Chapter 28
Chapter 28
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: The Cursed Prince's Rampage
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As it rampaged, the Shadow Spear embedded in its shadow violently sprang free.
At the same time, the head that had been rolling on the ground flew back like a magnet and reattached perfectly to its body.
Su-ho immediately put some distance between them.
‘It’s starting now.’
The rampaging prince.
This wasn’t some sudden scenario.
It was a predetermined sequence.
This was the creature’s Phase 2, after all.
- I will…… absolutely never forgive you……!
A chilling echo that sent shivers down his spine.
An overwhelming surge of mana erupted, incomparable to before.
At the same moment, Blood Screams sprayed in every direction, and right after Su-ho blocked them.
- Enraged Cursed Prince Lv.80
Its name and level had changed.
Level in the 80s.
Without the Blood Golem and Century Bat, the level gap would have been over 30 by now.
Su-ho immediately drew the Silver Spear.
[ Holy power activates. ]
A Holy Enchant enveloped the Silver Spear.
Upon reaching level 50, instead of learning a new skill, all his healer skills had been upgraded to A-Rank.
Without a moment’s hesitation after enchanting it, Su-ho hurled the Silver Spear at the creature.
[ Spear Throw activates. ]
Shwaa!!
The A-Rank Spear Throw sliced through the air toward it.
The Cursed Prince swung its arm, summoning a blood-red whip that deflected the Silver Spear.
- I will…… absolutely never forgive you……!
The prince muttered curses while shedding bloody tears.
The blood-red whip it summoned was the Cursed Prince’s Blood Weapon.
‘As expected, normal weapons won’t cut it.’
Even with the Silver Spear enhanced by A-Rank Holy Enchant, it had been deflected so easily.
Fine.
Su-ho now had a Blood Weapon of his own, just like the creature.
Su-ho raised his hand and activated the skill.
[ Blood Weapon activates. ]
Chwaaa!
Blood surged from Su-ho’s palm, quickly forming a long sword.
The sword’s design mirrored the beloved blade Su-ho had clutched until his final moments.
Su-ho decided to call it the Blood Sword.
‘Blood Weapon’s attack power and durability are proportional to my stats.’
In other words, Su-ho’s current Blood Weapon performed at about Red grade.
He figured that was enough to go toe-to-toe with the Cursed Prince.
With three Red stats—not just one—and the Cursed Prince under level 100, it was a balanced matchup.
As Su-ho assumed a ready stance, the excited prince lashed out with its whip.
Chwaa!
The blood whip tore through the air toward Su-ho.
Just as the whip’s tip flared to strike, Su-ho stepped forward and wrapped his Blood Sword around it.
Then, he yanked the taut whip.
[ Holy power activates. ]
Holy Enchant coated the Blood Sword, and with a sizzling crackle, the whip’s tip burned away and snapped.
The Cursed Prince’s eyes widened at the sight.
At the same time, the corner of Su-ho’s mouth curled up.
“So it really comes down to weapon quality.”
With similar-grade Blood Weapons, only Su-ho’s had Holy power added— the obvious result.
Confirming his advantage, Su-ho closed the distance without hesitation.
- Where do you think you’re going!
A torrent of Blood Screams poured down.
But Su-ho swept his Blood Sword wide to block them all, then narrowed the blade again.
“This works.”
- ……!!
He’d gotten plenty of tips on Blood Weapons from the Blood Emperor.
One was how to use them flexibly—Blood Weapons weren’t fixed in form; they could change shape in real time.
Returning the Blood Sword to its original shape, Su-ho spun it once for momentum and swung.
Slice!
The accelerated blade severed one of the prince’s arms cleanly.
- Kraaaah!!
The screaming prince.
At the same time, an even faster, far greater volume of Blood Screams erupted from its body than before.
‘Damn!’
Su-ho tried to expand his Blood Sword too late—the Blood Screams were quicker.
Countless Blood Screams pierced his body like needles. But.
‘……Huh?’
It was more bearable than expected…… No, it didn’t hurt?
Not bravado or empty words.
It really didn’t.
At worst, like a mild prick from thorns?
‘Why is this?’
Higher stamina stat?
No way.
Even with higher stamina, it only boosted total HP and recovery slightly.
Skin, leather, and bones got a minor reinforcement, but nothing dramatic. That’s why gear mattered.
But this time, it truly didn’t hurt.
Why?
In that instant, a skill flashed in Su-ho’s mind.
‘Ah, it’s Dragon Skin.’
The ability gained from unlocking Dragon Blood’s second seal.
Dragon Skin literally granted dragon-scale skin.
‘Didn’t expect this level of effect.’
