I Became a Mythical Hunter After Killing the Golden Goblin - Chapter 215
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 215. The Second Key: Ars Theurgia Goetia
〚Hidden Zone Discovered!〛
〚Abyss Hidden Stage 2: Zone 32 Demonic Beast (魔獸)-1
Rank: 5★
Description: Another creation forged by Solomon alongside the Demon Clan. Yet because they were modeled after beasts, they possessed strength surpassing even the Demons, and their ferocity and willfulness exceeded that of the devils themselves. Troubled by the burden of control, Solomon sealed away most of the power granted to them before imprisoning them in the Bottomless Pit. However, should Solomon’s Successor emerge, they must succeed in dominating these creatures.
Objective: Subjugation of the Zone 32 Ruler (0/32)
Success Reward: ???
Failure Consequence: Devoured by the beasts〛
The moment I arrived at the second Hidden Stage, I felt the Bottomless Pit trembling behind me, but I quickly dismissed the sensation and focused my attention on the zone before my eyes.
“This place is far worse.”
The Black Great Forest, the first Hidden Stage, had been unremarkable save for its colossal scale and the pitch-black darkness that enveloped it. But this—this was a battlefield of pure chaos.
Survival of the fittest. Natural selection. The strong prevail.
Any description would fit. Dozens, hundreds of beasts roared blindly and ferociously, slaughtering and devouring one another without restraint.
Naturally, proper environmental formation was impossible amid such carnage.
There was scarcely anything but barren earth and beasts—so much so that it resembled a desert. It was almost incomprehensible how thirty-two zones could exist in such a place.
Yet soon enough, I understood what the thirty-two zones signified.
Boom, boom, boom, boom.
A beast of entirely different caliber emerged. And from another direction, a creature of comparable stature revealed itself, as if to challenge the first.
In that instant, every beast ceased its struggle and lowered itself in submission.
Rulers—beings worthy of such a title. I exhaled slowly and seated myself upon this hill, which was as safe as any sanctuary, observing the two rulers.
The two rulers, each of different form, regarded one another and continued their territorial assessment. And just as they were about to collide—
-UUUUOOOOAAAHHHHH!!!!
A roar of tremendous magnitude swept across the entire domain.
I shot to my feet and fixed my gaze upon the source of that cry. There, a single beast now stood.
Chills raced across my entire body, and tremors seized me. Not fear—rather, an overwhelming sense of inevitable dominance.
Though my experience with fear played a role, what human would not tremble before such a creature?
-That is enough. Ruler of Zone 11—Uto. Ruler of Zone 12—Chir. Did I not declare that I would not permit battles between rulers?
And then I understood. This desert-like world I had been observing was merely a single zone—nothing more.
The colossal, overwhelming, magnificent beast turned its gaze. It was staring directly at me.
“What…?”
-A guest has arrived.
One of the kings ruling the thirty-two zones, one of the administrators managing this narrow and dizzying seal, one of the great demonic beasts possessing overwhelming strength enough to summon calamity itself.
-It is a pleasure to meet you. We have awaited your arrival for an eternity within this cramped seal. Whether you shall become the god of great beasts by dominating us, or become the sustenance that allows us to reclaim our power—Successor.
The beast, having paused briefly, cast its gaze toward the sky and some distant point, sending a signal before continuing.
-I am the first beast king of Calamity. The firstborn of the three demonic beasts created at the beginning. The Calamity of the Earth—Behemoth.
The moment Behemoth finished its introduction, a piercing cry resonated through the heavens as if on cue.
My trembling intensified, and the beast’s trembling grew more severe still. Even the two beasts called rulers bowed their heads lower, beseeching mercy.
Simultaneously, another beast descended from the heavens. It swept across the sky with wings vast enough to blot out the sun, radiating an overwhelming presence—until it suddenly halted directly above my head and cast its gaze downward.
-The third king. The Calamity of the Heavens. Jiz.
Before I could draw breath, the earth itself began to resonate, and from beneath thousands of beasts, a creature emerged with gaping maw, swallowing the beasts whole in a single bite.
—The second king. The Calamity of the seas. Leviathan.
An overwhelming presence. If this is merely the sealed state, how devastatingly powerful must he have been before his imprisonment?
As Behemoth finished his explanation, the massive forms of the three kings darkened, their bodies transforming into human shapes.
They approached me, encircling my form, and raised their hands to point directly at me.
—The time of trial has come. Solomon judged that we could not be controlled, and thus imprisoned us here.
—Conversely, we were beings so powerful that even that irregularity, Solomon himself, had no choice but to seal us away.
—Whoever dominates us shall become the Divine Being of all beasts.
The three demonic beasts spoke in succession, and then, as one, they uttered a single declaration.
—As administrators, we impose this trial upon you. Successor of Solomon, slay the ruler of Zone 32. Should you succeed, you shall at least prove your qualification.
—Do not underestimate the rulers. With each zone you claim, their seals shall gradually weaken.
—Subjugate all the rulers. Then you shall earn the qualification of the fourth king. Our conversation shall come after that.
And with that, it was finished. I understood why the Quest that had appeared before my eyes was the first, and realizing that another Quest existed, I clicked my tongue inwardly and nodded.
It seemed this would take considerable time.
