Chapter 93: Ant Hell (5)
Arms and legs, followed by the neck.
Wei Longgang's entire body was dismembered.
[Level increased by 3!]
Each one taken down shot his level up steadily. He'd already gone from 196 after snagging the Fifth, Seventh, and the trainees.
Three more levels brought him to 199. Considering he'd entered at 180, it was an absurd surge.
A massive level gap.
Plus the Awakener bonus experience on top— that had to be the result.
‘Easy.’
Without Merhen, it would've taken far longer. The guy would've thrashed around with every spell in the book.
But not now.
A mage who can't cast?
Then he dies.
[Hunting the first prey!]
[The demons rejoice!]
[Acquired 20 demon points!]
He eyed the cluster of shadows.
The second pick…
“You idiot!”
A Japanese guy.
Name unknown.
But his skill? That he knew.
He'd scoped him out earlier when tossing the summons. Nothing special—just a vanilla S-rank swordsman. He could guess why he'd gotten the votes.
Han Baekgil and First through Fourth.
All Koreans.
Wei Longgang and this Japanese guy? Different nationalities.
Might as well throw the foreigners in first as sacrifices, right?
The flailing Japanese swordsman was finally dragged to the center.
[Second prey enters!]
[Combat begins in 5 seconds! Prepare!]
Dolsae and Cedric.
Merhen and the rest of the summon horde. The Japanese swordsman, Saturo, trembled at the dizzying numbers.
It'd been a while since his last outing.
Pay wasn't bad, so he'd joined lightheartedly, tourist mindset and all.
‘We're screwed.’
He'd seen Kim Minwoo's skills earlier.
Decent swordsman in his own right.
The gap was obvious at a glance.
Even one-on-one after clearing the summons? No chance of winning.
The disparity was that vast.
Who'd have thought this would be his grave?
Clumsy Korean spilled from his lips.
“Shi, shiba…”
[Combat begins!]
Kim Minwoo and Cedric charged.
Less than 10 seconds later, his head was off.
Slash!
Shouldn't have come.
That was his last thought, world spinning.
[Hunting the second prey!]
[Clean kill!]
[Acquired 25 demon points!]
[Level increased by 2!]
That's when it happened—another two levels up.
A message popped.
[Cedric reaches level 201!]
[First seal released!]
[Stats adjusted!]
[Merhen reaches level 201!]
[First seal released!]
[Stats adjusted!]
‘Huh?’
Cedric and Merhen.
Their forms began to change.
Cedric first.
His frame swelled like he was shooting up in height, bulkier than ever.
Bones thickened, eyes gleaming darker.
Merhen changed visually too—no bulk-up like Cedric, though.
The parasol she gripped.
Eerie runes like a magic circle etched atop it. Looked like some sinister ritual tool at a glance.
Then.
[Cedric's stats adjusted!]
[Previous: 1 per level across all stats → 2 per level across all stats]
[Merhen's stats adjusted!]
[Previous: Mana x3 per level → Mana x4 per level]
‘…?’
What was this?
He checked Cedric's status.
[Cedric]
[Class: Dragon Knight]
[Level: 201]
[Loyalty: 100]
[Held Skills: Spear Mastery (SS), Shadow Spear (SS), Dragon Strike (S)]
[Notes: First seal released—physical abilities greatly enhanced.]
[Strength: 634 (+317)] [Agility: 590 (+295)] [Vitality: 620 (+310)] [Mana: 636 (+318)]
[* Grand Success special effects]
[* Movement speed +10%]
[* Mini Breath activatable]
[* Reflex speed +10%]
[* Arm strength +20%]
Kim Minwoo's eyes widened.
‘Stats… skyrocketed?’
Cedric.
This summon could swap bones. Even after embedding the ancient dragon's skull, he'd steadily added more as capacity allowed.
The +20% arm strength from ogre arm bones, reflex boost from raptor spine.
Grand success stat bonuses, gear from armament—equipment boosts piled on.
Even factoring Death Lord multipliers, average stats hovered around 600.
But now?
‘Ballooned to 900?’
Level-per-stat doubling, with Death Lord applying to the new gains. That explained it.
‘Insane.’
Honestly, it'd felt lacking before. Higher summons typically scaled better per level.
Take Dolsae.
‘Strength and vitality at x2, agility x1, mana x0.5.’
Mana lagged, but tank specialties got the buffs.
Net ~5.5 per level.
Beats a basic skeleton's flat 4 per level.
Death Knights, Liches? Even more.
Especially a legion commander like Cedric?
Should've been getting way more.
But up till now? Pathetic, like low-tier—bare 4 across the board.
He hadn't assumed it'd stay that way.
Sealed, after all.
It'd break eventually.
That's what he'd figured.
‘Didn't expect it now…’
All stats x2 per level.
And this was just the first seal.
Later stages? Could go berserk.
‘Makes sense, really.’
SSS-grade.
The old x1 was the real anomaly.
Even this boost?
‘Death Lord stacks fully.’
Effectively x3 total. Hence the bonkers stats.
