Tower of Jinma (2)
It was a situation where nothing was visible, so I had to rely only on Detection.
It would have been more dangerous if the sense had not risen to the Intermediate level.
I desperately searched for him.
Fortunately, it was easier than locating A.
First of all, the troll was over 2 meters tall. He was running straight towards me, getting closer, holding something heavy in his right hand.
It was coming straight to my head.
I immediately decided that he’s either more sensitive than I am, or he is not under the influence of darkness!
I desperately used simultaneous Leap and Beast Charge to dodge his heavy swing.
The thing he had, perhaps a huge blunt weapon, made a terrible smash that broke through where I was.
The moment he attacked, I was already out of his sight and leaped far enough to reach the arena’s wall.
I concealed myself with Surprise and Fairy Tale.
“Oooh?”
The troll made a stupid sound and scratched his head comically. I almost burst out laughing.
Now, I’m sure he didn’t have higher detection skills.
He is not affected by darkness!
“Oooh, oh, oh, oh!
However, what he did next exceeded my expectations. He yelled angrily and swung wildly around him with his blunt weapon, crashing through the ground and the walls.
Initially, I was just amazed at the immense vibrations from his weapon, then I realized…
He’s detecting me with this vibration!
Damn it!
After a few moments, he jumped to my position, erasing the distance between us.
I felt the force of his swing as it hit the air, narrowly missing me.
It was so powerful that even just the wind coming from the swing was enough to push me backward.
I cannot keep dodging forever. With Predation, I had infinite stamina and mana, but there is no food anywhere around me to eat!
I had two bodies in my inventory, but those are reserved for emergencies.
But isn’t this an emergency?
I’m trying to figure out the characteristics of the troll as I kept avoiding his heavy and strong blow around the arena.
First, he is dull. When I use Surprise and Fairy Tale, he loses my position immediately.
But it is not to say that it is ignorant. He is a hunter who knows how to hunt in a different manner.
His power is strong. It’s damn strong. The strongest of all the enemies I’ve ever met.
I quickly decided on how to attack him.
After avoiding his attack, I have to counter and strike at his neck at once.
Of course, because of Detection, I have an idea of where his neck was.
All that remains is my counter-attack.
Good.
I remembered the notification window that explained to me about the characteristics of a Hob Goblin Assaulter.
An Assaulter had the ability to defeat even an intermediate monster by himself.
I would be able to defeat him.
I am stronger because of the Ebon Heart.
Even during the Werewolf and Battle Spider mass appearance, the Ebon Heart remained calm.
Now, it was beating hard.
At first look, the enemy is far superior to me. However, my heart seems to be telling me that I can beat him, even a number of them.
I can’t lose to A.
My will was at one with my Ebon Heart.
I rushed to him.
The heavy blunt weapon.
I leaned and avoided it as his large arm swept over the floor.
I skipped lightly and concealed myself.
“Oooh-oh-oh!”
When he lost me, he erupted into a frenzy, as usual.
But this time, I was already flying towards his neck with Leap.
“Oooh!”
Kyiiigii!
Before he noticed me, Blood Shadow has already bitten through his neck. The Power Attach and Black Lightning
tore through his leathery skin and deeply wounded his neck.
Blood sprayed on my sword and on my whole body.
How sweet his blood tasted.
“Ohhhhhhh!”
Suddenly, the sound of the troll’s screams boomed around the arena.
As I savored his blood, I realized that there is no way I can end that monster in one hit.
His blood was full of vitality. It was full of the power of life that will not let him die, unless his head is totally cut off or if he is drained of this blood.
Suddenly, I felt something strange with my Detection.
The troll’s neck, which bent at a strange angle due to my blow, was boiling and slowly coming back to its place.
I don’t have the means to drain him of his blood, so there is only one way to end this.
By cutting off his neck.
The more I hesitate, the faster he heals his wounds. So, before he had totally recovered, the more likely I am to kill him.
However, my mana is not infinite now. So, there aren’t many opportunities for me.
Five times. I have to finish him in the next five blows.
Of course, at the same time, I shouldn’t allow myself to be hit.
Even with one blow hitting me, it will be over.
Feeling the throb of the Ebon Heart spreading over my body, I rushed at him once more.
I could feel A’s gaze, but I didn’t care. My nerves were all focused on my enemy, the troll.
His neck. The neck has not fully recovered.
I had struggled with the Werewolf’s extraordinary acceleration, the Battle Spider’s dreadful webs.
But however strong an opponent was, I could beat them the moment I caught them unprepared.
The same applies to me.
The troll was simple yet powerful. Even if he just swung his weapon at me, he could bring me down.
I have to catch him unaware while staying vigilant.
“Oooh-oh-oh-oh!”
“Shhh!”
I managed to avoid all of his attacks and somehow struck a sword at his neck once more.
