The sticky, pungent blood turned scalding hot due to the scorching flames.
From the inside out.
As he killed more and more [Monsters], Isagi could feel his body undergoing some kind of change.
He did not feel any sort of "madness."
Although the flames, the crimson red, the screams, the raving whispers—all these various things were now appearing right before his eyes, what Isagi felt instead was a bone-piercing coldness.
He didn't know if this was brought about by the armor, or if the Skill itself felt this way.
Even the pain vanished.
The intense stinging sensation that usually transmitted constantly from all over his body in order to keep him lucid while his potential was being extracted to the limit by [Wolf's Repast] was gone.
Replacing it was something wrapping around his body—like a non-existent breeze—tiny, yet authentically tangible coldness.
What is a [Shura]?
It is an existence that forgets the reason for slaughter, knowing only to ceaselessly cut down every living thing before its eyes.
No reason. No end. No beginning, and no destination.
The only thing is—
[Kill].
Isagi held the long blade in his hand.
Killing his way from one end of the Goblin Kingdom's city to the other, he wiped out every [Monster] he encountered, whether they were Goblins, Kobolds, or Bad Bats and Orcs.
He felt the powerful sensation brought about by the increase in his stats.
Previously, both Ais and Ryuu-senpai had said more than once that a Lv.4 adventurer is completely different from a Lv.5. That is an indescribably huge gap and chasm, vaster than any level difference before it.
Legend has it that the only comparison is between Lv.7 and Lv.8.
It is said that adventurers above Lv.8 arrive at another indescribable realm. There are even legends that leveling up is actually bringing adventurers closer to Gods.
But legends are legends, because in the current world, Lv.8 adventurers no longer exist.
No matter what others said, and even though he had once experienced battling adventurers or [Monsters] above Lv.5, that feeling of gazing up at a mountain peak from a distance was not as real as the feeling of standing amidst the summit now.
Attacks that would have instantly caused him heavy injury before became irrelevant.
Attacks that originally required intense concentration to find a weak point for a one-hit kill became something he could kill with a casual wave of his hand.
The feedback brought by the pure numerical increase in Attack and Defense could simply be summarized in two words—
[Light and Easy].
"Phew—"
Killing his way from the core of the Goblin Kingdom all the way to the Central Tower, Isagi even had the illusion of dreaming he was back in a hack-and-slash game.
Isagi felt his body becoming lighter and lighter.
Swinging the long blade in his hand, he couldn't even realize its weight.
It was hearty and dripping with satisfaction.
There was also an indescribable sense of pleasure; this signified that he was truly, surely, "stepping into" the [Shura]...
Watching the boy's incredible transformation in the distance, both Riveria and Ais clearly felt a certain tension.
Isagi did not discover the two of them tracking him.
This wasn't just because Ais was experienced; more importantly, it was obvious that after arriving at the Kingdom's core and beginning to slaughter the [Monsters], the boy had entered some kind of indescribable state.
Even separated by such a long distance, the two could clearly realize that Isagi was becoming increasingly terrifying.
It wasn't an ethereal, illusory feeling.
Rather, as he continuously slaughtered the [Monsters], the body of the boy, clad in pitch-black armor like a giant wolf, was also undergoing changes.
Becoming taller, larger, and more "beast-like."
That originally slender head, like a long spear, became increasingly sharp and jagged, extending forward continuously. A pair of large hands, like blades, flashed with a viscous, crimson chill amidst the firelight and darkness.
The large mouth, originally like a saw-tooth, was even constantly exhaling a white mist-like breath.
The armor seemed to have truly come alive.
From within the pitch-black eye slits of that wolf-shaped helmet, which was originally just for decoration, a boundless sense of evil and riotous violence seeped out.
Flames, slaughter, screaming—
Even Ais and Riveria could hear these existences in their trance.
They silently swallowed their saliva.
Both of them discovered simultaneously that Isagi at this moment had become so terrifying. So what was the situation now? Was it because he had obtained some new ability after leveling up?
Unknowingly, amidst this, the group had once again passed through that pitch-black Central Tower, which was always permeated with white mist, and arrived at the [Throne Room] located on the 12th Floor.
He knew the way well.
Isagi flew quickly past the countless traps, and finally, arrived before that great door which had long since been pushed open.
The hall inside had nothing.
Between the massive stone pillars, the crystals embedded within were still shining, like bright stars concealed in the mist.
And in its center.
The long-shattered "Moon"—the exquisite circular stone gate originally embedded in the hall's ceiling—had long been smashed by the former [Pale King], now leaving only an irregular hole.
Isagi did not lose his reason.
Even though the current him had long lost the form of a "human," completely transforming into a steel beast under the wrapping of the pitch-black armor.
But even so.
What he felt instead was a calmness unlike anything before.
It was as if everything in the world had nothing to do with him; the only thing to do was to slay the [Pale King] in its peak condition.
