Chapter 114: The Golden Magic Tower Branch

The Samurai Guild was one of the top guilds in the world.

It went without saying that their individual skills were outstanding, but their ability to analyze Dungeons and Labyrinths was truly exceptional.

The Samurai Guild had been the first in the world to clear an S-rank Red Dungeon.

This was a place where brilliant talents gathered, and they now focused all their collective intelligence on analyzing the Dokkaebi.

“Here is the report on the battle on the 24th Floor. The Dokkaebi summoned a Summoned Beast with power comparable to an S-rank.”

“The 27th Floor report. Another Summoned Beast appeared.”

“The 35th Floor report. The Dokkaebi used Magic instead of a Summoned Beast.”

While the Dokkaebi had declared War and was crushing the Labyrinth Stages held by Japan, Japan collected every scrap of information and handed it over to the Samurai Guild.

The Samurai Guild analyzed the data and devised the most optimal strategy to take down the Dokkaebi.

“There’s no need for a restriction on fighting alone.”

“I agree. He travels alone anyway, so there’s no point in making that a constraint.”

“Summoned Beasts and Magic must require a lot of Mana. How about we restrict that?”

“Or why don’t we limit the number of Summoned Beasts?”

Various opinions were exchanged, and several plans were drafted. Among them, the best option was chosen and proposed to Ryuki.

Ryuki selected the plan that best suited the Samurai Guild’s style: a Captain Battle combined with a Mana Restriction.

This would nullify the Dokkaebi’s advantages—his Summoned Beasts and powerful Magic—while maximizing the Samurai Guild’s strength: the exceptional individual skills of their members.

As time passed, the Dokkaebi would inevitably wither away.

‘If the Mana Restriction is active, he won’t be able to use any Mana-related Potions.’

This was the secret hidden within the term of limiting Mana by half.

It was a hidden trump card that no one could know unless they possessed overwhelming information.

There was only one way for the Dokkaebi to recover Mana: natural recovery.

Natural recovery was the least efficient method, and it would take a long time to restore his Mana.

Even if he had some other means of recovery, it didn’t matter. Since every member of the Samurai Guild was participating, they could drain him again even if he did manage to recover.

…Or so they thought.

K-boom!

A massive explosion erupted, and a member of the Samurai Guild vanished like dust.

So far, twenty members of the Samurai Guild had challenged the Dokkaebi and lost.

Standing inside the circle where the Captain Battle was taking place, the Dokkaebi curled his lips into a smirk and beckoned with his finger.

“Step out if you think you’re next.”

“Such arrogance.”

Another member of the Samurai Guild entered the circle and swung his weapon.

Ryuki knew him well.

He was an S-rank Hunter and the Team Leader of Raid Team 3.

A Powerful Strike erupted from his weapon, targeting the Dokkaebi. It was a wide-range strike that left no room for the Dokkaebi to dodge.

*Boom!*

The weapon collided with the Dokkaebi’s fist, sending a powerful shockwave in all directions.

“This is just the beginning, Dokkaebi.”

The Team Leader of Team 3 unleashed a relentless barrage of strikes infused with Mana.

Crash!

K-boom!

However, the Dokkaebi blocked the attacks with ease.

He didn’t even move from his spot as he parried every strike. Eventually, it was the Team Leader who grew exhausted first.

“Huff… huff…”

Having depleted all his Mana, the Team Leader squeezed out his remaining strength for one final strike.

The Dokkaebi dodged it effortlessly and wreathed his fist in flames.

“…You crazy bastard!”

“He still has Mana left?”

“Wasn’t he struggling just to block the Team Leader’s attacks? He’s using Magic after blocking all that?”

The Samurai Guild members’ eyes widened. In that moment, the Dokkaebi’s fist slammed into the Team Leader.

K-boom!

Blue flames swallowed the Team Leader, turning him into dust.

“Next.”

The relaxed smirk was still visible beneath the Dokkaebi Mask.

“What’s wrong? Is no one coming out?”

No one stepped forward. The morale of the Samurai Guild had plummeted. Unable to watch any longer, an executive spoke up.

“What are you all doing? Get it together! If we keep going until the end, we win regardless!”

Encouraged, the Samurai Guild members began challenging the Dokkaebi mindlessly.

Bang!

Bang!

Bang!

The Dokkaebi took down every incoming opponent with a single blow. With each Magic spell, a guild member disappeared.

The A-rank Hunters were so far apart in skill that they couldn’t even get close to the Dokkaebi.

But it didn’t matter.

As the Mana consumption accumulated, it would eventually become too much for him to handle.

The Dokkaebi was essentially selling his future.

Ryuki watched the guild members rushing in like moths to a flame while gripping his sword hilt.

‘He’s trained in martial arts, too.’

The flames coating the Dokkaebi’s fist might have looked like Magic on the surface, but the movements themselves were closer to martial arts—and high-level martial arts at that.

Ryuki’s eyes turned cold as he observed the Dokkaebi’s incredible Talent in Magic, martial arts, and Summoning.

‘If we don’t finish him now…’

There was a high probability that East Asia, including Japan and China, would end up under Korea’s thumb.

They had to deal with the Dokkaebi right here, no matter what. Ryuki focused to analyze the Dokkaebi’s movements.

“Gah!”

“Die!”

“Aaaagh!”

As long as the Samurai Guild didn’t lose the Stair War, the abilities of those who died during the battle would not disappear.

That was why they could charge in without fear.

Convinced that Ryuki would eventually win, the guild members rushed in even while knowing they would lose their individual bouts.

The hundreds of members of the Samurai Guild were soon whittled down to a few dozen.

“What’s the matter? Starting to get nervous?”

“This is where it truly begins.”