A single zone was already this vast, and I had to conquer thirty-two such zones.
The kings returned to their original beast forms and departed to their respective domains. The two rulers who had been preparing for battle, now disinterested in each other at the arrival of a more satisfying opponent, ignored one another and headed toward the ruler’s zone within their own territories.
Simultaneously, my vision warped, and I found myself transported from the safe zone into a new territory.
And as if marking a beginning, a message materialized.
〚You have entered Zone 1: Black Wind Prairie.〛
And as if they had been waiting, dozens—no, hundreds—of pairs of crimson eyes fixed upon me. I exhaled deeply, drew my blade, and began to fight according to the rules the beasts had set.
***
A week? A month? A year? A decade?
I lost count, but an eternity seemed to pass. The peculiarity of this sealed realm was that I no longer needed to eat, drink, or sleep.
Had it been otherwise, I would have lived a life no different from the beasts themselves. I could have created food through the power of creation, but there was no time to consume it.
Another peculiarity was that my body recovered each time I slew an enemy. To be precise, wounds and fatal injuries did not fully heal.
Of course, killing dozens of beasts allowed me to stack recoveries, but it seemed the primary purpose was stamina restoration—a mechanism designed to keep me tireless in this infinite battlefield of endless combat.
The more I killed, the more my body recovered. Thanks to this, throughout that endless time, I wielded my blade relentlessly and continued fighting.
Now I no longer knew whether I was human or beast.
—Kraaaaaaah!
The moment I laid eyes upon my enemy, raw, unrefined killing intent rippled forth. Impossible ferocity erupted from within me. A metallic laugh twisted my lips, and explosive demonic energy tore violently from my body.
It was truly no different from that of a beast.
The transformation was most evident in my demonic energy. Demonic energy is inherently explosive and vicious in nature. Why would a contemptible creature like a human, upon accepting demonic energy, not transform into an impulsive, destructive demon?
Unless one possessed Solomon’s legacy like myself, or possessed a power akin to attunement like Lucifer’s pride, controlling such an energy was impossible for humans.
That demonic energy, transformed into the nature of a beast, was attuned and fully awakened according to my altered form, unleashing the instincts that had been suppressed.
Simultaneously, my martial prowess entered a new phase.
〚Skill: Infinite Demonic Beast Martial Arts [10★] is being activated!〛
Movements without form, without technique, without order, without meaning. Raw and unfiltered—a martial art born from the movements of the demonic beasts I had experienced and felt in this place, transformed to suit my human body.
Savage and ferocious, yet precisely because of this, it displayed the ultimate offensive power.
A spear that pierces all things, a shield that blocks all things—a martial art born from the power of demonic beasts so formidable that even Solomon abandoned control. Its value was immeasurable.
It received a rank judgment equal to the Qiankun Great Reversal, capable of deflecting and reflecting any force whatsoever.
Thus I continued my conquest. As if humans were, in the end, merely beasts, I killed and was killed. I subjugated and suppressed. I led packs and reigned as a ruler.
Time flowed on and on, endless and inexorable.
-A piercing shriek tore through the air!
The moment the ruler of the final thirty-second zone collapsed before me, black blood streaming from every inch of its body, the first Quest cleared.
〚Rewards are being distributed!〛
〚Skill: Infinite Demonic Beast Technique rises by 3 levels!〛
〚All stats increase by 44 across the board!〛
〚3 Seal Release Permits are granted!〛
〚Authority: Demonic Beast [9★] is generated!〛
〚Authority: Predation [10★] is generated!〛
The rewards were decent enough, yet hardly satisfying given the years I had squandered here.
Of course, this was a Hidden Stage, so time flowed differently than in the outside world. But time spent was still time spent.
Had I consumed years in my original state, I would have ascended to the Concept Divine Seat long ago.
What troubled me most was obtaining the Authority of Predation only now. Had I acquired it when the trial began, I could have made every beast I slew entirely my own.
Yet it was not without merit. Moreover, I already possessed a power similar to Predation, making this reward all the more satisfying.
“Activate Seal Release Permit.”
Since obtaining it, I had not used it properly, yet it had proven invaluable in every battle—one of the most broken abilities at my disposal.
〚Authority: Heavenly Slayer Star [10★] has been unsealed!〛
“A 10-star ability?”
The power wielded by the Heavenly Slayer Star Demon, that mad Celestial Demon who had dominated and slaughtered countless worlds. An absurd authority that had granted him such overwhelming strength.
Yet I possessed many abilities surpassing the Heavenly Slayer Star, so I had only used it passively.
The moment the seal broke, the powers of the Heavenly Slayer Star and Predation reacted to each other as if they had been waiting.
The Heavenly Slayer Star Demon—the apex of Apostles who grew stronger by coveting the blood of their enemies with the Heavenly Slayer Star’s power, making fragments of others’ strength their own. Predation—a bizarre force that coveted and consumed everything of what it devoured.
The two powers merged.
〚Authority: Heavenly Slayer Star [13★] has been generated!〛
Remarkably, the Heavenly Slayer Star claimed the primary position. And I felt it—one of the stars in that distant sky had begun to shine upon me. The true power of the Heavenly Slayer Star had awakened.
As I reveled in that overwhelming sensation, laughing like a madman.
A new message materialized before my eyes.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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