Chapter 63
Chapter 63
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 63
Chapter Title: Solidifying the Base #11
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"Grrrraaah!"
—Thud!
A massive shock coursed through the grip on the wooden lid. This was the power from Bargest, who'd been torn to complete rags by my attacks? A chill ran down my spine involuntarily. If I'd slipped up even once, I'd already be dead.
"Uwaaaaaah!"
If I'd known it'd be like this, I should've dug more traps! Or at least jammed in a few more wooden spears!
Anyway, time to think!
Bargest was one step away from death too...! I had Sharani and Lumika! All I had to do was hold on!
"Maangnim!"
Sharani's voice called out from over there. At the same time, I heard Lumika firing her Water Arrow.
"Kyaaack!"
"Kerruk!"
I could hear Buril and the goblins raising their cheers too!
"K-Kill the bastard! Kill him!"
Everyone was throwing themselves into the fight right now to save me!
—Thud!
Even as that happened, Bargest kept slamming the lid with its head and front paws. No matter what, I had to hold on till the end.
—Boom!
"You bastard! This won't do!"
I brought my mouth right up to the spear hole in the center of the lid.
"Demon Breathhhh!"
—Roaaar!
And unleashed flames straight through it!
"Kyaeeeeeng!"
This was some truly worthless black magic, but right now, I had to do anything and everything I could. I really should've learned some black magic earlier. After I kill this Bargest bastard, I'm definitely practicing it.
—Thud!
"Ngh!"
Here I was, relying solely on this one lid in a contest of strength with Bargest.
—Stab!
—Splash!
—Stiiick!
"Kyaahaeng!"
Fierce sounds echoed from the other side.
The goblins thrusting spears, Sharani clawing away, Lumika launching Water Arrows. The pressure on my lid eased up as a result.
"Kyaaack!"
It was so touching tears welled up. I was endlessly grateful to these lovable beings fighting to save me. In that case, I had to survive. I absolutely had to live.
While thinking that, I waited for an opening.
—Crack!
Suddenly, I spotted Bargest twisting its body toward the underside of the lid, trying to turn around.
"You!"
Was it giving up on me to leap at my subordinates behind it?
No way in hell!
—Grip!
I snatched up a spear lying nearby. It was one of the wooden spears that had fallen when the barricade broke. Gripping it, I shoved aside the lid I'd been using as a shield.
"Grraaaah!!!"
And Bargest's ass was right in front of me!
The bastard had fully turned around! It was abandoning me to kill my minions behind! The thought made my blood boil. I wouldn't let that happen.
"How dare you."
Bargest's hindquarters were completely shredded. The flesh torn to ribbons, blood pouring out, bones visible. Its life force was hanging by a thread.
I could kill it. I could win! With that thought, I fixed my eyes solely on Bargest's ass!
—Flash!
With ultimate focus, it felt like beams shot from my eyes. Time seemed to split. The beast shuddered its haunches and kicked off the ground powerfully, but I was faster, assuming my stance.
In that position!
"Show me!"
Aiming at its asshole!
"Your back?!"
I gathered all my strength and kicked off the ground.
—Boom!
Like slamming a battering ram into castle gates!
"Diiiieeee!!!"
I shot my body forward, thrusting the spear with full force—Whiiish! Driving the tip deep into its asshole!!!
—Spluuuurt!
Deep.
Very deep.
My wooden spear sank in.
"Kuh?!"
Tremors from its innards transmitted through the embedded spear. That intense quivering rapidly faded with time. Its strength was draining away.
The moment that lost strength could no longer support its body weight...
—Thud.
It collapsed like a rotten log.
"..."
Leaving only silent stillness behind.
"Haa... haa..."
Only then could I breathe, and see ahead. My subordinates, covered in sweat and dust, stared at me wide-eyed, panting heavily.
—Wobble.
My legs buckled, but...
—Thud!
I planted my foot firmly, steadying myself.
And then.
"We wooooon!!!"
I roared with all my might!
"Woooooo!!!"
We won!
We'd slain this mighty beast with our own power alone! After throwing every strategy at it, fighting desperately to the very end! Finally piercing its asshole with my spear to finish it off!
"Raaaaah!"
I couldn't stop roaring! Extreme thrill! Ecstasy! It all seized my brain!
Another victory, another survival!
"Maangnim!"
"Kerruk!"
"Maangnim okayyeah?!"
"Kerruk! Kerurruk!"
My minions leaped over the corpse and rushed to me. Sharani looked like she was about to cry.
"Yeah. I'm fine. Not hurt bad. Hey! We won! We won!"
I reassured her while checking on my minions' conditions.
"Everyone! Any injuries?!"
"Kerurruk!"
"Sharani okayyeah! Hobgoblins all no hurt yeah!"
"That's a relief!"
No injuries—what a relief above all. My strategy really worked out. The perfectly placed traps minimized our losses.
"Lumika?"
I looked toward Lumika standing off to the side. She was staring at me with both hands over her mouth.
Then she said something.
"Y-You're... so cool..."
Cool?
"Heh heh heh, I was pretty cool, huh. Lumika, rest over there. Alright!"
Now then!
"Time to extract its power!"
I gazed at Bargest's corpse.
Having triggered every trap and taken our focused barrage, it was reduced to a total rag.
I remembered a documentary once. Dozens of plains tribesmen raiding one elephant—with all of them hurling javelins like mad, even an elephant turned into a pincushion and dropped in seconds.
Bargest had died in an even more pathetic state than that elephant.
"You were strong, but foolish."
Having lived only in the jungle, it'd never seen strategies from an intelligent being like me. That's why it ended up like this.
Anyway, I immediately activated the Demonic Power Extraction ritual.
