Chapter 44 …
EX-Rank Reincarnation Picked
We were rapidly taking care of the ghouls.
“This is easier than I expected?”
Yeji-ram said as she blasted apart another ghoul’s core.
“Isn’t there supposed to be something more after this?”
“……Who knows.”
I rolled my eyes while swinging the Cheonma Divine Sword.
[122/150]
The number kept filling up. Once it was full, something else would be summoned.
‘So we have to kill that too, I guess.’
That seemed to be the case.
Ppaak—!!!
As I dealt with another ghoul, I glanced at Yeji-ram.
‘She’s definitely experienced.’
Having operated as an A-rank superhuman for a long time, she used her strength skillfully.
Not only was her skill distribution clean, but she didn’t even move an inch from her spot while hunting ghouls.
‘Compared to that…’
What about me?
Kwa-deuk—!!!
I wasn’t used to the sword yet. My movements were sluggish, my power distribution sloppy, and unnecessary fatigue kept piling up.
And the skills I could supposedly use—
‘They’re useless.’
The one-hit kill technique, Cheonma’s Iajeol, would knock me unconscious the moment I used it, so it was unusable.
‘…Tsk.’
Actually wielding a sword in real combat brought up these kinds of problems.
It was a harsh reality check.
While Yeji-ram and I were fighting—
[148/150]
The number finally filled up.
“Two left. Let’s finish it.”
“Yes.”
The moment Yeji-ram fired her awl, my sword shattered a ghoul’s torso.
Crunch.
[150/150]
The number was completely filled.
“Looks like that’s all. Then the next room should open—”
Diiiriririririring—!
[■ The souls of the dead are being filled.]
Wiiiiiing——!!!!
[■ Warning.]
[■ Warning.]
“What the hell?”
A siren suddenly blared. Noise filled the room from an unknown source.
“What is this all of a sud—”
As Yeji-ram looked around in confusion—
[■ The souls of the slain are being filled.]
[■ Lord of Labyrinth Floor 10.]
[■ ‘King of the Dead: Necromancer Emperor’ has been born.]
Kuuuuuguguguguguguguk—!!!!!
Black smoke began gathering at the center of the room from nowhere.
[■ Warning.]
[■ Exercise caution.]
Kugugugung—!!!
The labyrinth shook violently, like an earthquake.
[■ Labyrinth difficulty increases.]
[■ A → S]
[■ Gate difficulty has increased.]
“……What?”
“Difficulty increase?”
Both Yeji-ram and I stared in disbelief at the system messages.
‘A gate’s difficulty can increase?’
I’d never heard of that. A gate’s difficulty was supposed to be fixed from the start. Increasing mid-run? What kind of insanity was this?
And it jumped straight to S-rank.
“……What do we do?”
Yeji-ram was just as shaken.
“The difficulty went up—what the hell is coming out?!”
Guguguguk—!!!!
The tremors worsened until cracks began forming in the walls.
The spewing smoke gradually condensed.
Then the shaking stopped as something took shape.
At first glance, it looked human—but it clearly wasn’t.
A massive frame for a human. Thick rusted armor. A sword in its hand.
The moment I saw it, chills ran down my spine.
Fwooooo—!!!
[Hostility detected.]
[Hero’s Super Sense activated.]
It was overwhelming.
‘What kind of killing intent is this?’
It was the strongest hostility I had ever sensed.
As we hesitated under the pressure—
Ssssss—!!
Flash—!
Red light flared inside the dark helmet.
[Secret Eye activated.]
[■ Necromancer Emperor (S)]
[■ A wicked entity born from countless fused souls.]
[■ A mass of curses that exists solely for slaughter.]
[■ Labyrinth Guide.]
[■ Defeat the Necromancer Emperor to clear Floor 10.]
[■ Destroying the ‘core’ will eliminate it.]
‘So the strategy’s the sa—’
Fwoosh—!!!
Before I could even finish the thought, something crashed down in front of me.
A blade.
The Necromancer Emperor swung its sword at me.
Too late to dodge. My head was about to be crushed—
“What are you doing?!”
With a sharp shout, my body was yanked away.
Kwa-deudeuk—!!!!
The blade smashed into the spot I’d been standing.
Yeji-ram had whipped her chain and pulled me clear.
“Focus! Are you trying to die?!”
“……Sorry.”
I almost died.
I steadied myself and stared at the Necromancer Emperor. It pulled its sword from the ground and turned its gaze toward us.
[Hostility detected.]
[Hero’s Super Sense activa—]
Before the system message even finished, I moved.
Bang—!!!
“Ghk!”
I blocked its sword. I’d moved first after predicting the attack route, but—
Crack.
‘Insane.’
Just blocking it strained my hand. Pain shot through me.
“……Stay back.”
Wooooong—!!!!
Energy surged from Yeji-ram.
“Black Moon Flying Chain.”
Chrrrraak—!!!!
The chain split as if into countless strands, tearing through the air at incredible speed.
It lashed toward the Necromancer Emperor, intent on ripping it apart—
Kwa-ga-ga-gak—!
Thudung—!
Most of the attacks bounced off. They barely worked at all.
And then—
Crunch—!
“Ugh!?”
The sword I was blocking suddenly moved—and my vision flipped.
Bang—!!
“Ghk!”
The Necromancer Emperor overpowered me and flung me aside. I slammed straight into the wall and spat blood.
My vision wavered.
“Ugh……”
This was the worst pain I’d ever felt. Had I ever been injured this badly in a gate before? Probably not once.
“Huff… huff…”
My head spun.
