The Oni's Awakening

The Black Tiger team members lay sprawled across the ground like defeated soldiers. They had been beaten so thoroughly that dust would have risen even on a rainy day.

"Now I know your capabilities."

"Ugh... gah..."

"This is so boring I could die."

When Yu Jinho clenched his fist, the Black Tiger members' bodies trembled violently.

The effect was certainly clear.

After the sparring session ended, several supporters from the Baekho Guild treated the team members.

"No major injuries."

"But they took such a beating..."

"What happened?"

The supporters cast healing magic with bewildered expressions. Nyx watched them and clicked her tongue.

—This has become rather troublesome.

"What has?"

—Look at the healers' reactions. I worry they might suspect you were holding back.

"I wasn't holding back."

—Did they not say the team members are fine?

"Of course. I worked hard to make it hurt without breaking any bones."

The Monarch stood at the pinnacle of players. The opponents he had fought most to reach that position were fellow players—humans. Before his regression, he had competed against countless players while climbing the Tower of Babel.

"I know exactly where to hit to cause pain without damaging the body."

—That makes it even harder to understand. It means you showed mercy.

"They're teammates who have to clear the 7th floor together. Can't have broken bones."

—You had a plan all along.

Nyx clicked her tongue in admiration. Thanks to Yu Jinho's measured approach, the situation was quickly resolved. The Black Tiger members glanced at him with pale faces. The effect would last for a while.

Eventually their fear would turn into a desire for revenge, but since they only needed to coordinate for the 7th floor raid, he paid it little mind. Only one person here hadn't been broken.

"Team Leader Seo Jeongmin."

"Y-yes."

"You said we could speak casually."

"On second thought, you're an outsider."

Anger, confusion, and fear—every emotion flickered across Seo Jeongmin's eyes. It must have been the first time the second son of a chaebol family had been beaten so thoroughly. Even though he had trained at the Baekho Guild, they wouldn't have used such unrestrained violence.

—Then will he not plot revenge?

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

"If he wants to, let him."

Yu Jinho replied in a low voice. This hadn't been done without calculation. In the future it might be different, but at his current level he couldn't ignore the influence of a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠major corporation. The reason he could act so boldly was because he roughly knew the internal situation of that family. The Guild Master, Seo Hyeonmin, would be delighted to hear about this sparring session.

It was a shame he couldn't explain everything to Nyx because of their location.

"In that case, I suppose I'll have to form a raid party as well."

Tsk, what a pity. He had expected more resistance, but Seo Jeongmin folded his pride faster than anticipated. If Seo Jeongmin had crossed the line first, Yu Jinho would have had more to say.

—The ones waiting in the back are watching you with heated gazes.

Seo Jeongmin's bodyguards. All of them were Silver-rank experts. At his current level, even using all his strength, could he defeat even one?

After the sparring, they began proper teamwork training. Yu Jinho's role was that of a melee DPS—the position of the Black Tiger player who had "withdrawn" due to injury.

"He's better than Youngjin!"

"Did he receive separate team training?"

"Even with training, how would he know our formation...?"

The Black Tiger team was shocked. Nyx smiled faintly.

—They seem to have underestimated you.

Underestimated? This was only possible because it was his second life. Many Tower missions required teams of five or ten. Though the penalty of Devour made him prefer working alone, he had been forced to join teams many times. How many random matchmaking raids had he run?

"This should be sufficient... I suppose."

Seo Jeongmin spoke with clear displeasure. He wanted to find fault, but Yu Jinho had blended into the Black Tiger team's flow without any sense of discord, leaving him with nothing to say. With reporters watching intently, he couldn't create any variables either.

The press had been invited to boost Yu Jinho's fame alongside the Black Tiger team's launch ceremony. That plan had instead become shackles binding their own feet.

"Let's head to the 7th floor raid now."

Yu Jinho smiled brightly, subtly applying pressure.

The 7th floor mission location was a large cavern roughly 100 pyeong in area. In the center stood a strange figure wearing a mask resembling a Japanese goblin, gripping an old sword and glaring at the party.

A red line marked at the one-third point. The moment anyone crossed it, the boss raid would begin.

—What a bizarre and grotesque mask.

"It's an Oni. A mask modeled after a Japanese yokai."

—Hoh, an eastern yokai. How interesting.

Nyx's eyes sparkled. The mission "Battle Against a Powerful Foe" gave ample preparation time befitting its boss raid theme. The Black Tiger supporters moved their lips and cast support magic.

...Five support spells in total. Each amplification rate was not high, but layered together their effects multiplied.

"Everyone take positions. Formation A."

The Black Tiger team formed their ranks. Seo Jeongmin glanced at Yu Jinho.

"We'll leave Player Yu Jinho to his own discretion."

"Understood."

"Akki raid, begin."

The moment the lead tanker crossed the red line, red light leaked from the Akki's previously still eyes.

