The enemies laid before me couldn’t be compared to my previous foes in quantity. Not in the slightest.Unlike the several thousand I had vanquished in the past, these were barely three thousand. Their small numbers made the entire compound spread out and seem barely occupied. If not for the wooden houses that decorated the vast plains as well as the dried meat being hung on the several stakes, the area would have seemed awfully empty.However…The quality of the Hobgoblins I saw was nothing like those I had encountered previously. Comparing the two was impossible. I didn’t see any Hobgoblin Tanker, Archer, Brawler, Warrior… no, those were all fodder compared to these beasts that stood opposing me.The muscular green creatures, resembling orcs, rather than Hobs, had tattoos on their bodies, similar to the Hobgoblin Chief.They were not as huge as the one I had defeated, though, neither did they have flowing hair or beards. However, their bodies were still much bigger than the other Hob
I was sure that I was invisible. No one else could see me or sense my presence.Yet, I could clearly feel the gaze of the Hobgoblin Boss rest upon me. Its old face morphed into what I could only describe as a wry grin, as though taunting me.It made no movements, just resting its gaze upon me as though waiting for my first move.‘This monster… It saw through my camouflage, yet chooses to do nothing. What kind of a joke is this?!’I felt slightly insulted, but also relieved. If it was looking down on me like the Hobgoblin Chief, that worked well to my advantage.The only problem was how to handle the monsters before me.The Gate behind the Hobgoblin Chiefs and the Boss kept spewing Hobgoblin Champions at intervals. I couldn’t wait any longer!But, I had no way to completely whittle down the enemies, not with the kind of Stats they had. It went without saying that this would be a terribly difficult match!“Let’s do this!”“”Instantly, a massive cloud of smoke, such as I had never seen
>BOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!WHOOOSHHH!CRASH!!!
The Hobgoblin Boss roared!The moment it did so, I couldn’t describe it, but, an air of unease… no, pressure, filled the area.I could suddenly feel multiple eyes on me and bloodlust oozing around. The sudden shift was too much for me and I suddenly began to panic again. Taking my eyes off the Boss Monster for a moment, I took a good look around me and confirmed it.“They are all looking at me… with focused, eager looks. They can see me?!” A whisper unconsciously leaked out.I wasn’t wrong!The Hobgoblins could see me! Their focus was locked on my exact location, I could tell that much!How? Even with their Stats, I was superior, so there was no way they could bypass the System’s rules. Unless…I gritted my teeth and glared at the grinning Hobgoblin who sat on his throne. What a smug look the monster had.‘It did something to them… some kind of variant for , maybe? It had to be that roar from earlier!’That might have also been how it was controlling the other Demons I had been facing
Damian’s body was impaled by the spear and firmly pinned to the ground.The Hobgoblins’ top brass all reveled at the sight of the young human’s gaping eyes and shocked demeanor. It was a cause for celebration, was it not? The rat that had been scampering about was finally dead, struck by the spear it never saw coming. Damian was the rat, and by the means of throwing an unavoidable projectile at him, he had inevitably met his doom.However… this illusion of victory soon vanished as the Hobgoblin Boss first noticed the strangeness of the situation before them.Looking closely at what should have been the young Gifted’s corpse, there was something different about it, something unreal…“Guriuk… Guriuk Garu?!” A growl proceeded from the mouth of the Hobgoblin Boss as soon as it noticed, drawing the attention of the already-celebrating Chiefs.They ceased their felicitations and also took a closer glance at the corpse and noticed the same thing too! “Guriuk Guriuuk Garu!!!” The Chiefs sai
While I was absorbing Demons into my [Subspace] earlier, my was on. Adding to the mix, I was able to severely weaken the Hobgoblin Champions that I couldn’t touch. and my Daggers played a huge part, even though they couldn’t finish them off. Thanks to those efforts from before, the amped dual I launched and the Demon Core Bombs were able to finish off the Hobgoblin Champions. “Whew… one menace out of the way. Next, we have… you guys, uh?” A grin formed on my face as I said those words.The Hobgoblin Boss, as well as the Chiefs, growled in fury as I met their gazes. Now left without any more troops, I now had the advantage.The Gate behind them only spat Hobgoblins after a long interval, making sure I had enough time to face them without getting interrupted.The Boss remained seated, while I drew closer. My senses were sharpened and I intended to move out of harm’s way the moment I picked up any dangerous signals. With a distance of about thirty meters away from the overwhelming
The total amount of power a person could wield wasn’t restricted to merely Levels and Individual Stats.There were several other means people obtain far greater power. One would be the nature of one’s Gifts, another would be the Skill in one’s possession. In rare cases where both Skills and Gifts had a synergy, the abilities of an individual would skyrocket.However, even with these, there was another integral factor that can transform a weaker being into a more powerful one… Gear!If playing games had taught me anything, it would be the fact that gear was one of the most important things to consider.Gamers who were dedicated to the cause went as far as spending actual money on games in order to obtain very good pieces of equipment.Their importance could not be overemphasized!Not only players, but even monsters relied on gear. Drops and items stemmed from this concept, and it was already an established fact that individual strength could only take you so far. In a game, true power
I began moving closer to the Hobgoblin King, who, for some reason, shrunk back a bit. Perhaps it already knew its fate if I so much as grazed it. “I’m sneaky. I cheat a lot…” As much as it would be really cutthroat to have a death match with Hobgoblins staking my life on the line, I wasn’t that kind of person. Perhaps it was because I had gotten so strong that I forgot… deep down I was a coward. “I hate being in pain, so I just use what’s most convenient for me. Even if I have to fight one monster at a time. Even if I have to use sneak attacks. Even if I have to steal all your equipment and use them for myself! It doesn’t matter, does it?” Yes. All that mattered was survival! If I had such an ability, it was only common sense to use it to its fullest. Using my [Subspace] ability, wasn’t it just more efficient to trap each Chief, even the Boss, and fight at my leisure. If things looked really bad, I could easily use to catch my breath and then utilize to bring them back out whe
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