Goblin Dependency

The bright and full Silver Moon hung quietly in the night sky, with the chilly evening breeze howling across the clearing.

In the air was the faint odor of decay typical of the slums, carried with the foul stench of blood from the sewers.

And the heavy, dangerous growl of a beast.

Buck stood still in place, his body enveloped and enlarged by the moonlight at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Around his body, the blood drawn from within, swirling like a vortex, served as a threat of the "Beastification" curse, driving away any who dared to approach and interrupt this process.

His hands tightly gripped the Beheading Longsword, the iron-gray edge of the blade gleamed cold under the moonlight.

Xia Nan watched the burly middle-aged man in front of him, his body transforming into a beast at great speed.

Unlike the villains in various works from his past life who would simply watch the protagonist breakthrough and do nothing to stop it,

he certainly wouldn't stand idle, waiting for the opponent to fully enhance themselves before the battle began.

However, the air surrounding Buck was filled with a blood-laden current from within his body, much like a freshly cleaned mop, possessing a strong intimidating force.

Though Xia Nan didn't have any obvious wounds on his body, who knew if this blood energy, if encountered in close proximity, would seep into the body through the pores.

If infected with "Beastification" because of this, it would indeed be troublesome.

Furthermore, his fighting style emphasized agility and mobility in close combat, lacking the means of long-range attacks.

In contemplation, his left hand brushed past his waist.

Two Kerosene Bombs had already found their way from his pouch to his palm.

Since witnessing Wood use them during the Firefly Garlic Vine task more than six months ago,

these extremely convenient throwable tools had become one of his essential supplies before setting off on a mission.

Coming from River Valley Town to Neum, he naturally carried a few on him.

Without any hesitation.

He aimed at the target and exerted force with his arm, hurling the two dark Kerosene Bombs fiercely at Buck.

The speed was extraordinary!

The strong force even made the round black balls emit a sharp whistling sound through the air.

With his body expanding, Buck, who was in a rigid state, barely managed to lift his right hand to block in front of him.

The next second, the pitch-black oil and fine-grained dust clung to the surface of his arm, suddenly erupting with scattered sparks.

Boom—

Like a torch, the bright orange flames instantly engulfed his entire right arm.

Even the once orderly and stable blood-colored airflow surrounding him began to wave in a faintly chaotic manner.

Of course, it works!

The fear of fire has been deeply ingrained in the bloodline instinct of living beings since the dawn of life countless years ago.

Especially for those Beastmen, who are gradually losing human rationality and becoming beasts.

Yet just as Xia Nan thought his attack was effective and planned to seize the opportunity for a fierce assault,

the suddenly bright moonlight reflected in his dark eyes caused him to pause.

Gentle moonlight strands from the heavens favored the grounds below, where this beast-like, hairy follower stood.

The fire igniting fur, consuming the arm, rapidly spreading from shoulder to chest, seemed to meet a natural nemesis.

The moonlight circled once, effortlessly extinguishing the burning flames, leaving only wisps of blue smoke.

Even those charred, pitch-black long fur and skin healed, scabbing and recovering in a single breath.

Seeing this, Xia Nan felt even more troubled in his heart.

His brain quickly rotated, devising a countermeasure.

And at that moment, a man's voice, slightly trembling as if enduring pain, suddenly came from ahead:

"You're sent by the Association, right?"

Thick brown hair rapidly grew all over his body, faintly visible underneath were the outlines of bulging and writhing muscles.

Buck fixed his gaze on the black-haired adventurer ahead, his gradually cold beast eyes slightly shifted, glancing at the fine chain armor and long sword on him.

"Makes sense, a small gang like the Gray Badger Gang, often bullying ordinary people, how could they afford a professional."

Xia Nan did not answer, nor was he inclined to chat. He merely stared at the balloon-like expanding figure ahead, searching for possible flaws.

"Haha, who would have thought I'd see the day to face someone of your caliber with a Professional Level,"

The tearing, bulging muscles and thickening, transforming bones, mixed with the howling evening wind, forming a weird twisted noise in the air.

"You know, I actually appreciate the Adventurer Association," Buck lowered his head, his burly physique casting a massive shadow on the ground under the moonlight, "Even now, it's still the case."

"I've heard many complaints, people saying the Association takes too much profit, occasionally providing task information that doesn't match the real situation, even suspecting the Association of intentionally issuing dangerous tasks disproportionate to the rewards to control adventurer numbers."

"But I understand in my heart, without the Association…"

"I would spend my entire life like my father, my grandfather, and countless generations before them, toiling in the fields, working hard all year yet not having enough to eat, smilingly licking a tax officer's boots for a small bag of wheat, seeing no hope."

"Instead of now... or once, having a beautiful wife, amassing wealth sufficient for a decent child upbringing, owning a small house of my own in Neum City District."