Chapter 83: Twenty-first Floor, The Colonized Planet (2)

The shrill sound of the alarm echoed through the entire fortress, intermingling with the hurried clamor of footsteps. Every soldier within the fortress was clearly converging on this location.

Fortunately, it didn’t matter. I had already eliminated every enemy within the slave factory. Judging by the cadence of the approaching footsteps, I still had some time before they arrived.

After gathering all the freed captives into a single group, I estimated there were roughly two hundred of them.

One of them stepped forward before bowing its head low.

“Liberator… We are forever in your debt.”

Liberator...

The word triggered a sense of deja vu. That was the same term the orcs had used back on the second floor. Hearing it again in a place like this stirred something deep within me. The word seemed to hold a certain significance.

Were people who refused to open the status window during the tutorial called Liberators?

“No need to thank me. Right now, our priority is to get out of here.”

My gaze shifted to the grotesque mass of black tendrils.

While I had managed to rescue the captives who were being tortured, the victims entangled by the mysterious tentacles posed a far greater problem. Unfortunately, the tendrils were far too numerous to cut through, and if I tried using lightning, the lightning would likely electrocute anyone touching the gross mass.

Sensing my hesitation, a wizened seraph elder stepped forward, bowing deeply as it approached.

“Those who have been ensnared by the brainwashing tendrils are beyond salvation. They have already been reduced to mindless husks, and there is no hope of restoring them. Please… at least grant them a peaceful end.”

A faint sigh escaped my lips at the seraph’s words, “Ah…”

If only I had arrived sooner. Perhaps I could have saved at least one more.

The elderly seraph noticed my frustration and offered me a small, solemn smile as it continued, “Had you not come when you did, Liberator, we too would have shared their fate. Please, do not let this weigh too heavily on your heart.”

I responded with a slight nod, unable to say more. Now wasn’t the time to dwell on every regret.

The alarm blaring outside was growing more insistent, and the urgency of the approaching footsteps grew ever closer.

I will deal with the tendrils first.

Manipulating a surge of mana, I released a powerful bolt of lightning at the massive cluster of tendrils in the center of the room.

Crackle—

The mass writhed and convulsed soundlessly, its tendrils shaking violently in the air. Soon after, the tendrils began to shrivel, curling inward as a burnt stench filled the air. Simultaneously, three hundred entangled beings went limp as I extinguished their lives. ŕᴀꞐo͍𝐛ĚṨ

The thick, acrid smell of seared flesh permeated the entire slave factory as I guided the remaining survivors to a secluded corner of the room.

“For now, stay hidden here. I’m going to summon a veil of shadow to conceal you, so it should keep you from being detected.”

“Liberator, are you sure you have enough strength left to continue protecting us?”

It seemed they were concerned that I may have depleted too much of my mana.

I offered a reassuring nod as there was no need to worry. Once battle resumed, I could recover my mana using the Mana-Accumulating Gauntlet of the Underworld.

“I’ll be fine. Just stay hidden and remain safe.”

“Thank you… we won’t forget this kindness.”

After cloaking the group with Shadow Veil, I swiftly made my way out of the slave factory. They would be safe for the time being, just as long as I drew the guards’ attention to myself.

No sooner had I exited the factory than I spotted a battalion of enemy soldiers encircling the building.

One of the orc soldiers I had seen earlier called out, evidently panicked as it asked after the goblin commander, “You there! What happened to Oshuke…?”

“It’s already dead. You’ll be joining it soon enough.”

This was no time to engage in idle banter. Letting those words hang in the air, I propelled myself forward and sprinted away from the scene. I had no intention of fighting the soldiers here and now as my true objective lay elsewhere.

I needed to reach the central munitions factory. With the plan I had concocted earlier, I could still easily detonate the enormous furnace inside the weapons factory. If I could set it ablaze, their attention would inevitably shift in that direction.

Amidst the ensuing chaos, I could lead the captives to safety and facilitate our escape.

“Kill the intruder!”

“Avenge Oshuke!”

Brandishing their weapons, the soldiers charged toward me. When facing multiple opponents, maintaining control over the battlefield was key.

There was no need to stress too much now, though. Not only was I vastly more powerful than my opponents, but I also had Master of Shadows at my disposal.

Since I was invisible, I could prey on their primal fear of the unknown, using it to my advantage. Deciding I didn’t need to resort to Flash Strike, I activated Master of Shadows.

Instantly, I vanished from their sight, and confusion spread like wildfire among their ranks.

Shift to the left.

As soon as I cloaked myself, I pushed hard off the ground, darting leftward.

