Demon King

Its appearance does not fit the dungeon walls, which were made of gray stone.

Beyond it, I could sense the faint presence of monsters.

“A gate…”

Lee Chan-yu’s voice was tense. When I asked him about it, he started to explain.

“I’ve heard about it, but it’s the first time I’ve seen one. It was said that if you find a gate within a dungeon, it meant that the dungeon is divided into two zones.”

“Two zones. Then, the boss room will be over there.”

“Right.”

There was no hesitation. I grasped Blood Shadow and checked the five daggers tied to my thigh. When I turned to look at Lee Chan-yu, he was already in a running stance.

I opened the door.

Did he call it a gate? It was indeed an appropriate expression.

Beyond the wooden door was an entirely different dungeon. Unlike the 1F, 2F, and 3F, which had the appearance of natural caves, this place was a mystical landscape. It looked like a setting for a video game.

Lee Chan-yu relaxed as soon as he sensed that there were no monsters nearby.

“I don’t have a lot of dungeon experience, but it’s my first time to see like this,” he said.

Of course, there were monsters caught by my Advanced Detection. I sensed that they recognized our presence, and they are starting to move, but there is still time to orient ourselves. Their distance was hundreds of meters away. I installed traps as I looked around.

“Are these obsidians?” Lee Chan-yu asked.

“No…”

Unlike the previous dungeons we have passed through, the place beyond the gate looked entirely made of translucent black rocks. It was easy to mistake it for obsidian, but after tapping it with Blood Shadow, I determined that it was hard and durable.

Then, a thought passed through my head.

The name of this dungeon.

“The Black Palace…”

“What did you say, captain?”

“Never mind.”

So, is this the Black Palace?

There were huge black rock walls and corridors. It does deserve to be called the Black Palace.

Perhaps, the dungeon we have explored so far was only the front yard of the Black Palace. A place to filter out things that don’t qualify to reach this place.

Thinking about it, we were only able to find this gate after overcoming the endless mass appearances on the third floor.

If I hadn’t been reckless, it might not have been possible to find it.

From now on, we’re in the real dungeon. I should abandon the idea that everything we encounter could be handled as easily as before. I raised my Detection and moved forward.

The passage was long and wide. However, a thick black fog obstructed our view. Thanks to my developed eyesight as an intermediate monster, I could see up to 3 meters without difficulty, but beyond that, it was difficult. Of course, it does not look like a naturally-occurring fog.

“God, this makes me nervous. I can’t see more than 2 meters ahead.”

“Don’t rely on sight. You also have intermediate Detection.”

“Easy for you to say… Even Detection does not work quite properly. It’s not an ordinary fog.”

“Yes, definitely… Ah.”

I suddenly realized. This fog was very familiar to me.

Yes, why didn’t I notice it immediately? I already know this fog. I have run and walked around this fog.

The dark passage.

It was this fog that made me unable to see anything in the dark passage.

As I thought about the hours when I practiced Surprise in the dark passage, my mind gradually calmed down, and the place began to look like my home training ground.

As evidence of that, Lee Chan-yu lost my presence. He panicked a little and looked around even if I was just in front of him. It meant that I could hide myself with Surprise, even unconsciously.

“Captain, don’t do this. I don’t have the confidence to walk in this place alone.”

“Get ready, Lee Chan-yu. Can you feel them, too?”

“… they’re really close.”

It would be nice if we had the time to explore the place further, but it was time.

I sensed them approaching us from beyond the fog.

“Three.”

“Three rare, high-class species.”

Lee Chan-yu took a deep breath and prepared for battle.

I could understand what he’s thinking.

Rare monsters are the evolved form of the higher-level species. In 3F, the higher-level species have already reached the level where it was hard to call them intermediate monsters.

Lee Chan-yu was on the same level as the general monsters on the third floor. It would be like me in a goblin’s body facing a Goblin Knight.

I smiled. I fought stronger monsters in a goblin’s body in the Jinma Tower.

However, it would be impossible for Chan-yu to do it alone. I have to help him.

“Don’t worry; you won’t die.”

“I’m not worried about that. I’m all-in.”

I laughed behind him, then stared beyond the fog.

Using time, mana, stamina, and finally, material items, I installed a trap in the direction where the presence of a rare monster was coming from.

Soon, it came into view.

One of them was floating with huge film wings.

There is also another massive monster approaching slowly. Its four legs are heavy, creating slight vibrations in the black hallway.

There was also another monster, lighter and quieter than the others.

The trap was activated. It caught the giant monster in the passage.

“I guess it can’t be helped!”

Immediately, Lee Chan-yu rushed at it.

I also rushed after him. But before that, I sent my five daggers flying.

