43-44

Chapter 43: Fourth evolution (3)

Demon King

Fourth evolution (3)

[Choose a race to evolve.]

[1. Hob Goblin Massacre]

[2. Hob Goblin Warlock]

[3. Troll]

[4. Werewolf]

[5. Bugbear]

The first two were out of the question. I felt like I've already reached the limit of the species, and I would not choose those even though they have great titles.

The next two were what I already knew. The first conquest on the first floor of Jinma Tower, and the lower specie in the Black Palace 2F.

They have strong defenses in common. The troll has strength; the werewolf has speed. I didn't have enough time to appreciate the werewolf's speed since I finished them off too quickly.

I was unfamiliar with the last option.

I summoned its description.

[Bugbear – a race of assassins that is more familiar with darkness than light.]

[These monsters are tall enough to resemble trolls, but their footsteps are hard to detect even for intermediate monsters.]

[They are strong enough to break a troll's neck with one arm, fast enough to catch a running werewolf, possesses covert movements and magical powers. Among intermediate monsters, this monster is in the top predator position.]

[It is said that higher-level bugbears can also threaten advanced species.]

I knew it. As always, the last option was the best.

Bugbear. Some call it the 'boogeyman.' In a sense, he was an evil fairy.

I've reached an unbelievable level.

But this is the reality.

I can be an intermediate monster.

It was still far from being a human, but I didn't worry about it anymore.

I was sure now that I could one day reach the point I wanted.

As long as I keep going, keep getting stronger – one day, surely!

I carefully reviewed the descriptions for the troll and the werewolf and pondered about the advanced regeneration skills that only they had.

However, after careful consideration, I chose Bugbear with confidence.

"Oh, ah ah ah ah!

The change was so sudden and intense.

The arms and legs, the head was crushed, and the bones of the whole body crumbled.

All muscles were crushed, blood evaporated, and skin tore.

Only the Ebon Heart remained, beating vigorously.

The pain was incomparable to the pain of the previous evolutions.

There is an incomparable difference between the lowest to the Lower level, and the Lower level to the Intermediate level.

[Intermediate Regeneration has become Lv2.]

[Intermediate Immunity has become Lv6.]

This was not evolution – it was more about the destruction and re-creation.

The useless body of a Lower monster is reduced to mana, and only the core, the Ebon Heart, remains and thumps in the air.

It used not just the mana that made up my body. The Ebon Heart also sucked the mana overflowing in the Jinma Tower.

I was abandoning the flesh of the Lower-level monster now and was being reborn in the world as an Intermediate-level monster.

Stronger blood vessels, nerves, muscles, blood, bones, flesh, skin, and mana built me ​​around the heart.

[Intermediate Regeneration has become Lv3.]

The change is over.

I opened my eyes and realized that my point of view was quite different.

I felt huge black feet hit the floor. Each foot seemed to be over 50 centimeters in length.

My own feet.

I felt an overwhelming power staying inside my body.

It was an unparalleled force compared to when I was a Hob Goblin Assault.

Moreover, even if I had a huge body, it felt light.

It seemed to me that I could run wherever I wanted effortlessly.

"Bugbear…"

I heard A mutter.

"What?" I asked him.

He did not answer. I wasn't disappointed because I didn't expect an answer.

Rather, I was testing my own voice. It came out thicker and lower than I expected.

I ignored A, who was no longer speaking, and moved around to check my body.

I realized I made the right choice.

Strong, fast, huge, quiet.

Now, I have all the elements necessary for a creature to be considered strong.

I am at a new starting point.

No longer a weak creature who has to struggle to survive, but a strong monster who can hunt, predate, and get even stronger.

[You became a Bugbear.]

[Intermediate Martial Arts has become Lv10 and evolves into Advanced Martial Arts.]

[You can deal more power with less stamina. You can learn attack skills after seeing it several times.]

