Capítulo 68: Book of Night Awakens
Rax had been lingering on the outskirts of the Venomtongue Tribe's territory, contemplating the idea of facing a group of five players. He knew that this confrontation was inevitable, but he had hoped to make the first move.
As he looked around the dense forest, the rustling of leaves and the chirping of birds added an eerie ambience to the impending battle.
Meanwhile, Kiki was using her abilities to scan the area. Her keen senses combined with the support of her sniper riffle, allowed her to detect movement, and she had picked up on something unusual. She signaled to the rest of her team by making a series of subtle hand gestures.
#Kiki: I don't know if this monster is a Boss or Elite, but we should be careful.
Her message was clear: there was an intruder, and he was no ordinary goblin.
#Veradin: If it's only one monster, we five are enough.
Veradin, the Necromancer within the group of players, couldn't help but praise his luck. He had been on the lookout for powerful creatures to add to his collection of Undead minions.
The addition of the Goblin would be enough to replace an outdated Undead that began to be lacking in terms of power as he reached closer to level 150.
#Kiki: This goblin is a Boss monster… We should retreat.
Veradin smiled devilishly, and whispered to his group using the DMs. "Look at our luck, mates. We might have just stumbled upon a goldmine. This goblin could be the perfect material for a new Undead.
#Veradin: It will make the fights against higher monsters easier with a high-level undead. Buno, you can begin the fight. Grab his aggro, we'll follow suit after you secured his attention."
#Buno: Pugman, put a Ward on me, man. I don't want to use my Cooldowns from the get go.
#Pugman: Yes, yes. There you go.
On the other side of the forest, Buno, a burly warrior known for his shield-bearing skills, received Veradin's engagement call. His heart raced with excitement as he rushed to intercept the goblin intruder. Rax initially panicked as he saw the massive warrior charging at him, but then he remembered the teachings of his master, Vecna. He couldn't afford to be a coward any longer.
Buno swung his large shield, a piece of art made from the tough hide of a giant reptile, aiming to slam it into Rax. But the goblin, his courage fueled by Vecna's teachings, was ready.
He raised Camio's Demonic Horn, a rare weapon he had obtained in a previous adventure, and deflected Buno's powerful Shield Slam with a loud clash of metal against bone. After the counter, Buno felt his grip over his Shield grow weaker.
[You have been touched by the Demonic Power of an Archdemon. Your defense has been lowered by 25%]
#Buno: Guys! Watch out for this little shit's Weapon. It's a demonic weapon that gives a nasty debuff of 25% lower defense.
#Veradin: Good to know.
With his small, nimble frame, Rax swiftly evaded a sneak attack by Tiger King, one of the players known for his swift and deadly backstabs.
He rolled away, mind racing to strategize on how to face this formidable group. At the same time, Pugman, a mage of the party, smirked. He saw this as an opportunity to showcase his magical prowess.
"Chain Lighting!"
Pugman's lips curled into a sly grin as he chanted an incantation. In an instant, he cast a Lightning-Type Spell that crackled through the air. The electrifying bolt struck Rax with pinpoint accuracy, delivering a 'Shock' debuff that left the goblin paralyzed for two agonizing seconds.
Those seconds seemed to stretch into eternity for Rax. His brown eyes, wide with shock, shifted toward the red-haired Marksman among the players.
'What is that pointy stick? It doesn't seem that dangerous at first sight.' thought Rax when he came in contact with the Western-Fantasy Weapon that was expertly crafted by the Master Dwarven Craftsmen.
She had pulled out her formidable sniper rifle, a weapon unlike any he had ever seen. Mana started to be drawn into the rifle, and a sense of dread washed over him as he prepared to dodge the impending shot. The power of that sniper rifle was beyond anything he had imagined.
'By Grimbarks NAME!!! What the heck was that?? How could this human girl have so much mana? Is she Lady Elysia?' screamed inwardly Rax, panicking that the opponents this time weren't as simple as the Goblin Warriors he faced previously.
The magical bullet destroyed trees in its path as it shot toward Rax, but he managed to escape just in time. The sense of relief was palpable, yet the sheer destructive force of the sniper rifle haunted him. He had never encountered such a weapon in all his adventures.
