[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
Chapter 75: Exploding Dungeon Portals, An A-Rank Dungeon Appears (2)
As I landed on the ground and muttered to myself, a hundred soldiers in Greek attire all turned to look at
simultaneously.
Those who had been massacring civilians, those deflecting bullets from soldiers—everyone stopped what they were doing.
The ones who had been scattered around began to gather.
They moved together with such speed that they no longer seed human.
[He knows the Emperor.]
[Kill him.]
[He is strong.]
[Form ranks!]
The soldiers ford a formation like a hedgehog.
If they completed that formation, it would definitely be troubleso.
"Thunder God!"
I imdiately unleashed the Thunder God, but the lightning bounced right off.
While I managed to destroy one shield, the others had already tightened their ranks, and the resistance was overwhelming.
They hadn’t even fully completed their formation yet, and it was already giving
this much trouble.
Things would get much worse later on.
"Phoenix, go."
[A strong opponent. Understood.]
The phoenix, which had been resting on my forehead, leapt into action.
Simultaneously, I summoned the Fla Chariot and sent it charging forward.
"Focus. Thunder God."
I gathered as much magical power as I could and unleashed a torrent of lightning.
The damage to human lives was significant.
I had to finish them early.
[Defend!]
The soldiers raised their shields, creating a wall, and a black barrier materialized.
The phoenix's fiery breath struck first, but the barrier remained unmoved.
The Fla Chariot charged, only to be repelled.
Only the lightning of the Thunder God, which I had invested my concentrated magic into, had any effect.
The thick bolts of lightning began to crack the barrier, like an eggshell breaking apart.
The phoenix imdiately dove into the cracks, and the Fla Chariot launched another assault.
The gaps slowly widened.
I poured the Thunder God’s lightning into the breach once more.
A blinding white light pierced through the barrier as thunder roared like a storm.
[Grr…]
[He is strong. Defense is impossible.]
[Launch spears!]
The crumbling black barrier suddenly coalesced into countless spear shapes.
Then, all at once, they flew at
like bullets.
Thankfully, I could hear their movents, which ant I could defend against them.
"Summon Aegis Shield. Light Shield."
Phase 1 of the Aegis Shield.
Small, disk-like shields of light began orbiting around , automatically blocking fatal attacks.
The Light Shield—a 5-circle protective magic—was especially strong against chaotic attacks.
With both defenses activated, I charged toward the enemy.
Clang! Clang!
The black spears flying at
were deflected one by one.
Occasionally, thicker and more nacing spears were automatically blocked by the Aegis Shield.
[Athena’s Shield!]
[Hahaha… An artifact of the enemy!]
[Go berserk!]
The soldiers, who had been falling one by one under my attacks, suddenly let out furious roars.
They abandoned all defense and charged at
recklessly.
Dozens leapt into the air, while the rest sprinted on the ground.
Their black bodies turned crimson, their eyes blazing with rage.
Despite being engulfed in fire and struck by lightning, they charged at
with burning bodies.
"Grow, Yeoui."
I extended Yeoui and infused it with thunder energy.
It slashed the earth and dominated the sky.
A squishy sensation spread through my hands—the feeling of cutting through flesh and shattering bones.
Then, it stopped.
[I’ll hold the black one.]
A large soldier, bigger than the others, was holding Yeoui’s blade with his body.
The mont my sword strike paused, the other enemies took advantage of the gap and charged at
like madn.
I quickly shrank Yeoui again, causing the soldier holding it to collapse.
Without re-extending Yeoui, I scanned the surroundings.
There were still more than 50 enemies left.
If I retreated and suppressed them from a distance, it would take ti, but I could manage.
However, this was the middle of the city, and prolonging the battle here wasn’t ideal.
Tsk… Should I use that skill?
I decided to wait for the enemies to co closer.
[Launch spears.]
Black spears flew at
from all directions.
I overlapped the Light Shield once, then twice, deflecting them.
Their spears relentlessly targeted one area of the shield, striking with remarkable precision.
[Charge.]
The soldiers who had leapt high into the sky descended with shields at the forefront.
Golden armor glead as red and gold clashed in a teor-like display.
The soldiers on the ground with long spears tid their movents perfectly.
As they drew closer and closer…
Now was the chance.
"Soul Energy Emission."
Whoosh.
White flas roared and surged.
A shrunken staff expanded instantly.
