Chapter 35

It was an endless attack.

['Effect: Fatal Wound' is activated.]

An option appeared for Rakan's Sword.

A special effect with a 15% chance of inflicting more than twice as much critical damage was activated.

That was just the beginning.

Slash!

['Effect: Fatal Wound' is activated.]

['Effect: Fatal Wound' is activated.]

…

As the number of Suho's attacks accumulated, the critical hits continued to increase.

Thuck!

In the end, the monster couldn't stand the force and broke one of its leg.

"Krrrrwwkk!"

Arachne screamed and staggered.

Suho did not miss that opportunity.

Slash!

He jumped on the broken leg and went on the monster's back.

Holding the two swords, he stabbed them into the hard shell of the monster.

To be precise, in the joint that can be seen between the shells.

Green blood splattered and screams erupted.

"Kurwarrk!"

Swoosh! Blag! Blag!

Arachne struggled wildly to get Suho off its body and hit the wall here and there.

However, the more it did, the more persistently Suho clung to its back and stabbed his sword deeply into it.

Right then.

"Khhiiikk!"

[The Grave Spider Arachne uses 'Skill: Puppet Show'.]

[The Grave Spider Arachne uses 'Skill: Puppet Show'.]

Swoosh!

'On its back!'

Suho instinctively turned over and jumped high.

Then, a sharp attack cut through the space where Suho was.

Thud!

Landing on the arachne's back again, Suho turned his head to confirm the identity of the attackers.

"S-Sorry!"

"Our bodies are moving on their own..!"

The hunters, whose limbs were wrapped in spider webs, were attacking Suho unwillingly.

'They said they were puppets.'

The bodies of people hanging from the walls and ceiling were forcibly controlled by spider webs floating in the air.

The movements were bizarre like that of a zombie.

"Beru!"

Suho screamed while clinging onto Arachne's back swaying here and there.

Beru suddenly showed up.

[Yes? Did you call me?]

That was all he could ask.

Beru had taken a step back from the battle fearing that he would steal Suho's experience points.

Conversely, there was no reason not to participate in battle as long as it didn't take away experience points.

Beru turned his head and howled ferociously at the hunters attacking Suho.

[What kind of bugs dare to disturb Young Master's great crusade-!]

[Kehehehehehe!]

Beru's claws ripped the webs apart at an incredible speed.

"Aaaaaagh!"

"Please save us…!"

The hunters were startled and started screaming.

The…

"… Oh?"

Thuck…!

The cobwebs tying them all together snapped.

At that moment, the bodies of the hunters floating in the air plummeted to the floor like puppets with strings cut off.

Crash!

"Ahh! Ouch…"

Hunters landed on their buttocks and whined in pain.

Their gazes followed Suho and their eyes widened.

"… Crazy."

An absurd sight was unfolding.

Slash!

"Krrrwwwkk!"

Suho was… ripping off Arachne's shell with his bare hands.

'If its defense is high, I just can tear off its shield!'

[Strength: 51]

The tendon in his forearm swelled like it was about to burst.

Sweat poured down.

Suho continued as the monster struggled.

He was barely enduring everything.

Right then.

'Daily Quest!'

He took out the reward he had been saving for this very moment.

[The following rewards are prepared.]

Reward 1. Status Recovery (Unchecked)

'Accept the reward!'

Swish!

A refreshing energy swirled around, and his condition returned to its best form.

"Great!"

Suho smirked and put more strength into his grip.

But, it still was not enough.

'More strength…!'

Suho instinctively came up with a way to fill the lack of strength.

'Ruler's Power!'

Swoosh!

The invisible hand floating in the air momentarily overlapped Suho's right arm.

Just like back then when he blew away Team Leader Han Jaehyuk of the Hunters Association with Ruler's Power.

Dark energy penetrated into Suho's arm.

Swoosh!

In the end, the largest shell came off like a crab shell.

Underneath, Arachne's flesh was exposed.

Suho punched his fist straight in.

Gumble-!

[You have learned 'Skill: Strike Lv.1'.]

Arachne's heavy body was crushed in half.

"...!"

[You have defeated Arachne, the Grave Spider.]

[Your level increased!]

[Your level increased!]

Arachne collapsed without even screaming.

Stepping on the body, Suho's hand pulled out the 'holy relic' that was parasitic in the body.

Swoosh!

['Item: Rakan's Sword-2' has been obtained.]

A sword that looked exactly like Rakan's original fangs came out of Suho's hand.

Even their personalities were similar.

-Who dares covet the King's sword!

An evil voice echoed in Suho's brain.

-I'll possess your body!

Swoosh!

Red energy radiated from the sword and attacked Suho.

Then, a shadow rose from under Suho's feet and swallowed the sword.

The red aura that had been attacking vigorously faded.

-W-What is this energy?! Could you be the Shadow Monarch's…!

"You guys… Shouldn't you change your common statements already?"

Suho smiled as he spoke to Rakan's Sword-1.

Dun!

…!

Suddenly, the two relics, fangs of Rakan, resonated with each other.

Ring!

['Item: Rakan's Fang' recognizes each other.]

['Sanctuary of Beasts' is activated.]

The system messages started appearing in front of Suho one after another.

Ring! Ring!

[You have learned the passive skill '(Unknown)'.]

[Passive skill '(Unknown)' is activated.]

A passive skill was added in the skill information window.

[Skill]

Passive Skill: (Unknown) Lv. Max

'What is this…?'

Suho expressed some doubts about the unexpected situation.

Swoosh-!

His shadow spread in all directions.

… Time stopped.

* * *

'What is this place…?'

Suho looked around.

A world of complete blankness.

He stood alone at the edge of the empty horizon while wearing a crow mask.

The Rakan's Swords in his hand were also missing.

'Beru.'

Suho tried to call Beru, but no voice came out of his mouth.

'Is it a dream?'

He suddenly heard a voice.

[You are not in your dream.]

'…!'

Suho opened his eyes wide and looked ahead.

At the end of the empty horizon, he saw a man looking at him.

A giant man that looks well over 2 meters.

The wild-looking man was dressed in clothes made of animal skin.

No, he wasn't wild-looking but simply wild in nature.

[Nice to meet you. You are his descendant.]

The man smiled at Suho, revealing his sharp fangs.

'Who are you?'

[My name is Rakan, an eternal specter that was killed by the Shadow Monarch.]

He answered Suho's question.

A system message popped up in front of Suho.

[The King of Beasts, Fang Monarch, is watching you.]

'…!'

Suho opened his eyes wide.

Suddenly, the man felt a tremendous presence.

Bear? Tiger?

Lions, sharks, crocodiles, venomous snakes, what predator in the world can radiate such an overwhelming sense of intimidation?

'King.'

Suho realized.

He was the true king of beasts.

Suho realized just now.

In Suho's field of vision, the man's silhouette grew larger and larger.

'…!'

He could finally see everything.

Behind the man in human form, a huge snow-white wolf was looking down on him.

[Whew. Can you see my true self? It is indeed a mysterious skill.]

Rakan, the great wolf, was intrigued.

[Well, to the extent that you have summoned me. I was only wandering in the world of emptiness. Is this level of ability natural?]

'I called you?'

Suho made a puzzled expression.

[Right. I don't know how, but you woke me up. Because of that, my soul, which was in eternal rest, dreamt of 'you'.]

'Dream?'

[Yes. This is my dream.]

Rakan chuckled and looked around.

[… There's nothing.]

Rakan suddenly burst into laughter.

It was a really empty laugh.

[Is this normal?]

Originally, the dead do not dream.

Hence, this dream of his was also empty.

[Isn't it really fun? Those were the words of the Fang Monarch, who killed and trampled so many beasts in his lifetime.]

He turned his eyes to Suho again and realized…

A young human has inherited the power of the Shadow Monarch.

That small, weak human child was the only spectacle in his empty dream.

[… Hmm.]

Rakan's gaze at Suho deepened.

[From now on, you will be my only pleasure.]

Smirk.

The corner of Rakan's mouth went up.

When a monarch dies, he falls into eternal rest.

It was a world of emptiness where all selves disappeared and there was no dream.

But, that wasn't the case now.

[The King of Beasts, Fang Monarch, is watching you.]

The same message as before appeared.

[From now on, I will be able to watch your life through dreams. I'm really looking forward to it.]

Suho frowned at Rakan's words.

'You can spy on me? Why?'

[Why are you asking me that? In the first place, I was only called by your power.]

'My power?'

He remembered the new skill called 'Unknown' that he acquired.

Rakan laughed at Suho's unsatisfactory reaction and continued.

[Don't worry. I can't see every moment of you. The only time I can look into you is when you use my power.]

'If it's your power… Are you referring to Rakan's Sword?'

[That's right. Ah, I can see you when you are with my descendant.]

'Gray?'

[Yeah, you gave him that name. Thank you for keeping my descendant without killing him. This will add joy to my empty rest.]

Rakan smiled at what came to his mind.

Soon, a mysterious light emanated from his huge body.

Beam!

That light came down to Suho.

[The King of Beasts, Fang Monarch, blessed you.]

Suho looked at the light covering his body with a puzzled expression.

['Prophecy: Rakan's Protection' is received.]