Solo Max-Level Newbie - Chapter 410: Rules of the Veteran Corporation (2)

Boom! Bang! Bang!

Mordred swung his sword wildly, each strike infused with dense dark energy moving at blinding speed.

However, Tristan deftly deflected all of his attacks.

“Leave this to me,” Tristan said calmly.

“Are you sure?” Jinhyuk asked.

“Yes. At least I can hold him off. Please, focus on rescuing Melena as quickly as you can.”

Tristan’s gaze flicked toward Melena, who was still restrained. While Remia hadn’t taken action against her yet, it was clear she could kill her at any moment.

Perhaps it was the shared sense of risking their lives together in this operation that made Tristan particularly concerned for her.

After all, the knight known as “Percival” hadn’t even made a move yet.

But rescuing Melena was Frey’s responsibility. Diverting from the current plan would only risk losing their advantage and everything they’d worked for.

– Neutralize Remia as quickly as possible.

That was the core tenet of this operation.

“Trust Frey. She’s not someone who can be taken down easily.”

Frey was the prototype Alpha model of a final weapon created for the upper floors’ power struggles. True to her design, Frey had already reached the innermost part of the inverted cross altar.

“…Understood,” Tristan said with a nod.

Pat.

“I’m counting on you,” Jinhyuk said as he lightly tapped Tristan’s shoulder before propelling himself deeper into the shrine.

—

The scenery changed once again.

This time, a group of grotesque chimeras blocked his path.

Screech!
Hissss!

The creatures were monstrous amalgamations: lizards with scorpion tails, winged tigers, and beasts with more than eight arms, resembling the multi-limbed Thousand-Armed Avalokitesvara Jinhyuk had once faced.

These were the handiwork of Remia, the Lord of Nightmares, and a renowned researcher of the Demon Realm.

Chiick!

Venom sprayed from their tails, and dozens of sharp blades slashed through the air.

[The unique ability ‘Myriad Poison Annihilation’ has been activated!]
[The unique ability ‘Mandala’ has been activated!]

The potent antidote-like effects of Myriad Poison Annihilation generated a green mist even deadlier than the chimera’s venom, forming a defensive cloud that neutralized the incoming attacks.

Through that toxic mist…

Crackle!

Golden lightning flashed.

The bolt jumped from one chimera to the next, connecting their bodies in an unbroken chain. The lightning scorched their insides, turning organs to ash and leaving their bodies charred and lifeless.

This was the power of Mandala, an ability derived from the 45th-floor forces’ core strength.

Combined with Glacial Sculpting and Dragon’s Breath, the ensuing destruction resembled a natural disaster.

Boom! Boom! BOOM!

Roar!
Ack…!

Even chimeras as massive as ten meters tall fell, torn to pieces by the onslaught.

The seemingly impregnable defensive line collapsed as the chimeras were divided and overwhelmed.

Bathed in a storm of blood, Jinhyuk locked eyes with Remia.

“Finally, we meet up close.”

Despite her elaborate preparations, that was all they amounted to.

If Gluttony, Mordred, and Percival had joined forces against him, the battle might have been different. But that hypothetical was now irrelevant.

Jinhyuk activated Gluttonous Eye to inspect Remia.

Ding!

A blue status window appeared before his eyes.

—

[Character Information]
Name: Remia
Level: ???
Unique Ability: Oath of the Nightmare
Skills:
– ‘Succubus Venom’ Lv32
– ‘Hellfire’ Lv30
– ‘Whip of Agony’ Lv30
– ‘Rapid Regeneration’ Lv29
– ‘Stealth’ Lv29

Details:
A loyal confidant of Guntafer, Remia specializes in subjugating others to her will. As the Lord of Nightmares, she is not only skilled in mental manipulation but also excels in direct combat.

Copy Conditions:
Remia has absolute faith in her unique ability. If you can resist the effects of her power while maintaining your sanity, you will be able to copy one of her unique abilities or skills.

—

One of the primary goals of this mission was to copy Remia’s unique ability.

Oath of the Nightmare wasn’t just a mind-control skill; it allowed the user to compel absolute devotion, creating a scenario where the affected willingly submitted to the caster. Unlike forceful control, this ability made the victim desire submission.

‘A tool to create loyal slaves en masse—perfect.’

With potential upgrades via fusion, this ability was an indispensable asset.

“…Impressive. I’ll admit you caught me off guard once,” Remia muttered with a sigh, her annoyance palpable in her tone.

“But don’t get cocky. I’m still the one with the upper hand.”

Remia glanced to the side.

At her signal, Gluttony raised both fists high above his head, poised to crush the bound Melena.

At the same time, Remia gathered mana at her fingertips.

If Jinhyuk tried to rescue Melena, it would leave him open for an immediate fatal strike.

But…

“….”

Jinhyuk didn’t move an inch.

“Oh? So you’re not going to save her? No wonder people say you’re more of a demon than the demons.”

“I’m just waiting.”

“Waiting? For what?”

Gluttony’s massive fists came crashing down with destructive force that would pulverize any human into mush.

Melena, watching the fists descend, seemed to have resigned herself to her fate. With no strength left to resist or even scream, she simply stared blankly ahead.

And then—

BOOM!

Someone intervened.

