Chapter 223
Chapter 223
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>Translator: penny
>Chapter: 223
>Chapter Title: Hidden Stage: The Forgotten King
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Chapter 223
223.
'What was I thinking...'
But that thought only flashed through his mind for a moment before vanishing again.
He had just gotten too emotional from overwhelming the skeleton soldiers so completely.
'He's still just an apostle who hasn't even transcended. No way he compares to someone who's reached the Sword Emperor's seat.'
Impressive as that apostle was, he was nothing next to that man.
It almost felt wrong to even compare them.
The limit trials the Sword Emperor had faced and the one that apostle endured were worlds apart.
Yet it was true that the man had crossed his mind, even if just for an instant.
That apostle's movements and overwhelming performance were beyond what a mere apostle should show.
'I know apostles have particularly wide gaps in power...'
In recent years, a flood of apostles had appeared.
These immortals had wildly varying strength levels.
Many were barely worth a sigh, but some were impressive enough to make your shoulders tense.
Among them, the differences in skill were so vast it was hard to believe they shared the same realm.
Especially a few who possessed prowess enough to satisfy even the Lion King's spirit...
Kwa-duk! Kwang!
'...First time I've felt sorry for the soldiers.'
But none of them got beaten down so one-sidedly.
This wasn't about skill.
From raw stats alone, the gap between the soldiers and that guy was as vast as heaven and earth.
Puk! Ppeok! Puk!
Gr, gruuu... Gruu...
He was getting too lazy to even dodge now, just tanking hits while smashing them one by one. It was pure bullying.
[You have cleared Stage 5 with perfect completion.]
....
[You have cleared Stage 7 with perfect completion.]
Neither the elite skeleton soldiers of Floor 5 nor the death knights of Floor 7 could stop that man's rampage.
-Wow, what a spectacle... Pain's skeleton soldiers always felt a bit sidelined, but maybe if we treat them as proper soldiers, they'll like it.
-Ho ho, always bickering, but in the end, you're looking out for your subordinate. A fine sight indeed.
-Rizariza.
Even now, the guardians hadn't budged an inch.
-N-No, what? They're all bones, so they remind me of those guys. Why would I care about that jerk? Pretty? Ha!
-No need to be embarrassed. It's a fine attitude for a lord.
-Me? No? I never cared? Not embarrassed at all?
-Rizariza. Riza.
They were just sitting there scratching each other's backs and chatting away.
Seeing that, the Lion King's spirit couldn't help but feel skeptical.
What was the point of this limit trial like this?
'...This won't do.'
Undead or not, letting them meet such a dishonorable, pathetic end sat wrong with him.
It was an insult to forgotten comrades.
'I didn't want to use this... but no choice.'
Muttering to himself, the Lion King's spirit pulled something out.
A crystal infused with special energy.
For a being with only a spirit left, no body, it demanded a heavy price.
That's why he'd avoided even touching it carelessly until now.
But this time was different.
Everything was so absurd, he needed something like this to make sense of it.
'Apostle. Whatever you possess to wield such irrational power beyond your realm... I'll uncover every detail.'
His eyes, holding the item, gleamed with the brilliant golden gaze of a true lion.
['True Lion King's Eyes' is activated.]
[Perceives the target's deep inner true qualities.]
'...Wh-What is this!'
At the same instant, his vision filled with something.
His eyes widened in shock, then flooded with horror.
* * *
Kwaang-! Kwang!
A heavy boom echoed as the light faded from the death knight's eyes—once a great knight.
Kuung-
The death knight collapsed pathetically.
Do-hyun, stepping over it, couldn't hide his smile.
Not savoring victory.
[You have defeated the Great Lion King's Death Knight.]
[The Lion King's spirit blinks in disbelief at what it saw.]
[Reflected in score.]
[The Lion King's spirit seems off and pulls something out with firm resolve.]
[Reflected in score.]
[Level up!]
[Level up!]
"Krra! Great exp. How many levels is this already?"
He was too busy reveling in the even sweeter experience points.
Not one level, but two at once.
No honey was sweeter; how could he not grin?
Gandhi? Buddha himself couldn't resist this.
-Master, too much honey gives you a stomachache.
-Rizariza...
"Yeah, no. I can take three more~"
-Sigh, the world is so unfair.
"The world was never fair, you X... no, Jihard."
-Hm. As they say, opportunity favors the prepared. It's all thanks to your skill, my lord.
"Yeah, Charlie knows his stuff."
-......Eliza, come here.
Charlie stayed loyal as ever, so Jihard tried pulling Eliza back without a word...
-Riza!
-......Eliza?
-Rizariza!
But Eliza dodged his hand, leaped onto Do-hyun's head, and perched there.
Shock filled Jihard's face.
Like a father watching his once-cuddly daughter, now grown, run off to some punk.
-Fine, whatever... This is why they say no need to raise daughters.
