Gate Exploration (3): The Shadow's Last Gambit
While exploring the gate alone, I soon found myself standing at a fork in the road.
“The first gateway, I see.”
The path split into two. Unlike the previous stages that emphasized competition, this one’s defining feature was the crossroads of choice. The mechanic of selecting one path at every gateway and advancing toward the end made it the perfect setup for gauging someone’s full capabilities.
Which way should we go?
To move quickly, take the right. For combat, the left would be better.
If we discovered special gimmicks, we might find a route that let us clear the stage safely without facing any demonic beasts. But even without that, Cheonma and Hoya had already told me which paths were safe and which were dangerous.
This will save some time.
I already knew how to determine which paths were safe or risky, but thanks to the two of them I could skip that process entirely.
“Let’s head right.”
Well, of course.
After all, you’re not alone.
“Grr!”
There was no reason to waste stamina and strength right before an important battle. So I deliberately chose only the routes that avoided demonic beasts all the way to Bell Artos’s location.
If anyone was watching me like they did in the main story, they were probably losing their minds right about now.
Drip.
Hmm?
Oho?
We had arrived. The path that had only two branches until now suddenly split into five.
Bell Artos was hiding here.
“Yongyong.”
“Grr!”
“Fine. During the fight I’ll call you Cheonmaryong.”
It was fine normally, but in combat he apparently needed to project dignity toward the enemy. For all his cute appearance, the little guy actually cared about stuff like that.
Calling him Yongyong was easier, but he refused to help unless I used the proper name, so…
“Get ready, then. Cheonmaryong.”
“Grrrrr!”
Come to think of it, this could function as a trigger. The moment I called him Cheonmaryong, it would automatically register as a combat situation.
“First, I should respond to the gift, shouldn’t I?”
I will now give my review of this gate. My score is…
“Zero points, you bastard.”
CRACK!
I swung my fist not at the five paths but at the seemingly ordinary space beneath the torch on the far right. The punch, infused with my grown stats and the full power of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art, demolished the wall instantly. As it crumbled, a wide chamber revealed itself inside.
“You might as well come out now.”
Once the dust settled, the space looked completely empty. But I knew better. I knew he was right here.
“I already know everything, so reveal yourself. Bell Artos.”
“Who are you?”
Shhhhh.
Black shadows gathered in the once-empty space and gradually took form. A giant nearly 190 centimeters tall, with long arms and a black hood that covered everything except his eyes.
“A Chaos executive actually managed to sneak into the academy. Impressive.”
“I thought it was strange that you avoided every demonic beast. To think you even knew my name and came looking for me… You knew about this place beforehand, didn’t you?”
“Who knows? You really think I’m going to tell you?”
Clang.
I twisted my body and deflected the short dagger flying at my back. The tiny sparks from metal striking metal faintly lit the surroundings as I spoke to the frowning Bell Artos.
“You didn’t actually think an ambush like that would work on me, did you?”
“…You’ve clearly surpassed student level.”
Obviously.
You were never at student level to begin with. I’m curious just how much stronger you’ve become while we were gone…
The moment I blocked a single surprise attack, Bell Artos turned deadly serious. It would have been easier if he had brushed it off as luck. A shame, really.
“More importantly, it’s too dark in here.”
A perfect spot for an assassin. In that case, let’s change the environment a little.
“Shine some light.”
“Kyaooo!!”
Flash.
Light burst from Yongyong’s body, violently driving out the surrounding darkness.
“Ugh!”
“How’s that? Brighter now, isn’t it? Try living with the lights on, you child of darkness!”
The darkness vanished in an instant, replaced by blinding radiance. The area wasn’t just visible; the light was so intense it hurt to look at.
“Fool. No matter what you do, shadows will always exist.”
“But manipulating them is another story entirely.”
Twitch.
Bell Artos’s eyes narrowed as he tried to do something. He had probably attempted to control the shadows, only to fail.
“I see… That illusion beast tampered with the light…!”
Correct. The light itself was merely a feint to illuminate the darkness. The real reason was the power of Yongyong’s Yeouiju.
Forcing an assassin into a fight where ambushes are impossible.
That’s pretty vicious.
Call it a wise decision.
Unable to manipulate shadows and blinded by the light, Bell Artos drew his daggers with a constant frown. Since he couldn’t use his specialty, he would fight directly.
Smirk.
