As Kale lay on the ground, the pain overwhelming his senses, a sudden wave of warmth washed over him.
[Talent Greater Risk, Greater Reward activated]
His wounds began to close, but the process was agonizing. His cursed talent was pushing his body beyond its limits once again, but this time, it felt different. Kale tried to move, but his body was unresponsive.
[Recovering the body]
[Body beyond repair]
[Creating new Body]
[New body created]
[Body type -> ???]
[??? forcefully hid the notifications]
Kale felt a strange sensation rippling through him. The pain subsided, replaced by an eerie numbness. The exhaustion that had plagued him evaporated, and his body, although unfamiliar, felt stronger, more powerful. But something was wrong. There were notifications, but he couldn't see them. The system—something—was hiding the truth from him.
Eight hours later, Kale woke up in the same spot, the memories of the battle still fresh. He checked his body. No pain, no visible scars. It was as if the battle hadn't happened, yet his mind and soul were still weary. The kobold's body had already dissolved into the Tower's mana, leaving no trace of the creature that nearly killed him.
He waited.
For the next 33 days, Kale stayed at the site of his victory, recovering mentally and watching the skies, the forest, and the Tower's surroundings. As he anticipated, Ellie arrived at the end of the 33rd day, just as she had before in his previous life. Her face was radiant, her energy intact. She looked unharmed, almost as if she had breezed through her trials without a scratch.
But Kale knew better. He remembered everything from his previous life. He had played along, fallen for their lies before—Ellie, the village, the supposed "allies" they once trusted. They were all tied to the Demon King, hidden worshippers whose masks had eventually slipped.
For weeks, Kale played his part. He feigned ignorance, smiled when necessary, shared meals, and acted like the hero from his previous life. Ellie laughed and told stories, unaware of his true thoughts.
But Kale's new body was different. He could feel the power coursing beneath the surface, waiting to be unleashed. It wasn't just his own strength anymore—something deeper, darker, far more potent was growing within him.
As the days passed in the village, Kale could feel the tension growing within him. He had played along with their charade long enough. The weight of his past life was heavy on his mind—his death at their hands still vivid, and the treacherous dungeon where it had all happened awaited once more.
Kale knew he had to lure Ellie and the villagers back to that place, the dungeon where he had met his end in his previous life. It was the epicenter of their betrayal and the place where the Demon King's influence was strongest.
One evening, under the guise of exploring a new dungeon rumored to hold valuable relics, Kale suggested they venture into the very dungeon where he had died before. Ellie and the villagers, oblivious to his true intentions, agreed eagerly. They were all too confident that Kale was still under their influence, just as he had been before.
The journey was familiar to Kale, the winding paths, the dark, oppressive atmosphere of the dungeon. Each step they took down the narrow stone corridors stirred memories of his previous demise, and with each memory, his resolve hardened.
When they reached the heart of the dungeon, a large, open chamber with jagged stone pillars and glowing runes on the walls, Kale felt it—this was the place. The very spot where he had been betrayed.
Kale stood amidst the darkness of the dungeon, where his blood had once stained the cold stone in a previous life. The familiar sense of betrayal lingered in the air, heavy and suffocating. His hand gripped the hilt of his sword, Nandaki, but he made no move to unsheathe it. This time, he wouldn't rely on its destructive power or the insight granted by Sage's Eyes.
He couldn't.
His cursed talent, Greater Risk, Greater Reward (Ex1), had pushed him beyond his limits. The Tower, in its cruel balance, had disabled both of his strongest tools. Nandaki and Sage's Eyes were now dormant, and he was left to face his greatest challenge with nothing but his body, will, and determination.
At the far end of the chamber, the Demon King stood tall, dark energy swirling around him like a storm. Ellie and the villagers—no, the demons masquerading as villagers—watched from the shadows. Their eyes gleamed with anticipation, certain that Kale had walked into his doom.
"Do you even understand what you're up against?" Ellie hissed, her voice a mixture of venom and mockery. Her demonic transformation had twisted her features into something monstrous, far from the innocent girl Kale once knew.
"I understand enough," Kale replied coldly, his eyes narrowing as he looked past her, fixing on the Demon King.
Ellie smirked, her sharp teeth glinting in the dim light. "You're walking to your death, Kale."
