It had been twenty years since I became aware of my past life.
I was training at the peak of a mountain.
Why train here, you ask?
[You have reincarnated into "Heroes, Become That Lofty Star."]
What the hell is that, you otaku?
I had no idea if it was a game or a novel, but it seemed I had entered a world crawling with these so-called heroes.
Normally, I might have applauded them for their world-saving struggles like some trained seal.
But with these fancy horns sprouting from my head, I had no choice but to train like a madman if I didn't want to get butchered by a hero.
Fortunately, I'd enjoyed working out in my previous life, so I knew how to build muscle. And I'd discovered some mysterious power dwelling in this body of mine.
Woooom!!!
I focused my strength into my fist, and a blue aura gathered around it. I threw a punch into the empty air, and the rock in front of me shattered into pieces.
"Will this be enough to stand against a hero? Or..."
I could just keep training in seclusion forever, but there was one reason I felt so anxious.
[ Time until Dungeon Transfer: 135 days ]
That damn message window was threatening to hurl me into some bizarre place.
If it weren't for that, I'd hole up here until my training was complete, damn it!
So, combining knowledge from my past life and this one, I trained right up to the final day.
And I succeeded in perfecting techniques I'd seen in wuxia novels.
Piiiing!!!
"It worked!!! Finally, it fucking worked!!!"
Seeing the star descend onto my fist, I flipped three aerial somersaults in excitement.
As expected, people—no, demons—only unleash their true power when desperation strikes.
With the technique complete, I checked the message window. Only ten minutes left before being dragged into the dungeon. I headed to the grave of the one who had raised me.
"Old man, I'm off."
This tomb belonged to the benefactor who had raised me, an orphan since birth.
He'd lived atop this mountain and knew little of the modern world.
But he had taught me how a demon should live—my true master and father.
[ Time until Dungeon Transfer: 30 seconds ]
Only thirty seconds remained. I had no idea what fate awaited the results of my training.
But I, Balak, born a demon of the battle-hardened race and heir to my departed father's wish—to fight and die without regret, like a true man!
So I left my frail, fragile heart at my father's grave. Only the warrior Balak would enter that dungeon!
With that ironclad vow to myself, a strange energy gathered around me, and I felt my body being pulled somewhere.
"Ahh... So it begins? My life of strife..."
But why was this pulling force so weak?
The transfer speed felt ridiculously slow, too...
Still, it seemed I was definitely en route to the dungeon, so I'd just wait it out.
*******
After an excruciatingly boring wait, I finally arrived in some space.
It didn't feel like a dungeon at all—the surroundings were too empty. Where the hell was I?
That question lingered only briefly.
It wasn't as if they expected me to fight heroes barehanded. In the center of the barren room sat armor and weapons.
"Fits me like a glove?"
This magnificent armor fit my massive frame perfectly, which was odd. It must be the last courtesy from whatever force had dragged me here.
But if they were willing to toss me gear like this—which even I could tell was top-tier—why not just...
No, Balak! Get a grip!
You're a warrior! One who craves the ultimate battle and an honorable death!
Chuck those gay thoughts out right now!!
"Hoo... Almost forgot the vow I made before entering. Demon Balak, you're truly my best partner."
Chastised by my inner Demon Balak, I came to my senses and grunted as I donned the full armor alone.
Moving around a bit, the armor looked cumbersome at first glance, but some magic made it incredibly comfortable.
Yes! Heroes would come geared to the teeth, so this was the minimum to compete!
Now somewhat accustomed to the armor, I was about to check the weapons scattered on the ground.
Kwaaang!!
The wall behind me crumbled, and someone appeared.
"This is... the boss room!"
"Awesome! The boss is still here, so we're the first!"
"Good call researching the records of past heroes!"
Those well-equipped bastards must be the heroes.
But chattering away with the enemy right in front of them...
"Raaah!!!!"
With my lion's roar, stars descended upon both gauntlets.
"No chit-chat! Serious Punch!!"
Kwaaaaaang!!!!
"""Eh...?"""
In battle, the one who strikes first wins!
Even if this didn't fully land, it would retire some foes. This ambush was highly effective!!
But they weren't reacting at all...?
Then they just die.
Those exposed to the star-infused punch...
Were soon torn to shreds like ground meat... or not?!
In front of the shattered wall, there was no blood or flesh—just blue dust scattering in the air.
Which meant...
"Ahh~ It's a tutorial~"
Why the hell did I think I'd fight real heroes right after entering the dungeon?!
