Chapter 8 : Chapter 8

Chapter 8

The mysterious incident in which a dungeon on the verge of a Break vanished ended up being quietly swept under the rug without anyone finding a single clue.

No matter how hard they searched, they could not even discover a trace of the dungeon, so what more could they possibly do?

‘As expected, it was a good thing I got in and out quickly back then. The timing was perfect.’

I inwardly cried out in triumph.

I had nearly been caught by Father or Simon at the scene and forced to offer all kinds of troublesome explanations.

Just thinking about it gave me a headache.

“My lord, I will be back shortly. This time as well, in the blink of an eye! I shall conquer the dungeon like the wind and leap back out as swiftly as light…….”

Ah, there she went again.

Was it because my Charisma level was still low?

Even when I warned her, it only lasted for that moment.

After a little while, her mouth started moving again without rest.

Every time she entered a dungeon, she would chatter to herself like that for at least three minutes, so by now, it was beginning to sound almost like a lullaby.

Most of it was either self-praise with not a shred of substance or declarations of loyalty, so I simply let it go in one ear and out the other while pretending to be occupied with something else.

And a short while later, after Seirei finally finished her needlessly grand declaration of departure(?) and all her unnecessary vows, she leaped into our current target, an E-rank dungeon.

[You have entered an E-rank Dungeon (Annihilation).]

A system message appeared, and,

[You have conquered an E-rank Dungeon (Annihilation).]

Soon afterward, the conquest completion message appeared. Did it take about five minutes this time?

[E-rank Dungeon (Annihilation) cleared in 5 minutes! You have renewed the shortest clear-time achievement. Now your glorious name, Shadow Knight, will be recorded forever in all Books of Divine Revelation.]

As expected, the Book of Divine Revelation had been updated again.

‘This is going to cause an uproar.’

Since every nation must already have been thrown into chaos because of the F-rank record, this update to the Book of Divine Revelation would be like pouring oil on the fire.

There was nothing I could do about spilled water.

[E-rank Dungeon (Annihilation) conquest rewards are being distributed. 2 Low-grade Magic Crystals, 1 Low-grade Class Enhancement Stone, and 3 Low-grade Skill Enhancement Stones have been sent to Subspace.]

Along with the reward notification, Seirei walked out of the dungeon as though nothing had happened.

She looked immaculate, without so much as a single disheveled fold in her clothes.

“My lord! I did my best this time as well. What do you think of my ability? I was not too slow, was I?”

It no longer surprised me.

After all, this was not the first time Seirei’s dungeon conquest speed had exceeded my expectations.

After conquering the dungeon on the verge of a Break, we had conquered two additional F-rank dungeons.

From the additional dungeon conquest rewards, I had also obtained one more Class Enhancement Stone and one more Skill Enhancement Stone.

And now, at last, I have conquered an E-rank dungeon for the first time.

‘As expected… the rewards from an E-rank dungeon are much more generous than those from an F-rank dungeon.’

I murmured in satisfaction as I checked the rewards that had entered Subspace.

Whether it was an F-rank or E-rank dungeon, conquering a dungeon basically granted Low-grade Magic Crystals as a reward.

On top of that, it seemed to randomly grant either a Low-grade Skill Enhancement Stone or a Low-grade Class Enhancement Stone as an additional reward.

This time, from the E-rank conquest, I had obtained 3 Low-grade Magic Crystals, 1 Class Enhancement Stone, and 3 Skill Enhancement Stones, so it was far more profitable.

Since I still had no idea what Low-grade Magic Crystals were used for, I was stacking them neatly in a corner of Subspace like miscellaneous junk.

On the other hand, I used Enhancement Stones immediately as soon as I obtained them.

There was no need to hesitate.

Since Low-grade Enhancement Stones could only enhance things up to level 9 at most anyway, there was no reason to save them.

Of course, once my levels surpassed 10, these Low-grade Enhancement Stones would become useless, but when that time came, I could simply find another way to use them.

