I Am Not Goblin Slayer

Chapter 298: Dragon Tongue and Charisma

This transformation continued for quite some time.Serlandul had already completed treating the injured, and Aria and Albenia had also finished gathering the loot.

However, they weren't in a hurry, simply standing guard for Gauss quietly from the side.

Gauss felt as though some special gland had formed in his throat, and its hardness seemed to have increased as well.

Along with it, the skin of his neck, jaw, and oral cavity had all subtly become more resilient through the imperceptible energy reinforcement.

These originally weak areas had all received certain enhancements after obtaining the "Elementary Draconic Language" talent.

"Ahem! Uh—"

He opened his eyes.

He instinctively cleared his throat.

The voice coming from his throat showed no change.

However, upon careful sensing, he vaguely felt some indescribable alteration within it.

More texture?

Gauss shook his head.

If he had to describe it, it was somewhat like the experience after subscribing to a music software in his previous life—originally only able to listen to standard or high-quality HQ, but now suddenly upgraded to a high-resolution lossless version.

The voice was still the same voice, but how it sounded had clearly improved by several levels.

And...

It wasn't just a change in auditory perception;there was also some alteration involving mana within it.

If he wanted, it seemed he could consume mana to utilize some change in his throat to cast spells?

Gauss was originally somewhat dissatisfied with obtaining a racial talent like "Elementary Draconic Language," but now he had quietly cast aside that prejudice.

"Charisma +1"

"Charisma: 10 → 11"

His Charisma had also increased by one point.

After some thought, Gauss could vaguely understand this as well.

Voice absolutely has a significant impact on Charisma, an attribute that combines a person's temperament, affinity, appearance, and physique.

Suppose someone had an extremely beautiful appearance but spoke with a rustic accent or a hoarse, unpleasant voice;for most people, that would undoubtedly lose a considerable amount of appeal.

Otherwise, there wouldn't be so-called "voice enthusiasts."

"Uh— Ah—"

Gauss opened his mouth to test it out again.

There was actually a lot of complex linguistic information in his head.

It should be the knowledge related to the so-called Draconic Language.

But he didn't test it for now;he needed time to digest it.

Currently, that knowledge was like a compressed file forcibly stuffed into his brain.

He needed time to "decompress" and accept it.

"Elementary Draconic Language (Initial Level): Without affecting the purity of your own bloodline, you will acquire partial Draconic Language knowledge and corresponding modifications. After completely learning and mastering it, you will possess genuine Draconic Language."

"Draconic Language: True Draconic Language itself is a language imbued with magic, its existence capable of distorting reality to a certain extent."

"You have a small probability of learning some Dragon-exclusive magic that humans cannot learn, with vastly different effects."

"Your vocal organs have been partially strengthened, allowing you to better adapt to Draconic Language pronunciation."

"Next racial talent ability draw: Ordinary Monster Encyclopedia species count reaches 100 types."

The description of the Elementary Draconic Language racial talent was very simple.

Gauss understood the gist with just a glance.

In short, Draconic Language was more important than he had imagined, seemingly involving the essence of true dragon spellcasting.

After obtaining Elementary Draconic Language, he vaguely understood the difference between dragon and human spellcasting.

Even when both used the same spell, there was a fundamental difference.

The magic of dragons was more like a bloodline instinct.

Magical ability was part of the true dragon bloodline;it would naturally awaken and strengthen with age and accumulated wisdom.

Just like birds naturally flying and fish naturally swimming, it was an instinctual behavior.

And because true dragon bloodlines were inherently noble, the strength of this draconic magic would correspondingly be stronger than that of other races.

As for ordinary human spellcasters, magic was a skill they relied on through acquired learning and knowledge accumulation—studying theories, continuously practicing, and gradually improving within this process.

In most cases, such acquired efforts couldn't match the accumulation of the former's bloodline.

The existence of Draconic Language was the most direct and useful spellcasting medium for true dragons to mobilize mana and use magic.

Thus, while it appeared to be a language, it was actually more than just a language.

