Bro, I'm not an Undead!

Hobbu Gogo stopped stirring.r

It had grown quiet.r

Too quiet.r

She had sensed this a few minutes ago but had been too absorbed in mixing thoroughly the concoction she had in the cauldron almost as large as her 12 meter tall mass.r

This object was nearly as ancient as she was, its exterior rusted and its dark colour fading with nearly as many callouses and wrinkles as she had. Her sagging light green skin tumbled as she turned from the huge cauldron, her beady white eyes turning to the doors to this room in the distance.r

Her five guards, all Tier 9 in strength, were still stationed behind these doors, though they seemed tense. r

It was probably because just as she was now realising, they were concerned about how the goblins in the capital had suddenly stopped moving, all gaping while caught in dreams.r

She could sense all this faintly because of her strength.r

Hobbu Gogo narrowed her eyes and licked her pasty lips, a twitch of her head to the left flicking her black locks of hair aside.r

A magical effect had probably smitten the city but because her compound was shielded by her most advanced set of stacked runes, she and the guards had been spared this unexpected effect.r

Hmm.r

Were there invaders?r

Shouldn't Hobbu Bobbu have already taken care of them?r

Yes.r

He should have. That was his duty after she had raised him for so long and given him an extraordinary gift that far exceeded what she gave to the other enlightened goblins chosen to guard the eleven cities outside the capital.r

Hobby Gogo's head twitched to the left again and soon after she rose to stand up, she waved her hand causing the brimming blue flames under the cauldron spawned by large runes on the floor to be dispersed which halted the heat supplied to the boiling pale orange liquid in the large container.r

This batch wasn't ready yet, but her senses told her that danger was afoot. She hated to waste the limited ingredients she had as from the countless shelves in this last room, it was evident that she didn't have much left to use but...r

Hobbu Gogo wore a deep frown.r

This was frustrating.r

Each batch of this thick concoction which she called the Enlightening Ill had to boil for 47 hours under the effect of the special properties of the cauldron. Once it had cooled, it could be supplied to strong goblins that she saw fit, the base prerequisite being that they had to be Tier 7 or higher.r

Exactly 25 litres of the Enlightening Ill had to be consumed by each goblin to guarantee a massive boost in strength as well as an awakening for the that usually came in the form of distinct classes; unique, unheard of Classes that would manifest after a range of 15-25 days after consuming the concoction.r

There were many losses when Hobbu Gogo chose the wrong goblins to give the Enlightening Ill. Not all of them were strong enough to handle it. In fact the success rate was only 45% whenever she supplied this prized creation of hers to 100 selected goblins.r

To remedy this, she had resorted to using a better way of choosing whom she gave the Ill.r

A circle of different runes appeared around Hobbu Gogo's right eye at this moment, all of them tinged with a pristine white light as they slowly revolved around it.r

As a Shaman of a high level, Hobbu Gogo had an advanced mastery of runes. At least, she had lived long enough and worked hard enough to earn such power and knowledge.r

The Mundane Grovel Runes.r

Runes given by the earth, as she interpreted them.r

She was a master at these.r

They were simple and a lot weaker than the more complex ones that Mages used but they were very efficient.r

Reinforcement, Protection, Empower, Sealing, Enabling, Temporary Storage and Conjuring.r

These were the seven uses that Hobbu Gogo had unlocked so far.r

The set of runes around her eye right now were forged to Empower and Enable her declining sight, allowing her to see properly and without having to worry about physical obstacles which came with the perk of even being able to look into the innards of living and non-living things.r

...!r

Hobbu Gogo saw the view outside of this room and she was appalled.r

Something was terribly wrong.r

The stacks of runes outside her manor that protected against potential threats had been breached and from the looks of it, this had been done just now!r

But how?!r

Without her permission not a single goblin in this world could pass that barrier of runes, nomatter how hard they tried!r

Not a single goblin....except Hobbu Bobbu!r

She had taught him how to create a space for himself through the stacked runes. A space that would only last for a single second.r

Was it him then?r

No.r

She would have sensed him by now. She knew all the goblins' presences individually, especially Hobbu Bobbu's, the one she saw as her own child.r

Hobbu Gogo snapped her fingers and a myriad of runes of different colours appeared all over the room in strategic positions, each with different functions.r

The old goblin scanned the area around her mansion, scrolling past the stationed guards as she scrolled to the left from the right.r

Nothing.r

Hmmm.r

She then turned her head back to right as she scrutinised every detail and...r

...!r

What?!r

The guards stationed by the doors were... gone!r

But they were here a second ago!r

What was going on?!r

Not a single trace of them was left, except for the mana passively leaking from their bodies which remained hanging in the air but without a source!r

Another encirclement of runes appeared around Hobbu Gogo's right eye to enhance her sight. If she were 200 years younger she would have agilely rushed up to see what was happening but the intent and strength to battle had declined with her age. That was why she had resigned herself to making her kin stronger instead, partly so that she didn't have to.r

As she erected another means to enable and empower, Hobbu Gogo saw it!r

A figure blinked into existence behind the doors.r

It was a small creature, much like a normal goblin in stature but atrociously hideous!r

A dark purple halo was around it, attempting to mask its presence but now, she could see it clearly. r

This creature had light auburn hair with orange tips and ungreen skin on its body that was adorned in leathery outfit with a hood behind it and chains wrapped around its waist in a horrendously edgy showing.r

This creature opened the doors and looked a bit surprised to see the giant goblin staring right down at it.r

This creature, to Hobbu Gogo's surprise gave a short laugh and spoke.r

"Of course [Absolute Zero] won't work on you," it said as it took confident steps forward.r

So this was the creature that had dispatched five of its Tier 9 guards in an instant?r

Hobbu Gogo, with an enraged face stretched out her hand at this little creature and activated one of the runes set within this room. One which was on the ceiling.r

The activation was instantaneous as in a breath, her enemy was caught in a cylindrical red light that had four white runes around it!r

This was a network of runes made to seal Hobbu Gogo's target and strain their physical strength!r

Against someone like this whom the old goblin couldn't hope to beat with her dulled reflexes, Hobby Gogo chose to utilise a physique weakening rune network set.r

Immediately after, as she saw her target immobile, Hobbu Gogo activated another set of runes which were on the floor that opened her Temporary Storage over this invader and spilled a hissing black liquid over him!r

It was a vile poison that she had created with the cauldron, its potency so great that one small vial's worth could kill Hobbu Bobbu within a minute!r

As it fell, Hobbu Gogo enacted another set of rune which were meant to-r

"I know ALL your secrets."r

...!r

Suddenly, the voice of her invader sounded from her left side!r

Shockingly, he was not the recipient to her attack in the seal as she had thought!r

He had a green sword in hand, seemingly ready to strike with a grin that belonged to the devil while looking up at her!r

"Poor thing. You're deaf from your left side, right? I'll make this quick," Hybrid Luman said as he swung his sword, much to Hobbu Gogo's horror.r

No.r

It wasn't that she was afraid of his strike.r

That wasn't why she was horrified.r

It was because, this invader's green sword kept blinking in and out existence, creating doubt as to whether or not he was actually holding it!r

...!r