Troll's Might Unleashed
You have leveled up.
You have leveled up.
You have leveled up...
He'd achieved his goal, but Vulcan couldn't immediately chase after the cult right away.
It had been quick work mowing down the five-man squad that had been gunning for him while herding over a hundred monsters, but he couldn't just abandon the freshly gathered horde and walk away—that would be a waste.
"Fuckin' awesome!"
Instead of popping a Lesser Holy Aura Potion and bailing, Vulcan fell back further and hunted the monsters.
He couldn't let valuable monster EXP go to waste on those bastards whose stun effects had finally worn off, so he'd swoop in at opportune moments to draw aggro and paralyze them.
"You son... of a... bitch..."
The five couldn't get their bearings amid the chaos as Vulcan's hit-and-run strikes threw them into disarray. The momentary stuns were bad enough, but the excruciating pain that hit every time he poked and retreated—regardless of actual damage—was enough to drive anyone insane.
It felt like a mere needle prick at first, but it exploded into burning agony, then itching, tearing, gut-wrenching torment.
Even healing didn't help; they just had to endure it.
They're holding out better than I thought?
Yet even in the midst of it, they fought harder than expected. Three of the level 100s who'd tried indirect PK first were already dead, but the two level 200s were desperately swinging their swords, cleaving through monsters.
Vulcan had stripped some weapons and armor, but their spares were still level 200 gear, so they weren't folding easily to early level 100 monsters.
They chugged potions nonstop—probably hurting from the elemental damage—but physical hits were heavily mitigated.
How should I finish 'em off?
Vulcan pondered for a moment. Activate Repair skill and smash their armor? If physical damage started hitting harder too, they wouldn't last.
It might be the simplest way, but it felt wasteful. Once they died, their items would be his anyway—in criminal status, they dropped at least two pieces. He'd snag the spare weapons, maybe a chestplate too. Destroying them gave him pause.
Despair Devourer is now available for use.
"...?"
As he regretfully poked once more and pulled back, a new notification appeared before Vulcan's eyes.
The pain stacks on the five had triggered another skill hidden within Despair Snake.
"Despair Devourer."
Nothing to lose. He didn't know how it worked, but Vulcan called out the skill name to activate it—and in that instant, something black and serpentine shot out from Despair Snake.
"Shieeeek!!"
"?!"
It was a snake made of special energy. The startled five swung their swords to slice it, but it wasn't the kind of attack you could block.
It phased right through the blades, burrowed into their bodies, and emerged clutching something.
"...Holy shit."
Thud. That was it. As the black snake withdrew, the man's body grayed out and cooled to ice-cold death. HP hit zero.
No way this is...
- Yeah. Conditional instant kill. Looks like it triggers when pain stacks hit a threshold and mental strength/HP drop below certain points.
- Even conditional instant death is super rare, right?
- It is. Tricky conditions, though... but with that one sword, you can force it. Not too hard to use. Won't work on higher-tier foes, obviously.
Vulcan's lips curled into a wicked grin. Exact conditions needed testing, but having an instant-kill skill was a massive power-up.
"Heh, friends followed you, so now follow your friends?"
He flashed a sinister smile at the last one and resumed hit-and-run.
"Despair Devourer."
It triggered again, confirming back-to-back use, and snuffed out the final bastard.
You have leveled up.
The remaining monsters all aggroed on Vulcan now, but no big deal. Their numbers had thinned, and with Despair Snake, he could sweep them in seconds.
Their physical attacks barely scratched his defense, and he was immune to their fire. He was the worst matchup for Hirros Volcano monsters—scooping EXP was a breeze.
"Huh?"
As he swung nonstop, dumping all bonus stats into Strength, another unexpected alert popped up.
◈ A title granted to those who surpass human limits with troll-like superhuman strength
◈ Effects: Strength +10%, Total Weight Limit +40%, All Attack Skill Power +10%, [Power Throwing] usable
"A real Rare-grade title exists, huh."
It was an upgraded version of his old Superhuman Strength title. It didn't stack since it replaced it, but the effects were insanely good.
"Ngh. No attack skills is a bummer, but..."
The +10% to all attack skill power stung since Vulcan lacked proper ones, but it applied to item-triggered skills too, so he was satisfied.
"Not at 300, so what point triggered it?"