The reason Hephaestus was a Drake, driven away from the Dragon Lair by the Dragon Mother, was precisely because it hadn't mastered the draconic inheritance, missing this part of enlightenment, causing its inherently low intelligence to lose the possibility of mastering this important talent.

And now, he, in human form, was gradually stepping onto the path of a true dragon!

Gauss shook his head.

Could he still be considered an ordinary human?

When necessary, he felt he could even transform into a dragon.

Sturdy Scale Bloodline, breath-based spellcasting, abundant mana, resilient protection, powerful physique, Special Stomach, overly voracious appetite, Ghost Form (Ancient Form), and now the acquired Elementary Draconic Language...

Beneath the human skin, calling him a miniature true dragon wasn't an exaggeration.

However, after brief contemplation, Gauss didn't dwell on it too much.

He wasn't the type to bite the hand that feeds him.

Dragons were creatures standing at the pinnacle of this world's pyramid;by mastering their talents, he possessed superior power that others could only envy.

Moreover, these racial talents of his were all personal talents most suited to his physique after being refined by the Adventurer’s Manual.

They wouldn't affect his purity as a human.

At least, currently, his mind and thinking weren't affected in any way, nor was there any risk of being dominated by beastly instincts.

Rather than mutation, he personally felt it was more like evolution.

"Phew—"

And Elementary Draconic Language wasn't the end.

Gauss looked at his accumulated 132 elite points.

Elementary Draconic Language was currently white quality, but this was only temporary.

The elite points he had been accumulating were sufficient for another upgrade.

It would have no childhood;whenever Gauss wished, it could be elevated to blue quality at any time.

However, considering he hadn't fully absorbed all the knowledge about Elementary Draconic Language in his mind yet, Gauss temporarily held back this advancement idea.

It wouldn't be too late to advance to blue quality in one go after returning to the safety of town, completely absorbing the knowledge, and becoming proficient.

Otherwise, if he hadn't fully received the Elementary Draconic Language talent and underwent a second advancement during the process, what if bugs appeared?

For safety's sake, Gauss wasn't in a hurry.

After everything was over.

Gauss turned to look at his companions subtly surrounding him.

Due to the presence of an outsider, namely the rescued woman, Serlandul and the others didn't say much.

They just nodded at him.

They all guessed that Gauss had probably experienced another breakthrough in his bloodline power.

"Captain, is it over?"

"Yes."

Gauss nodded.

"Oh?"

Albenia, who was originally taking deep breaths to adjust her physical and mental state due to the spider corpses everywhere, suddenly heard Gauss's increasingly pleasant voice and tilted her head.

She was very certain that Gauss's voice had changed.

But she couldn't articulate the difference.

It just felt even more pleasant to hear.

Making one subconsciously want to hear him speak more.

"Lord Gauss, could you say my name once?" Albenia suddenly requested.

?

Faced with this sudden request, a question mark popped up in Gauss's mind.

But he didn't find it a presumptuous request, so he didn't refuse and casually fulfilled her wish.

"Albenia."

Albenia's body trembled slightly.

This voice, especially when Gauss looked at her while saying her name, seemed to possess a tangible, special magic.

So magical.

"Could you do it again, Lord Gauss?"

"..."

"Albenia?"

Gauss, watching her face gradually turn completely red, realized that he had unconsciously failed to control it again just now;mana had naturally flowed through his vocal organs, producing some special magical effect.

He quickly controlled it, and his throat returned to normal.

Aria also felt his voice was unusual earlier and similarly wanted to ask Gauss to say her name to experience the difference personally.

But Gauss had already controlled the mana.

"Alright, the commission isn't over yet. We can talk more after returning to town."

After controlling the mana flow, Gauss's voice, while still pleasant, had lost that peculiar charm.

Aria could only silently swallow the words that had reached her lips.

"Are you a villager from around here?" Gauss noticed the rescued woman seemed hesitant to speak, so he proactively stepped forward to ask.

