Chapter 127
Chapter 127
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 127
Chapter Title: Chapter 24: Achievements (3)
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“Ptooey, that fucking hurts.”
I spat out blood mixed with saliva as I stood on a barrier conjured in midair, letting out a groan.
「You are the first Player to be promoted to Gold Badge! Fame increases by 200.」
Once the third awakening ended, a message similar to the one from my Silver Badge promotion appeared.
But it didn’t really register. My mind was too foggy from the metallic stench of blood that hit me with every breath.
I must’ve bitten the inside of my mouth wrong during the awakening.
Ever since becoming Gold Badge, my senses had sharpened even further, making the smell of my own blood overwhelmingly nauseating.
The aftershocks of the awakening hadn’t fully subsided yet, either.
The sensation of my flesh, muscles, bones, and organs breaking down to the elemental level and reconstructing.
The additional awakening process was agonizing beyond words.
In the midst of flailing through that torment, I wanted to let go of consciousness countless times.
But there was one reason I held on.
‘If I lose my grip and don’t wake up, it’s game over.’
I barely endured through sheer stubbornness and tenacity.
Thanks to that, I could make use of the opportunity granted by Karos’s authority.
I rolled my shoulders and arms as I eyed the General-class flung backward and the evolved monsters toppling like bowling pins.
To check my changed body. The result drew a hollow laugh from me.
‘This is insane.’
Fingers, arms, shoulders, back, abs, thighs, calves, and feet.
I could feel the muscles throughout my body becoming denser.
It reminded me of something I’d heard somewhere.
‘Was it from a documentary?’
Carnivores have smaller muscle fibers packed with incredible density, each fiber producing two or three times the power of a human’s.
That perfectly described the changes in my body.
With this physique, 5-star evolved monsters would be child’s play.
“Kyaaak!”
“Kieek!”
But looking down at the swarming evolved monsters under my feet, I couldn’t help feeling daunted.
The thought of jumping right into that horde made me sigh.
Still, I needed to absorb mana as quickly as possible.
‘Screw up, and I’ll have to do a third awakening twice.’
No thanks to that.
Of course, that wasn’t the only reason.
Dozens of eyes gazing up at me from within the sacred barrier.
Among them were those of children whose names I didn’t even know.
‘I’m not trying to be some hero or bow to their expectations.’
Ever since realizing the evolved monsters’ assault, one number had stuck in my head.
‘Kalom Castle fell eight years ago.’
Yet more than half the kids were younger than eight.
The world they’d known was just this farm where monsters devoured adults.
Every time that simple fact crossed my mind, Baron Volvita’s voice buzzed in my ears.
- Please get them to safety.
My response to his unexpected plea was still fresh in my memory. How could I back out now?
‘At the very least, I’ll keep my word.’
I pulled my shoulders back, contracting my back muscles, and gripped my spear tighter.
“Hoo.”
Then I spun the spear horizontally and muttered.
“Seventeen minutes.”
Checking the timer, I confirmed the direction the General-class had been flung and leaped downward.
‘I’ll thin their numbers before it comes back.’
I thrust my spear, cloaked in red attribute mana, straight into the evolved monster right below me.
No sooner had I landed on the black blood-soaked ground than I swung the spear, smashing the surrounding evolved monsters.
The 5-star evolved monsters struck by the spear had their waists bend at grotesque angles.
I processed the sprawled ones with attribute mana, and mana exceeding hundreds of thousands began absorbing into me.
“Hup.”
With just one swing, I’d neutralized five or six 5-star evolved monsters.
The power of a Gold Badge-awakened Player surpassed my wildest imagination.
Eyes gleaming, I kicked off the ground, resolved to sweep them all away.
And at that moment.
「Kerax’s lingering will acknowledges the Player’s resolve.」
「Attribute mana amplifies by 1000% for 10 minutes.」
An unexpected message appeared at the most unforeseen time.
I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t startled, but I didn’t dwell on it.
The moment I felt that familiar ballooning sensation in my body, I reflexively arranged my mana.
A lightning-element spell from the 2,000-page mana arrangement manual Ahel had given me.
A basic form of elemental magic, but one requiring about 100,000 attribute mana to manifest.
The spell I’d memorized over days and nights, believing I’d need it someday.
Lightning mana bent to my will and slotted into the arrangement.
「Lightning Storm forms.」
Kwarung-!
The system message flashed as a bolt struck from a clear sky.
From the point of impact, white flames began spreading.
The plasma only visible at over 1,000 degrees Celsius engulfed the area.
Fitting for a spell fueled by 100,000 Grade-5 attribute mana.
The flames devouring the evolved monsters were ravenous.
Even I, the caster, wasn’t spared comfortably.
Feeling my flesh cooking, I instinctively wrapped my remaining attribute mana around my body.
Yet the scorching on my skin was vivid.
If even I with Grade-5 elemental mana felt this, the low-magic-resistant evolved monsters were doomed.
“Kieeeek!”
The screams of those consumed by the plasma went on endlessly.
“Hah!”
With those screams came a flood of mana pouring into me.
From 80,000 to 100,000 per monster—an enormous amount of tainted mana began absorbing.
