Chapter 29: Twisted Fate (3)  

A black vortex rages.  

KURRRRRRR~!  

The sword raised toward the ceiling.  

Black mana condensed at the tip sucks in everything around it like a black hole.  

Soon, a dark flash erupted from Jeanne’s blade in the ultra-vacuum of darkness.  

『Seven Demon First Strike: Gluttony Slash, Beelzebub』  

The blackened blade slices through the air.  

FLASH!  

New atmosphere rushes into the severed vacuum, forming a massive vortex.  

The black aura follows the sword’s trajectory half a beat late.  

It soon surges forward in a crescent shape.  

KWAKWAKWAKWAKWAKWAKWAKWABOOM-!  

Where the dark sword energy passes, the floor is engraved with marks as if bitten by a giant beast, and the oil mucus covering the floor scatters in whirlwinds.  

At that moment, the aquarium tanks on the walls shatter in unison, pouring out massive amounts of seawater.  

PANG! PFFFFT! PFFFFFT-!  

The seawater evaporates into white steam the instant it touches Gluttony Slash.  

Remaining embers and oil mucus. Shattered cement fragments and glass shards, and seawater.  

All of it.  

The aura of Gluttony Slash greedily devours everything around it as it charges toward the Skeleton Queen.  

KWAKWAKWAKWAKWAKWA~!  

At that moment, the Skeleton Queen takes an unexpected action.  

[………. …..]  

She slowly spreads both arms toward the ferocious torrent of sword energy.  

As if finally welcoming something she had long awaited.  

Soon.  

KWAKWAKWAKWAKWAKWABOOM-!  

The Skeleton Queen’s afterimage is engulfed by the pitch-black aura and vanishes.  

The sword energy filling the corridor devastates the entire aquarium hallway before dissipating.  

At the same time, the steam gathered on the ceiling begins falling to the ground.  

PATTER- PATTER- SHWAAAAAAA-  

A downpour inside the building.  

It cleanly washes away the remaining embers and oil mucus.  

Finally, through the rain mist, the Skeleton Queen’s form becomes visible.  

Pitch-black armor with shattered fragments CRUMBLING down.  

Half her upper body, including her right arm, is gone.  

The Skeleton Queen barely stands, using her bone sword like a cane.  

Even her seemingly endless regeneration seems exhausted now.  

CRACK- CRACKCRACK- HSSSSSS  

Her bony body slowly calcifies and crumbles.  

Soon, Jeanne takes a step forward.  

SPLASH- SPLASH- SPLASH- SPLASH-  

Reaching the Skeleton Queen, Jeanne opens her mouth with a resolute expression.  

[Comrade. I will carry your wish forward with me…….]  

[………]  

[Now rest in peace.]  

The Skeleton Queen’s head droops slowly, as if collapsing.  

It looked almost like a nod.  

CLANG~!  

The crystal embedded in the Skeleton Queen’s helmet shatters, and black mana erupts skyward.  

At the same time, the Skeleton Queen’s body begins crumbling like sand.  

At that moment.  

A pure white afterimage rises from the Skeleton Queen’s remains.  

Clear spring-like blue short hair, revealing beautiful azure eyes beneath.  

A kind and pure-looking female knight gazes this way.  

Jeanne, watching this, murmurs in a trembling voice.  

[……Hybaren.]  

Hybaren’s soul simply looks at Jeanne in silence.  

A face so peaceful that no worry or concern can be felt.  

At that moment.  

CLING!  

Hybaren’s spirit is enveloped in dazzling light and scatters.  

The Soul-Binding Fetters.  

The prison that had bound Hybaren is completely shattered.  

Just before vanishing, a warm smile lingers on her lips.  

Jeanne murmurs softly.  

[Friend. Farewell.]  

Dark red blood tears flow from Jeanne’s eyes.  

Then, something slowly descends from the air onto Jeanne’s head.  

A red, transparent bead like a pomegranate seed.  

It was Hybaren’s skill essence.  

-FLAP!  

<Essence of Hidden Intent / Essence / A  

Essence extracted from Skeleton Queen, Hybaren.  

Absorb to acquire the ‘Hidden Intent’ skill.

– Hidden Intent (A): The skill holder can freely control their presence and energy. When fully activated, enters a ‘stealth’ state undetectable by opponents.  

Hybaren’s essence begins seeping into Jeanne’s body.  

Soon, a warm glow like sunlight fills the corridor.  

PAAAAAAAH!  

A moment later, I slowly open my eyes.  

At the same time, a sudden remark bursts out.  

‘……Who are you?’  

Because an incredibly beautiful woman was standing right in front of me. Completely naked.  

She turns to me and slowly nods.  

“Jeanne. Master.”  

“Liar. Jeanne has a more…… dead-looking face?”  

True to my words.  

Jeanne’s face is completely different from what I knew.  

Her once dull eyes now shine black, her pale lips have a rosy tint, and the scars and wounds covering her body are completely gone.  

Truly the appearance of a normal person…… no, breathtakingly beautiful.  

