Chapter 35
Chapter 35
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: Goblin Club
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⚙ DERIVED STORY ⚙ 【The Goblin's Beginning】 Type: Derived Story. You were born possessing the supreme Hierarchy Rank among goblins. The 'Goblin' race's legends going forward will change based on your footsteps. Craft a goblin tale that endures through the ages. ＊This story retains potential for 'evolution'.
The existing 'Inheritance' had transformed into a new Derived Story, filling his view.
'Crafting the goblin's tale means shaping the image that comes to mind when people think of the goblin race from now on.'
Tricky.
But deep down, he absolutely loved this story.
'An incomplete race.'
If nothing was set in stone, didn't that mean endless possibilities lay ahead?
'Good choice picking goblin.'
The dragon race was powerful, sure, but already too well-known to people.
From serpent to imugi, then ascending to dragon—that whole process was predefined.
'In other words, trapped in a mold.'
Even breaking that race's limits wouldn't have raised the ceiling much.
But goblins were different.
'The undefined nature means countless elements will shift based on how I define them going forward.'
And that would all turn into his own power.
This Derived Story marked the first step.
Sin Bihyeong gazed at the Goblin King's lingering thoughts and asked,
"The goblin I subdued—you said its club had a 'storage' ability. Is that right?"
"Yes."
"Then the tales of swinging the club to produce gold or scatter grain... those were just pulling out what had been stored inside?"
"Correct."
Listening to the Goblin King's replies, Sin Bihyeong pondered deeply.
'At its core, the club stores physical objects. Like a game inventory?'
Put things in, store them, then take them out.
Seemed like the most basic use of a goblin club.
"So, what's different about the king's club?"
"My club had far greater capacity than a normal one, but only for 'inanimate objects'."
"Inanimate?"
"Yes. Anything without life in it."
Normal goblin clubs had capacity limits, and what they could store varied wildly by goblin.
Among them, the Goblin King's club ignored capacity limits in exchange for the inanimate restriction.
Hearing this, Sin Bihyeong posed another question.
"In that case, could the club store things like 'spells' too?"
"...Regrettably, no. Energy is ultimately an extension of 'life'."
Spiritual power, yokai energy—all were accumulated through sustaining life.
How could such energy lack the essence of life?
Sin Bihyeong felt a twinge of puzzlement at the answer.
"Do-eok-si-ni clearly planned to draw the curse from my body using its club. How could that work?"
The Goblin King responded calmly to his question.
"It seems she intended to 'kill' herself once, then revive."
"...Pardon?"
What did she plan to do?
"Kill and then resurrect? Is that even possible?"
As Sin Bihyeong's face twisted in confusion, the Goblin King hurriedly elaborated.
"To be precise, she planned to concentrate the curse into her 'heart,' stop it once, and trick the curse into thinking she had 'died'."
A curse only worked on the living, after all.
If the target died, the curse would cease too.
"Treated as an inanimate object that way, extracting the heart itself via my club wouldn't be impossible. She'd escape the curse."
Sin Bihyeong felt a chill at the casual explanation.
"...You're talking about ripping out your heart awfully lightly."
Recalling Sin Bihyeong was a half-demon, the Goblin King gave a faint smile.
Not mockery, but acknowledging differing perspectives.
"Yokai lifelines are tough. Even severed body parts regenerate with effort and yokai energy—that's basic yokai common sense."
Especially for a renowned yokai like Do-eok-si-ni on the peninsula.
"Even with her heart pulled out, she'd survive if tended to immediately. In great yokai battles, confirming a kill means extracting the Demon Core—or smashing the head."
What the...
Are these yokai or cockroaches?
'I knew they didn't die easily, but regeneration like that?'
Even Sin Bihyeong hadn't known.
Makes sense. In the game, vital hits triggered criticals and instant deaths just fine.
'...Maybe the yokai I fought in-game weren't that high-level?'
Nah, no way.
Taking down those required mid-Hierarchy Rank at least, right?
'...Probably some restrictions. Has to be.'
As Sin Bihyeong desperately rationalized,
the Goblin King's thoughts continued.
"As I just explained, there's a loophole to forcibly halt energy and store it in the club, but otherwise, it can't hold spells or the like."
With that, the Goblin King clenched his fist in the air and swung his arm fiercely.
Bang!
A small explosion rang out, smoke billowing.
Cleaving through it, the Goblin King's club emerged.
"Drawing the club feels just like that. Concentrate yokai energy in your arm's blood, then swing as if painting the air."
