Great Labyrinth – Part 4
The Nephilim was dead.
Only then did I finally relax my body.
“Ughhh.”
I really felt like I was going to die.
I picked up my severed arm that was lying nearby and reattached it to the stump.
Then, I chugged a top-grade healing potion.
[Undying] [Resurrection] [Regeneration]
[Thor Cultivation Technique] [Mana Recovery] [Meditation]
I swapped my traits and closed my eyes.
Using the power of meditation, I sank deep into my consciousness.
I awakened the fire of mana within me.
Lightning-like mana surged through my mana circuits.
Steam rose from my skin as my wounds rapidly healed.
It took quite some time.
For my arm to fully reattach and for the pain raking through my entire body to subside.
As I completed the healing process and opened my eyes, my disciples, who had approached, were in a frenzy.
“Teacher! Are you alright?”
“Your arm! How’s your arm?”
“You’re alive, right?”
They must have been extremely worried.
Well, I did fight a brutal battle.
Boss-class enemies were truly different.
This fight felt even harder than when I faced Massacre Empress, who had reached a perfected Level 7.
If I hadn’t obtained Radiance mid-battle as I had intended, I would have needed an elixir instead of just a top-grade healing potion.
“Heh, my goodness.”
“You’re really just Level 6?”
“Even a Level 7 wouldn’t have been able to pull this off…”
“You’re incredible. You might even be able to descend to the 51st floor alone.”
“If our comrades on the surface heard about this, they’d call it nonsense.”
It wasn’t just my disciples who were gathered.
The defenders of the Cannon Base, whom I had briefly met yesterday, were also watching me with expressions of awe.
The distance from the Cannon Base to the Nephilim’s Arena was about an hour’s walk.
Since there weren’t any significant obstacles in the way, they had a clear view.
Seeing flashes of light erupt for hours on end, they must have decided to come check it out.
I flashed them a casual smile.
“I’m a bit strong.”
“Haha!”
“Hahaha. A bit?”
“Have you ever considered becoming the Grandmaster? If you’re interested, our brotherhood will back you.”
“I have other things to do.”
Grandmaster?
Are they insane?
To become one, it’s not just about strength—you also need to accumulate a significant amount of merit with the Protector Alliance.
I’d have to be stuck in the Great Labyrinth or the Great Rift for at least ten years.
If they just handed me the title, that’d be one thing, but being tied down to the Great Labyrinth? No thanks.
Step, step.
I walked toward the fallen Nephilim, stepping over pools of blood.
Its body was already starting to evaporate.
The rough skin was turning into smoke, scattering into the air.
I pulled the Black Tiger Sword out from the back of its neck and gripped it in my left hand.
Reversed grip.
Then, I approached the massive sword still clutched in the Nephilim’s hand.
‘Here it is.’
With my Bright Eyes, I could see it.
A club-like sword the size of a city bus.
At its core, a radiant mass of mana.
I placed the Black Tiger Sword against it.
Then, I raised Mjolnir and brought it down with all my might.
BOOM!
A deafening explosion rang out.
It was like chiseling away at a boulder with a hammer and chisel.
My disciples and the defenders of the base stared in stunned silence.
“Teacher? What are you doing?”
“What exactly are you trying to accomplish?”
“Just watch.”
I chiseled away meticulously.
As I worked, Radiance emanated from my back, Holy Light gleamed from the Black Tiger Sword in my left hand, and the divine power of Mjolnir in my right hand shone brilliantly.
It was only natural that those watching would be left dumbfounded.
I could hear them whispering behind me.
“Is our teacher… a Paladin?”
“Not sure…”
“He’s a warrior.”
“No, he’s a fighter.”
“He has the Heavenly Demon’s Bloodline. You can’t just categorize him as a simple Paladin or warrior.”
“Oh, right.”
BOOM! CRACK!
After striking it a few more times, deep cracks formed across the surface of the massive sword.
Eventually, it shattered, revealing what was inside.
A translucent, jet-black glow seeped out.
Or perhaps… pitch black.
I poured more strength into my attack, activating my [Destruction] trait.
After a strenuous effort, I finally uncovered what I was looking for.
A single sword.
No, a beam of light.
The blade itself had no physical form.
It looked as if darkness itself had been tempered into a weapon.
There was no hilt, no guard—just a strange, shadowy blade.
[SSR Black Blade]
Despite its ethereal nature, it was massive.
It wasn’t just an ordinary longsword.
More like a greatsword.
Both in shape and in size.
“Janet.”
“Yes?”
“It’s yours.”
I gestured for Janet to come closer.
The Black Blade was a remarkable weapon.
Its attack power and stats were second to none.
Especially its Dark Aura—the amplified energy that formed when using Sword Qi or Aura—was among the best in all of Arcane Seoul.
Since it was a formless sword, it could even be stored inside one’s body.
But compared to the Black Tiger Sword?
Both were excellent, but it came down to a matter of preference.
Would I choose indestructibility and sheer attack power, or opt for boosted stats and special effects?