[It becomes easy to master all the skills related to combat. You will be able to bring your weapon's power beyond its limits. However, at this time, the weapon's durability will be affected.]

[Intermediate Surprise has become Lv10 and evolves into Advanced Surprise.]

[You will not be detected even if you're running with mana. Attacking an enemy's weak spot can provide critical damage.]

[Intermediate Power Attack… … …]

[Level up!]

[Level up!]

[Level up!]

It seemed that almost all the skills I had have grown.

I felt dizzy watching all the notification windows at once, and I waved my hands to remove them.

After a while, I checked my status.

[Kang Si-ha (Fate)]

[Bugbear Lv 63]

[Strength – 500 Stamina – 417 Magic – 297 Luck – ???]

[Skill-Ebon Heart, Predation Lv4, Advanced Martial Arts Lv1, Intermediate Lunatic Trickster Lv2, Intermediate Armor Defense Lv3, Intermediate Regeneration Lv5, Intermediate Flame Magic Lv1, Intermediate Power Attack Lv 2, Intermediate Leap Lv9, Advanced Detection Lv2, Advanced Surprise Lv2, Intermediate Fairy Tale Lv2, Intermediate Beast Charge Lv5, Intermediate Leadership Lv6, Intermediate Immunity Lv7, Beginner Fantasy Magic Lv6…]

Ha!

I can't help but laugh.

Killing the Trickster increased my level by 3; my strength and mana increased by 120, and my stamina also increased by 60.

I couldn't help thinking about killing more intermediate monsters from now.

The skill changes were overwhelming. Almost all skills have grown one level of more.

Since the training has been hard, the fruit has been sweet.

There were three advanced skills that I didn't have before entering the Jinma Tower.

With my goblin's body, I have beaten a troll, a Giant Wolf, a Lightning Spider… but I am not confident I could beat my current form now.

Strong.

I am much stronger.

"There is no time to rest," I said.

A responded. "Fate is still weak."

"… I know."

A threw cold water at my excitement.

But that helped me.

Instead of being trapped in my fantasy, he brought me back to reality.

It's annoying, but his words are true.

I am still weak.

A, who is right in front of my eyes right now, is stronger.

But even A is not the strongest in this world.

There is no time to settle on my achievements.

I almost forgot where I was.

I almost forgot there was still much left to go.

It is not time to rest. Not yet.

"Thank you, A."

"… …."

He didn't answer.

A reminder soon popped up in front of my eyes.

[Quest generated!]

[You have taken the first step as a predator. However, there are many monsters, humans, and others that are stronger than you. In order to be a true predator, you must get stronger faster.]

[More experiences will make you stronger.]

[Predation after hunting regular monsters in Black Palace 3F 0/100,000]

[Predation after hunting upper species of Black Palace 3F 0/20,000]

[Prey after hunting for the rare upper species of Black Palace 3F 0/500]

[Predation after hunting Power Reaper 0/1]

[Conquering the 2nd floor of Jinma Tower 0/1]

[Winning the First Game of the Fallen Garden 0/1]

When I entered the second floor of the Black palace, the quest notification window was generous in describing the spiders and the werewolves.

Now, it simply called them regular monsters, upper species, and rare species.

What does that mean?

Of course, this would mean that there were more types of monsters appearing on 3F than on 2F.

Their strengths were classified into three: regular, upper level, and rare level.

Lastly, the Power Reaper would be the one inside the 3F boss room.

There are two remaining questions.

The first floor of Jinma Tower needs to be completed ten times, so why does the second floor need only once?

And what is the Fallen Garden?

"A…"

"You need to get out."

A didn't want to hear my question.

"You're not qualified yet to challenge the second floor."

"Wait, why does the second floor only need to get completed once? And what is the Fallen Garden?"

"You do not qualify."

"Shhh!"

With his words, he kicked me out of the Tower.

I found myself back at the 2F boss room.

The only thing in front of me was the dark passage.

"I don't qualify…"

I grind my teeth with anger at A, who kicked me out without answering.

