Chapter 98: Spirit Dungeon [5]

Amon had killed many of the monsters on his way toward the deepest section of the dungeon.

At first, he had struggled to control his newly awakened Emotion Amplification while fighting, but the more he used it, the easier it became.

He also became much better at controlling his Mana Thread.

By the time he reached the final section, Amon had already killed more monsters than he could count.

’I’m definitely getting better.’

Amon looked at his hands as he walked through the dark corridor.

He could now feel his mana moving through his body much more naturally, and even his control over Spatial Steps had improved slightly from constantly using it during the battles.

The dungeon had turned into a strange training ground for him.

Every fight forced him to use his abilities in a different way, and the pressure of the speedrun quest prevented him from taking his time.

After walking for several minutes, Amon finally stopped.

A dark yellow veil covered the entire passage.

It looked almost like a curtain made from thick liquid, slowly moving despite there being no wind.

Amon stared at it for a few seconds. ’...The Boss Monster.’

He could already feel a powerful spiritual presence coming from the other side.

Amon drew in a deep breath and tightened his grip around Soulpiercer. "Alright."

He stepped forward and passed through the dark yellow veil.

The moment he crossed it, Amon found himself standing inside a massive circular chamber.

The floor was covered with strange symbols, while several tall pillars surrounded the room.

There was no ceiling that he could see, as darkness stretched endlessly above him.

Amon slowly looked around when he saw her.

A strange creature stood at the center of the chamber.

Its body looked like two women had been fused together, with two separate upper bodies connected to the same lower half.

Both heads were wrapped in strange cloth, and long braids hung down from either side.

One of its hands held several dark cards while the other held a long staff topped with a skull surrounded by an eerie green flame.

Amon stared at the creature. "...That’s disturbing."

Both heads slowly turned toward him, and the hand holding the cards suddenly moved.

A single card flew through the air, and Amon immediately used Spatial Steps.

The card passed through the place where he had been standing, and the floor beneath him suddenly cracked.

Amon jumped backward as several sharp spikes erupted from the stone. ’So the cards activate effects.’

Another card flew toward him, and Amon moved sideways, but the card suddenly changed direction.

He frowned. ’It can track me?’

Amon used Spatial Steps again.

The card followed him, and he immediately raised his hand and wrapped it with Mana Thread.

The card struggled against the thread as if it were alive.

Amon pulled it toward the ground.

The moment the card touched the floor, the surrounding space suddenly distorted.

Amon’s eyes widened. ’What the hell?’

The distance between him and the boss suddenly became several times longer.

Amon looked at the creature as both its heads were watching him.

"So you can mess with distance too?"

One of the heads tilted slightly, and another card was thrown.

Amon immediately rushed forward instead of retreating.

The card flew toward his chest, but Amon used Spatial Steps at the last moment and appeared beside the creature.

Soulpiercer swung toward its body, and the creature suddenly raised its staff.

CLANG!

The creature twisted its staff and pushed Soulpiercer away before swinging the skull-topped weapon toward his head.

Amon ducked beneath it and stepped backward when the green flame on the skull suddenly flared.

A wave of spiritual energy exploded from the staff.

Amon crossed his arms and activated the Dragon Emperor’s Scale Armor.

The wave struck him and pushed him several meters across the floor.

Amon dug his feet into the ground. ’That attack isn’t physical.’

He circulated the Spirit Sovereign Scripture and immediately felt the pressure against his spirit weaken.

"That’s more like it."

Amon rushed forward again when the creature threw three cards simultaneously.

Amon immediately recognized that they were different from the previous ones.

Amon used Spatial Steps repeatedly, moving through the attacks without allowing himself to be cornered.

Whenever the creature threw a card, Amon changed his position before its effect could fully activate.

But because of his hit-and-run tactics, the creature began becoming more aggressive.

Amon’s eyes widened as a dozen cards filled the air. ’Okay, that’s a lot.’

He immediately raised both hands as dozens of threads shot through the chamber.