“Kyah—!!”
A scream rang out. The Necromancer Emperor charged at Yeji-ram.
“You ugly bastard…!”
She narrowly dodged the sword and coiled her chain.
Black Moon Flying Star.
The coiled chain spun rapidly and shot forward—
Krrrk—!!!
More impact than before—but still only a scratch.
“Keh-heh-hehk—”
Angered by the attack, the Necromancer Emperor made a grotesque noise and went after Yeji-ram.
That was when—
Crunch.
Dragging my broken body, I charged again.
Whoosh.
Flames seeped into my blade.
[■ Cheonma Divine Sword activated.]
[■ Cheonma Divine Art used.]
[■ Duration: 15 seconds.]
It was all or nothing. I activated the skill.
[■ Cheonma’s Iajeol
A single-strike technique. The Cheonma skill that had torn through even Irene’s barrier swept over the Necromancer Emperor.
Kuuuuugagagagagagagak——!!!!!!
Dark navy flames surged forth and engulfed it.
‘Did it work?’
The attack landed. If the core shattered—
[Hostility detected.]
[Hero’s Super Sense activated.]
“What?”
It’s alive? How is it alive after that?!
No time to question.
Zap—!
“Ghk!”
Recoil hit me. Dangerous.
Through the flames, red eyes glowed. Shiiing—!!!
The Necromancer Emperor’s sword flew toward me.
‘Damn it.’
I can’t dodge. I’m dead.
As I clenched my teeth—
Ppaak—!
“Ugh!?”
A shock slammed into me, sending my body flying.
It was Yeji-ram.
She’d thrown herself into me, knocking me aside.
Then—
‘…The attack—!’
The Necromancer Emperor’s sword struck Yeji-ram.
Kwaaang—!!!
Her body slammed straight into the wall.
“……Ah.”
I lay on the floor, forced to watch.
“Yeji-ram…!”
It was the first time I’d ever called her name.
Debris fell from the wall. I couldn’t see what state she was in.
[■ A party member has died.]
“…….”
The notification alone told me the result.
“……Ha.”
She died… instead of me?
Why?
I was shaken—no, furious.
“Damn it.”
This situation made my blood boil.
Krrrgegegek……
As the blue flames faded, the Necromancer Emperor emerged.
Its armor had melted away. Its already-rotting flesh was crushed, bones fully exposed.
In its exposed chest glowed a red sphere far brighter than any ghoul’s.
That was the core.
Destroy that, and it dies.
“……How?”
With Yeji-ram gone, was there any way I could win?
My eyes trembled. At this rate, we’d just fail the gate.
‘And the duration…’
Only seconds left.
Once it ended, I’d lose consciousness.
‘Damn it.’
Is this really the end?
But—
‘Even so.’
I clenched my teeth and forced myself upright.
I had to fight, even for a few seconds.
“Ah…!”
My sword was gone. I must’ve dropped the Cheonma Divine Sword when I was knocked away.
It was lying on the floor. I had to grab it—
Ding—!
[■ Cheonma Divine Sword has separated from the body.]
[■ Trait change available: Cheonma (SS) → Martial God (EX).]
[■ Would you like to change?]
“…….”
My body froze.
Right.
‘…My trait.’
Cheonma was something I’d borrowed.
My true reincarnation wasn’t that.
[■ Skill duration remaining: 2 seconds.]
The Cheonma Divine Sword’s time was almost up.
Gheeeeeek—!!!!!
The Necromancer Emperor began regenerating.
[■ Would you like to change?]
There was nothing to think about.
[■ Martial God (EX)]
[■ The gap between reincarnator and gate is extreme.]
[■ Power multiplier adjusted based on rank difference.]
[■ Reincarnator’s stats increased by 3,000%.]
The sound cut off.
The Necromancer Emperor was still charging—
But—
‘It’s slower.’
Its speed.
The sound.
Even its presence.
Everything became shallow.
The being I thought I could never defeat—
‘Looks like a bug.’
Something I could crush effortlessly.
Geeee…
Ding.
[■ Hostility detected.]
[■ Hero’s Super Sense activated.]
The Necromancer Emperor moved in slow motion. Its sword descended gently.
My heightened senses identified every opening.
What should I do?
Before I could think, my body moved.
[■ Pacheonmu Second Form activated.]
[■ Paryeolbando used.]
[■ Automatic Counter (3%) failed.]
The auto-counter didn’t trigger—but it didn’t matter.
‘I can see it.’
The space, speed, and timing to counterattack.
Everything was clear.
I followed the path and threw my fist.
Woooooong—!!!!
An unknown sensation surged from below my navel.
It rushed through every blood vessel.
An overwhelming exhilaration stabbed into my brain.
[■ Paryeolbando
Dodging the blade, my fist struck the Necromancer Emperor’s chest.
Thump.
Then—
KWAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAK——!!!!!!
A monstrous shockwave tore the Necromancer Emperor apart and obliterated the labyrinth walls.
Crunch.
Not even fragments remained.
And then—
[■ Gate Labyrinth (A→S) Floor 10 cleared.]
[■ Achievement: ‘First Conqueror of the Labyrinth’ completed.]
[■ First successful direct use of Paryeolbando.]
[■ Synchronization rate increased by 1%.]
[■ Martial God is faintly satisfied.]
[■ Party 328 has cleared the gate.]
[■ Rewards granted.]
[■ Clearing Floor 10 unlocks entry conditions for Floor 9.]
[■ Congratulations.]
[■ You have taken one step closer to the end of the world.]
An overwhelming flood of notifications poured down on me.