-Riza? Rizariza!
Jihard sulked with a hurt expression, and Eliza hopped down to comfort him slyly.
'...Those guys never get bored.
They were chattering and playing among themselves while I hunted.
Do-hyun chuckled at their tail-wagging antics and turned away.
'Anyway, two levels from one death knight... Better than most field bosses.'
Better? They couldn't touch its toes.
Levels barely rose back in the Empire, so this exp was insane.
And it wasn't just the death knight.
[You have cleared Stage 7 with perfect completion.]
[Clear too fast; minor delay applied.]
[Please wait a moment.]
The elite skeletons and soldiers before it gave hefty exp too.
Nearly a full level per floor cleared.
'Exp way higher than the difficulty warrants.'
He'd cheered about the honey, but calmly? Absurd.
Two theories came to mind.
One: The Lion King's Tower gave more exp than outside, or fixed exp per level regardless.
Like same exp for level 100 or 71, so high amounts here.
The other...
'When the Lion King's spirit reacts.'
Every time it freaked out and reflected in score, levels rose right after.
Do-hyun leaned toward this, but it was just a guess.
Could be one, both, whatever.
'Doesn't matter anyway.'
Grinning, Do-hyun eyed his status window.
[Player: Kaiser]
[Level: 79]
[HP: 8,650 / 8,910]
[MP: 4,170 / 5,940]
[Stamina: 1,330 / 1,770]
[Class: Last Adventurer [Heir of Kashyar]]
[Titles (15)]
- Max Affinity from the Start?
- First Slayer
...(View more)
[Stats]
[Strength: 190(+162)] [Agility: 190(+162)]
[Vitality: 5(+176)] [Senses: 65(+150)]
[Mana: 95(+151)]
Remaining Points: 23
'Kyaa... It's shining, shining bright.'
Level 79 achieved.
Just 30 minutes in the tower, six levels up.
30 minutes. Not even an hour.
Unbelievable feat; Do-hyun's smile wouldn't fade.
'If only leveling was always this easy.'
An impregnable tower no one cleared in half a year?
Noble, great Lion King's trial?
Sorry, but now it was just Do-hyun's golden hunting ground for explosive growth. Nothing more, nothing less.
Never had sweeter exp grinding in his God of Gods days.
Ttring-
[Stage 8 Limit Trial begins.]
[Boss of Stage 8 Limit Trial: Elite Death Knight.]
Perfect timing; next stage message.
Do-hyun stopped thinking, gripped Cheonbyeon.
'Skeleton soldiers, then elite skeletons; death knights, then elite death knights, huh.'
Death knights were typically the pinnacle of skeleton soldiers, undead kings.
Fitting a tower testing knightly qualities, knight-related undeads led to an obvious guess for Stage 9.
'Eternal Knight.'
True undead knights transcending death, living eternities.
In Delrock, if liches ruled mages, eternal knights ruled knights. Top-tier.
Higher-grade knight undead after death knights? Almost certainly.
'...Not a full eternal knight, though.'
Otherwise, perfect clears would be far rarer now.
Maybe none.
The one he'd met once via hidden piece in Delrock was twice as strong as him then, fully rational.
No way to handle that in God of Gods, not even two years post-launch.
'Entry-level eternal death knight, maybe.'
Not yet awakened to reason or eternal power.
Just a beast with immense physical might.
That level would balance things. Still insanely strong, so Stage 9 onward the real deal.
[Stage transforming for Stage 8 Limit Trial.]
Ku-gu-gu-gu-
Alert popped; ground shook, space shrank.
Walls and floor morphed; flat land became rugged rock-filled cliffs.
Amazing, but Do-hyun's group shrugged it off.
-Now it begins.
-Rizariza!
-No need to help this time, Master?
"Play it by ear."
-Rajja!
Happened every stage change.
Seventh time; no big deal.
Kki-gi-gi-gik-
[Stage 8 boss Elite Death Knight emerges from the coffin.]
Chilling mist billowed as the lone coffin amid rocks creaked open, revealing the elite death knight.
Do-hyun just anticipated the exp haul.
...He definitely had.
Ttring- Ttring!
[The Lion King's spirit sees something and is horrified.]
[The Lion King's spirit zones out, then falls into disbelief.]
[Sacrifices part of its spirit to bend tower rules for confirmation.]
[The Lion King's Tower, linked to the spirit, accepts.]
[Limit Trial forcibly terminated.]
[Achieved first ever feat of forcibly ending the Great Lion King's trial.]
[Hidden condition met.]
[Second Trial deleted, Third Trial deleted.]
"...What?"
Alarms blared suddenly; a barrage of messages flooded his view.
Trials deleted? Hidden condition?
Before he could process, the system declared.
[Hidden Stage, Forgotten King, opens.]
[Warning! Overwhelming gap. Risk of death.]
"...Insane."
The hidden stage had opened.