“Finally feels like a legion commander.”
Kim Minwoo nodded, pleased. Merhen's mana had ballooned too.
[Merhen]
[Class: Archmage]
[Level: 201]
[Held Skills: Archmage (SS), Scream of Terror (S)]
[Loyalty: 100]
[Strength: 201 (+100)] [Agility: 201 (+100)] [Vitality: 201 (+100)] [Mana: 1020 (+510)]
[Notes: First seal released—mana greatly enhanced.]
Level 201.
x4 mana base: 800.
Gear bumps ~200 mana.
Death Lord total? Nearing 1,500.
‘Nice.’
Mana pool exploded.
Strength, agility, vitality low? Mage job. Mana's king—others just need baseline.
Kim Minwoo wasn't the only one stunned.
Shadow-side Awakeners waiting on the opposite path. Same shock.
Cedric and Merhen.
The summons they'd been watching. Not just changed—oozing heavier aura, stronger.
“… Damn it!”
Fourth stomped the ground. Fuming.
Worse yet?
Despite sacrificing those two for time, no clear escape route.
Han Baekgil stared at Fourth.
“… You go next.”
“Shit…”
No more foreigners.
Pure Koreans left.
Seemed Han Baekgil was sending weakest first.
Boss and First, Second, Third safe, sure. Not him.
Desperate, Fourth scanned everyone.
“Hey, for real? Boss ends up last this way.”
“… So we throw boss first?”
“Not saying it's fair! We all agreed to come. Votes gotta be fair—no rigging who dies.”
“… Cut the crap, Fourth. We've talked sacrifice plenty. Find a path in time? Strongest survives.”
“Bull! Haven't found one yet—think now? Hey, Third! Second! This for real? You're next!”
“… Sorry.”
Fourth.
Third.
Second.
All went out—none lasted a minute, heads rolling.
First and Han Baekgil.
Just two left.
“… Goddamn. Boss, no escape? Pray or something!”
“… Prayer isn't on demand.”
“Damn, damn!”
But wait—what now?
Vote for sacrifice.
One vote each.
The two tilted heads as messages hit.
[Winner takes all!]
[Fight!]
[Winner gets one vote!]
“… What a bullshit gate.”
“Agreed.”
Han Baekgil and First charged each other.
To survive one more minute.
Han Baekgil, having downed First, sighed.
“Sorry.”
“Fuck…”
First, dead.
Last man standing, Han Baekgil scanned around.
Gates throw curveballs.
He'd been hunting any survival path. None panned out, problem was.
Then.
[You are the last remaining prey!]
[The demons grow bored of one-sided fights!]
[* One demon proposes!]
[Deal condition: Offer soul]
[Reward: Demon power]
[Accept the deal?]
Han Baekgil swallowed.
‘Yes!’
As expected.
No law saying just die. Perfect offer: trade soul for power.
‘Dead anyway otherwise.’
Soul?
Who cares.
Survive now.
Han Baekgil nodded without hesitation.
That instant.
[Soul pawned!]
[Reward: Demon power granted!]
[Your race converts to demon!]
Han Baekgil's body began to swell.
* * *
‘Sold his soul, huh.’
Kim Minwoo watched impassively. He knew this already. Same as last time he'd hit this hidden piece.
Kill 'em one by one, last guy turns demon.
Tougher, but caught. Same here.
‘Will this one stack on the Soul Sword?’
Trainees, S-ranks.
Disappointing foes—sword hadn't drunk their blood.
But Han Baekgil…
‘Might suck it up?’
Plus fat achievement points.
Heart racing already.
[Final prey enters!]
[Combat begins in 5 seconds! Prepare!]
Stared at Han Baekgil.
Then.
His body shuddered violently.
['Stealer of Vulcan's Eye' effect triggers!]
[The 'demon' before you feels intense pressure!]
Demon Han Baekgil broke cold sweat.
‘Title works great.’
This is why he'd come.
Perfect gate for it to shine.
―I-Impossible… why me…
Han Baekgil panicked hard.
Sold his soul.
Situation worsened.
Crushing pressure.
Heart pounding, spine chilling. Pre-combat, yet despair already.
Demon power boosting stats? Useless if can't fight!
[Combat begins!]
Three minutes in.
Demon-toughened Han Baekgil's limbs severed, head falls.
Time taken.
[Level increased by 5.]
● You are humanity's 'Horizon Opener'!
● You perceive world changes!
● Hunted one lead villain: 'Han Baekgil'!
● Granted 300 achievement points.
● Hold Achievement Vending Machine! Points doubled!
Achievement message.
[Soul Sword absorbs prey's blood! (1/10)]
Blood absorb message.
Plus.
[Acquired 50 demon points!]
[Total points: 200]
[Impressive score!]
[Selecting reward demon…]
Demon points earned.
By fallen Han Baekgil's corpse, items dropped.
One odd black orb among them.
Han Baekgil's words echoed.
Prayed for great-power orb, triggered exp copy bug.
‘No way that's it?’
Gotta check.