On an island floating on the ocean, there used to be a mountain.
Day after day, from the first blush of dawn to the fading embers of dusk a few people would attempt to climb this mountain.
All these people had 4 chains piercing through their bodies, causing them gruesome wounds.
One chain tore through their skull.
Another skewered their heart.
The third chain pierced their stomach.
And the final chain impaled their navel.
At the end of each chain, a boulder, heavy as despair, dragged the climbers down each time they attempted to climb higher.
Many succumbed to the weight, their broken forms tumbling into the abyss below. Yet, for every fallen soul, another would step forward, their eyes filled with a grim determination.
.
At the mountain's base, a tranquil lake shimmered like a mirage. Around its shores, a community thrived, seemingly untouched by the torment unfolding above.
But the lake held a secret. Its placid surface reflected the struggles of the climbers, their every stumble and triumph laid bare for all to see.
Some onlookers cheered the climbers, their voices echoing across the water.
Others averted their gaze, their faces twisted in disgust.
Many remained indifferent, their lives undisturbed by the spectacle of suffering.
Yet, from time to time, a few would rise from their idyllic existence, their eyes drawn to the looming mountain. With a newfound resolve, they would join the ranks of the climbers.
.
On an unremarkable day, a young boy, his eyes wide with wonder, watched the climbers struggle.
A spark ignited within him, a yearning for something beyond the tranquil shores of the lake.
"I want to climb too!" he declared for all to hear.
He dragged his four boulders, heavy as sin, towards the mountain's base and began his ascent. But his inexperience soon became apparent.
He stumbled, his young body bruised and battered. He sprained his knee, the pain a sharp reminder of his fall."Humph, this is stupid," he grumbled, his resolve wavering.
Defeated, he returned to the lake, seeking solace in the familiar embrace of his family and friends.
But as he gazed upon the tranquil water, he witnessed a climber lose their footing, their body plummeting like a broken doll, the boulders dragging them all the way down.
Panic seized the boy. He raced to the base of the mountain, his heart pounding in his chest. There, amidst the shattered rocks and scattered debris, he saw the fallen climber.
His mangled arms.
His missing legs.
His bleeding eyes.
But the climber was still alive.
And with a smile on his face, moreover.
"Why are you smiling?" the child asked, fearful and confused, "You are in pain, aren't you?"
The broken man merely snorted in response.
I smile because I am alive, kid.
As long I am alive I haven't failed. I have learned.
And the climber got back on the mountain, using his teeth to grab onto the unforgiving rocks.
The boy watched, his mind awhirl.
The mountain was so tall.
The mountain towered above him, its summit lost in the swirling clouds.
The boy felt insignificant…
He felt fear…
He felt the cold winds biting at his exposed skin.
He missed his parents who were waiting for him near the lake.
He felt hungry.
He felt weak.
But the boy forced himself to smile.
And started climbing…
.
The boy fell more times than he could count.
He broke his bones so many times, he barely felt any sensations in his limbs anymore.
He tried many strategies over the years.
He used the wisdom of the climbers he met and those he saw through the lake.
Every day, from dusk till dawn, he climbed.
And slowly, the boy matured.
Slowly, the boy became a man.
The man slowly learned to enjoy the climb…
And yet, as he fell again and again….
His flesh was slowly stripped away.
His bones were ground to dust.
He lost his sense of touch, of smell, of taste.
He lost his hearing.
He lost his eyesight…
But the man kept climbing.
Yet, even as his body crumbled, his spirit endured.
And slowly, very, very slowly…
New bones began to grow.
Harder than those he lost.
New flesh and skin grew, encasing his new bones.
All black and scaly…completely inhuman.
But strong…and durable.
And as fire began to bloom in his hollow eye sockets….
The man became a monster…
And the monster kept on climbing.
As the monster passed the curtain of clouds, ready to see the mountain's peak, the goal it had chased for the entirety of its life…
It realized there was no peak…
The mountain stretched on endlessly, with no end in sight.
And so the monster laughed…
And kept on climbing
∞
∞
∞
∞
The cave fell silent as I concluded my tale, the only sound a rhythmic crunch of magic stones shattered between goblin teeth.
