Rise Of The Hoarder

Grades—the very means by which one could measure the power of a Demon.

Levels of Demons are proportional to their race and Grades, so it isn’t impossible to see a Level 100 Grade 1 monster lose to a Level 10 Grade 2. Grades essentially separate what is possible and impossible for a Gifted in battle.

This was how I could explain things simply.

All monsters I had encountered so far belonged to the Grade 1 category. They were all Lesser Demons with low sets of Stats. They had numbers, sure, but their quality was something that could be overcome.

However, there was an exception to the Demons I had fought and killed… the Boss of the first and only Gate I successfully closed—The Hell Kobold King.

It was a Grade 2 Demon!

Usually, that would have signaled the end of my life at that moment. Fortunately, that Demon was affected by the Status Ailment of Hunger that caused its Stats to reduce to such pathetic figures.

‘I always thought it was too weak to be a Grade 2…’

Even with its <Hunger> Status Condition, his base Stats must have suffered some severe reduction from being in a hungry state for so long.

In essence, the total amount of Stats I saw with it was definitely not what it would have been if the Demon was in perfect health. If I had faced a proper Grade 2 back then, death was guaranteed several times over._.

‘Whew! I should consider myself lucky…”

I barely scraped by then, even with a far inferior Grade 2, and now I could see the vast difference between that and this monster standing a distance from me.

Separated by what I could only describe to be an immeasurable sea of dirt and rock—along with trampled plants—stood the beast that was on the same level as the Boss of the Hell Kobolds. However, unlike last time, this one wasn’t affected by the Status Condition of <Hunger>.

But…

“It’s not the Boss, uh?”

My voice was low and sullen, but not lacking the resolve to do what was needed.

Even though this monster was leagues above the small fry I had dealt with for so long, I could discern that this wasn’t quite on the Level of a Boss—due to several reasons, of course.

‘There’s no Gate…’

It was trite, no, an absolute law—for a Boss to guard the Gate where its kin would spawn from. For this massive hunk of meat to stand by its lonesome, it was guaranteed that it wasn’t the Boss of the herd of Hobs I had faced already.

From the corner of my eye, I spotted another gate behind the monster. The Demon firmly stood a couple of meters from it, as though it was its guardian. My instincts told me that the final Boss dwelled beyond that border and all I had to do was beat the foe who served as the guard.

“A monster that commands both Grade 1 and Grade 2 Demons… I wonder how strong it’ll be…” My thoughts leaked out and I grinned happily.

There was one final reason why I didn’t believe that the Demon I was to face wasn’t the Boss, even though it possessed the qualifications to be one—in terms of strength, that is.

‘It’s not strong enough!’

I could certainly feel its power from my location, but it wasn’t the kind of overwhelming and overpowering sensation I expected a Boss to possess.

If this was actually the final opponent I would face after going through so much, then it would be very underwhelming—too disappointing!

I sought a better challenge, but I wasn’t about to underestimate the one I currently faced and look down on it.

No matter the level of power it possessed, prey was prey. As the predator, I could only act in my capacity and finish what I started—my hunt!

Feeling eagerness well up within me, I grinned with anticipation and began moving my body toward the monster who was also making conspicuous movements.

It growled, albeit in a low, intelligent tone. Unlike the other savage beasts, I could tell that this one was on another level in terms of intelligence.

‘That’s a Grade 2 for you…’

As I closed the distance between the two of us, I saw the Demon take a battle stance. It didn’t take a single step away from where it was, indicating the intention to continue guarding its post.

“So you don’t intend on leaving, eh? Perfect!”

This would prove a great opportunity to properly prepare for the enemy, so I had no qualms with its decision.

Exhaling deeply, I felt the newfound strength surging within me. After killing an estimate of thirty thousand Demons, I was certainly not the same as before.

EXP and Levels had flowed through me like an endless river back then, and the more steps I took, the more I felt the degree of change that had taken place within my body. It wasn’t arrogance or conceit, no, it was… absolute recognition.

I took more steps and I had gotten to a considerable distance between myself and the beast—enough to see its Status Window. A grin formed on my moist lips as I took in the information with rabid sensations.

[System Alert]

<Danger!> <Danger!>

[System Information]

– Name: Hobgoblin Chief

– Level: 100

– Race: Demon (Lesser) – Grade: 2

– Age: 200 Days

[Stats]

– HP: 30,000

– MP: 5,000

– Strenght: 17,000

– Agility: 8,000

– Vitality: 15,000

– Intelligence: 1,500

[End Of Information]

“What a beast!” I found myself exclaiming, though still maintaining my amused expression.

Its Stats were higher than I had anticipated. Imagining the Hell Kobold King I fight in the past having such outrageous numbers caused me to slightly shiver. Still, this much was within expectations. I didn’t expect a walk in the park when the System specifically allotted two warnings to me as I approached the Demon.

My Level was currently at 281, a huge jump from the previous 243. At my current pace, it wouldn’t be impossible for me to reach Level 300 by the end of the Subjugation.

That thought alone gave me all the vigor I needed!

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