VOOOM!

The black flame instantly engulfed Reiji.

The entire cavern trembled under the terrifying power of the attack.

The Velsra stumbled backwards in fear, its eyes fixed on the raging black inferno. Even from this distance, the heat alone made its scales tingle.

The Undead King stood silently. His crimson eyes remained locked onto the sea of black flames.

The flames continued to rage, but strangely there was no movement inside, no screams, no struggle, nothing.

The Velsra swallowed nervously. ’Did... did he die?’

Even the Undead King began to doubt himself. Had he put too much power into the attack and killed the human instantly? Just as the thought crossed his mind, the flames suddenly began to weaken.

The raging inferno shrank, then instantly vanished completely.

Both the Velsra and the Undead King froze.

A figure stood at the center of the scorched ground. Like an undying spirit, completely unharmed.

The Undead King’s crimson eyes widened. ’Impossible...’

The Velsra was equally stunned. Even Reiji himself looked confused.

Ding!

[Demonic Attack Successfully Nullified.]

[Item: Devil’s Ring has met the required conditions and leveled up several times.]

Ding!

[Item: Devil’s Ring (D-Rank) (LV1)]

’What?’ Reiji stared at the notification in disbelief.

He clearly remembered that the item had only been E-Rank. The attack unleashed by the Undead King wasn’t something an ordinary item should have been able to stop.

Then his eyes landed on a particular line.

"Demonic Attack Successfully Nullified."

His expression changed. The item’s description had never specified a rank limit, only one condition. Demonic attacks.

"The Laktham Ring," the Undead King muttered, and his crimson eyes narrowed. "Tell me, Human. Laktham or Labu?"

Reiji frowned.

’What kind of question is that?’

The Undead King studied his expression. "You don’t know?"

For the first time, genuine confusion appeared in the skeleton’s eyes. "Then which Devil’s Island do you belong to?"

’Devil’s Island?’

Reiji thought for a moment, then a name rang in his head that caused buried memories to surface, making him narrow his eyes dangerously. "I don’t belong to an Island of the Devil," Reiji said calmly but his thoughts were a mess and he was already speculating different theories.

"Hmm. As expected of a human. That means your people stole that ring. Perhaps you stole it from your people to come challenge me." The Undead King spoke, but his tone grew heavier with every word that followed.

"Who are you calling a thief?"

"You sneaked into my palace, killed my miners, and tried to take my Anderite Stones. What more evidence do I need to lay before you, Human?"

Reiji gritted his teeth in anger. He couldn’t deny what the skeleton said. After all, anyone from the Undead King’s perspective would see him as a thief.

"Well, now it is no surprise you had many tricks up your sleeve, Human. But since you gave me a decent fight, I will spare you a quick and painless death," the Undead King said.

"The King Resonance!"

BOOM!

A terrifying pressure suddenly erupted from the skeleton’s body. It was so intense that the Velsra was having a hard time breathing.

"Oh no, I’m going to die." It held its neck, coughing. It took out a small bottle with a murky brown slimy liquid inside.

"I haven’t yet created my undead legion. I can’t die just yet," with firm determination, it held onto the rock in front of it tightly.

Ding!

_____

[Urgent Side Quest Triggered!]

[Defeat The Undead King (C-)]

[Rewards: ???]

[Penalty: Death]

[Time Left: 00:10:00]

_____

Reiji stared at the system interface that had suddenly popped up in front of him. ’Ten minutes, huh?’

His grip tightened around the Soul Torture Blade and Knight Sword. From the corner of his eyes, he saw that his mana was still dropping, and he didn’t know how long the Overload skill on Strength Of The Overlord would last.

So timer or not, he was going to end this now.

"Oh? You still intend to fight?"

Reiji didn’t respond immediately. He just stared back at the skeleton and calmly raised his weapons.

"I’m not the one that started the fight."

A heavy pressure erupted from the skeleton, stronger than before, and Reiji felt the crushing force. It felt like an invisible mountain pressing down on his shoulders, trying to force him to his knees. But Reiji didn’t move.

His expression only changed slightly. He understood the situation. The Undead King wasn’t just trying to kill him. He was treating him as a trespasser who had entered a military base.

"Arrrhhhhh!"

