Chapter 80

“A dragon?”

The young man listening from behind swallowed his breath.

Dragons, the mightiest race capable of tearing through dimensions, were beings not even the higher demons dared to touch unless they were of significant standing.

Even the weakest young dragon was a monster that couldn’t be opposed unless one descended to the 40th floor or below.

Jazan swallowed his saliva.

Being a demon, he could roughly sense the fluctuations of power, and Taesan’s strength was not something that could belong to the 13th floor.

Such power couldn’t possibly have been obtained within the labyrinth.

It was more likely that a powerful being had entered the labyrinth, and there weren’t many beings other than dragons capable of that.

Taesan spoke up.

“So, what now?”

Jazan’s face paled. He forced his trembling body to step aside.

“I have no intention of hindering you. Please, go ahead.”

His perfect bow, bending at the waist, made the ghost burst into laughter.

“Truly showing your bottom, how utterly disgraceful.”

“Are dragons that powerful?”

“In the labyrinth, even though one can obtain greater power than outside, dragons surpass that. They are considered the strongest in most worlds. The oldest ones or those with special bloodlines could even rival gods. I know there are a few around here in the depths.”

“That powerful, huh?”

“…You?”

Jazan looked bewildered at Taesan and the ghost. His expression soon twisted.

“You!”

Realizing he had been tricked, Jazan’s anger flared. Taesan swung his sword.

“I’m just an ordinary human. Happy now?”

“…Typical of lowly humans to easily lie.”

“Not something a demon should say.”

Taesan smiled ambiguously and pointed his sword at Jazan.

Jazan’s face bore both rage and calm. Even though he recognized Taesan was human, he did not let down his guard.

Even if not a dragon, Taesan’s strength was undeniable. Jazan considered Taesan to be slightly weaker or at most, equal to himself.

“We’re not here just to talk, right? Let’s do this.”

[A duel has been proposed. In this duel, both parties will have their defense set to zero.]

Jazan grimaced.

“A duel?”

“What, you thought those behind you would take their time attacking me? Or did you plan to calmly die or ask them for help?”

“Me, asking those wretches for help?”

“Who knows?”

Jazan was enraged by his wounded pride.

“Dare a mere human…”

Suppressing his anger, Jazan examined the system window and smirked.

“Both parties’ defense set to zero?”

“Don’t want to nibble you to death, right? Let’s finish this quickly.”

Jazan realized something from Taesan’s nonchalant words.

‘His attack power isn’t high.’

In the labyrinth, all physical attacks are determined by the weapon’s attack power. No matter how skilled the opponent, if their attack power is lower than the defense, it’s hard to make an effective attack.

Jazan, from the 30th floor, and Taesan, from the 13th. The difference in equipment is absolute. The fact that Taesan proposed a duel with defense set to zero was telling.

Jazan flatly refused.

“No thanks.”

[The duel request was declined.]

“Let’s fight under normal conditions.”

“Fine by me.”

[The duel has been established. Taesan and Jazan begin their duel.]

Taesan charged as if he had been waiting.

Jazan, who had expected Taesan to hesitate or beg more, was momentarily flustered and couldn’t respond properly.

Taesan, instead of a long sword, drew a dagger and stabbed it into Jazan.

“Jazan takes 12 damage.”

“What?”

Jazan was caught off guard.

Seeing Taesan’s request for a zero-defense duel, he thought Taesan wouldn’t be able to inflict damage due to the disparity in attack power. Thus, he didn’t put much effort into defense.

Taesan seized that moment of laxity.

Requesting a duel with defense set to zero was also to make Jazan let his guard down.

Effortlessly bending the dagger, he slashed across all parts of Jazan’s arm. The second sword. Dance of the Muse. Dozens of system windows popped up in an instant.

“This, this!”

Jazan, regaining his senses, exploded with demonic energy. Having already inflicted sufficient damage, Taesan willingly backed off.

“Damn it!”

Jazan, face contorted, dismissed the system windows. He had taken about 300 damage in an instant.

“The fixed attack weapon. Yes, that was it.”

“You were killed by that weapon.”

The ghost laughed mischievously.

Fixed attack power penetrates defense. No matter how high the defense, damage is inevitable. The ghost had also died for that reason, and so would Jazan.

Grinding his teeth, Jazan charged. In his hand was a sword formed of condensed demonic energy. Taesan countered with his sword.

Clash!

With a long sword, he deflected Jazan’s blade and cut him with the dagger. After exchanging a few blows, Taesan realized.

‘Weak.’

Of course, Jazan was strong. Despite being buffed with various skills, the difference in stats wasn’t significant.

However, his movements were quite clumsy. Contrary to Taesan’s expectations, Jazan couldn’t properly block the Stormscar’s sword and continuously exposed weaknesses.

Clash!

Twisting his wrist, Taesan flicked Jazan’s sword away and stabbed the dagger into his chest. Jazan groaned and created distance.

“Hmm.”

Jazan calmly treated his wounds.

“Stormscar’s sword. A prideless hero interferes with the living. With that, it’ll be hard to win in close combat.”

Jazan spread his hands. The sword formed of demonic energy dispersed, swirling around his body.

“But I am a demon. A being that carries noble magic. Moving my body isn’t my forte.”

Demonic energy surged out, merging with his mana to start forming a shape.

“Behold. The great magic created by the demon race throughout its long history.”

[Jazan has activated Dekarabia’s Distorted Vegetation.]

Boom!

From the darkness, plant roots burst forth. Vegetation large enough to fill the room and more lashes out at Taesan.

Taesan grimaced and swung his sword harshly. He deflected the approaching giant roots. The dull impact resonated painfully up his arm.

“What’s this?”

