After a series of consecutive flashes, I finally managed to return to the 14th floor and escape the pursuit of that damn eel.
Seriously, that thing is hard to deal with.
If my Speed stat weren't higher than his, I would've been dead a long time ago. Each of his strikes is incredibly powerful, and they even carry some kind of special effect.
It honestly feels like I'm being haunted by something.
"Shiraori, are you alright?"
Thanks for the concern, I'm fine, Meradis.
"That one has very high stats, but due to lacking self-awareness, his actions will become predictable over time in a drawn-out battle. I'll support you, Shiraori."
Hmm, hearing that from Meradis, it seems like there's still hope.
"Shiraori, you might be able to use that lake over there to your advantage." Seina suddenly chimed in.
Huh? What do you mean?
"Isn't that the Soul Lake? I think many who failed the trials ended up stuck down there. Their negative emotions must have accumulated greatly—you might be able to utilize [Malice] on them."
Alright, let me check the [Malice] skill again.
<
Hmm, this is seriously great.
But isn't it possible that everything gets shredded by him the moment they get close? I mean, there might be no ghosts left down there at all.
"That's not the case. The Soul Lake has a very special trait: it connects to all other Soul Lakes regardless of their location. Think of it like a spatial gateway. So this strategy is actually viable."
Whoa, thanks for the info, Meradis.
Then let's go with that plan.
I narrowed my eyes and focused on Rytherin. His body gently swayed with each breath. That half-human, half-serpent form really is an annoying combination—he benefits from both the agility of a snake and the strength of a human.
If I just stood still, I'd be easy prey.
But no, I'm not some weak creature like he thinks.
I tensed the muscles in my legs, felt every fiber tighten, then suddenly launched myself to the side, gliding across the floor like a flash of light.
He reacted instantly, his cold eyes tracking my movement. A powerful tail swipe came straight for where I had just been, but I disappeared with my speed before the attack could connect.
My current combat strategy: Never engage him head-on.
Rytherin's attacks are too powerful. One tail swipe like that could crush me in an instant.
But speed is my advantage—and I'm going to make full use of it.
I quickly analyzed the terrain.
This 15th-floor room is quite spacious, but the smooth floor doesn't give much traction. My feet faltered slightly as I thought of utilizing the walls and ceiling.
Right at that moment, a faint green magic glow flared up from Rytherin.
[Enhanced Speed] — this guy's no joke.
"Watch out, Shiraori! His speed is about to surpass yours!"
Seina's voice rang in my head, but I had already noticed it with [Mana Sensing].
"From the front. But don't forget: he has the [Perfect Camouflage] skill, so don't trust what you see too easily."
Just as Seina finished speaking, the ground shook.
I turned around—and as expected, Rytherin appeared.
No longer the large serpent he was before, his figure now shimmered like a mirage, faintly flickering in the air.
"He's using [Perfect Camouflage]!" Seina reminded me.
No time to hesitate.
I activated [Heaven Eye]—every little detail in the space became crystal-clear in my mind. Rytherin's movements slowed slightly in my vision, just enough for me to read him.
He came charging at terrifying speed, his large body twisting like flowing water, every strike razor-sharp.
But I didn't panic.
Fast—too fast!
I shot out [Spider Silk] from my spinnerets toward the ceiling and launched myself to the side using flash. In just a split second, I was hanging mid-air, with my front legs morphing into two razor-sharp [Blade Leg]s—
His slash tore through the air, the ground where I had just stood split open, leaving behind a charred, cracked scar.
Not that easy to hit me!
I can't rely on evasion forever.
Taking advantage of the high ground, I launched a preemptive strike.
Combining [Heaven's Net] and [Intimidation], I created an extremely durable web that wrapped around him.
The threads were thin but incredibly strong—he took a few precious seconds to break through them.
And that's when I descended.
My body spun midair as my blade leg sliced in a precise arc aimed straight at his serpent torso.
Clang!
He blocked with his magically reinforced tail—but I wasn't done yet. A barrage of dense spider silk flew from all directions, latching onto his body, slightly limiting his mobility.
I need to buy more time—to draw negative energy from the lake.
Using [Spider Silk], I wove an intricate web, both to hinder Rytherin and to act as a sensory tool to locate him in space.
He didn't hesitate.
A cloud of faint purple gas burst from his body, spreading throughout the room.
[Death Miasma]—every particle in the air grew heavy, and I could feel the pressure on my body.
Even though my [Poison Resistance] is nearly maxed out, I still felt the toxic miasma clinging to me—but it wasn't harming me like Rytherin hoped.
At that moment, Meradis launched a burst of [Soul Flame] into his face. The magic fire didn't deal massive damage, but it was enough to obscure Rytherin's vision momentarily.
I twisted midair, activated flash, reappeared right behind him, and slashed once more at his tail.
Direct hit.
Black blood dripped from his body—but I didn't stop.
Rytherin let out a furious roar as his body began to glow. His muscles swelled, his eyes gleamed fiercely, and his speed now matched mine.
What the hell—this is cheating!
"He'll go for your web now. He's trying to destroy your sensory network. Get ready!" Seina warned.
Hmph, not that easy.
I was already close enough. Now I just had to let [Malice] absorb the negative emotions from the lake. It hadn't been long, but I could already feel my stats skyrocketing.
Rytherin grew even more enraged when he saw me nearing the lake. He lunged with a storm of relentless attacks, but as my stats rose, I could dodge them more easily.
With Meradis supporting me, I bought enough time for [Malice] to siphon the lake's negativity.
Let's check the stats!
HP: 455/455
MP: 3885/3885 (+400)
SP: 495/495
Attack: 25654 (+387) (+12827)
Defense: 25850 (+380) (+12925)
Magic: 25569 (+379) (+12784)
Speed: 33234 (+427) (+16617)
Nice!!!!!!!!