With one strike, it cleaved the sky, and with the next, it split the earth.
In the wake of the blade, pure white flas blood.
Soldiers froze in their tracks, consud by the sight.
[Aaaaargh!]
[It burns… it burns away…]
[Rest… we can rest…]
[Apostle, grant the king rest as well…]
At first, the soldiers scread in agony, but their faces soon turned peaceful.
They even gestured toward the dungeon, pleading with .
They were asking for rest for their king, too.
Sigh.
Have these guys gone mad?
There's no risk of civilian casualties inside the dungeon, so why would I bother?
[3200 SP is consud.]
Just looking at the SP consumption is enough to make
feel gloomy…
This is sothing to be used only as a last resort.
Still, I was utterly stunned when I checked the ssage window.
I gained 20,000 SP.
Even though souls killed through spiritual emission are not absorbed.
I only absorbed 50 of them, which ans each one gave
400 SP.
Whoa.
Why so much?
My stats also increased:
2 Strength and
2 Agility.
Ugh.
If this wasn’t in the middle of a crowded city in Taiwan, I would’ve taken my ti absorbing more.
Well, no point regretting it.
If I had fought these guys while trying to escape, the civilian casualties would’ve been catastrophic.
Looking around again, I confird there were no enemies left.
The survivors were sobbing or unconscious, barely hanging on.
Those who fled were the lucky ones—at least they had the strength to run.
Most were just dazed, broken by the overwhelming fear.
Sigh.
I need to dismantle this dungeon quickly…
A portal to the dungeon shimred in a deep indigo hue.
There were no Hunter Association staff or soldiers stationed nearby as usual.
Only scattered corpses remained.
The vicious attacks from the enemy soldiers had mutilated the bodies beyond recognition—shreds of flesh and fragnts of bone littered the ground.
On Earth, dungeons rarely felt like a true threat, but today, I was feeling it in my bones.
Sigh.
Looks like I'll be tackling this A-rank dungeon alone as a B-rank.
The enemies outside were manageable, but inside the dungeon lies their king.
Leonidas.
Why the king of Sparta is in a dungeon, I have no idea, but he’s not going to be an easy opponent.
[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
Once I enter, if it seems too much, I’ll imdiately use Heimdall’s Return to escape.
Upon entering, the terrain was unlike a typical dungeon.
It wasn’t a cave—it was an entire world.
In the sky, a crimson planet glowed ominously, and the ground was a sprawling expanse of black soil.
Ahead stood twice as many soldiers as I’d encountered before.
Why does this dungeon feel like a full-scale war from the very start?
[Form ranks! Defensive formation!]
A commanding voice echoed across the land.
Clack. Clack. Clack.
With synchronized footsteps, they ford a hedgehog-like phalanx.
Their uniforms were identical to the soldiers from earlier.
Long spears aid directly at .
Circular shields tightly overlapping in defensive formation.
And this ti, they were fortified with a thick, black barrier.
Just looking at it made
groan—it scread trouble.
Fortunately, there was nothing here I needed to protect.
I wouldn’t use soul emission again.
Instead, I’d take my ti picking off enemies from a distance to gather SP and experience.
“Summon Fla Chariot.”
Riding the Fla Chariot, I ascended into the sky.
From the phalanx, a single figure stepped forward.
Larger than the average soldier.
Clad head-to-toe in golden armor, from his helm and breastplate to his spear and shield.
His face was obscured by his helt, but his exposed skin was completely blackened.
The mark of chaos was upon him.
[I am Leonidas, King of Sparta. Who are you, and how can you obliterate souls?]
“Leonidas, huh? Why are you in an A-rank dungeon?”
[A-rank dungeon? Do you think this hell, where Athena imprisoned us, is just a dungeon?]
“Athena imprisoned you?”
At the ntion of Athena, Leonidas slamd his spear into the ground repeatedly, trembling with rage.
[That’s right! We offered our souls to the Pantheon! But she severed our spirits and banished us here! Unable to die, trapped in this hell because she saw fragnts of chaos within us!]
His words reminded
of the marble statues displayed in the Pantheon.
They said even B-rank and A-rank individuals could earn a place there.
“You were among the statues displayed in the Pantheon?”
[We were. Olympus asked for our aid in the final battle. They coaxed us, saying we’d need to offer our souls. When we swore the oath, Athena appeared and shattered our spirits. She claid the chaotic parts were unnecessary and cast us into this wretched place.]