He had no idea who held the advantage here.
Clang. Clang.
He probably didn’t realize just how hard my body was. My frame was durable enough to deflect daggers that weren’t reinforced with shadow power.
“Ugh!”
Wow, seeing it like this, the Diamond Indestructible Body is seriously broken.
The compatibility is terrible for him.
His attacks couldn’t touch me. Instead, the Diamond Indestructible Body only added more wounds to his own body.
“Huk… Ugh!”
Watching him stagger from exhaustion, I finally stepped forward.
Until now I had only received his attacks. Now it was my turn. Enveloping myself in the Heavenly Demon Divine Art and Ghostly Qi, I swung my sword. The target was his neck.
Along with the sword line formed by the fusion of magic power and ghostly qi, an arc curved at the corner of Bell Artos’s mouth.
“Got you.”
“Yeah. You really got me.”
Crunch.
As if I wouldn’t know his trump card. I blocked the other Bell Artos striking upward from beneath my feet.
Yes, this guy always waited for the final moment to stab his opponent in the back.
“…What?”
“You didn’t think I wouldn’t know about this too, did you?”
Was the fact that his hidden move was blocked really that shocking? So many openings appeared in that instant that I had trouble deciding which one to exploit.
Crunch.
“……”
“Still, as an assassin you don’t even scream once.”
Even though I had completely severed one of his arms.
I frowned at the pitch-black blood dripping onto the floor. The stench of rot rising from it was nauseating.
Whoa, the blood is black.
Because he’s not human.
“No, this guy is human.”
He had simply become like this through Chaos’s usual twisted methods.
The stench spreading across the entire space made me instinctively cover my nose. At this rate I might actually vomit.
Why are you suddenly like this?
Your complexion looks bad.
Unlike me, the two of them couldn’t smell it? Yongyong looked completely fine too. It seemed I was the only one who could detect this stench.
“Just where did I get caught? From the beginning? If so, were you pretending ignorance just to kill me? Damn it… a guy who isn’t even part of Chaos…”
The blocking of his final move must have been truly shocking. His solitary muttering grew faster and faster.
Crack. Crunch.
“Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. If it’s come to this, I’ll just sacrifice myself and kill everyone…”
“Tsk. So that’s what you’re doing.”
This was clearly inside the academy, essentially the headmaster’s domain. I had assumed he wouldn’t be able to use that power here, but it seemed I had underestimated Chaos’s recklessness.
Is this… a demon?
Tsk. What an unpleasant aura.
The black blood gushing from Bell Artos’s wound rapidly increased in volume. His body twisted and began transforming into a mummy-like state as the blood wrapped around him like a cocoon.
“No need to wait around.”
The ultimate technique and self-destruct method available to every Chaos executive. A forbidden power that manifested a demon into reality by offering up everything they possessed.
Before the black blood could completely envelop him, I pulled an item from my pocket and hurled it at the forming cocoon.
Thud.
“Direct hit.”
◈ Bomb developed by the saintess who denied all evil
◈ Power increases proportionally with the demon's strength
◈ 1000% additional Holy damage to demon-attribute monsters
◈ Converts to 50% fixed damage against lesser demons
◈ Converts to 100% fixed damage against greater demons
◈ Against 72nd-rank demons, all incoming damage converts to Holy attacks for 30 seconds
Run away right now. No matter how strong you are, a demon is still difficult to face.
Even if it consumes the sacrifice, it will be restricted. Enduring it might be possible.
But that’s literally just enduring. Once manifested, it won’t leave unless killed. Let’s finish clearing the gate while we can. There will be plenty of people beyond the gate who can handle it.
Hoya’s suggestion was honestly the ideal response for the current situation. That is, if I hadn’t prepared this item in advance precisely for this possibility.
I had readied two items for exactly this kind of emergency.
The first one had been thrown at him during the blood cocoon’s formation, right before the demon could fully manifest.
Crack.
Crraaack.
Fissures appeared across the cocoon. A thick stench leaked through the gaps, far worse than the one from Bell Artos’s blood. It was so overpowering my nose felt paralyzed.
I need to deal with this smell, and fast.
If my guess was right, the stench came from demonic energy. Once the source weakened or disappeared, the smell should vanish naturally as well.
Crack!
“Haa~ Not the stale air of the demon world, but this sweet…”
“Let there be light.”
BOOOOOOOOOOM!