'She needs to be taken down, right away. There's no other way for me to win.'
In that moment, Rax knew he had to make sure that Kiki, the red-haired Marksman and the most dangerous of the group, was the first to meet her end. With agility that belied his goblin frame, he directed his aggro toward Kiki, forcing her to raise her head and call Veradin for support.
Veradin heard Kiki's call and quickly assessed the situation. He realized that the goblin before them was no ordinary mob. "Veradin, use your Undead to draw aggro," Kiki yelled. "Buno can't seem to handle it. This goblin feels like we're dealing with a Highly Intelligent Boss. We're really lucky."
Veradin's expression twisted into a wicked grin. "What are you worrying about? This is just a stupid goblin," he replied with overconfidence. "Jehaval, use Bone Chains."
Veradin barked orders to his undead servants. Jehaval, an Undead Knight under Veradin's command, raised his bone-chilling chains high and hurled them toward Rax.
The chains whirled through the air with a ghostly presence, attempting to snare the goblin. They narrowly missed Rax's torso but managed to catch his right leg.
"What is this? Frost Magic?"
Rax felt the icy chains wrap around his leg, the cold seeping through his veins. He struggled to free himself from the spectral restraints, but Veradin watched with a twisted sense of satisfaction as Rax's movements grew sluggish.
The Necromancer reveled in the suffering of his prey, clearly underestimating the goblin's resolve.
The group of players, now reorganized, operated like a well-oiled machine. Each one of them understood their roles in the battle, and the fight that Rax initially thought would require only a fraction of his efforts had turned into a terrifying challenge.
He found himself outnumbered and outclassed.
Veradin's second Undead, a Caster Type, cast a Frost Bolt spell toward Rax. The intent was to slow the goblin and possibly freeze him in place.
However, Rax surprised the players. The young goblin chanted something unintelligible, and a blue mana shield manifested around his body, blocking the incoming Frost Bolt.
"Silvermoon Shield!"
Annoyed that these humans were looking down on him, Rax cursed them with a fiery determination. "You humans are not worthy enough to mock me! Only MASTER can do that to me!"
Rax, despite the unexpected resistance, remained unfazed. "Taste the fury of my anger! Fireball!" he declared with sadistic delight.
Veradin, feeling the searing heat of the incoming Fireball, realized that his situation had grown dire. He acted calmly, having yet this fight under his control, he casted a 'Bone Shield' around his body, but that wasn't all.
The mystical bones absorbed the fiery impact, saving him from the worst of the damage. However, he knew he needed to make a costly sacrifice to maintain his advantage.
In the blink of an eye, he made a decision that would change the course of the battle. He thrust his staff toward the Caster-Type Undead, Zigros, whose lifeless form had been a valuable asset.
The inferno from Rax's Fireball engulfed Zigros, reducing him to ash. Veradin's eyes gleamed with dark determination.
"You've done it this time, piece of shit," Veradin sneered, his voice laced with malice. "Since I've lost my Caster-Type Undead, I'll make sure to turn you into undead to fill the missing role."
Rax, even though showing signs of a valiant comeback, was still outmatched in terms of experience and level. The players' teamwork was impeccable, honed to perfection within the world of Satisfy.
As minutes passed, Rax's body became a tapestry of wounds, each one a reminder to his unyielding spirit.
He continued to defend against Buno and Tiger King, parrying their relentless onslaught and using his Fireballs strategically to inflict burning debuffs on the long-rangers while on the melee fighters, he didn't reserve himself in using Camio's Demonic Horn.
Nonetheless, the tide of the battle was turning against him. The player's approach was a by-the-book strategy of facing a Boss Monster.
In this dire moment, Rax's thoughts turned to Vecna, his immensely strong leader, but he only Medallion that could upon the Power of Blood that Vecna bestowed upon him. It was something Vecna has gifted him as a symbol of becoming his Blood Servant since he didn't get any buffs from the Book of Night.
Thus, to not embarrass himself he decided to give him an worthless ruby medallion that wasn't worth much.
That small but radiant medallion that shined like a ruby was too precious for Rax, and such his thoughts drifted to a figure that Vecna kept on mentioning that was watching over him even when he wasn't around.