It would not have been possible without a Leap and a Beast Charge.
The Ebon Heart gave me additional strength.
It gave me uninterrupted concentration and strength. But these limitations will soon be reached, without Predation.
Three more swings hit his neck. At the moment of the fourth thrust, I was sure that his neck was already cut off, but his head, which was almost falling, stuck to the neck once more.
For one, I was glad I could not see it. What a gross view it could be.
It was clear that a ridiculous level of regeneration is putting a burden on him.
The joints on the man’s neck are so weakened that it won’t recover for a minute or two.
His recovery is not working as fast as it did.
I was sure.
One more time.
If I hit him one more time, he’s done.
“Oooh, oh, oh, oh!
The troll’s yelling was more severe as it was threatened with death.
He learned by now that I was waiting for a counter-attack, so this time, he didn’t swing his weapon.
Of course, that doesn’t change anything.
I rushed through the darkness and lifted my Blood Shadow.
It was only him and me inside the narrow arena. I would not miss it.
[Intermediate Detection has become Lv3.]
I rushed forward without delay. It seemed that the troll was already at his limit.
The Beast Charge and Leap now naturally blend together to assist me.
However, once in the air, I sensed a little movement in his right thigh muscle.
It was something I didn’t expect.
Suddenly, long sharp claws rose out of his foot, kicking towards me!
“This!”
Normally, I would have been able to dodge it, but in the air, I was exposed. I clenched my teeth and prepared for a crash.
A sharp claw protruding from his toe scraped through my iron armor. I leaned backwards to escape the full impact, then I saw his weapon swinging towards me…
In a few seconds, I will be crushed.
But if I stretch out my sword…
I sensed that the troll’s wounds are recovering faster. It’s still healing as he moved!
I have to do it now. I put all my remaining mana on the sword and threw it.
“Kaaaaaaaa!”
Blood Shadow, wrapped with flame and Black Lightning, flew through the air and struck his neck. Then, fire and lightning erupted.
The troll’s screams rang out, almost blowing my eardrum.
His weapon didn’t hit me as his strength faded.
However, I had no more strength and fell to the floor.
I rolled on the floor and used my senses.
I had no mana, and no stamina left.
I hope he’s dead!
“…!”
The troll moaned. It was a gurgling sound of blood and phlegm.
Then, he collapsed on the floor with a thud.
I raised my hand, and Blood Shadow rose from his neck and flew towards me.
After I recovered the sword, I stood up and weakly approached him.
There was no more presence emanating from the troll.
It is completely dead.
“Hoo.”
A sigh of relief popped out.
I was exhausted. I’m a little surprised that I didn’t get any experience or silver after killing him, but anyway, success against an intermediate monster was good enough.
I looked back involuntarily, to where I sense A was.
But he said nothing. I felt his silent gaze.
I’m hungry.
The troll’s weapon had disappeared, but his body was still there.
I didn’t get any experience, so I had my doubts.
Is this troll just a virtual one?
But its blood smelled sweet.
“I will enjoy this food.”
I ate the troll’s head first. As expected from the beginning, his flesh was chewy and tasteless, but the blood in it was very sweet and cool.
It seemed somewhat akin to fruit, not meat.
Even if I was drained, the troll’s blood flowed into me and was healing all my wounds.
The strength of vitality it filled me with made me shiver.
His blood was life itself. Even just a sip filled me with strength. It was too enchanting for a meal.
I ate all the trolls on the spot, savoring every drop of blood.
[Beginner Regeneration has become Lv9.]
The troll probably had Regeneration at an Intermediate level or higher.
I ate just one, but my skill has increased one level. This alone makes it worthwhile to fight this monster.
A was watching me without a word, and when I finished my predation, he spoke.
“Then we move on to the next stage.”
“Next stage?”
I stopped talking and checked the quest window.
It was surprising that the quest has not renewed.
It was still the same.
[Conquering the 1st floor of Jinma Tower 0/10].
That moment. The Ebon Heart jumped once.
A terrible shock penetrated my whole body like lightning.
My body trembled. Now, I instinctively realized what A meant earlier.
No.
My muscles are losing power.
My heart gets weaker.
My bones are getting less durable.
My stamina is getting reduced.
My mana fountain becomes smaller.
No!
I cried desperately, but I couldn’t stop the change.
A spoke calmly.
“There are four shapes drawn on the trajectory that Fate has passed. Hob Goblin Assaulter, Hob Goblin, Goblin Fighter, Goblin.”
Only
“What the hell, no!”
I clenched my teeth and clenched my fists.
I was already aware. The change was over; my body was weaker.
“When each of them has conquered the first floor, you move on to the next.”
A frightful sound rang out of the arena once more.
“Koo-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh!”
I have degenerated from a Hob Goblin Assaulter to a Hob Goblin.
Now, I have to face the troll once more.
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