Nightmare
Creak, creak.
As I pressed my hand against the center of the iron door and pushed, it slowly began to open with a grating noise. The moment I stepped inside, the darkness trapped within surged out like a wave. It wrapped around me, and I could feel the emotions that Go Yeon-ju had experienced flooding through my body.
”…”
Faint voices called out to me from behind. I raised a hand to signal that I was okay and calmly closed my eyes.
From the moment I touched the door, I had sensed a terrifying aura. But as the darkness seeped into me, far more intense than I had anticipated, I couldn’t help but be impressed. It was as if every malicious emotion in the world had been gathered in this room, just as Go Yeon-ju had described.
I took a moment to savor the emotions that filled my chest, soothing the fiery spirit within me that wanted to react to the dark energy. My dulled senses sharpened, as if I were honing a blade, reminiscent of my first time here.
The emotions soon began to settle, and I looked at the darkness with a hint of regret. If only I could contain it and take it with me. Lately, I felt like I was losing my edge, and this darkness seemed like it could help me regain it.
“Hey, are you okay?”
Lee Yoo-jung’s worried voice snapped me back to reality. I turned to respond, but a fierce sound pierced through the darkness ahead, preventing me from doing so. It was starting already, just like the first and second times. I clicked my tongue inwardly and quickly raised my sword to defend myself.
Bang!
A heavy impact traveled up my blade, as if I had collided with a boulder. The force lifted me slightly off the ground, pushing me back a few steps. I quickly regained my footing and addressed my companions, who stood there with dazed expressions.
“We don’t have time to just stand around. The battle has already begun.”
“What an impatient creature.”
Go Yeon-ju bit her lip and charged into the room, followed by the rest of the group, who hurried in after her. I focused my magical energy into my eyes and scanned the area ahead.
“Grumble… Grumble…”
The sound was like a deep, raspy growl, or perhaps the roar of a beast. But there was something eerie about it, sending shivers down my spine. As I rubbed my arms and moved a few steps forward, I finally caught a glimpse of its form.
Even at a glance, it was over two meters tall. As what seemed to be its head lifted, two red lights glowed in the depths of the darkness, staring directly at us with murderous intent.
Doom Knight Horrence. Also known as the Nightmare. A being of darkness existing solely for destruction.
Horrence was, in some ways, a higher threat than the demon count Belphegor. Although Belphegor’s rank was technically higher, the circumstances were vastly different. Belphegor had been unable to unleash even half of his power due to a barrier, while Horrence was at full strength, if not more. And since I had decided not to unleash my fiery spirit this time, I couldn’t afford to be complacent.
『Activating special ability: Divine Sword Union (Rank: EX).』
『Activating latent ability: Close Combat (Rank: A Plus).』
『Activating latent ability: Insight (Rank: A Plus).』
As the messages floated in the air, I felt the darkness in the room sharpen its focus on me. The murderous intent heightened my senses, and my companions, sensing it too, looked on with fearful expressions.
Once we defeat this creature, it will be time to leave Mule. I won’t be able to look after or accommodate them any longer. To make that clear, I spoke in a low voice.
“We’re going to raid the boss monster now. This time, I’m giving everyone free rein. No specific orders. Just do what you’ve always done.”
As I finished speaking, the darkness surrounding Horrence began to take shape. The swirling shadows coalesced into the form of a knight’s armor, and a long sword emerged, signaling that Horrence was ready for battle.
My companions looked up at me with anxious faces. Until now, they had only followed my lead, accustomed to passive roles. But to move forward, they needed to learn to think and act for themselves. So, I spoke again, firmly.
“An Hyun, An Sol, Lee Yoo-jung.”
”…”
“As you know, after this battle, I plan to leave Mule. I’ll be forming a clan and taking on other users, stepping more fully into the Hall Plain. I might not be able to wait for you as I have until now.”
”…”
They listened silently, and as Horrence began to stir, I continued quickly.
“So, show me what you can do in this battle. Don’t fear death. It’s okay if you can’t wound it, and it’s okay if you get hurt. Just give it everything you’ve got.”
”…!”
“After we leave this cave, whether you’re still called ‘kids’ or become ‘users’ An Hyun, An Sol, and Lee Yoo-jung will be determined by this fight.”
I saw a spark of determination in their eyes, but there was no more time for words. Horrence let out a roar that shook the room and charged at me. I cleared my mind and focused all my attention on the approaching enemy. I infused my sword with magical energy and leaped forward.
The darkness around Horrence rose up, pressing down on me. I swung my sword horizontally, scattering the energy, but the fragmented shadows quickly reformed and shot back toward me.
As the tendrils of darkness reached for me, I ducked and dashed forward, slicing upward with my sword. Horrence’s shadowy blade reacted immediately.
Clang!
Sparks flew from my sword, and thick smoke billowed from the darkness. Our weapons, locked in a deadly embrace, paused for a moment. But soon, they began to move again, slowly at first.
Screeeech.
My sword, imbued with power, started to cut through the darkness. To be precise, my authority was slicing through Horrence’s shadow. As I severed about half of it, Horrence seemed to sense something amiss and retreated, releasing a wave of darkness.
That was when it happened.
“Come forth! Imprison! O binder of the 49th legion!”
”───. Stream of Aqua!”
”───. Chain Lightning!”
“Protect!”
”───. Reverse! Amplification!”
As if waiting for Horrence to retreat, the voices of priests and mages chanting spells filled the air simultaneously.
