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Chapter 83




*Crack!*
At the same time, the body of the Ancient Dragon turned as hard as stone.
*Thud! Crack! Crack! Crack!*
The hardened body shattered and fell apart, piece by piece.
The Ancient Dragon was dying.
He was accepting his death.
Realizing that his duty as the final seal had ended.
Satisfied that he could convey his will at the end, he announced his demise.
And then.
《I have resonated with the Ancient Dragon.》
《The ‘Dragon Knight’ class has been upgraded to the ‘Paladin’ class.》
《I have inherited the ‘Paladin’ class.》
《The sword proficiency limit has been raised to level 28 due to the ‘Paladin’ class.》
The upgrade to the Paladin class!
The inheritance was completed not from Riley but from the Ancient Dragon.
This meant he had definitively obtained the Paladin class.
《The final seal has been released.》
《The ‘ embodier of the Abyss’ is being born!》
《Forced erosion has begun.》
*Whirr.*
Suddenly, a massive warp opened.
On the other side of the warp, Earth was visible.
A giant city on Earth could be seen.
*Crack!*
But the warp stopped.
Hell had refused the erosion through the warp.
However, the final trial remained.
The embodier of the Abyss.
If this trial was not overcome, the erosion would proceed as is.
“If I was wrong... prove it.”
By now, Riley was standing where the Ancient Dragon had been.
Thanks to his soul moving his body before becoming the embodier of the Abyss.
He could also self-destruct like the Ancient Dragon, but he wanted to confirm something before that.
The will of the Ancient Dragon he learned through the resonance. Whether that will was real. Whether he was truly wrong.
“You. What is your name?”
Riley asked.
I am now moving purely based on the memories of the star.
Therefore, the name I should answer with was already decided.
“Wilhelm.”
“What is your title?”
“Knight King.”
“Indeed. So you were called!”
Riley laughed heartily.
It seemed he now understood.
The skills shown in that short time were worthy of the title ‘Knight King.’
Then, he created a Dragon Sword in his right hand and said,
“Knight King Wilhelm. Sword Saint Riley challenges you to a duel. ...Wouldn’t it be a shame to end it here?”
“You’re asking an obvious question.”
“Of course! If we had met in the past, we would have been good comrades.”
“If we had met in the past, you would have been buried in the earth, not the Abyss.”
“Haha! That would have been nice too. So...”
Riley’s cheerful expression suddenly turned cold.
“...Let the victor be the one who is right.”
It was an extremely obvious statement.
*
-Phase 5...
-Phase 5... Is this real?
-The embodier of the Abyss? Is this the final phase?
-It's Randolph.
-Is it really Randolph?
-I'm getting goosebumps.
-I'm changing my underwear.
-If Randolph can do what Gracia, the Empire, and Mint Chocolate couldn't...
-It's because Randolph is Wilhelm and Wilhelm is Phantom.
-But even so... Does this make sense?
The player chat instantly turned around.
The opinion that was split in half completely reversed when it entered ‘Phase 5’.
It's really Randolph.
Randolph is clearing the dungeon!
-Still, won't the final phase be a bit tough?
-It was possible because the people who challenged before drained their stamina.
-Mint Chocolate spent over a day, and Randolph just added the finishing touch.
Of course, there were still those who were skeptical.
But the negative opinions were quickly buried.
Almost everyone was cheering.
-See! I told you it's the real Randolph!
-Woohoo!!!
-The real one has appeared!!!
-Mom! I want to be Randolph when I grow up! Mom! I want to be Randolph when I grow up!
-Please! Please! Please!
-I believe in the Phantom God!
-O Phantom God! Show the foolish fakes what the truth is!
*
*Clang!*
The swords clashed, producing a clear sound.
Their bodies, possessing the same abilities.
A stage where only sword skills were pitted against each other.
“...I have lost.”
But the duel was not long.
Before they could even exchange a few blows, Riley sheathed his sword.
“From the beginning, you had no intention of winning.”
It wasn't over yet.
He had no intention of ending it.
But Riley shook his head.
“No, I did my best. Although it’s a shame we couldn’t exchange more blows, I can tell from this. That you are superior to me.”
The moment their swords clashed, Riley knew.
No, he had known since he faced the Ancient Dragon.
His own inadequacy.
That this wasn't all of Wilhelm!
“You are hiding your true strength. Even when facing the Ancient Dragon and me, you didn’t show your full power. It’s a testament to how we weren’t strong enough to bring out your full potential.”
...It seemed Riley was greatly misunderstanding.
Thinking that I was holding back because I was weak.
I had given my all.
It was just that I couldn’t bring out Wilhelm’s full potential.
Riley slowly clenched his fist.
“Though we have failed, you might be able to defeat the Abyss. As the owner of the Throne of Light, you are surely a noble one. It is truly fortunate for humanity.”
His eyes were filled with new reflections.
A face moist with nostalgia.
Though he had failed, there was a hopeful look that the man before him might succeed.
‘Embarrassing.’
There was no need to mention that I had already killed a Demon King once.
After all, I hadn’t won yet.
“Most of all... I am truly grateful that you gave me the chance to end it myself before becoming the embodier of the Abyss, and for conveying the will of the Ancient Dragon.”
Riley’s body was gradually hardening.
Just like the Ancient Dragon.
He had chosen self-destruction before becoming the embodier of the Abyss.
Riley smiled.
“I am glad to meet you at the very end of my life. It was an honor to face such a strong opponent. If we meet again someday, I will...”
A regretful tone.
But Riley’s words were left unfinished.
*Thud.*
*Crack! Crack! Crack!*
His body turned to stone and shattered, sinking into the Abyss.
The erosion was happening constantly, so there was no time from the beginning.
Soon, Riley disappeared without a trace.
At the same time.
《The ‘embodier of the Abyss’ has been successfully eliminated!》
《Forced erosion has ended.》
《A hidden quest has been completed.》
《The ‘Paladin’ class has been upgraded to the hidden class ‘Sword Saint of Dragons’.》
《The sword proficiency limit has been raised to level 30 due to the ‘Sword Saint of Dragons’ class.》
《A hidden skill has been created.》
His eyes widened.
His pupils trembled.
‘...A hidden class?’
The hidden class, Sword Saint of Dragons!
He had obtained a qualification two steps beyond what he had expected.
Through the recognition of both the Ancient Dragon and Riley.
Perhaps this was the ultimate class that Riley should have completed.
It had been completely inherited to him over a long period of time.
But this was not the end.
《The ‘Abyss Dungeon’ has been cleared!》
《The ‘Abyss Dungeon’ is rising to the sky.》
《You have become the ‘Ruler of the Dungeon City’.》
《A warp to the Dungeon City has been created.》
...
《The thrones watching from afar join in.》
《All thrones are paying attention to the myth you have completed.》
《Completion of a failed myth! They send their cheers for your deeds that turned falsehood into truth.》
《All thrones are greatly satisfied with the gentle rest of the Ancient Dragon and the great Sword Saint Riley.》
《All thrones unanimously agree to raise the reward level!》
《Survival settlement has begun.》
《The quest combined reward has changed based on the ‘Fragment of the Broken Golden Rule’ used.》
《1,407h 37m have been used.》
《Some thrones are beginning to be surprised by the time used.》
Survival settlement
“Hmm.”
*Thud!*
“Ugh.”
*Thud!*
“Ugh...”
*Thud!*
Isaac’s expression hardened as he watched Seira, the Holy Maiden, faint repeatedly.
He felt Isabella’s cruel hand, which could make someone faint just by a slight movement.
“Even if it’s an order, she’s still a Holy Maiden...”
They were monitoring and making Seira faint according to Randolph’s orders.
But Isaac couldn’t bring himself to lay a hand on the Holy Maiden.
Seira, the Holy Maiden.
She was the most devoted, dignified, and pure among the Holy Maidens.
Even if Isaac was an uneducated thief, he knew the sanctity of the Holy Maiden.
A name that naturally inspired reverence in humans.
But Isabella acted as if she didn’t care about such things.
“...”
She didn’t even answer.
She just stared at the Holy Maiden coldly.
‘I’m glad I learned the pressure point technique.’
Isabella’s lips curled slightly.
Seeing this, Isaac felt a chill run down his spine.
Could she be feeling pleasure while making the Holy Maiden faint?
‘I didn’t want to learn it when I was young...’
Of course, it wasn’t for that reason.
Isabella was recalling her past.
When she was young.
When she regained consciousness, she was already in the desert city of Faisalmere.
She opened her eyes in a dark, sunless sewer with other naked children.
Many children died there, competing with each other.
Isabella had to learn all sorts of tricks to survive.
She didn’t want to learn them, but there was no other way.
To catch the eye of the Desert Queen.
“Are you not worried?”
“...?”
Isabella tilted her head at Isaac’s question.
“About the successor. It seems all the other challengers have failed.”
“It’s not possible.”
“It’s not possible?”
Nod!
Isabella turned her gaze back to the Holy Maiden, showing that orders were more important than worry.
Of course, it was natural.
Because she wasn’t worried at all.
Randolph’s victory was now a given for Isabella.
The one who faced the Desert Queen without a hint of fear, instead mocking and crushing her.
The one who killed the queen, whom she had feared all her life and couldn’t even look at.
The queen who had ruled the desert like a god.
Seeing this, Isaac clicked his tongue.
‘A fanatic, huh.’
To Isaac, Isabella was becoming a fanatic of Randolph.
Infinite belief. Blind trust.
When their one-year service ended and they parted ways, what would happen then?
From experience, Isaac knew that the end of such belief was rarely good, so he was a bit worried.
‘Who am I to worry about anyone.’
Then, Isaac shook his head.
If Randolph really cleared the Abyss Dungeon, the future was unimaginable.
*
How long had it been since Phase 5 began?
Those who had doubted Randolph’s appearance had no choice but to keep their mouths shut.
-Abyss Dungeon cleared...
-I can’t believe it even with my own eyes.
-It’s real... The real one has appeared...
-Wow!!!
-Randolph! Randolph!
-Phantom God! Phantom God!
-May the Phantom Church live forever!!!
-The Phantom Church is allowed to occupy the forum today.
-Gracia was a failure, right? The Master couldn’t do anything, right? Darkstar was busy running away, right?
-LOL
-LOL
-This level of achievement should make him the sole hero, not one of the seven, right? LOL
-Calling him a hero. This unbeliever. He is the Phantom God!
The news that challenger Randolph had cleared the Abyss Dungeon.
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Distributed by Ajit Novel (formerly: Ajitoon Novel).