"Yes, Mage sir, my name is Maggie." Though Maggie's heart couldn't help but beat faster looking at Gauss, her mind was more concerned about her family's whereabouts right now.

"I was with my father, uncle, and two other fellow villagers from our village. We got lost in this swamp while chasing prey."

"Please, help me, help me find my family."

Although Maggie had a foreboding feeling—after all, they had been lost in this swamp for a long time—she still clung to a sliver of hope.

What if...

"Alright." Gauss nodded, indicating he understood the situation.

He briefly explained.

"Don't worry, I've already sent out magical creatures to scout the surrounding area."

Gauss's clay constructs hadn't been recalled yet;while he was fighting earlier and his companions were handling the loot afterwards, they had been exploring intelligence in all directions.

It seemed like wasted time, but it was actually perfect timing.

He couldn't help but miss Shadow.

If Shadow were here, the scouting speed would probably be faster.

The scouting efficiency of clay constructs still couldn't compare to Shadow with her special shadow talent abilities.

He wondered how her level up was going.

Maybe she was already on horseback, rushing here?

As long as she reached the Blue Lake area and asked around a bit, she would definitely know where he was.

Because he shot to the top of the Blue Lake hunting leaderboard in a single day, his reputation in the surrounding five towns was undoubtedly significant.

"Wait a moment."

Gauss closed his eyes and concentrated on sensing.

The dispatched clay constructs were continuously relaying various kinds of information back through the Insect Nest Consciousness talent.

Receiving, analyzing, filtering...

Finally, Gauss determined a direction.

"Let's head that way first." He ultimately decided on a direction.

Although Serlandul had treated Maggie, she still had some difficulty moving, so Aria summoned the Silver Wolf Ulfen to carry her and keep up with the team.

Gauss believed that leaving her behind or having someone stay to guard her was less safe than having her follow the team.

After all, if absolutely necessary, he could summon the Red Drake Hephaestus to evacuate from the battlefield.

Gauss's group moved quickly.

Along the way, they encountered a scattered skeleton.

Judging by the bone oxidation level, this was clearly a very fresh skeleton.

Only, there wasn't a trace of flesh or blood left on it;it had likely been completely devoured by spiders.

"Was this one of your traveling companions?"

Maggie's expression turned heavy, her eyes slightly reddened. After a deep breath, she nodded.

"It's Uncle Maliu."

She identified the person through clothing fragments and personal items scattered elsewhere.

Gauss nodded.

He thought the chances of the others surviving were low.

Although thinking this was somewhat impolite, based on his judgment along the way, Maggie surviving until now had a considerable element of luck. Perhaps it was because the others were eaten, reducing the monsters' hunger.

And as everyone knows, most spiders only eat living creatures, which was why Ettercaps kept Ettercap Slave Spiders with them—to have living prey readily available whenever needed.

The female physique is relatively smaller compared to males;for monsters, they would naturally prefer to eat the larger adult males first.

Maggie was merely marked in advance, with slave spiders sent to watch her, ensuring she didn't leave the swamp area, so they could find her whenever they were hungry.

This speculation was cruel but possibly very close to the truth.

Though thinking this, Gauss said nothing, simply continuing to lead the team forward silently.

As the team advanced.

They gradually discovered more scattered personal belongings along the way.

Gauss glanced at Maggie sitting on Ulfen's back;her face was ashen, as if she had accepted something.

He sighed. The clay constructs ahead had already relayed information back.

It was precisely because he continuously witnessed similar scenes unfolding around him that he more deeply realized the importance of strength.

"Maggie, you..." Just as he was pondering how to broach the subject, Maggie lowered her head.

"I understand... what you mean."

"The enemies are just ahead. Prepare for battle."

He was never very good at comforting others, so he turned to look at his companions.

In the clay constructs' observations, the slightly elevated clearing ahead above the swamp level was the Ettercap nest.

There were two Ettercaps inside.

The one Gauss killed earlier was probably out hunting.

The others, receiving the information, also began their pre-battle preparations.

