Another battle has just ended.
The floor 4 manager, the “Zombie Overlord,” stood no chance against the relentless Whispering Leaf.
However, he had also sustained quite a bit of damage, and his inner Void energy had significantly diminished. He was so exhausted he could barely catch his breath.
The physical limits brought on by consecutive fights against four powerful foes.
Completely worn out, Whispering Leaf cautiously lay down in the ruins of floor 4. He then carefully pondered.
“What should I do about the next floor?”
Given the circumstances, only one floor remained. Just the 5th floor was left.
Naturally, the manager of the last floor was bound to be the strongest yet. The fact was dizzying in Whispering Leaf’s mind.
Damn those demons.
Where on earth did they get these ‘managers’? Each one seemed to boast an overwhelming might, leaving him perplexed.
At this point, it was more absurd than infuriating.
“Did you really prepare this hard just to torment me?”
This “Tower of Hell” was far too intricately made to be just a place for a simple trick.
The realistic scenery made it feel like he had entered another dimension, with an eerie atmosphere that sent chills down his spine, and high-level adversaries.
There was no sign that it had been hastily put together. At this point, one could believe that each floor was connected to a different dimension.
It must be the result of the Great Demon’s sophisticated illusions combined with spatial distortion. Or perhaps they had actually opened a true interdimensional passage.
“Uselessly diligent little pest.”
He could only begrudgingly acknowledge the effort put into tormenting others.
Truly, demons were deranged and psychologically shattered. Perhaps it was the Great Demon aspect, but their personality was disgustingly vile.
One day, he would find the chance to deliver a blow.
With this grim resolution, Whispering Leaf slowly stood up. It was time to head to the next floor.
“Let’s go.”
The passageway to the 5th floor was nearby.
Suddenly, a staircase appeared out of nowhere in the air. For some reason, this area looked like a game where the textures were broken, creating a distorted space.
Did they slap this together in a hurry? With such thoughts, he climbed the stairs.
As he silently ascended the dark stairs, which didn’t have even a common wall lantern, he eventually spotted an exit door ahead.
He grasped the doorknob and, before turning it, whispered softly.
“Yeo-eun. Just wait a little longer.”
He was convinced that the Great Demon’s order to capture the Pope was a fake command for some trickery, since this place was too horrific to be the Pope’s residence.
However, whether it was real or fake, the fact that his kidnapped sister’s life was in danger didn’t change.
So he had to fight with all his might.
If he didn’t give it his all, the demon’s whims might lead to his sister’s death.
“I’ll save you soon.”
He had to ensure that she escaped the demon’s clutches.
Even though he hadn’t had a proper conversation since their return, he would do everything he could to save the only family member bound to him by blood.
Steeling his determination, he drew forth his inner power and opened the door to enter.
And then.
At that moment, he took a deep breath.
“…Wasteland?”
The 5th floor stretched out to reveal a vast wasteland, visible even to the horizon.
However, signs of fire were left all over the place.
Nearby, there were burned corpses, and in the distance, the charred remains of buildings could be seen.
Above all, the mana of this place was so murky that even as a Dark Elf, it was difficult for him to absorb.
It was as foul and harsh as the toxic gas produced at an urban fire scene, making him grimace.
As expected of the Great Demon. He didn’t know where this was, but it was impressive how well this place had been created.
While he was once again astonished by the Great Demon’s meticulous craftsmanship, he suddenly heard a sound.
“You’ve finally arrived.”
Startled by the ominous voice that came without warning, he quickly turned around.
There was a chair that hadn’t been there a moment ago, and a woman covered in gray ash sat upon it.
“I thought I was going to die of boredom waiting.”
The gray-skinned woman waved her hand lightly, snapping her fingers.
At that, three swords enveloped in black flames appeared around her.
With the swords swirling leisurely around her, the woman stood up from the chair.
“I am ‘Black Sun,’ the manager of the 5th floor, ruling the Tower of Hell.”
At last.
The moment the final opponent revealed herself.
*
“How do you feel about getting this far?”
Wearing the Haemaki hidden by an illusion, I asked with a faint smile on my lips.
Then, I walked slowly forward, ensuring my steps appeared as nonchalant as possible.
Doing this felt as if I had truly become a new person. I was careful not to laugh too excessively as I continued to speak.
“We don’t need to engage in meaningless conversation, right? There’s no need for that between us.”
I had never seen Black Sun in person, but I knew what kind of characteristics she possessed, thanks to the Goddess’s previous explanation.
-Her speech pattern is almost similar to mine. But imagine a version of me that has no consideration and is only filled with endless malice towards others.
As always, she hadn’t made it easy to understand, but that explanation was sufficient to grasp it.
What I understood to be Black Sun’s characteristics were as follows.
A cruelty that would make even demons weep.
“I understand that your sister’s life is in danger. Is that correct?”
“…….”
The moment I mentioned her sister, the Dark Elf’s gaze turned ferocious, as if to say she wouldn’t hesitate to retaliate at the slightest insult.
I, embodying the Evil God, calmly received her fierce glare and shrugged my shoulders.
“No matter how much you glare at me, it won’t matter. I’ve resolved to make you kneel.”
“…Resolved? Why is that?”
“That’s a trite question.”
With a charming smile, I looked directly into the Dark Elf’s eyes.
“I simply want to watch you lose your sister and fall into despair.”
Ah, what a chilling line. Even I felt a bit uneasy about how much it reflected an Evil God’s essence.
By now, the chat room was probably buzzing with the “Pope’s character controversy.”
Still, I had told them I’d immerse myself in the performance, so it wouldn’t be taken seriously. Probably.
“…….”
Meanwhile, the atmosphere around the Dark Elf plummeted as an aura in shades of purple and navy began to envelop her.