'Ancestor Grimbark, do you really exist? Wasn't Master just trying to build my confidence with his stories about a great goblin?'
'Well, Master has no reason to lie to me. Everything he told me so far happened just like he said. I will trust Master Vecna with all my breath.'
With newfound determination, Rax seized an opportunity to taunt Veradin. The words, filled with defiance and belief in the stories he'd been told, flowed from his lips.
"What's wrong, piece of shit? Out of attacks? Then, rush on and die already. I want you to become my undead!" Veradin jeered, his dark intentions laid bare.
"You're messing with the wrong person," Rax retorted, his voice laced with conviction. "Wait until my Ancestor shows up. He will beat the shit out of everyone here."
Veradin, amused by Rax's bravado, goaded him further. "Go on, try and summon your Ancestor. I'll make sure to have him accompany you into death."
"You said it!" Rax shouted, his voice carrying through the forest. "I will make sure you'll regret those words."
Rax who was defending against Buno and Tiger's relentless onslaught, while countering using small forms of Fireballs which would Burn the long rangers, while the Demonic Horn would cause some Debuffs such as Fear over the melees.
Summoning the depths of his courage, Rax raised his voice, shouting toward the sky. The forest echoed with his plea.
"GRIMBARK, PLEASE GRANT THIS WEAK DESCENDANT OF YOURS, YOUR STRENGTH! LET ME UNIFY OUR SUFFERING PEOPLE!"
"I PROMISE TO BE A GREAT KING FOR THEM!"
His voice reverberated through the forest, and for a moment, time seemed to stand still. The players, surprised by Rax's unexpected plea, paused their attacks, uncertain of what was happening.
#Veradin: Take a break guys, I'm curious about what this shit might pull. He doesn't seem like those brainless AI Bosses we faced so far. This one might be special.
Veradin signaled them to pause. But after a moment, seeing that nothing happened, the Necromancer twisted the dagger into Rax's invisible wound.
#Veradin: Or not…
Veradin seized the opportunity to taunt him. "Seems your ancestor is afraid of me," he sneered, and the players readied themselves to resume their assault.
The players ready to resume their offense, causing Rax to reach out once again to the specter.
Refusing to give up, Rax reached out to the specter once more. "GRIMBARK! I NEED MORE POWER TO FACE THE ENEMY!"
As Pugman prepared to cast a Lightning-Type Spell with Rax's guard down, a sudden magical wave erupted, disrupting the spell and catching everyone's attention. From the heart of the burning Goblin Tribe, a spectral figure emerged, shrouded in an aura of power.
"Descendant, you shouldn't look so pathetic while summoning me. If you do that, you'll sully our greatness," the spectral figure, Tusor, spoke with wisdom and authority. Rax's eyes widened in awe as he recognized the legendary figure from Vecna's stories.
Tusor, the Wise, had answered Rax's call. To Rax, seeing Tusor was akin to confirming the truth of Vecna's stories regarding Grimbark. The elderly goblinoid, wrapped in an air of profound experience and wisdom, descended to the ground, appearing beside Rax.
He placed a time-worn hand on Rax's onyx hair, his presence radiating strength and assurance.
[Tusor 'the Wise' - LV.???](???)
#Buno: Who the fuck is this ghost? Why can't I gauge his level?
#Tiger King: You're too dumb to check his level. Of course.
#Buno: Fuck off, you cockroach.
#Veradin: Kiki, is this what am I thinking of? A Boss Monster whose level we can't see because the discrepancy is too high
#Kiki: You're right.
#Veradin: Of course, I'm always right.
The party members rolled their eyes at what Veradin just remarked, but they knew not to jab at his fragile ego for a smooth cooperation.
"Ancestor Grimbark!! You responded to my call, I'm grateful. We don't have much time since those humans are strong. Please, please help me get stronger and defeat those bad humans."
Tusor wasn't even bothered with the group of players, seeing them nothing but ants he could kill with only a spell, what he was more interested was this 'Child' who was like an unrefined precious jewel.
Doing further checks on his mana and other organs, with his millenia of mana control, his spectral eyes suddenly flared up, with a blinding gush of mana.
'Unbelievable. This boy has been actually Blessed by the Elementals. Wait, no, no. It feels like this, but it's the opposite, someone is the one causing this influence.'
