Chapter 38
“Shall we add some fragrant mushrooms for extra flavor~?”
Romideus had already disappeared, but his sinister voice lingered in my ears, echoing like a haunting melody.
Thud, thud, thud, thud!
Something fell from the ceiling above the cauldron, dropping in heavy chunks.
It was all mushrooms.
Bumpy, misshapen surfaces.
Covered in large, swollen lumps.
Pong! Pong!
Rainbow-colored droplets of oil burst from those lumps.
‘These are the hallucinogenic mushrooms that bring out the sorrows buried in the past!’
Romideus chuckled in the background.
Even the greatest of warriors have their weak pasts!
Did you think they were buried for good?
He was about to tear open those old scars and rub them in with salt, the special recipe for his culinary arts.
“…!”
The bitter anguish that gripped my insides brought back flashes of horrific memories—
Those of the people I cherished more than my own life being trampled and crying out in agony.
It was a long-forgotten past, something I thought I had left behind.
‘I won’t allow the same tragedy again. I swear…!’
Amid the crushing pain in my chest, an unyielding tower of will rose.
As flames ignited deep within my eyes, Romideus’s hollow voice echoed from somewhere.
“Tch, is it no good? Trying to stir up your ‘tragic past’ and ‘traumatic memories,’ but it’s not working?”
But his voice came back, licking his lips as he chuckled.
“Now, the real cooking begins! Next, we need some crispy, fresh vegetables! This is what gives the texture its life~”
From the ceiling, grotesque plants began to fall.
Lettuce with sharp teeth at the tips of its leaves, carrots and radishes holding bloody knives in their hands and running wild.
Onions and garlics oozing sticky mucus all began to fly toward me!
[Activating ‘Guardian’s Sword (C)’]
Whoooosh!
The summoned flame sword spun in a circle, and flames burst from its edge, wrapping around the vegetables charging forward.
“Kehehehe!”
The scene was indescribably bizarre, and the sight would make anyone lose their appetite.
The flame-scorched vegetables clung to my body, tied to the bone chair.
[Activating ‘Heaven’s Grand Technique (Epic)’]
[Creating a defensive talisman.]
[Rebound (反彈力) is in effect.]
Ping! Ping! Ting! Ping!
Crack, crack, crack…
The vegetables’ knives and teeth bounced off, hitting the walls, and the biting jaws shattered into pieces, scattering on the floor.
They weren’t all that threatening, though.
But I wasn’t letting my guard down yet.
Looking at the bindings that held my arms and legs in place, I couldn’t help but think, This power can’t budge me?
I briefly thought of trying out the Sword Silk technique, but quickly shook my head.
A sword that specialized in sharp cuts.
However, the movement was so unpredictable that even the slightest mistake could result in losing my own arm.
I couldn’t afford such risks.
Romideus raised his voice excitedly.
“Can’t forget the special fresh noodles, huh? They’re going to be so chewy~!”
Thud!
Something heavy and massive fell.
A bundle of crimson tendons, wriggling as if alive.
The rebound from the Heaven’s Grand Technique would reverse any external strikes.
But, being crushed… that wasn’t exactly a strike, was it?
The sensation of imminent danger brushed against my spine.
Romideus’s voice carried a tone of fevered excitement.
“Ah, but I forgot to add the broth? The special dark broth I’ve painstakingly simmered in the Dark Altar~”
A thick black liquid poured out from the ceiling holes.
Ssssss-!
Bubbles boiled up as the floor started to sizzle.
It was a highly acidic liquid that could vaporize human bodies in an instant.
“Finally, finally! Time to prepare the ingredients!!”
For an average warrior, this was a pinnacle of perfection that couldn’t be reached in a lifetime.
But I, only ten days into learning martial arts, had already passed that threshold.
The acquisition of Heaven’s Sword Technique and Heaven’s Grand Technique, the points I poured into ‘Qi,’ the insights I gained from the Library of Reincarnators… It was all coming together.
The most remarkable of these was Destruction, a devastating skill that could obliterate even an AAA-class warrior like Erast Valter in one strike.
‘…But, my true breakthrough is in a special skill. I’m still at the very beginning of understanding.’
My flaw.
That shallowness.
I was keenly aware of it.
‘I need to expand the spectrum of my transformation sword skills.’
One week after clearing the Gimcheon Gate.
While nurturing my Maeryeong, I was relentlessly addressing that flaw.
If I couldn’t create it myself…
Grrrggrr…
The black liquid began to rise to my feet just as the thought crossed my mind.
My eyes lit up.
‘Why not just buy it from the Channel and use it?’
[Activating Mourning Sword Technique (Hero)]
└[6th Phase: Breaking the Wheel (破輪)]
[You do not possess a sword.]
[It activates through Hand Qi.]
[The power of First Strike is halved.]
Creeeak!
At the same time, the red tendons coiled around my body.
[Critical danger level!]
[‘Breaking the Limit (Non-Rank)’ is activated.]
