Goblin Heavy Dependence

Chapter 180 Beast Transformation and Elves

A bright, full silver moon hung serenely in the night sky, while a cool evening breeze whistled across the open space.

The air was filled with the faint, musty smell unique to slums, the stench of decay and blood emanating from the sewers.

And a deep, dangerous growl like that of a wild beast.

Buck stood still, his body enveloped in moonlight, visibly expanding and growing larger.

Around his body, the crimson aura drawn from his own blood, swirling around him like a vortex, was also driving away any enemy who dared to approach and attempt to interrupt the process, threatening the "beastification syndrome" curse.

He gripped the decapitation sword tightly with both hands, the iron-gray edge of the blade appearing even more sharp and cold under the moonlight.

Xia Nan stared at the burly middle-aged man whose body was rapidly transforming into a beast not far ahead.

Unlike the villains in various works from my past life who just watched the protagonist break through at the last minute without doing anything to stop him.

Of course, he wouldn't just stand still and wait for the other party to finish strengthening before starting the battle.

However, the air around Buck's body at this moment, carrying the flow of blood from his body, was like a mop that had just been used to clean the bathroom, and it had a very strong deterrent effect.

Although Xia Nan didn't have any obvious wounds, who knew if this blood energy would seep into his body through his skin pores after close contact?

If you were to contract "beastification syndrome" as a result, that would be a real problem.

He himself emphasizes close-combat style with flexibility and mobility, and lacks means of ranged attack.

While pondering, his left hand swept across his waist.

Two oil bombs were then transferred from the waist pouch to the palm of the hand.

I first saw Wood use it during the Firefly Garlic Vine quest more than half a year ago.

This extremely convenient throwing tool became one of his essential supplies before setting off on a mission.

Having just arrived in Newme from River Valley, he naturally had a few coins on him.

Without the slightest hesitation.

Aiming at the target, Xia Nan hurled two dark oil bombs at Buck.

Extremely fast!

The powerful force even caused the two perfectly round black spheres to emit a sharp, piercing sound as they flew through the air.

With his body swollen and in a stiff state, Buck only had time to raise his right hand to block in front of him.

The next second, the dark, dull grease and fine, murky dust stuck to the surface of his arm and suddenly burst forth with a few sparks.

boom--

Like a torch, the intense orange flames engulfed his entire right arm in an instant.

Even the blood-red aura that had been steadily circulating around him began to fluctuate and become slightly disordered.

Of course it's useful!

The fear of fire has been deeply ingrained in the blood and instincts of living beings since the dawn of life countless years ago.

This is especially true for beastmen who are gradually losing their human rationality and turning into wild beasts.

Just as Xia Nan thought his attack had worked and was about to launch a fierce counterattack,

The sudden brightness of the moonlight reflected in Buck's dark eyes made him stop in his tracks.

Threads of soft moonlight from the heavens bathed the hairy, beast-like believer on the field.

The fire, which ignited the fur, devoured the arm, and spread rapidly from the shoulder to the chest, was like encountering some kind of natural nemesis.

The moonlight simply circled around once, and the burning flames were easily extinguished, leaving only a few wisps of smoke.

Even the charred, blackened fur and flesh returned to normal with each breath, scabbing over and healing.

Seeing this, Xia Nan felt even more troubled.

My brain raced as I considered a solution.

Just then, a man's voice, trembling slightly and seemingly straining to endure pain, suddenly came from ahead:
"You were sent by the association, right?"

Thick, long, brownish-brown hair grows rapidly from head to toe, and the outline of the muscles swelling and writhing beneath it can be faintly seen.

Buck stared at the black-haired adventurer ahead, his gradually cooling beast eyes shifting slightly as his gaze swept over the adventurer's fine chainmail and longsword.

"That makes sense. The Badger Gang is a small gang that usually bullies ordinary people. How could they possibly afford to hire professionals?"

Xia Nan did not answer, nor did he have any intention of speaking. He simply stared at the figure in front of him, which was swelling like a balloon, searching for any possible flaws.

"Hehe, I never thought I'd have such a day, to be able to face off against a big shot like you who has achieved a professional level."

The tearing, swelling muscles and coarse, deformed bones, mixed with the howling evening wind, created a strange, distorted noise in the air.