—Whoosh!
Flames enveloped my right hand. With it, I plunged into the upper part of Bargest's body.
—Squish squish.
And searched for the heart. It felt like groping for a stone in mud. Soon enough, my hand grasped it.
—Crunch!
And yanked it out!
"Hngh!"
The extracted heart melted down, transforming into a demonic power stone.
"Ooh!"
"Maangnim! Shinyyeah!"
A sparkling demonic power stone. Far more brilliant than the hobgoblin's. Meaning it held even greater power.
"Sharani! Eating this'll make my milk even more plentiful!"
"Sharani so happyyeah!"
"Then guard me while I eat it!"
"Yes Maangnim!"
I consumed the demonic power stone right away.
—Crunch.
The thick taste of demonic power spread the instant I chewed. What kind of sensation was this? It burned. Like my mouth was filled with fire. Energy overflowed intensely.
—Gulp.
The moment I pulverized and swallowed it.
"Hup?!"
It felt like my esophagus was burning! The powdered stone sank to my stomach, radiating intense heat!
"Grooooah!"
This sensation like my insides were scorching...!
I couldn't endure it!
"Ow my stomach aaaah!"
"Maangnim!"
Pain!
Was this what I thought it was?!
The qi deviation from martial arts novels! The only explanation for this rampaging energy inside from botching an elixir!
"Ngh!"
"Maangnim! Okayyeah!"
No time to answer Sharani. I sat cross-legged right there. Breathing slowly, suppressing the pain, I felt the raging demonic power.
As expected of Bargest.
The power it held was immense. Of course it was—bigger than a lion.
"Maangnim...!"
I felt Sharani gripping my shoulder. It was so warm. Like that, I worked to calm and absorb the rampaging demonic power within.
"...!"
Circulating energy, plain and simple.
Very carefully. Very slowly. I couldn't lose this trophy won with all our lives on the line. With iron determination to absorb every bit, I reined it in.
* * *
"Huh."
I opened my eyes to the dungeon ceiling.
Shit, when did I fall asleep? I was definitely circulating energy? Wait, no—is this a success?!
"Whoa!"
I bolted upright!
"Maangnim!"
Sharani from outside rushed in.
"Huh! Sharani! What happened?!"
"Maangnim wake up yeah?"
"Yeah... I woke up."
"Maangnim sat and fell asleep yesterday yeah."
"Oh?"
Looking around, things were tidied up. They'd cleaned while I slept. These clever kids.
"How long was I out?"
"One night yeah."
Not too long.
"Anyway, Sharani. Thanks. We all fought hard and won together."
"Yes Maangnim."
Sharani grinned and started licking my face. For now... my body felt fine. Overflowing with energy, even.
"Sharani. The others?"
"Working yeah. Lumika digging well yeah."
"Got it. Let's go out."
"Yes Maangnim."
I went outside the dungeon with Sharani. Pretty clean. Traps were all exposed, though.
"Kerruk!"
"Hey, Buril. You good?"
"Keruuung!"
Buril hugged my calf, crying.
"Dude. Did you think your bro kicked the bucket? Don't cry, man."
"Kerurung!"
I patted his head to calm him, then looked at the well. Lumika popped out from the water.
—Splash!
"Hey. Lumika. Sleep well?"
"...Demon King."
"Yeah."
"You okay?"
Lumika asked a bit shyly.
"Yeah. I'm good. No problems. Thanks for the Water Arrows. We won because of you."
"Glad I could help..."
Lumika trailed off, averting her gaze.
"Hm? What?"
"N-No, nothing! Want water?"
"Nah. Let me check my reflection. Come out a sec?"
"Okay..."
Her attitude seemed cautious.
—Splash.
Lumika climbed out. I checked my reflection in the well.
"Oh."
The most noticeable change was my horns. They'd grown a bit. Specifically, about half a pinky knuckle's length.
"Ooh!"
This was a solid growth. My build felt more toned too. Muscles had bulked up. Which meant...
—Hummm.
My inner demonic power had strengthened considerably. As noticeable a change as when I killed the chieftain and took his power.
"Definite."
I'd grown even more.
"Hahaha!"
"Maangnim. Happy yeah?"
"Yeah! I grew properly! Now I can give out even more milk!"
Since I'd grown, the quality of my milk should've improved too. Hearing that, Sharani hopped around cheering.
—Boing!
Her breasts jiggled too.
"Um, Demon King?"
"Yeah. Lumika."
"We worked hard, so... more milk again, right? Yeah?"
"Of course. I'll have you and Sharani share some soon. Wait for now."
"...Okay."
Lumika blushed, nodded, and dove back into the well. Perfect! Now then!
"I've confirmed my growth, so time to praise my minions. All my minions, assemble!"
"Kerruk!"
My minions lined up immediately. From Buril, the goblins, then Imsung and Gyuil and the rest.
"Alright, kids. You know we killed that insanely strong monster, right?"
"Kerruk!"
"It was a victory we could seize only because of you all. So let's share the joy. I'll inject demonic power one by one—stand still!"
"Kerruk!"
"Grurk!"
"Gyusat!"
Cheers erupted at the mention of demonic power injection.
Like that, I injected demonic power into each one, starting with Buril. Of course, I gave Buril a bit more. The rest got portions split up. Even so, my growth was substantial enough to cover everyone.
After injecting into all of them...
"Kerruk?!"
"K-Kerruk!"
"Kerurruk!"
"Grurk?!"
Huh?
Suddenly the kids started writhing!
—Flash!
And right before my eyes, their sizes grew a bit more!
All of them!
"What the hell, you guys!"
Buril had grown hobgoblin-sized!