Right.
Focus now wasn't on yokai toughness.
'My club.'
The fresh Derived Story and new Bloodline Ability were top of mind.
Sin Bihyeong nodded slowly, mimicking exactly what the king had shown.
Whoooosh—!
A fierce presence coalesced in his right arm instantly.
Like a translucent giant's arm compressing, forcibly crammed into his own.
He raised that arm, palm clenching empty air.
Crack—!
A sound like cracking glass echoed from where he gripped the void.
'......'
Sin Bihyeong ignored it.
Or rather, he was engrossed elsewhere.
'What to store in my club...'
Stepping into the goblin race's beginnings, he wanted to leave a pure legend amid the incomplete folklore.
That desire stirred the ambitions in his heart.
Sin Bihyeong's lips curled slyly.
"Getting this far... now the greed kicks in."
The void gripped in his fist seemed to thicken slightly.
Not an illusion...
'Not expecting peak performance right away. Instead, expand the potential to the limit.'
What he held wasn't mere empty space.
His yet-to-form club, the goblin legend that would echo eternally.
Soon, yokai energy erupted like a volcano, and Sin Bihyeong swung his arm down as if yanking the sky to earth.
⚙ BLOODLINE FORMATION ⚙ [Bloodline Ability, 'Goblin Club' is being formed.] [Determining rank......] [Growth Limit: EX]
[Impossible Achievement Unlocked!]
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Crack—!
A sound like space shattering rang out, cracking the bloodstone left by the Goblin King.
At the same time, Sin Bihyeong's hitherto closed eyes snapped open.
"As expected. Just a lingering scene from the thoughts."
Sin Bihyeong stared blankly at the king's relic crumbling to pieces.
Then he bent down, gathered the fragments carefully, and tucked them preciously into his backpack.
A puzzled gaze watched him.
-Bihyeong! You're back to your senses!
-My lord! Did you claim what you desired!?
Eoduk and Mina, who couldn't enter that space.
Sin Bihyeong's shadow stretched long, and two figures burst from within.
"Bihyeong!"
"My lord!"
The pair landed and circled him, scanning intently.
"Senior Eoduk, doesn't look hurt anywhere?"
"No, miss! Feels perfectly healthy!"
"Hmm... You scared us half to death collapsing like that."
Like drug-sniffing dogs at the airport, they bulged their eyes, poking and prodding everywhere—quite the comical sight.
"How long was I out?"
Mina answered promptly.
"Not long. About thirty minutes?"
"The instant you touched the king's bloodstone, you passed out, so we figured you headed off for the trial!"
Eoduk clambered up his leg chattering, eyes sparkling intensely.
"My lord! How was the king's legacy? Surely your Hierarchy Rank surpasses his, right!?"
Eoduk was a goblin too, but he'd never seen the king in person.
Born from ancient relics, he'd ended up subdued at the academy—a tragic goblin fate.
Thus, Eoduk brimmed with curiosity over how his master stacked up against the king.
His eyes said he already believed Sin Bihyeong superior.
"Who knows. Hard to say."
The race's Hierarchy Rank was higher, but Sin Bihyeong felt no urge to belittle the Goblin King.
His character, his concern for the race's future.
A true sovereign worthy of the title.
"I'll tell you later. For now, what do we do with that one?"
Sin Bihyeong pointed at the unconscious Do-eok-si-ni.
His fingertip jabbed the air.
...Tok.
The faint sound echoed.
Ripples spread simultaneously.
Like a water drop hitting a still lake, concentric circles emanated from empty space.
At the center, Sin Bihyeong drew forth his club.
⚔ BLOODLINE ACTIVATED ⚔ [Bloodline Ability, 'Goblin Club' appears!] Sin Bihyeong's club differed slightly from any goblin club he'd seen.
No form.
Just shimmering like smoke, lingering in his grasp.
But it was unmistakably a club.
In terms of ability, at least.
⚔ ABILITY EXERTED ⚔ [Bloodline Ability, 'Goblin Club' exerts 'My Heart Storage'!] My Heart Storage.
If it pleased his heart, it stored anything.
One of the abilities Sin Bihyeong forged into the goblin club.
['Goblin Club' extracts Shuten-doji's curse from target 'Do-eok-si-ni's' body.] [Stored in the club.] [Decomposition or combination possible.] Sin Bihyeong grinned in satisfaction at the rapid-fire messages.
Kya! This is it!