"Not this time.", kale said.
Without warning, the Demon King moved. A wave of dark magic exploded from his hand, the sheer force of it sending the air howling. Kale's instincts screamed at him to dodge, to avoid the blast, but without Sage's Eyes, he couldn't predict the attack. The magic hit him like a tidal wave, throwing him back against the cold stone walls with bone-crushing force.
Kale coughed, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. Pain shot through his body, but he forced himself to stand, ignoring the screaming protest of his muscles. Every part of him hurt, but the fire of his resolve burned brighter.
The Demon King laughed, his voice a rumble of malevolent joy. "Pathetic. You think you can fight me without your powers? You're nothing."
Kale wiped the blood from his lips, his gaze hard as steel. "I'm more than enough."
The Demon King wasted no time. He raised his hand again, preparing to unleash another devastating attack. Dark energy swirled in his palm, crackling with malicious intent. But this time, Kale didn't wait. He dashed forward, pushing through the pain, his body moving with a speed born from pure desperation.
He wouldn't stop.
The Demon King released the magic, but Kale was already in motion. The blast grazed his shoulder, tearing through his armor and searing his skin, but he didn't flinch. He kept going, his legs pounding against the ground, his focus locked on one target: the Demon King's chest.
In an instant, Kale was upon him. With a roar of defiance, Kale drove his fist into the Demon King's sternum, the impact reverberating through his body. The Demon King's eyes widened in shock as he staggered back, momentarily thrown off balance.
Kale didn't let up. He followed with another punch, then another, his fists striking with brutal precision. His entire body ached, but he refused to stop. Each strike was fueled by years of pent-up rage, anger at his past failures, anger at the betrayal, and anger at the cursed talent that had taken everything from him.
The Demon King snarled, recovering from the initial shock. His clawed hand lashed out, catching Kale in the ribs. The blow sent Kale flying backward, crashing into the stone floor with a sickening thud. The wind was knocked out of him, and for a moment, everything went black.
"Is that all you have?" the Demon King growled, towering over him. His eyes blazed with dark fire, and his aura was suffocating. "You are nothing without your power!"
Kale lay there, his body broken and battered, gasping for breath. But even as pain wracked his body, his mind refused to give up. He had one chance—one final opportunity to end this.
Slowly, painfully, he pushed himself to his feet. His vision swam, his legs shook beneath him, but he stood. He would not die here again. Not to this monster.
"Power doesn't define me," Kale said through gritted teeth, his voice hoarse but filled with resolve. "I'm going to kill you… with my own hands."
The Demon King's laughter echoed through the chamber. "Then come, Kale! Face your end!"
Kale charged again, his body screaming in protest, but his will was unshakable. He dodged the next blast of dark energy, barely managing to avoid the deadly magic. The Demon King swung his massive claw, aiming for Kale's head, but Kale ducked low, twisting his body to evade the strike.
In the same motion, Kale surged upward, delivering a devastating punch to the Demon King's abdomen. The force of the blow sent a shockwave through the chamber, but the Demon King remained standing, though visibly shaken.
The Demon King roared in fury, raising his hand for one final, lethal strike. Dark energy crackled around him, more intense than before. Kale had no time to dodge, no time to react.
The Demon King's fist collided with Kale's chest, sending a shockwave of dark energy through his body. For a moment, everything went silent. The pain was overwhelming, the darkness suffocating. Kale felt his ribs crack, felt the cold rush of despair closing in around him. But in that instant, a flicker of resolve ignited within him.
With sheer will, he forced his body to respond. As the darkness threatened to consume him, he pushed through the pain, refusing to surrender to the overwhelming force of the Demon King.
Kale staggered back, gasping for breath, feeling the hot blood trickling down his chest from the wound. The world around him blurred, but he locked his gaze on the Demon King, who was momentarily stunned by the ferocity of Kale's spirit.
"You think this is over?" the Demon King snarled, raising his arm again, dark energy swirling around him in a final, desperate attempt to crush Kale.
In that moment, something snapped inside Kale—a deep, primal instinct ignited by the memories of betrayal and pain. He charged forward, summoning every ounce of strength he had left. The air crackled with tension as he barreled toward the Demon King, ignoring the darkness that threatened to envelop him.