I rose from my seated position on the blood-soaked stone floor and made my way toward the Goliath Frog's corpse, ignoring Golbin's confused expression.
He looked much better now, the gaping hole in his shoulder almost closed completely, his color having returned to normal, and even his scrawny body seemed to have gained some muscle definition.
This was, of course, due to the magic stones I force-fed him with to preserve his life.
The little bastard's luck was good, as after ten or so stones he was recovered enough to begin eating them on his own.
Now, after consuming all 35 goblin cores that hadn't shattered when I used them as an impromptu shield, he looked completely revigorated.
"I have fulfilled my part of the bargain and told you of my purpose," I spoke, my voice a low growl as I lowered myself over my meal, the hunger churning within me, preparing to activate. "Now, whether you manage to understand the meaning of this story is none of my concern"
The goblin gave me a shaky nod and kept silent as he watched me tear into the frog with wild abandon.
To expedite the process, I concentrated on eating as fast as possible, not bothering to chew the frog's flesh and viscera as the taste was even worse than what I had eaten before.
As I ate, I heard the sounds of battle, screams, and growls alongside gurgled words, yet kept on eating undisturbed.
My nose recognized the smell of this particular intruder as a non-threat, and I trusted its judgement.
In less than five minutes, the only proof that the Goliath Frog ever existed was a tiny puddle of blood on the stone floor, and I glanced at my surroundings.
Just like I expected, a lone kobold had wandered to our location, probably attracted by the smell of blood.
What I didn't expect, though, was seeing its mangled corpse sprawled on the floor, and Golbin standing triumphantly over it despite the nasty bite wound on his calf and countless bleeding scratches marring his body.
'Huh, I honestly thought he would run...at least now I know how much his strength improved...' I thought as I walked to the side of the not-so-tiny-anymore goblin.
Despite his feral appearance, he seemed almost meditative, his yellow eyes glued to the kobold he killed even though I was sure he heard the echoes of my approaching footsteps.
"The gift I promised you", I began, squatting over the dead kobold and piercing its chest with my claws, "Is the knowledge of how to grow in strength, surpassing any and all monsters"
I yanked the bloody magic stone from the corpse, the blueish light of the cavern walls glinting off its crystalline surface as the lifeless body dissolved into shimmering dust.
The goblin didn't speak, merely observing the stone with tranquil eyes. I was sure that it already pieced this info together after eating 35 goblin cores, but he didn't comment on it.
He caught the stone with ease as I tossed it toward him, his sharp teeth crunching through the crystalline shell.
A wave of energy visibly rippled through his small form, and the wounds marring his body visibly began to knit themselves closed.
I took a deep inhale, memorizing the slightly different smell of an enhanced goblin compared to a normal one. Slightly less sulfuric, ironically enough.
"We will be parting ways for the time being. I recommend you try to avoid any and all adventurers you meet and to only enter the 5th floor when you can kill three kobolds simultaneously without a single scratch."
At my words, the Xenos finally showed a reaction, his pupils dilating in what could only be described as apprehension, before he forced himself to calm down, his eyes regaining their earlier tranquility.
"I understand" he growled in Goblin Speech, not wasting any more words.
He realized that what I said wasn't a question, but a statement. Arguing against me wasn't an option for the current him.
I didn't waste any more time as I turned my back toward the goblin and began to walk away toward the 5th floor, keeping a tight leash over my soul, feeling Fenrir's Hunger attempting to mold the devoured essence into a new skill.
"...thank you..."
I heard the whispered words echoing softly from behind me as I made my way through the very same tunnel the Goliath Frog came from.
'Thank me by continuing to be useful' was my only thought as I continued on my path, looking over the new traits I could currently choose from.
1- Spear Tongue ( Your tongue becomes a projectile you can eject from your mouth with a speed dependent on the Agility attribute)
2- Amphibian (You can breathe through your skin - only works when said skin is wet)
3- Frog thighs (You can jump twice as far compared to what your stats would otherwise indicate)
Time waited for no one, after all.