“Goblin Shaman. I need help.”
“...Huh?”
The Goblin Shaman looked at me with a bewildered expression.
He scowled, snorted, and then suddenly burst into laughter.
“Heh… Human. I am a dying goblin. You've asked the wrong one for help, human."
Then the Goblin Shaman coughed repeatedly.
He didn’t seem to understand what I was saying.
"... Shaman."
“Huff... Huff…”
“I am a returner. This isn’t our first meeting.”
"...?"
“You told me everything. The ancient dungeon. The human adventurer. The voice of the gods. The reason I came to this tower.”
“… Heh. Human, you're talking nonsense.”
The Goblin Shaman turned away with an air of indifference, but I clearly saw his cloudy white eyes quiver.
“Seriously? This is our third time meeting. Do you know how much trouble I went through when you dove into the swamp with that golden orb?"
I recounted the story of my time in the tower.
The moment I first regained consciousness. The moment I was overjoyed by receiving the returner's ability. And the moment after the Goblin Shaman betrayed me and I heard the voice he left on the stone.
I thought I explained it well…
“...So, what do you want, human?"
The Goblin Shaman scratched the back of his head.
"Cut to the chase. Heh. I might just unseal the monster right now.”
He menacingly brandished his staff.
"...Calm down."
If the Shaman unseals the Minotaur here, I'd have to return.
But he didn't. He seemed somewhat interested in my story.
"What I want is simple."
I remembered the Goblin Shaman making other goblins kill themselves, eliminating all sources of food.
"Bring all the goblins on this island here."
“… Heh. And then?"
"My ability becomes stronger when I'm protecting someone. If I'm in a situation where I have to protect all the goblins, I can easily defeat that monster."
"...Ha."
The Goblin Shaman laughed sarcastically.
"...Are you humans stupid?"
He swung his free hand in exasperation.
"I despise humans. I maintain this seal hoping to see humans suffer. Human."
"...I know."
“Do I look like a fool to you, human? Why should I help you humans?"
His point was valid.
There's no reason for the Goblin Shaman to help us.
In fact, he'd probably enjoy seeing us suffer. He has no reason to help.
But, I silently brought my hand close to his nose.
"...Human, what are you doing? Heh."
"Smell it."
"...It just smells like a human hand. I don't get it. Heh."
"That's my point."
"...Heh?"
He sniffed my hand again, trying to understand.
"...Heh."
It seems he grasped what I was implying.
"There's no blood scent, right?"
This time, I didn't even kill a single weak goblin, just knocked them unconscious.
I remember the Goblin Shaman once told me he could smell the scent of his brethren's blood on me.
So, there's no blood scent now. Help me.
"...Heh."
The Goblin Shaman lowered his head.
"It doesn't matter, human. You simply didn't kill any of our kind 'this time'."
"...True."
“And even if you defeat the monster and move on to the next stage... I'll lose my memory and wait for other humans. Heh. I'll make them despair."
"That's also true."
"So, human, there's no reason for me to help you. After defeating the monster, you'll probably kill me anyway. I'm not a fool, human."
"Why is there no reason?"
I shrugged, feigning ignorance.
"You said that after we move on, we lose our memories and are reborn, right? You're going to die anyway, so what does it matter if it’s a bit sooner?" The translated text in English is:
“…Humans are surely insane.”
Said the goblin shaman with a sarcastic laugh. But I knew he, for all intents and purposes, wasn't particularly attached to life.
“Also… wouldn't it be nice if, just once, humans and goblins didn't harm each other?”
The goblin shaman stopped in his tracks upon hearing my words.
This tower compels us to kill one another.
Humans for survival, goblins to avoid death.
And all I asked was to pause that cycle, just once.
For everyone's sake.
“...Heh.”
The goblin shaman slowly closed his eyes.
“Heh. Humans are fools. Asking me boldly to kill them. Such actions are nothing but meaningless drivel.”
Opening his previously closed eyes, the goblin shaman stared in my direction.
“And… I’m a fool too.”
He snickered and snapped his fingers.
“I’ll do as you wish, human. Maybe it's alright if no one dies, just this once.”
[The effect of the Heroic Trait is activated!]