"Uwooooo!!!"

The Akki's gaze locked onto the Black Tiger tanker. Thud! As the Akki charged, the tanker raised his shield.

The old sword fell upon the gray barrier. Crimson energy rippled like waves, spreading left and right. Blood Echo—a skill that transmitted impact to nearby players upon being hit. The spreading shock returned to the tanker thanks to Attack Absorption.

"Kuh."

"Good job, Eunho."

Seo Jeongmin rapidly rearranged his mana through high-speed calculation and deployed Icicle Arrow. The ice arrow, transformed into a double helix, embedded itself in the Akki's shoulder.

Thwack! The ice arrow shattered the old armor and dug deep inside. The Akki's movements visibly slowed.

"Uuuuwo!"

"Now! Push forward!"

The melee DPS closed the distance. His gleaming dagger stabbed into gaps the armor couldn't cover, and red currents gushed from the Akki's body.

"Uwooooo!!"

The Akki let out a scream that could have been either a shriek or a roar while swinging its arms repeatedly.

A skill that pursued the target who had dealt the most damage for one minute. The Akki's target was the melee DPS holding the dagger. Just before collision, the melee DPS and tanker switched positions, and the old sword was blocked by a shield harder than steel. The melee DPS, now at the Akki's back, carved into the exposed rear with Lunatic Slash, a dagger skill.

"Uwooo..."

The Akki groaned shortly and turned its body. Even after taking damage, its movements didn't slow. That was the nature of an Akki that only knew how to attack! Yu Jinho inflicted damage without overextending, matching the Black Tiger team's positioning.

White currents flowed from the mask's mouth area. It was a skill that released the vengeful spirits it had devoured. Five spirits emerged in succession and seeped into each team member.

"O Light, protect us."

Thanks to the supporter's pre-prepared incantation against Spirit Summoning, the curse's energy was quickly dispelled. This was the standard Akki raid strategy. The Black Tiger team had prepared thoroughly for this raid.

Ten minutes after the battle began, thanks to their textbook approach, they had never once been in a dangerous situation while facing the Akki.

—How ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠docile.

"The Akki?"

—I was referring to you.

Well, if they continued like this, they would defeat the Akki without any variables. At this pace, they might have broken the domestic record without his help. Only to be overtaken by him afterward.

"Just wait a little longer."

—Hoh, so you already have a plan.

Clang! The old sword struck the shield. The tanker staggered. At that moment, the Akki's mask stretched wide open downward.

Uoooooo-!!!!!

A bizarre roar erupted from the mouth revealed between the mask's gaps.

The Akki had roared several times before, but this was different. Its white hair stood on end toward the sky, and crimson energy rippled across its entire body. The old sword in its hand transformed with a grotesque geegigik! sound. It became a long iron staff studded with countless spikes—the Golden Cudgel, the weapon of the rampaging Akki.

—The Akki's demonic power has grown stronger.

"It's standard procedure for transformation to make them stronger."

—Hoh. I see. But why did it not use that technique immediately?

"It can only transform after accumulating a certain amount of damage from the enemy."

To force the Akki to use its Rage in just ten minutes—the Black Tiger team was quite capable.

"Focus on defense for one minute."

At Seo Jeongmin's order, the Black Tiger team changed formation. Bang! Bang! The Akki swung the Golden Cudgel with force. The tanker stumbled. He couldn't withstand the power contained in the staff alone. The Black Tiger team was gradually being pushed back.

—At this rate, all the team members will fall.

"That's the core of the strategy."

The key to clearing the 7th floor was Akki's Rage. In its enraged state, the Akki's combat ability increased approximately threefold. It was already a difficult opponent in its normal state—what would happen when it became several times stronger?

—Players at their level cannot endure it.

"But it's not infinite."

The duration of Akki's Rage was not long. One minute, as Seo Jeongmin had mentioned. If they could hold out for that time, it would return to normal.

"They're deliberately retreating while buying time by shifting formation."

—I see. I understand now.

However—what if Akki's Rage remained active even after its duration ended? Yu Jinho glanced slightly behind him. Nyx naturally turned to look back. When she showed a surprised expression, he pressed a finger to his lips.

The cavern walls, which had seemed ordinary when they entered the 7th floor, now bore the character for "mountain" carved into them.

Sssssssst—! The power of Polar Night, manifested in reality, spread across the floor toward the rear. Black tentacles crawled along ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the wall, tracing the carved characters until they found a single button. It was a hidden element of the 7th floor.

—It was not visible earlier. Why does it appear now?

"The characters only appear during the enraged state."

How many players would look back while facing an Akki that had become several times stronger? The button was also small.

—It was cleverly hidden so it would not be noticed.

"Something like that."

This was why it remained undiscovered even ten years after the Tower opened. Yu Jinho pressed the button with the power of Polar Night.

Bloodstained Akki. What essence would you give him?