บท 49: The Kobold King

Cassius had originally contemplated taking off a couple of his Newbie Equipment 1 pieces after seeing that the Kobold Titan had survived. But it looked like his contemplation was unnecessary. The Kobold Titan had only survived due to a miraculous bout of luck, and because none of his attacks had hit its vitals.

Now, however…

"Tell me," Cassius repeated as lightning crackled beneath his soles. "...Can you even…"

FWIP! SHING! SPURT!

"…see me?"

Without even taking out Lilith, Cassius blasted through the other end of the Kobold Titan using the momentum behind the front end of his Newbie 1 Training Sword. Somehow, the wooden sword emerged from this gruesome display without a single scratch on it.

Cassius's eyes flashed with momentary disappointment. "It seems that, in the end, you never really could see me," he muttered before disappearing from the area, taking with him the Magic Shards of all the surrounding corpses.

While he ventured further and further into the perilous caverns of the dangerous D+ Gate, a young girl of around sixteen was being carried through various rocky corridors. Tears streamed down her face, the dread having long since settled in.

Memphis realized very early on that resistance was futile, as the massive Kobold lugging her around like a pinto bean had… killed her father with a single strike.

She teared up more upon thinking of the cruel way her father had been split in half. However, nothing seemed to come out, as her tear stock had run dry. It was also this event that made her realize the grim truth of the situation.

Memphis believed everything that had happened was her fault—from the courageous death of her father after protecting her to the way she begged him to give her this opportunity to see what a Gate was really like. Every moment after they were first ambushed by abnormally powerful Kobolds had been filled with regret. She should have never come into the Gate. She should've just enjoyed her summer days off.

'M-Maybe… Maybe if I never came, my dad and his friends wouldn't have… died…'

Memphis's depressing thoughts swirled around unrelentingly as the D+ monster known as the Kobold Goliath General brought her to a large metallic door. It stood in at dozens of meters tall, with deathly skulls embedded into the metal that made up its surface.

After a brief moment of silence, the door slowly creaked open, and the Kobold Goliath, along with the other high-ranking Kobolds, began their trot into the space beyond. Large torches lined the lumpy stone walls of an area that stretched forward for a seemingly infinite distance. Yet, within minutes of walking through the hallway, the Kobold Goliath and the others reached a wide, spacious area with an even greater number of torches illuminating the surroundings.

As soon as a three-meter, imperious figure sitting atop a bloody throne came into view, the Kobold Goliath and the other Kobolds hit the ground and bowed.

The Kobold King raised his awe-inspiringly sturdy hand, commanding them all to rise, which they did.

"What is this?" A deep, profoundly savage voice resounded through the gory throne room. Just his voice was enough to spike fear through the hearts of all the Kobolds, though a few of them managed to suppress their fear outwardly.

Speaking up, the Kobold Goliath addressed its King in the Kobold tongue. "I have brought you a concubine, my Lord! This female human is very beautiful and will surely make an excellent addition to your collection!"

"As the mightiest King of the Kobolds, you can never have too many lovers! And with those annoying races outside preventing your greatness from taking whomever you please, otherworlders like these are perfect for someone as magnificent as the King!"

The Kobold King tapped his throne in interest. "Is what you say really the truth? Is she one of the most beautiful among the humans?" he asked, his tone brooking no falsehoods.

The Kobold Goliath vehemently shook its head, sweat raining down its hideous, dog-like face. "I am positive that this one is among the best that the inferior human species has to offer! Here, I will present her before you, sire!!" An obsequious smile emerged on its face as it picked up the despairing girl with a single hand and placed her a few dozen feet away from its King.

Even from such a distance, the Kobold King could clearly make out the exquisite facial features of the girl who had lost all hope. He repeatedly nodded, pleased with what he was seeing. "It looks like you were right this time, Goliath. But why is it crying?"

The Kobold Goliath threw a menacing glare in Memphis's direction, causing her to shudder in immense fright. She truly felt she was better off dead. Although she couldn't understand what these horrid monsters were saying, the intent was practically tangible.

For most of Memphis's life, her father had always told her to preserve her purity for the man she truly loved and wait until after marriage. She had adhered to those words until now, even after receiving more confessions at school than she could count. Yet now…

Memphis's grayed eyes flickered in absolute horror as she noticed the presence of lust in the enormous eyes of the Kobold King. The monstrous creature scanned her from head to toe, its expression gingerly glazing over as it took in more.

It had to admit that, of all the human females it had captured, she was the most marvelous.

Answering the King's question, the Kobold Goliath stuttered nervously, "M-My Lord… You know how these fragile creatures are. They cry over anything…" Feeling something life-threatening in the King's expression, the Goliath hurriedly added, "B-But, of course, my Lord, if this worm knew it was you whom she would be servicing and bearing children for, she would be beyond overjoyed!!"

"Hmm…" The Kobold King calmed his killing intent, instead refocusing on the sorrowful human female. An invisible force suddenly pulled his lips into a crude, sadistic grin. "Well, I really don't mind if they are crying, or even if they are resistant. After all, it is far more fun when they struggle! Jajaja!!"