Taking Down Mammon [Floor 65, Lair of the Golden Throne's Master]
One of the Demon King's Four Heavenly Kings, Mammon.
And the weakest of the bunch.
Truth be told, this guy's pretty easy to take down. Despite that grandiose title of Heavenly King, most parties clear him in one try.
"You sure we can really beat him in one go? He looks fucking strong."
Mammon took the form of a dragon. With three heads, decked out in all sorts of golden ornaments.
"To think you've made it this far. I have descended in person to shatter your vain hopes."
Big words, but he wasn't that tough. Of course, you had to watch out for his patterns.
He started from the left, firing breaths from each head with different effects.
The first head spewed molten gold.
"Everyone read the strategy guide, right? If that hits you, it hardens instantly and binds your body. Don't let it touch you."
Even saying that, we already had countermeasures. We had a massive flame golem on our side.
That blazing hunk of heat tanked the molten metal head-on. Hell, it absorbed the energy and bulked up even more.
"Not bad, using your heads! Try this on for size!"
The middle head unleashed a torrent of liquid laced with razor-sharp diamond shards.
Fired with insane pressure, those fragments shredded flesh without mercy. Shields were useless up close.
"Golem?"
"Yeah, ready now."
But we had a counter for that too. In front of an earth golem, diamonds were just spare parts.
"Then... take this, my ultimate weapon!"
The last head fired liquid nitrogen. Counterable with an ice golem, naturally.
"You humans! You cowardly bastards!"
"You wanna talk cowardice?"
After that, the takedown was straightforward. Our supersized golems swarmed and pummeled him into oblivion.
[Four Heavenly King Mammon is furious!]
Phase 1 skipped just like that. With most of his infamous patterns in phase 1, this was a good sign.
"No one who has seen this form has lived to tell the tale. You won't be the exception."
The golden dragon flashed brilliantly, transforming into a demon crowned with jewels.
Long tail, massive build. Annoyingly, it had the Midas Touch.
"Die!"
True to demon form, it swung its trident. It had a nasty trait where the reach extended unpredictably on swings. One wrong hit and you'd be insta-killed.
Our party's average level was 60, though. The mage used her new trait.
"Golem Overdrive!"
A risk-reward trait that halved golem lifespan but doubled attack power.
"Rip him apart!"
The berserk golems thumped their chests like gorillas and charged Mammon.
Ice, flame, and earth golems—massive sizes that seemed to overwhelm him.
"With these lifeless husks—?!"
But Mammon's trident swept through, shattering golems left and right. Right arm crumbled, left side smashed.
As a boss mob, no one was surprised by its prowess.
"The struggles of the weak are so utterly repulsive. It makes my skin crawl just watching... Your antics too, you worms! I'll crush you flat!"
Long-winded bastard. Ugh, do all demons talk this much?
Transparent, paper-thin wings like a dragonfly's sprouted from Mammon's back. They fluttered silently.
[Four Heavenly King Mammon reveals his true form!]
Phase 3.
Golden ornaments rained off, revealing a grotesque Mammon—lumpy muscles everywhere, bones jutting out. Scars from the golems. Its trait now: Demon Lord.
The power to temporarily buy and use any demon's traits.
"I'll pay any price—hand it over! Amodeus, Lucifer!"
Now was our chance while it bought other Heavenly Kings' traits.
I raised Amodius's Scythe high. Borrowed Chae-young's level 60 trait too.
Instant teleport for allies. No need to close distance the hard way.
[Four Heavenly King Mammon purchases Lucifer's "Rage is My Power".]
[Four Heavenly King Mammon fails to purchase Amodeus's Tempting Touch!]
Just as I predicted.
By lore, my weapon was a gift from that demon. For whatever reason, I pleased Amodeus, so Mammon couldn't buy it.
"What treachery is this?! Amodeus! I'm your ally!"
Didn't know demons had "allies." Doesn't seem to mean much—they betray each other without hesitation.
"Stop this, Amodeus! Do you know what you're doing?! The Demon King will punish you!"
Vrrr—! Mammon's body shuddered violently. Bulges rippled across its flesh.
Like fermenting dough. One poke and it'd probably explode.
"Foolish, greedy Mammon... You still don't realize you've been abandoned?"
That's when it happened. The scythe vibrated, a voice emanating from within.
"Amodeus? How dare you appear before me?!"
"Didn't you summon me here, you idiot Mammon?"
Boom—! Chunks of Mammon's flesh exploded. Does blocking trait activation do that? Horrific.
Looks like it hurts like hell.
"Farewell then, foolish Mammon. No one will mourn your death."
"Stop! Enough!"
I showed it mercy. Not out of pity—just annoying screams grating on my ears.
The scythe flashed, severing its neck. One Heavenly King down.
Greed's Four Heavenly King, Mammon - Defeated!
Amid all the rewards, a sense of accomplishment from felling a Heavenly King slowly seeped in.
"He's the weakest of us. Don't get cocky just for beating Mammon, foolish human. You won't be wielding my scythe much longer."
"What floor are you on?"
"I'm on 80. But you won't get past my legion first."
This demon bitch—Master cleared it. She's past floor 90.
I should be able to get some strategy tips from her.
"Just you wait. I'll slice your neck off and shove it up your cunt."
"Kyahahahaha! Try it."
Floor 65 cleared. 35 to go.
Clearing 65 meant I'd surpassed mid-tier players by a mile.
Level 64 now. Specs fit for a second-string party in a top guild.
Physical boosts from leveling? No need to test—I could feel the strength.
"Sometimes it's hard to control my power. Just me?"
"Anyone who levels this fast goes through it."
Players manage normal life by instinctively reining in strength.
I leveled too quick, skipped that adaptation, so control's a bitch.
"Grip too hard by accident and teacups shatter, spoons bend. Ugh..."
"Hm? That's pretty bad."
Right now, I could probably stop a light aircraft on takeoff barehanded.
Grip on the scythe got too strong too. Awkward empty swings happen.
"More power's nice, but getting used to it'll take forever."
"Needs training."
"Yeah?"
"Want sis to help?"
"No, it's fin—... Yeah. Please."
Almost refused, then remembered Master trained under her.
She'd know my power better than anyone.
"Control first. Try on my body."
"...Pardon?"
"Come on!"
And Master started teaching in a way more ridiculous than expected.
By baring her chest, exposing her bare tits.
...What the hell is this?
"Master!"
"Grab these tits and practice control. Hm?"
"This is..."
Why'd I ever think of her as a great master, even for a second?
What an idiot...