Beyond the horizon the morning sun was slowly rising. There was not much time left before the Lightning Goat Demon would wake up. Jin was teleported into a mountainous area of the Farming World and surveyed the surrounding area.
According to the ink style painting that Zeru drew, he knew that the Lightning Goat Demon was white with bluish curvy patterns on its body. The designs were similar to those tribal tattoos that were sold in tattoo shops.
Suddenly his phone beeped indicating that there was a signal about 500 metres away from Jin. He quickly took out a camouflage ghillie suit and hid in it. Afterwards he took out his binoculars to take a look at the Lightning Goat Demon.
“Okay, seems like it hasn’t woken up yet. I have to prepare something to catch its attention.” Jin checked his phone which had a list of items that were kept in his storage watch. If only they were in a forest… Jin would have lots of experiences setting up traps after seeing how the goblins did it. However, this was a mountainous area. The only thing that set him apart from the Lightning Goat Demon was merely distance and the unconscious state of the latter.
The area was dangerous and the map which the System provided showed that there were no caverns or any other signs of proper even ground. The only thing there that he could take advantage of was the steppe below the mountains area. However, Jin remembered what Peppers said.
“The Lightning Goat Demon has an ability to call upon the skies for a bolt of lightning. The only sign showing this attack is coming is the slight movement of grass at the spot it would target the lightning strike. Unfortunately, according to Zeru, the steppe seems to be mostly covered in a thick layer of snow. Unless there would be a windstorm or you can get rid of it somehow I’d advise against fighting him there. Of course if you can notice the slight snow movement before the lightning strikes then kudos to you. You can avoid the lightning attack.” Peppers explained to Jin.
“Do not forget that the Demons can go into a ‘Rage Mode’. Well Gold described it as a power up, but this term should be more familiar to you. It’s that phenomenon which the beast demons enter when they are critically injured.”
“Mmmhmm I am interested to see how you are going to fare, Boss. Peppers told you that even professionals need a whole team to defeat this goatie. For you to attack it alone is indeed courting death.” Kraft teased in his mind.
“I just hope I prepared enough…” Jin started to move and set up his equipment along the mountainous ridges. Not long after, Jin decided that food would be sufficient to get its attention after it awoke from its slumber. These beast demons all shared a love for meat especially the Lightning Goat Demon living in the mountainous area where it’s a luxury. Not to mention, the meat was of top quality from the System’s stockpile. How could they resist such good food?
Jin prepped the campfire at the centre of the steppes and cooked the large piece of succulent meat on top of the fire, allowing it to roast. He did not forget to put some seasoning which was prepared by Lynn in a packet as it spread it along the meat. Then he placed a dummy sleeping bag while he hid himself in the snow foxhole he created almost instantly with his magic.
To create that foxhole, Jin first seeped his ice into the ground and once it reached a certain depth, he expanded his ice magic to surround the soil like a cube. After which, he inserted more chi into the base of the cube and allowed it to expand upwards, creating a perfect cube foxhole for him to hide in. The rest of the soil that was dug out was spread around the campfire to show there was some digging around the ice covered steppes.
The aroma eventually travelled into the Lightning Goat Demon’s nose and attracted its attention immediately. With a slight stretch, the Lightning Goat Demon leapt from the mountain and onto the steppes within five steps which kind of distraught Jin a little. “If the demon has that kind of jumping strength, my prepared equipment and traps might not be enough!” Jin started to worry, but he continued to remain as still as possible.
The Lightning Goat Demon saw the campfire, but was cautious since there was a lack of activity. The camping place had possibly a human inside the sleeping bag with its meat being roasted. As if there was some intelligence to the Lightning Goat Demon, it gave a sneered expression before howling into the skies.
“Who ever it is that dares to hunt me down, come out now! I may show you mercy by killing you instantly! Otherwise don’t blame me for being rude!” The Lightning Goat Demon shouted with an audible language which was translated by the System to Jin’s head.
