Chapter 35
Whack!
The ogre’s neck—something a dagger shouldn’t have been able to sever—was cut clean through in a single motion.
Thud.
One ogre collapsed without even understanding what had happened, blood spraying as it hit the ground.
Hyuk-min landed lightly atop the corpse.
In his hand was no longer the dagger-shaped Immortal Demon Sword—
but a gleaming longsword.
“Finally…”
==========
[B Rank] Immortal Demon Sword
– A masterpiece among masterwork blades in terms of sharpness.
– Now a true longsword worthy of being called a weapon of excellence.
– [Lifesteal] : Absorbs 75% of all inflicted damage as HP.
– Additional effect: Attack Power increases by 2% every 10 seconds in combat (up to 10 stacks).
==========
Kuo!?
The remaining ogres froze.
Their gazes shifted between the fallen comrade and Hyuk-min standing atop it—
a man who had appeared out of nowhere, killed instantly, and moved with no sound at all.
Whoosh.
Hyuk-min swung the blade once, the sharp ring of slicing wind proving its upgraded sharpness.
‘Took long enough.’
With the exponentially greater experience required for rank-up, the Immortal Demon Sword had finally evolved.
[You have met the conditions.]
“What?”
He frowned at the sudden notification—
Kuoohhhhh!
The enraged ogres charged, sending punches and kicks flying.
Their wild attacks smashed the corpse of their dead comrade.
Thud! Thud!
Fists and feet hammered everywhere.
The new longsword’s sharpness—empowered by mana—was astounding.
The ogres’ fists and legs, which Hyun-jung’s bullets couldn’t pierce, were cleanly severed with each swing.
Hyuk-min moved like a phantom between their blows, the sword dancing in arcs of lethal precision.
The sight made Hyun-jung unconsciously gasp in admiration.
Tap, tap!
Using an ogre’s punch as a foothold, Hyuk-min propelled himself upward.
His body rotated midair, blade raised high.
Whooooosh—
He appeared in front of an ogre’s face in the blink of an eye and released all the mana pouring into the Immortal Demon Sword.
“Railgun.”
A crescent arc of blue mana blasted forth behind the slash.
The panicked ogre brought up its intact arm to shield its neck—
Whack!
Both the neck and the blocking arm were severed instantly.
Thud. Thud.
Blue blood splattered as the ogre’s head and severed limb hit the floor.
Hyuk-min landed beside them.
The overwhelming display made Hyun-jung momentarily forget to fire.
The fluidity and precision were unlike anything she had ever witnessed.
Her lips curled into a smile.
‘At this rate… maybe we really can clear this without taking any damage!’
But—
This was Hermes’ Dungeon.
A Hidden Zone of the Tower, revealed for the first time.
Such wishes did not come true so easily.
Krrr.
These weren’t ordinary ogres.
Of the six monsters, two were dead.
Three were missing arms.
One was missing a foot.
Judging from the fight so far, they were clearly outmatched—
Yet.
The remaining ogres glared at Hyuk-min with feral rage, showing no fear at all.
‘…What?’
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Then—something strange happened.
The three one-armed ogres suddenly surrounded the footless ogre, as if following a plan.
‘What is this…?’
Hyuk-min narrowed his eyes.
Without hesitation—
The ogres attacked the footless one.
Kuo… Kuoohhhh!!
The crippled ogre screamed, but the others didn’t stop.
They pummeled it relentlessly—
until they killed it.
Then, soaked in their comrade’s blood, they turned back toward Hyuk-min.
Only three were left.
Or so he thought.
Swish.
‘What—!?’
The severed arms…
were back.
Not only that—
Their presence felt different.
Redder eyes.
Bulkier muscles.
A heavier pressure.
They were still ogres—
but something fundamental had changed.
As Hyuk-min gathered mana, preparing for whatever was next—
The world went insane.
Thud!
“Uncle!”
Everyone knew ogres had brute strength but poor agility.
Yet one ogre—
leapt high into the air.
Far higher than any ogre should have been able to.
It descended toward Hyuk-min like a meteor.
“Insane—”
He threw himself sideways, barely escaping the landing zone.
But then—
Thud!
Thud!
“…?!”
Two more impacts shook the floor, plunging the area into darkness.
He didn’t even need to look up.
‘Damn it…’
The remaining ogres had jumped too.
Thud! Thud!!
“Ugh!”
Hyuk-min twisted desperately in midair, slapping the ground to redirect himself.
He regained balance, kicked off the floor—
Bang!
He tried to escape, but Hermes’ Dungeon was not ordinary.
