>SQUISH<
>SPLURGE<>SPLASH<Sliced flesh, spraying blood, and the cries of the victims filled the air.As I cut them down one after the other, in their hundreds, they all succumbed to death. I spared no expense in sending the Hobgoblins to oblivion. Using the weapons I possessed and the personal summoning at my disposal, I laid waste to the enemy Recalling and summoning my weapons again, the bodies of the Hobs became nothing but target practice which tore to pieces after countless stabs and slices.I didn’t allow my weapons to do all the work, though. With my sword in hand, I raced amid the enemies and began slashing my way through. Even with gone, I was still much faster and more than powerful enough.I dodged every attack they sent my way and twisted my body to deal deadly strikes at my foes. Swiftly moving my body, as I powerfully swung my arms, I locked on to the demon’s arms and legs, and when I was done‘My Demon Cores!’Quickly realizing that I was in danger of losing either my identity or the drops of the prey that I slaughtered, my body went into overdrive.I hurriedly began to pick the Demon Cores, lightly tapping them and storing them into [Subspace]. This allowed me to take care of a hundred of them within seconds. Of course, since the Demon Cores were scattered, in some cases atop trees or at a farther distance from the rest, it took a lot of time to gather them all.“I think I see something over there!” A voice sounded from the direction of Adam’s approaching group.“Tch,” I clicked my tongue, working faster to finish taking my loot before the Camp members arrived at the scene.Fortunately, I concluded my task before they reached my location , and quickly jumped unto a tall tree to escape their sight. I climbed frantically, making sure to reach the top so that none of them could see me.‘Of course, it’d all be useless if one of them has a Gift that can sense me regardless of
Daniel, Tasha, two scout members, and an additional comrade returned to the Base.They had left Dave and the others in charge of coordinating everyone in case Demons found their way into the base and attacked people. The Camp members were forced to be awake, and to be on their guard against the group of Demons they heard from a distance.Many were still drowsy, and since the environment was still very dark, even with the illumination of many lamps, they were at a disadvantage.Upon sensing movement within the cluster of trees that they faced, everyone became alert, tightening their grip on each of their weapons as they glared nervously at the suspicious location.The sounds became louder, and the rustle of leaves could clearly be heard by everyone, making their hearts beat more rapidly. Just as whatever was within the cluster began to make an entrance, the Subjugation Team Members all pointed their blades in its direction.“Relax, guys. It’s us.” Adam’s voice sounded, suddenly reveali
Tasha continued reading the names on the list, and not long after, she was done.“It looks like everyone is still here. That’s a relief.” Adam remarked, giving everyone a genuine smile.This didn’t last very long, though, as his face darkened soon after. I could see it in his eyes, the hesitation, and anxiety. There were so many factors the Camp didn’t even realize were surfacing, and he had to compensate.“While investigating the sounds coming from deep within the woods, our team found some things,” Adam said, giving a nod to the two scouts behind him.They both stepped forward and brought with them a couple of spikes. The crowd was uneasy, but also curious. All they saw were spikes that had a brown appearance, with a purple-colored tip.“These are poisonous spikes. We found them stuck on trees and on the ground in the woods. There were many of these scattered around, but we only took a few back for investigation.” Adam reveale
The next morning, everyone was forced to wake up early. I got up without much issue since I needed less sleep in my condition. Hearing groans and moans from those who slept around me, made me sigh in disgust.Leaving the tent first, I went to the gathering that was slowly forming as a result of Adam’s call.Not long after, the members began assembling, and in a few minutes, we were all present.“We begin our subjugation today! I know last night was unexpected, but I hope we all had enough sleep. If we didn’t, it’s time to shake off any semblance of drowsiness or hesitation! We’ll be undertaking the real deal!” Adam declared.Tasha was beside him as his assistant, looking stoic. It reminded me of how she used to act beside Charles back at the Camp.“We’ll have breakfast, freshen up, and prepare for the first phase of the plan.” The unenthusiastic response of the people ended the meeting, while those in charge of food
“Gurrriikkkk”“Garukiikkk”“Garakukkk”Adam and his group watched the nest of monsters, seeing so many Hobs conversing with each other.It took a little over thirty minutes from the base to where the Hobgoblins were located. They were so many, it puzzled the mind. “There should be more inside…” Adam whispered to the troops with him.The fortress of the Hobgoblins was a large compound, with a massive house situated within. They had erected wooden fences from the trees in the area, making the compound too high for any of the Gifted to see over, even from their high ground. Surrounding the compound were at least a hundred Hobgoblins keeping watch. They made grunts and snorts, looking around in constant vigilance.‘Whatever is in there, they certainly don’t want anyone finding out!’ Adam reasoned, stroking his chin a little.He had only observed them for some time, but he could clearly see that something major was occurring within. Once in thirty minutes or so, new sets of Hobgoblins wou
