The Nameless King’s blade cleaved through the air where my head had been a millisecond earlier.
I took advantage of the opening in his heavy attack and closed in. I drove my steel dagger into the joint of his elbow armor.
CLANG!
The dagger shattered into three pieces against the entity’s stone skin.
“Useless!” the boss roared, slamming an elbow straight into my chest.
I was sent flying across the hall, skidding over the black marble floor until I crashed into the base of the throne. My health bar plummeted to less than half.
[HP: 110 / 280]
[Warning: Current weapon destroyed.]
Unarmed and facing a Rank A enemy with nearly impenetrable physical defense. Most Hunters would’ve given up right there. But I had something no ordinary Hunter possessed.
The Nameless King slowly walked toward me, raising his greatsword for the finishing blow.
“Your power is weak, boy. You rely on dull blades.”
“No,” I replied, slowly rising as I held out both open hands. “I just needed to get close enough to you.”
I activated all the mana remaining in my body.
[Activate Ability: Devour (Rank EX)]
Black mist erupted from my pores, not merely enveloping the boss but connecting directly to the shadow his armor itself cast across the floor.
The Nameless King froze mid-motion. The blade stopped mere inches from my face.
“What is this?!” the boss’s voice trembled for the first time. “My energy... my ancient structure is being unraveled?!”
“You said I relied on weapons,” I said, stepping forward and driving my bare hand straight into the boss’s metal chest. “But my own body is the weapon.”
The black aura began sucking out the Nameless King’s essence at a terrifying speed. The entity’s armor plates began to crack and turn to dust, while streams of purple light flowed from his arms directly into mine.
[Absorbing Ancient Spirit...]
[Strength +30, Vitality +25, Mana +200]
[EX Ability Acquired: Shadow King’s Domain]
[Item Acquired: Greatsword of Agony (Rank A)]
With one last echoing scream, the boss’s colossal figure disintegrated completely. Silence fell over the throne room.
I dropped to my knees, breathing heavily as the Status Panel blazed brightly before me, firing off a series of golden notifications.
[You leveled up! Level 12 -> 20]
[Achievement Unlocked: King Slayer]
[Title Equipped: The King Without a Throne (+20% to all attributes against higher-ranked enemies)]
I stood, feeling refreshed. At the center of the hall, floating where the boss had been defeated, was a black sword etched with red runes and a golden key to the exit.
I gripped the sword’s hilt. It was heavy, but in my hands it felt like an extension of my own body.
When the exit Gate opened before me, the system issued a global warning that made my smile widen:
[Event Alert: The Rank S Rift “The Great Ruin” will open in 7 days in Capital City.]
[The Hunters Association is calling on all Rank A and Rank B Hunters in the country.]
“Seven days...” I stored the new sword in my inventory. “More than enough time for me to devour everything I need.”
Chapter 7: The Shadow Auction
The neon light from the financial district’s signs reflected in puddles of rain when I arrived at the underground warehouse of the Hunters’ Black Market.