[Knight ‘Xiao’ is requesting your permission to advance his grade.]
[Will you permit the advancement?]
‘Permission to advance?’
Surprised by the never-before-seen message, Jongryeo quickly confirmed Xiao’s information to make sure.
[Xiao Lv. Max]
Knight grade.
It’s now possible to advance the grade after the level requirement has been met. Will advance to the next grade when the sovereign gives his permission.
‘Xiao’s level…..??’
The level that previously hovered around the 30 mark had changed to ‘Max’ before he had noticed it. It must’ve been the case that, once the Illuminated Soldier’s level cap had been met, he’d be given an opportunity to advance them to the next grade.
‘Is the requirement level for advancement somewhere between the late thirties and early forties?’
When taking into account the potential level-ups happening during a single battle, he suspected that the required level had to be around there somewhere.
Considering that the average level of the Illuminated Soldiers was still around the early twenties, it sure as heck felt like a cumbersome requirement.
‘Besides all that, it also needs my consent, too.’
That must’ve been the reason why Jongryeo thought there were hints of unknown but earnest yearning in Xiao’s eyes as he ran over here.
‘……’
Xiao didn’t raise his lowered head at all.
Jongryeo could even sense a nervous determination emanating from Xiao as he waited for his lord’s decision without budging an inch from his kneeling position.
Jongryeo was even tempted to pat the dude on the shoulder and praise him for the job well done.
‘This guy….’
Jongryeo’s gaze shifted back to the System message.
[Will you permit the advancement?]
The message was blinking slowly as if to urge him for an answer.
Xiao was one of the very first to become his Illuminated Soldiers, not to mention one who fought the hardest until now, as well. Was there a reason not to allow the grade advancement here?
Without a shred of hesitation, Jongryeo replied to the message.
“I allow it.”
[Please designate the command phrase.]
‘I need a command phrase for something like this, too?’
Jongryeo frowned briefly, but changed his mind just as quick.
Quite a few became Illuminated Soldiers at the same time. For today, it was only Xiao, but if more than a few soldiers requested him for the advancement permission at the same time in the near future, then it might become rather tedious and time-consuming to answer their call one by one.
Especially so, if it happened during the middle of a fight.
The command phrase would prove to be useful on those occasions, that’s for sure. After a short deliberation, Jongryeo spoke up.
“Permitted.”
He went with the ‘Simple is best’ mantra.
As soon as the command phrase was set, changes rapidly took place. It began from beneath Xiao’s feet.
Jongryeo observed in great interest the unfolding process of the advancement.
A golden smoke and spun around him quite ferociously, before getting absorbed by him. It was as if Xiao was absorbing the golden smoke voluntarily
Xiao emerged from the dissipating golden dust while emitting a far greater aura than ever before.
The System message informed Jongryeo of the results.
[The current grade of Knight ‘Xiao’ has advanced from ‘Knight grade’ to ‘Elite Knight grade’.]
Jongryeo did his best to calm his trembling heart and rechecked Xiao’s information window.
[Xiao Lv.1]
Elite Knight grade
Jongryeo smile softly.
‘It wasn’t just me who can get stronger.’
Jongryeo’s gaze swept over each of his soldiers.
‘All these guys are growing stronger alongside me, too.’
_______________
“100th floor.”
By the time he blinked, the surroundings had already changed. Jongryeo surveyed his new surroundings.
‘There are no flames here?’
The horrifying flames that seemingly burned for all eternity on the lower floors were all gone, and he could only see the burnt-out remains. He raised head and spotted snowflakes falling from the sky.
‘….Snow?’
The colour seemed a little off for real snowflakes, so he extended his hand out. The flakes falling on his hand didn’t melt down, weirdly enough. When he took a closer look, he realised that it was actually ash.
Ash was falling from the sky like snow.
It was then.
He heard the familiar mechanical beep. Jongryeo’s sharpened glare was directed to the distant skies above.
‘So, it’s above me….’
Soon, the System alerted him to the entrance of the enemy via its trusty messages.
[The Overlord of Geovishaps Azhdaha has discovered the intruder!]
A black dot that wandered in the sky….
That black dot gradually got closer to the ground, before settling down on a spot pretty far away. It was a winged lizard-like creature.