A massive fist met him the instant he moved.
“—!!”
Thump!!
He flew like a ragdoll and crashed into the wall.
“Uncle!!!”
Cough, cough!
Dust fell as he peeled himself out of broken marble and checked his HP.
Whoosh—
Ogres were called ultimate predators for a reason.
One blow had cut a third of his HP.
Krrr.
He lifted his head.
The ogres stared with murderous intent, not satisfied with their attack—
only preparing for the next.
“You bastards!!!”
Bang! Bang bang!
Hyun-jung erupted again.
She fired relentlessly, bullets embedding into the ogres’ bodies.
Blue blood sprayed with every hit.
Krrr.
The ogres snarled at her.
Their focus shifted—
which made Hyuk-min smirk.
“Good job.”
In battles like this, the smallest window decided everything.
Just as that missed moment earlier nearly killed him.
Kuoohhhh!
An ogre crouched, preparing to leap at Hyun-jung—
But then—
“I can’t let that happen.”
It froze.
Its instincts screamed danger.
Something blue flickered in its peripheral vision—
A crescent of mana.
Kuo!
Knowing it couldn’t block it, the ogre threw itself aside—
Swish!
The Railgun slash carved a deep arc into the wall, making the monster tremble.
But that moment of relief was its last.
“That makes four.”
Thwack!
The Immortal Demon Sword pierced straight through its forehead.
Whack!
The blade tore upward, splitting its head cleanly.
Blood poured in sheets.
Hyun-jung’s eyes widened.
Hyuk-min’s HP bar—was rapidly refilling.
He felt it too.
“Hoo…”
His stamina and body recovered completely—as though he had never been injured.
“Ah!?”
Hyun-jung blinked.
A new line had appeared in his Status Window.
“This is…”
“This is the synergy between the Immortal Demon Sword and…”
[First Demon Slayer]
“The Legendary Title.”
For the first time—
He wielded the Immortal Demon Sword while the Legendary Title was active.
And the effect was overwhelming.
He tightened his grip on the sword and smirked at the remaining ogres.
“Come on. Unless you kill me instantly… you’re just my potions.”
= = =
The battle that followed shattered all expectations.
The fewer ogres remained, the stronger they grew.
The last one was so fast it barely resembled its own species.
Its strength was monstrous.
Every blow embedded Hyuk-min deeper into walls, draining his HP each time.
But—
Hyuk-min’s counterattacks, wall kicks, rapid recoveries, and the constant regeneration from the Immortal Demon Sword—
Soon flipped the fight entirely.
Krrr.
A battered ogre versus a blood-covered but perfectly fine Hyuk-min.
It ended with a Railgun slash from behind—positioned via the Death Knight’s Helmet.
Thud! Rattle.
Thud!!!
The decapitated ogre fell.
Hyuk-min climbed atop its body and plunged the Immortal Demon Sword into its back.
He tore out a massive Magic Stone.
“Uncle…”
It was enormous—the size of a child’s head.
Dark and opaque, radiating purity and power.
“Hoo… tough fight.”
He stored it away and then… collapsed.
“To think I beat them without Regression Mode…”
A disbelieving laugh escaped him.
He pushed himself upright and glanced at Hyun-jung.
She wore a bright smile—until her gaze shifted to the huge unopened door behind him.
“It’s not… over yet, is it?”
Regression Mode untouched.
The ominous door still sealed.
She remembered too well what that meant.
He nodded.
“The boss is left.”
He pointed behind him.
A massive gate—far larger than the one in the Tomb of the Dead Knight.
“Are you ready?”
“No… I can’t do this anymore…”
“That can’t be. You’re in a party with me. Your Stats and proficiency climbed with every fight.”
“I’m only doing it because arguing with you is useless. Uncle never listens.”
She exhaled deeply.
“I’m trying to become stronger… to protect Uncle.”
That look again.
A burning desire for strength.
Hyuk-min stood, drew the Immortal Demon Sword, and faced the giant door.
“Don’t worry. You’ll get stronger. You’re the best sniper in the world.”
Then—
Regression Mode.
His body expanded.
Muscles thickened.
Hair lengthened.
Old scars surfaced.
“As I said—this dungeon is stronger than the Tomb of the Dead Knight. But…”
Step. Step. Step.
“It’ll be easier. Because you and I have grown stronger.”
He placed both hands on the massive doors.
And shouted—
“Start the battle!”
“Yes!”
With a powerful push—
The massive doors opened.
From the darkness within—something enormous began walking out, wrapped in a chilling aura.