‘There must be some other purpose for them. Alchemy materials, perhaps, or maybe materials for synthesizing higher-grade Enhancement Stones.’

There was no way the system would keep giving me these items without any meaning.

Well, in any case, they were useful for the moment, so Low-grade Enhancement Stones were still extremely valuable items to me.

By using all the Low-grade Class and Skill Enhancement Stones I had just obtained, I was finally able to achieve my first goal: class level 6 and skill level 6.

【Status Window】

: Cain Lake

: Summoner EX (LV.6)

: Random Summon(LV.MAX) / Summon Release(LV.MAX) / Subspace(LV.1) / Knight Order(LV.6) / Charisma(LV.1)

: Seirei(High-grade Heretic Inquisitor)

I had simultaneously achieved Summoner class level 6 and Knight Order skill level 6, which had been my first goal.

When the Summoner class level reached 6, one additional slot for summoned creatures that could be summoned simultaneously was added.

In other words, it meant that I could now summon and command another summoned creature besides Seirei.

My combat strength had effectively doubled.

Of course, simply summoning one was not the end of it.

If I did not officially register the newly drawn summoned creature in the Knight Order skill, I would not be able to call it back specifically after using Summon Release.

That was why raising both the Summoner class level and the Knight Order skill level to 6 at the same time had been more important than anything else.

“Ooh! It is finally beginning, my lord. I was just thinking that guarding you alone felt a little lonely…….”

While listening to Seirei’s chatter, I prayed.

‘Please, let the newly drawn summoned creature this time be someone with a normal way of thinking, and preferably a quiet one…!’

I prayed very earnestly.

Overwhelming ability? Of course, that would be nice.

But what mattered more to me right now was character. No, a normal personality.

Please let it be someone capable of holding a common-sense conversation.

Ah, of course, if their grade was around high-grade as well, that would be the icing on the cake.

Well, if I allowed myself to be a little greedier, highest-grade would be even better….

Was that asking for too much?

Still, my class was none other than an EX-rank Summoner. Could I not at least hope for that much luck?

Yes, had I not drawn Seirei, a high-grade summoned creature, in a single attempt last time?

Good. This time, a better, stronger, and quieter summoned creature would definitely appear!

I once again forced my wishful thinking to spin at full power.

To be honest, it was true that Seirei was a high-grade summoned creature, but no matter how I looked at her, she was not someone who fell within the normal category.

Perhaps the previous summon had been a kind of dud or failure.

Yes, thinking of it that way would be better for my mental health.

The cooldown for the Random Summon skill had just finished, so there was no longer any reason to hesitate.

‘This time is the real one.’

I took one deep breath and,

“Random Summon!”

Please, please, let it be this time!

I repeated it countless times inwardly, clasping my hands together as though praying desperately as I watched the summoning process.

When Seirei first appeared, dazzling golden particles had gathered brilliantly.

But this time, dense and dark black particles, ominous beyond words, swirled together eerily before beginning to change into the hazy shape of a person.

Something felt wrong from the very start.

Even the talkative Seirei kept her mouth firmly shut at that moment, swallowing dryly as she watched the summoning process with a tense expression.

‘Now, who will appear?’

My heart began pounding madly along with it.

At last, when the black particles completely cleared and the summoning was complete, a beautiful woman with a mysterious yet somehow precarious aura appeared before my eyes. Her long, jet-black straight hair flowed all the way down to the floor.

Everything about her was black.

Her black hair, her black clothing, and even her deep black eyes whose depths could not be fathomed.

It was like looking into the abyss.

Her snow-white skin, which contrasted starkly with that blackness, looked pale and unreal, like cold porcelain sculpted to perfection.

For some reason, an intense unease swept over me.

At a glance, she did not seem to belong to any ordinary or normal category. Had I failed again this time?

“Um… my lord… it seems that another somewhat… strange woman has appeared this time……. Her atmosphere is too frightening.”