Those guys were just virtual enemies designed to help me adapt!
Their level? Probably like village vigilantes, not heroes.
That realization lasted a moment. Noises came from behind the broken wall again.
"Heh heh heh... I'll end this trial in no time."
The truth was, skipping a boring tutorial you already knew was the way to go!
To test my mobility in the armor, I leaped through the broken wall toward the source of the presences.
The enemies that appeared were deleted instantly with Serious Punches!!
Kwaaaang!!!
"Le-Lena!!"
"What the hell is thaaat!!!"
"Kraaaah!!"
I rampaged through the dungeon like that.
Once no unusual presences remained nearby, I released the star from my gauntlet.
"Mission complete!"
Ahh... Was this the thrill of cleaning house?
Seeing the dungeon spotless, without a single rat left, filled me with pride.
Tutorial over, I returned to my starting point, but... huh? Nothing changed?
No way, does that mean!
"Ahh~ Now I gotta clear stage one~"
Why did I think I'd fight heroes right after the tutorial?!
Unless the bastard who dragged me here had zero conscience, they'd ramp up the virtual enemies stage by stage.
And at the end!
'Ahh... This was the greatest battle of my life... cough! Hero who bested me, what is your name?'
'...○○○.'
'○○○... You... cough! Are truly the strongest... hero...'
'Balak... You were the greatest rival of my life.'
That moment of strange camaraderie between mortal enemies.
Kyaa! The ideal end for a warrior!!
For a battle-loving demon, such a death was the ultimate reward!
To savor a satisfying fight with the strongest hero who appears before me, I must grow even stronger.
Some time left before stage one ramps up—no time for slacking!
Training!! Nothing but training!!
*******
The darkest dungeon to reopen in this world, by decree of the Heavenly God in the lofty skies.
The Abyssal Pit.
In ancient myth, this dungeon had opened only in the age of legends.
A supreme place slumbering with countless challenges, adventures, and treasures.
Legends even spoke of ascending to godhood for the first to clear its 100th floor.
And so, the heroes of this world set forth into the abyss for their dreams and trials.
Thus, the city of Ritter around the Abyssal Pit should have buzzed like a festival with endless heroes and tourists.
But now, it felt like a funeral was underway.
The reason? Countless heroes entered the dungeon and died instantly.
Fortunately, dying in the dungeon meant automatic resurrection at the nearest church by divine grace...
"Lena!! Where's Lena!!"
"Ugh... Stop shoving!"
"I'm getting crushed!!"
But there were limits. With so many resurrecting, the citizens grew terrified of the nearby dungeon.
That chaos didn't last. Heroes renowned across the world gathered for a meeting.
"""..."""
Shocked speechless by their instant deaths, the meeting room drowned in silence.
Eventually, someone broke the quiet.
It was the hero Remis.
"That huge bastard—what the hell was it? Anyone know?"
"""..."""
"If no one's talking, why not just leave?"
"Yeah... You're right."
"Haa..."
Thanks to Remis's timely icebreaker, mouths began to open one by one.
"Didn't even see its shape before dying in a blink."
"Me neither... Anyone actually fight it?"
"We all got sent to church at once, so probably not."
"Should check past heroes' records..."
"But some already rushed back in..."
These were heroes who'd achieved great feats worldwide.
But facing such a brutal foe from the start left them crestfallen.
Afterward, the meeting yielded two conclusions.
"The first floor's this bad—how insane are the later ones?"
"Probably way tougher."
"See? Not just anyone becomes a hero."
First: Floors after Balak's would be even harder.
"Everyone! Check this out!"
"The boss can move to other floors? So that means..."
"No way—that thing was near the 100th floor?!"
Second: The boss from near the 100th floor had come to the first.
Reaching these two despairing conclusions, the heroes plunged into deep thought.
If they were mere mortals, they'd have given up.
But heroes were different.
What was a hero?
Beings who challenged the impossible!
"This is a trial. A trial from the Heavenly God above—I accept it as such."
"If we conquer the sensation of death, we can revive endlessly. And it ends in one painless hit, so we can keep challenging."
"Right, and that boss will return to its post eventually."
"Is the Heavenly God testing our persistence against this wall? Pfft... Underestimates us."
"Humanity's greatness lies in facing fear head-on. Therefore!"
Soon, they reached the bizarre conclusion to keep headbutting the wall.
As a result, heroes poured endlessly into the darkest dungeon, the Abyssal Pit.
READ 200 plus chapters AT novelsHub.org