[The effect of the Demonic Orb has been activated.]

[Absorbing the Demonic Energy of Demon King Kraktio.]

Immense Demonic Energy flowed into him. For hours now, he had been continuously extracting it from Demon King Kraktio's body.

The Demonic Orb was an artifact that only the Guide of the non-human races could wield. This, too, must have been an item prepared in advance to seize control of the dimension.

"Selling your soul to the Divine Realm just for revenge... Any other human wouldn't have dared to attempt it. The fact that you even managed to strike a deal with them is absurd enough," Kraktio muttered.

Kraktio was right. An ordinary human wouldn't have even conceived of bargaining with gods. It was a completely unexpected development that a Dungeon Master—one who had pushed his dungeon this far solely for a Return to Modern Earth—would sell his soul.

However, that was exactly why such a decision was possible. Duke Nikunbel had been setting the stage for this since the very first summon. In a way, he had been exploiting Taehyun's desperate struggle to Return to Modern Earth. His attempt to appease him with that very promise at the Celestial Crystal Palace was clearly a calculated psychological manipulation.

'Right. You must know full well that I tenaciously survived just to Return to Modern Earth. Handing over this special ability must have been for that exact reason. And that's exactly why you couldn't have predicted this. When I should have just abandoned this dimension and gone home, I offered up my soul to stop you instead. You'd have to be crazy to do that.'

There was a massive risk associated with the Dimensional Management Authority. Duke Nikunbel, who had possessed a portion of it all along, knew this better than anyone. Nevertheless, Taehyun had only one reason for making this choice: to ensure that the agonizing effort he had poured in over the last three years—looking only toward returning to modern Earth—wouldn't go to waste.

He wanted to prove that Balak, which he had cultivated into an SS-rank dungeon, was by no means meaningless. He had forged the contract simply to show that everything he had done as a Dungeon Master was not in vain.

"Eclat, the World Tree, the special abilities, the Demonic Orb—you must have handed them all to me. Let's see how you like it. I'll show you the true power of the dungeon called Balak, built with the very things you gave me."

Duke Nikunbel's greatest mistake was underestimating human resolve. If Taehyun had planned to simply play along with the setup and return to modern Earth, he wouldn't have grown Balak this much in the first place.

[Duke Nikunbel is interfering with the grades of Balak's soldiers.]

[Automatically blocked due to an equal level of authority.]

[Duke Nikunbel is interfering with existence annihilation.]

[Automatically blocked due to an equal level of authority.]

Interference from the authority came in constantly, but it was useless. Since they possessed equal Dimensional Management Authority, there was no way to interfere through the system outside of the domain spread across the upper level.

Taehyun checked the mana level of the Demonic Orb in his hand.

[Demonic Orb]

[Rank: SS]

[Restriction: One acknowledged by the non-human races]

[Description: A Demonic Orb belonging to the legendary-grade items. Passed down from ancient times, the Demonic Orb has the ability to absorb all mana. It also has the ability to locate immense mana and guide the way. The other two abilities are currently sealed due to a lack of mana.]

[Mana Level: 12,532,931/?]

Despite having evolved countless soldiers and Main Forces, the mana level had already replenished into the millions. This was undoubtedly thanks to Demon King Kraktio, who was recovering Demonic Energy at a virtually infinite rate. As expected of a top-tier demon who had reached the level of a demigod, his capacity for Demonic Energy was far superior to that of ordinary demons.

"Hey. By the way..." Taehyun started.

"Is there a problem?"

The handsome man sitting on the floor ground his teeth. Due to the nature of the Demonic Orb, the target suffered no physical damage during the absorption process. Since Kraktio was steadily recovering his Demonic Energy, there was no way he would collapse from exhaustion like Pinyas. Taehyun tilted his head, looking down at him.

"How long must I stay like this? I may not look it, but I am the Demon King who ruled the Demon Realm twenty years ago! To think I am being treated as a mere mana battery... It's utterly humiliating!"

"You said you couldn't join the battle right away anyway. It's better to strengthen our forces with your Demonic Energy like this. And..."