“You know what? I’m actually very grateful to the Adventurers’ Guild.” Buck lowered his head, his burly body casting a huge shadow on the ground in the moonlight. “Even now, I still am.”

"I've heard many people complain that the association takes away too much of the profits, that the mission information they occasionally provide is inconsistent with the actual situation, and that they even suspect that the association deliberately gives dangerous missions that are not commensurate with the rewards in order to control the number of adventurers."

"But I know in my heart that without the association..."

"Then I will only be able to spend my whole life like my father, my grandfather, and countless generations before them, toiling in the fields, working hard all year round but not even being able to fill my stomach. For a small bag of wheat, I can even laugh and lick the soles of the tax collector's shoes, with no hope in sight."

"Instead of what it is now...like before, marrying a beautiful wife, accumulating enough wealth to raise children decently, and owning a small house of one's own in the city of Newme."

"This is a life I never dared to dream of before."

Buck suddenly looked up.

The facial features that could still be discerned as human have been completely transformed into those of a beast, and coarse, thick hair has covered the last bit of bare skin.

Saliva dripped naturally, and the white, cold light of fangs was faintly visible in the narrow, pointed mouth.

“Even when business ran into problems, leaving my family with debts that we couldn’t repay even with decades of normal work, I never gave up hope during those darkest days.”

"Because I know that even if life becomes a little more difficult in the short term, at least Sarah, Carey and little Daphne will still be by my side."

"But as long as you take on more tasks and earn more money, even if the source of the money isn't entirely clean, all the hardships will eventually pass."

"Ten years, twenty or thirty years, it doesn't matter. One day, I will be able to return to that wonderful life I once had."

"but……"

His upturned ears were already taller than the simple bungalows on either side. His almost bloated, burly body suddenly trembled violently, and deep in his beastly eyes was a ferocious, blood-red color that would terrify even the most experienced hunter.

"That beast, Ben, left me at the camp to save his own life."

"When faced with the attack, my first reaction was to cover for him and buy time for the team."

"Looking back now, it's really ridiculous."

"Then, the Badger Gang..."

His voice grew increasingly hoarse, and his words gradually became indistinct, like the low howl of a wild beast.

“That night, Sarah and the others were supposed to go back to their grandmother’s house. The little ones kept asking for a long time, saying they wouldn’t be back for at least a week.”

"But a few of the Badger gang's bastards caused trouble in the tavern and injured the coachman I had hired."

"Two days, but two days too late..."

Buck leaned forward, crawling on the ground, his two claws, covered in long brown fur, touching the ground. His face, hidden by the thick fur, was expressionless.

"They... ugh..." "They all deserve to die!!!"

Roar--

In the stillness of the night, the roars of a ferocious beast suddenly erupted!
After being completely absorbed, the silvery-white moonlight that had covered his entire body like water disintegrated into shattered stardust and vanished into the air.

The crimson aura that had originally protected his beast-transformation also dissolved into nothingness amidst the sonic boom that blurred the air.

Like a small mountain of flesh, its needle-like, hard brown fur undulates over the shoulder peaks of the eaves on both sides, and its five parallel claws leave deep claw marks on the earthen ground with just a little force.

The fat bulging on his neck rippled and trembled beneath his thick, tough fur. His dark eyes, completely consumed by bestiality, were deeply embedded in the hollows of his skull, and thick saliva dripped slowly from the surface of his sharp fangs.

This is a giant brown bear with paws bigger than an adult's head and a body size comparable to a dilapidated bungalow on the sidelines!

The last vestiges of rationality were consumed by hatred, regret, and anger, and the brightest moonlight of the year became the best catalyst on the night of the "Moon Feast."

This caused Buck's mind to completely fall into slump.

Having completed the final transformation into a beastman, he became a ferocious wild beast driven by his desires and instincts.

Roaring, it charged toward Xia Nan, the only living person on the field.

The ground trembled slightly from the other's heavy footsteps, and the air was filled with a loud, ear-piercing roar.

His dark eyes reflected the imposing figure charging towards him like a small tank.

Xia Nan showed no obvious emotional fluctuations, remaining calm and composed.

He naturally heard what Buck had said earlier, and thus learned the whole story.

Sympathy... cannot be said to be completely absent.

But it was far from enough to affect his expression or even change his action plan.