Then, I raised my head and looked beyond the dark passageway.

Unlike the Jinma Tower, that darkness was truly another level.

The passage will take me to 3F.

"Then, I should get in."

If I get to the dedicated store right now, I may hear from Rain about the Fallen Garden.

He would surely give me more information. Rain is kind. Excessively so.

He makes me comfortable. He always takes care of me and gives me extras.

But A's chilly attitude made me think about Rain.

What if Rain disappears someday?

Right now, I can use his dedicated store, but who can I depend on in case he disappeared?

If I depend too much on Rain, the blow I will take when he is gone will be beyond imagination.

To survive alone, don't rely on someone else.

It is pathetic to keep running to Rain whenever faced by something difficult.

I have to be able to solve things by myself.

After all, it is I who had to survive and get stronger.

With Predation.

And the Ebon Heart.

I moved my body to the sound of my beating heart.

To become stronger, to become a predator, to qualify.

I flew into the dark passage.

Chapter 44: Monster Heart (1)

Demon King

Monster Heart (1)

Didn't the description say that the Bugbear was an assassin?

It was a race clearly stronger than a troll or a werewolf.

Obviously, I would have satisfied the condition of evolving into a Bugbear with the growth of my skills such as Surprise, Fairy Tale, and Martial Arts. The three of them were special.

Or the new skill, the Lunatic Trickster, also had an impact.

Anyway, I qualified to evolve into a Bugbear by demonstrating my own abilities, and as a result, my Surprise ability was further strengthened.

A Surprise Attack is divided into two processes.

To move to the target without being noticed, and to attack the enemy's weak spot with maximum power.

Although I could only test the first one in this dark passageway, I was satisfied with it already.

The passageway was high enough for someone over 2 meters to run in.

Darkness is now familiar. It seems that this empty space is gradually melting into me.

No, on the contrary, I am melting into the darkness.

I am changing to cover my self with it and be free to act while being hidden.

In the process, my Surprise and Fairy Tale skills grew steeply.

[Advanced Surprise has become Lv2.]

[Intermediate Fairy Tale became Lv4.]

Lower level skills grow slower than Beginner skills; Intermediate skills grow even slower.

When it comes to the Advanced level, raising even one skill level is too hard.

As proof, the Martial Arts and Detection that grew to Advanced skills are now at the state where I wonder if they are still rising at all.

[Advanced Surprise has become Lv3.]

But Surprise and Fairy Tale were different.

Obviously, it may be because they are in a conducive environment.

They are growing faster than other skills.

[Advanced Surprise has become Lv4.]

[Intermediate Fairy Tale became Lv5.]

I stacked food supplies on the third floor.

Of course, from the moment I entered 3F, I encountered all kinds of intermediate monsters, but they were no match for me anymore.

Surprise attacks allow me to hit them critically.

No matter how many they are, it didn't matter.

Against intermediate monsters, I was an absolute predator with my Advanced level Surprise and Martial Arts skills.

My enemy is no longer the dungeon.

The real struggle was taking place within me.

[Advanced Surprise has become Lv6.]

At one point, another group of humans entered the second floor.

I detected their faint presence because I was still near the passage entrance.

[Intermediate Fairy Tale has become Lv8.]

[Advanced Surprise has become Lv7.]

But I didn't care.

In order for them to reach me, they will have to defeat the 2F boss Werewolf King that has already respawned.

My Advanced Detection tells me that they have never been able to get through the boss room.

However, as time went by, more and more people entered the second floor.

They were separated by batches, but they certainly belong to one group, with the same purpose.

If the group had more than a hundred humans hostile to me, I could be at risk.

I should at least be aware of their purpose, so I can be comfortable.

It's a pity that I haven't raised my Surprise skills to the level I want before I faced them, but I can't wait anymore.

I went quickly to the 2F.

I followed them at a distance where I could hear their voices.