The soldiers, bewildered by my sudden disappearance, swung their weapons wildly toward the spot where I had just stood. Due to my quick dodge, however, their blades slashed through thin air.

Meanwhile, I had already moved behind them, swinging my axe down onto the chest of a seraph centurion.

“Krakh!”

To their eyes, the seraph appeared to have simply collapsed out of nowhere, its chest splitting open as blood gushed forth.

Although blood had spattered on my armor, I didn’t have to worry about the bloodstains giving away my presence since the shadows concealed everything.

Beneath this ashen sky, there was no time to rest. I needed to get to the munitions factory somehow.

Heading directly there would be too obvious.

I needed to create a distraction, making it look as if I were heading toward the main gate instead. Even if they couldn’t see me, they could still estimate my position based on their fallen comrades.

Ultimately, breaking through their ranks proved simple as the dense formation of enemy soldiers provided an equally dense collection of shadows.

In an instant, dozens—no, hundreds—of shadow spears erupted from the ground, tearing through their ranks and sending an entire line of soldiers crumbling like a house of cards. Letting the spears distract the majority of my enemies, I swung my axe through the other side of the formation, carving a path through the chaos.

Scalding blood splattered against my jawline, seeping into the crevices of my armor and stinging my nostrils with its metallic tang. As it soaked the climbing suit underneath, it clung to my skin, warm and sticky.

Taking shallow breaths, I swung my axe in a wide arc and slammed it into an orc’s neck. Even its reinforced armor couldn’t withstand the force—its head, helmet and all, tumbled neatly to the ground.

“Aaaargh!”

“Where is he?! Where did he go?!”

“I’m an ally! Stop, friendly fire!”

Amidst the pandemonium, goblins shrieked in terror. So driven by madness, some seraphim even lashed out at their own comrades.

Meanwhile, I was already sprinting toward the weapons factory.

***

「Invisible message: Welcome to a Low-Class Colonized Planet. Destroy the slave factory or survive. Time remaining: 1 hour 18 minutes.」

With the alarm already blaring, I didn’t hesitate to slam my foot into the factory’s doors, shattering the hinges. The iron door buckled, crashing onto the floor with a thunderous clang.

The metallic sound echoed sharply, cutting through the disarray.

My gaze zeroed in on the enormous furnace at the center of the factory. All I had to do was release a bolt of lightning—

Huh?

I sensed a peculiar presence, a faint wave of mana rippling down from the ashen sky above.

A sudden fluctuation of mana. What’s happening?

Something was going on, but I had no way of discerning what it was.

As the wave of mana washed over me, I realized with a start that Master of Shadows had been forcibly dispelled.

My veil dissipated, and in that instant, the enemy soldiers’ gazes snapped toward me. They had followed the trail of fallen comrades to the spot where I now stood, exposed.

Eyes seething with fury and loathing drilled into me. Yet, instead of launching an attack, the soldiers tilted their heads upward, staring into the sky above.

“T-the Overseer!”

“We’re doomed…”

Their voices wavered despairedly as a portal began to coalesce in the heavens. Unlike the radiant portals I had encountered within the tower, this one exuded an ominous, dark gray aura.

In that very instant, I felt a staggering presence emanating from beyond the swirling vortex.

This is no ordinary opponent.

As if preparing for the inevitable clash, every one of my muscles tensed and coiled in anticipation. My grip tightened around the haft of my axe, my knuckles whitening from the pressure. My Sixth Sense was also screaming at me, telling me that staying still would mean certain death.

Whatever it was, it would soon emerge from that portal.

Trusting my instincts, I kicked off the ground and propelled myself into the air while activating Flash Strike. Drawing the axe back behind me, I utilized Kashatum’s Sky Shoes to gain some altitude.

Just before I reached the portal, a dark silhouette shot out from it like a streak of black lightning. The entity’s speed was blinding—even with Flash Strike, keeping up was nearly impossible.

I swung my axe with every ounce of strength I could muster, aiming to meet the figure head-on.

… Shit.

I knew the instant I moved that my attack wouldn’t connect.

Though I had initiated the first strike, my opponent’s sheer speed proved to be too much. I had no choice but to switch from offense to defense, and I had to do it swiftly.

Relying purely on instinct, I twisted my wrist and adjusted my axe’s trajectory, redirecting the force of the swing. Wrenching my arm back strained my muscles, causing searing pain to shoot up it.

Clang!

Our weapons collided with a deafening crash, and the next thing I knew, I was sent hurtling toward the ground like a discarded puppet.

“

Kriee!

Su-Yeok!”

Doppy’s scream reached my ears, distorted and drawn out as if time had slowed. In a blur, the ground surged up to meet me.

I barely had time to raise my arms to shield my head before I slammed into the earth with bone-rattling force.

How is it faster than me?

Even with Flash Strike engaged, I couldn’t match its speed. My thoughts raced as I rolled across the ground, unable to make sense of what had just occurred. Each of my nerves pulsed from pain.

Damn it.

Grinding my teeth, I pushed through the pain and forced myself upright. The moment I got to my feet, a soothing, ethereal light enveloped me—Doppy was healing me.

I shifted my gaze back to the Overseer. It was a lizardman, but completely unlike any I had encountered before. It was shrouded in jet-black scales, from its horned, bald head to the tip of its long tail.

Its reptilian eyes gleamed with malice as they watched me with a twisted amusement. Its unnaturally emaciated limbs seemed to defy what should be anatomically possible, and a dark blade rested in its skeletal hand, as foreboding as the abyss itself.

[Overseer Nyok-shik]

A notification window flickered in the corner of my vision, but I brushed it aside.

The Overseer studied me curiously as if appraising a peculiar insect.

“So, I wondered which idiot had dared to attack a factory. Turns out, it’s you. Are you a Challenger?”

Challenger? Is it that special? That’s referring to me, right?

Despite my silence, the Overseer muttered to itself, “No, that can’t be right. There haven’t been any Challengers since the laws were revised ages ago…”

Perhaps it was merely thinking out loud—a habit, perhaps.

“What exactly are you?”

The Overseer’s gaze narrowed, eyes filled with curiosity. However, it simply shrugged as if something had clicked in its mind.

“Doesn’t matter. You’re going to die anyway, so what’s the point?”

A grotesque grin spread across its face, and its slitted pupils dilated in anticipation. Instinctively, I knew the fight was about to commence, so I decided I would need every possible buff at my disposal.

“Doppy, buffs. Now.”

“

Kriee!

Understood!”

As soon as Doppy began casting spells, I felt a familiar surge of power ripple through my veins as layers of enhancements settled over me. These were spells I hadn’t used in quite some time—self-imposed limitations meant to foster growth.

A faint, radiant glow enveloped me, washing away any lingering aches from the earlier impact. The fatigue that had been weighing me down dissipated, replaced by a surge of renewed energy.

The Overseer’s grin widened, its gaze dripping with disdainful amusement.

“

Heh

… Do you think a few reinforcement spells will make a difference?”

Ignoring its taunt, I activated Flash Strike once more. Simultaneously, I retrieved the buff potions I had stored in the mimic and gulped them down, one after another. My mind worked furiously as I processed the situation.

This creature was undeniably stronger than me, yet my instincts were whispering that I stood a chance. Its speed earlier had been frightening, but… something told me it would be easier this time.

I kicked off the ground and charged forward, feeling lighter than usual—no doubt due to Doppy’s and the potions’ buffs.

Responding to my movement, the Overseer sprang into action as well. In the blink of an eye, it vanished from my sight.

Where did it go? Augh, to the right!

The Overseer darted in from my right, moving like a streak of black lightning. Thankfully, it wasn’t as fast as before, and certainly not fast enough to surpass Flash Strike. It seemed that its previous speed wasn’t due to its own power, but rather a boost from the portal.

That has to be it. The previous attack was probably so formidable because it used the portal’s momentum.

Even so, I couldn’t afford to lower my guard. Its current speed was on par with mine, which meant I had to stay fully alert. Despite having pushed my concentration to its limit, the creature’s movements were still barely within my perception.

Shortening my grip on my axe’s handle, I adjusted it to my left side.

This will reduce my reach… but it doesn’t matter.

In this fight, reach wasn’t what would decide the outcome.

Swallowing my pride, I acknowledged that the creature was stronger than me. I had to be ready to respond swiftly to any unforeseen situation. To do that, shortening my grip was the best option.

The Overseer’s breath escaped in a sibilant hiss, like a snake’s warning,

“Hissssst!”

At that exact moment, I swung my axe diagonally upward from my lower left.

Clang!

It intercepted my blow with its blade, deflecting it effortlessly.

The recoil threatened to wrench my weapon out of my grasp, but I tightened my hold, forcing the axe to stay in line. With a quick snap of my wrist, I spun the axe in a tight circle and brought it down in a crushing overhead strike.

But once again, the creature parried the attack. As if it had anticipated my next move, a sharp, barbed tail lashed out from between its legs and sped toward my abdomen like a spear.

***

「Invisible message: The first-class god ‘Sky of the Nine Heavens’ is now observing his colonized planet. The veil created by the fourth-class god ‘Shadow of the End’ had been lifted.」