The first spell to hit was Vivian’s summoning magic. Heavy, dark chains brushed past me and wrapped tightly around Horrence’s limbs. At the same time, a massive stream of water drenched its body. The coordination was flawless, with barely a moment’s delay.
The spells and incantations continued to pour in. Yellow lightning zigzagged toward Horrence, and just as it struck, a translucent barrier formed around it. Then, with Reverse, the protective properties were inverted, and the power of Chain Lightning was amplified, completing the magical assault.
Crackle! Crackle! Crash!
“Graaaah!”
The combined magic was incredibly powerful. So powerful, in fact, that An Sol’s protective spell shattered under the strain. A few stray bolts of yellow light escaped, but Chain Lightning relentlessly pummeled the water-soaked Horrence.
As the lights began to fade, I saw two figures darting in from either side, their battle cries echoing through the room.
One fighter slammed his right foot into the ground, thrusting his spear through the air with a force that seemed to tear the very atmosphere. Another leaped gracefully, crossing his daggers toward the enemy’s side. Their weapons pierced the creature’s body without resistance, targeting the vulnerable spots left by magical strikes rather than its hardened exterior. I set aside my admiration for their precision, knowing I couldn’t let this opportunity slip by.
With the creature now completely immobilized, I gripped my sword’s hilt with both hands, much like a baseball bat. I swung with all my might at the large target before me, a hint of vengeance for the steps it had forced me to retreat earlier.
Thwack!
The sword, charged with magical energy, struck the creature’s torso with a satisfying impact. The sensation traveled up the blade, electrifying my senses. I watched as Horrence, the creature, was sent flying in a graceful arc.
I examined the creature as it tumbled noisily across the ground. Its torso and side were completely punctured, and shadows flickered erratically across its form, evidence of the damage it had sustained. Yet, the most crucial detail was that Vivian’s chains still ensnared its body.
Vivian seemed determined to finish the job. She lifted the creature with her chains, only to slam it back into the ground with relentless force.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Once, twice, thrice…
The chains finally released their hold after the creature’s body was thoroughly battered.
With this, we had decisively gained the upper hand in our first clash. Pleased with our unexpectedly strong start, I readied my sword once more, feeling a newfound confidence in our group’s capabilities.
In this initial encounter, Vivian and I had played the most significant roles. I had drawn the creature’s attention and restricted its movements, allowing Vivian to bind it with her chains at just the right moment. Had we hesitated even for a second, Horrence might have broken free, but our seamless coordination left it no chance. This is why a single user with a secret, rare class is said to be more valuable than a hundred ordinary users.
As I prepared for the next battle, the others looked at me with puzzled expressions.
“Hyung, isn’t it over?” one of them asked.
“Huh? It’s not over yet,” I replied.
“But it looks like…”
Anhyun’s face hardened as he turned to the scene before him. Horrence, who had been reduced to a pulp, was now reforming, shadows converging to restore its shape. I wasn’t surprised; I had anticipated this much.
Its regeneration isn’t infinite. In the first round, it took over a dozen defeats before it stopped regenerating. We should be prepared for a similar effort. The encouraging fact is that its regenerative power weakens with each defeat.
That’s why I place great significance on having brought down Horrence relatively easily in this first encounter. We managed to overcome it at its strongest regenerative state.
Unlike the wraiths at the entrance, it doesn’t have a separate resurrection spell, so the end is inevitable. Watching the others bite their lips and ready their weapons again, I spoke in a calm voice.
“This is just the beginning.”
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
Hello, this is Royujin.
Our protagonist is doing quite well against Horrence, isn’t he? But we’ll have to see if this success continues. Haha. To be precise, even in a one-on-one fight, the protagonist would win against Horrence, without using any special techniques.
This means that if we consider the users who defeated Horrence in the first round to be around mid to upper-mid level, Kim Suhyun could take them on and win. Conversely, Belphegor could also be defeated by a hundred users, though only within the confines of the barrier in the Ruins’ laboratory. Haha. :)
That’s all for today. I hope you all enjoy reading!
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『 Reader Comments 』
破天魔痕: Congratulations on being first! I’ve noticed you’ve been first in many other novels too. What’s your secret? I’m curious!
쿠로시온: Ugh, I just want to sleep. Hahaha. Lately, it feels like I’m just running in circles every day. I need some change to get motivated…
gkgngh: Ah, I see. I’ll try to avoid using “that guy” from now on. :)
awkawr: But Horrence won’t go down that easily. In the next chapter, you’ll see it put up a decent fight. Hahaha.
오자아자아나: In the early 90s, huh. If you invest all your remaining 14 points, you’ll have 86 points, so with future points, you might surpass 90.
현오: Haha, thank you. But, licking? I’m a guy. What are you doing licking a guy…? Hyung, are you serious?!
lamis: I’ll write as much as I can when I have the time. If I get busy, I’m not sure what will happen, but I’ll make sure to leave comments or notices. :)
백인티모시: I’ve made adjustments without disrupting the original flow of the text. Thank you for your valuable advice. (__)
타나투스: You might see it in the next chapter or the one after that. I’m planning to move quickly, considering a return or near-return in this chapter.
rkfmak: Thank you for the coupon. I’ll make sure to continue as soon as I have the time. ㅜ.ㅠ
오피투럽19: Oh! Are you talking about that person?! I sincerely hope your love bears fruit. You two seem like a perfect match! Hahaha! Hahahaha!
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