What bugged him was no alert even past Strength 300. Hidden condition? Knowing it might unlock Unique-grade instead of Rare.
As he cleaved monsters with newfound power, he eyed the title info with curious anticipation. Dragon Eye revealed hidden item/quest details—maybe this time too?
Title Acquisition Condition: Troll's Power
Achieve pure Strength stat of 333 before level 100.
"...It actually showed?"
Amazingly, the condition appeared. So Dragon Eye could reveal hidden title conditions in advance too? He'd have to pay closer attention from now on.
He shook his head.
"That's why no one found it."
Pure Strength 333 before level 100, no item buffs. Even Vulcan couldn't without the Tempering quest, and few would dump everything into Strength near 100 anyway. Even those who tried probably quit at the neat 300 mark.
Without Item Master for insane defense, Vulcan wouldn't have dared either.
You have leveled up.
Your soul tier has grown further. Physical abilities greatly increase to match your soul tier.
Right on cue, another level up. Herding and killing 100-200 level 100 monsters made it inevitable.
Bonus to main stats jumped dozens of points based on class and playstyle—why the 99-100 gap felt huge. Total stat boost hit 100.
"No way, Strength up 70?"
Vulcan tasted Strength +70, Agility +10, Vitality +20. All-in on Strength playstyle paid off.
His Strength broke 400 at level 100 flat. With items and titles, it neared 200-level territory in that stat alone.
"This is ridiculous."
He chuckled in disbelief, then swept the last monsters.
EXP needs ballooned post-100, but he ignored it. He looted quick, then chased the cult.
You have completed escorting the Cult of Fire.
"Tch. A bit late?"
No point fighting more, so Vulcan used Dragon Eye to pick a monster-free path up the mountain.
The cult beat him to the summit—quest complete popped en route—but he had to check. They might fail; plus, follow-up quests.
"You said the Fire Essence can quell the volcano?"
- Yeah. But it'll consume most of the essence's power.
"Hmm."
That wouldn't do. Vulcan preferred protecting his items over eruption. He didn't know its full power/value yet, but suppressing a volcano screamed top-tier. Not just forge fuel—other uses too. Last resort, then.
He leaped to Hirros Volcano's crater, scanning for cultists.
"Lord Vulcan! Over here! Help us!!"
The Cult of Fire wasn't faring well. They'd encircled the crater, chanting to calm the volcano, but immobilized, small fireballs pelted them.
Spare members struggled to shield, but it was rough—defense and mitigation only. Who'd tire first?
Completion of the Chant (Sudden Quest)
📍 The Cult of Fire is using a special holy fire chant to quell Hirros Volcano's eruption. But corrupted fire spirits sensed it and sent avatars to attack.
Protect the immobile cult until the chant completes.
🎁 Success: Chant Ring Completion 0/1
🎁 Rewards: Massive temple contribution, Kabura's Divine Mark
❌ Failure: Chant canceled or 5+ cultists die
⏱ Time Limit: 10:00
"Leave it to me!"
Sudden quest hit Vulcan too: Save them, complete the chant.
Protect for 10 minutes till completion. He charged the nearest fireball and slashed.
Flame incarnate. Splinters of the corrupted spirit, formless like it—physical attacks phased through, fire holy power useless too.
That's why cultists focused defense.
"Tch. This won't work either."
Despair Snake's effects failed too—no pain on incorporeal, no Despair Devourer.
He'd charged boldly, but ignoring physics left him stumped.
"Any ideas?"
- Pfft, fussing over things a sneeze would scatter. Swords pass through, so without elemental enchant...
Wait, elemental enchant?
- Took you long enough? You already have the counter.
Vulcan bit his lip, glaring—then remembered his pre-bought Ice Enchant scroll. But Tud's toss sparked better: the Ice Bead from destroying Blizzard Staff.
Destroy again for Glacial Heart? No need yet; its extreme cold could freeze/kill on hold—safety measure.
"Yeah, this'll do..."
He gripped the Ice Bead hard and charged the nearest avatar, swinging his 400+ Strength like a brick.
"Gonna smash ya!"
Splat! Shattered its head like pottery. Despite no weapon form, glacial energy + Vulcan's power wrecked it.
- ...That's not how you use it, you lunatic. Just touch to your weapon...
Tud muttered as Vulcan, hyped, dashed to the next—but Vulcan's ears were deaf to it.