"Alright, take me to your boss."

 

The Kobold trembled at my words.

 

I had been trying this since I had heard of how smart the AI in the game was, but it hadn't worked anytime yet. I was slightly disappointed by that, but it didn't hurt to try.

 

The Kobold slightly hesitated, so I brandished the spear in my hand.

 

"Krie!!"

 

It suddenly bowed.

 

"Boss."

 

"Kri! Kriri!!"

 

Like a robot, the Kobold started nodding its head fervently at my threat.

 

It then showed me ahead, as if gesturing me to follow along with its hands. I raised my chin and the Kobold started walking ahead.

 

Surprising. That worked.

 

I always enjoyed doing this when I was tasked with bringing down upstart factions, having a grunt guide me to the boss was rather nostalgic.

 

The people that took on this dungeon were usually defeated long before they could hope to reach the boss. But to make the amulet packs, I had been to and from the depths multiple times.

 

Another problem with this place, in my eyes, was that the boss room was rather difficult to locate.

 

Thankfully, I had a guide this time.

 

The Kobold led me through the Kobold Kool Kaves, which was most definitely named by a toddler, and led me to the depths.

 

We passed by rather narrow and varying circuits. I wondered if this guy was trying to lead me to traps, but that seemed unlikely so far.

 

I was certain that this wasn't leading to a trap. Mainly because I had my spear's tip lodged at the neck of the kobold at all times.

 

It wouldn't dare.

 

Soon enough, we arrived at a giant stone door in the middle of the caves. The stone door stretched up to three meters in height and was littered with engravings of different kinds of amulets that the Kobolds had donned so far.

 

"Kirriri! Kriir!"

 

The kobold pointed at the door and bowed, tears glistening in its eyes.

 

It seemed it was asking me to let it go now that it had done its role.

 

Hm.

 

"Ok, hand over your amulet."

 

"Kiriri?" The Kobold looked at me, shocked.

 

"Amulet."

 

I always wondered if this would work too. I had seen gameplay of people snatching weapons from other monsters. Doing it myself was slightly difficult since I was a spearman.

 

While there was no problem with the drop rate, I had heard that it stealing would cause the durability to go to zero in some cases.

 

In a way, that was a drop-rate issue too, but it only functioned after the battle was over.

 

"Kririr..."

 

"Amulet."

 

"Krirahahaha....!"

 

"Amulet."

 

"Hick... kihik!! kihihi!!"

 

"Amulet."

 

The Kobold grunted, laughed, and cried, none of its techniques worked.

 

It whimpered and removed the amulet from its neck before dropping it in my hands.

 

—Shing!

 

A loud sound rang, and the amulet turned to dust.

 

Tsk.

 

"So it isn't that easy."

 

I swung my spear at the Kobold and stabbed it dead. If not the amulet, it at least dropped its Club. That much was enough for now.

 

After bagging the club, I took in a deep breath and placed my hands on the stone gate.

 

It was time to face the Kobold boss.

 

***

 

The door swung open with a slight creak.

 

It opened up to a vast dome inside the cave where light barely reached.

 

I stepped in, clutching the spear tight.

 

The shields and other items were on the ready, and I had changed the amulet of intelligence for one of agility.

 

Cracking my knuckles, I glared at the surroundings and lowered my stance.

 

And then, as if turning the lights on, a bright name appeared in front of my eyes.

 

[Kobold King]

 

Its level was obscured but its health bars were clearly visible.

 

In one hand a torch, incomparable larger than the ones outside. And in another a club studded with iron nails.

 

The torch was the only source of light in the room. It blinded us both, but the player had a much greater disadvantage.

 

As if that wasn't enough. The Kobold King also had all seven amulets hanging on its neck through a single string.

 

I could see why people had a hard time defeating.

 

"Phew... Unlike you, I can go multiple times."

 

I lowered my stance and pointed my spear ahead.

 

The Kobold King screamed.

 

In a breath, we both charged off.

 

"KRIEEE!"

 

The Kobold King screamed while I saved my breath.

 

—DRRR!

 

And all of a sudden the ground started shaking.

 

"What—?"

 

My vision turned red as the ground trembled. The Kobold King too was taken by surprise.

 

What the hell? Was this an earthquake?

 

Rise of Babel went to such lengths?

 

The Earthquake lasted quite long, dust kept falling from above and stones fell to the ground.

 

I couldn't tell if this was through the game or not, but considering how the Kobold King was shaking too that seemed likely. I couldn't remove the lens and risk losing the chance of getting that special amulet.

 

I didn't have to wonder for long, though.

 

The shaking of the ground suddenly stopped.

 

The Kobold King turned toward me again. When the walls around us broke apart and something sank its jaws in the Kobold King's neck.

 

The health bar shortened in the blink of an eye, and its body turned to dust.

 

And in the place of the Kobold King.

 

"GRRRR!"

 

Was a giant wolf that killed it in one shot.

 

What was happening now?