Chapter 102: Moin’s King (1)

The system voice resounded.

Ding-dong!

<Entering the 5th Floor, “Layer of Self-Actualization Desire”!>

In an instant, everything went dark before my eyes.

At the same time.

“…! …! …! …!”

A pressure so overwhelming that even breathing felt burdensome began to crush my entire body.

Crunch- Crunch-crunch-

A sensation as if muscles and bones were being squeezed.

Every single cell in my body was screaming.

A mana load on a completely different level from before.

I tried to writhe, but my limbs wouldn’t budge, as if paralyzed.

How much time passed like that?

Whoosh-

A muggy wind brushed across my face.

Only then could I finally open my eyes.

Looking around, a landscape entirely different from before unfolded.

Elegant chandeliers hanging from various spots on the ceiling.

A wide corridor gleaming in gold stretched out on both sides.

A luxurious carpet lay long on the floor, reminiscent of a royal audience chamber.

Soon, a massive obsidian in the center of the corridor caught my eye.

It looked to be dozens of meters in size at least.

Its surface was densely engraved with intricate patterns.

Before long, a form perched atop the giant obsidian came into view.

[…….]

An old man with a hunched back was gazing down at us steadily.

…No, ‘it’ was too bizarre to call an old man.

A body covered in stiff, needle-like red fur.

Hands as large as pot lids, and toes elongated like fingers.

The face, covered in wrinkled folds, was hard to make out, and in those pot-lid-sized hands were clutched a red orb and a dark staff respectively.

Soon, Featherback’s journal flipped open.

Flutter-

<Abraham J. Maslow>

– Danger Grade: A+

– Discovery Location: Maslow’s Tower

The king of the Moin (Fur People) and ruler of the Black Rock Mountain, Abraham J. Maslow.

Once a great mage who drove the Lokpia Continent into terror, he enslaved countless humans and built the Moin Kingdom on Black Rock Mountain.

Possessing both martial prowess and intellect, Maslow successively destroyed human kingdoms, expanding his influence and claiming a third of the Lokpia Continent as territory.

Afterward, Maslow declared war on the Magical Empire Morgue and…

The boss ruling the S-rank dungeon Maslow’s Tower had revealed itself.

But.

‘Danger grade A+?’

A dungeon’s danger grade is generally influenced by the boss’s danger grade.

…Could an S-rank dungeon’s boss be A+?

As I organized my thoughts like that.

“Is that guy the boss of this place?”

Someone advanced toward Maslow.

A muscular man in special forces uniform and beret.

It was the World’s Strongest Man, Ma Seokdong.

He looked up at the obsidian throne and said.

“Doesn’t look like an S-rank monster at all. Maybe the association’s measurement was wrong.”

Ma Seokdong tossed off his uniform top.

“Whatever, dragging this out any longer is a waste of time. I’ll handle it.”

[…….]

Whether or not, Maslow gave no response.

Just staring blankly in the same direction.

Ma Seokdong cracked his neck and stepped forward.

Crunch- Crunch-crunch-

Ma Seokdong’s arm muscles swelled massively.

Thick veins protruded everywhere, and mana began to swirl around his fists like a vortex.

“Clench your teeth. Monkey.”

At that moment.

[Has… the Sorcerer Emperor… died…?]

Maslow spoke for the first time.

I looked at Maslow.

‘As expected, connected to the Sorcerer Emperor.’

Soon, Maslow plucked a single bright red hair from the crown of its head.

Then.

Whoosh-

Maslow blew the hair toward Ma Seokdong.

Poof- Bang!

From the cloud, Maslow’s clone emerged.

However, its entire body’s fur was white like gray hair.

<Maslow’s Clone>

– Danger Grade: A

– Discovery Location: Maslow’s Tower

A clone created by the king of the Moin (Fur People), Abraham J. Maslow.

Made based on a hair imbued with mana, possessing 1/10th of the original’s combat power.

Ma Seokdong clenched his fist tightly and said.

“Using such petty tricks. Think a clone can stop me?”

[Has the Sorcerer Emperor died?]

“Sorcerer Emperor? You mean the tower lord?”

[Has the Sorcerer Emperor died?]

[Has the Sorcerer Emperor died?]

No matter what was said, the clone repeated the same words.

[Has the Sorcerer Emperor died…….]

At that moment.

Thud-!!

A massive fist slammed into the clone’s lower abdomen.

A fist coated in mana along with body enhancement.

Ma Seokdong’s straight punches began to rain down like a machine gun.

[Fierce Tiger Rampage]

Thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-

One blow. Then another.

Each time Ma Seokdong threw a punch, the shape of a tiger with its mouth wide open appeared.

The areas hit by the fists were gouged out deeply, as if bitten by sharp teeth.

The Maslow clone, helplessly battered without resistance.

By now, the clone’s body was in tatters.

At that point, Ma Seokdong kicked off the ground and charged.

Boom!

A knee as solid as a boulder surged toward the clone’s chin.

[Swift Advance]

A strike so fast the wind splitting was visible.

A beat late, the shockwave soared upward like ascension.

Boom-boom-boom!

When the shockwave subsided, the clone’s head was nowhere to be seen.

Soon, a single red hair fluttered down, and the clone’s body turned into a cloud.

Poof!

Ma Seokdong wrapped mana around his fists and shouted.

“You’re next!”

But at that moment.

Scratch-scratch-scratch-scratch-scratch-scratch-scratch-scratch!

Maslow began scratching its face with both hands.

[Has the Sorcerer Emperor… Died… ? The Sorcerer Emperor!]

