Today, Govart is quiet… by monster standards.
After two surprising victories in the arena, the official announcement from the skeletal announcer echoed:
> [The tournament will pause for one day to prepare for the next round.]
I, a smelly round egg disguised as a golem, stood at the edge of the now-empty arena. The children wiggled slightly beneath their disguises. We were all… tired. But one day of rest meant one thing:
A chance to learn.
I returned to the small patch of land I'd bought yesterday. Not too big, but cozy enough for a bunch of eggs and one fake golem with a sharp smell. After making sure the children were safe, I rolled off toward Govart's market district.
That market… was unique. There were stalls selling used monster heads. There was a noodle shop run by a literal spider with a thousand legs. And at the far left corner…
> [Bookstore: "Smelly Scrolls & Ancient Stink Wisdom"]
The owner? An old skeleton draped in a cloak that reeked of rotten frangipani. His eyes were hollow, but the moment I entered, he turned.
"Looking for knowledge or looking to die?" he asked calmly.
"If possible... both," I replied.
He nodded—either in agreement or because his neck joints were loose.
I rolled along the shelves: picture books, aromatic scrolls, and even stones that could only be read through touch. After nearly an hour of browsing, I picked out a few titles:
- "Spatial Storage Techniques for Non-Mages"
- "Shaping Elemental Energy into Physical Form: From Mist to Shield"
- "Aroma Manifestation: First Steps in Summoning Weapons from Scent"
And the most eye-catching of all…
> "Stench Titan: A Shadow Body Forged From World-Smothering Odor"
Its cover showed a massive black figure with faint red eyes and a silhouette that resembled an egg forming giant arms from stinky smoke.
I bought them all.
Back at our resting spot, the kids greeted me with enthusiasm… and mild trauma. Cimut tried to read while doing a headstand. Hitam immediately rejected the books with a, "Too much theory, Dad!"
But I read. Focused. Absorbing.
"Stench Titan," that mysterious book, explained how to use stench as a magic catalyst, gathering energy from foul odors and forming a giant body that could defend and attack.
For now, I could only manage the first stage:
> Titan Stench: Empty Hands – Manifest foul energy into two large arms, useful for striking, blocking, or grabbing things from afar.
But this was only the beginning.
One day, I was sure I could form its full body—complete with sword, bow, and shield as described on the final page. But of course, that would take time… and more stink.
Night fell. Under the dark sky of Govart, I opened my shell slightly, releasing a faint foul mist, and trained silently.
If tomorrow I had to face stronger opponents, I wanted them to know just one thing:
> This stench… is not just a stench. It's a weapon.