Chapter 31
Creak.
A pure white space.
Someone slowly walked deeper inside.
At the very center, a man was calmly drinking tea.
“Mm. You’re here.”
His voice was soft and gentle, and his eyes were thin like threads.
He was the Administrator of the highest floor.
“Did everything go well, Taeo?”
Taeo lowered his head slightly and greeted him politely.
“Yes. Thanks to you, everything is proceeding without any problems.”
“You’ve worked hard. Since you’re already here, why don’t you have some tea with me?”
“I’d be glad to.”
Steam rose from the teacup.
After taking a sip, a faint smile appeared on Taeo’s lips.
Silence passed for a moment.
Then Taeo carefully opened his mouth.
“...This may be an impertinent question, but may I ask you something?”
The highest-floor Administrator lowered his cup with interest and nodded.
“Of course. Ask whatever you wish.”
“I don’t understand why you’re so interested in Lee Suhyeok.”
Taeo’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“It seems an ordinary Player is receiving far too much special treatment.”
“A special reason...”
The Administrator smiled.
“You could call it favoritism.”
He looked amused.
“He has the proper ‘qualifications.’”
Then he added,
“Isn’t that why the two of us made this wager in the first place?”
Taeo had chosen Jang Geonho.
The highest-floor Administrator had chosen Lee Suhyeok.
They had placed a wager on which of their chosen pieces would win.
And the price was...
“Are you truly fine with this?”
Taeo stared into his teacup.
“You’re staking the achievements you’ve accumulated over hundreds of years.”
Taeo smiled calmly.
“The reward I’ll receive is just as certain, so I don’t mind.”
He looked at the man across from him.
“I trust you’ll keep your promise.”
“Haha. Of course.”
The Administrator smiled.
“If I lose this wager, I’ll give you the vacant Administrator position of the 90th Floor.”
His thin red eyes slowly opened.
His gaze moved toward a screen floating in the air.
On it...
Suhyeok was fighting.
“Then...”
The Administrator smiled.
“Shall we watch?”
His eyes gleamed.
“Let’s see how our wager ends.”
BOOOOM!
A massive explosion shook the arena.
Beyond the shattered wall, the Death Knight walked out through the wreckage.
[Is that all?]
Its voice was filled with disappointment.
[I expected more.]
Its chest armor had been destroyed.
Sticky purple energy swirled around its body.
In an instant...
The armor restored itself as though nothing had happened.
[Target available for Trait Plunder.]
·
Death Energy (S)
·
·
Dark Magic (S)
·
·
Damage Absorption (S)
·
[Condition: Completely destroy the Death Knight.]
It absorbed all the damage.
Suhyeok narrowed his eyes.
His attacks were doing nothing.
The Trait he needed to be most careful of was obvious.
[Death Energy (S)]
·
Absorbs a portion of the stats of killed lifeforms.
·
·
The amount absorbed depends on the level of the killed target.
·
I can’t let it turn its attention elsewhere.
If the Death Knight killed the others...
It would become even stronger.
Suhyeok had no choice but to keep attacking without giving it time to rest.
The Death Knight tilted its head.
[You’ve suddenly become quiet.]
It raised its greatsword.
[It seems you have much to think about.]
Its killing intent spread.
[Do not worry.]
The Death Knight pointed the blade at Suhyeok.
[I will guide you to death first.]
Whoosh!
The moment it finished speaking, it kicked off the ground.
Its attacks continued without pause.
Suhyeok cut through its armor again and again...
But every wound immediately regenerated.
The Death Knight did not care.
It swung its greatsword.
“Urgh!”
Suhyeok twisted his body and redirected the strike.
The arena floor caved in and split apart.
Dodging completely would have been easier...
But then the attack would reach the people behind him.
Deflecting it was the only choice.
Fssss...
“......!”
Sinister energy began swirling around the Death Knight.
Suhyeok immediately created distance.
Crack! Crunch!
The surrounding ground began rotting.
Then skeletal arms burst out of the earth.
Skeleton soldiers climbed from below.
The Death Knight laughed.
[At least you won’t be bored.]
It spread its arms.
[Go on.]
[Struggle.]
Seong-a’s blade gave off a faint glow.
Adamantium.
The sword’s special property activated.
Suhyeok began cutting through the skeleton soldiers one after another.
Then...
The Death Knight disappeared.
By the time Suhyeok noticed...
It was already too late.
The greatsword tore through the air toward his back.
CLANG!
Suhyeok barely twisted Seong-a around to block.
A huge shockwave erupted.
His body was launched into the opposite wall.
BOOM!
Dust and rubble fell around him.
“Cough...”
Dark blood filled his mouth.
Suhyeok spat it onto the ground.
His ribs were broken.
Several bones on his right side had cracked.
Blood ran down from his forehead.
The Constellations watching the fight began reacting with concern.
[This is getting serious. This might actually be the end...]
[It’ll be boring if this guy dies. Isn’t there any way to help him?]
[As if that’s possible. How pathetic.]
[Beating a Death Knight is impossible to begin with. What kind of help are you expecting? Tch.]
The Constellations did not want their entertainment to disappear.
Leon looked close to tears.
He floated in the air, unable to do anything.
[S-Suhyeok... Are you really okay, nya?! You can’t die, nya!!]
Leon grabbed Suhyeok’s clothes and desperately tried to pull him up.
But it was useless.
After that last impact...
Suhyeok’s strength was rapidly leaving his body.
Sponsorship messages began appearing one after another.
[‘Miracle of Three Days’ has sponsored 5,000 Coins.]
[Message: I pray that you defeat that evil spirit.]
[‘One-Eyed White-Haired Elder’ has sponsored 5,000 Coins.]
[Message: Fight with the resolve to die.]
More followed.
Even unfamiliar Constellations began sending support.
Then one message caught Suhyeok’s attention.
[‘Ruler of the Battlefield’ has sponsored 10,000 Coins.]
[Message: It isn’t damage immunity.]
[Message: It’s damage absorption, you brat.]
“Damage... absorption...”
Suhyeok’s eyes narrowed.
He forced out the last of his strength.
He slowly climbed out from the rubble.
One step.
Another.
He limped forward.
The Death Knight dragged its greatsword across the floor.
Its killing intent grew even stronger.
[Accept death already.]
The Death Knight raised its blade.
[That Person will personally guide you.]
It laughed.
[If you’re worried about the other humans...]
Its eyes glowed.
[I’ll send them with you.]
Suhyeok became silent.
Stat points spent here would permanently disappear.
There was only one way to win.
I’ll have to use them.
Strength.
Agility.
Mana.
Those would not create enough of a difference.
He needed to overwhelm the Death Knight completely.
There was only one stat worth choosing.
Suhyeok quietly spoke.
“From this point on...”
His gaze became cold.
“The situation is going to change.”
Then he said,
“Fifty points into Internal Energy.”
[Internal Energy: 40 → 90]
[Remaining Stat Points: 45]
[The user’s enlightenment has already reached its current limit.]