Leonidas growled as he spoke.
So, the statues weren’t just morials.
It seems Athena extracted only the orderly aspects of their spirits and discarded the chaotic parts.
But why are they showing up in an A-rank dungeon?
This is so confusing…
[Answer . Who are you? How can you free souls?]
Leonidas kept asking who I was, repeatedly demanding an answer.
Hmm.
Judging by their reactions earlier, it seems these guys just want to be destroyed and finally rest.
This might be a good chance to negotiate.
“I am a Soul Reaper.”
[Soul Reaper? Such a thing exists?]
"Yes, I have the ability to reap the souls of my enemies. Your subordinates outside were killed by
and had their souls stolen, leading to their annihilation."
[An ability like that... I've never heard of it.]
"But look at the results. Haven't your subordinates vanished? How many did you originally have?"
[There were 300.]
"And now?"
[200 remain.]
"Did they originally revive even after death?"
[Yes... Even when we killed each other, we were bound to this space and resurrected. But now, my subordinates no longer revive. So, you're telling the truth...]
I had killed about 50 with my energy slash and another 50 using the soul absorption skill.
If 100 don't revive, it ans the soul absorption is highly effective.
Confident, I pressed on with my persuasion.
"For the sake of freeing your souls, why not surrender and let
end your suffering? I'll make it quick and painless."
Leonidas, after a mont of contemplation, raised his hand.
[All units, dissolve the formation.]
Oh, nice.
I was worried about how to break through that solid phalanx, but they're disbanding it for .
[It is better to be annihilated by you than to remain in this hell. However, a Spartan warrior cannot simply die without a fight. Co down here. Grant us the chance to die in battle. Each of us will challenge you one-on-one.]
A one-on-one duel?
That works for .
I descended to the ground with my chariot, keeping a reasonable distance.
[We will send them to you one by one.]
At Leonidas's signal, the soldiers began charging at
individually.
When they were in formation, they were a headache, but facing them one by one wasn't difficult.
[Grant us peace!]
The soldier charging at
shouted, but his montum didn't waver.
So, they don't want to die quietly, huh?
Swish.
I dodged the spear and amplified my sword.
The soldier shielded his body with his shield.
But my lightning-infused weapon pierced right through the shield and impaled his body.
A sword through his chest.
Yet the soldier smiled at the sight.
[Ah, it's true. At last, we're freed from this cursed place...]
And the soldier's body disappeared.
Leonidas and the soldiers turned around to look behind them.
Then, all at once, they began to cheer.
[They aren't reviving!]
[He was telling the truth. Everyone, embrace peace!]
[At last, we are freed from this hell!]
The soldiers, elated, rushed toward
to et their deaths.
So, impatient, even dropped their shields and charged at
as if begging to be killed.
Without their formation, the soldiers were only as strong as death knights.
Killing 200 of them didn't take long.
So fought
seriously, but none could withstand my attacks in a one-on-one duel.
After they were all gone, Leonidas approached
slowly.
He pointed a golden spear at .
So, he won't go down quietly.
[Soul Reaper, you are strong. Face
in battle!]
A dark aura of chaos engulfed his spear and shield.
Leonidas leaped forward, his spear hurtling toward .
He was definitely stronger than the soldiers.
Stronger than any monster I'd encountered on Earth.
Clang!
But none of his attacks could pierce through Aegis's shield.
"Enlarge, Yeoui."
His golden armor and shield couldn't withstand my lightning-charged weapon.
Dozens of blows were exchanged in an instant.
Thunk!
[At last... I am free.]
My sword had pierced through his neck.
Leonidas disappeared with a smile on his face.
When he vanished, a small purple gem dropped in his place.
Purple?
If the order of colors is red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet, then purple is S-rank?
I quickly picked it up, and a ssage appeared.
[You have obtained 'Persephone's Shard.']
Persephone's Shard, huh...
Persephone, wife of Hades.
Hmm.
I'll keep it for now.
As I pocketed the gem, the world around
crumbled.
A flash of light, and suddenly, I was back in the ruined city of Taipei.
"Jiho!"
"You're alive!"
People ran toward .
Among them was Kang Shia.
Huh?
Kang Shia, who should be in Korea, is here?
"How did you get here?"
"Jiho... you’ve been in the dungeon for a week!"
"A week?"
Wait... I was only there for a brief mont, but an entire week has passed?
[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
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