With Mjolnir in my arsenal, my choice was clear.
Janet’s eyes wavered.
“M-Me?”
“Yes. Oh, and give the Holy Sword to Kali. She needs a good weapon too.”
“M-Me? But you did all the work, Teacher.”
“I have no use for it.”
I casually tapped the Black Tiger Sword against my palm and smiled.
Only then did Janet hesitantly approach.
Meanwhile, the defenders of the base didn’t look too pleased.
“Hm…”
“Shouldn’t we report this?”
“Well…”
The reason for their reluctance was simple.
Normally, the Black Blade would disappear along with the Nephilim.
Nephilim were designed as immortal entities.
No matter how many times you killed or sealed them, they would revive after a day.
They ignored those who had previously defeated them, but attacked all others, serving as the eternal gatekeepers.
However, there was a way to obtain the Black Blade.
Janet stepped forward and grasped the weapon.
My disciples let out awed gasps, while the defenders sighed in frustration.
One of them, unable to hold back any longer, stepped forward and spoke.
“Um, Stigmata’s Protector? The thing is, that sword…”
“I know.”
“You… know?”
“Yes. That’s why you should just watch.”
I took Janet’s hand and led her forward.
I pointed to the still-writhing wound where I had stabbed the Black Tiger Sword.
“Janet. Stab your sword here.”
“This one?”
“Yeah. And just do what the sword tells you to.”
“What the sword tells me to…?”
“Yeah. That’s all you need to do.”
Janet looked at me once before raising her sword.
Thunk!
She drove it deep into the wound with all her strength.
Dark light burst out in all directions.
The Black Blade transformed completely into a mass of black radiance.
It wrapped around Janet, the fallen Nephilim, the surrounding space, and even the entire arena, as if slashing through reality itself.
“Uh!”
“T-This is…?”
“What kind of mana…?”
Even at a glance, the mana was terrifying.
I grabbed the Black Tiger Sword and Mjolnir and leapt down.
I secured both weapons at my waist, then pulled out the rifle strapped to my back.
A Dasan Rifle—an automatic rifle from the Dasan series.
I had the complete set, meaning I could utilize all five elemental attributes.
“Protectors, you should return to the Cannon Base.”
“Huh? Why?”
“Demons will be swarming in soon.”
“Demons? Why?”
“Because of this.”
I prodded the dark radiance inside the arena with my rifle.
“The corpse of a fallen angel. To demons, this is a feast. They’ll be coming from the 51st floor in droves. It’ll be practically a small-scale wave.”
“Gasp!”
“A wave?!”
“Damn it! Why didn’t you warn us before pulling this stunt?”
“Don’t worry. We can handle it on our own. And even if things go south, they won’t attack the Cannon Base. They’ll just feast on the corpse here and disperse.”
“Hmm…”
“There’s no need for you to go through unnecessary trouble. Just leave this to us and head back.”
A demon wave could be handled by any party strong enough to take down a Nephilim.
I was a little concerned about my disciples, especially Kali, who was only Level 4, but hardship builds strength.
If things got too dangerous, I’d just have them take shelter in my shadow.
“You certainly are brimming with confidence.”
An elderly Protector with white hair let out a chuckle.
“But we are Protectors. We cannot simply flee before demons.”
The Protectors exchanged glances before standing shoulder to shoulder, blocking the exit of the arena.
A younger-looking Protector raised his voice triumphantly.
“The spoils are ours!”
“I’ll divide them according to your contributions.”
Rumble.
The ground trembled.
Beyond the arena’s exit, down the staircase.
A space wide enough to fit a 32-lane highway was now filled with ominous mana waves stretching far into the distance.
At last, the demons emerged.
“Kekeke! Kieeek!”
“Kreeeek!”
“Cack cack! Humans!”
“An angel! Angel’s blood! Angel’s flesh!”
From the 51st floor onward, the Great Labyrinth was on a completely different scale.
The common fodder swarming in were Level 6.
The more menacing ones, scattered among them, were Level 7.
Thankfully, an 8th-level boss-tier demon hadn’t shown up.
My disciples tensed and moved to stand behind the Protectors.
“W-We’ll help too!”
“Don’t get in the way!”
“We can contribute!”
“Just stay back!”
Everyone was on edge.
Even the Protectors’ expressions were grim.
A quick scan suggested there were at least several hundred of them.
“Hoo…”
I took aim.
This was my first time using a Dasan Rifle.
But it fit my grip perfectly.
As expected of the rarest of the Dasan firearms, the magical enhancements built into the rifle supported me flawlessly.
Bang!
I pulled the trigger.
Tat-tat-tat-tat!
I switched to full auto and fired away.
Yet, the recoil was nonexistent.
Wherever I aimed, wherever my sights aligned, black blood exploded as demons dropped one after another.
“Kek!”
“Gahk!”
“Kiaaak!”
Screams echoed through the battlefield.
Behind them, divine light, searing lightning, and black flames flared simultaneously.