'Is the Vampire? Not possible, he should have dominion over Death, not the Worldly Elements. This feels as if I'm in the presence of the World Tree."
Tusor hid his inner thoughts to himself, while presenting himself as a sagely figure, but the flickering greed as he watched Rax couldn't be overstated.
'Ahhh, I want him. I need him to become my Vessel, so I can finally be Reborn and reclaim my standing in the Pantheon of Gods.'
'That asshole Maglubiyet, if he didn't betray me in the past when I was about to ascend to Godhood, stealing all my hardwork in building the perfect Mana Core, how would I, Tusor be left in such a pitiful situation.'
'Whatsmore, because that bastard killed my original body, he put a curse on me to forever be Servient to his descendants, and give parts of my remaining mana as if spitting into my greatness. No wonder, those animals are about to be wiped by the Vampire.'
'Hehehe, you think you've won Maglubiyet? NEVER!'
"Relax, child. While in this forest, they can't touch you as long as I breathe. Should I take care of them right now?" inquired Tusor, as he descended to the ground, appearing beside Rax, later resting his old hand on top of his onyx hair.
"You can't do that, great Ancestor. This is my fight. I only want a small help. My mana isn't strong enough as Lady Elysia. She taught me many spells, but I can't bring out the full form of them," Rax implored, his voice filled with respect and determination.
"Ehh, I see, I see. You want to claim all the glory and leave this old man behind."
"It's not like that, but I would be embarrassed if I tell Master that I had to ask Great Grimbark to fight for me."
Tusor couldn't help but laugh, and his laughs sent off strong magical waves that scared Pugman who was more sensible to mana.
#Veradin: Let's wait. This must be a bluff. A goblin is a goblin regardless of how much the S.A Buffs them. And… I really want to get my hands on that goblin brat.
After Tusor had a good laugh, he took a deep breath sucking in the Mana around the Venomtongue Tribe akin to a hungry Dragon, and with a chant the ground around the Tribe started to shake.
"Don't think about anything, little Rax," Tusor advised, his voice filled with ancient wisdom. "This Grandpa will give you a gift that will help you going forward. I hope you carry my Legacy with your head held high and upright."
"Listen to your friend Vecna, but don't forget that you shouldn't blindly trust anyone. Always question their intentions and be skeptical of things that seem to have turned out too smoothly."
'Regardless, I will tell you more once I'm inside of you.'
Rax, still nursing his doubts about Grimbark's existence, nodded with newfound resolve. "Yes, yes. Hehe, I'll be greater than you, Grimbark! You have my word."
The old specter continued his intricate chants, channeling the surging mana into his palm. He extended a bony index finger and touched Rax's shoulder, drawing a mysterious pattern that caused the young goblin to cry out in both pain and ecstasy.
A radiant blue rune, pulsing like a new heart beside his biological one, appeared on Rax's body.
Infused with the essence of the Progenitor of Goblins, it triggered a profound transformation. His green skin lightened, and his body began to grow rapidly, collapsing to the ground under the immense strain of this metamorphosis.
As Rax's evolution unfolded, Pugman couldn't contain his concerns. He urgently conveyed the peril they faced to Veradin. "Veradin, we've got to kill the goblin. This mana is enough to kill you a thousand times over, and there'll still be plenty to power the Tower of Eternity for a decade, if not a century."
Veradin's curiosity piqued as he tried to make sense of the magical spectacle before him. "This is interesting," he mused. "Pug, can you tell me what is happening? My Necromancer class isn't that attuned to mana."
Pugman, more in tune with the arcane, provided the explanation. "The specter is orchestrating something like a Class and Race Change for the little goblin."
Veradin couldn't help but lament, "You should have said that sooner."
Just as the group of players prepared to strike the vulnerable goblinoid who was undergoing a transformation into a greater form, a shadowy veil materialized before them.
As Vecna emerged from the shadows with an eerie grace, his presence sent ripples of dread through the onlooking players. He was unlike any adversary they had encountered, and his appearance reflected his enigmatic and formidable nature.
His figure was cloaked in an otherworldly as if demonic energies extended to obscure his figure while his pitch-black robe seemed to drink in the light around him, rendering his features elusive and inscrutable.