Adventurers, while enjoying high incomes and a superior status, what price do they have to pay...?

Even someone who has been in the industry for less than a year already understands this.

As a seasoned adventurer, how could Buck not know?

It's just that their minds were controlled by animalistic instincts, and they couldn't think things through for a while. Perhaps... it's just that the other party is instinctively avoiding the question.

In a sense, Buck, who contracted the beast disease during his adventure and killed his family, was no different from the adventurers whose heads were smashed by goblins.

Even though I've already obtained a professional level, I'm still just an adventurer on a quest right now.

hold head high--

A long, drawn-out wolf howl, accompanied by a sharp, swift wind, suddenly rang out on the field.

In the blink of an eye, Xia Nan's body was swept away by the gale and disappeared from the spot.

In the darkness, only a blurry, ferocious wolf head could be vaguely seen, along with a fleeting glint of cold, metallic gray light within it.

In order to absorb the power of the moonlight, Buck lured Xia Nan out of the sewers and finally completed his beast transformation under the moonlight.

However, to some extent, it did not bring his strength closer to Xia Nan's, nor did it make his own situation safer.

Leaving behind the confined space of the sewers filled with brick and stone walls, we arrived at this open space.

Without environmental restrictions, Xia Nan can freely unleash [Fang Hunt] and [Whirlwind Slash], maximizing his mobility.

The improvement in combat power is far greater than that of Buck, who has not yet become a professional.

"Kara!"

Claws as hard as steel sank deep into the ground, kicking up fine dust at the edges.

The sudden disappearance of its target from sight caused the brown bear, which had completely lost its human reason and was left only with its wild instincts, to subconsciously slow down.

It awkwardly twisted its head, trying to find the enemy.

The only response it received was a ferocious wolf head that pounced and bit down from its blind spot at the side and rear.

"laugh!"

The iron-gray blade pierced into the thick fur, spurting blood, yet without the slightest hesitation.

He only briefly felt the texture of the flesh before abruptly withdrawing.

And with another burst of wolf howls, it disappeared from the spot.

This caused the enormous bear paw that was about to fall, capable of easily breaking steel, to strike only empty air.

"Roar!!!"

His dark eyes calmly watched the brown bear roar in fury ahead, its back contorted with intense pain.

Xia Nan casually flicked away the blood droplets remaining on the surface of the sword.

He possesses decent combat talent and extensive combat experience far exceeding that of adventurers his age.

However, this simple test gradually made it clear to him how he should fight next.

After fully transforming into his beast form, Buck undoubtedly gained defensive capabilities and physical strength far exceeding what he had ever possessed before.

—The thick, tough skin covered in bristles, along with the thick layer of fat and hard muscles underneath, forms almost a natural armor.

Meanwhile, having lost his human body, Buck also experienced a significant reduction in speed and agility.

When its defensive capabilities are insufficient to make it completely impenetrable.

This type of enemy is one that Xia Nan is good at dealing with.

In just a few seconds, he had already planned out his moves for the next few rounds.

First, use the mobility granted by [Fang Hunt] to launch a few feint attacks, exhausting the opponent's patience while also probing their trump cards to ensure safety.

Then, when the opportunity arises, use [Gravity Control] to increase the opponent's gravity.

It doesn't need to be controlled for too long.

In half a second, or even less, he could plunge half of the decapitation sword into the back of the opponent's neck.

Then, it activates the ochre-red light patterns on the surface of the sword, which are coated with [gravity etching], and blows off the opponent's head.

Of course, you must be careful not to get injured throughout the process to avoid contracting the Beast Transformation Syndrome. Therefore, you need to have spare strength to ensure that you can release [Fang Hunt] again at any point in time and quickly get away.

While pondering this, his calves were already gathering strength again, and [Fang Hunt] was ready to be unleashed.

And that's when.

It was extremely abrupt.

Amidst the roars of frenzied beasts and howling winds, a faint yet eerily clear footstep suddenly rang out.

My gaze instinctively followed the direction from which the sound came.

What came into view was a tall, slender figure with unsteady steps, whose appearance seemed familiar.

Under the cover of night, one could vaguely see her long, golden hair swaying on either side of her face, and her pair of slender, white ears.

"Elves?"

(End of this chapter)