This was really rough. I spent the last couple of hours getting killed over and over again. The goblins had their fun, I guessed, but were soon left confused as to why I did not die. So they took to mischievous ways of exercising their sadism. As a former Demon Lord, I approved of their methods. As the main victim, I did not have enough time in between to process how unfair this was! This Skill, Divine Equalizer, did keep me alive as well as Wisdom’s voice kept me sane through their torture. A massive club smashed me in two awhile ago, but sure enough, the bloody mess I used to be fused back together in no time, emerging from that blood bubble in a fresh, new level 1 body.
If only there was a way to turn off this Skill so I could simply die temporarily. At least, I guessed I was simply immune to any form of pain these creatures could throw at me. And throw, they did. My experience points dropped to zero and I was level one again. There must have been around fifty of these guys beating me up, so I could not face them head on or make an escape. I wasn’t giving up, I was biding my time in case something good came along!
It was going to be a long night, I sighed, but then a knife cut my head off again.
“You tried that already!” I groaned after Divine Equalizer healed me again. The goblins simply started to fear me, so they tied me up and only stabbed me with spears occasionally now. Suddenly, they all began to stomp the ground in unison while hollering. Through the cacophony, I could sense an even louder thumping shake the ground at a slower, yet deadlier rhythm getting closer and closer.
That must be their boss, I thought. He was probably going to try to take a few cracks at me.
Above the green crowd, a massive Goblin King stomped on whoever was in his way. His face was as large as me, eyeing me in pure confusion as I stared at him back. His breath stank, and I really hoped he was not considering eating me. Instead of destroying me or eating me, he stood up taller than the trees and uttered something in their language with a powerful, guttural voice. Cackling and screeching cheered throughout the crowd, and soon I was placed in a cage to be transported.
The ride was not as bumpy as I thought. I supposed I was not particularly heavy for these surrounding muscular hobgoblins to carry. I had no idea where I was headed, but even more goblins joined us, so wherever I was headed too was definitely going to be another death festival for me. There were definitely hundreds of them now. Still, I remained silent. I might as well check my Status and scratch for anything hopeful.
Passive Skills:
— Clothes Identifier [Unique]: Find suitable clothes to wear.
— Extreme Conditioning [Epic]: Beyond fit, survivable in all weathers.
— Mental Fortitude [Legendary]: Immune to all forms of mental trauma. Unwavering in the face of death.
— Battle Hardened [Rare]: Combat effectiveness is heightened. Passive skills, stats and abilities cannot be debuffed or dispelled.
These Passive Skills seemed to be good, save for the odd Clothes Identifier skill. They seemed to be what was contributing to my own survival, even right now I was looking for a weakness to breakthrough and escape this Goblin horde. Perhaps, I gained these skills in my past life as Demon Lord and carried them here. On second thought, I thought but I was interrupted by a massive rock slamming into my side. Rude, I groaned.
— Wisdom’s Intervention activated. Divine Equalizer has healed Charlotte. In exchange, her experience points have been reset to level 1.
After I regained consciousness, I sighed. I was still in the cage, seeing that Wisdom’s Intervention message yet again. I have seen it a lot tonight. My Forbidden Skill has really been wasted, has it not? I could see things I unlocked via my status, even if my overall strength was reduced to rank F again. Still, I realized I did not get a chance to see what level 10 gave me until now. I seemed to have unlocked a feature called Titles. More free things and powerful additions to this Status were a welcome sight to my tired eyes.
Titles
— Goblin Killer [Uncommon]: Goblins know of you. Deal bonus damage to Goblin enemies.
I equipped it, but I knew that I would not stand a chance against hundreds of enemies even with its bonus damage. The rock throwers began to regard me nervously and no longer attacked me. Did they sense that I equipped the Title Goblin Killer? It was the only one I had, so I figured I could annoy these green freaks a little by equipping it before I die over and over again. As soon as I put it on, I noticed several members of the goblin crowd following the hobgoblins began to look uneasy around me. I grinned. Take this petty revenge, you bastards!
Finally, those Skill Points. I decided I should place them all into the only Skill I had. I recalled I gained some in the middle of that fight, but most of the recollection was spent dying in gruesome ways.
— Used 50 Skill Points on the Skill: Martial Arts. Rank has been increased twice, from D to B.
— Skill now consumes 10% stamina instead of 20% every attack..
Wait, two ranks? Should that have said four ranks? I mentally checked the alphabet up to the letter F. There was F, E, and D. So why was it now rank B? And does that mean I can attack 10 times with this skill instead of a mere five times previously. I heard a warm voice in my ears from the Status.
—Wisdom’s Intervention activated. Skill: Martial Arts [Common] has been upgraded twice through usage during the last combat log.