Information will be gotten quickly. Any group will have humans with runny mouths.

They don't even care about the monsters that could be listening to them from a distance.

"These are lower-level monsters? We only found goblins on the first floor… isn't this dungeon dangerous if the levels of the monsters change immediately? The second floor may not even be the last."

"So, the guild master has this on his eyes right now. It's the least risky dungeon… I'm glad our guild called us first."

"Why? Wouldn't it be better if someone cleared it for us before we were called?"

"You idiot! Don't you know about the blessing of the First Conqueror?"

First Conqueror.

First Conqueror.

So, the first one who conquers a dungeon gets something special?

Something came to mind—the Pelcadia's Jewel.

The Goblin King with a Pelcadia-jeweled sword.

The Werewolf King, who was killed by me with one shot, never had the chance to use the Pelacadia necklace.

However, the new Goblin King and Werewolf King were significantly weaker than the first ones.

It was not comparable.

So far, I just thought it was because they didn't have Pelcadia gems.

But now it is clear. First Conqueror, that was it.

It was more difficult to beat them, but I received special rewards because I was the first one.

I was definitely the First Conqueror of 1F and 2F in this dungeon.

Pelcadia's Gem.

Obviously, it will not be different in 3F.

My fighting spirit rose. The idea that I couldn't be left behind by others dominated my mind.

First Conqueror.

I will be, not only the 1F and the 2F First Conqueror, but the First Conqueror of the deepest part of this dungeon, however deep it is.

However, there are issues that need to be addressed before that.

"You fucking motherfucker, it's going to be sore…"

"But we haven't learned the secret of this dungeon because they have been chasing him?"

"My cousin is dead on his claws, fuck."

"Sorry, sorry."

These guys are now chasing someone.

If they get into 3F through their chase, it would be annoying.

I was also worried about who these guys were chasing.

"Damn it, if I see him, I will surely smash him."

"There were five here, they said. They are definitely attempting to endanger our guild."

"The fact that the Fallen are forming a group…"

Yes. The ones they are chasing are Fallen.

It was not difficult to draw a picture with the information they have said.

Judging by their words, their guilds were here to hunt down the Fallen.

However, there were more of them than they have heard from informants, and one or more of their guildmates died during the hunting process.

One of the Fallen survived and fled.

He fled into this dungeon and ended up on the 2F.

The guild members entered the second floor chasing him.

It's a ridiculous story.

So, information on the Fallen was being traded.

The guild knew that they were once humans, but they pulled out their swords to hunt them.

Now, one of them was killed, and they have a grudge against the Fallen they were chasing.

Humans will get gold, experience, and items when killing Fallen.

Are we supposed to die silently, without resisting them?

It was an arrogant standard.

My Ebon Heart was thumping.

Arrogant people who don't fit my standard.

Those who pretend to be gods, who looked at the Fallen as ants on the ground!

I boiled so much inside. I want to cut their necks.

But I couldn't do it yet.

Because there are still important things to hear from them.

"There's a problem with them disguising their appearances. We really need Proof of Mine. It's terrible to find monsters hiding among humans."

Yes, this is it.

A Fallen can conceal his identity, unless against Proof of Mine.

Nevertheless, the fact that this group of Fallen has concealed themselves until now must mean that they have a way to prevent the Proof of Mine.

As a result, all the reasons to hesitate to take action are gone.

I decided to find the Fallen who has escaped them.

It wasn't difficult.

The 2F was like a playground for me.

It took me 7 minutes and 38 seconds to find a blood-soaked Werewolf.

He was bleeding in the corner of a cave.

There were four Werewolf Elites standing in front of him as if they were his escorts.

It was impressive.

The wolves snarled as I unveiled myself before them.

The man responded.

"But… how… these are intermediate monsters…"

"Then, I may also be an intermediate monster."

I responded lightly, and he opened his eyes wide.

Then, he laughed a little.

For the first time in my life, I encountered another Fallen other than myself.