[The Great Elder of the Silent Forest, Hamolton, has died.]

The Great Elder, who had steadfastly protected the elves and the World Tree, returned to the embrace of nature.

The spoils yielded by Hamolton’s sacrifice amounted to two limited-use skills and two Exclusive Items.

The limited-use skills were Dark Explosion and Tracking Sword, while the Exclusive Items were a buff item and an Effect Immunity Card.

Although he could have used an Item Block to negate the effect immunity when Ancient Blizzard was cast, Taehyun had intentionally held back.

‘I need to save the Item Block for the very end. Now that the 5th stage of the Necro-Engraving has been activated, I’ll abandon the World Tree and stop him inside the dungeon.’

With even Hamolton fallen, there was no longer any hope for the Silent Forest.

Taehyun looked at Ameria, who had descended beneath the shade of the World Tree, and set down the item he was holding.

“Brother. Is Tuperus the only representative of the non-human races left now?”

“…Yeah. Hasla and Hamolton are gone. We have to defend the dungeon with the remaining Main Forces.”

“Then what happens to those elves and beastmen?”

His gaze shifted to the dungeon’s internal monitor. Even though only two individuals had fallen, a scene of wailing and lamentation unfolded across the screen.

“Lord Hasla!”

“Ah, Great Elder! The Great Elder has…!”

“What are we supposed to do now?!”

The mournful cries of the beastmen and elves echoed through the air.

Having lost the leaders who had guided them for so long, the sorrow was shared by their entire races.

“Ahem. I’ve heard the gist of it from the High Elf sisters. I heard Lady Ameria herself acknowledged the Silent Forest as her domain, is that true?”

He recalled Hamolton, who had asked for the truth in his clumsy manner. The elves had migrated here even before the beastmen and had protected the Silent Forest ever since.

However, the leader who guided them was gone. Taehyun watched Saphaella slump to the floor before turning his head away.

“Are you truly intending to cut me down? The curse of the gods will be directed at you. Do you think a human like you can withstand the agony of slowly being forgotten?”

‘RAWR!’

“Sigh, you can’t be reasoned with at all. How did you become so deeply tainted by the Evil Dragon’s Energy?”

The Absolute exhaled a heavy breath and raised his sword.

Although she was the God of Nature with only a lingering form remaining, if he cut through her Divine Power, he could certainly annihilate her.

Realizing her end, Ameria quietly closed her eyes.

Welcoming the sensation of the blade digging into her abdomen, she slowly began to fade away.

“You are not a human of this dimension either. This faint energy I feel through the Evil Dragon’s Energy… It’s definitely…”

Soon, her divine form was completely annihilated. Like ash blowing in the wind, the dust of her being scattered on the gentle breeze.

[The God of Nature, Ameria, has been annihilated.]

The God of Nature had become affiliated with Balak through the World Tree. Her end was far too anticlimactic in comparison to her status.

With the source of nature gone, the World Tree withered in an instant, melting down to its very roots.

With this, the elves’ home ceased to exist within the territory.

[The World Tree has withered.]

[The entire Silent Forest begins to decay.]

All the mana in the forest rose into the air. Dissolving in mid-air like water droplets, it soon scattered in the wind.

Pilseus stared blankly up at the sky before coming to a complete halt.

[Pilseus’s first objective has been completed.]

[The Evil Dragon’s Energy has ceased its activity.]

Taehyun, who was inspecting the dungeon’s interior, looked at the screen in bewilderment. For some reason, the Absolute hadn’t moved a single step.

He just stood frozen in place, like a broken machine.

‘He completed his first objective? Does that mean he came to Balak to kill the God of Nature, Ameria, from the very beginning?’

Pilseus had his rank forcibly raised through the Evil Dragon’s chains.

If they used him, someone who had become strong enough to cut through Divine Power, Ameria must have surely been one of their original targets.

Perhaps Duke Nikunbel had ordered Hee Cha to eliminate the God of Nature who had become affiliated with Balak.

It was impossible to grasp the exact reason yet, but the immediate problem was his next objective.