Now the real fight begins, you slippery bastard.
…
Rytherin let out a piercing screech, his crimson eyes blazing with fury, and his tensed muscles emitted a threatening growl. But I didn't flinch. The advantage was now mine. Each stat enhanced by [Malice] flowed through my body like a raging stream of energy, sharpening all my senses beyond their limits.
I shifted slightly. The twin [Blade Legs] from my front limbs reflected the dim light of the room. Every step I took now wasn't just fast—it was sharp and decisive. Rytherin's massive body stood like a giant target before me. Every move, every twitch he made was broken down by [Heaven Eye].
<
He charged at me with overwhelming speed and power, but I activated [Flash] just in time, dodging his charge by a hair's breadth. The wind from his tail swipe whistled past, searing a long scorch mark across the ground. I used my superior speed to circle behind him, my front leg slashing down in a clean, lightning-fast arc.
Take this, you overgrown eel!
Clang!
He twisted around just in time, using his thick, scale-covered tail to block. The impact rippled out, shaking the surrounding space. But I didn't back down. Using the momentum from the last strike, I spun midair, the other blade carving a sharp arc aimed directly at his shoulder.
A flawless 360-degree spin!
A deep cut appeared on his hard scales, and black blood gushed out, but Rytherin didn't stop. He roared again, his body glowing once more—clearly activating another kind of buff. His strength and speed surged even higher.
How many buffs does this guy have!?
I quickly pulled back, creating distance to plan my next move. But Rytherin wasn't going to let me rest. With the agility unique to serpents, he slithered like a flowing ribbon, whipping his tail at me in a relentless combo.
"Left!"
"Back!"
"Dodge right, then retreat again!"
I followed Seina's instructions precisely, dodging the onslaught of attacks. While evading, I tried to counterattack. Strands of [Spider Silk] continuously fired from my body, weaving a dense web that enveloped Rytherin. But he was too strong. A single tail whip shattered everything, reducing my web to pieces.
I can't overpower him head-on. I need to adjust my strategy.
I muttered to myself and quickly retreated, using the terrain to my advantage. I planted my feet on the nearest wall and launched myself up to the ceiling with [Flash].
Moving on walls and ceilings is my forte. I could use this to get close to the lake again and draw more power from [Malice].
<
The plan was going smoothly—until Rytherin realized what I was trying to do. He roared and spewed a cloud of toxic gas at me. The entire space turned dark and heavy with the stench of death.
"Shiraori, be careful! That poison mist can corrode your webs!" Seina warned.
I immediately changed direction, shooting strands of [Spider Silk] from various angles—not to attack, but to distract him. Rytherin turned, trying to destroy the threads, and that was when I dove down from above.
Both [Blade Legs] glinted sharply as I plummeted, the spin from my descent adding force to the blow aimed at his neck.
Tonight I'm eating eel!
Oh, I hit him!
But not enough!
I pushed harder, trying to drive my blades fully through his neck to finish him off—but I was flung away by his tail. Rytherin turned, eyes blazing with fury, black blood soaking the side of his neck.
I landed on the floor, quickly rolling and stabilizing myself, though my body was beginning to feel the pressure from his counterattacks.
"Shiraori, keep your distance and lure him to the lake!" Seina shouted again.
Right—the lake. If I couldn't overpower him with brute force, I'd need to outsmart him.
He may be the guardian, but that didn't mean he could overcome the trial himself. This plan had a real shot at working.
I began moving, firing webs in all directions to form a thick labyrinth. Rytherin gave chase, destroying each layer of silk with every whip of his tail, but thanks to the dark energy from [Malice], my speed had increased significantly. For every web he broke, I spun a new one, slowly guiding him toward the Soul Lake.
As we neared the lake, I could feel the ominous energy radiating from the water's surface. Rytherin seemed to notice something too. He stopped, his cold eyes staring warily at the lake as if sensing danger.
Not that easy, you slippery bastard.
I took advantage of his hesitation, firing a large strand of [Spider Silk] straight at his tail and yanked hard. Caught off guard, he stumbled, moving a few steps closer to the lake. But Rytherin quickly countered, spewing another poisonous cloud at me.
I activated [Invincible Shield] to defend myself, and at the same time, I launched another barrage of webs, wrapping around his lower body and pulling him toward the lake. The toxic pressure filled the air, but I didn't stop.
I kept moving, using my agility and speed to dodge his attacks while continuing to lead him to the lake.
When he was just a few steps from the edge, I triggered [Heaven's Net] again, creating a massive web that covered the entire area around him. Rytherin roared and tried to break free, but every thread pulled him slightly closer to the lake.
"Meradis, now!" Seina yelled.
Responding to the cue, Meradis unleashed a powerful burst of [Soul Fire] straight at Rytherin's face. The flames obscured his vision and instinctively forced him backward.
That was my chance. I charged straight ahead, throwing my full weight into his massive body.
Rytherin roared in rage and desperation as he lost balance, falling straight into the Soul Lake. The previously still surface erupted in waves, and the screams of imprisoned souls echoed, dragging him down into the depths of darkness.
I stepped back, breathing steadily. The battle was finally over.
I'm so exhausted…
Fortunately, my webs weren't completely destroyed, so I waited a bit. When nothing moved anymore, I slowly pulled him back up.
I carefully inspected him and found that he was still alive—but completely motionless. Looks like his soul couldn't pass the trial and is now trapped below forever.
Phew...
Only now could I truly relax, knowing the fight was finally over. This opponent wasn't too tough, but I still needed to improve my mobility.
Now all that's left is to finish him off and soak up a truckload of experience. He's level 85, after all. I wonder how many levels I'll gain from this.
Naiwa.
Can't wait to find out.