The collision of Gluttony’s fist and two spears caused the ground beneath them to cave in, but Frey stood her ground without retreating a single step.

“You told me to protect her.”

Her voice was unwavering, her blue eyes ignited with a faint glow.

“So, I’ll protect her.”

When someone entrusts you with a task, that’s reason enough to give it everything you’ve got.

“You insolent doll. How dare you stand in my way!” Gluttony roared.

Boom! Boom! BOOM!

Gluttony and Frey exchanged relentless blows.

Jinhyuk observed calmly.

“Looks like using hostages won’t work anymore.”

Meanwhile, the elves imprisoned in the hidden room to the altar’s left, along with Percival who was stationed to eliminate them, had been located. With Teslon and Sylvia reinforced by Undine, the elves would have enough time to prevent a massacre.

“Well then, shall we finish this?”

Both sides had played all their cards. Now, it was time for the leaders to settle the fight.

“Ha! Do you think you can defeat me, the Lord of the Succubi?” Remia sneered.

“I hope you’ll repeat that in a few moments.”

Woom!

Jinhyuk unleashed his reserved mana all at once.

With crimson sparks crackling around him, the air itself seemed to rip apart.

[The unique ability ‘Shared All Things’ has been activated!]
[The unique sacred spear ‘Black Spear Kishan’ has manifested!]

Through the torn space emerged a black spear, blazing ominously.

“That… that’s Berial’s…? How do you possess that cursed spear?” Remia stammered, stepping back instinctively.

This was no imitation.

The aura and power emanating from the spear were identical to what Berial had wielded during the Demon Realm wars. If anything, it felt even more potent.

“Impossible… no human body can withstand its power!”

“True.”

Jinhyuk smirked.

The last time he’d used Kishan in the Gandara Guild’s empire, it had been far less powerful. But now, his growth made it possible to wield it with a level of mastery previously unimaginable.

Still, the power of a Demon Lord’s relic exceeded human limits.

That’s why… you rebuild yourself.

For a brief moment, the air shifted dramatically.

[The unique ability ‘Phase 2’ has been activated!]

Unlike the minor physical alterations from Tombgrave’s power, Phase 2 reconstructed Jinhyuk’s body entirely—a level of transformation granted only to a select few boss monsters.

Dark smoke engulfed his body, solidifying into a black suit of armor.

The Black Knight, armed with the sacred spear, had entered the battlefield.

“If you were serious about fighting me, Guntafer should’ve come in person.”

Crack! Sizzle!

Two consecutive uses of unique sacred spears were taking their toll.

The strain was evident, though Jinhyuk’s mana reserves—exceeding 400—were what made it manageable. In the past, activating Phase 2 would have torn his body apart instantly.

But now, he could endure, even if only for a short time.

‘It’s satisfying to see how much I’ve grown.’

Jinhyuk mused, his progression far outpacing the trajectory from his earlier climb of the Tower. He had reached a level where he could utilize abilities that previously seemed out of reach for the lower floors.

Swish.

Jinhyuk lightly spun Kishan in his hand. The long spear cut through the air with graceful, circular movements.

Both heavy and light, the spear’s essence contained an immeasurable density of condensed mana, living up to its reputation as Berial’s defining weapon.

“Ugh!” Remia gasped.

She activated Stealth without hesitation, choosing to vanish from sight and seek an opening for her counterattack.

But Jinhyuk’s gaze remained locked on her exact location.

“Over there,” he muttered.

In one fluid motion, Jinhyuk hurled the spear.

Whoosh—CRASH!

The spear tore through space itself, reappearing as if it had bypassed physical boundaries entirely. Columns were obliterated, and the spear embedded itself deep into the shrine’s wall.

A delayed scream rang out.

“AAAAARGH! My arm… my arm!”

The spear had torn through Remia’s arm completely, leaving her howling in pain. The injury dispelled her Stealth immediately.

“Don’t complain too much. You have regeneration, don’t you? Though I suppose the pain still hurts, doesn’t it?” Jinhyuk said flatly.

Remia panted heavily, her breathing labored. Her Rapid Regeneration ability quickly formed a new arm, though the effort visibly drained her mana reserves.

Thud!

Jinhyuk retrieved Kishan from the wall, catching the spear as it returned to him.

“Still not entirely used to it,” he admitted. “But the accuracy’s improving.”

“Ha… is that so?” Remia sneered, clutching her newly formed arm. “If you had truly mastered that spear, I wouldn’t be standing here. Admit it—you’re struggling to wield it.”

“Perhaps,” Jinhyuk replied with a smirk. “Or maybe I just went easy on you.”

“Don’t kid yourself. Your limits are showing,” she hissed, drawing her weapon.

The crimson whip in her hand gleamed menacingly as it dragged across the floor.

Shhhhhh….

The blade-tipped whip coiled like a living serpent, ready to strike.

“You’re naïve if you think a power you’ve only recently gained can stand against my experience. Strength alone won’t save you if you don’t know how to use it.”

The limited mana capacity of players like Jinhyuk was common knowledge to someone like her. All she needed to do was avoid a direct hit and wait for his resources to deplete.

Then victory would be hers.

Whip-crack! Crack!

Remia’s whip lashed out, moving with lethal precision.