Died… ? …! The Sorcerer Emperor…! Died… Died? Died… Dead!

Maslow, eyes rolled back, gradually raising its voice.

Then suddenly, it tore at its head with both hands.

Rip-rip-rip!

A handful of red hair was yanked out in bunches.

Soon.

Poof! Poof-bang! Poof-poof-bang!

As the hairs scattered in the wind, clones began to emerge.

Tens… hundreds… thousands…

Maslow’s Moin clones filled the corridor.

At the same time, all the clones murmured the same words in unison.

[Has the Sorcerer Emperor died?] [Has the Sorcerer Emperor died?] [Has the Sorcerer Emperor died?] [Sorcerer Emperor

Has the

[Has the Sorcerer Emperor died?] 

[Has the Sorcerer Emperor died?] 

[Has the Sorcerer Emperor died?]

[Died?]

[Has the Sorcerer Emperor died?] [Has the Sorcerer Emperor died?]

Thousands of voices mixed, creating a deafening noise that rang out ear-piercingly.

But that was brief.

The clones began charging all at once.

Thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-

Thousands of Moin rushed on all fours.

Soon, Cheok Junseong took a stance and said.

“Shin Sodam. Let’s link up.”

“Yeah, no. My mana is barely holding on right now; if I use a 6th-circle spell, I’m out. Instead…!”

Shin Sodam spread both hands wide.

Red mana began to bloom along each finger joint.

When Shin Sodam clapped her hands together.

Poof-poof-poof-poof-poof-!

Heat and pressure combined, firing dozens of fireballs in all directions.

The Moin hit directly by the fireballs instantly turned to ash and scattered.

Shin Sodam spread her clasped hands wide and shouted.

“Now, this isn’t the end?”

Whoosh-whoosh-whoosh-

As Shin Sodam spread her arms wide, the condensed red mana in her hands bloomed all at once.

A wave of flames swallowed dozens of clones in an instant.

At that moment.

Swish-swish-slash!

Ice barriers rose in a circle, blocking the spread of the flames.

Soon, the Blue Mage Tower Lord Han Seoha clicked her tongue.

“Do you have to burn your allies too? I’ll teach you a lesson, so watch and learn properly!”

With a gesture from Han Seoha, the ice barriers shattered all at once.

At the same time, ice shards surged toward the clones.

Thud! Thud! Poof- thud! Thud! Thud!

Sharp ice shards precisely pierced the clones’ foreheads.

Watching that, Shin Sodam added a word.

“You fight like a real bitch. It suits you perfectly. Wow. Respect. Good good. Keep it up. I’ll fight like a shrew. Thanks.”

“I think you used the wrong word. Not shrew, but bitch.”

“Yeah. They say when logic fails, curses come out, and it’s a fact, right?”

Shin Sodam and Han Seoha growled at each other while each attacking clones.

Meanwhile, HardboiledPC was surrounded by clones.

“Oof! Barbaric beasts! Don’t do this! No violence! Love with love! Even violence with love— Oof, why don’t you get it! No choice! Love punch!”

Boom- crack!

A heavy fist shattered a clone’s head to pieces.

“Ugh, really! Look at these gross things. Is this why it’s S-rank? If the A+ ranks were even a bit short, it’d be a disaster~!”

HardboiledPC taking down clones one by one.

But my thought was different.

…

‘No. Just using some clones doesn’t make it S-rank.’

Having experienced an S-rank in the Lethe Tower, I could tell.

It’s on a different dimension.

S-rank’s status is on another level, beyond full expression.

I recalled Death Lord, who overwhelmed Cheok Junseong and Shin Sodam with absolute force.

In contrast, Maslow perched on the obsidian doesn’t look like an S-rank dungeon boss at all.

Above all, a being related to the Sorcerer Emperor, even one who raided the Sorcerer Emperor’s warehouse, couldn’t be this sloppy.

At that moment.

“Seven one seven twenty-four seven three twenty-one seven four twenty-eight…….”

Lee Geuk swung his sword.

[Jeonju Lee Family Seven Branches Four Forms— Twenty-Eight Consecutive Chain Slashes]

Seven strands of sword aura splitting along the Chamyo Chiljido.

They divided into fourteen strands, then spread into twenty-eight.

Rumble! Boom- crash!

Each time the sword aura extended, thunder roared.

The clones touched by it flew about like autumn leaves.

Boom-boom! Rumble-rumble!

The Twenty-Eight Consecutive Chain Slashes pierced even to the obsidian where Maslow sat.

Soon, Lee Geuk’s slash surged toward Maslow.

But.

Clang-

A black barrier enveloped Maslow, nullifying all the slashes.

Not even a tiny scratch remained on the barrier.

‘To nonchalantly block an attack from Lee Geuk, who rivals S-rank.’

A phrase from the journal suddenly came to mind.

‘Great mage.’

A monster specialized in magic, not physical combat.

At that moment, Lee Geuk straightened his posture.

“Heh heh— Indeed, not an easy opponent.”

Then he looked at me and Jeanne.

“Jeanne, my boy. And Hasang, my boy.”

A smile hung on Lee Geuk’s lips, but his eyes burned quietly.

Soon, Lee Geuk said.

“You two, mind lending some strength?”

Unlike the other A+ rank hunters, Lee Geuk knew.

That Maslow was hiding its power.

And even that I had hidden power.

I looked at Lee Geuk and said.

“Sure, let’s give it a shot.”

The secret technique I’d saved for an S-rank boss battle.

It was time to use the Gluttony Slash ultimate.