"Hmm?"

The Dungeon Master, holding the Dimensional Management Authority, turned his gaze toward the upper level. After joining forces with the angels, Balak's soldiers were pushing back the Demon Realm Grand Army. Having grown even stronger through Evolution and Remake, they fought solely for Balak, just as they had on the continent.

"This battlefield was created solely to reveal the true meaning of Balak. If you were to intervene while the angels are present, that meaning would fade. I'm going to show the bastards who played me for a fool exactly what kind of dungeon Balak is. Using the dungeon they selected for me, the items and abilities they handed me... I wonder what kind of expressions they'll make when the Dungeon Master they kept alive for their grand plan ruins everything."

Kraktio fell silent.

"They'll meet their end regretting it deep in their bones. Since they messed with me, I will never let them rest in peace. They will slowly suffer and die at the hands of the Dungeon Master they summoned."

Not only had he been played by them, but he had also lost everything he had built up so far. And now they were promising him a Return to Modern Earth? Absolutely not. If he couldn't even be compensated for his agonizing effort, he would rather overturn the entire board.

Looking at Grai, who was left alone, Taehyun cast Evolution.

[Grai, Guardian of Balak]

[Grade: SS]

[Sub-grade: None]

[Evolution EXP: 43,153/150,000]

[Evolution Probability: 77%]

[Evolution Materials: SS-rank Mana Stone X 1069, Warrior's Soul Stone, Intense Soul Stone]

Befitting his grade, a massive amount of Evolution EXP was required. Consequently, a significant number of Mana Stones were also demanded, but it didn't matter. He was currently using the Demonic Orb instead of Mana Stones anyway. It was a source of mana that could be considered a higher tier than any stone. As long as the Unique Mana level was sufficient, using the Demonic Orb itself as an evolution material wasn't impossible.

Although the Demonic Orb shrank every time he cast Evolution, once this battle was over, he wouldn't have a chance to use it anyway.

"I will show thothe bathtards what kind of dungeon Balak wath. Thummon!"

Grai, Guardian of Balak. He was the first knight among the dungeon Main Forces on the continent to bear the dungeon's name as a title. Even the SS-rank Dungeon Masters currently situated on the upper level did not possess such a Main Force. It was surely a variable that even Duke Nikunbel, the creator of the game system, couldn't have predicted. Grai, the very first Guardian summoned and the one who had protected the dungeon until now, was already Balak itself.

[Evolution Successful!]

[Evolution Successful!]

[Evolution Successful!]

Soon, the mana from the Demonic Orb was drawn out. Grai, kneeling on one knee, absorbed the mana of evolution and began to be reborn as a new being.

[Grai, God of Balak]

[Rank: SSS]

[Level: 121]

[Class: Knight]

[Title: God of Balak]

[Affiliation: Balak]

[Loyalty: 100]

[Favorability: 100]

[Obedience: 100]

[Skill: Territory of Balak, Deification, Will of Balak, Army of Balak, Sword that Cleaves Legends, Final Declaration]

[Special Ability: Summon Lord]

[Strength: 243] [Endurance: 187] [Agility: 192] [Stamina: 201]

[Mana: 104] [Divinity: 32] [Affinity: 55] [Luck: 96]

Finally, a knight on the verge of reaching the level of a demigod was born. Grai, possessing abilities truly on par with Pilseus, stood up with a solemn look in his eyes that didn't match his childish physique. Looking at the special ability that remained unchanged from before, Taehyun realized the depth of his loyalty once again.

"Are you planning to summon me until the very end?" Taehyun asked.

"Thummon ith Balak itthelf! I will go and make thothe bathtards keenly realize the power of Balak that Thummon hath built!"

"I feel like your lisp ruins the mood, but go and show them. Show them what kind of dungeon Balak was."

"Yeth!"

As even the high-ranking demons gradually revealed themselves, the God of Balak headed to the battlefield. If the outcome was to be decided within the same Dimensional Management Authority, the result would surely be settled through this clash.

