Demon King
chapter-37

Fallen (1)

A said nothing.

I wasn’t expecting him to say anything, either. I simply looked down at the troll, who fell into a deep, narrow pit.

I raised my sword – tried to raise it, rather. I tried and tried, but it appears that I can’t even swing Blood Shadow in this Goblin body.

“Koo-oh-oh! Kuo-oh-oh-oh!”

“You can’t get out.”

It had been very difficult to beat the troll with a Goblin Fighter’s body. So, naturally, as a Goblin, no matter how high my skill levels were, it was worse, even if I’m familiar with the troll’s attack pattern.

That’s why I started creating traps the moment I learned that my Lower Trap Creation allows me to create multiple traps at once.

The Goblin’s body I am in feels like another trap, but it was for the troll’s advantage, not mine.

I had to suffer death countless times because I had to stay in position while creating traps, but I didn’t mind how many times I died.

As long as I continue to survive and place traps, the time invested wasn’t in vain.

Eventually, I did it.

I was successful in creating a trap that could contain him.

Initially, there was anxiety as to whether the traps will be reset when I die. If it were to be reset, I would have to create new traps again and again while dying infinitely.

It would have been a terribly painful process, but it is the only way I could beat him.

Fortunately, the traps do not reset with my death.

And the troll is now in a pit designed especially for him.

He is restrained.

“Then…”

But now, my physical strength has become so weak that I could not even lift the sword properly. Triggering a Power Attack or infusing a Black Thunder on the sword is unthinkable.

So, how will I finish him?

My mana fountain is not sufficient to sustain a high-level magic skill, and I could not properly wield Blood Shadow.

From the start, I only have one way to kill him.

I bowed my head and charged towards the troll with a scream.

“Koo-oh-oh-oh!”

“I will enjoy this food!”

Predation.

I will eat the troll alive.

It was a pretty daunting task. The troll violently thrashed around the pit in order not to be eaten, and I’m weak enough to take serious damage from even a headbutt from him.

Because of his resistance, blood showered as I ate him – both his and mine

A just watched silently at the gore.

[Lower Regeneration has become Lv4.]

When half of his head had been eaten off, the troll began to weaken.

The fact that he’s still alive even though he’s missing half of his head is a testament to how strong he is.

I hung on, chewing him to his core, swallowing everything on my way.

It didn’t take long for him to lose his life.

[Conquering the 1st floor of Jinma Tower 1/10].

I stood still, staring at the notification window that popped up before my eyes.

It wasn’t because I didn’t understand what it meant. It was because I was thinking about how hard I needed to struggle just to see this message.

Then, I experienced metamorphosis once more.

The Goblin’s body gradually became muscular, taller, larger… Goblin Fighter, Hob Goblin, and finally back to the Hob Goblin Assaulter.

It was just like a video playing in reverse. My body went back to what it should be.

The pain that came with the change was enormous, but it was nothing for me who had just experienced being smashed, torn, and bitten by a troll for countless times.

“Hoo!”

When I regained the body of the Assaulter, I sighed with relief. Was it because I had experienced being in the weakest body once more, that I now feel I’m able to do anything now I am back to my stronger form?

Of course, fear is still necessary to protect myself. However, excessive fear only hinders one’s growth.

It is important to know when to step back from danger, but it is even more important to understand your abilities.

I can’t help but wonder about my limits. How far can I go? How talented am I in battle?

Even if I didn’t see it as such before, Jinma Tower was really a safe training center.

I was able to grow significantly. Physically, technically and mentally.

“Did you find it challenging?” A asked me after a while.

“No,” I responded quickly. “I will come back later.”

I would not have suffered this much if I had come up here with a higher level and a stronger Predation.

The lower the value of Predation, the greater the difference.

There’s a reason why Jinma Tower was written at the last line of my quest, after hunting and predating all the other monsters.

I should have come to this place after completing all the other tasks.

Now, I’m sick of dying, although I gained a lot from it. The real goal is not to die in the Palace.

The towering walls that formed our arena disappeared. I still couldn’t see A’s face, but I could feel him better and finer than before.

“You will not be able to use the same method in the future,” A said.

I nodded gently. What I did was foul.

“I will finish him with real skills next time,” I told him.

A door appeared from the darkness. I glanced once in A’s direction, then twisted the doorknob and went out the door.

After returning to the Black Palace, the first thing I did was to look around. I don’t know how much time I spent in Jinma Tower, but a battle that lasted hundreds of deaths couldn’t have ended in just a single day or two.

There was nothing in 2F.

Werewolves and Battle Spiders should have respawned already. Perhaps humans or other creatures could have broken through 2F and wiped them out while I was gone.

I activated Detection to the maximum, but I could feel no strange presence.

I concealed myself through Surprise and Fairy Tale and walked around. But there was nothing. I could only feel the faint presence in the realm of the superior species.

Does time flow slowly in the Jinma Tower?

I immediately pulled out my pocket watch and checked it, and I realized that only three hours have passed since I entered Jinma Tower.

That explains why monsters haven’t respawned yet.

Honestly, those three hours were hell, but because of it, I gained unparalleled strength incomparable to my previous state, so it was worth it.

Anyway, there are no Werewolves or Battle Spiders yet, so…

What else should I do?

It didn’t take me long to decide. Honestly, I’m not afraid of any monsters in 2F, even the higher species.

Understand my abilities and understand theirs. With that, the outcome of any battle is clear.

The upper-level species in 2F cannot harm me.

It’s time to hunt them down.

[Kang Si-ha (Fate)]

[Hob Goblin Assault Lv 50]

[Strength – 295 Stamina – 270 Magic – 125 Luck – ???]

[Skill-Ebon Heart, Predation Lv3, Intermediate Martial Arts Lv2, Lower Armor Defense Lv9, Lower Regeneration Lv4, Lower Flame Magic Lv1, Lower Trap Generation Lv. 3, Lower Black Lightning Lv2, Lower Power Attack Lv7, Lower Leap Lv9, Intermediate Detection Lv3, Intermediate Surprise Lv4, Lower Trap Creation Lv3, Beginner Fairy Tale Lv8, Lower Beast Charge Lv2…]

My physical stats have not changed much. However, all the skills have grown tremendously, and with it, my combat ability had become incomparable to what it was before I entered the Jinma Tower.

A Blood Iron Armor wrapping the tough physique of a Hob Goblin Assaulter. A helmet that completely protects the vulnerable parts of my head.

A huge, magical Blood Shadow sword in my hands.

I am better equipped than ever.

“I am strong.”

My body was tingling with excitement to pump out all the power I gained against an enemy.

I tried to calm myself down and took a deep breath.

Out of habit, I activated my Detection as I relaxed…

I noticed him before he found me.

“I can’t figure out this dungeon… the first floor was full of goblins, but the second floor is empty? Really?” someone said out loud.

A person.

A strong one, so I didn’t show myself until I got close enough.

“Finally, I found a monster. … … What are you? A Goblin? Rare species? Some armor… Ah, aha.”

A man in his late 20s, holding a dagger. He was wearing a light suit. He looked at me as he laughed happily as if he found a treasure.

Then, what he asked next made me open my eyes wide in curiosity and confusion.

“Oh, are you a Fallen?”

I went closer and said, “I want to hear about the Fallen…”

It was the first time I spoke to a person since I had been reborn as a goblin.