Legendary Shelter Survival Guide

"Yes, what about it?" John asked calmly.

"They're not the same as those ones, right?" Lucas asked, genuine curiosity in his voice as his memories felt a bit foggy.

"…Some of them were like this, but not that big one," John said, stopping mid-sentence as the Kobold approached them.

"I'll engage this one. Please step back, everyone," Lucas instructed, making the others glance at each other in hesitation.

Sarah shrugged and stepped back, her confidence in Lucas unwavering. The others followed suit.

"You're trying to fight me on your own, huh? It'll be fun to cut you down and eat you right in front of your people!" The Kobold's voice carried an unsettling snicker that was disturbingly human-like.

Lucas rose from the ground, swords still in hand, and walked toward the Kobold.

The Kobold's claws began to glow, their aura stronger than the others.

In one swift motion, the Kobold leaned forward and dashed toward Lucas, its glowing claws aimed directly at him.

Lucas steadied himself, and as the Kobold's claws slashed forward, he blocked them with both swords.

CLANG CLANG CLANG CLANG!

The clash echoed loudly as the Kobold's claws and Lucas's swords struck repeatedly, each blow faster and more forceful than the last.

"HAHAHAHAHA!" The Kobold burst into maniacal laughter, increasing the speed and accuracy of its strikes, forcing Lucas onto the defensive.

Sarah struggled to follow their movements, the Kobold appearing faster than Lucas.

Yet, Lucas remained aloof, parrying every strike with precision. The Kobold repeatedly attempted to grab his swords with its massive claws, but Lucas refused to let it succeed.

The Kobold then aimed a kick at Lucas's knee, but Lucas stepped back gracefully and immediately moved forward, delivering his first counterattack.

The Kobold, overconfident, raised its claws to block the strike. However, Lucas's sword curved mid-swing, throwing the Kobold off guard for a split second.

Lucas stopped his attack just short of the Kobold's neck, the blade resting near its throat.

A shiver ran down the Kobold's spine, and it instinctively stepped back. Realizing what had happened, its eyes narrowed, and a grinding sound came from its sharp teeth.

"Why are you so weak?" Lucas asked with a small chuckle.

"I am not trash!" the Kobold roared, its fury reigniting.

Lucas dodged its renewed attacks effortlessly, making the fight appear one-sided—because it was.

Growing tired, Lucas observed the Kobold's predictable patterns. While its reflexes were better than anyone in the territory, it lacked skill. Each attack was a repetitive swipe, driven by raw instinct rather than strategy.

"You've grown too confident in your inherent abilities—like all Kobolds have. I'll end this fight now," Lucas said.

The Kobold's attacks grew faster, but they remained the same predictable strikes. Lucas parried with half his strength, causing the Kobold to stagger back.

Before it could stabilize, Lucas made a curved strike at the Kobold's leg.

A sickening CRUNCH echoed as the leg was severed.

The Kobold howled in pain, stumbling to the ground, confused and disoriented.

Lucas caught the creature before it fell, supporting it on his shoulder. The Kobold's eyes filled with confusion as Lucas wore a sad expression.

"Do you really need your legs?" Lucas asked softly before slashing again, the sound of flesh tearing filling the air.

"KAAGHHHHHHHH!" The Kobold screamed, collapsing to the ground, blood pouring from its wounds like a heavy stream.

Everyone watching paled at the scene. Sarah instinctively turned her gaze away, while Jerry groaned in disgust and horror.

"Lucas…was that necessary?" John asked with a frown, his gaze fixed on Lucas's back.

"They might be weak, Uncle John, but don't underestimate a Kobold's fighting spirit. It would've kept coming at me if I didn't do something serious to stop it," Lucas replied, glancing back with a somber expression.

John's heart wrenched. He realized what was happening—Lucas's emotions were so raw and intense that they seemed to radiate outward, affecting everyone who looked into his eyes.

Lucas sheathed his swords without cleaning them and retrieved a lesser healing potion from his belt.

SPLATTER SPLATTER

The potion's liquid spilled onto the Kobold's severed legs. The wounds sizzled, and the Kobold's screams intensified, echoing through the air.

As the potion worked, the Kobold's screams began to fade until they stopped completely. Its eyes closed, and its body went still.

Lucas let out a deep sigh of relief. "Those were some scarring emotions it was feeling…" he muttered quietly.

John overheard, his eyes widening in realization. Lucas had just experienced the raw pain and desperation of the Kobold through its emotions.

Despite all they had done for survival, this was the first instance deliberate torture had been inflicted in front of the group—except for Lucas.

"Alright! Mission over, everyone. Great job with the fantastic work!" Lucas announced with a smile.

The group looked at him in silence before glancing around, realizing the fight was truly over.

"W-We won…?" Sarah asked with astonishment, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath finally.

"Hahahaha! I knew it—we're the best!" Jerry exclaimed, slapping Bill on the shoulder. Bill winced and tried to sidestep away from the burly man which seemed impossible.

In the commotion, John approached Lucas, who was still staring at the Kobold.

"Are you okay?" he asked softly.

Lucas turned toward him, sensing John's deep concern. He realized that John had already caught on.

"Yeah, it had to be done. And I know Kobold anatomy—they'll regenerate their lost limbs over time," Lucas said.

"Really?" John's eyebrows arched in surprise, his lips forming an "O." He looked at the Kobold's wounds and noticed how cleanly they had been severed, with no muscle strands protruding.

"We'll take it back to the shelter. I have questions for it," Lucas added.

"Wait, take it back? That's dangerous for the others," John argued.

"It won't be. I'll place a Rune of Dominion on it. From now on, it won't be able to lie to us," Lucas said confidently.

John was taken aback, watching as Lucas lifted the Kobold onto his shoulder, carrying its severed legs in his hands.

He smiled faintly, realizing just how interesting their lives had become in the few days since Lucas's arrival.

Each member of the group carried two Kobold bodies on their shoulders, except for Bill, who disappeared into the shadows without taking any.

It was a successful mission, though one unknown to the people back at the shelter. An explanation was imminent, and Lucas was already looking forward to it.