Just in case, Taehyun had his soldiers approach him again, but the reaction was the same as before.

‘For now, it seems he’ll stay in that state. In the meantime, I’ll heal the Main Forces and prepare our defenses.’

—

It was day three of the schedule.

The armor, which had shown no changes for a day, was dyed brown.

The Evil Dragon’s Energy that had been encroaching on his entire body resumed its activity, granting him a new objective.

“Threaten Balak’s Dungeon Master, Taehyun. Break through to Balak’s final roo…”

Static noise rang out, as if a glitch had occurred.

The red glint shining through the helmet seemed to subside, but it soon took on a glaring crimson hue, radiating murderous intent.

“Annihilate Balak’s Dungeon Master, Taehyun. Clear up to Balak’s final room.”

Soon, the second objective was selected.

Having eliminated his first target, Ameria, he now had to immediately follow his new objective and enter Balak.

This time, the target for elimination was Balak’s Dungeon Master, Taehyun. Pilseus recalled the face etched in his memories and took a step forward.

At that moment, voices echoed in his ears.

“Right. You can say that because you’re better at studying than me, brother. I said I’ll handle it. Just mind your own business.”

“Why do you care what I do? I don’t need your help, so please leave my room.”

Two voices, so familiar, yet so heartbreaking, brought his footsteps to a halt.

Emotions he had long forgotten came rushing back. Pilseus grabbed his helmet in agony.

“Argh!”

Gradually, he was losing his grip on his own existence.

He tried to regain his senses, but it was impossible; the Evil Dragon’s Energy had already seized his entire body.

“Ugh. Tae… Taehyun… Taehyun!”

The fading red glint sharpened once again. Only then did Pilseus realize his true mission and surrender everything to the Evil Dragon’s Energy.

The Necro-Engraving was now at the 5th stage. If he entered the 6th stage and beyond, he would surely gain even greater strength.

Pilseus stared at the Valley of Silence and began to move.

—

[Pilseus’s Objective Changed]

[Pilseus’s Second Objective: Conquer Balak]

[Pilseus’s Elimination Target: Taehyun Yoo]

An error had occurred in the objective settings of the Absolute sent to Balak. Hee Cha, who was in the middle of commanding her soldiers, scowled and checked the Necro-Engraving stage.

[Pilseus’s Necro-Engraving: Stage 5]

“…What is this?!”

“What’s wrong? Why do you look like you just chewed on shit?”

“The Necro-Engraving has reached the 5th stage. And he hasn’t even entered the dungeon yet!”

The three Dungeon Masters gathered around her panicked.

Pilseus had been forcibly dragged into their dungeon’s affiliation through the chains of the SSS-rank Guardian, Evil Dragon Kadumallian.

With the Evil Dragon’s Energy and the Necro-Engraving encroaching on him, a mere S-rank dungeon shouldn’t have been able to deal proper damage to him.

Yet, Taehyun of Balak had defied all expectations and forced the engraving up to the 5th stage.

“Wasn’t Taehyun an S-rank Dungeon Master? How could he inflict that much damage?”

“I-I don’t know either. I never expected this. Duke Nikunbel, what is the meaning of this?!”

“Hmm. Whatever do you mean?”

Nikunbel, who was leisurely standing with his hands behind his back, let out a strange smile. Only then did Hee Cha realize something was wrong and began to demand answers.

“You said Taehyun didn’t have any special abilities. You said it was just a simple S-rank dungeon. So why is the Necro-Engraving rising to the 5th stage? You said someone like the God of Nature, Ameria, could be handled easily!”

“Did I say such a thing? Oho, this is surprising. To think there’s something I don’t remember. Today seems full of surprises.”

“You…!”

As originally planned, the God of Nature, Ameria, had been eliminated. However, with the Necro-Engraving rising to the 5th stage, he was now set to conquer Balak as well.

If Duke Nikunbel had given the order knowing this all along, then Taehyun surely possessed another hidden ability.

Since he had already forced the Necro-Engraving to reach the 5th stage, that much was certain.

