Loyal knight

78th tower, 9th-floor entrance

It wasn't long after he cleared the 8th floor and ascended through the next, and what awaited him was an army of fiends. Cultists from his side, and even came to his front or back, in an attempt to end his life. Before he was to receive a heavy amount of fire Neon quickly ran from their perfectly arranged attack. He dodges until he could finish his casting and the bones burst forth from his flesh and form a wall over his head

[System: One of the guardian's titles has been triggered!!! [Genocide] has been activated

[Genocide]: When faced with a single horde of monsters that are a part of the same race, the host will gain a 20% boost on all stats]

"This is relatively fair in terms of difficulty, but I can see that my weapon can't reach every single one of you. Guess it's time to resort to that... The power of the hydra's ever-evolving poison, and the thornerus bones which are that of a spear and a shield. Create a weapon in the palm of my hand, become a tool that'll vanquish my foe, homunculus shift... Paralysis cluster bomb," With his flesh clumping to form a massive ball it was then infused with his catastrophic body parts

He threw the ball and it was revealed to be infused with a piece of his bone that burst forth with a brilliant explosion. Needles flew every corner of the room whilst it was imbued with the powerful venom of the hydra. But the flesh of his enemies wasn't melting anytime sooner, but they felt the change coursing through their very being. The needs which penetrated their flesh forbid them to move an inch, whilst four mutated imps attack them all at once

[Notorious cultist gear 4/4

Raggedy robes: Int 15

Occult necklace: Mana 35

Bloody mask: Health 20

Ominous ring: Dark element boost 25%

Complete set: Halves the cost of any type of dark element skills, and boost it for another 25%. The one who equips this will be given a passive skill [Occult fanatic]

[Occult fanatic]: Every fifth dark attribute spell you cast will be a critical hit and we'll deal 50% dark element. Ominous rings effect and the complete sets along with every fifth casted spell will allow you to boost their power to 100%

Origin: These clothes were said to belong to a follower who seeks to provide the greatest throne for his chosen lord. Blood was spilled, and his image became the face of evil and death to those who oppose his king. The follower died and yet his will to serve, and the desire to perform his duty remained in his clothing]

[System: The guardian's four minions possess [Dark element] the passive of the newly equipped gear has been triggered!!!

[Occult fanatic]: Four charges have been acknowledged, the next dark attribute skill or spell will be boosted for 100% and lands a critical hit]

When his minions pushed back the ambush prepared by his foe, he already made his next move. Neon chants the activation runes for him to create a spell, and in the palm of his hands lies a black and menacing orb. It grew too big and the light coming from the entrance was swallowed by the immense pressure of his spell

"Shadow sphere," He compressed the spell and threw it to the surroundings of his enemy where it was released from his grasp

"Graaaaah!!!" His enemy's scream filled his ears and he was but a step closer to the first corridor of the 8th floor

But before he could do as he pleased, the vital signs of his minions along with the dispersion of his spell came to be a threat. He never heard of ant steps but his sense was telling him to block. Clashes of blades were heard by many and at his back was a knight that came out of the shadows. His sword manages to parry the attack from his blindspot and he quickly responded by firing a spell

"Don't take me too lightly!!!" Shadow sphere bounce off when it came in contact with his enemies blade

But that wasn't the reason why he was stunned, for the first time since he became a guardian he heard a voice. This voice came from the very opponent his currently up against, the voice came from the dark knight who parried his spell. Before he was to be stuck by the knight's blade, he uses his brute strength and pushes it away

"Intruder!!! Why have you intruded into the abode which belongs to my lord," After he heard it for the second time, he could tell this wasn't an illusion

The knight clad in dark armor was filled with sheer bloodlust and the intent to end his very existence. This loathing was far too similar, it was the same feeling he had when he faced again a beast who intruded on his world. This feeling originating from this monster was something he had never seen in his entire life. But the thing that left him shocked was the message of the system

[System: One of the guardian's passive skills has been triggered upon meeting its requirements!!!

[Otherworldly view]: This allows the host to experience everything differently than he normally would. Things that are invisible to the naked eye will be opened, and languages unknown will be heard. Lastly, you'll gain insight into things beyond the reach of the norms who are blinded by what they perceive to be true]

"You menace!!! Do you have a heart...? The number of civilians who perished in your hands can no longer be returned. Your sins are too heavy, not even life imprisonment shall suffice as punishment. Prepare yourself, intruder... The knight captain will have your head," He wasn't even given a chance for his answers to be solved. The dark knight leaps and crushes the ground with just the weight of his sword

Neon was about to swing his blade for a quick response but he notices his speed wasn't the same as before. The dark knight was becoming more powerful as they continue their fight. One of its skills has been triggered and Neon was branded as the target until its effect would disappear

[System: You've been branded as a [Villain] the Ruined knight's overall stats continue to improve whilst you remain in the living]

There wasn't a hit of any skill activation and he was already cornered with just the sheer strength of the knight. Neon was about to be pushed back with only the force of his foe, but his titles allowed him to survive his enemy's constant assaults. He activates midnight stride and his barefoot was imbued with darkness itself and his speed was now a match for his foe

[Midnight stride: Imbues the wielder with the power of darkness which increases their dark attribute. In this state, the guardian will gain a temporary burst of movement speed. The effect and duration of this skill will become increasingly stronger in the dusk of the night or a place afflicted by shadows]

[Acolytes ring: Dark element boost 10%, Dexterity 45, Attack 50, Mana 30

Requirements: LVL 50+

[Sinister touch]: This ring allows the wielder to freely imbue the objects they grasp with darkness. The imbued weapons' attack damage won't be converted to the darkness element. The added elemental damage will be based on the guardian's dark elemental attribute]

"You menace!!! How did you obtain that power? Is one of my comrades a traitor? Is that the reason why you possess the power of darkness!!!" Their power was now on equal strength and the clash of their blades never once dwindled for even a second

But one thing was able to decide who'll remain on top and who shall fall to the depths of despair. The Knight who was in ruins was incapable of fully recognizing his plans, and because of that, his life was taken from his vessel. His heart was pierced while his body remained to be bound by the thorny array Neon placed in their vicinity

"Waaaaaaaait..." In the knights dying breaths, his tracks were stopped upon his very existence to be a mystery. He thought he'd disappeared just like the rest of the enemies he once faced but he remains in the ground. With no strength left to be found in his body, he called for his opponent upon him regaining his memories

"You... thank you... just now, when you killed me I was then released from the trance inflicted on me and those around me..."

'Trance? What does he mean by that...? His personality drastically changed after I killed him, what's with all of these mysteries? And why does something classified as a monster can speak?"

"We repeated the same day when all of us had perished, instead of meeting our end were given an undying vessel. I beg of you, my lord who is my closest friend... please end his life, and release him from his trance, I know you have a lot of questions to ask, but I don't possess the answers. My lord is the only one who can satisfy your questions, I beg of you, Transcender..." Yet another mystery began piling up one after another, once the knight's voice disappeared his body crumbled to ashes

What appeared in the place of his body was an item and Neon was left clueless about his situation. Transcender, the class he was given opened many doors left to be discovered, studies that haven't yet been made. But what surprised him the most was that the monster whom he'd faced kept calling the name of his class. He now began to be wary about his class, just what is a Transcender? He thought to himself before he moves on after a chill came falling from his spine