Everything disappeared.
There was only the long blade in his hand, and the enemy before his eyes.
In a trance, Isagi once again grasped this sliver of "purity." It was something that always appeared quietly and vanished in a flash during past battles.
But now, it was right here. It had absolutely no intention of fleeing; instead, it had completely and utterly merged as one with him.
From the pitch-black cloak behind him, he took out the Divine Wine and smashed it onto the ground.
Isagi stood calmly in place.
He listened to the wine flask land on the ground, crisply shattering into countless fragments, and the viscous, sweet, deep-red liquor splashing out from within.
The Dungeon vibrated again.
This time, it was far, far more intense than any time in the past.
But Isagi felt nothing. He simply stood there, not even noticing that the scenery around him was undergoing rapid changes.
The palace named [Throne Room] was "retreating."
In fact, the entire Goblin Kingdom included was flying backwards in "retreat."
It was deep into the night, and there were not many adventurers still inside the Dungeon. If there were, they would have seen the originally pale city walls rapidly deforming, folding, and in some bizarre manner, turning into countless tiny "grids," finally vanishing without a trace, reverting to the original dim cavern.
The Goblin Kingdom disappeared.
Because the Dungeon's power could not continue to support such a colossal existence in the Upper Floors.
Replacing it.
Was the place where Isagi stood now. Here, it had already turned into the familiar cavern room, permeated with white mist, with green weeds underfoot and grayish morning light falling from the towering ceiling.
Unknowingly, this place had turned into the spacious cavern rooms seen everywhere on the 12th Floor of the Dungeon.
Even the "Fog Gate" no longer existed.
Only not far away, on the ground, there was still a Ghost Buddha emitting a cold, ghostly fire, crawling out from within the earth.
The vibration still hadn't ended.
Amidst the violent "roaring" sound that seemed like the Dungeon howling, a [Monster] was also being conceived and born.
Just like all its other kin.
First, a small earthen mound slowly surged up from the ground. The originally hard mud and stone looked like melted flesh and blood as it began to take human shape.
Slowly.
Gradually, a Goblin appeared.
It was still over two meters tall, robust, lanky, and filled with a sense of power, while having no hair whatsoever.
Upon its upright posture.
Pale blue armor, like moonlight, was worn on its body just like that.
For a brief, tiny moment, Isagi realized that it seemed the "statue" had come to life. That statue of the [Pale King] he had once seen in the Goblin Kingdom had appeared alive right before his eyes.
It was fully armed, with a silver-white cape, only it did not wear a helmet. Instead, it cast its gaze calmly toward him.
No mistake.
Isagi looked at the other party's line of sight. That was the gaze of the [Pale King], it was—
A gaze one must absolutely not meet eyes with!
Almost instinctively, he side-stepped, circled behind, and swung out his long blade.
Isagi felt the fluidity of his own movements was incredible. This was indeed "muscle memory" too—that memory deeply branded in his heart, impossible to forget.
And it was also at this moment...
Located on the surface, atop Babel, Goddess Freya, somewhat helplessly, finally waited for the Dungeon's vibration to disappear.
It was also at the same time.
She saw the Goblin that appeared before Isagi's eyes, one that she knew was unusual at a single glance.
[This is a Goblin?]
The Goddess pursed her lips, not knowing how to evaluate it for a moment.
She had seen [Monsters] too. When she first came to the Lower World and traveled everywhere, she had simply seen too many Goblins. Among the many [Monsters] that became weaker and weaker due to breeding on the surface, Goblins also belonged to the weakest category.
Adventures weren't even needed; militia teams spontaneously organized by some villagers were enough to withstand Goblins' attacks on villages.
And because of this.
They were nearly "extinct" on the surface.
Because they were truly too weak.
But the Goblin before her eyes made even the Goddess of Beauty feel a certain sense of "Beauty."
That was a pure feeling, unadulterated by any other factors. No matter what kind of guy saw it, at first glance, they would feel it was "Beautiful."
It was completely different from the ugly, despicable, malicious appearance of other Goblins.
Freya was slightly stunned, as if she had thought of something. Very quickly, she asked the maid waiting outside the room to call for Hedin.
So, not long after.
The gentle and refined Elven man with long golden hair knocked on the door and walked in after receiving the Goddess's permission.
"Good evening, Lady Goddess."
"Come here."
Freya didn't waste any words, simply beckoning for him to come to her side.
And soon.
Hedin also saw the scene of the boy battling the [Monster] inside that Divine Mirror.
[A Goblin?]
Adjusting the glasses he wore, Hedin was incomparably convinced that this Goblin before his eyes was the very guy they had encountered when the Familia expedition returned from the Deep Floors.
That face.
That silent gaze. It was it, there could be no mistake!
____
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🔥 New history: Reincarnated as Mahito, Watch Me Manipulate Everyone
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