After successfully landing on the ground, the lizard flapped its large wings and screeched out aloud.
Just above the head of the lizard, Jongryeo saw a face of a demon, with a certain blue aura oozing out from it. A male creature kitted out in a flashy set of armour that only royalty might wear, while riding on the back of the large winged lizard….
The four words could clearly be seen above the male demon’s head.
[Overlord of Geovishaps, Azhdaha]
This boss was emitting an extraordinary aura.
Cold sweat formed on Jongryeo’s forehead. As befitting the boss protecting the top floor of a dungeon this massive, the creature was full of magnificent splendour.
Jongryeo’s gaze shifted to the side of the boss, however.
‘Mm?’
The lizard this boss was riding on also possessed a name of its own.
[The Sky Dragon, Stormterror]
‘….Sky Dragon?’
Judging from its name and its appearance, it didn’t look like a demon at all.
‘Wait a minute…. If it’s not a demon, then could I….?’
Even if he worked his butt off to kill demons, he couldn’t transmute their Mana. So, he had already given up on acquiring a useful soldier in this place. But, what if it was a non-demon monster that could also fly?
‘…….I want it.’
If he could transmute its mana, then definitely he would.
This would be the first time he ran into a monster he so dearly wanted to turn into his army since encountering the leader of the White Phantoms, Baruka. Jongryeo swallowed his dry saliva.
It was then, Azhdaha raised its hand towards the sky.
[The Overlord of Geovishaps Azhdaha has activated ‘Skill: The Army of Hell’.]
‘….The Army of Hell??’
Several warning bells rang one after the other in Jongryeo’s ears.
[Demon Soldiers have been summoned!]
[Demon Knights have been summoned!]
[Demon Generals have been summoned!]
Along with the messages filling up his view, an army entirely consisting of demons appeared around the Overlord. Even at a casual glance, there must’ve been over a thousand of them.
‘So, this must be the beginning.’
Jongryeo also released all of his hidden magic energy.
When Azhdaha arrogantly lowered the hand pointing at the sky in the direction of Jongryeo, the demonic army rushed at him like a black tide.
Rumble-!!
The ground vibrated from the forceful march of the demons.
Jongryeo stared at Azhdaha’s army as the corner of his lips arched up.
‘I also have soldiers too, you know.’
Jongryeo opened his mouth.
“My soldiers….”
In the blink of an eye, golden light spread out to all the surrounding areas. He had activated the skill, ‘Monarch’s Domain’.
When Azhdaha’s army set foot within the illuminated land, Jongryeo finally summoned his soldiers.
“….come forth.”
His soldiers stood up all at once to answer his call.
‘….!!!’
Jongryeo could acutely feel the confusion and panic among the enemies’ ranks.
Immediately seizing upon this opening, the two ‘physical’ type Knight grade soldiers, Bosacius and Itto, ran forward with everything they had and crashed into the enemy.
Bang!!
Dozens of demons screamed and were flung away from the absurd strengths of the two illuminated soldiers. Right behind them, over one hundred soldiers rushed forward like a tidal wave.
And the highlight of this opening salvo obviously belonged to Xiao.
He jumped lightly over the head of Itto and landed gently on the ground, before using the spear he held in his right hand to cut and slice apart every demon he could find.
“Kiieeehhk!!”
“Keuhark!!”
It was a performance befitting the grade of ‘Elite Knight’.
‘By the way, Xiao isn’t the only Elite Knight in my army, you know.’
Jongryeo’s gaze shifted over to his side.
Childe had finished charging his bow by then, and walked forward with large, heavy, magic energy wave as if to emphasize that it was his turn to fight. Jongryeo formed a content expression as he watched Childe’s bow glowed bright blue.
Jongryeo quickly recalled all the Illuminated Soldiers found in front of Childe, so his mischievous soldier could attack without holding anything back.
The soldiers reverted to golden dust, and shifted to the new location Jongryeo pointed with his finger.
And then…..
Kuwuuuuuuu….
Childe unleashes a massive attack in the shape of a gigantic whale made of water. It leaps out of the ground and slams down towards the demons on the ground. A splashed damage then occur around the impacted area.
Childe didn’t stop there, though.
