Chapter 74: The Hidden Trump Card - The Third Return of the Necrotic Magic Armiger

[14th Everdusk 2103], Verdant Hollow Dungeon – CGA Branch

What happened to me might have never happened to anyone else.

After venturing deep into the forest, my summoned skeleton stood guard, eyes burning with ethereal light—yet no enemy came. No monkeys. Nothing.

By the time the summoning duration expired, the skeleton dissolved into ashes, wasted.

With a frustrated sigh, I walked away, heart aching slightly at the loss of a whole hour's worth of MP. I made a mental note:

only summon when the enemy appears.

I wandered aimlessly through the forest. My MP bar, drained earlier, gradually refilled with time. Still, no sign of the monkeys. I started wondering if the dungeon itself had bugged out.

Shrugging, I headed toward a lone, distant tree—massive and oddly separated from the others. Its thick roots snaked into the ground like slumbering serpents. I sat beneath it, hoping to think things through.

"What should I do until the—?"

My thoughts halted as leaves fluttered down and landed softly on me. Instinctively, I looked around. None of the other trees swayed, no wind passed. Something was off.

I narrowed my eyes and looked up suspiciously.

The skeletal fang launched upward with a hiss of magic. In the next instant, two figures leapt from the branches.

<-10 MP>

It hit me immediately—the monkeys had been hiding in the trees all along.

"Hey, wait! I’m not letting you escape!" I yelled, drawing my sword and chasing after them.

Though I wasn’t much slower, my lack of stamina became obvious. The monkeys mocked me with shrill laughter, easily dancing through the canopy.

“Hahhh... Hahhhh... I... I will catch you both... surely,”

I wheezed, gasping to recover.

But then—unexpectedly—they leapt down from the trees and dashed toward me.

They were attacking!

Not ready for close combat, I played my trump card.

Two skeletal warriors materialized before me.

<-60 MP>

“Now, let me see you smile again, bastards.”

But just as the skeletons raised their weapons, the monkeys froze… then bolted in the opposite direction.

“Huh? So that’s why they weren’t attacking earlier?” I muttered. “They’re afraid of my skeletons.”

If fear was a weapon—I would exploit it.

I aimed upward again.

A dark blast zipped through the air.

<-20 MP>

Though it missed, it startled the monkeys. They tumbled down from the tree—right in front of my skeletal duo.

“Die, monkeys. Rip them apart for me.”

My voice echoed coldly like a villain’s, yet I meant every word.

The skeletons charged in. Their strikes were shallow but persistent, leaving gashes on the monkeys’ bodies. Yet their HP barely budged.

“Tch... step aside,” I said, walking up to the shivering primates.

Their eyes brimmed with terror. I gripped my sword and raised it high.

“Let me help you escape the pain.”

Swish!

My blade fell.

A lucky strike—fire ignited along the edge of the sword. It sliced through one of the monkeys like hot steel through parchment. The creature shrieked—its final cry—as blood sizzled where the flames had burned.

The second monkey trembled but didn’t resist.

I ended its life with a precise thrust to the throat.

“Hush… Killing you wasn’t my goal, but in this world, there’s only one rule—

kill or be killed.

The strong survive. That’s all there is.”

I waited for the system notification.

{You have killed 2~Lv.3 Forest Monkeys. Gained 40 EXP.}

[130/150 EXP]

[You have gained 4 Evo-enchant points, stored in talent.]

<Plunder>,

I muttered, hoping the command worked.

[Talent has detected two Lv.3 Monkey bodies. What do you wish to do: Plunder, Dismantle, or Store in Inventory?]

“But I don’t have the proper skills. Why even ask?”

The talent didn’t respond. Of course—it was just a command processor.

[Please choose.]

“Fine. I’ll take the plunder. Who wouldn’t want free stats?”

[No talent, skills, or abilities required. A degraded bloodline has been detected and identified.]

“Huh? What’s this about a bloodline?” I blinked.

[Talent has found a degraded bloodline sample compatible with host. Initiating demonstration.]

“Wait, wait—what kind of bloodline?”

[Bloodline: The Titan Ape King. Grade: King-tier.]

[Do you wish to merge?]

“Uhh... Before that, can you extract the stats first?”

I watched as mysterious energy flowed from the monkey corpses back into my body.

[You have plundered the following stats: +1 AGI, +1 VIT, +1 STA.]

“Oh? Stamina stats—nice. That balances things out.”

I glanced at my hidden skeletons and began walking deeper into the dungeon.

[The talent asks again: Do you wish to integrate or eject the bloodline?]

“Tell me the benefits first. I’ll decide after that.”

[The talent has sent the details via system.]

“Huh. Are you a system or a shady broker?”

No reply.

{System is translating data... Translation complete.}

{

Bloodline

: Titan ape king

Grade

: King

Affinity(s)

: Earth, Nature

Additional

stats/

level

: +10 STR, + 5 AGI, +10 STA, +5 END

Description

The Titan Ape King Bloodline bestows its inheritor with the unparalleled might and resilience of the Titan Ape, a legendary creature known for its colossal strength and dominance. This bloodline provides a balance of raw physical power, enhanced senses, and kingly aura, making its bearer a formidable presence on any battlefield.

Bloodline skill:

Titanic Might

Grants the ability to temporarily double the user's strength and size for 10 minutes.

Cooldown: 1 hour.

Earthquake Stomp

Unleashes a devastating ground-shaking attack, stunning enemies in a 30-meter radius.

Damage: Scales with Strength (Physical). Cooldown: 10 minutes.

King's Aura

Emits a dominating aura that intimidates and weakens enemies, reducing their attack power by 20% within a 15-meter radius. (Passive ability)}

I whistled.

“This… this is insane. It’s like holding a god-tier artifact.”

[Please decide: Integrate / Eject]

“One more question. How rare is a King-tier bloodline?”

[Host, a King bloodline is found in only 1 out of a trillion beings. It is highly recommended to integrate. Future upgrades are possible with talent support.]

“Then… I guess I’ll choose to—”

To be continued...

Will he integrate the Titan Ape King bloodline? Is this the strength he needs to face Lucas and his Dragon Bloodline? Or is this a trap laid by destiny itself?

The answer lies ahead. Stay tuned for Chapter 75!