I used the analysis function of my skill to analyze the beast core. I felt there was a lot I could learn from the beast core, but it was a matter of my proficiency not being high enough. The only thing I could get from it was certain traits of the goblin, two of which would come in useful.
After analyzing the skill, I used the mimic function to mimic the exact use of the skill, then I activated skill creation.
[Would you wish to create basic skill shadow cloak][Y/N]
Basic skill? I thought it would enable me to create a special skill. Maybe my proficiency wasn't high enough? No, that can't be it. I was able to recreate my transmutation ability from data in the former Damien's cells.
The likely explanation was that the beast core didn't have enough data for me to fully recreate a special skill from it. Since it was a basic skill, I couldn't increase my proficiency, nor did I have a talent for it. I would have to use the skill at the same proficiency the goblin left it at.
[Basic skill created: Shadow Cloak
Description: Allows user to blend into the darkness and remain completely undetectable from human senses as long as he stays still]
Next, I used the mimic function of my skill to mimic some of the genetic information from the goblin. The most noticeable change was my change in eye color. My eyes went from green to yellow and became slitted, just like the goblin's eyes.
The reason I had taken on this change was because goblins had the ability to see in the dark.
Now, it was as if I had night vision.
Everything around me was in black and white. It wasn't as clear as day, but I could see perfectly and at a further distance than I could before.
The next change my body took on was my legs. Goblins were highly agile, so I wanted this trait for myself. The tendons in my feet became thicker and more stiff, allowing for more explosive power.
I mimicked the exact trait of a goblin's leg that allowed them to be agile.
This wasn't the only change to my feet. My feet now had more nerve endings; some that didn't even exist in humans or demons or any other creature to be in fact.
I could now feel every vibration on the floor of the dungeon. From this, I could sense that there was another goblin in the far distance, so far that my now-enhanced eyes couldn't even see the creature.
This was a massive improvement to my stats.
[Agility: D]
My agility increased from G to D with only one adaptation.
Of course, giving myself the trait of a goblin wasn't permanent, and my stats would soon fall back to where they were. In order to make these changes permanent or adapt at will, I needed more exposure. Meaning, I had to consume more goblin cores.
I got into a crouching position as I stared at where the goblin was. The muscles in my legs tightened before my feet exploded off the ground.
I moved so fast that I almost tripped over my own feet. For a moment, it felt as if I was flying until my feet hit the ground again, and I propelled myself forward once more. It was as if my muscles were replaced with springs.
It felt as if I was twice, no, three times faster than I was before.
Before I knew it, I was already close to the goblin. I leaped into the air, but since I wasn't used to my new body, I ended up banging my head against the roof of the dungeon.
Blood trailed down my face, but I didn't pay it any mind. My eyes were only locked onto the goblin below me. My fist crashed into the goblin's head, cracking its skull like a watermelon and killing it instantly.
It was then that I wiped the blood from my face. The cut was already healing, and so was the wound on my back from where I got stabbed. My low-tier regeneration skill came in handy. Just as before, I slit open the goblin's stomach, reached underneath its ribcage and pulled out the beast core.
I went back to pick up my bag, which I had left sitting on a rock, before I continued through the dungeon.
I continued to kill any goblin I came across. After 8 hours had passed, I managed to kill a total of 13 goblins and retrieve their cores. Out of the 13 cores, I had to consume 9 of them for my body to be permanently adapted to be more like the goblin. This left me with only 4 cores.
My eyes, I could change at will, but my legs were permanent unless I needed to adapt in a way to change them for the better. The dungeon branched off at different paths, and at times, I could even see stairs leading down but i only followed a straight path and didn't take any turn off.
Unfortunately, I didn't encounter any goblin with skills. They seemed to be rare for this breed. Maybe they were even at the top of the hierarchy.
I transferred what I learned in Wing Chun to fighting with a dagger, and after fighting goblins who wielded swords, knives, and battleaxes, I felt that my skills fighting with a dagger had improved.
After a day of killing goblins, I decided it was time I took a break and slept. I found a clearing and sat down on the ground with my bag beside me. I took out one of the cup noodles and the water bottle.
By turning the knob on the water bottle, I was able to increase the temperature of the water to 100 degrees before pouring it into the cup noodles.
Somehow, I didn't feel as tense as when I first entered the dungeon. Strangely, I began to think of it as my new home. Compared to some of the things others experienced inside of a dungeon, my first time wasn't so bad.
After I was finished eating, I decided to go to sleep so my body would be rested for tomorrow, but before I went to sleep, I decided to take off my sneakers. The reason for this was because of the increased sensitivity in my feet.
I wanted to be able to sense my surroundings more in case any goblin tried to sneak up on me while I slept. With my bare feet on the ground, I could even sense the ants crawling on the ground.
I even made sure to keep my dagger by my side as I slept.
…
Sometime later, I was awakened by the sense that something was coming.
A horde of goblins, it felt like.
But that wasn't the only thing.
I felt that there was something bigger coming my way.