“Raaaahhhh!!!” Excited roars of war echoed through the atmosphere as the Gifted charged at their foes. Each wielding their respective abilities acutely, they proceeded to kill the 20 Demons that also lunged at them with equal vigor.The [Quake] Gift of one of the Subjugation Team members was used to shake the ground, causing the dashing Demons to lose balance. This gave them an opening, allowing the close-ranged fighters to ambush the Hobgoblins.Since they were fewer in number, compared to the Gifted, their execution proceeded easily. Splashes of blood flew into the air as the severed body parts of the Hobgoblins were sent flying. The earth became a puddle of evaporating blood as the Demons fell one after the other to their deaths.‘Yes! Looks like everything is proceeding as planned. We are easily dispatching these Hobs since they’re not plenty in number. As long as we keep this up… we can win!’ Adam beamed, charging at the enemies himself.“” He declared, suddenly summoning a sha
There was no use thinking about something that I didn’t ask of at the time. I just had to find a way to obtain the information I needed.Plus, since Adam was such a good fellow, he would surely tell me if I asked. I just had to do it when Chloe wasn’t clinging onto him… which was practically never!After some minutes of watching, I grew bored quickly. The fight against 20 Hobs was dragging on for too long, and they hadn’t even killed half of them yet. It would take the group close to twenty more minutes to finish everything.‘They are conserving energy and Skills since they still have a long way to go, eh?’ I reasoned, rising from where I sat and observing them.I could have easily taken down every single Demon around in a few seconds, but I had to put up with this instead. I didn’t mind though.After all, these Hobs were a good distraction for my ‘comrades’. Thanks to the noble Demons’ sacrifice, I could make way to my actual goal for today… The Hobgoblins’ Fort.“If you’ll excuse me
Hobgoblins.A variant of the popular fantasy monsters known as Goblins. While they were more powerful than the base fodder, the Hobs shared a similar trait with their weaker counterparts; Intelligence, or rather, the lack of it.Hobgoblins, like Goblins, are not intelligent. They are savage beings who crave destruction and hunt their prey to survive. At least, that was what I thought until I began noticing some differences in the Horde we were sent to subjugate.Their attacks and patterns so far were not ordinary. They displayed acts of intelligence, and their coordination was on par with the average Gifted. After seeing this, two theories popped up in my head. One was that these Hobs were more intelligent than the other members of their race. However, using the system to view their stats, their intelligence wasn’t noteworthy.Which left the second theory as the only viable conclusion. ‘Someone is pulling the strings… most likely the Boss!’Upon discovering this, it was easy to deci
In the quiet aftermath of the tumultuous ARMAGEDDON, I found myself standing at the precipice of a new reality. The remnants of the battle lingered in the air, and I could feel the residual power and (G) Essence coursing through the fabric of existence. As I gazed upon the aftermath, a solemn determination settled within me – a resolve to forge a reality free from the influence of both Demons and Gods.With newfound purpose, I raised my hands, drawing upon the remnants of power that swirled around me. As I concentrated, the very fabric of existence seemed to warp and bend to my will. The Demons and Gods, the Administrators of this chaotic universe, were to be left behind in the debris of ARMAGEDDON.In a surge of cosmic energy, I began to shape a pristine reality, one untouched by supernatural forces. The skies cleared, the land became fertile, and the seas calmed. I meticulously crafted a world where the laws of nature reigned supreme, untouched by the meddling hands of higher bei
"Oh well, there's nothing else I can do…" Even if I was annoyed about the whole thing with Arthur, it was still a fact that he lost.Thanks to their emergency escape, the Pariah party missed their chance to challenge the Hidden Floor of the Tower Of Conquerors.Not only that, but their plan to use Leah and the others as hostages didn't work. They were in my [Subspace].'It's not like they matter to me at this point…'I could simply keep them as (G) Karma Point banks.Now that I could once again resort to farming (G) Karma from people, wasn't this the perfect opportunity to gain as many points as I could?'Ah, but I need quite the number of Points to advance to B Rank…'My Gift was currently in C Rank. While the abilities were pretty broken at this point, I couldn't help but wonder what awaited me if I could get a higher Rank.'With this whole gods business, I need to get as strong as possible…'With a smile, I gazed upon the warbling portal in front of me."Speaking of stronger… I sh
What happens when a person keeps climbing the Tower?Yes, with each Level Up, wounds heal and the body is restored. However, mental fatigue is something that piles up. The strain a person has is something that gathers over time.The Rankers knew this quite well, so they all agreed to climb together. It was very obvious what they were planning on doing.—Letting the other person die!In this world, there were many ways to get stronger. It was also possible to use certain loopholes in the System—especially if one wasn't an Evil Aligned yet.Since the Rankers were in a Party, they must have been very certain of their Alignments, making them completely 'trust' one another.But, these things could be deceptive.Just as I managed to kill a bunch of people without a change in my Chaotic Neutral Alignment, the same applied to a lot of people—especially in a dangerous place like the Tower.As they fought monsters, it was certain that Rankers would get weakened. Then… if, by chance, some 'accid