Childe aimed his fully charged bow to the sky and unleash up to 9 consecutive shots upwards that fall and utterly strike all demons trapped with the arc of the attack. All those poor demons wiped out by the AoE couldn’t even leak out a scream.
A few Illuminated Soldiers were sucked into the attack in the process as well, but as long as they were under the influence of their Sovereign, it was possible to infinitely revive them.
‘Good!’
Jongryeo clenched his fists tightly.
One hundred-plus Illuminated Soldiers were overwhelming the army over ten times their numbers. The demonic soldiers and their ranks crumbled in no time at all.
But, it was then.
Azhdaha stopped standing back passively, and finally made his move. Countless arcs of blue sparks buzzed and crackled within the wide-open mouth of the boss creature.
Along with that hair-raising cry, a chill-inducing beam of blue light enveloped the Illuminated Soldiers.
Kwa-bzzzzzzzzzz!!
‘….Lightning?!’
Jongryeo’s eyes widened from sheer surprise.
Soldiers getting swept up in the purple electrical storm disintegrated in an instant, while those that managed to avoid instant death stood still in their spots as if they were frozen solid.
‘….It’s not regular lightning.’
Lightning bolts containing horrifying destructive power, as well as side-effects of stunning their targets, fell all over the place. And of course, one of these purple-coloured electrical storms also headed for Jongryeo as well.
Cra-ckle!!
Quite unlike his Illuminated Soldiers, he didn’t receive a single lick of damage, however.
All burn-related damage was absorbed by the ‘Earth’s Core’ he currently had on, and….
[You have resisted abnormal status with the effects of ‘Buff: Immunity’.]
[You have resisted abnormal status with the effects of ‘Buff: Immunity’.]
[You have resisted abnormal status with the effects of ‘Buff: Immunity’.]
….As for the lightning’s stun effect, his abnormal status immunity buff dealt with it.
Jongryeo dashed towards Azhdaha right away. If he didn’t stop the boss’s AOE magic right now, there was a good chance that the flow of battle would shift away from his favour.
Azhdaha’s glare landed on Jongryeo.
Another ear-screeching yell exploded out from the boss’s wide open mouth, and blue streaks of lightning rained all around Jongryeo.
Crackle, crack, crackle!!
However, Azhdaha flinched grandly upon realising that the concentrated lightning attacks had no effect on Jongryeo.
‘…..!!’
He sensed the boss’s agitation quite clearly.
Utilising the skill ‘Sprint’ that had reached the maximum achievable level, Jongryeo closed the distance in the blink of an eye and jumped up high in the air. Azhdaha also unsheathed its sword.
Jongryeo’s reverse-gripped ‘Mistsplitter Reforged’ sword and Azhdaha’s blade, infused with purple lighning, clashed face to face.
RUMBLE!!
A huge explosion of noise spread out; Azhdaha was shoved off the Sky Dragon, while Jongryeo was flung away by the rebound as well.
Jongryeo stopped rolling on the ground and got up at the same time as Azhdaha. They glared at each other only for a brief moment.
Both of them dashed towards each other with everything they had almost out of pure instinct.
Gaaaaaahk!!
Azhdaha spat out more purple sparks from his mouth.
Craaaackle!! Crack!!
Countless purple-coloured rays of light crashed down on him. Jongryeo continued to run forward while believing in the defensive properties of Earth’s Core, but then, he sensed something was off.
‘….I’m taking damage?’
When he glanced back, he realised that the shield is flickering. He quickly turn off the skill.
‘I guess that’s as far as Earth’s Core can protect me.’
In the end, Earth’s Core still has limitation. The skill had already performed its job quite admirably up to this point, so he felt no regret. From here onwards, Jongryeo had to take care of things on his own.
He sighed.
As if it had sensed that an opportunity had arrived, the intensity of the purple sparks crackling within Azhdaha’s mouth increased by a notch. Jongryeo heightened his senses as much as he could to get ready.
‘I can do this.’
No, he simply had to do this.
With time slowing down substantially in his perspective, Jongryeo calmly evaded each and every single one of the purple arcs of lightning flying right at him.
‘….Why is this happening?’
Craaackle!
As Azhdaha’s figure got closer and closer, Jongryeo began recalling his memories of the Spiral Abyss one by one. Even during that, he still managed to evade the purple lightnings.