Seirei whispered cautiously into my ear, in a voice that was almost crawling into itself.

At that moment,

“What the fuck did that wildcat bitch just say? Strange woman? Shut your mouth before I tear it apart.”

It seemed I had summoned a foul-mouthed summoned creature.

The two summoned creatures gave off an atmosphere as though they might explode at any moment, and I broke into a cold sweat trying to mediate between them.

After the situation was somewhat settled, the new summoned creature introduced herself.

“My name is Sharon Dimetia.”

Her voice, cold and dry as ice, lingered chillingly in my ears.

No sooner had her greeting ended than scenes containing Sharon’s final moments began to appear in my mind, just as they had with Seirei.

* * *

Sharon was bound tightly from head to toe with thick, rough ropes, hanging perilously from a massive wooden frame like a sacrificial offering.

From her hollow black eyes, blood-tinged tears flowed ceaselessly.

They were desperate tears of blood, mixed with despair, rage, and a dreadful grudge.

“Fuck. You bastards will regret betraying me… for the rest of your lives. I will show you exactly how horrifying the price of betraying me can be! Even if I die, I will tear out your throats! You pieces of trash, lower than dogs! Just wait! I will keep my eyes wide open in hell and watch exactly how long you bastards can keep eating well and living well…!”

Despite Sharon’s curses and vicious words, brimming with hatred and resentment, the people surrounding her like a swarm of flies merely answered with cold snorts.

There was not the slightest hint of guilt on their faces.

Among them was a king wearing the crown of a nation, a pope dressed in sacred vestments, and a saintess who appeared pure and innocent.

There was even a Sword Master praised as a hero.

Every one of them was a great figure capable of shaking the world.

Once, they had been her companions, or people who had received help from her.

But as though Sharon’s curses were not worth the slightest attention, they mocked her with arrogant, cruel smiles, looking at her as though she were an insect.

“Those vulgar curses of yours are still unpleasant to hear, Sharon. But do not resent me. If you truly wish to resent something… it would be better to resent that absurd talent you were born with, and that power even a god envied.”

The king stepped forward as their representative and spoke in a voice as cold as ice.

Not the slightest trace of sympathy could be found in his eyes.

Soon afterward, the king received a blazing torch from the soldier beside him.

The pope solemnly infused the flame with divine power, and the saintess clasped her hands together and earnestly prayed for a blessing upon that flame.

As though they were conducting a sacred ritual.

However, to Sharon, their divine power and blessing instead acted as the most terrible curse and pain, as though her flesh were being sliced apart.

At last, the sacred flame (Holy Fire) thrown by the king began to blaze fiercely, greedily devouring the wooden frame from which Sharon hung.

The terrible smell of burning flesh filled the air.

At that very moment, the saintess, who had been praying for a blessing, suddenly rolled her eyes back until only the whites showed and began convulsing as though having a seizure.

Then, as though she had received a revelation from god, she cried out in a voice filled with madness.

“Ohh… I hear it! I hear the voice of god! Sharon Dimetia! For the sin of daring to abuse sacred power and slaughter countless innocent humans, your filthy soul shall never again enter the cycle of reincarnation, and you shall suffer for eternity within that sacred flame. This is god’s judgment!”

It was a cruel and eternal curse personally handed down by God.

Sharon did not want to simply let herself be killed like this.

She could not end so miserably.

And so, she resolved to use her own body as the medium to destroy everything, and drag all of these hypocrites down to hell with her.

“You sons of bitches, did you think I would die alone? You will… Come with me! To hell!”

In the end, Sharon Dimetia used the god’s curse against her as her final requiem, drove all the black mana she possessed out of control, and blew up her own body.

Her blood and pieces of flesh spread in every direction like a curse, and those who were touched by them began to scream horribly.

They were cruel yet exhilarating screams, as though blessing Sharon Dimetia’s death.