Boss Battle (4)

It was a shame he couldn't snag the unique skill. This wasn't the first or second time—it had happened countless times already. He knew the odds were lower now that everyone had so many regular skills, but it still stung.

He'd been really looking forward to what the elf swordsman's unique skill might be—and what it could synthesize into with something else.

But there was an unexpected gain.

The Moonlight Sword, which grew upon victory in duels, had finally ranked up. Checking with his senses, the rank increase slightly boosted the ignore magic resistance and wound aggravation ratios, as well as the efficiency of sword-related skills.

Three wins ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠for one growth... way slower than I thought...

Giant Hydra, Lizardman, elf swordsman. After beating those three, it was just a single rank up. If the 6th floor trial hadn't been a boss battle, it would've taken even longer.

Clank!

The closed iron grate rose again. Yun-seok shook off his stray thoughts and turned his gaze to the new duel opponent.

The man wore a gray robe. He appeared human at first glance, clutching a staff adorned with skull decorations—or possibly real skulls—in both hands.

"I can't wait to hear your screams!"

He'd seen firsthand what happened to the previous challengers, yet here he was, facing Yun-seok head-on and spouting that nonsense. Was he that confident in his skills?

"Kekeke...!"

His gaunt features twisted into a sinister smile, making him look even more eerie. Yun-seok didn't judge by appearances alone, but he frowned at the man anyway.

It was because of the message floating before his eyes.

This opponent was evil. The same evil he'd judged countless times in the 6th Floor Plaza. So what Yun-seok had to do was the same.

Mighty power surged into his body once more. Yun-seok gripped his sword tighter. Perhaps because of the holy attribute, the sword aura remained red, but a faint white light now coated its surface.

"Rise! My minions!"

Suddenly, the man shouted. At the same time, the corpses of the two fallen challengers in the arena stood up. Their wounds from Yun-seok's blades remained: the elf swordsman headless, the lizardman with entrails spilling from his gut.

Just like zombies from a movie.

Was there a skill by that name?

Without Shadowless Chant, he'd have to shout skill names aloud, embarrassing as that was. All shop-bought skills used their names as commands.

But "Rise! My minions!"? Even for a unique skill, that naming was ridiculous.

The doubt didn't last long. Soon, Yun-seok figured it out on his own.

...Not a skill—a power.

Powers bought from managers didn't need commands. So why the dramatic shout? Probably just for show or self-satisfaction.

So that's why he was picked as boss.

Unlike the woman assigned to Yun-seok's team. This power synergized perfectly with the boss role at the rear. If Yun-seok hadn't led as vanguard, the man would've raised more than just two undead.

Maybe the beastkin had asked about their abilities before starting, anticipating this.

And they retain their full living strength...

Yun-seok eyed the two undead puppets, their eyes lifeless. More precisely, the elf swordsman. His sword now shimmered with the multicolored auras from before.

Yun-seok wasn't the only one who noticed. The watching beastkin clenched his fist.

"Damn it... insane! They keep their full power?"

For a moment, after Yun-seok's two straight wins as vanguard, victory had seemed certain. Now the beastkin's eyes trembled with anxiety.

Even in a mask game, three-on-one is tough... If he loses...

Just thinking about it darkened his vision. Of course, he'd considered the possibility of Yun-seok losing the final duel. But he hadn't doubted the team's win. This wasn't solo—this was a team fight. The man wouldn't go down without a fight; he'd ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠inflict damage, and with two on their side, they'd prevail.

But now... all those assumptions crumbled.

It hadn't happened yet, but if Yun-seok somehow lost...

Then we'd have to face the mask and the necromancer?

Obviously, the beastkin lacked confidence handling both Yun-seok and the necromancer alone. The loud woman was in the same boat.

"This is bad..."

The beastkin muttered worriedly, only for the woman beside him to snap at him.

"Bad? Just watch."

"Just watch? Milady..."

"Don't call me milady."

"...Aren't you worried? It's still three-on-one."

Did sharing anxiety make it better? She just snorted at his hopeful tone.

"Your eyesight is hopeless..."

Tsking her tongue, she stated firmly.

"Three-on-one? Even if we joined for five-on-one, that man wouldn't lose."

The beastkin pestered her about her certainty, but she ignored him completely. In the end, he shut his mouth and focused on the duel.

The brief standoff ended. The fight was about to begin.

Whoosh!

The undead elf swordsman and lizardman charged Yun-seok in sync. He didn't engage rashly, instead pulling back distance while staying wary.

Powers were acquired after clearing the 5th floor, so the man likely had other main abilities.