Craaaackle!!
His heart was beating quite gently right now.
Ba-dump, ba-dump, ba-dump….
Jongryeo dodged all of Azhdaha’s attacks by a truly paper-thin margin, and eventually, stood before the Overlord.
‘….Ah.’
Only then did he finally realise why he was reminiscing about the events of the Spiral Abyss like this. Because, he was feeling grateful.
‘Thank you.’
To grant him this great power to fight evenly against an absurdly strong monster like this….
As he climbed up each floor, he was moulded and refined further and further. It was as if he was being trained precisely for this moment.
So, how could he not feel grateful right now?
Swish-!
Azhdaha slashed down diagonally with his sword, and Jongryeo raised ‘Mistsplitter Reforged’ in his right hand to block it, before using ‘Vortex Vanquisher’ to stab Azhdaha’s shoulder.
Crack!!
The weapon designed specifically to tear through the enemy’s armour dug deeply into Azhdaha’s shoulder.
‘……!!’
Jongryeo momentarily thought that he could hear Azhdaha’s soundless scream just then. He yanked the ‘Vortex Vanquisher’ out. Flames of rage erupted within Azhdaha’s eyes. The Overlord of Geovishaps began panting out rather laboriously.
Finally, the boss made his move.
Jongryeo’s sword and spear, together with Azhdaha’s sword swished and swung and clashed against each other countless times, leaving behind several wounds on their bodies.
Clang!! Claaaank!! Clang, Slash!!
Every time their blades collided, the ground around the two caved in by the shock waves emanating from the collision of the magic energy.
A deep frown formed on Jongryeo’s forehead.
‘Even with such a deep wound on his shoulder….’
As befitting the title of Overlord, Azhdaha’s powers were nothing to scoff at. Jongryeo felt aching coming from his wrists. He realised that he’d be in a disadvantageous position if things continued on in this fashion.
‘I need to break this deadlock.’
Jongryeo and Azhdaha both had two hands. However, Jongryeo also possessed a hidden third hand.
[Dominator’s Touch!]
Out of the blue, a powerful impact force pushed Azhdaha down on one knee.
Thud!
‘….??’
Even before Azhdaha could recover from his confusion, Jongryeo’s fist slammed hard into the Overlord’s face.
Bang!!
Azhdaha’s uncontrollable tumbling only came to an end after it rolled on the ground for dozens of metres. However, it couldn’t get up. Because, Jongryeo was already straddling the torso of Azhdaha’s by then.
Azhdaha quickly opened its mouth wide towards him.
Gah-ark!
Too bad, Azhdaha couldn’t fire off another lightning. Jongryeo’s left fist shoved deep into the Overlord’s mouth ensured that the ‘spell’ would remain sealed.
‘…..!!’
Azhdaha’s eyes shook hard.
Meanwhile, Jongryeo raised his fist up high, choosing not to use any weapon in his hand.
Slam!!
Bang!!
Slam!!
The terrifying physical power from the Strength Stat that had exceeded 200 rapidly shaved away the boss monster’s HP.
And finally….
Jongryeo placed almost all of his strength into the raised right fist.
In an instant, his shoulder and arm muscles augmented greatly with mana, and the air around him became so heavy that it actually sank lower. An enormous amount of magic energy pooling around his right arm forced all sounds away, and instantly, the surroundings became eerily quiet.
‘……..’
Within this brief respite of silence, Jongryeo looked down at the boss below him and murmured.
“Thanks for everything.”
Of course, there was no reply. Azhdaha only glared at Jongryeo with hatred deeply burning in its eyes.
‘I’m sure you’ll never understand what I’m trying to say here.’
Even then, he wanted to convey this emotion welling up inside his chest.
After he gave his honest thanks…
Jongryeo landed the final hit against the ‘owner’ of this Spiral Abyss.
KABOOM!!
And then, he was greeted by the sound of ‘Tti-ring!’ as well as several messages that made him feel even better.
[You killed the Overlord of the Geovishaps, Azhdaha.]
[You have acquired Azhdaha’s Soul.]
[You have completed ‘Quest: Collect the Corrosioned Souls! (2)’.]
[Level up!]
[Level up!]
[Level up!]
[Level up!]
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