Kale ducked beneath the Demon King's swinging arm, closing the distance. With a fierce roar, he drove his fist into the Demon King's side, using the last of his strength to land a devastating blow.
The impact was tremendous, shaking the very foundations of the dungeon. The Demon King faltered, his dark energy flickering. Kale seized the moment, raising his fist one last time.
"Enough of this!" he shouted, channeling every ounce of rage and pain into that single strike. He swung with everything he had left.
The fist connected with the Demon King's jaw, and the force of the blow sent him sprawling to the ground, dark energy dissipating in waves. The echoes of the impact reverberated through the chamber, and for the first time, the Demon King's expression shifted from arrogance to shock.
Kale stood over him, breathing heavily, bloodied but unbroken. The shadows that had once seemed impenetrable began to fade. The villagers—Ellie and the others—watched in disbelief, their expressions a mixture of horror and awe.
"You... can't defeat me," the Demon King rasped, trying to rise. But Kale pressed his boot down on the creature's chest, keeping him pinned.
"I just did."
With one final surge of determination, Kale unleashed a powerful strike to the Demon King's head, a final blow that crushed the last vestiges of dark energy. The cavern filled with a blinding light as the Demon King let out a final, anguished scream before collapsing into a lifeless heap.
Silence descended, thick and heavy. Kale staggered back, his heart racing, adrenaline coursing through his veins. He had won. The weight of his past life—the betrayal, the pain—began to lift as he breathed in the fresh air of victory.
But the fight was not over. He turned to face Ellie and the remaining demons, his heart pounding in his chest. They were all servants of the darkness, and he wouldn't let them escape unpunished.
"Your king is dead!" Kale shouted, voice ringing with authority. "You've betrayed me once. I will not allow you to do it again!"
Ellie's expression twisted into something sinister. "You think you can fight us all?"
"I don't think—I know," Kale replied, fists clenched at his sides, the adrenaline still surging through him.
With that, the remaining demons surged forward, the chaos erupting around him. Kale met them head-on, his fists flying, his body moving on instinct as he fought against the tide of darkness that had once sought to consume him.
He fought with the ferocity of a wounded animal, each blow echoing with years of pent-up rage. The villagers—no, the demons—came at him from all sides, but he was relentless, dodging and countering, his movements fluid and precise.
He could hear Ellie's taunts, her dark laughter, but he didn't focus on her. Instead, he fought with everything he had, pushing back against the tide of darkness.
As he fought, he felt the echoes of his past life mingling with the present. Each strike was a reminder of the betrayal he had endured, the friends he had lost. But he was no longer the same Kale; he was stronger, sharper, more determined than ever to eradicate the darkness that had plagued him.
The battle raged on, a whirlwind of chaos and fury, and with each fallen foe, Kale felt the weight of his past begin to lift. The dungeon that had once been his grave was now the site of his rebirth.
Finally, only Ellie remained, her form flickering with dark energy. She regarded him with a mix of fear and respect, and for the first time, she seemed uncertain.
Ellie, her eyes wide with desperation, stepped forward. "Kale, please! You don't have to do this!"
Kale's gaze hardened as he replied, "We were never friends, Ellie." The words hung heavy in the air, a stark reminder of the distance that had grown between them.
"But I can help you! We can work together!" Her voice trembled, a mix of urgency and fear.
Kale shook his head, stepping closer. "No. This is where it ends."
With that, he charged forward one last time. Ellie swung her claws, but Kale was faster. He ducked beneath her attack and, with a fluid motion, delivered a devastating uppercut that sent her sprawling.
"You were never a friend," he whispered, stepping closer as she struggled to rise. "And now, you'll pay for your betrayal."
As he stood over her, the shadows began to dissolve, and for the first time, Kale felt truly free. He had faced his past, embraced his power, and emerged victorious.
With one final, decisive strike, he ended the battle. As Ellie fell, the darkness surrounding the dungeon faded, leaving only silence in its wake. Kale stood there, breathless, bruised but unbroken, ready to face whatever came next.
He had not only survived—he had triumphed. And this time, he would ensure the darkness never returned.
[You have cleared the 3rd trial]
[Talent Greater Skill, Greater Reward. Activated]