Helplessness.

Anxiety.

Rage.

These were the emotions that climbed onto Skullius when he saw the notifications.

His progress so far had been slashed apart right when he thought he was making descent progress.

Sure he had the numerous skills he had obtained, but they wouldn’t be effective if he lost all his comprehension in the two elements that formed them!

“WHY?!” Skullius boomed as he subconsciously took a step back. “Why is it like this?!”

He felt the elements that left his body lessen as he distanced himself and thus he pushed himself even further back!

Even with the severe sense of weakness, Skullius wouldn’t allow himself to lose so pitifully after reaching this far.

The figure in front of him did not move. It merely sat and Skullius sensed the pieces of [Just Light] and [Evil Darkness] that he had fly over to this creature and sink into its body!

Immediately after, a darker shade of the wisps that came from its body was applied to them and then… flesh began to grow from its arm to its chest!

Thin strings of dark, unhealthy flesh ran through the body of the creature and soon, half of its chest was donning the same mummy-like flesh!

The view of the creature became even more eerie now and Skullius’ mind raced.

What were the implications?

What was this thing?!

He trembled.

It had just absorbed his [Evil Darkness] and [Just Light] and grown more flesh!

The darkness that he had been getting a better feel of started to behave a tad bit wonkier as it had been before the promotion of his affinity!_.

‘What am I expected to do in this situation?’ Skullius thought. ‘Was this what this whole thing was about?!’

Even with his clouded mind, Skullius finally got an inkling of an idea as to why he had been given these elements after entering the Labyrinth!

It was all to… feed this thing?

The reason and the result didn’t seem to match.

Was that why certain spots were designed to give him a chance to grow and gain more of this broken power?

Skullius didn’t fully understand but this notion made him feel enraged.

‘Still… I can’t just lose it all now!’

The notification that had just appeared said that he was within range, and he began to think that it was a distance thing. At least for him.

The more he approached, the more he would lose.

Still, the creature didn’t move.

Skullius didn’t want to confirm this theory on what would happen if he kept getting closer.

He drew back and… sat down.

Dying was one thing, but losing what you had earned through a rather harsh journey before dying was a different matter altogether.

‘I… I have no idea what I can do get past this thing… Can I even do it? All these guys failed and they probably had to higher affinities than me.’

The large door behind the creature seemed even more attractive from the clutches of darkness that Skullius hid within.

But… he couldn’t get to it. Just like all those that had died around him, he yearned to see what was behind it.

A few minutes passed with Skullius sitting on the rough ground.

He finally stripped himself of the crippling sense of helplessness and decided to try a different approach.

In as much as he wanted to give up, his encounter with Somanda wasn’t so attractive. Why rush to that sad ending when he could give his all here.. and then die?

‘This sockethole doesn’t seem to mind my presence… In that case, let’s see what else I can find in this place. So far, I’ve only been able to get interesting things through details that others wouldn’t exactly look for,’ Skullius thought.

He stood up and walked over to the remnants of the different challengers.

The bones could be broken down easily as they were especially brittle, depicting the amount of time that had passed and the conditions of the space in general.

Skullius began rummaging through the old and rusted equipment as he searched for something useful.

He saw ancient swords that barely looked the part of powerful weapons and stacked them in rows depending on how trash they looked.

He did the same for all the other equipment, several pieces being arranged neatly on the ground.

‘One of the perks of having to tend to the mana gems back in Deadmanland. <Sigh>. I’m suddenly beginning to miss that place,’ he thought.

Skullius began to checking the stats and descriptions of the weapons and armour, founding most of them to be utterly ridiculous.

However, none of them could even be used which made Skullius deflate like a balloon. They were old and cracked, rusted and worn out.

He held one particular sword that had a golden hilt and blueish curved blade. It looked to be in the best condition out of all the other weapons.

All its beauty and power had been wasted here which made Skullius yell bone expletives at the bones he thought to belong to the owner.

