Chapter 204
Chapter 204
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 204
Chapter Title: Named Monster, Gogrid of Greed
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I sat down on the chair I had created.
Clack.
The bones were sharp, so it didn't feel all that great to sit on.
Not that it mattered enough to worry about.
That wasn't what was important right now.
Damn it, summoning the undead with a mere gesture. You're no ordinary warrior—!!
Even though the bloated goblin's yelling hurt my ears, I liked the angle.
It felt surprisingly good to look down on something else like this.
I could understand how Luna felt when she was digging up the yard and tormenting ants.
The life and death of others.
Having the right to decide that—this situation made me feel like a god wielding true authority.
"What are you, exactly! What kind of guy are you!! Are these undead really under your command?"
"Yeah."
"I'd never seen a necromancer with this much raw strength. It's impossible! Impossible!?"
Gogrid seemed pretty proud of the years he'd lived and the knowledge he'd accumulated.
That's why, when an inexplicable existence like me appeared, he started repeating himself like a broken record.
"Why do you think it's impossible?"
"Necromancy lends life force and mana to minions! A necromancer who can handle this many should be skinny and unhealthy like that little nymph—obviously!"
Lend life force?
It seemed I'd gleaned another piece of information about necromancy from this monster.
Come to think of it, I had my suspicions.
The first necromancer I'd taken down, Koma of the Black Star, had woven a dragon out of bones and left Hippolyte groggy with mind manipulation magic. She was powerful.
But her hand-to-hand combat skills were pathetic, so even I back then could barely subdue her.
Using necromancy must degrade your physical abilities on average.
I'd gotten some useful info, but I didn't let it show on my face. I simply raised one palm while still seated in the chair.
Crunch—
The bone prison enveloping Gogrid's massive body tightened further, restraining his movements.
"If I lower this palm now, you'll be executed, Gogrid. So before that, mind answering my questions nicely?"
"Ha—. Don't get cocky just because you have some weird tricks—. I'm the great Hop Goblin Gogrid!! The dragon among men who offered over two hundred and four gold coins to claim this grand throne!!"
Back-alley thugs would spill everything under this kind of threat. But this guy had some integrity for a monster. He was worthy of being called the boss.
What to do?
Should I torture him to make him talk? But I'm not really familiar with torture or corporal punishment, so it's tricky.
What would Elfriede do in a situation like this—.
As I was thinking that, Paranoya approached the side of my chair and whispered in my ear.
"Hassan-nim, why not try using Mind Control?"
"Mind Control?"
When I asked back in confusion, Paranoya pointed to the Star of Kallan and Pluto’s Pupil hanging around my neck.
"That artifact is said to be connected to the mind, the foundation of mana. If it's Hassan-nim, who controls it perfectly, you should be able to wield the dark priests' power of Mind Shatter without issue…!"
At Paranoya's words, I briefly recalled the necromancer Koma. She'd used something like black lightning to shatter people's minds.
Maybe, just maybe, I could do it like Paranoya said.
It felt like I could.
I brimmed with confidence that I could, but I had no idea how. Necromancy had the keyword vibe of "raise the dead," so I'd figured out how to handle it.
Mind Shatter? That one honestly didn't click.
But asking Paranoya "How do you do it?" right here would ruin the image I'd built.
I'd barely gotten this goblin king on his knees. Making myself look foolish in front of him would just make him clam up more.
Swoosh.
So, after pondering, I heaved my heavy butt off the bone chair.
Clack—.
At the same time, the goblins that had formed the chair reverted to their original forms.
Leaving them behind, I stepped in front of the massive goblin Gogrid and bowed my head slightly. Then I reached out with my right hand, gauntlet removed, and grabbed his thick wrist.
"Whatever you're trying, it's useless. I'm used to pain. Think I haven't dealt with dark priests before? Mind control magic won't work on me."
"We'll see about that."
Ding—.
『Name: Kin of Greed ? Gogrid lv. 33
Status: Hypertension》 Hyperlipidemia》 Arteriosclerosis》 Hyperuricemia》』
His name, level, and status appeared. Level 33—not super high compared to Hippolyte, but the highest among monsters I'd faced.
Like a veteran adventurer who'd just hit Silver Tier.
Without necromancy, beating this guy would've required every trick in the book.
More importantly—.
"What the— this guy's a walking bundle of adult diseases. Hypertension, hyperlipidemia, arteriosclerosis—."
"What are you saying—?!"
Still gripping his wrist, I pressed my thumb into his Nei Guan point. The Nei Guan is an acupressure point on the inner wrist.
Pressing it hard enough to draw screams, even for this fat goblin.
"Urghhh—!! Grraaah, uwaaaah—!!"
He screamed like he'd been electrocuted. More like a pig pierced by spines, maybe.
"Stooop, stop—!! Stop—!!!"
Gogrid finally snapped, yelling to stop. The leisurely throne-sitter was gone; his irritable tantrum was actually refreshing.
Vital point strikes work.
Fat or not, the skeletal structure stays the same.
That's why they're vital points.
Surprisingly, the anatomy and acupoints Father taught me were proving useful in this world. He probably never intended that.
I had to admit my knowledge of anatomy wasn't wasted. How many lives had it saved?
In the end, all that learning circles back to this.
I released the grip on his wrist.
Gogrid slumped, gasping for breath.
"What? What, what? What did you do? How?"
"Every creature has vital points. Humans have about sixty. No idea how many goblins have—but."