Jin sighed and guessed that even if he fired the first shot, there would not be any difference despite the initiative of battle. Jin came out of the foxhole with his bamboo rifle on his right hand up high.
“Hmph. Where are your other comrades?” The Lightning Goat Demon bellowed.
“No one else. Only me. I have decided to hunt you all alone.” Jin said as he placed his bamboo rifle down slowly.
“I do not believe you.” The Goat Demon replied.
“I can only offer you these words of truth. If you do not believe it, then there is nothing else I can do.” Jin shrugged.
“Human I am unsure whether you are brave, confident or plain stupid?! Don’t you know, that hunting me is already courting death?! But you are the first one in centuries to try doing it alone!” The Lightning Goat Demon had sniffed and slammed its hooves on the ground causing lightning to destroy the surroundings of the campfire and in turn all the traps around it were destroyed in an instant. It then proceeded forward to the sweet smelling meat.
“Hmm. No poison at all. Are you that dumb to feed Keyrin, the King of the Aucbec Hills, such great quality meat without any poison in it?” The Lightning Goat Demon who declared himself as Keyrin snatched the roasted meat from the campfire and ate it in peace while still keeping an eye at Jin.
“Ehh, cannot go into battle with an empty stomach?” Jin tried to joke, but Keyrin did not bother with him. “Peppers, did you somehow FORGET to tell me I was going against a friggin King?!”
“He probably declared himself as King since there shouldn’t be that many Lightning Goat Demons around. He is probably the strongest of the bunch, so he is acting arrogant.” Peppers answered, as she was still studying her books on city building and design in her room.
“You might be right… But you did not tell me that the stripes glowed rainbow when he shoots his lightning bolts!” Jin replied as the description of attacks were not the same as what Peppers had taught.
“Glowed rainbow…? Wait…a minute…” Peppers stopped her reading and jumped off her bed. She opened her bookcase shelf and took a book at random even though it was still a book on Monsters in the Farming World.
“Oh…erm yea…I have good news and bad news. Bad news is, I guess you are most likely fighting a real King Class. It’s a rare variant of Lightning Goat Demon. The strongest and last known record was one Lightning Goat Demon named Keyrin. Records show that he had decimated an entire capital before by making it rain bolts of lightning continuously for weeks to show its fury against that nation’s hunters that killed his wife. It was the only Lightning Goat Demon that dared to attack cities. Other Lightning Goats mostly keep to their habitat and at most might attack a settlement, if it lies to close to their home. Because of that, it is now classified as Thunder Ram Demon, King Class. ” Peppers recited what was on the book to Jin.
“Erm…question Mr Keyrin. Sorry to interrupt your meal time. Are you the same Keyrin that destroyed a capital city before?” Jin asked as he internally cursed Zeru for giving him the strongest opponent for a while. He was aware that his master wanted strong opponents that would push him to his limit, but isn’t this much a little over the top.
“Probably. Don’t remember though, destroyed too many cities to keep track!” Keyrin spoke as he ripped apart the meat to munch on it. When it was done eating, it shook its head a little where Jin could see sparks flying around it.
“Do you want some water to clear your throat?” Jin asked courteously as he took out a bucket and poured the spring water he used in his shop to serve customers with for Keyrin.
“For a person who wants to kill me, you are awfully humble. You are strange, Human.” Keyrin walked towards the bucket and drank the water without a care.
“I am satisfied. Because you fed me well, I will reward you with a swift death.” Keyrin announced as it walked backwards and gave Jin and it some distance.
“Speak of your name, Strange Human, I shall also honor you with trying to remember it. Then let’s begin the hunt.” Keyrin shouted at which Jin sighed.
“Xie Jin, Nineteen Astral Lazy Panda Style, Dungeon Supplier.” Jin bowed as he picked his bamboo rifle up.
“Keyrin, King of Aucbec Hills.” The Thunder Ram Demon proclaimed while a blast of thunder and lightning flashed across the skies.
“I am so screwed.” Jin thought to himself.