The remaining S-rank Hunters challenged the Dokkaebi.

They were certainly on a different level compared to the A-rank Hunters.

To dodge or block the S-rank Hunters’ attacks, the Dokkaebi’s movements became more pronounced. This allowed Ryuki to observe him more clearly.

K-boom!

However, aside from the Dokkaebi’s resistance becoming slightly more aggressive, the fact that the Samurai Guild members were losing didn’t change.

The number of S-rank Hunters rapidly dwindled.

As their numbers dropped, the remaining members should have been more eager to charge in, but their faces grew pale.

The change that was supposed to happen to the Dokkaebi wasn’t occurring.

Mana limited by half.

Mana that couldn’t be recovered.

The Mana consumed fighting the Samurai Guild members so far.

These three factors should have exhausted him by now.

“You talked all that big game with this level of skill?”

The Dokkaebi was perfectly fine. His breathing, his movements, and his aura remained exactly as they were when they first met.

“…You monster.”

“Not coming? Fine, I’ll come to you.”

The Dokkaebi moved first this time. The circle for the Captain Battle moved with him.

As a Samurai Guild member entered the area, the fight began.

The Dokkaebi, who had played defensively until now, took the initiative.

“Hyaaah!”

The Samurai Guild member who tried to defend with a shout was instantly turned to dust by the Dokkaebi’s fist. The Dokkaebi didn’t stop. Moving like a ghost, he picked off the remaining guild members one by one.

“Aaaaagh!”

The Dokkaebi deliberately showed off his overwhelming firepower as he cleared the remaining members. A frantic chill spread in all directions, freezing everything in the vicinity.

Ryuki, who was immune to the cold, took a deep breath and collected his thoughts.

‘He’s above the Twelve Constellations Rank.’

He had to admit it now.

The way the Dokkaebi flaunted his Magic was a demonstration aimed at Ryuki, proving that the Mana Restriction was useless.

“Now, you’re the only one left.”

His voice was chilling, as if a reaper were holding a scythe to Ryuki’s throat.

Ryuki gripped his sword hilt tightly and drew his blade.

He raised his aura, pushing back the pressure radiating from the Dokkaebi, and looked him straight in the eyes.

“You think you’ve won?”

“What, do you have another trump card?”

“Of course. Do you have any idea how much we prepared just to catch you?”

The Dokkaebi’s lips curled up slightly.

“Should I take a look at what it is?”

Ryuki smiled back. He had chosen the Captain Battle not only to drain the enemy’s strength but also to set the stage for his final move. Ryuki channeled Mana into the Ring on his finger.

[Activating Curse of the Grudge]

[The grudges of those killed by the opponent in this location will dwell within the user’s body]

[Absorbing a portion of the spirits’ power]

The power of the Samurai Guild members, all of whom were A-rank or higher, flowed into Ryuki.

Whoooosh!

It was a level of power he had never experienced before. A moment of ecstasy that transcended even the most distant horizons. Ryuki smirked and lightly swung his sword.

*Slash!*

Everything in his sight was sliced apart. Everything, except for one thing.

The Dokkaebi.

In a world split in two, the Dokkaebi stood perfectly intact.

“You prepared something interesting. I’ll give you that.”

The Dokkaebi’s eyes were visible through the mask as he laughed and clapped.

“Since you showed me yours, I should probably show you one of mine, right?”

As his eyes turned a brilliant gold, a massive pressure crushed Ryuki’s heart. He tried to swing his sword to break free from the pressure, but…

“…Urgh!”

A massive impact traveled through his stomach and spread throughout his body.

The Dokkaebi was smiling right in front of him. Ryuki hadn’t even realized when he had moved.

In his slowed perception, he saw the Dokkaebi’s fist.

A heat so intense it was white rather than blue.

Despite attaining the Twelve Constellations Rank and gaining immunity to heat and cold, the heat rising from the Dokkaebi’s fist felt scorching.

The fist flew straight at Ryuki.

K-boom!

Ryuki lost consciousness amidst a massive explosion.

[You have defeated all enemies in the Captain Battle]

[You have won the Stair War]

[You have acquired all loot held by those defeated in the Stage Battle]

[The Floor Master has changed]

[Hunters with Korean Nationality will receive a special buff on the 40th Floor of the Labyrinth]

[You have acquired Dungeon Ownership of the 40th Floor of the Labyrinth]

I returned to Reality after checking the victory messages. I sent the mountain of loot to the Dragon Lair. I tried calling the Association Director, but the line was busy.

‘Well, I’m sure he’s busy.’

After such a performance, everyone must be bombarding the Director with questions.

He was the only person who could contact me, after all. I sent him a text asking him to contact me when he was free.

“Japan is finished now.”

All that remained was to deal with the Apostle who was likely plotting something in the SS-Class Red Dungeon.

In truth, I could clear the Dungeon whenever I wanted, but it was better to refrain from acting too independently from now on.

Since they had watched the live stream, they would likely cooperate.

‘Should I go get some information?’

Just as I was about to stop by the Dragon Lair to use my Dimensional Tavern Pass, a message regarding the Golden Tower appeared.

[Demonic Power Research completed]

[The Level of the Golden Tower has increased]

[You can now construct a Branch of the Golden Tower]

I already had a place in mind, so I designated the region without hesitation.

“Japan.”

A new message appeared.

[Constructing a Golden Tower Branch in Japan]

[The Relic effects applied to the Magic Tower will also apply to the Branch]

[Recruiting Magic Tower Mages]

Should I try to take down the manager of the Japanese Hunter Association as well? It would be entirely possible once the Golden Tower’s influence grew within Japan.

I headed to the Dragon Lair, imagining the future that was soon to come.

[Entering the Dimensional Tavern]