Swoosh.
I scanned Gogrid from head to toe with serious eyes.
"Experimenting today doesn't sound bad."
Clap.
As I clapped once, the bone goblins clinging to his body shifted positions.
"Hang him like a cross. Make his body fully visible."
They formed a cross-like shape per my command, suspending the massive goblin in midair.
His flabby skin was now fully exposed. It was so grotesque I furrowed my brow, and then Paranoya spoke.
"What a vulgar, ugly body…!! Truly a blasphemous form! We can't tolerate this—!!"
"Keh heh, don't say that. Even among goblins, I'm quite popular."
"You bastard, you still haven't learned your lesson…!!"
Paranoya shrieked at Gogrid's unbroken spirit. But I just loosened my wrists and fingers, building my resolve.
"Just kill me. If you're really Pluto's son, kill me and ask my corpse. Of course, if you kill me, Mezayer-nim won't let it slide. I'm his right-hand man!"
"Yeah?"
Crack, pop.
Fingers fully loosened, I pointed my index finger sharply.
Then thrust it full force into the center of his solar plexus.
Squelch—.
I felt my finger sink into the massive flesh. Stabbing an enemy on a cross deserved a cool name.
"Longinus—Spear."
"Guaaaah—!!"
He let out a thunderous scream like summer storm lightning.
The solar plexus is fatal for any beast or creature. Full-power strike there—the pain must be indescribable.
"Guhk, euk—!!"
He thrashed uncontrollably, unable to even breathe. I worried the cross bindings might loosen.
Pssshhh—.
Then, from his silk-wrapped lower body, a pungent liquid dripped down.
"This guy pissed himself in front of everyone without shame—!! He's a bedwetter—!!"
Seeing it, Paranoya yelled excitedly. Did she feel superior seeing someone else wet themselves?
"The right-hand of the Hell Lord pissing himself!! That Hell Lord must be an idiot for having a subordinate like this…!!"
Paranoya had pissed herself two or three times in front of me, but I stayed quiet. Pointing it out would just spit in my own face, since she's my right-hand.
Finally, I asked while keeping my finger embedded in his solar plexus.
"Tell me about this Mezayer. Is he the Hell's Heir who received the Chaos's Blessing?"
"Grghhh, ugh—."
But despite the question, he wasn't in any state to answer. Eyes rolled back, drool flowing.
Did he pass out?
Too much stimulation?
Should've hit the solar plexus later?
"You bastard—!! Hassan-nim is asking you—!!"
At that moment, Paranoya grabbed Gogrid's staff from nearby and smashed it into his body.
Thwack—!
Gogrid's eyes snapped open, as if shocked back to awareness.
"Hah, what? What's happening? What just occurred?"
He blinked, seemingly unaware of what happened. The impact must've knocked him out briefly.
"I... passed out? But, but pain won't make me talk. I'm Mezayer-nim's right-hand, granted a name by him…."
Cough—.
The massive goblin spewed green blood.
"This guy's annoyingly tough… Just kill him—!!"
Paranoya was right. For a monster, this loyalty and resolve were admirable.
If Paranoya were tied up and tortured by enemies? She'd spill everything from a feather on her soles.
"Hassan is actually a Bronze Tier moron—!!" or something.
My right-hand is Paranoya.
But this guy's the right-hand of some Mezayer? Makes me curious about his master, but also raises the danger level.
Torture won't work if he won't crack.
Maybe just kill him as Paranoya said.
Feeling a bit impatient, I suddenly felt intense thirst—maybe from thrashing or commanding so many undead.
I rummaged at my waist for water.
The leather flask on my belt was empty—hole?
"Paranoya, got any water?"
"Here, here—!!"
He rummaged his pack like an eager recruit and handed me a flask. I uncorked it and took a sip of the overflowing liquid.
"Ptooey—!"
I spat it all out involuntarily.
"Ugh, damn, what is this—."
Thought it was water, but it tasted horribly bitter and foul.
"Ah, that's Luna-nim's latest potion—!! Not water—!! It's the steeped potion—!!"
"Yeah, figures."
Luna's potions aren't for taste, but even accounting for that, they were often revolting.
Bitter for the body doesn't mean no limits. Even I, used to weird foods, spit it out unprepared.
"Th-that's water… My mistake…."
Paranoya trembled, offering another flask.
"Any more screw-ups, and I'll drop from earl to viscount…."
She feared losing Hell shares over the blunder.
Had I been too harsh lately? Seeing her shake made me a bit sorry.
"Everyone messes up. Just don't next time—."
As I spoke briefly and drank, I noticed Gogrid trembling violently like Paranoya.
"Grghk, wh-what is this? Never smelled anything so foul. Wipe, wipe it off my body! What is this—!!"
He couldn't hold it and screamed. This guy who'd laughed while vomiting blood from my spear thrust—why now?
Furrowing my brow, I realized my spit-out Luna potion was all over his body.
"Hurry, wipe it off!! My body's rotting—!! Hyaak—!! My nose is twisting—!! Urk, ugh, euk—!!"
Gogrid retched like a hungover man.
Overreacting to just some potion? On a hunch, I swished more Luna potion in my mouth and spat at him again.
Ptooey—.
"Grahhh, grak! Just kill me! You bastards! Scum of the earth! Uwaaaah—!!!"
"Ahh—!! Hassan-nim's Death Breath! It works—!!"