Episode 398

“U-uaaaaa!”

A cry of denial erupted.

The Lion King gripped his sword tightly and charged, swinging it with all his fury and hatred.

Taesan responded in kind. Every buff skill he had was activated. Swords clashed, and a deafening roar filled the air.

Boom!

Their powers collided. Taesan’s stats were nearing 40,000, far surpassing the Lion King’s, yet the Lion King wasn’t easily pushed back.

‘Akuyros’ Authority.’

It wasn’t just technique—his strength and speed were pushed to their extremes.

The Lion King gripped his greatsword with both hands and took a step forward.

Crack!

The greatsword’s reach was long. Keeping a certain distance was advantageous, and the Lion King was utilizing that perfectly.

With linear movements and overwhelmingly aggressive swordsmanship, the Lion King attacked Taesan. It seemed full of openings, but upon closer inspection, it was clear they were all traps. Counterattacking would only lead to a reverse strike.

“Uooooo!”

The Lion King roared like a beast and brought his sword down.

Taesan did not back away but instead charged forward. His amplified power and speed collided with the greatsword.

Clang!

“Urgh!”

Both were pushed back slightly. The Lion King gritted his teeth, readjusted his stance, and charged again.

His swordsmanship was crude yet powerful, full of openings yet flawless.

That was the Lion King’s swordsmanship.

‘Impressive.’

It was almost perfect.

It could rival the swordsmanship of the Stormscar. As far as technique went, it surpassed Taesan’s level.

“But I’m stronger than you.”

The opponent’s main technique was swordsmanship, and Taesan had already analyzed it. He exhaled slowly and raised his sword.

His movements were incredibly fluid.

“Urgh!”

The trajectory of the Lion King’s sword was disrupted, but he quickly corrected it. Having observed Taesan and other leaders fight, he was already aware of the Flow Skill.

Awareness didn’t mean it couldn’t be countered.

The moment the Lion King bared his teeth to strike back—

A dark energy emanated from Taesan.

A black streak pierced the Lion King.

He reflexively raised his greatsword. His beast-like instincts, honed from descending the labyrinth, saved his life.

Thanks to them, his heart wasn’t pierced, but his body was hurled against the wall.

“Khak!”

“Minerva. Attack.”

“…You’ve changed a lot since I last saw you. Fine!”

Minerva exclaimed enthusiastically, unleashing a gust of wind.

The Lion King roared angrily and stood up.

“How dare you, Spirit King!”

“That’s uncalled for! I’m still the protector of the world, you know!”

Wind and sword clashed. Though the wind was cut down, it held its ground well.

The summoning of a Spirit King depended on the summoner’s strength, and Taesan had reached the level of an Immortal.

With sufficient power and authority, he could summon Minerva in her complete state.

Chains coiled around the Lion King as he swept away the wind. He struggled, shaking his body to break free, but the chains wouldn’t release him easily.

The ceiling opened, and a massive boulder fell.

The Lion King poured all his strength into his body, roaring with rage as the boulder crashed from almost point-blank range.

Crack!

The chains shattered. The Lion King gripped his greatsword with both hands and swung it fiercely. The boulder was cleaved apart and crumbled.

But the Lion King wasn’t unscathed. Falling debris rained down on him.

“Aaaah!”

Ignoring the debris, the Lion King charged at Taesan.

Breaking through Minerva’s winds with his body, he aimed his greatsword at Taesan.

Taesan raised his finger and pointed at him.

Boom!

A powerful wave engulfed the Lion King.

The force repelled him, denying him even the ability to approach.

“Raaaah!”

Veins bulged across the Lion King’s body. He planted his feet firmly and slowly advanced toward Taesan.

Before long, he was within striking distance.

As he let out a battle cry and thrust his sword, Taesan raised his hand.

“Good effort.”

Despite his desperate determination and strength, the Lion King was slammed into the ground. Cracks spread across the floor like shattered glass.

“…Uaaaaah!”

A roar erupted.

It was filled with denial.

Taesan responded to it.