Looking closely at this sword’s stats, Skullius shook his head.

~~~

[Demion’s Dance]

A beautifully crafted sword given to Demion on his birthday by his lover, Irisa, to commemorate his legendary battle with Escus.

-Damage-

50,000-75,000

-Durability-

0/80,500

-Special Effects-

•75% increase in speed

•30% increase in strength

[Skill: Epic Memory]

Regardless of the user’s level of power, they are able to fully replicate the raw movements and a portion of the attack power that Demion demonstrated in his battle with Escus.

—

[Skill: Irisa You Whore]

The remnants of the unfaithful Irisa shower the user with healing light meant for her side lovers each time they sustain an injury, bringing them to full health. This effect only occurs thrice a day.

~~~

‘What a waste! I could have used this!’ Skullius thought.

He caressed the sword’s blade for a while before suddenly jolting up with an idea.

‘What if I use Null Life Essence to take the skills that are in it?! Why didn’t I think of this before?!’ Skullius thought.

He immediately went to business, trying to feel for his Null Life Essence that was still a part of him even in his Discount Human form.

However, as he tried to sift it from storage to the sword, the Null Life Essence didn’t budge!

Skullius was dumbfounded.

‘I can’t use it? Does it mean that’s its an ability only available to a Boneman or a Null Lifeform. Or… right. It’s a class ability for the Vehement Bone Nullmancer isn’t it?’

It dawned on Skullius that he was practically two different people right now, each with its own diverse powers!

It was exciting and depressing at the same time.

He didn’t want to give it up.

The [Demion’s Dance] sword in his hands was a powerful tool that he wanted to use. He had thought that if he got the chance to live through this, he would use [Unbound] on it, but he was afraid that it would lose its skills and attributes.

He knew at this point in time that [Unbound] could change the durability of a weapon and alter its shape in addition to all the crazy it could do. This was normally a good thing, but in this case, it was bad. If he could manipulate [Unbound], he’d at least keep the skills.

Perhaps, he could try to manually control what he wanted to be upgraded.

‘I’ll have to try that.’

BOOOM!

From the wall, a massive impact made the entire large space quake!

Skullius jumped up from his position in surprise and looked to where the sound had come from.

Naturally he couldn’t see anything from the darkness, but something else could.

The creature that sat by the staircase lifted its head and turned to the direction of the noise.

The sound of chunks of the wall falling could be heard as they knocked against the floor.

The creature suddenly extended its bony hand and a pillar of flame blossomed with a magnificent intensity, gushing wildly in its hand!

The flames illuminated the void and even from his distance, Skullius was forced to turn away as the flash of light from the red flames that spilled ever so often like magma was too bright.

When the flames died down, a large claymore was what remained, its appearance with a black, cross shaped hilt and a polished blade that had various cracks!

The sword’s appearance made the darkness within this place shift away and Skullius, who saw and felt the blade’s power couldn’t help but open his eyes wide in shock!

‘The amount of [Evil Darkness] in that sword is ridiculous!’ he thought.

Surely, the claymore radiated vicious gusts of darkness around it.

BOOOM!

Once more, the wall was met with a frightful raw force that finally caused it to collapse and make way for a tall and thick giant!

The creature that sat upon the staircase stood and took a few steps down to reach the floor.

With each one of its movements, the darkness receded, as if making way for a king.

It swiped with its hand, making the darkness that veiled the new entrant disappear and allowing for the full view of the giant to appear.

“Aha ha. I knew it! Those with a colourless string are usually oddities that deserve attention. To think that you would actually reach this place even though you’re so weak,” a boisterous voice travelled a distance and slammed into Skullius’ ears.

There was no need to hypothesise as Skullius felt it clearly that the individual this new challenger was talking about, was him!

‘What is that? What is it talking about?’ Skullius thought while backing away. He had never seen a giant before.

Sause’s grinning face made him feel extremely uncomfortable as it peered through the patches of darkness between them to look at him deeply.

The giant then turned its gaze to the creature with the claymore and it turned solemn, a genuine expression of surprise and a hint of sorrow etching itself on Sause’s face.

“I see,” he said as he breathed a deep sigh. “This is what you became in the end… Fulgardt.”