[SYSTEM ANNOUNCEMENT!][The Tower Of War Has Been Cleared!]Torrents of thoughts flowed in my mind as I looked at the System Window displayed in front of me.'What the hell…?'Why?How?Who?It didn't make any sense.The average Level for the current denizens of the world was 50. The strong ones were about to reach Level 100, but I didn't expect anyone to have attained Level 150 talk-less 200.The Levels and Grades of the monsters climbed as one advanced through the Floors, and since the Towers had similar difficulty, I expected others to receive the same treatment I experienced.No one could have succeeded in that venture, but me. It wasn't pride… but reality!However…'Could it be.—?!'Perhaps it was something I failed to consider. I had always suspected it, but after the Tutorial ended and I kept a watchful eye on the Leaderboard, Auction, Tower Updates, and several other elements of this new world, my doubts were cleared.There shouldn't have been anyone else who was granted somet
"Rise and shine, sleepy head." A voice greeted Abhoth as he opened his astral eyes.His vision blurred, but it only lasted for a moment.Soon, he could see everything around him. It was the exact scene he remembered before dying—the underground room where he was brewing his Elixir.Did he not die? Had he managed to survive?Countless thoughts lurked in Abhoth's ghost-like body… until he realized the fact… that he was in a ghost-like body.He nearly shrieked, seeing as he had a near-transparent form, and floated like a ghost. A purple aura emanated from him, and his body was incorporeal—well, nearly.He was made of energy, and he could even see his actual body—his corpse—lying on the ground.Abhoth didn't need a prophet to tell him that he was dead.'Ghost Magic…?!' His thoughts rang, and imaginary cold sweat broke out on his forehead.He was a ghost, so he couldn't really sweat.Still, Abhoth understood the implications of what had happened to him. As an expert in Magic, he knew of th
The audience was astonished!Sweat fell from their brows and their bodies shuddered. Even though they were protected by the sturdy pink layer, none of them were immune to the chill that coursed through their bones.The group had thought they saw the full extent of the Masked Man's powers—or at least close to it. However, his current actions shattered their preconceived notion."I-impossible…""This can't be real… right?""I can't believe this… is he really human?""Masked Hero! You're so amazing!"They all had different ways of expressing their shock.For starters, the group didn't know how it was possible to clear the battlefield of corpses. They had seen so many dead bodies—like an insurmountable sea—yet, in an instant, the Masked Man cleared them all.It was a feat like none other.As if that wasn't amazing enough, a massive Dragon suddenly emerged from a dark cloud and soared into the sky. The Demon—a being that far surpassed anything they had seen up until that moment—charged bri
There were many ways to win.I knew that from the get-go. I could use [Subspace] to shave off parts of the Dragon's body, reducing its health until it completely fell apart.I could use my purification to severely weaken it and blast the monster to kingdom come. An easy solution would also be to use the seventy-one Treasures OF War to impale the beast on all ends. If I added my Mana to them and increased their efficiency, the monster stood no chance.I could keep going on and on as to how I could win, but what was the point?Once in a while, a person needed some excitement in their life—I was no exception."COME!"My declaration prompted the Dragon Of Storms—or rather, what was left of him—to charge at me with frightening speed.>WHOOOOSSHSHHH
The area around the beast was charred, and nothing but black, sooty grounds surrounding it. Impaling it were several weapons; ranging from spears to blades.They all looked very powerful and valuable.There were seventy-one of the weapons that pierced the monster's body… most likely what killed it.My eyes narrowed on the dead beast, and a wry smile appeared on my face. It now made sense why I sensed such powerful energy from beyond the gate back then.This monstrosity was the cause.Laid on the ground, surrounded by destruction and carnage was one of the most powerful races of Demons that existed.—A Dragon!Judging from the battle scene, I had a fair idea of what transpired here… at least what the narrative of this Floor was.A battle occurred, and the several races combined forces. They had a common enemy, and that was the fallen beast at the center of the battle. I had an idea of the difficulty if seven hundred thousand individuals ganged up on the creature.'It's at least a Grade
I realized my childish body was too inefficient.In so many ways, the fact that I was below average in height and build was going to impede my future plans… which was why I decided to solve the problem.Using Lara’s Gift, now my Skill, I could shape-shift into any form I desired. However, it consumed Mana, and it also had a duration despite how much I maxed it out. Since I couldn't maintain it for too long, the ability was useless as a permanent solution.Scouring for a solution in the SHOP, I finally found my answer. It was a Potion known as the Perfect Growth Compound. After reading its description, I understood its function.The potion simply elevated whoever drank it to their ideal, most perfect physical state. As a result, it could take me to the peak I could ever attain physically.I was a little worried that I was going to remain short, but seeing as there was also a Reversal Potion being sold, I decided to take my chances.Who would have thought… it actually worked!I grew to