They wrapped around the flying cards, redirecting them away from Amon.

Some cards crashed into the floor, while others struck the pillars and caused strange effects to spread through the room.

Amon used Spatial Steps and appeared behind the creature. He grabbed one of its arms with Mana Thread.

The creature tried to pull away, and Amon stepped forward and swung Soulpiercer.

The creature twisted its body at the last second. The blade cut through one of its shoulders instead of its chest.

Black spiritual mist escaped from the wound.

Amon immediately stepped backward as the staff came crashing down.

BOOM!

The floor beneath him shattered.

Amon landed several meters away and looked at the boss. ’How do I kill this thing quickly?’

The creature’s two heads began moving independently.

One continued throwing cards while the other focused on Amon with the staff.

Amon used Spatial Steps and appeared above the creature instead.

He grabbed the staff with Mana Thread and pulled it sideways.

But before Amon could do anything, he was grappled by an invisible hand, and the boss suddenly raised its cards.

’Wait, what the fuck happened?’

Both heads began speaking at the same time. "Choose."

Amon frowned as several cards appeared in the air.

Amon activated the Truthseeker’s Eye, and the symbols became clearer, and all of them were red.

’Fuck your game.’

He immediately used Mana Thread.

The threads wrapped around all six cards and pulled them away from the creature.

He slammed the cards against the floor, and the creature suddenly rushed toward him with its staff.

Amon was freed at the last second as he raised his arm and allowed the Dragon Emperor’s Scale Armor to take the attack.

Amon used Spatial Steps after blocking the attack.

His body disappeared and reappeared directly behind the boss.

Soulpiercer pierced through its back as Amon pushed it deeper, and the creature’s body began cracking.

Its cards fell to the floor one after another. The strange symbols covering the chamber started disappearing.

Amon felt the spirit inside the creature weakening. He pushed Soulpiercer forward one final time.

The entire body suddenly froze. A dark mist erupted from the creature and was absorbed by his body.

Its staff fell from its hand and struck the ground. The green flame on the skull slowly disappeared.

---

[Spirit-related killing method confirmed.]

[Boss Monster eliminated.]

[Dungeon cleared.]

[Dungeon Time: 01:03:17]

[Performance Evaluation: S]

[Speedrun Result: S]

[Combat Performance: S]

[Overall Grade: S]

---

Amon stared at the notifications. "...S?"

Another notification appeared.

---

[Special Quest: Spirit Dungeon Speed Run — Completed.]

[Reward Quality has been determined.]

[Reward: Physique of the Spirit Lord]

[Grade: Divine]

[Description: A supreme physique that allows its possessor to naturally harmonize with spiritual energy.]

[This is the same physique that the Mother of All Elves was born with.]

---

Amon’s expression turned confused when he read the last line. "The Mother of All Elves?"

He stared at the notification for several seconds before slowly smiling. ’Now that’s a reward.’

Amon felt something change deep within his spirit.

It wasn’t painful, but it felt as though a missing piece had finally been placed where it belonged.

His spirit became clearer.

The surrounding spiritual energy that had previously been difficult to perceive now felt tangible.

Amon could sense every trace of it within the chamber.

He could even feel the remnants of the boss’s spiritual energy disappearing from the walls. ’So this is the Physique of the Spirit Lord.’

Amon looked at his hands with a strange expression.

He could already tell that his Spirit Sovereign Scripture would become much easier to cultivate with this physique.

Then he noticed something lying beside the dead boss.

It was the strange staff.

The skull at its top was no longer burning, but the dark yellow symbols carved along the wooden body were still glowing faintly.

Amon walked toward it and picked it up.

He immediately felt a strong spiritual presence coming from the weapon.

He smiled. "You’re coming with me too."

Amon stored the staff inside his spatial bracelet.

He then looked around the empty boss chamber one final time.

After everything he had gone through inside the dungeon, he had finally cleared it.

The strange little dungeon had given him far more than he had expected.