Becoming an adventurer by copying monster abilities

"Everyone, check your weapons and supplies, get ready to go!"

The rising sun dispelled the thin mist that lingered around the village.

The captain of the guards set off with a dozen guards and nearly twenty adventurers.

Most of the adventurers in the camp followed.

Besides Luke and Il, there was also the burly dwarf carrying a warhammer that we saw yesterday.

And several adventurers who appeared to be quite powerful and possibly possessed professional-level skills.

Although high-level professionals have gone to the front lines of the battlefield, their lineup is still quite impressive.

The manor wasn't too far from the base, and the group arrived at their destination in about an hour.

This was a building that covered a large area, but the main building was burned down to ruins.

The team included adventurers and scouts skilled in reconnaissance, and after searching the outskirts of the manor, they obtained some information.

There were indeed only goblin and goblin footprints nearby, and the number was about the same as what the three people had found yesterday.

However, what happened last night has already drawn everyone's attention, and no one will take this operation lightly.

The melee specialists and guards went in first, while the others followed behind to provide support.

Soon, they found several goblin corpses behind some of the partially collapsed walls.

The goblins did not die a gruesome death; they were shot through the neck by a crossbow bolt coated with poison.

The rest were simply slit in the throat from behind, the method clean and swift, with no signs of struggle.

The bodies were all very fresh, which should be the work of the group from last night.

Although those people were arrogant, they were still very cautious in their actions.

They chose a safer tactic of slow infiltration and gradual elimination.

Although the manor was not small, so many people conducted a thorough search and quickly ascertained the situation.

Apart from the few goblin corpses found on the outskirts, no trace of those people was found.

The main force had already thoroughly searched the manor beforehand and found nothing unusual.

Logically speaking, there shouldn't be a place here that could hide a small team and a group of monsters.

A gentle breeze swept by, and Luke frowned slightly.

Since entering the manor, he could smell a faint stench from time to time.

After his sense of smell was enhanced, he became particularly sensitive to this scent.

Unlike the smell of blood and rotting flesh, this stench was more like a smell emanating from the very soul.

Not only does it smell bad, but it also carries a dangerous aura.

As you walk into the ruins of the main building following the wind, the smell becomes increasingly pronounced.

Finally, after a pile of rubble, Luke found a hidden stone slab.

I tapped it gently, and it seemed to be hollow underneath.

The others also noticed the anomaly Luke had discovered and came over.

The captain of the guard realized what was happening:

"This manor was formerly the property of local nobles, and they would usually build underground fortresses for refuge during wartime."

The captain of the guards did not order anyone to lift the stone slab rashly, but instead notified everyone to prepare.

Then they found several guards holding shields, and under everyone's watchful eyes, they slowly pulled up the stone slab.

Beneath the stone slab, there is a downward staircase.

Looking down along the light, at the end of the not-so-long staircase, stood an iron gate.

The iron gate was ajar, and the lock had been forcibly broken.

On the ground below, large, shocking splatters of blood were visible.

The blood had not yet completely coagulated, and in the dim light, it shone with an unsettling dark red hue.

Clearly, this must be the last trace left by those missing adventurers.

Taking advantage of their numbers, several guards raised torches, and the adventurers drew their weapons as they descended the wide steps.

Stepping through the iron gate, you can see tall, load-bearing stone pillars supporting the dome.

The passageway, paved with unpolished bricks, disappeared into the darkness in the distance; this underground fortress was larger than they had imagined.

As they descended underground, the foul stench became even stronger.

Even others could smell it, and many people experienced stomach cramps as a result.

As they went deeper, the appearance of the underground fortress gradually came into view.

The place was very empty, with only some old and worn-out items and a lot of moldy old grain.

"Look over there!"

Someone was holding a torch and beckoning to the crowd.

Following the firelight, several dark stone tablets stood ahead.

In the middle of the stone tablet, piles of white bones lay.

Above the white bones, there were several complete, clean skeletons that looked as if they had been gnawed on by something.

It looks like a strange altar.

At the same time, a very faint yet dense and chilling rustling sound came from the darkness.

A faint friction sound emanated simultaneously from the walls and ceiling on all sides.

Luke, relying on his dark vision, was the first to see the newcomer's appearance from a distance beyond the firelight.

There were more than a dozen humanoid creatures, their bodies hunched and emaciated, so thin they were practically skin and bones.

The pale, bluish skin clung tightly to the bones, making the deformed limbs appear unusually thick and long.

What's most chilling are the monsters' faces: huge mouths without lips, with sharp teeth fully exposed.

In the flickering firelight, pairs of eyes emitting a faint green glow were drawing ever closer to the intruders.

"Damn it, ghouls! Maintain formation!"

The captain of the guard roared hysterically.

As a well-traveled veteran, he had the privilege of having seen these creatures before.

These are a group of cunning monsters driven by hunger, often appearing in places like graveyards or battlefields.

The area is now littered with the corpses of monsters and villagers, so it's not surprising to see these creatures around.

Ghouls have a high agility attribute and move very fast.

Furthermore, they can use their sharp claws to climb walls quickly, just like geckos.

A regular guard standing on the edge was caught off guard and was immediately pounced on by a ghoul.

The armor on his body came in handy, keeping the opponent's claws at bay.

However, the exposed part that wasn't covered by armor still got a cut.

The guard was about to raise his sword to retaliate when he suddenly froze like a stone.

Seeing the ghoul's sharp teeth already close to his eyes, he was about to bite off his own throat.

The guard's eyes were filled with despair and terror, but his body was completely unable to move.

"Click!"

A metal warhammer slammed into the head of the ghoul that had come close.

The already shriveled, skull-like head was instantly shattered by a terrifying force, producing a cracking sound.

The dwarf with a thick, long red beard pulled the still paralyzed guard into the ranks.

"Watch out for those monstrous teeth and claws! These guys are covered in paralyzing toxins!"

Battle is imminent!