[All stats +1.]
The Qi around my wrist sharpened like a serrated blade.
Cha-cha-cha-cha─!
The bone restraints that bound my arms shattered instantly.
“Summon.”
The weight of the flame sword felt like an old friend in my hand.
Never have I been so glad to feel its weight.
Whoosh!
A single slash cleaved through the tendons, and the clumped muscles writhed as if screaming.
‘This time, I’ll finish it.’
[Breaking the Wheel] activated.
Swoooosh.
The wheel of destruction, wrapped in searing flames, began to spin.
The rotating blade of the sword shredded the restraints around my ankles, slicing through the red tendons with ease.
Whoosh! Crash! Whoooosh!
Like cutting through paper.
“No, no?!”
Romideus fell into stunned silence, before his face twisted into a hideous snarl.
“Oh nooo, so much power, huh? Let’s heat it up more! Until your bones melt away!”
Romideus snapped his fingers, and a massive flame engulfed the entire cauldron.
[Firepower adjusted: Flaming Explosion → Volcanic Blast]
‘If this were a Volcanic Blast or Hyperheated, it would be perfect… But this should be enough to reduce you to ash!’
Maintaining the firepower was key.
Romideus ran off toward the Dark Altar’s storage, grabbing bundles of wood.
Wood from cursed trees, bones covered in Faceless Pox, twisted finger bones.
He tossed them all into the cauldron, smiling contentedly.
“Now, it should be fully cooked, right?”
He rubbed his hands together eagerly.
But then he looked inside.
“This, this is…”
The smile on his face instantly vanished, replaced by shock.
The long-anticipated hellish broth was nowhere to be found.
The special broth had turned into a black sludge.
And across the room, icicles began to grow.
In the middle of it all.
Sitting atop the glowing flame sword, I remained in a meditative stance.
Eyes closed.
Unshaken.
From the blue and white armor surrounding me, ice particles scattered like silver dust.
[‘Frost Crystal Shield’ has activated.]
[The ‘Slowness’ effect has been applied to the burning flames.]
[The freezing effect has been applied to the rising steam.]
Ssshhhh─
The frost overpowered the cauldron’s heat and spread throughout the room.
That’s when it happened.
With a bright flash.
I opened my eyes and exhaled.
My breath rose in a white cloud.
With my hands cupped in front of my lips, I shivered slightly.
“Whew, it’s freezing. Can you turn up the heater a bit more?”
“Y-Yooooou!!”
Romideus’s face contorted in rage as his scream echoed through the room.
[Main dish completed.]
“…!?”
As soon as I registered the message, I realized Romideus had no time to be angry.
His entire body shook like a quivering aspen, and cold sweat poured from him like rain.
“T-this… This isn’t right! I have to stop this! Anything, anything at all…”
[You have completed the 2nd Trial.]
[Reward: ‘Sadistic Demon Romideus’]
“Wait, wait, wait!!”
Boom!
Romideus’s body exploded like a droplet of water falling into hot oil.
Not a drop of blood or flesh remained.
[The Dark Contract has been sealed.]
All that was left was the writhing black soul.
NNNNOOOO!!
With a scream that seemed to echo through the Dark Altar…
Romideus’s soul was sucked into the shadows at my feet.
[You have acquired ‘Sadistic Demon Romideus’ as your familiar.]
[During this trial, ‘Familiar Romideus’ is sealed, and all senses are blocked.]
‘Now I understand. The identity of the evil spirit that protected Erast Valter… This demon, he called himself the 2nd Butler.’
If he wasn’t the same entity, they were at least related.
First-stage reward: ‘Forbidden Tome – Volume 1.’
Second-stage reward: ‘Demon Familiar.’
Having obtained these two rewards, Erast Valter had reached his current level.
Without Destruction, even I would’ve struggled against such a powerful being.
Then it happened.
[The 3rd Trial has begun.]
A message filled my vision.
On both walls of the cauldron, two ancient doors appeared.
[▶ Left Door: Trial End (Not considered a failure)]
[▶ Right Door: Enter the Dark Banquet Hall]
A choice lay before me.
The significance of each option was clear.
Take the reward and stop here.
Continue forward at the risk of greater danger.
‘Why hesitate?’
The safe choice would be to take the rewards and leave.
But I knew that simply walking away would lead to failure.
There was no time to waste.
The cost of opportunity weighed heavily on me.
Left meant I’d take the rewards and end the trial here.
But if I used the time spent here on something else, I could earn greater rewards.
That choice was clearly a failure.
The returnees who focused solely on the present, ignoring the future, failed every time.
Only those who pressed forward despite their fears succeeded.
Creek.
I opened the right door.
There was no hesitation.
But as I stepped through, the atmosphere of the banquet hall beyond caused my expression to stiffen.
[Stage 3: Attend the Dark Masquerade.]
[The dark dancers seduce you with their sensuous movements.]
[Join their dance or slaughter the dancers to provide high-dose dopamine to the Dark Baron.]