Not actual dragon hide, but his body was reinforced regardless.
Far beyond before.
Thanks to that, Su-ho felt he could face the creature more comfortably.
Su-ho raised his Blood Sword high and activated the skill.
[ Holy power activates. ]
And.
[ Sever activates. ]
Slice!
Without hesitation, Su-ho swung down.
A long gash appeared on the creature’s neck, unable to withstand the strike, and its head tumbled once more.
Su-ho didn’t miss, kicking the head with all his might.
Then he summoned the Shadow Spear and lodged it precisely in the head’s shadow.
Crack!
The Shadow Spear stabbed right into its shadow.
[ Shadow Binding activates. ]
[ Shadow Bleeding activates. ]
- Kraaaah!!
The Cursed Prince wailed in agony.
At the same time, the severed head and body flailed wildly, swinging claws.
Slice!
Phase 2 or not, could he not handle a headless, thrashing body?
Su-ho began slashing the body methodically.
- Grraaah! Grraaah!
The more he carved the body, the more the bound head screamed in pain.
But even that was reduced to feeble groans, lips barely twitching.
Thud!
The mutilated body collapsed.
A flood of blood poured from the fallen corpse, soaking the floor.
Now, just crush the head.
But Su-ho didn’t smash it right away. Instead, he extended his hand toward the downed corpse.
[ Blood Drain activates. ]
As Blood Drain triggered, the pooled blood surged toward Su-ho’s hand like a vacuum.
Just as the Blood Emperor said.
Vampires typically drained via mouth, but the skill allowed absorption without it.
[ Absorbed blood is stored in the Blood Jewel. ]
It was then, as he began absorbing the blood.
A translucent glass gem appeared in Su-ho’s vision, filling with swirling blood.
A Blood Jewel visible only to him.
‘So it’s displayed like this.’
Similar to a lich’s Life Vessel.
As he absorbed, the Cursed Prince’s thrashing intensified, moaning louder.
The prince sensed it.
Its precious blood being siphoned in real time.
But Su-ho absorbed every drop regardless, and once done, he lifted the now-feeble head by grabbing it.
- You bastard……!
It was miraculous.
Drained of blood, the Cursed Prince was mummified and withered.
Su-ho summoned the Shadow Spear.
He coated it with Holy power, then tossed the head into the air.
And threw the spear at it.
Crunch!
Unlike the first deflection, the weakened head pierced like tofu and flew, impaled, into the wall.
The head twitched briefly before slumping limp.
System alerts flooded in.
[ You have defeated the Cursed Prince. ]
[ The Gate has been cleared. ]
[ Gate clear MVP: ‘An Su-ho’. ]
[ MVP selection grants bonus EXP. ]
[ MVP selection grants 1 bonus stat. ]
[ Hidden Gate cleared. ]
[ You successfully cleared the Hidden Gate solo. ]
[ For your tremendous achievement, the system gifts you 5 bonus stats. ]
[ Level up. ]
[ All stats +1. ]
[ Acquired 1 bonus stat. ]
Alerts starkly different from the Tower of Challenge.
Plus a level gain.
Obviously.
The Cursed Prince was nearly level 80.
Soon, the Shadow Spear’s Shadow Devour option activated.
[ Shadow Spear reacts to the Cursed Prince’s shadow. ]
[ Shadow Spear absorbs the Cursed Prince’s shadow. ]
[ Shadow Spear is strengthened. ]
[ Shadow Spear fully absorbs the Cursed Prince’s shadow. ]
He’d thought the Cursed Prince substantial, but its mana wasn’t enough to unlock the next stage.
No matter.
Plenty more shadows to feed the Shadow Spear.
An exit portal to the outside appeared.
But Su-ho was still waiting for something.
Then.
[ The system has completed its evaluation of you. ]
[ The system has analyzed your talents in detail and decided to grant a fitting unique trait. ]
[ You have acquired ‘New Blood’. ]
[ You have acquired one-of-a-kind trait. ]
[ For your great achievement, the system gifts you 10 bonus stats. ]
Finally.
The trait had arrived.
But……
‘New Blood? What’s that?’
New Blood.
He’d never heard of it.
Really.
Even scouring the Library of Memories, it was a first.
Still, his instincts said it was good.
The system deemed it a great achievement.
‘There’s no such thing as a negative great achievement. A system-recognized one must be praiseworthy.’
With a pounding heart, Su-ho checked New Blood’s details.
Or tried to.
[ New Blood effect unlocks Vampire Blood seal. ]
[ Skill info updated. ]
[ You have acquired Vampire Blood. ]
‘Huh?’
The Vampire Blood seal Su-ho sought to unlock had been released.