Seonwoo, who was standing nearby, voiced his suspicion as he looked at Duke Nikunbel’s sly attitude.

“Don’t tell me you intended to dispose of Pilseus along with him from the start. If so, just like Demonic King Kraktio, that guy must have been one of your targets too.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Even if Taehyun has a special ability, would anything change? He may have had his rank forcibly raised, but he is still strictly an SSS-rank Attacker. Are you perhaps doubting his strength?”

“That’s completely different. Don’t change the sub— Ah! What is that?!”

A deafening sound of tearing space erupted.

Hee Cha, who had been arguing fiercely, ground her teeth as she saw the highest-ranking angels bursting out of the middle-level gate.

“Ugh. Now even the angels are getting in the way?!”

“H-hey. Calm do— Ah! What are you trying to do?!”

“Shut up. I’ll kill them all!”

Soon, a summoning circle materialized.

A massive bulk filled the entire lower level, a skeletal structure made entirely of bone with widely flared gills.

The cursed dragon exiled from the Divine Realm was being summoned through her Main Force.

[The SSS-rank Guardian, Evil Dragon Kadumallian, has been summoned.]

[Due to the Evil Dragon’s Energy, the stats of all enemies currently on the field are reduced by 50%.]

An evil energy spread throughout the lower level. Hee Cha pointed at the highest-ranking angels and barked an order.

“Annihilate them all!”

“How dare a mere Dungeon Master give me orders?”

“Shut up and get rid of them already!”

“Unbelievable. If it weren’t for the contract, I would have eaten you first. What a shame.”

Kadumallian had been wandering in a closed dimension. Having barely been summoned to the continent through a contract, he could not allow the Dungeon Master to die.

The Evil Dragon opened its tightly shut maw and gathered mana.

[The SSS-rank Guardian, Evil Dragon Kadumallian, has cast Annihilation.]

[Sentences the designated targets to death.]

[Unaffected by skills and special abilities during casting.]

The entire Celestial Realm shook.

The compressed mana within the Evil Dragon’s mouth was soon fired into the air, annihilating the highest-ranking angels.

—

[Pilseus has entered Balak.]

It was a guest they hadn’t welcomed in a very long time.

Since Yuda’s raid party, Taehyun hadn’t allowed a single Attacker to step foot inside the dungeon, but as of today, that record was broken.

Currently, the number of rooms in Balak was 58.

As the Crystal Sphere was forcibly evolved through Evolution, the internal structure itself had also changed significantly.

“He doesn’t even need a torch? What kind of Attacker attempts a raid without food or camping gear?”

“We definitely haven’t seen him eat anything. It should be hard to manage his stress levels like that. It’s fascinating.”

“He’s a monster, so he probably lives off that Evil Dragon’s Energy or whatever. Is that really important right now?”

The faction members’ gazes all turned to Seungpil. Taken aback by the sudden attention, he asked in a panic.

“Wh-why are you looking at me like that?!”

“You’re a genius.”

“A genius indeed.”

Pilseus always wielded the Evil Dragon’s Energy instead of mana. It was clear that he was also maintaining his stamina and managing his fatigue through that energy.

Hyena, who had found them pathetic since their first meeting, soon turned her gaze to Taehyun.

The rhythmic ‘click, click, click’ of the pocket watch clutched in her hand betrayed her anxious heart.

Now, with few Main Forces left, they had to stop him by utilizing the traps and installations inside the dungeon as much as possible.

[Pilseus has entered the first room.]

Finally, the full-scale raid defense began. The faction members left the Master Room, each heading to their respective positions.

Left alone, Taehyun looked down at his empty teacup before beginning to deploy his soldiers.

‘Many of the traps and installations have effects that can inflict damage regardless of rank. If I utilize Hyena’s Trap Control, I’ll be able to activate the traps at the perfect moment.’

He had already invested all his finances to reinforce the dungeon’s interior and his soldiers. As long as he still had unrevealed SS-rank soldiers and Main Forces, there were plenty of opportunities.

Looking at the Shadow Confinement trap, Taehyun slowly began to lay out his strategy.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep