The World Forces Me to Succeed

For a monk, the ultimate virtues were not mere piety, but belief in oneself, meditation fueled by that belief, and the self-discipline forged through that meditation.

What happens when a mindset thicker than a giant redwood and tougher than iron sinew is fused with martial arts? One becomes living proof that human limits can be shattered without a single weapon.

The bodies of these monks, honed to the absolute limit, represented the pinnacle of martial combat—and Valmonk was the elder of their order.

Physical strength was directly linked to mental fortitude. The world clamored that no one could ever break Elder Valmonk's mind or body.

Valmonk was not only an elder but also a Hero of Faith. He was one of the four legendary heroes who had helped conquer Bango's Dark Abyss, one of the Mugan 7 Palaces.

While the entire empire raised their glasses in celebration of the conquest, Valmonk refused to be swept up in the excitement. Instead, he immersed himself in training, determined to return to his roots.

Setting out on a pilgrimage as part of his spiritual discipline, Valmonk stayed the night in a small village. The entire village threw themselves into a frenzy over the Hero's visit, but he politely declined their lavish hospitality. Though initially anxious, the villagers soon warmed to his boisterous, easygoing nature and began to enjoy his company.

"With your strength, Lord Hero, wouldn't a Death Knight's skull crumble like soft cheese?"

"Shh! What are you saying? How dare you speak so rudely to the Hero!"

"But it's true, isn't it? He's one of the four legendary heroes!"

Why did the topic of a Death Knight suddenly come up over drinks? When he asked, the men in the tavern answered as if they had been waiting for the question. They had only heard rumors of a Death Knight; they knew nothing of the Mugan 7 Palaces. After explaining that a Death Knight had been spotted on the mountain behind the village, the men stared at Valmonk with eyes full of anticipation.

"You must all be deeply worried."

"Oh, you have no idea, Lord Hero. The women and children of the village are absolutely terrified because of that Death Knight."

"Hmph! If it crosses my path, it will not find a peaceful passing."

He hadn't said he would actively go hunting for it. Even if he owed the village a debt of hospitality, it wasn't enough to make him go out of his way. It would be a different story if they crossed paths by pure chance, of course.

...Ten minutes later.

"Are you trying to run? How pathetic, Death Knight!"

By pure chance, the Death Knight had appeared before his eyes, and Valmonk had pursued it relentlessly. The chase had led him to a cave halfway up the mountain. As expected, a dungeon monster.

"An obvious trap to lure me in."

Countless traps and monsters might await him inside. Even so, Valmonk did not care. What did a Hero who had conquered one of the Mugan 7 Palaces alongside his comrades have to fear? Even alone, a tiny dungeon like this was nothing more than a trivial diversion. Following the Death Knight, Valmonk stepped into the cave.

If you knew it was a trap, you shouldn't have come! Along with the presence pursuing him from behind, Enoch heard footsteps approaching from ahead. In the distance, Charlotte was slowly walking toward them. He never thought he would be so glad to see that crazy, psychopathic witch's face.

Are you kidding me? What on earth are those?

Behind Charlotte stood massive figures that commanded attention by their sheer presence. Even at a glance, they looked to be at least seven meters tall.

[Lv. 61], [Lv. 62], and [Lv. 68]. A Minotaur and a Basilisk. New faces had joined while he was away. It seemed Charlotte, having become his deputy, had gone out and recruited more monsters. He wanted to scream and ask what kind of crazy stunt she was pulling, but there was no time for explanations.

Wait, actually...?

With the witch Charlotte and three giant monsters, this force might actually stand a chance against a lone Hero. Was it just his imagination, or did Charlotte suddenly look incredibly beautiful? She was already beautiful, but at this moment, her beauty was enough to completely overshadow her terrifying personality.

"You have returned, Boss. Though, it seems you have brought a tail."

She had noticed without him saying a word. In his mind, Enoch was clinging to her ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠legs, begging her to save him. But that was strictly in his mind. Pretending it was nothing, acting like the terrifying boss of a Mugan 7 Palace, he spoke in a flat, indifferent tone.

"We have a guest. Prepare to welcome the Empire's Hero."

"A Hero?"

For a split second, Charlotte's usually expressionless face cracked. Her slightly dilated pupils betrayed her utter shock. At the same time, a silent question was conveyed. She seemed to be asking why he had dragged a Hero back like a leech, but Enoch remained completely silent, offering not a single word of explanation.

"I see. Defeating a Hero is my first test. And an impromptu one at that, without any prior warning... You are saying I must be able to handle at least this much to prove my worth as your deputy."

It's so much easier when she misunderstands on her own. He didn't care if she killed the guy; he just wanted her to save him somehow.

Thud! Enoch casually jerked his chin toward the direction of the heavy footsteps. There stood Valmonk, the Hero of Faith, warily observing them.

"Hmm..."

He was clearly hesitating. And with good reason. Even as a Hero, he was currently alone and unarmed. Facing the witch Charlotte, a Minotaur, a Basilisk, and a pack of vampires that included a True Ancestor in this state was practically a suicide mission, even for a Hero. In a one-versus-many situation, countless variables could arise. Valmonk surely knew this. If only he would just turn around and leave.

Whoosh! Suddenly, Valmonk's body coiled and sprang forward like a compressed steel spring. The moment his feet touched the ground, the earth shook with a deafening roar, as if a small earthquake had struck. Enoch was left speechless by leg strength so superhuman it bordered on divine. With humans like this running around, how on earth does everyone look at me and call me a monster?

"I am Valmonk. As a Hero of Faith, I shall never turn my back on evil."

Fuck, can't you just leave? What could he say to make this guy go away?

"Do you not fear death? If you leave now, you may yet preserve your life."

"Ha! Yes, Death Knight, you bastard. I see through your wicked schemes. I take it upon myself to ensure that you, at least, die the most painful death imaginable."

He had tried to save the man's life, only to receive a death threat in return. It was a terrible trade, but Enoch couldn't let his poker face slip. Well, he was a skeleton, so he didn't actually have a face to show expression, but still.

"Charlotte. Deal with him."

"Yes, Boss."

Charlotte's ominous mana, which had been tightly suppressed until now, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠began to rise like a dark haze. The ground convulsed under the influence of her magic, and pale, skeletal hands burst forth from the earth. Watching this, Valmonk gritted his teeth.

"You are no ordinary black mage...!"

Rising from the dirt were dozens of skeleton soldiers and ghouls. Once a mage ascended to the rank of Necromancer—the tier above a standard black mage—they gained the ability to command corpses like loyal servants. The number of undead one could control depended entirely on the caster's capacity. A witch of Charlotte's caliber could manipulate dozens of undead as easily as her own limbs. Valmonk glared at Charlotte as if he wanted to tear her limb from limb. Knowing his backstory, Enoch had fully expected this reaction.

"My sister was murdered by a witch. Do you know what that means?"

"How wonderful. She won't have to be lonely anymore. She will soon be reunited with her brother."

"No! The one who dies today is you!"

At Charlotte's gesture, the horde of undead surged toward Valmonk. Valmonk leaped forward to meet them. The vampires immediately joined the fray, and the giant monsters moved their massive bodies, shaking the cave with heavy footsteps. Enoch simply watched the chaos unfold from a distance. When everyone is focused on the battle, a gap is bound to open up. I'll seize that moment to slip away and run.

"A pleasure to meet you, new Lord of the Mugan 7 Palaces."

Enoch spun around reflexively at the unfamiliar voice. A demon dressed in a sleek tuxedo stood there, his hand pressed politely against his chest as he bowed with perfect posture.

"Who are you?"

"Forgive my late introduction. I am a humble merchant representing the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Dungeon Chamber of Commerce. It is an infinite honor to meet the new master of the Mugan 7 Palaces."

Even this guy is calling me a Lord of the Mugan 7 Palaces. No doubt Charlotte had summoned him in her eagerness to fulfill her duties as deputy.

"Will you not join the battle, Lord Boss?"

Wondering how to brush him off, Enoch let a casual remark slip.

"If I step in, it ceases to be a test."

"Ah, so you wish to verify their capabilities. Truly, you possess the magnificent qualities of a sovereign."

In truth, dungeon bosses rarely entered the front lines themselves, as the dungeon would collapse if the boss died. It was at that moment that pitch-black portals materialized on either side of the demon. Enoch had seen those portals countless times in the game. A portal appearing mid-raid almost always meant reinforcements. Sure enough, beastmen and demons armed with weapons began pouring out of the portals.

"We shall waive the monster employment fees starting now. This is a unilateral decision made by our Chamber. We, too, have a bone to pick with the Heroes. And, of course, we wish to curry favor with you, Lord. I hope this serves as a good demonstration of our sincerity."

To think their desire to get on my good side is this intense... Once again, a chill ran down Enoch's spine at the reality of being mistaken for a Lord of the Mugan 7 Palaces. He had never claimed the title himself, yet here he was, suddenly crowned as one. Impersonating a Lord of the Mugan 7 Palaces carried a punishment far worse than mere execution. But what if he tried to deny it now?

That would just hasten my death.

The monsters summoned by the Chamber were already clashing with the Hero. The milk was spilled. Even if it was an accident, if he could use it to put out the immediate fire, it would be of some help. First, he had to deal with Valmonk.

Boom! Deafening explosions and roars echoed from all directions. The ground and ceiling crumbled, and shards of rock rained down like dust. Under the relentless onslaught of sheer numbers, Valmonk was forced onto the defensive. Projectiles of dark mana surged from the shadows, relentlessly hounding him. Charlotte kept her distance, firing barrage after barrage of black magic. While Valmonk might have had the upper hand in pure close-quarters combat, Charlotte's long-range spells were incredibly troublesome. Moreover, her magic was precise, deftly avoiding her allies to strike only Valmonk, making every single blast a lethal threat.

"Rroooaaar!"

"You damn cow-head!"

Whenever Valmonk tried to target Charlotte, the Minotaur—with a hide harder than steel—blocked his path. As if by design, the passage was narrow enough that the Minotaur's massive frame completely choked it. Slipping through any gap would be an agonizing ordeal.

This is perfect.

Due to the Basilisk's toxic venom, Valmonk soon had nowhere safe to step. Of course, as a Hero, Valmonk was still putting up a formidable fight. The pools of monster blood gathering all around were proof of his prowess. Yet, even that blood only served to strengthen Enoch's forces.

Hummm! The blood splattered everywhere fueled the vampires' blood magic, transforming into sharp blades that flew back at Valmonk. Even among the high-level monsters, Isabella was putting on a remarkably impressive performance. Evolving her into a True Ancestor was definitely worth it. Combined with the overwhelming numbers, the terrain advantage, and the reinforcements pouring from the portals, Valmonk's defeat seemed all but guaranteed. At this rate, they could actually take him down.

"Do you think I will fall here?!"

But suddenly, the tide of battle shifted. With a single punch, Valmonk sent three monsters flying, and the sudden shift in his aura made the remaining monsters hesitate to step forward. No longer on the defensive, Valmonk went on a relentless, one-sided rampage. Wherever his feet trod, corpses littered the ground. To make matters worse, Charlotte's mana seemed to be running dry.

"My... it seems even sending reinforcements won't change the outcome."

The demon merchant spoke with a trace of tension in his voice. He was right. At this rate, it was only a matter of time before they were all slaughtered.

What on earth did he just do?

Had he been holding back all this time, only to unleash his full power now? No, that was impossible. At Level 82, Valmonk wouldn't have had the luxury to play around.

[Lv. 90]

His level had spiked without warning. Stunned, Enoch stared intently at Valmonk, and that was when a system notification popped up.

This was the notification hovering over Valmonk. So that's it—he popped a potion. That explained why his level had suddenly jumped by eight, but it raised a new question.

Isn't the Elixir of Heaven an elixir?

It was a consumable item that exponentially boosted all stats immediately upon ingestion. No matter how much he thought about it, it made no sense. How could he enhance an elixir that had already been consumed and vanished?

Valmonk had undoubtedly consumed the elixir to gain this strength. There was no way he possessed two S-rank items. Yet, the notification window clearly identified the target as the Elixir of Heaven.

Could it be...?

Was it possible because the elixir hadn't been fully digested in his body yet? Assuming that was true, what would happen if the enhancement failed?

...Yes. That's it.

Suddenly, Enoch remembered an enhancement exploit—a bug he had encountered in the game. Now, that bug had become reality. There was a glitch where a player could still enhance an elixir even after a character had consumed it. If it succeeded, the elixir's effects would multiply several times over. But if it failed...

"Dogs of the demon realm! Struggle all you want! I, Valmonk, shall slaughter every last one of you!"

"Screeech!"

Thinking any further was a waste of time. Enoch took a step toward Valmonk. Perhaps the Hero had been keeping an eye on him from the periphery, because their gazes locked instantly.

"Ha! Yes! I almost forgot about you."

With a sharp crack of breaking air, Valmonk's figure blurred, appearing right in front of him. Enoch's vision was instantly filled with a massive, calloused fist. If even a tenth of a second passed like this, his skull would be ripped clean from his shoulders.

Splurt! Valmonk vanished. Or rather, "exploded into a bloody mist" was a more accurate description. Nothing remained of him but blood splatters and chunks of flesh.

In an instant, all sound ceased. Without even a moment for the commotion to die down, everyone fell into a dead silence. Glancing around, Enoch saw dozens of eyes locked onto him. It was as if time itself had frozen; not a single soul dared to move. Every gaze was fixed on him, cementing his identity as the terrifying new Lord of the Mugan 7 Palaces. In an atmosphere so tense that even breathing felt like a sin...

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Enoch looked down at the blood splattered across his body, then slowly turned around.

"Even in death, he leaves a filthy mess."

Thank goodness I'm undead. If he had been human, his poker face would have crumbled long ago.