As expected, once Yun-seok distanced himself early, the man unleashed harassment too. An unusual kind.

"Soul Link!"

Coincidentally, Yun-seok knew this skill. He'd skimmed it in the shop, struck by how bizarre it was.

A skill linking senses to inanimate objects, not lifeforms. Not mental interference, either—his magic resistance's mental barrier couldn't dispel it.

"Heh heh heh heh!"

The medium was a straw doll in the man's hand. Without hesitation, he slammed it to the ground and stabbed it with the staff's sharp base.

Puke!

"...?"

Yun-seok, who had effortlessly dodged the lizardman and elf swordsman's combo, suddenly flinched. Sharp pain bloomed in his chest.

A new status abnormality. Meant to terrify the target more? Whatever the effect, his mental barrier blocked it perfectly—no real damage.

If anything, it was a gain. The message revealed the opponent's unique skill name.

Torturer?

Unique skills tied to past lives or innate talents. What kind of life led to this?

He didn't know the details. Didn't want to. But the name, the man's first words, his eyes and expression... they reeked of the bloody tears of those who'd died in agony.

"..."

Suddenly, Yun-seok halted and looked down. It was just sensory sharing—no wound appeared where the pain flared. But the intensity was severe. Even he, tempered by Blood Pact training to pain transcendence, furrowed his brow.

If it hurt him this much, for others it must've been unbearable.

"You endure twenty times normal intensity pretty well!"

The man cackled gleefully. Most passed out after one or two hits, spoiling his fun. But this one was different. Wild horses were hardest to break—and most rewarding.

Thud.

He stabbed the staff down again. Yun-seok didn't even twitch.

He felt it. He just endured.

"Now! Grab him!"

Thinking Yun-seok faltered from pain? The undead lizardman and elf swordsman lunged—not to kill, but capture. Obvious what for.

Yun-seok's eyes grew icier.

"Don't dream of an easy death."

"...?"

The man scowled, uncomprehending. Yun-seok murmured low.

"You don't deserve it."

First mage-type challenger. He'd planned to study his style before killing. But now? No. Even that time was a luxury they couldn't afford.

Whirrr!

Yun-seok's twin swords flashed. No one in the arena truly saw the red trails' paths.

"Ha, haha! Hahat!"

The man clutched his throat, chilled, laughing hollowly. He had no idea what Yun-seok did. Just that red light flashed—and nothing happened.

"Grab him quick!"

He snapped to and ordered the undead again. But...

"W-what are you doing? Why not grab him?!"

They didn't move despite repeated commands. Like broken machines? They looked fine outwardly. Even the watching beastkin tilted his head.

That's when the woman finally spoke.

"Thirty-six times..."

"Milady, what're you—"

"Counted up to thirty-six, then even I lost track."

The beastkin's face hardened. Her nonsense made no sense. But then—

Plip. Plop.

Fragments rained from the lizardman and elf swordsman, shattering bodies collapsing. Cuts so clean, you could glue them back and they'd move.

Soon, white flames ignited the pieces, melting them away.

Now the beastkin understood—and was horrified. Though the man in the arena with that monster was far more shocked.

"W-what the...?"

Dazed and confused, the man stared blankly. Yun-seok stepped forward indifferently. Step by step, unstopping.

The man snapped back, lashing out desperately.

"Think I'll lose without those losers?!"

Poison bloomed from the skull staff, surging at Yun-seok.

Spells flew, curses piled on. Yun-seok dodged nothing. He could've evaded or preemptively slashed with Solar Sword, but didn't. He endured all, advancing steadily.

"D-don't come closer!"

All attempts futile, he stabbed the straw doll repeatedly.

Stab! Stab! Stab! Stab! Puke!

Each thrust pierced doll and Yun-seok alike with pain. Yet he didn't stop. Merely wondered.

Has this guy ever felt even half this pain in his life?

"I said stay back!"

Yun-seok circulated Blood Demon Divine Art to its limit. Accelerating blood demon qi healed even minor scratches ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠from the spells while tanking them.

At the same time, his ferocity—no, madness—reared its head.

Step.

Finally before the man, blood demon qi roiled wildly from Yun-seok, spewing everywhere.

"D-do you know who I am?!"

Reduced to pathetic bluster? Yun-seok looked down with quiet contempt at the grotesquely ugly sight.

"I-I am... from the great Zeronia Empire...!"

"Who you are doesn't matter."

Who this man was. What he'd done before. His status. Irrelevant.

Only one thing mattered now: the judgment mark above his head.

Then Yun-seok said,

"What matters is who I am."

Even if the man revived with coins, he'd remember for life. Who Yun-seok was.