78th Tower, 9th-Floor Entrance
Not long after clearing the 8th floor, Neon ascended to the next level—only to be met with an army of fiends. Cultists surrounded him on all sides, attempting a perfectly coordinated strike to end his life. Before the storm of magic and blades could land, Neon bolted from their encirclement. He weaved through the chaos, dodging attacks until his casting was complete.
Bones tore through his flesh, forming a protective wall over his head.
[System: One of the guardian's titles has been triggered!!! [Genocide] has been activated.]
[Genocide]: When faced with a horde of monsters from the same race, the host gains a 20% boost to all stats.
"This difficulty is... fair enough," Neon muttered. "But I can't reach every one of you with just my weapon. Guess it's time for something else."
He activated the venom of the hydra within him and the Thornerus bones—the fusion of spear and shield.
"Create a weapon in the palm of my hand. Become the tool that vanquishes my foes. Homunculus Shift: Paralysis Cluster Bomb."
His flesh clumped together, forming a grotesque sphere infused with catastrophic energy. A piece of his bone embedded in the core gleamed with malevolence before he hurled it toward the cultists. It detonated midair in a radiant explosion.
Needles shot in every direction, each laced with the hydra's venom. The cultists' flesh didn't melt—but the paralysis coursed through them, robbing them of movement. Then came the final blow—four mutated imps, born of his alchemy, fell upon them.
[Notorious Cultist Gear Set 4/4]
Raggedy Robes: +15 Int
Occult Necklace: +35 Mana
Bloody Mask: +20 Health
Ominous Ring: +25% Dark Element Boost
Set Bonus: Halves the cost of dark-element skills and boosts them by 25%. Grants passive skill [Occult Fanatic].
[Occult Fanatic]: Every 5th dark spell cast becomes a critical hit, dealing 50% more dark-element damage. Combined with the full set, the 5th spell's boost increases to 100%.
[System: The guardian's minions possess [Dark Element]. The passive skill [Occult Fanatic] has been triggered.]
Four charges acknowledged. The next dark spell will land a critical hit with 100% boosted power.
With the ambush shattered, Neon began crafting his next spell. Chanting runes swirled around him, and a black, pulsating orb grew in his palm. It devoured the light around it, swallowing even the gleam of the entrance gate.
"Shadow Sphere."
He hurled the orb into the enemy ranks, and it exploded with soul-piercing screams. Just as he stepped toward the corridor leading out, a flicker in his senses made him pause. No footsteps. No aura. But instinct screamed at him—
Block now.
The clash of blades echoed violently. From the shadows, a knight emerged, his sword colliding with Neon's just in time. Reacting quickly, Neon countered with a spell—but the Shadow Sphere bounced harmlessly off the knight's blade.
It wasn't the deflection that stunned him.
It was the voice.
The knight had spoken.
"Intruder! Why have you entered the sacred abode of my lord?"
For the first time since becoming a guardian, Neon heard a monster speak with clarity, purpose, and fury. He shoved the knight back, bracing for a counterattack.
[System: Passive skill [Otherworldly View] has been triggered!]
[Otherworldly View]: Grants the user heightened perception. Invisible entities become visible, foreign languages become understandable, and the user gains insight into truths beyond mortal understanding.
"You monster..." the knight seethed, "...do you even have a heart? The civilians you've slaughtered cannot be brought back. Death is too kind for you. I, the Knight Captain, shall have your head!"
Before Neon could reply, the knight struck. His attacks were relentless, his strength overwhelming. Then came the system message:
[System: You've been branded as a [Villain]. The Ruined Knight's stats will continue to increase as long as you remain alive.]
No skill had triggered—just raw power. Neon began to buckle, but his titles kept him on his feet. He activated Midnight Stride, and darkness surged into his legs, enhancing his speed.
[Midnight Stride]: Imbues the user with darkness, increasing speed and dark-element power. Grows stronger at night or in areas of shadow.
[Acolyte's Ring]:
Dark Boost +10%
Dexterity +45
Attack +50
Mana +30
[Sinister Touch]: Imbue any held object with darkness. Elemental damage scales with user's dark attribute.
"You! Where did you get that power?!" the knight roared. "Has one of my comrades betrayed me?!"
Their blades clashed with equal force, neither one relenting. Yet one flaw decided the victor—the knight could not fully comprehend Neon's strategy. With a final, brutal strike, Neon pierced the knight's heart, pinning him in a thorny field of bones.
"Waaaait..." the knight croaked. His wrath faded. A change swept over him.
"You... thank you. When you killed me, I was freed from the trance... We've been repeating the same day, over and over, reliving our deaths. My soul was bound to this vessel... My lord—my friend—he's still trapped. Please, end his suffering. Only he can answer your questions. I beg of you... Transcender..."
The knight crumbled into ash. Neon stared, his pulse slowing.
Transcender.
That was his class title. And yet… this was the first time he'd heard it spoken by an enemy. The title wasn't just a designation—it held weight, meaning, and now... suspicion.
As he stepped deeper into the corridor, a cold chill crawled down his spine.