Soon, Jeanne slowly speaks.  

“It seems to be the influence of ‘Hidden Intent’. Eliminating elements that draw unnecessary attention likely aids in concealing presence.”  

“Your voice changed a lot too?”  

“That also seems part of the disguise.”  

Jeanne’s once dry, raspy voice has become clear and pure.  

Moreover, the faint black mana that used to leak from her body is now completely gone.  

With this, Jeanne now has the exact appearance of a living person.  

Shedding the Death Knight image entirely is one less worry.  

Then, Jeanne steps toward Hybaren’s remains.  

On the pile of white sand-like bone dust, artifacts are already placed.  

DING DONG!  

-<Spinal Sword of the Deceased> / One-Handed Weapon / A

The one-handed sword used by the Skeleton Queen. 

Made from an unknown vertebra, its hardness and sharpness far surpass top-grade steel. 

Also possesses regeneration that quickly restores even if broken.  

-Attack +1450  

-Skill ‘Growing Bone’ available  

└Growing Bone (A): Rapidly regenerates damaged parts to original state. This skill only applies to ‘Spinal Sword of the Deceased’ permanently. 

(Cooldown 5 min)  

“Something already dead once cannot die again.” – Nameless Sword Demon  

-<Reckless Undead’s Armor> / Armor / A  

Full-body armor made from the Skeleton Queen’s bones.  

Sacrifices defense to grant extreme attack power and regeneration, allowing endless combat.  

-Attack +1300, Regeneration +150%  

Skill ‘Mutual Destruction’ available  

└Mutual Destruction (A): Damage taken from opponent doubles, but damage dealt to opponent also doubles. (Duration 1 min / Cooldown 60 min.)  

‘……This is literally custom gear for Jeanne?’  

Reckless Undead’s Armor.  

Despite being called armor, it gives zero defense and only boosts attack—a bizarre option.  

And the item skill ‘Mutual Destruction’ is a pure berserker skill that trades defense for offense.  

For Jeanne, who has undead regeneration, is there any armor more fitting?  

Soon, I look at the broken longsword lying on the aquarium floor.  

‘Totally wrecked.’  

Jeanne’s skill, Seven Demon Strikes, places immense burden on the weapon.  

But the ‘Spinal Sword of the Deceased’ endlessly regenerates.  

With this, she can use Seven Demon Strikes freely without weapon constraints.  

At that moment, Jeanne equips the gear left by the Skeleton Queen.  

A skull-shaped helmet, ribcage-shaped bone armor.  

And a vertebra sword resembling fish bones.  

The appearance evokes a Death Knight freshly risen from the grave.  

But since her face and aura are that of a living person, there’s no risk of misunderstanding.  

‘Looks normal. To others, she’ll seem like a veteran hunter cosplaying a Death Knight.’  

Meanwhile, Jeanne slowly strokes the bone armor and murmurs.  

“…Hybaren, leave the rest to me and rest easy.”  

Jeanne finishes her silent prayer and looks at me.  

“Master. The Seven Traitors are somewhere in this place. On the day of the kingdom’s fall, I clearly witnessed them raising Hybaren as an undead soldier.”  

The Seven Traitors.  

Seven people who swore loyalty to the seven great demons in exchange for transcendent power beyond human limits.  

The ones who destroyed the Ravianglily Kingdom and drove Jeanne to become a Death Knight.  

‘I had a feeling, but all of them are S-rank level monsters.’  

For now, all objectives here are achieved.  

Reunited with Jeanne, obtained weapons and armor, plus skill essence and a bunch of useful artifacts.  

Then the optimal decision now is to retreat and regroup.  

‘Eat something to recover stamina. Check the warehouse for useful artifacts.’  

Defeating S-rank monsters requires full preparation.  

Then.  

CC CCCCCCC-  

Lotte Tower begins vibrating fiercely.  

“What the—sudden earthquake!?”  

At the same time.  

KWAKWAKWAKWABOOM!  

The floor far by the emergency exit explodes, and black mana erupts upward.  

At the same time.  

“……!?”  

Suddenly, a crushing pressure grips my limbs.  

At the same time, pain like nerves being sliced spreads through my body.  

A sensation I’ve felt once before.  

Exactly like when entering the Lotte Tower dungeon gate.  

Then Jeanne grits her teeth and says.  

“This unpleasant, hollow mana……. I have never forgotten it, not for a single day, not for a single second.”  

Jeanne glares downstairs with eyes blazing in rage.  

She slowly raises her head and says.  

“Seven Traitors, ‘Peter Vinsfeldt’. The Apostle of Gluttony who serves the great demon Beelzebub.”  

“…Yeah. Well, it wasn’t gonna be easy.”  

Soon, system windows pop up like bamboo shoots.  

<WARNING!>

<WARNING!>  

<WARNING!>  

<WARNING!>  

<The original poison settling on the stairway is growing thicker!>  

<Boss of dungeon ‘Stairway of Sighs’ has appeared!>  

Straight into the boss fight, huh.