brambleskinner Tribe, his crimson eyes reflecting the eerie dance of the flames. The night was his domain, and from the perspective of onlookers he became the embodiment of darkness and destruction.

In the shadows, unseen by all but the night itself, Rax watched with a mixture of fear and fascination. Vecna, the monster that had descended upon this Brambleskinner tribe, was unlike anything the goblins had ever encountered.

It was not their kind seeking the destruction of another, but a blonde human who defied all their understanding. Vecna was the true monster in their midst, and Rax understood that he had a crucial role to play in the unfolding chaos. 

"Master is scary… Rax will not upset Master Vecna."

"He will help me become greater than Grimbark."

Meanwhile, Vecna took a moment to regain his cooldowns, the blood of the fallen goblin warriors staining his hands. 

With a calculated leap, Vecna descended upon the hut's entrance. His body morphed into the beastly appearance of the Low-Ranked Vampire, his transformation swift and fluid. His golden hair grew longer, his fangs elongated, and his skin grew paler. His fingers turned into sharp claws, ready to strike down anyone who dared to stand in his way.

Vecna understood that he could activate and deactivate this transformation at will, but in his Hunger Mode, he could not revert to his human appearance. The craving for blood was a constant presence that disabled him from returning to his human appearance.

He kicked open the sturdy wooden door of the Chieftain's Hut. Behind him, the Brambleskinner Tribe burned, the flames casting eerie shadows upon the young goblin, Rax, who had witnessed the horror unleashed by Vecna.

The interior of the Chieftain's Hut was a stark departure from the crude goblin architecture Vecna had encountered in the rest of the tribe. It resembled something akin to an ancient human castle, albeit a primitive and rustic version. 

The dimly lit room he stepped into was adorned with rough-hewn stone walls and animal hide tapestries, giving it an eerie and archaic atmosphere.

At the far end of the room, Vecna's crimson eyes settled upon two older goblins, their withered and gnarled forms adorned in the distinctive attire of shamans. 

They stood in a position of authority and power, their gnarled staves pulsating with a malevolent magical energy. These were the advisors to Chieftain Fangor, the linchpin of the Brambleskinner Tribe's leadership as per Rax and Grakthar's words.

[Goblin Shaman, Griznak - LV. 135] (Mini-Boss) (45,000/45,000 HP)

[Goblin Shaman, Zul'kara - LV. 134] (Mini-Boss) (43,250/43,250 HP)

As Vecna entered, the goblin shamans wasted no time in launching their fiery assault. With a sinister grin, they hurled their Fireball spells toward Vecna. The spells were charged with an intensity that spoke of their experience and power.

One of the shamans spoke out after sending his Fireball, his voice quivering with anger. "Why have you brought ruin upon our tribe? What do you seek here?"

Vecna, his cold crimson eyes fixed on his adversaries, showed no inclination to respond. His focus remained solely on the impending confrontation, and the pleas of the goblins fell upon deaf ears.

The second shaman, his gnarled staff trembling in his grasp, persisted with a note of desperation in his voice. "Speak, interloper! Are you here to steal our treasures or claim our lands? Have you no mercy for our people?"

But Vecna's silence was unwavering. To him, the goblins were mere obstacles in his path, their questions and pleas inconsequential in the grand schemes of things.

Looking at the Fireballs, he was reminded of a video a Streamer took of the Great Magician Ashur of the Eternal Kingdom, his Fireball was humongous compared to the balls of fire hurled at him.

'Pff, that's what to expect from level 100s Mobs.'

Vecna, however, was ready. He had acquired a new Blood Spell during his raid on the goblins, one that would prove invaluable in this confrontation. 

'Blood Shield'

[You have consumed 500 MP]

With a fluid motion, Vecna drew upon the dark reservoir of his vampiric powers. His hand, stained with the blood of goblin warriors, swept through the air, tracing intricate patterns. It was a deadly dance, a weaving of his own life essence into an impenetrable barrier.

A deep, resonant hum filled the room as his blood magic surged. Around him, scarlet symbols materialized in mid-air, forming an ethereal shield that shimmered with an eerie crimson light. The shield wavered like a mirage before solidifying into a protective barrier.

The goblin shamans watched in disbelief as their Fireball spells struck the Blood Shield. Upon impact, the fiery explosions were contained within the shield's confines, the flames dancing along its surface like trapped spirits. The intense heat and pressure threatened to breach the barrier, but Vecna's will held it firm.

The interior of the Chieftain's Hut trembled as the magical clash between fire and blood reverberated within its walls. The air grew thick with the acrid scent of burning wood and ozone, further obscuring the dimly lit room.

Vecna stood resolute, his eyes fixed on the shamans, while deep down he was approving of the abilities of the Blood Shield.

['Blood Shield' has absorbed 15,246 damage (15,246/40,000)] 

'Ohh, so their spells actually hurt. However, their playstyle is squished, akin to mages. They are glass cannons.'

Vecna's predatory grin widened as he advanced toward the now bewildered goblin shamans. 

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[Blood Shield - LV.1]

Rating: Unique

Shields you for five minutes of 20% of all incoming damage, absorbing up to 40,000 damage -- interchangeable with the User's Level

Skill Consumption: 500 MP

Skill Unique Consumption: 6% of User's Vitality

Skill Cooldown: 5 minutes

★ Special Effects: Under the 'Sanguine World' the skill will evolve, taking on a new form 'Sanguine Armor'. Increases your defense for 5 minutes by 50%, absorbing up to 100,000 damage. 

★ By consuming the Vitality of the User or Enemies, the absorbed damage can be replenished.

Skill Consumption: 500 MP

Skill Unique Consumption: 5% of User's Vitality