Although judging from the recent battle, these spider monsters weren't beyond Gauss's team's capabilities, it was better to be safe than sorry.

"Albenia, are you really alright?" Gauss looked at Albenia with concern. "If not, you can rest here. Those monsters aren't particularly formidable enemies anyway."

"Don't worry, Lord Gauss." Although her heart was racing, Albenia still shook her head.

She was the type who, while afraid, actually fought even more fiercely when it came down to it.

Screaming and shouting while smashing targets into pulp.

"Then be careful yourself."

Gauss silently cast protective spells on all present individuals.

"Now, move out!"

After the command.

Gauss led the team onto the Ettercap nest.

"!!"

Albenia cleaved through the thick spiderwebs.

The Ettercap nest was filled with gray-white spiderwebs everywhere—above, below, everywhere visible was enveloped in silk.

Gauss looked expressionlessly at the two Ettercaps on the distant webs.

Unlike Albenia, he actually quite liked this monster race.

The reason was, as long as these two leaders were pinned down, the Ettercap Slave Spiders they nurtured wouldn't flee;they would fight to the last one.

Gauss really liked this tough nut.

He wished all the monsters he encountered had such backbone.

"Leave those two Ettercaps to you."

"Restrain them, don't kill them."

"I'll come help you after I finish off those Ettercap Slave Spiders."

Gauss reiterated the battle plan.

The plan was to restrain and control the Ettercaps while he and the clay constructs wiped out the smaller spiders.

A decapitation strategy clearly wasn't a good option here.

He needed to keep the Ettercaps alive to "control" those Ettercap Slave Spiders.

With Albenia, a powerful warrior, dealing with the Ettercaps wasn't difficult.

"Don't worry."

Albenia nodded after taking a deep breath.

A powerful warrior could defeat enemies by instinct even if their brain stopped thinking.

Meanwhile, Maggie on the wolf's back looked at the scattered heads and bones not far away, her lips trembling violently but unable to make a sound.

Her gaze was locked onto a mutilated corpse that had been gnawed beyond recognition but still bore a vaguely familiar outline.

Beside the corpse lay a bow she knew all too well—her father's bow.

Gauss glimpsed this from the corner of his eye, summoned a few Clay Goblins, sighed, and silently left one goblin by her side.

But her safety probably didn't require excessive worry;Ulfen's movement speed was very fast.

"Kill!"

The distant Ettercaps had already noticed the group intruding into their territory.

The entire nest instantly erupted.

"Cloud of Daggers!"

Gauss exhaled sharp mana from his mouth. The mana rapidly expanded after leaving his lips, transforming into a cloud of fiercely piercing daggers flying into the distance.

After his throat was modified by "Elementary Draconic Language," using breath-based spellcasting seemed to have become even easier.

The Cloud of Daggers swept through with a howl, wherever it passed, the resilient spiderwebs were torn and severed.

The Ettercap Slave Spiders hiding within were instantly torn apart as if thrown into a meat grinder, dark green fluid splattering everywhere.

Just one area-of-effect attack instantly cleared out a vacuum zone.

The Cloud of Daggers was more effective in this special terrain than many third-circle spells.

Gauss didn't stop his spellcasting rhythm.

Under his magical bombardment, large numbers of Ettercap Slave Spiders rapidly perished.

The startled and furious Ettercaps, however, were entangled by the others and couldn't divert their attention.

"Whoosh!"

Gauss floated in the center of the battlefield, overseeing the entire situation as if with a god's perspective.

He saw Maggie on the wolf's back pick up the bow and quiver that had fallen to the ground, her eyes red, flashing with deep-seated hatred as she joined the battle, continuously drawing the bow and shooting at the surrounding Ettercap Slave Spiders.

Although, in terms of results, she was "stealing kills" from him, Gauss didn't mind at all.

He knew he was about to witness the birth of another pure adventurer.

After this battle ends, he would teach her an archery skill.

Killing was like an inescapable cycle.

She might become the next spider slayer.