The hood of his robe concealed most of his face, casting his eyes in shadow, save for their predatory crimson glint. His gaze, an unsettling combination of amusement and menace, bore into the players as if he could see their very souls.
"That's as far as you go. I allowed you enough time to play with my subordinate."
As he stepped out from the shadows, his movements were fluid and unhurried, as if he existed outside the realm of time itself. His very presence exuded an air of authority, and it was clear that he was in complete control of the situation.
"Who the fuck are you to butt in?" shouted Buno, frustrated that a newcomer appeared to pause the important assault.
Vecna ignored the warrior's interjection, and instead looked at Kiki with his predatory crimson eyes sending a slight silver into her body, an involuntary reaction of her body that she didn't understand from where it came.
She could see that Vecna's level remained obscure to them, but from how confident he looked it seems that it was a High-Ranker.
"You have good eyes." remarked Vecna as he already analyzed the red-haired beauty, and what her forte was, and it made sense that her class played into her ability.
Shifting his attention from the Marksman, he next greeted Veradin without saying much, who took steps forward as Guildmaster of White Wolf Guild
"I heard you have lost one of your Undead Pets."
"And?"
"Look, man, I'm really tired of childish fights. To make it clear, if you continue attacking my subordinate, I'll wipe you all right now. However, this would be dumb since I wish to collaborate with your guild in dealing with the Orc Horde."
"... I still have to make-up for the damages I suffered. My colleagues also used some of their consumables in the fight against that goblin of yours."
"I see. Then let's do it like this. You can go in the interior of the Goblin Tribe and claim the dead body of Chieftain. For some reason, it didn't turn into ash, there might be an interaction from you that doesn't dismiss his body."
"I'm not interested in weak mobs to turn into my servants."
"If you consider a Boss-Type Monster at level 158 weak, and it's even capable of utilizing some noteworthy abilities, then sure, try and attack my goblin, and see what happens."
"..."
"As for your companions. The fact they gained experience fighting Rax, will suffice. But hers, she can whisper me when she is inside Summit's Crest, I might improve her riffle by a lot."
While the players were having their negotiations, Tusor who was by Rax's side, imbuing him with his mana, in his mysterious ceremony, began to laugh like crazy as he channeled more mana into Rax, and in turn his body was turning weaker.
Noticing that Tusor was doing something sketchy that might place Rax's well-being into jepardy, he frowns.
"Vampire, I'm doing it. I'm breaking all the chains that have been put on me since God knows when. SINCE THAT ASSHOLE BACKSTABBED ME!"
"And? This isn't my problem."
"Ohhh, if you care about this brat's life, you better invest some emotions into it."
"I don't like threats. Usually, it ends badly for the opposite party, but also for me since most of the time I get into police custody…'
"Haha, listen well, Vampire. I will trigger a great Catastrophe over this region, if you want this kid to see the light of next day, you better open those sharp ears of yours. I want you to activate that 'Blood World' ability you used in your fights against Fangor and Ruk."
"Why should I?"
"LISTEN!"
"I'm doing just that."
"Because, a God, will attack this region. Before I finish my Spell, you better wrap this region into your Blood Spell that is reminiscent of a God's Sanctuary."
Vecna's crimson eyes had a murderous glint, and without his intention the Book of Night appeared from his inventory.
[The Slumbering Ego has begun showing signs of waking up.]
[The 'Book of Night' is urging its User to activate the 'Blood World' as soon as possible.]
[The User's Class Progression is under difficulty!]
[Red Alert!]
[All of the User's invested Vitality in 'Book of Night' has been devoured.]
[The 'Ego' of the 'Book of Night' has partially awakened.]
['Foolish Thrall, making me wake up so soon. You barely took your first Awakening, and have incurred the Wrath of those Parasites.']
'What the fuck? I'm not doing anything wrong here, I've been playing it quite, not getting into contact with Rebecca Church nor Yatan Church.'
His mind was going into overdrive at this moment, and the changes happening around him weren't helpful, since Tusor was about to disappear while Rax's body began to spasm as if he had the worst Epilepsy episode.
['Quiet! Stop thinking, and activate that Goddamn Sanctuary!']
'Alright. I'll not think about anything for the moment.'
"Blood World."
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