Chapter 730: Eternal Spire (108)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 730: Eternal Spire (108)
Just before Ryu Seol’s power was completely drained, I threw my body, still in its Spirit Fusion state, forward.
A mere 0.1 seconds before the Red Dragon’s fingertips could touch the jewel, my arm wrapped around Ryu Seol’s waist. I snatched her away by force and retreated.
“Ugh… Seo-yun…?”
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah… I’m sorry… I’m only ever a burden…”
Ryu Seol looked away, hanging her head.
“Why are you so dejected? This isn't like you.”
“…I’m sorry.”
Her voice grew smaller and smaller.
Ever since her recent loss to Jessica, her mental state had been fragile. Now, being targeted by a monster like this, her confidence had hit rock bottom.
I lifted her chin, forcing her to meet my eyes.
“Losing is natural. It’s just part of the process of becoming stronger.”
“But…”
“You’re still weak.”
“…….”
Ryu Seol lowered her gaze. She didn't want to admit it, but it was the reality.
“But you can get stronger.”
“Me…?”
“Of course.”
I lightly stroked her head with my palm. Her pink hair flowed softly through my fingers.
“You’re the owner of the Purple Star. Someone who possesses the Emperor’s Star can’t possibly be weak.”
Ryu Seol bit her lip. Her eyes grew red.
“I’ll protect you for now. So, take your time getting stronger. Next time, make sure you can stand tall in this spot on your own.”
“…Okay.”
Ryu Seol nodded. The trembling in her eyes was replaced by a flicker of life.
“And watch closely. See just how strong your master is.”
“Be careful….”
“Don’t worry.”
I tossed her toward Seo Eun-ha.
“Kyaak!”
“Take care of Ryu Seol.”
“Leave it to me.”
Seo Eun-ha caught Ryu Seol and retreated to a safe zone.
I turned back to face the Red Dragon head-on.
The Red Dragon’s expression slowly twisted.
“So you are Jin Seo-yun! The one who took her away!”
Red Chains seethed beneath her feet as if they were alive. An ominous heat and pressure weighed down on the surroundings.
“Her? Who are you talking about?”
“Don’t play dumb! Are you going to claim you don’t know the woman on the 100th floor?!”
“What? I thought you were hostile toward Luna.”
“That was all an act! She belongs to me. She is not a being that a lowly human like you should dare to covet!”
“You’re a total lunatic.”
“Die, human!”
I half-raised my sword and spoke.
“Who’s dying?”
Then, I released the energy I had been suppressing deep within my Dantian.
Fshhhhhhh…
As if a sleeping monster were awakening, blue and turquoise energy exploded from my body simultaneously.
A gale swept through.
The surrounding debris floated into the air before being shattered to pieces.
For the first time, the Red Dragon’s eyes wavered.
“……!”
“I’ve gotten quite a bit stronger lately.”
I clenched my fist.
KRA-BOOM!!
Golden lightning erupted from my entire body.
“…You, what the hell are you?”
The Red Dragon asked warily. For the first time, tension was laced in her voice.
“Me?”
I smirked.
“I’m your master.”
“What…!”
I slowly raised my sword high. Blue energy began to coil around the blade.
“What I’m about to show you—”
I pointed the tip of my sword at the Red Dragon.
“—is a level of power that a mere lizard like you can’t even dream of touching.”
“You arrogant brat…!”
The Red Dragon roared in fury.
Taking a deep breath, I awakened the unique abilities I hadn't used properly since entering the Eternal Spire, one by one.
‘Grace of Cheonwol.’
A blessing that increases all resistances and boosts stats by 20% as long as the moon is out. During a full moon, stats increase by up to double.
‘Though it’s broad daylight right now—’
The owner of the moon, Cheon-wol, was right here.
“—Cheon-wol.”
In the distance, Cheon-wol, who was clashing with the brute strength of a massive Titan, immediately turned her head when I called her name.
Her eyes, like pale blue moonlight, turned toward me.
“Seo-yun?”
“Lend me some strength.”
She didn't hesitate for a second. A serene blue light seeped into Cheon-wol’s eyes.
“Gladly.”
The moment Cheon-wol raised her hand toward the sky, the heavens distorted despite it being day, and a massive ‘full moon’ rose.
Moonlight poured down.
As it pierced through my body, my stats skyrocketed.
“I made a huge mistake.”
The Red Dragon furrowed her brow.
“What…?”
“Out of all my creations… I thought I was strongest when I absorbed the Black Dragon’s energy in the world of Yokai—’
I muttered, repeatedly clenching and unclenching my palm.
“I realize now what a stupid mistake that was.”
The Red Dragon screamed in rage.
“What kind of bullshit have you been spouting for the last minute?!”
I nodded.
“Yeah. When I fought Predator… if I had descended as my Eternal Spire self back then, it would have been even more overwhelming.”
I raised my hand.
It was the first time I was using this properly—the unique ability Tiamat had gifted me.
[King’s Majesty]
A crown of black silhouette cast a shadow over my head.
Black energy condensed, and the crown began to take shape. Sharp points rose like thorns. It was a pitch black that seemed to swallow the darkness itself, and a red jewel was embedded in its center.
The black crown fully manifested.
“King’s Domain.”
The ground vibrated.
