Chapter 129: Like a Fish in Water

Episode 129

Dantalian began explaining how to defeat the giant Golem.

[At your current level, you should be able to sense the concentrated dark energy within that Golem’s body. Can you feel it?]

‘…Yes.’

Dark energy was spread throughout the giant Golem’s body.

Even just being near the Golem, he could feel the intense dark energy. It was definitely concentrated in large quantities.

[That dark energy is the source that sustains the Golem’s life. If all that dark energy disappears, the Golem will die.

So let me ask you this. What would happen if the dark energy in one part of the Golem’s body completely disappeared?]

‘…It would become just ordinary rock. Ah!’

[Do you understand now?]

Dantalian asked Kim Jinsung, who had exclaimed in realization.

But Kim Jinsung was too busy thinking to hear him.

‘If I cut off the part where the dark energy is gone, I can sever its limbs.’

Then the problem was how to eliminate the Golem’s dark energy.

Kim Jinsung quickly arrived at the answer.

‘I can detonate the dark energy. Just like I did with the mini Golems earlier.’

He remembered how he had effortlessly killed all the mini Golems earlier using the ‘Mana Controller’ trait without lifting a finger.

However, the ‘Dark Energy Detonation’ ability he used then only worked on beings much weaker than him.

It wouldn’t work on beings of similar or higher level, like the giant Golem before him.

This was the same reason why Seol Daun couldn’t detonate any of Kim Jinsung’s body parts during the second preliminary round.

‘…Then, should I try detonating it by directly contacting its body?’

Kim Jinsung recalled the third preliminary round match against Shin Woong.

At that time, Shin Woong used ‘Internal Injury Technique’ to directly inflict damage on Kim Jinsung, who was using the ‘Indestructible Body’ skill.

‘What if I place my palm directly on the Golem’s body and use Dark Energy Detonation?’

…Kim Jinsung reached that thought.

[Kukuku, as expected, you learn the application method on your own with just one hint!]

Kim Jinsung made up his mind and immediately moved.

He dodged the Golem’s incoming fist by running towards it.

**Bang!**

The Golem’s fist, missing Kim Jinsung, who had dashed forward, slammed into the ground behind him with a loud boom.

He quickly reached the Golem’s left ankle and placed his palm on it.

He then used the ‘Dark Energy Detonation’ ability on the dark energy concentrated within the Golem’s body.

He could clearly feel the dark energy within the Golem flinch and stir through his palm.

But that was all. It didn’t explode.

‘Damn it…! Ugh!’

He didn’t have time to be disappointed before he had to jump back to avoid the Golem’s attack with its other foot.

Kim Jinsung racked his brain again as he watched the giant foot slam deep into the ground with a thud.

‘I definitely felt the dark energy move…’

Another thought crossed his mind.

‘What if I manipulate the dark energy in a state of resonance?’

With that thought, Kim Jinsung instantly dashed towards the Golem’s right ankle and placed his palm on it.

He then attempted to resonate with the dark energy within his body.

The moment the dark energy emanating from his palm synchronized with the dark energy within the Golem’s body,

‘Now!’

Kim Jinsung attempted ‘Dark Energy Detonation’.

**Boom!**

With the sound of shattering rock, the Golem’s right ankle completely exploded into pieces.

Rock fragments scattered in all directions, and the giant Golem, momentarily losing its balance, staggered.

‘Success!’

This time, the Golem’s ankle didn’t reattach even after a long time.

His strategy had worked perfectly.

‘Now that I know the method, it’s easy!’

Kim Jinsung dodged another fist from the Golem and placed his palm on its left ankle, where he had failed earlier.

He attempted ‘Dark Energy Detonation’ in the same way, and

**Boom!**

The ankle shattered with another explosion of rock.

The giant Golem, having lost both ankles, completely lost its balance and collapsed forward.

The rest was a piece of cake.

He detonated both shoulders in the same way, severing them, then leisurely climbed onto the back of the Golem, which was now just a head and torso.

‘Now, for the finishing blow.’

Kim Jinsung placed his palm on the Golem’s back and patiently waited until all the dark energy within its body resonated with him.

It took a while this time, but it didn’t matter. The giant Golem, with its limbs severed, had no means of fighting back.

After a while,

**Boom!**

The giant Golem’s head and torso completely shattered and flew in all directions.

A notification appeared before Kim Jinsung’s eyes.

—

▶ You have defeated a monster.

▶ Acquired 300 Beast Karma points.

▶ You have acquired the opponent’s comprehensive trait ‘Colossus of Rock’.

▷ Colossus of Rock: Grants the following traits:

– Body regeneration speed doubled.

– Permanently increases all stats by 100.

—

Kim Jinsung cleared the notification and looked around at the surroundings, which had turned into a gravel field due to the shattered rocks, thinking,

‘With this attack, I can definitely handle those muscleheads from Nature Animal.’

He thought this method of directly inflicting internal damage would be very effective against those guys who had only enhanced their external abilities like muscles and skin with drugs.

‘I should practice this a lot here before that.’

He might be attacked by the Nature Animal guys again as soon as he left this dungeon.

Therefore, it was better to master his new ‘Internal Injury Technique’ here before leaving.