And then—
“I won’t let it slide.”
With a low voice, seven monsters were simultaneously summoned.
Each one exuded unusual power. Seeing them in person, I felt overwhelmed by the intimidation radiating from their bodies.
‘…They’re too strong.’
Was she planning to engage in a full-out fight from the start? Since I was already quite drained, that might actually be better.
“Impressive.”
Feigning surprise, I snapped my fingers. As a result, the three swords swirling around me came to a halt in front of me.
Ilju, Wolju, and Seongju.
I intended to leave this battle to my beloved swords and secret weapons. Using Sacred Spells would contradict the settings.
With Young Dragon’s illusion, the sword blades were now black flames, matching my appearance perfectly.
I’d have to check how it looked in the stream replay later. Making the best effort to look convincing, I internally instructed them.
“Handle it moderately. Don’t kill, don’t slice too deeply, just wound adequately and then fall.”
It was an excessively detailed instruction, but my obedient swords showed no signs of objection.
-Understood.
-Okay.
-I’ll do my best!
With upbeat responses, the swords quickly returned to their designated positions.
The first and primary attacker, Ilju, charged at the Dark Elf and the monsters.
The second, Wolju, began orbiting around me, taking on a defensive stance.
Lastly, the youngest, Seongju, followed Ilju and began to unleash swordsmanship.
“Subdue them quickly!”
As the two swords launched their assault, the Dark Elf shouted energetically.
Responding to their master’s voice, the monsters immediately began to howl as they pursued the two swords.
However.
No matter how fiercely they swung their claws and tentacles, Ilju and Seongju evaded with impeccable agility.
-So slow.
-Ahaha!
The two attacking swords danced around, scratching the bodies of the hideous monsters at breathtaking speeds.
While the Dark Elf struggled to parry the blades, it was clear that she was overwhelmed.
Watching the intruder’s struggle, I leisurely crossed my arms.
Calculating the time left, I thought.
‘Do you think we can hold out for about twenty minutes like this?’
The Dark Elf was a formidable opponent, but she was far too worn out. The monsters’ actions, influenced by their master, were no different.
On the side, my little swords were lively and full of energy.
-Moderately, moderately.
-They look exhausted!
-Be careful!
Their voices rang with enthusiasm and composure. If I had commanded them to kill, we could have won in no time.
Well, it was only natural.
The swords were originally supreme weapons belonging to the ‘hero’s gear.’ Coupled with Liam’s fine-tuning, they constituted an elite pair.
Having been bolstered by the Demigod’s enhancements, it was hard to gauge just how powerful they were until now, but now I could see it in action.
“Ugh….”
The Dark Elf, heavily engaged in the battle, fell to one knee. She had been cut in the thigh.
As her control weakened, the unified movements of the monsters unraveled into chaos, resembling wild, mindless beasts.
On the other hand.
Ilju and Seongju shone with light reminiscent of the sun and stars as they toyed with the monsters effortlessly.
Cutting wings, severing tentacles, and grazing eyes.
There was no wasted movement. Each action was a meticulously calculated display of artful swordsmanship.
The overwhelming disparity in strength turned the battle into a one-sided affair.
If this continued, at some dramatic moment, the swords would falter, and the intruder would muster her last strength to knock me down. That’d be the perfect scene for me.
‘…But how did it get this way?’
Originally, the goal had been to ‘educate’ the intruder but somehow, I had ended up with the mindset to make the broadcast spectacular.
Just as I was about to drift off into a moment of reflection, my resolve surged back.
This wasn’t just playing around; it was about getting back at Kim Yi-jeong.
I fully immersed myself in the role, while the viewers laughed and chatted, creating this lively atmosphere.
And while I had sent the Dark Elf as an attacker, she had become the protagonist of a movie against my intention.
In every aspect, this was the kind of situation that would make the Great Demon turn up his nose in disdain.
Thus, I would finish it cleanly.
That way, Kim Yi-jeong would be infuriated from head to toe.
‘Before you fall, I have to deliver a line that acknowledges your skills.’
Imagining the perfect ending in my head, I continued to quietly observe the battlefield.
Before I realized how long the fight had been going on.
‘…Hey, guys?’
I began to feel anxious when I saw five monsters lying on the ground.
The enemies were nearly defeated, yet the swords were still flying about unharmed.
‘Is it time to wrap it up and take a dive?
Why aren’t you following instructions? If this goes wrong, it’ll be a disaster for both of us.’
Just as I worried that the influence of that reckless, pure-hearted Immortal was finally showing up, the swords suddenly responded energetically.
-Yes.
-This is it!
-Understood!
Why were they so chipper? Just as I felt a wave of unease, the cheerful swords abruptly halted in mid-air.
-Ow!
-Ack!
-Noo!
With their individual cries of unique distress, the swords plummeted to the ground. And they hadn’t even been struck by an attack.
Even Wolju, who had been merely circling around me, fell down.
“Ah.”
I couldn’t help but squeeze my eyes shut at that moment.
That was, without a doubt, the worst acting performance imaginable.
‘Guys….’
Should I have considered that the swords were like innocent children? I missed my chance to improvise due to the unexpected turn of events.
“…What’s going on?”
The Dark Elf seemed just as startled, frozen in her stance, poised to swing her dagger.
We exchanged glances, as if we had made a silent agreement.
“…….”
“…….”
The world’s most awkward silence. The monsters, too, stared at me with wide eyes.
After what felt like an eternity of this uncomfortable quiet, I slowly opened my mouth.
“Wow, wow. The determination you showed moved the swords so much that they lost their will to fight. You’ve won.”
Even I felt shame at that ad-lib performance.
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