Having disbanded the party to maximize absorption, I had to bear the fallout alone.
Unlike the divine power expanding my mana earlier, this was different.
That had been internal change; this felt like an external torrent crashing in.
Like standing in the middle of a waterfall.
In the intense mana flow threatening to sweep me away, my Chaos Value skyrocketed.
From 10% to 20%, then to 30%.
It surged past my limit in no time.
It hurt like hell, yet a strange thrill coexisted with the pain.
In the hellscape blanketed by white flames, I oscillated between thrill and agony.
My mind grew hazy, drunk on it all, when faint sounds pierced through.
Sruk, sruk.
“Kurururu…….”
The General-class had returned, dragging its writhing body more violently than before, not far off.
Unlike me, who could somewhat endure, it wasn’t immune to the plasma.
The white flames clinging to its twitching form told the tale.
‘Grade-5 elemental magic works.’
I smirked coldly and beckoned with my hand.
“Kuruuk!”
As if understanding the taunt, the General-class cast a spell immediately.
Sensing mana wriggle toward my neck, I twisted my upper body.
Sure enough, the space where my neck had been warped.
If I hadn’t dodged, my head would’ve been severed clean off.
Chilling, yet laughter bubbled up inexplicably.
Adrenaline surging, I felt electric excitement in this life-or-death fight.
Recalling my spar with Ahel—her gentle smile grating on my nerves while she danced around—ignited my fighting spirit.
I was already in a foul mood.
This thing had shown up just as I was about to eat dinner and rest, forcing me into this midnight ordeal.
Plus, the pent-up frustration from the third awakening’s pain.
So I gleefully decided to take it out on the General-class.
‘You’re fucked.’
I thrust my spear straight at its head.
Instead of dodging, it warped the space before its face.
Spotting the crumpling air, I retracted the spear.
Then flung the blackwood dagger from my left hand at its feet.
Normally, it would’ve just stabbed the ground.
“Kurook?!”
But the dagger vanished midair and burst from the General-class’s side amid flashing white light.
‘Space magic isn’t exclusive to you.’
Since its mana was Grade-4, I couldn’t strike directly with Ahel’s.
‘Outclassed in grade.’
To win a mana hierarchy clash, I needed my own.
But that didn’t mean Ahel’s mana was useless.
If grades fell short, use spells for physical impact instead.
Sure enough, the General-class hastily cast another spell, deflecting the dagger aiming for its face elsewhere.
The attack failed, but no big deal.
‘Plenty more chances.’
I still had Ahel’s mana and the blackwood dagger.
Without pause, I threw the next dagger and activated object teleportation.
This time, I deliberately loosened the fixed arrangement.
Loosening it like this makes the teleported object unable to withstand the pressure and explode upon arrival.
‘Just like now.’
The blackwood dagger shattered between us with a bang.
“Kuaek!”
I’d anticipated it, shielding with fragmented barriers, but it took the shards full-on.
Yet even with sharp fragments embedded in what passed for its eyes and face, it didn’t retreat.
Our fierce exchange amid the scorching plasma heated enough to burn the world was intense.
And in that intensity, I held the edge.
I wasn’t just using magic.
The evolved monster had to block both my spells and spear—using only magic.
‘Sneaking around slow at first made me wonder.’
Its physical prowess wasn’t that threatening.
It couldn’t match me after the third awakening and Kerax’s acknowledgment upgraded both hardware and software.
Realizing this, I gritted my teeth and pressed harder.
Silver Badge me couldn’t have dreamed of it, but Gold Badge now made it possible.
Activating acceleration without side-effect worries widened the gap further.
Unable to follow my movements, the General-class started taking clean hits.
“Kuaeek!”
Missing its spell timing, it screamed for the first time as my spear pierced it, retreating.
Pointless move.
‘Like I’d let you escape!’
I closed in tight and swung.
Thwack-!
A dull thud like a watermelon bursting, and black blood sprayed from the General-class’s head.
From there, its ceaseless writhing calmed slightly.
It looked deflated, strength sapped.
That one blow had cracked its skull, causing at least a concussion—expected.
I seized the moment, warping the ground at its feet.
“Gururk!”
It couldn’t dodge, stepping into it, body tilting sideways.
‘Gotcha!’
Thrill zinged through my brain.
Eyes blazing, I poured attribute mana into the spear.
How to describe the rush as the blue-glowing spear pierced its neck.
Shraaak-!
I slashed upward, cleaving its head in two.
Black blood sprayed as a familiar system message appeared.
「Successfully eliminated enemy. Absorbing 211,169 tainted mana.」
5-star evolved monsters held 80,000 to 100,000 mana.
This so-called General-class 7-star exceeded double that, over 200,000.
As absorption began, I exhaled a trembling breath.
The sensation racing up my spine to my brain bordered on ecstasy now.
Soon after it finished, I let out a languid sigh and surveyed the area where the plasma was dying down.
‘Shame.’
I wanted to kill more, absorb more.
Regretfully, I turned toward the mana signatures.
Throat parched, I swallowed involuntarily, smacking my lips.
Then my eyes met those of an nameless child watching me from the sacred barrier.
Goddamn System