Ah, I see. My eyes nearly glazed over at the myriad of notifications the Status screen revealed to me. Somewhere in all of that my Skill leveled up on its own, as well as a Skill called Dagger Mastery [Common] was acquired as well. It required mana to use, however, I peeked at my status again and noticed there was a slight problem! I had no mana pool to speak of yet! Perhaps I needed to level up beyond 10. Considering my last attempt made me end up in this mess, I decided I would not be so hasty and cocky. Something was flying above our heads. Something friendly?
Master, I heard a voice in my head. Wait, that was not Wisdom’s voice, which must mean it was my servant’s voice. I found you, Master!
Frampton? I addressed him in my head. Oh yeah, I remembered he could communicate with me with his mind.
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Is this some experiment you are performing on the enemies? Frampton asked.
Er… Yes, I lied. Is he mocking me?
As expected of the Demon Lord! Master, I have information on this place! The bat flew down next to the cage, but it appeared that the monsters did not care if he was by me or not. According to several of these inferior creatures, this forest belongs to a powerful Jade Dragon. They worship it and bring it sacrifices, even. How primitive, is it not, Master? Master?
I gulped. Considering I was the only one in a cage, I could unsafely assume I was the sacrifice to this Jade Dragon. Would I simply go through the dragon’s entire body as a living meal if he ate me? I shuddered at the thought of going through that literally.
I could barely keep track of the layout of the land here.
Thank you, Framton, I will figure out the way from here, I told him unconvincingly. The bat bowed his fuzzy head and then flew away. How was he free to go where he pleases in the midst of all these goblins? This is unfair!
I fumed. Still, such loyalty and faith was admirable, but as they carried me up a path I noticed they were climbing ancient steps. Stench hit my nose as the view of a village came just above the last step. My head bumped into the cage's roof, but I saw a stage in the center of all of scattered buildings. The Goblin King's buttocks jiggled as he came to a halt and he thumped his chest as he roared at the sky. That sight and this horrid weapon of a smell were most unwelcome to your guests, people! I wanted to scream. These buildings were quite nice compared to some of the villages back in the Demon Realm. Rows of huts made of sticks and unknown substances, strings of bridges above and below me in ravines, and massive trees must have created a cozy place for their Dragon to live in. Cackling and sneering echoed from each of the railings as more green heads came out to the party. All of these eyes, just to see me get burnt to a crisp. A green crude motif of a great serpent etched the trunk barks and their brown war paint. These guys truly did worship the Jade Dragon as their deity.
The chorus of cheering goblins began again as they all began to thump with the Goblin King. I felt the cage rock as it was hooked to a rope. These guys have definitely sacrificed quite a few maidens for them to do this so efficiently! It wobbled and teetered as the rope went taut, and I lurched as it was pulled up above the stage above an altar with a bowl of coal on it. It was not lit yet! The green crowd was growing restless. I wondered what would happen if the Jade Dragon did not arrive. I thought that too soon! A great shadow floated above the entire village, blocking even the moonlight. A roar shook the place soon after, deafening me and causing several of the goblins to fall off the bridges as it bellowed.
How in this Realm would being that loud ever be helpful!? I groaned. You would scare all the prey away with that kind of volume! Including me! The flames beneath me lit up and were dangerously close to my bum.
The Jade Dragon was magnificent on every level. I could not even see its stats, though its scintillating scales blinded me as it descended. There was nothing I could do in this body besides accept my fate. The feet of the massive beast crushed multiple goblins unfortunately standing in the way, and soon the frame of a large creature filled the stage. Its singular eye was as big as the cage I was trapped in, reflecting a scared little girl above a flaming bonfire. Its whiskers twitched as flames jetted out its nostrils, dwarfing the heat beneath me in its power.
— Level up!
— Charlotte is now level 4.
Not now! I scolded the status. I have fought the Primordials who were ancient Demon Spirits who demanded utmost attention even after I defeated them and this ferocious beast reminded me of them. As a Rite to Ascend one’s Reign and Power, they had to defeat a Primordial or die trying. Well, I was used to dying by now as a human, despite how gruesome the blood bubble I was put in ended up being. In the Demon realm, my flesh simply melted and formed into the weakest devil back in the labyrinth like the rest of them. This Jade Dragon seemed to almost match the smallest Primordial's size, but I still gave him the silence and respect he deserved. The Goblin King began to speak and point at me to the Jade Dragon, whose eye never left me. Big mistake, pal, I shot a sharp look to the ignorant Goblin King. The Dragon did not seem to like the King demanding things from it, but remained silent until the creatures noticed its impatience.
The Dragon raised a single claw, silencing the Goblin King’s blubbering and his head tilted towards me. I heard its facial muscles ripple like earthquakes, and the vocalizations in his throat rumbled gloriously like thunder.
