The Monarch Who Levels Up by Devouring - M.L.U.B.D Chapter 11 (Part 1):

▶ Basic Training Ground

[You have cleared the Inferno difficulty.]

[Reward obtained: [Cold Blood] skill.]

[Reward obtained: [Training Wooden Dummy].]

“They called it ‘Inferno,’ but the rewards are just as fiery.”

My lips twitched on their own. With a satisfied expression, I checked the rewards.

[Cold Blood]
– Rank: ★★★
– Type: Passive
– Effect: Maintains composure in any situation.
Increases resistance to emotional disturbances and mental debuffs.
Remains calm under pressure.
– Mental resistance +20
– Skill focus time reduced by 15%.

I never expected to get the [Cold Blood] skill from the tutorial.

[Cold Blood] was the superior version of [Patience], a skill obtainable in the Basic Training Ground.

‘How crucial is it to stay calm in battle?’

Impatience.
Excitement.
Fear.
Anxiety.

Human emotions could sometimes synergize in combat, but more often than not, they became liabilities.

With [Cold Blood], I wouldn’t be swayed by emotions anymore!

Not only that—it even came with the rare Mental Resistance stat.

The higher you climbed the Tower, the more valuable Mental Resistance became.

Physical attacks could be blocked by any means, but mental intrusions? There was no running from those.

This was an investment for the future, not just the present.

‘Originally, you’d only get this skill above the 30th floor.’

I let out a chuckle.

Even in my past life, when most of the Tower’s hidden elements had been uncovered, there had been no information about the Inferno Difficulty.

This was another positive change brought about by my regression.

If [Cold Blood] was the reward, then the suffering was worth it.

My heart pounded.

[Your emotions are fluctuating intensely.]
[[Cold Blood] has activated. Composure has been maintained.]

The excitement that had made my heart race settled back into its normal rhythm.

“…….”

Damn it, I forgot.

[Cold Blood] worked the same way in daily life.

Any emotion—joy, anger, sorrow, pleasure—if it rose beyond a certain threshold, [Cold Blood] would kick in.

Guess I won’t be falling in love anytime soon.

With a bitter smile, I checked the second reward.

[Training Wooden Dummy]
– Grade: Unique
– Type: Miscellaneous
– Durability: 100/100
– A wooden dummy found in the Basic Training Grounds.
– Effect: When activated, it replicates one of the player’s stats and skills. The dummy recognizes the user as an enemy. Defeating it increases the proficiency of the copied skill.
– Understanding: 0%
– Reusable every 12 hours.

A small dummy, small enough to hold in one hand.

I blinked rapidly as I stared at it, rubbing my eyes with the back of my hand just to make sure I wasn’t seeing things.

But no matter what I did, the item description didn’t change.

“Crazy.”

The real reward of the [Inferno difficulty] was something else entirely.

And don’t get me wrong, [Cold Blood] was amazing, but this item was on another level.

At least, for me, it was.

‘I can summon this dummy anytime?’

As a test, I pressed the button on the back of the dummy’s neck.

[Activating the Training Wooden Dummy.]

*Whoosh!*

The dummy grew to human size.

A slimy substance enveloped its head before morphing into my face.

“Pleasure to meet you.”

The moment the wooden dummy emitted killing intent, I decapitated it without hesitation.

I grabbed its fallen head.

[Devour has been activated.]
[You have already collected 100% of this target’s essence.]
[The target is not a living creature. Devour cannot restore health or mana.]

Same reaction as all the other wooden dummies I’d destroyed before.

“This is huge.”

A dummy that replicates one of a player’s skills.

With luck, I might even obtain the essence of an incomplete Primordial Species.

For an average player, this would only be useful for skill training—but for me?

This was more valuable than any other reward.

After collecting the training rewards, I pushed open the closed door.

Pale moonlight seeped through the gap.

I hadn’t realized how much time had passed while undergoing the training ground’s trials.

“It’s already night?”

The sky was clear, without a single cloud.

The silvery moonlight faintly illuminated **Rainbow Island**.

I looked up.

The moon was about four-fifths full, counting from the right side.

In a day or two, I’d see a perfect full moon, glowing without a trace of shadow.

Perfect.

A faint smile touched my lips.

A hidden space discovered by Explorer Laurent.

To obtain the hidden piece of the so-called “Moonlit Cave,” I needed to prepare in advance.

One day should be enough.

I glanced at the sky once more, then started walking.

Before heading to Mount Emirates, there was somewhere else I needed to go first.

‘If I go to the lakeside, I’ll be able to meet *that guy*.’

I quickened my pace.

***

Dangun

I'm currently Translating the following novels: "Labyrinth Exploration 101" & "The Monarch Who Levels Up by Devouring " If you want to support me and read more chapters please subscribe to my Patreon!

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