The room was filled with countless roots.

Screech!

With a scream-like noise, the roots thrashed. Like cobras dancing to a flute’s tune, the roots grasped Taesan’s arms and legs, stabbing their pointed ends into his chest.

Crack.

He crushed a root with his elbow and swung his sword fiercely.

The first sword. Wolf’s Fang. He cut down all approaching roots.

Yet, there were too many. As Taesan clicked his tongue, he cast a spell.

Whoosh.

A Scorching Orb formed in the air. It collided with the roots. The fire spread rapidly, killing the roots one by one.

Whoosh.

Flames filled the room. Taesan blocked the approaching flames with Frost Arrow and turned his gaze.

“You used Scorching Orb?”

Jazan, who blocked the fire with demonic energy, frowned and waved his hand.

[Jazan has activated Dekarabia’s Crow Familiar.]

Caw, caw, caw!

From the darkness, distorted crows emerged. Over a hundred in number, they pecked at Taesan with their beaks. Taesan swung his sword fiercely and moved his body to barely shake them off.

“Such magic exists?”

The magic Taesan had seen so far involved calling down lightning, creating fire, or ice – straightforward and not complicated. This was different.

“It’s the magic of demons. Black magic.”

The ghost explained.

“The magic you use is the magic of the God of Magic. It’s the most popular magic here, but it’s not all there is to magic. It’s distinctly different from the magic independently developed by demons.”

“Don’t interfere. Hero! This is a battle between him and me!”

Jazan sharply rebuked. Even as a ghost, knowing about demon magic seemed unlikely, but in the midst of a life-threatening battle, any external advice was annoying.

“Don’t worry. I have no intention of helping.”

The ghost spoke leisurely, causing Jazan to momentarily panic. He had thought, despite saying otherwise, the ghost would offer advice for the fight.

‘Are they not on good terms?’

It was a fortunate turn for Jazan. He continued to manifest the magic of demons.

[Marcosias’s Fake Flame.]

Blue flames burst forth. The remaining Scorching Orb flames were consumed as everything was incinerated.

Taesan cast Frost Arrow to create cold, but the flames did not easily extinguish. Eventually, the flames reached his arm.

[Taesan’s first absolute nullification has been activated.]

But the flames disappeared. The complete negation of the attack left Jazan involuntarily raising his voice.

“What!”

Attack nullification? What kind of skill is that? Though Jazan was greatly disturbed, he quickly composed himself.

‘As expected.’

Marcosias’s Fake Flame is, as the name implies, not actually flame. It’s an extremely hot material in the shape of flames. Therefore, it’s not greatly affected by temperature and must be blocked with physical force.

But Taesan did not do so. Due to lack of information, demon magic is unique and varied, making it practically impossible to counter without prior knowledge.

Jazan did not intend to miss this advantage. Continuously, demon magic overwhelms Taesan. The second nullification disappears, and Taesan accumulates more and more wounds under the relentless force.

Thinking of victory, Jazan was too excited to notice one fact. Taesan’s responses were slowly but surely improving.

Jazan clenched his fist.

[Jazan has activated Nebiros’s Despair.]

Darkness envelops Taesan. Jazan smirks with a grin.

“It’s over.”

The magic he just used attacks the fundamental part of a person’s mind, burying them in endless darkness. Without prior preparation, it’s impossible to counter.

All Taesan could do was languish in the darkness and slowly die.

As Jazan was sure of his victory, Taesan was within the darkness.

Growl.

Beastly howls pierce his ears. Horrific things try to burrow into his mind and devour his sanity.

“It’s hard to counter. It’s your first time seeing this magic. Black magic is inherently complex, and even those who have faced it often can’t properly counter it. I don’t know much about it either.”

The ghost had faced many demons but even that experience wasn’t enough to understand demon magic, which wasn’t shallow.

Moreover, demon magic was the utmost secret, never discussed by anyone.

He only knew roughly and didn’t know the detailed countermeasures.

“But it might be different for you.”

The ghost’s words were filled with deep trust and belief.

Taesan stroked his chin in the darkness. The assaulting noises had no effect on his mind.

“Not bad.”

‘Can I learn it too?’

Taesan tore through the darkness. Jazan, who had leisurely waited for Taesan’s self-destruction, was startled.

‘He overcame it?’

Impossible. Nebiros’s Despair attacks the fundamental part of a person’s psyche. Even indomitable willpower can’t easily shake it off, yet he emerged so quickly!

Jazan quickly gathered his wits.

‘But nothing changes.’

Taesan still knows nothing about demon magic. The outcome is obvious. He manifests demon magic again.

[Jazan has activated Marcosias’s Fake Flame.]

Caw, caw, caw!

Numerous crows fly out. Each weak individually but their overwhelming numbers crush the opponent.

‘Ignoring or just being blown away by the force.’

Either ignore them or be blown away by the force alone.

But Taesan had countered each one with his sword. Not knowing how to deal with them was natural. Jazan believed this time wouldn’t be much different.

However, Taesan activated a skill.

[Taesan has activated Repulsion.]

Skill Repulsion. An intangible force is launched from oneself to push away.

It’s not very meaningful against main forces, but against such number-based attacks, it’s a very effective skill.

The crows didn’t even reach Taesan and were crushed by the force and disappeared. Jazan’s pupils dilated.

‘He found a counter?’

Jazan denied his own thoughts. It was only the second time. Believing it to be a coincidence, he manifested more demon magic.

[Jazan has activated Marcosias’s Fake Flame.]

Blue flame pours out like breath.

Taesan raises his sword and strikes the flame.

With a loud noise, the flame, a material in the shape of fire, is sent flying far away.

“As expected, that’s right.”