Kim Jinsung then turned and walked towards where Karen had collapsed.

As he approached,

“…Ugh.”

He could hear Karen’s faint groans.

At the same time, Dantalian’s surprised voice was heard in his mind.

[He’s really alive? Most middle world beings die when they hit their heads like that, especially with their mana sealed.]

‘There are always exceptions.’

Kim Jinsung used his Clone skill to transform into Forghinae.

He then sprinkled sleeping powder and returned to his original form.

The sleeping powder fell on Karen, who was struggling to open his eyes, and he fell into a deep sleep.

—

▶ You have used the ‘Organism Transformation’ skill.

▶ Transformed into ‘Rock Golem’.

▷ Stat Change: Defense increased by 70.

▶ You have used the ‘Clone’ skill.

—

Notifications appeared before Kim Jinsung’s eyes, and a Rock Golem was summoned nearby.

The Rock Golem immediately picked up the sleeping Karen and carried him on its back.

“Now, with no witnesses, let’s use dark energy to our heart’s content.”

Kim Jinsung entered the forest to the northwest with a relieved expression.

The Rock Golem carrying Karen followed him.

* * *

From then on, Kim Jinsung began to defeat every Golem he encountered with his newly learned ‘Internal Injury Technique’.

He could easily handle all of them, from mini Golems to giant Golems, in the same way.

After killing nearly a hundred Golems, he had completely mastered the ‘Internal Injury Technique’.

All that remained was the dungeon’s boss monster.

**Rumble…!**

The ground shook violently once again, and parts of the terrain began to collapse.

The giant, ocher-colored boss Golem before him had used its earthquake ability again.

But Kim Jinsung flew into the air, effortlessly dodging the attack, and began flying towards the boss Golem.

The boss Golem hurled massive rocks at him.

Lava erupted from the cracked ground, and pebbles and rock fragments on the ground suddenly flew towards Kim Jinsung like bullets at incredible speed.

But Kim Jinsung effortlessly dodged or blocked all the attacks with his dark energy shield, continuing to fly towards the boss Golem without stopping.

Reaching the Golem, he immediately placed his palm on its left shoulder.

**Boom!**

The Golem’s shoulder shattered with a loud boom.

The boss Golem, its limbs destroyed by Kim Jinsung’s continuous attacks,

Kim Jinsung looked down at its torso, which was writhing on the ground.

‘It’s definitely much easier to fight when I can freely use dark energy.’

Kim Jinsung looked around.

His surroundings were overflowing with black waves due to ‘Space Dominated by Dark Energy’.

Within this space, Kim Jinsung was like a fish in water, flying around and fighting the boss Golem, easily overwhelming it.

He then placed his palm on the boss Golem’s torso for the finishing blow.

After a while, the boss Golem’s entire body shattered.

A notification appeared before Kim Jinsung’s eyes.

—

▶ You have defeated a monster.

▶ Acquired 500 Beast Karma points.

▶ You have acquired the opponent’s comprehensive trait ‘Immovable as a Mountain’.

▷ Immovable as a Mountain: Grants the following traits:

– Body regeneration speed doubled.

– Permanently increases Skin Defense by 200 and all other stats by 150.

– Can convert mana into earth properties.

—

‘…Not bad.’

Kim Jinsung smiled with satisfaction after reading the notification.

He then cleared the notification and deactivated ‘Space Dominated by Dark Energy’.

The black waves instantly retracted into his body.

‘I need to use dark energy after all. It was so frustrating not being able to use it because I was being cautious.’

[If it’s that frustrating, is there a need to keep that bothersome guide around?]

Kim Jinsung’s gaze naturally shifted to the clone Golem in the distance, specifically to Karen, who was being carried on its back.

‘…No.’

He looked at Karen for a moment, then shook his head.

‘I don’t have enough information about the New Continent yet.’

He didn’t even know about basic things like mercenary guilds and quest boards, which were essential for earning money.

Karen was still useful to him.

‘I’ll be going then. Thanks again today.’

Kim Jinsung said goodbye to Dantalian and walked towards the exit portal that had appeared.

[Wait. What if…]

Dantalian stopped him.

Kim Jinsung asked back, just in case,

‘Why? Are you going to tell me to make a contract again?’

[Not that… But since you mentioned it, are you still not interested in making a contract?]

‘No.’

[Ugh…! Damn brat…]

Dantalian groaned, then continued,

[Fine, go ahead. And come back sooner next time!]

‘Don’t worry. I’ll have to visit often now to earn money.’

[Come back tomorrow! I still have a mountain of things to teach you!]

‘We’ll see.’

With those words, Kim Jinsung and Karen disappeared into the exit portal.

The portal then vanished, leaving the empty dungeon silent.

* * *

In a pitch-black space,

an old man sitting on a worn throne was staring intently at the ‘Mirror of Dimensions’ floating before him.

The mirror showed Kim Jinsung disappearing into the exit portal.

As Kim Jinsung completely vanished, the old man muttered to himself,

“…He seemed to be absorbing the dark energy of the monsters he killed.”

He then shook his head.

“I must have been mistaken. It’s impossible for a middle world being to do that.”

He waved his hand lightly, and the Mirror of Dimensions disappeared without a trace.

—