The Protectors watched in shock as the demons were mowed down like a harvested field.
“What the—?!”
“That’s impossible! That shouldn’t be possible!”
“How is he killing Level 6 demons with a gun?!”
Guns were weaker than swords.
Firearms were dominant only up to Levels 1 and 2.
By Level 3, swords could match guns, and by Level 5, they completely outclassed them.
So why were my bullets massacring demons?
Simple.
The first shot.
The very moment I pulled the trigger—
The [Stun] attribute froze the demons in place.
Then, the [Destruction] attribute struck their weak points.
The [Impact] attribute tore apart the shattered exteriors.
The [Soul Bullet] attribute detonated at the weakened points, stunning them.
A stunned demon suffered drastically lowered defense and resistance.
Finally, the [Death] attribute finished them off.
And that wasn’t all.
When using [Stun], I infused it with Holy Light.
When using [Destruction], I combined it with my Destruction trait.
When using [Impact], I channeled lightning into it.
When using [Soul Bullet], I amplified it with Divine Power and heavy strikes.
And when delivering the final [Death] shot, I enveloped it in Black Flame.
All while maintaining basic traits like [Gunplay], [Close-Combat Mastery], and [One-Man Army] from start to finish.
Clink!
I ran out of bullets.
I tapped the magazine I had prepared on the ground.
Both my [Gunplay] and [Rapid Reload] traits activated, causing the fresh magazine to pop up automatically.
I instinctively tilted my rifle, and the magazine locked into place seamlessly.
Then, I resumed firing.
A mechanical rhythm of reloading and shooting.
The once confident demons were rapidly turning into corpses.
They didn’t even seem like demons anymore.
More like a horde of zombies.
Mindless, sluggish, and frail creatures relying solely on numbers.
The Protectors, who had prepared for a desperate battle, let out awkward laughs.
“H-Haha…”
“Are these really demons? Are these truly from the 51st floor?”
“They are. Just look at their mana waves.”
“But how…?”
“Who knew demon extermination could be this easy… Hahaha.”
Easy?
On the surface, maybe.
But I felt as if my brain was melting, a searing pain spreading through my skull.
Swapping traits mid-burst fire.
The Dasan Rifle, though originally developed in the early 19th century, had undergone modifications to match the specifications of the K2 rifle from my original world.
In other words, it could fire nearly 900 rounds per minute.
And I was switching traits with every single shot?
Drip.
A nosebleed ran down my face.
My eyes burned.
My tongue felt dry and rough.
I had focused so intensely that the world around me had turned yellowish.
But I didn’t stop firing.
Even as my mind went blank.
Even as my muscles tensed to the point of trembling.
I kept pulling the trigger, reloading, and moving with the precision of a machine.
If not for the years of experience I had built up, I wouldn’t have been able to sustain this.
And the only reason it was even possible was that I was fighting from a distance.
“Hold the line!”
“Push them back!”
A handful of demons managed to breach the defense line.
Only a few.
Out of the hundreds that had climbed up, only a few dozen had made it through.
That was something the Protectors could handle on their own.
“Die! Just die already!”
Baek Sorin rampaged wildly, her saber slashing through the air.
“Hup!”
Seo Woojin unleashed his Sword and Spirit as One technique, sending a wave of Sword Qi flying.
“Watch out!”
Kali surged forward from behind, providing support whenever danger arose.
With those three assisting, there was even less to worry about.
Before I knew it, darkness had settled.
The field of dark radiance began shrinking, reabsorbing into itself.
The Nephilim’s corpse had long since evaporated.
All that remained at the center of the arena was Janet, and the Black Blade she held.
Awoooong!
The Black Blade let out a powerful, resonating howl.
Its appearance had changed slightly.
What was once just a blade of pure light had now formed a proper hilt and guard.
Holy inscriptions floated across its surface.
It had completely stabilized, becoming a tangible, physical weapon.
“T-That sword…”
“Do you recognize it? This is my first time seeing it.”
“No… No, it can’t be. That sword shouldn’t exist.”
One of the Protectors seemed to recognize it.
Yet his face was filled with disbelief.
The Nephilim’s sword was something out of legends—too mythical to be real.
But it was real.
Right before my eyes.
And in Janet’s hands.
Crack!
Without warning, Janet drove the sword into her own heart.
“Janet!”
“What the hell?! Why? Are you insane?!”
Baek Sorin and Kali recoiled in shock.
Seo Woojin’s eyes widened as well.
I was the only one who remained unfazed.
I stepped up beside Janet and calmly asked,
“Do you understand now?”
“Yes. I understand.”
Janet slowly opened her blue eyes.
Within them, holy inscriptions rapidly scrolled past—
Like lines of code being rolled through a mouse wheel.
Now, it was just a matter of waiting.
Once the Black Blade fully bonded with Janet, the Nephilim’s Sword would stabilize as well.
“Let’s go back.”
It was time to head home.
And time for the true inheritance of the Nephilim’s sword to begin.
–TL Notes–
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