Chapter 76

Level Up IlDanSimPanGwan – Chapter 76 (76/227)

Chapter 76: Light and Shadow (7)

“I actually did it…”

The seemingly impossible raid had finally come to an end.

And not only that, but with incredible rewards.

Massive contributions points, bonus stats, new titles, total favor skyrocketing past 60%, relationship progress with the Church…

His level shot up by a whopping four stages, reaching level 35, and as a quest reward, he even obtained a new weapon.

It was such an overwhelming list of gains that it was almost harder to enumerate them all—one thing was for sure: this was far beyond what could be considered normal.

“Still… my movements during the raid improved little by little.”

Even Eil couldn’t help but notice how his body felt lighter somehow.

To be more precise, his body was reacting faster to the motions he’d been mentally planning out.

Of course, Eil had no way of knowing about the subtle increase in synchronization rate.

He simply attributed it to his growing experience in VR, which had slightly elevated his skills.

[‘Light Judge Lu’ respectfully acknowledges your outstanding performance.]

[Light Church Contribution +100]

Once again, the goddess who had bestowed him with a mountain of quest rewards added to his contribution points.

She clearly seemed genuinely satisfied with his efforts, and Eil flashed her a small smile, knowing she was watching from somewhere unseen.

Pssst!

The summoned fire elemental Ignis returned to ash.

Since it was a contracted summon via scroll, it naturally returned to its original place after the battle concluded.

Despite its abysmal survival abilities—constantly teetering on the edge of death—it excelled magnificently as a long-range damage dealer, covering itself well against the boss’s gaze.

“Phew…”

Eil approached the crumpled corpse of Malargos, grabbing his shaking legs to steady himself amidst the lingering focus of the fight.

Reaching out to the still faintly glowing corpse, he looted the items it dropped.

But there wasn’t any time to check what exactly he’d gained.

Koo-gu-gu-gung!

The dungeon’s ceiling began collapsing all around.

[‘Light Judge Lu’ urges you to hurry!]

[Dungeon Collapse Countdown: ‘00:01:04’]

Only about a minute remained.

The facility was disintegrating rapidly, and Eil quickly began searching for an escape route.

However, the stairs leading upstairs had long since collapsed.

Attempting to look elsewhere proved futile; debris soon blocked his path, leaving the gaping hole in the ceiling as the only viable passage.

Yet, given the considerable height of each floor and the relentless collapse within, scaling the walls and rubble would’ve been near impossible.

In short, their escape route was effectively sealed off.

Even if the entire dungeon collapsed, absorbing the shock with the black gemstone set effect wouldn’t do much good this time around.

“Well, not a bad first death, I guess.”

Standing in place, Eil gave a light shrug.

High risk, high return.

After making bold investments and achieving astonishing results, dying here wouldn’t exactly count as a loss.

Thanks to the massive four-level boost, level penalties weren’t anything to fear, and the contribution points gained were astronomical.

Sure, the two-day connection penalty stung, but compared to fleeing and potentially losing the goddess’s favor—which might’ve plummeted drastically—it was worth it.

Given the situation where he’d been left with practically no options, this was a stellar defense and score.

Though it was disappointing, Eil was ready to accept it with satisfaction.

Until Nesha leapt down from the gaping hole above.

Thud!

Appearing suddenly before him, Nesha landed gracefully and alternated glances between the fallen Malargos and Eil.

She looked genuinely surprised that he’d defeated Malargos solo within just 17 minutes.

But what shocked her even more was Eil’s own astonishment at her unexpected arrival.

“What are you still doing here?!”

Eil grabbed Nesha by the shoulder and shook her urgently.

With the danger so close—even right outside the exit—and yet she jumped into an isolated spot like this? It was practically insane.

They were now both in mortal peril.

But Nesha paid no heed to his words, instead sweeping his legs out from under him unexpectedly.

“Huh?!”

Caught completely off guard, Eil stumbled forward, only for Nesha—who had crouched slightly—to catch him and hoist him onto her shoulders.

Before he could ask what she was doing, Nesha activated a skill.

Ssssh!

Her shadowy black silhouette wrapped around her legs.

‘What is this…?’

Even Eil hadn’t seen this skill before.

In Warode, with its countless skills per class, it wasn’t uncommon for exclusive skills of rare classes like the Heretic Inquisitor or Shadow Watcher to remain unknown until higher tiers.

He’d seen Nesha use two common skills before, so this must’ve been something new she learned at level 30.

Paaft!

Carrying Eil, her body ascended high into the air.

Leaping once, Nesha used the partially collapsed wall as a stepping stone for another jump.

Breaking through the second underground floor in one swift motion, she continued running without stopping.

Under the influence of the Hero-tier exclusive skill ‘Night Walker,’ her speed was extraordinary.

Dodging falling debris and crumbling floors, she raced full throttle toward the altar where the initial battle had taken place.

Most of the passages—including the ones leading from the second basement floor—were mere illusions and didn’t lead outside.

While Eil fought Malargos, Nesha had cleverly located the real exit near the altar.

Kwaang!

Nesha kicked and hurled herself at what appeared to be a solid wall beneath the altar, just as the fanatics’ underground complex completely collapsed.

Had they hesitated any longer, they both would’ve been crushed beneath the rubble.

Drenched in sweat, Nesha unceremoniously dumped Eil off her back.

“Oof!”

Eil let out a strange sound as he tumbled to the ground.

The damp cave floor greeted his face.

“Nice drop-off there…”

「Next time, warn me before acting impulsively.」

Nesha’s note caused Eil to grimace.

He had nothing to counter that with.

“Anyway, thanks. You saved my life.”

「Let’s go first.」

“Yeah, let’s just…”

As Eil continued speaking, his body froze stiff.

A chilling sensation swept through the cave, causing goosebumps to ripple across his skin.

Paralyzed despite standing upright, unable to move a single finger, his eyes darted frantically.

[Whispers of ‘Demon of Greed, Benaron’ can be heard.]

Kee-keek-eek!

A piercing screech filled the air as space around Eil began to warp.

This was the phenomenon caused by a superior entity like a demon directly extending its influence into the world.

Soon, the encroaching darkness swallowed everything except Eil, devouring the space around him.

– Did you really think you could escape?

Benaron’s voice echoed through the pitch-black void.

A weighty tone masked a savage temperament, reverberating throughout the cavern.

– You dared step into my domain. You disturbed my consciousness and destroyed my altar. You deserve to be torn apart. That’s how I’ve always operated.

The sound of a furious bull-like breath resonated.

Words steeped in thick malice hung heavy in the air, promising immediate harm.

But Benaron quickly shifted his stance.

– Yet, you are the first and sole Apostle. Your value is sufficient. Become my follower. I’ll grant you power beyond your wildest dreams. The world will bow at your feet, and all beings beneath me will follow you.

Benaron brazenly began tempting Eil with promises.

But before Eil could react to the offered choices…

Zzzzzzts!

Electricity crackled around Eil, distorting the surroundings like static noise.

A radiant beam of light pierced through the ceiling, warping the space around it with a powerful vibration.

[‘Light Judge Lu’ intervenes, striking the primordial darkness!]

[‘Demon of Greed, Benaron’ fiercely resists, roaring in defiance!]

Kee-keek-eek!

The clash of these titanic forces.

Light flared brightly, flooding the area with intense static.

The mighty power of the goddess intervened in the world, clashing violently with the dark energies brought by Benaron.

Having unexpectedly discovered an ‘Apostle,’ Benaron refused to back down easily.

But this Lu was no longer the same one who had recently awoken, lamenting her insufficient influence.

As the rightful deity of justice, light, and madness—one of only seven legitimate deities in Warode—she was leagues above a mere demon like Benaron.

For a measly demon to dare touch her Apostle was unacceptable, especially given her fiery disposition.

Kiiiiiiik!

The distortion intensified with the crackling static, and faint cries of the demon’s sharp screams seeped through the warped space.

Hwaak!

The growing sounds abruptly ceased.

The distorted space returned to normal as if nothing had happened.

[The influence of ‘Demon of Greed, Benaron,’ infiltrating the dungeon has been completely erased.]

“…”

Realizing he’d been holding his breath, Eil exhaled sharply.

Nesha, observing him from the side, regarded him with a curious look.

Since the events had occurred solely within Eil’s field of vision, Nesha had no way of knowing what transpired.

“There was a demon awake…”

Regaining control of his body, Eil quietly massaged his temples.

He knew the lore surrounding demons in the Warode universe all too well.

Beings that stood in direct opposition to the gods, eternal adversaries.

Yet, like the gods themselves, they were supposed to remain dormant.

Interfering in the world while half-asleep should have been impossible, and until now, no other players had reported witnessing such activity.

Was this a butterfly effect rippling outward from Lu’s awakening, or merely a bizarre coincidence?

Eil’s thoughts grew increasingly complicated.