[The effect of the Heroic Trait is activated!]
[The effect of the Heroic Trait is activated!]
[The effect of the Heroic Trait is activated!]
[The effect of the Heroic Trait is activated!]
[The effect of the Heroic Trait is activated!]
[The effect of the Heroic Trait is activated!]
“I will break the seal, human.”
“Just wait a moment.”
My entire body feels hot. My head's slightly dizzy, but not in an unpleasant way. It feels as if I've downed a lot of alcohol.
“Everyone, please wait a bit. I need to concentrate.”
Behind me stood over two hundred people. Like the previous round, I had managed to persuade them to come here.
How did I overcome Cho Ji-won's opposition? I insisted I had a solution, and she reluctantly agreed, although she did warn me she'd cut me down if it seemed I was up to no good.
“…Is this really okay?”
“Well, that person said it’s fine…”
For some reason, people around seemed nervous and jittery.
The reason was simple.
Hundreds, or rather thousands of goblins were standing behind them.
The idea that my heroic trait would affect these goblins came to me simply.
If I were to protect races like elves or dwarves, would my heroic trait activate?
It probably would, as they are sentient beings.
And the goblin? The goblin shaman communicated with me, proving his sentience. Why wouldn't it work on him?
Of course, there was a chance the goblin shaman was a unique case, but…
The goblins were chattering away loudly in their language.
Ordinary goblins are cruel, harm humans, and appear monstrous, but…
- Hero [C]
- In times of crisis, people turn to you. You become stronger when protecting someone.
They too were 'someones'. Thus, my trait applies to them.
[The effect of the Heroic Trait is activated!]
[The effect of the Heroic Trait is activated!]
[The effect of the Heroic Trait is activated!]
“It seems like it’s working now."
I felt adapted to the overflowing power and signaled the goblin shaman.
“Heh. Then I'll break the seal, human.”
The violet rope connected to his staff snapped.
Slowly rising was a minotaur.
He hesitated, gripping and releasing his hand, eventually picking up his axe.
"ROOOOAR!"
“Wha- WHAT?!”
“AAARGH!”
A deafening roar.
His massive eyes were clearly targeting me.
His twitching muscles were gathering strength, perhaps to crush me.
I might have run away from such overwhelming force in the past, but now...
I instinctively knew.
That wasn't a battle cry of an excited warrior, but the scream of a terrified beast.
“You feel it too, don't you?”
Step by step, twirling the sword in my hand, I began walking towards the minotaur.
Thud, thud.
"You, yo- ROAR!"
And as I approached, the minotaur backed away, step by step. Even a young child could tell. He was scared.
"...Ha ha."
It's not a naturally born monster. It was merely a mechanism created to set a time limit on the ground floor and to provoke conflict among people.
Even Choe Ji-won, an incomprehensible monster, said she couldn't guarantee victory against the Minotaurus.
Such an unbelievable monster was terrified and running away from me.
I couldn't help but laugh at the realization, it felt so good.
Suddenly, I turned my head to look for Choe Ji-won.
Choe Ji-won, with a tense face, kept scanning my body.
That woman is now on guard when she sees me. I did say I would catch up to her someday, and now that I really have, the feeling is fresh.
Of course, it's only a temporary boost... but a win is still a win.
All the hard work was worth it. I felt proud.
"ROAAAAR!!!"
Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud.
The Minotaurus charged like crazy, thinking my turned back was an opportunity.
I smoothly spun in place, facing him.
"Come on."
Maybe because I was so focused, time seemed to slow down a bit.
I grip my sword tightly.
I recall Choe Ji-won's teachings.
I'm aiming for... the neck.
It's a neck covered in muscles, but I can do it now.
No, I can do it with ease.
At this moment,
I was a hero.
I lightly kicked off the ground.
Naturally, I swung my sword.
And as my feet softly touched the ground.
- [Amazing Achievement Alert!]
- Successfully defeated the hidden boss, 'Demon of the Labyrinth, Minotaurus'!
- No casualties! Achievement experience bonus awarded!
- A special reward is given to [Kim Jun-ho], who contributed the most!
The Minotaurus' neck rolled on the floor.