“Keeek!”

A monster’s cry broke the silence. The flying monster recognized the approaching daggers, but could not avoid them all. One dagger caught its wings and tore it.

After confirming that it landed, I rushed after Lee Chan-yu. He was valiantly rushing toward the giant monster whose feet were trapped. However, the quiet monster was hiding behind the giant’s back, possibly unseen by Lee Chan-yu.

The quiet monster completely concealed itself, believing that he will not be found.

I was aiming for its defenseless neck. My skills were superior to anyone else here.

I was also hiding behind Lee Chan-yu.

As I got closer, I caught its appearance and was a little surprised.

Its shape was like a shadow – thin, long, and light as if it had no mass.

I couldn’t make sense of how a regular monster in 3F evolved into this form.

The mana it had on its body was powerful, and he was pulling out a part of its body like a blade.

“Kha ah ah ah!”

“Haab!”

The moment Lee Chan-yu and the giant monster clashed, the shadow leaped off the monster, with its blade aiming at Lee Chan-yu’s throat!

Just then, Blood Shadow flashed. It was charged with Black Lightning, Power Attack, and Beast Charged. It broke through the shadow’s blade and stabbed it in the neck!

But something unexpected happened.

[Kiaahahahahah!]

Everyone in the space halted as they heard the piercing voice in their heads. Surely, this was a skill that causes abnormal status!

However, thanks to L, who drastically raised my tolerance for abnormality, the screams of the shadow didn’t affect me. I put more force in my sword. As the shadow’s blood coated the sword, flames rose on the blade, making him scream more intensely.

[Kiaahahahahah!]

“It hurts! Ahh! Captain, please, finish him quickly!”

I slashed the sword forward with one hand and caught the shadow’s dismembered head on the other.

“I will enjoy this food,” I said, before taking a bite.

[You gained 57,910 experience.]

[You acquired 58 silver.]

[You obtained a fragment of the Shadow Spear.]

I cannot stop to eat even if I knew that its life has come to an end. I squeezed the head all in my mouth and hit the ground again.

This is because the flying monster began to spit something out of its mouth.

I’m having a hard time using the Lunatic Trickster because of this damn mist!

I made full use of the Beast Charge to get closer to it as quickly as possible.

It spat out an unrecognizable substance. It looked like acid! It hissed as it hit my body. It was disgusting. I have to finish it quickly!

“Kuh!”

[Advanced Fairy Tale has become Lv3.]

[You acquired the Beginner Shadow Step]

[You acquired the Beginner Madness Noise.]

As I quickly chewed and swallowed the shadow monster’s head, I raised my Blood Shadow and tore off the other remaining wing of the flying monster. It crashed to the ground, leaving a bloody trail.

[You gained 52,482 experience.]

[You acquired 49 silver.]

I ruthlessly chopped the flying monster to pieces, then pulled off the disgusting liquid that stuck to my armor and threw it away.

I threw it in the direction of the giant monster that was struggling with Lee Chan-yu.

“Ahhh!”

“Lee Chan-yu!”

At the moment when the liquid went inside the giant monster’s wide-open mouth, the giant monster seemed frightened, and the greatest chance came to Lee Chan-yu.

Lee Chan-yu did not miss it and stretched out both of his hands at once. His sharp claws, which glowed silver, pierced the chest of the giant monster.

It didn’t seem to have enough strength to pierce through, but Lee Chan-yu roared and pushed it through the monster that was almost twice as large as he was.

“Kha ah ah ah!”

It was a War Cry! His claws shone brighter as his power was reinforced by War Cry.

“Kahak!”

The giant monster raised its forefoot, but it stopped abruptly, its giant forefoot hanging in mid-air.

Then, it collapsed.

Lee Chan-yu pierced its heart!

He really succeeded in defeating a rare monster, even with a little help from me. It was possible because he fully understood his strength and speed and how to use them.

“Ah ah ah ah ah!”

I laughed bitterly as I watched Lee Chan-yu’s roar of victory.

Only

“We have killed three of them, but with that War Cry… it looks like more will come soon.”

“Ugh.”

Lee Chan-yu seemed to realize it just now. He stopped roaring and stood still as if reflecting.

I retrieved my daggers and raised Blood Shadow with a smile.

I didn’t know how it would be in the realm of the rare species, but it was a good thing anyway because we could finish the quest quickly. It was worth repeating what we did in 3F.

“Captain…”

I can’t blame him. I brought him here. I threw him a single-use mana potion I bought from the exclusive store. He looked pathetic, but he pulled out his claws anyway and prepared for battle.

Soon, the struggle began. A battle that is much shorter and more intense than any mass appearances I’ve ever experienced.