"How much Demonic Energy is left now?" Taehyun asked as he watched the mana level filling up again.

"Recovering this much in the Celestial Realm is already an incredible feat. It will probably be impossible to recover any more after this charge. What will you do now, Dungeon Master of Balak?"

"Why ask when you already know? I have to go smash those bastards."

The remaining mana level was around six million. However, it was more than enough preparation to face them.

[SSS-rank Guardian Grai, God of Balak, has cast Territory of Balak.]

[The upper-level field of the Celestial Realm Pletas has been designated as the Territory of Balak.]

[The skill efficiency of all Balak-affiliated soldiers increases by two times.]

[The attack range of all Balak-affiliated soldiers increases by two times.]

[The elemental power of all Balak-affiliated soldiers increases by two times.]

Soon, the entire upper level was territorialized. With item usage rendered impossible due to the declaration of two overlapping domains, the change in terrain would be fatal to the Demon Realm Grand Army.

Watching the Death Dragon gathering mana once again, Taehyun gave an order to Grai.

"Eliminate Death Dragon Kadumallian first."

"Underthtood!"

"And..."

Suddenly, Hee Cha, who was beside the Death Dragon, caught his eye. The Dungeon Master of Dios, who had tried to annihilate Balak through Pilseus as well as within the Dispel dungeon.

"Taehyun, you'd better wait in Balak. Pilseus will personally go to conquer that place soon. Please, be prepared."

He had been miserably toyed with by her back then, but not anymore. It was time to clearly show her the hierarchy and who was truly above whom.

"Make sure to take care of the Dungeon Master of Dios, too. So she can never run that arrogant mouth again."

---

[SS-rank Hero Keeper Dicolona of the Dark Clouds has cast Designation of the Defeated.]

[All physical stats of the designated target decrease by two times.]

[SS-rank Named Supporter Riel, Goddess of Healing, has cast Effect Negation.]

[Debuff Application Failed!]

[The debuff placed on Hasla has disappeared.]

The black haze rising from his entire body vanished. Hasla steadied his breathing as he glared at the three Keepers positioned in front of him.

"Ooh. Thank you. Perhaps it's because I'm old, but taking on three of them is quite a strain."

"I heard you held out against Pilseus for about thirty minutes when I wasn't around. You shouldn't be this exhausted already," Riel replied.

"My word. I can't even speak easily in front of a young lady. Dear me. Now, let's see."

Through the Keepers, he saw the Death Dragon compressing its mana. Hasla and Riel had penetrated to the rear to eliminate Kadumallian under Taehyun's separate orders, but they couldn't easily break through the Keepers' defense. The other Main Forces had already scattered to deal with the high-ranking demons. With the Territory of Balak formed, they had to somehow stop Death Dragon Kadumallian's Annihilation at all costs.

"I've grown stronger than before after receiving abilities from the Guide, but three of them is still too much..."

"Be careful!"

While he was pondering, an assassin sprang out from among the demons.

[SS-rank Hero Guardian Tracker Kahalbarteu has cast Hunt Start.]

[Critical hit chance increases by four times for a certain period of time.]

[Critical hit damage increases by four times for a certain period of time.]

[Hunt Start Usage Limit: 1/2]

A scimitar rushed straight for his heart in an instant. It was a surprise attack by the demon Guardian who had been waiting for an opening all along. Hasla quickly tried to dodge, but he was being hindered by the three Keepers.

At that moment, another hunter appeared behind Kahalbarteu.

"A hunter never reveals themselves first." 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

"W-What?!"

"I mean I aimed for the exact moment you went in for the kill!"

The man who had mounted his back struck down with a scimitar. Kahalbarteu died instantly, never even knowing the identity of the hunter who had lunged at him. The three Keepers stepped back, looking down at his severed head. The man—Kadum—kicked the corpse far away and flicked the blood off his blade.

"Since I've been brought back to life, I was planning to live a bit longer this time, so this is troublesome. I need to finish this battle quickly and go back to my wife and daughter. For that to happen, you bastards need to die as quickly as possible."