The Undead King let out a piercing shriek as his body grew larger and a menacing aura radiated from him.

Cracks spread across the ground beneath his feet. A faint crack appeared on the armor covering the skeleton’s chest.

Reiji narrowed his eyes but didn’t think much of it.

The pressure inside the cavern increased several times over.

The Velsra immediately dropped to one knee. Its entire body trembled as it coughed up blood as it struggled to stay conscious. The pressure in the air kept rising.

’His majesty is really going to kill everything around him at this rate,’ it thought weakly as it pressed itself deeper behind the rock, forcing itself to keep watching despite the fear.

Reiji instincts were telling him to flee but he remained grounded. Without hesitation, he poured more mana into the Strength Of The Overlord skill that was currently being overloaded to boost his strength. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

BOOM!

The Undead King vanished.

Before Reiji could raise his weapons to block in time...

CLAANNGG!

A terrifying force exploded through his arms. His body was sent skidding across the ground. Before he could stabilize himself, another attack arrived.

BOOM!

Then another.

BOOM!

And another.

The transformed king was on an entirely different level. Reiji found himself being pushed back continuously. His arms felt numb, and his mana was dropping rapidly. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. ’This isn’t good.’

For the first time since the battle began, he couldn’t keep up. The Undead King’s crimson eyes burned brightly. "Is this all?"

BOOM!

Another strike sent Reiji crashing through a stone pillar. The entire cavern shook, dust filled the air and debris flew everywhere.

The Undead King slowly lowered his long bone sword, disappointment flashed across his face, "Perhaps I expected too much."

Suddenly, his eyes narrowed. A faint crack appeared on his armor.

Then another, then another. And it continued spreading. The Undead King’s expression changed in an instant.

Reiji had noticed it earlier.

Every time King Resonance activated, tiny cracks would appear around the glowing light beneath the skeleton’s ribcage armor.

The stronger the king became, the more unstable the core became.

The king had noticed it as well.

Which was why he wanted to end the battle quickly.

Inside the rubble, Reiji smiled. ’Got you.’

He slowly climbed to his feet.

Only the Soul Torture Blade remained in his hand. Without thinking twice, he poured all his remaining mana into his currently active skill.

The remaining mana surged wildly through his body.

"Soul Torture Flame!"

Reiji called out, and instantly pale amber flames engulfed the Soul Torture Blade.

It seemed that every time the flame swallowed the blade, the blade became even sharper and more dangerous.

The Undead King’s eyes widened as he stared at the human charging toward him at a speed he couldn’t keep up with.

The human had figured out his weakness.

Reiji took a deep breath as he charged at full speed.

His mana, stamina, and remaining strength were all nearing their limits.

He only had one chance, one attack, one opening, one victory and no hesitation whatsoever. Only one clean strike.

BOOM!

The Undead King charged as well. The distance between them vanished instantly.

The king swung first. Reiji didn’t dodge.

The Soul Torture Blade met the attack head-on.

CRACK!

The blade shattered.

The Undead King was taken aback.

Reiji had intentionally sacrificed the weapon. The broken blade diverted the attack just enough.

Reiji summoned the Knight Sword from his inventory, and the sword shot forward instantly.

Straight through the crack on the Undead King’s armor and toward the glowing core.

The Undead King tried to move, but it was already too late.

STAB!

The sword pierced directly through the crack.

CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!

The glowing core inside the Undead King’s chest shone brightly, and the crimson flames inside the skeleton’s eye sockets flickered violently.

"No...!"

The Undead King’s pupils shrank in terror as he looked down at the sword embedded in his chest.

BOOM!

The skeleton’s body exploded into countless fragments.

Silence filled the cave and Reiji stood there breathing heavily.

Both weapons fell from his hands, and his vision blurred.

Then the familiar sound rang out.

Ding!

[Host has killed the C- Rank Undead King!]

[+120 EXP]

[Urgent Side Quest Completed!]

[Congratulations Host has obtained: Spatial Ring (D), Undead King’s Core (C-)]

Ding!

[Threat terminated. Skill Strength Of The Overlord will be broken and severe backlash will take place instantly.]

"Not a full recovery system, but backlash? You’re really... a bad system." A smile played on Reiji’s lips as he collapsed to the floor.