“Human,” the Jade Dragon’s ancient and kingly voice rocked my head as he addressed me. “My worshipers are offering you, a maiden, as a sacrifice in my greatness. But I sense their fear, their weakness. What say your final words?”
“It’s probably just my Title,” I muttered. With that, the goblins started to cheer again, no doubt crying in joy from their sweet revenge against me. The Dragon’s massive maw widened. He was going to eat me! I decided to use a trick Wisdom told me about when she defeated the Pride Primordial. “W-Wait!”
His fangs halted right before they crashed against my cage. I toppled over from a puff of his breath, but I calmly wiped the nasty mist off my face and prepared my presentation.
“I sacrifice all of these so-called worshipers,” I fanned my hand over all of the roaring crowds of goblins. “As an offering in your greatness.”
A snarl snorted from the beast, coating me in its nasty vapor again. The Jade Dragon’s maw curved into something resembling an amused smile. Yes, it was working! Wait, it’s working?
“Your deceitfulness,” the dragon’s voice rattled the cage again. Oh, I felt defeated. He was looking down upon me. “Amuses me so. Duck.”
Duck? I immediately dove face first on the dratted ground of the cage. The Jade Dragon let loose a powerful green breath of poison and fire, disintegrating anything it came into contact to behind me. I fell with the cage all the way down to the stage’s floors, while the screams of goblins satisfied my ears. Chimes started playing in my ears. Really?! I noticed from underneath the rubble where I hid, through the green smog the Status window shining through it. I was leveling up from the Jade Dragon’s breath attack kills. Was it because I told him to do it? That did not make sense, since I leveled up when some of them fell to their deaths and others got crushed by the beast.
— Level Up!
— Charlotte is now level 20. Maximum experience for this class has been reached.
— Charlotte can now evolve into the Human Witch [Rare] Class. Accept to evolve.
— Details to Stats can now be viewed.
— Title: Goblin Killer has upgraded into Goblin Slayer [Rare]. Acquired by defeating over 100 goblins. (1027 defeated)
— Title: Goblin Slayer has upgraded into Goblin Destroyer [Epic].
— Goblin Destroyer [Epic]: Goblins fear your name. Deal bonus damage to Goblin enemies, with a chance to instantly execute an opposing Goblin. Acquired by defeating over 1000 goblins. (1027 defeated).
Whoa, whoa, whoa! Too much information! I remained cowering beneath the rubble while the number of goblins increased beneath my new Title. Eventually, the commotion came to an end, replaced by the solemn creaking and burning of what was once a Goblin village. Sorry, fellows, I thought to them. I offered you guys up to your Master in order to live, but to be fair, you killed me quite a lot tonight.
“Human,” the massive Jade Dragon’s clawed foot lifted the rubble hiding me easily, and his golden eyes glared at me once again. I swore inside my head. I thought he would fly away by now! “Your offering has been fulfilled. But now, I require a new home.”
Eh!? I thought someone as big as you could live up in the mountains!
“Mountains are too cold,” the dragon sighed, with jets of smog puffing out his nostrils.
“Ah, you can do that,” I felt oddly embarrassed. I supposed a powerful dragon like you could read thoughts easily, huh? “I have a Tower, sir, but I am afraid it might be too small for someone of your size.”
The dragon contemplated my words. He was actually taking me seriously!?
“You show no fear for a creature your size and age,” he remarked. “Normally, maidens scream and scream. Quite loud and unruly for an offering. You are different.”
“Well, I am nine years old,” I supposed. Demons got out to fight the moment they were born. I was nine years late to the call of battle.
“Demons, you say,” he mused. One of his talons pointed at me. “You look like a human.”
“I am afraid my previous form was a Demon,” I explained. “I got defeated.”
“Hmmm. I have not heard from the Demons in a long time. Not since their last call to the Dragon Realm,” the dragon uttered.
That was history before I ascended, I guessed. Oh yeah, he has mind reading powers! He lowered a wing with a thunderous flap before my feet. I gripped the edge of the stage as the gust from him nearly blasted me off. Was that a test or something? I'm much smaller than you, you know! The dragon let out a low hum in amusement. Don't you mock me! One day I will get back there and reclaim my power!
“Get on, maiden. I shall go to your Tower.”
“Are you sure?” I asked. His scales and wings were tough as a rocky mountain path, cutting into my HP as I scaled him, but I managed to climb aboard his powerful back. “It’s quite lonely there, I suppose. But how are you supposed to fit inside of it?”
“Master, Master, Master!” A voice called out to me. It was Frampton! “You must get to safety, for you are not climbing a mere mountain, you’re on top of a dragon!”
“I know, Frampton,” I calmed the bat down. The dragon either ignored or did nor notice him, but soon both of us were clinging to his back for dear life as the world beneath us got smaller. I have forgotten one small thing about myself: The reason why I barely used my wings as a Demon Lord was because I hate flying!