Black energy exploded outward, and the entire floor we were on was instantly designated as ‘my domain.’
“I believe it was said that all stats increase while this domain is active…?”
I felt my energy surging even further.
On top of the Grace of Cheonwol, the King’s Majesty was layered. My stats were increasing exponentially.
“Blessing of Domination.”
Rumble!
A portion of my stats began to be shared with all allies within my domain.
In the distance, Tiamat, who was facing Vortel, suddenly smiled.
“I can feel Seo-yun’s power!”
Cheon-wol looked at me with a perverted expression, but I decided to ignore it for now.
Athena’s power was also amplified.
“Hah!”
Athena swung her golden spear.
CRASH!
She tore through the lightning and struck the Thunderbird.
And then—
The Red Dragon finally, for the first time, showed the emotion of ‘fear.’
“You… what… what did you do…?”
Her voice trembled. Her instincts were screaming at her. Warning her that the being before her was dangerous.
“Until now, no one in this tower has been able to draw out my full power.”
I spoke slowly as I activated my final unique ability.
“So even I didn't know. Just how strong I’ve become… here.”
I lifted my sword over my shoulder.
“But thanks to you, I’ve found out.”
Heavenly Star of Calamity.
The power of the Heavenly Star of Calamity flowed through my entire body. My blood boiled. My veins swelled as if they were about to burst, and my heart throbbed like an explosion.
My entire vision was stained blood-red.
And a voice echoed in my head.
—Kill.
—Kill them all.
—Stain everything in blood.
An overwhelming killing intent rushed in all at once. A chilling impulse made me feel like I would slash everything in sight if I lost my focus for even a second. A madness that felt like it would drive me insane.
However, Absolute Resistance and the Grace of Cheonwol instantly quelled the murderous intent. My clouded vision cleared.
“T-This is impossible…!”
“Nothing is impossible.”
The corners of my mouth curled up on their own.
“Just stand there and get your pussy ready.”
The Red Dragon’s face distorted in a pale mask of horror.
My gaze shifted toward where Vortel was.
Through the gaps in his thick scales, I could see a heart beating faintly. A red thread appeared clearly over it, as if marking the spot.
The same went for the Titan. In the center of the giant rock golem’s forehead, a blue core was embedded in a crevice. A thin red line wavered over it as well.
The Thunderbird, too—the center where electricity surged within its chest. The thread connected accurately to that spot.
The weaknesses of all three were clearly visible.
I simply swung my sword down lightly.
Just once.
Swish.
In that moment, the trajectory of that single downward slash pierced through all their vital points simultaneously.
The massive bodies of the three monsters collapsed at once.
THUD! THUD! THUD!
The three bosses died just like that—effortlessly.
I slowly turned my head to look at the Apocalyptic Red Dragon.
“Hey, pussy.”
I spoke coldly.
“What did you say earlier? That you were going to kill me?”
“W-Wait… we… we can talk…”
The Red Dragon hurriedly backed away. Her toes were trembling.
“Talking, now?”
I took a step forward.
“You weren't thinking about talking when you tried to kidnap Ryu Seol, were you?”
Another step.
This time, I reached the space right in front of the Red Dragon. Her red eyes shook.
“But now you want to talk?”
I raised my sword and placed it directly against her neck.
The moment the cold metal brushed her skin, the Red Dragon’s face completely froze.
“Do I look like a joke to you?”
“I-I’m sorry…!”
The Red Dragon said in a trembling voice.
“I was wrong… please…!”
“You were wrong?”
“Yes… I was too greedy… The Purple Star… I’ll give it all up…”
I scoffed.
“Give it up? Whether you give it up or not, it was never yours to begin with.”
“Y-Yes… you’re right… I was mistaken…”
The Red Dragon nodded desperately. Her lips had turned white.
“Well, fine.”
The Red Dragon’s eyes widened as if she saw a glimmer of hope.
But I immediately followed up.
“But why don't you stop acting?”
“What do you mean? I-I…!”
“Keep it up and I’ll take your head off.”
“…How did you know?”
“Now I see why Tiamat called you a ‘coward.’”
The Red Dragon’s lips curled.
“It’s a good thing I sent my weakest head… to think a monster like you existed…”
“Thanks for the compliment. But you, what did you do to Luna?”
“Luna? Are you talking about her?”
Her face distorted like a demon’s.
“How dare you… How dare you give her a name over me. As I thought… I can never forgive you.”
I shrugged.
“Luna is mine, so why the hell are you throwing a fit?”
“Luna is mine!!”
The Red Dragon screamed in a voice filled with madness.
“For thousands of years… I alone waited for her!! How dare you defile her…?!”
“I might be a fan of scissoring yuri, but…”
I slowly raised my sword.
“You’re dangerous.”
The tip of my sword pointed accurately at her.
“You don't love Luna; you’re obsessed with her. Pathologically so.”
“It’s not obsession!”
The Red Dragon shouted.
“This is love! True love!”
“Love?”
I sneered.
“Following someone around when they say they hate it is love? That’s called stalking.”
“Grrrrr….”
A growl escaped the Red Dragon’s throat. A beastly sound. She was losing her reason.
“What, you want to go?”
“If only you were gone, she would look at me again!”
“Can’t be helped, then.”
I raised my sword.