Magic and dark magic surged. Even that was enough to keep the Lion King from reaching Taesan. Despite Akuyros’s Authority greatly increasing his stamina, he was driven to the brink of death.

“This… can’t be… I’m the Lion King. I didn’t rely solely on divine power.”

The Lion King recalled Taesan’s battles and how much he had prepared and planned.

But it was all meaningless.

Taesan looked at him calmly.

“You’re strong, but… that’s all.”

The Lion King had indeed surpassed mortality.

But the level he reached was twisted and unstable, achieved at the cost of his own sacrifice.

Compared to the Lion King, Taesan had surpassed limits with stable divine power and pure strength and experience that far exceeded the Lion King’s.

There was now an insurmountable gap between Taesan and the Lion King.

“Farewell.”

Taesan gripped his sword and approached. Terror filled the Lion King’s eyes.

“N-no… No!”

He stammered.

His voice was filled with fear.

“No! No! Please, no! God! Save me! I beg you!”

The ghost clicked its tongue.

For someone who had long reigned in the labyrinth, it was an unsightly display.

The Lion King cried out to the heavens.

“I will give everything I have! Please! Let me escape this place!”

Laughter echoed.

From an altar unaffected by the battle, power began to surge.

“Ah.”

The Lion King’s face froze.

The divine power within him began to violently amplify.

“S-save me…”

It swelled, feeding on his will. The Lion King achieved his desire to escape, but his self and intelligence were consumed by the power, rendered meaningless.

“Hmm.”

Taesan halted. The light in the Lion King’s eyes faded. Instead, his amplified power surged wildly.

Even Taesan, as he was now, couldn’t underestimate this strength.

As soon as the ghost finished speaking, a system warning appeared.

The system window displaying the warning shattered.

Laws and order crumbled.

“I expected this, but to think it would actually happen.”

Taesan recalled the trial of Lakiratas from the 2nd floor. Lakiratas had forced a strengthened trial on Taesan without consent. The ghost had said it was unfair, self-serving behavior that other gods wouldn’t engage in.

However, that also meant other gods could do the same.

Not all gods favored Taesan. Surely, some disliked him. Taesan had anticipated such an event eventually.

But this time, things were different.

Now, many gods favored Taesan.

Space tore, and the Demon God descended to the earth.

Power erupted from Akuyros’s altar, mixed with dismay.

A black-haired girl stepped into the labyrinth.

A serene voice resonated. Dark power gently enveloped Taesan.

The Demon God laughed mockingly.

A voice rang out, filled with rage. It was a sound that seemed to drain vitality from all existence.

Power exploded.

It was the true might of a transcendent being.

Even Taesan, as he was now, couldn’t resist—law itself manifested.

The Demon God’s darkness clashed against it. There was no shockwave, no loud sound.

The Demon God smirked.

Her face bore a trace of anger.

Dark energy violently enveloped the world.

A world of shadows, devoid of light, was created.

The Demon God waved her finger.

Rumble.

The Demon God restored the shattered system window before Taesan.

The Demon God looked up at Taesan with confidence in her gaze.

“I’ll accept.”

Taesan replied.

The Demon God’s acknowledgment meant the trial itself was legitimate. There was no reason to refuse. The Demon God smiled knowingly.

With those words, the Demon God disappeared into the darkness.

Akuyros’s frustration and anger were palpable.

But further interference was impossible. In the end, Akuyros quietly withdrew.

“A sword, huh.”

It was neither a servant nor an Apostle but a sword.

Though the opponent was new, its essence was not difficult to discern.

Even the name “Lion King” had disappeared. What remained was purely Akuyros’s Authority.

It had become nothing more than a tool to wield Akuyros’s power.

And as such, the power within it was equivalent to Akuyros’s own.

But it didn’t matter.

For the current Taesan, it posed no threat.

The tool in the Lion King’s form began to move.

The sword advanced toward Taesan.

And the world crumbled.

The labyrinth walls shook from the impact, and cracks began to spread.

Taesan cloaked himself in divine energy.

A blinding light enveloped the labyrinth.