Chapter 45: The Price of Becoming Stronger

The sound of lightning sizzled through the air as I brought the Doom Axe down on the swordsman.

The blade tore through his body with enough force to overwhelm his remaining defenses, and he barely had time to react before the impact split him in two.

Blood splattered across the ground as the upper half of his body fell away from the lower half, leaving his remains sprawled at my feet.

"Eh..."

Luther’s eyes widened in disbelief.

Even as his body lay broken on the ground, he seemed unable to comprehend what had happened.

His gaze shifted toward me, and he struggled to lift his head, his expression caught somewhere between shock and confusion.

"You... how... how are you so..."

He never finished the question.

I stepped forward and brought the Doom Axe down on his head before he could say another word.

The blade struck with a sickening crunch, putting an end to his struggle.

I watched his body fall still, then loosened my grip on the axe as the last traces of lightning faded from its runes.

A notification appeared before my eyes.

[You have killed a Level 25 Human!]

[You have levelled up!]

I barely paid attention to the level-up notification.

My gaze remained fixed on Luther’s corpse, particularly his head.

A familiar urge stirred inside me, growing stronger with every passing second.

I could practically feel my stomach tightening as my mind turned toward the one thing I wanted from his body.

His brain.

The thought came so naturally that I almost forgot how disturbing it would have seemed to me before becoming a goblin.

My instincts had changed considerably since my reincarnation, and the Evolution Devourer had only made them stronger.

Whenever I killed a human or another creature whose brain could provide something useful, the desire to consume it became difficult to ignore.

It was as if my body already knew what I stood to gain, even before the system informed me of the rewards.

I crouched beside the corpse, reaching toward his head, but stopped when I noticed Talia watching me.

She had remained unusually quiet since I awakened the power of the Doom Axe, and I couldn’t tell whether she was frightened by what she had witnessed or simply trying to understand what had happened to me.

Either way, I wasn’t particularly interested in having an audience while I indulged my appetite.

"Can you turn away for a couple of minutes?" I asked.

Talia stared at me for a moment before her gaze drifted toward Luther’s remains.

She seemed to understand what I intended to do, and her expression became slightly uncomfortable.

Nevertheless, she nodded awkwardly and turned her back to me without asking any questions.

I appreciated that she didn’t make a fuss about it.

Once she was facing the other direction, I returned my attention to the corpse and began feeding.

I focused on finishing quickly, concentrating on the benefits I expected to receive rather than the savoring sensation feasting on it made me feel.

A few moments later, the system screen appeared in front of me.

[Evolution Devourer Activated]

[You have consumed the brain of a Level 25 Human!]

[You have received +5 free stat points!]

[You have received a new skill: Combat Instinct!]

[Combat Instinct (Passive)]

Your ability to read an opponent’s movements and recognize openings in their defense has improved. Your combat instincts will sharpen with experience.

[You have received 2 Legacy Points!]

My eyes lingered on the final notification.

Two Legacy Points.

A grin slowly spread across my face as I considered what this meant.

My earlier suspicion had been correct.

Humans were likely among the species capable of possessing legacy fragments, and defeating them could reward me with the points I needed to strengthen my Storm Sovereign class and improve my legacy skills.

If Luther had given me two points, stronger opponents might provide even greater rewards.

The possibilities were tempting.

With enough Legacy Points, I could improve Thunderclad, increase the power of Thunder Cleave, and make better use of the other abilities granted by the Doom Axe.

I didn’t know how far the legacy could take me, but the system had already made it clear that my class possessed room for further growth.

If I wanted to become stronger, I would need more points.

And if killing humans was one way to obtain them, I couldn’t afford to ignore that opportunity.

I paused, my grin gradually fading as I considered what I had just thought.

Had I really started thinking about killing more humans as a way to earn rewards without giving it a second thought?

A few minutes ago, I had been fighting Luther because he was an enemy who had attacked me.

Now, I was already considering how many Legacy Points I could gain from killing other humans.

It was a logical conclusion, certainly.

The system rewarded me for defeating powerful opponents, and I needed those rewards if I wanted to survive the dangers ahead.

There was nothing particularly complicated about that reasoning.

Yet something about it bothered me.

I shook my head, trying to push the thought aside.

Perhaps I was simply getting used to the rules of this world, where strength often determined whether someone lived or died.

I couldn’t afford to think like an ordinary human anymore, especially when my own survival and the safety of the goblins depended on becoming stronger.

Even so, I couldn’t ignore the uncomfortable feeling settling in my chest.

I was really starting to become a monster.

"Sylas, we should hurry back," Talia called, drawing my attention away from my thoughts. "The chief might be in danger."

Right. Orgrun was still fighting Thors.

I rose to my feet and wiped my hands before retrieving the Doom Axe.

The weapon felt surprisingly comfortable in my grip, almost as if it had become a natural extension of my body.

The runes along its surface glowed faintly blue, and I could sense the power sleeping within them.

I had only...