Chapter 162 – Demon King [Kill the Demon King]

The Hunters evacuated the fortress as quickly as possible.

Meanwhile, the fortress gradually began to take on the shape of a massive form.

“Th-that…….”

Siguk, who had escaped first, watched the transforming fortress with trembling eyes.

Following him, Olande Pompidou, the A-Rank Hunters, Ivan Ivanov, Liu Yaofang, and Julia Texon all observed the changes to the fortress.

“That is…….”

Ivan Ivanov reacted similarly to Siguk.

He clenched his fist tightly.

“Save me!”

“Mobile Unit Captain! Help us!”

Meanwhile, some B-Rank Hunters who hadn’t managed to escape in time were caught in the fortress’s transformation.

They desperately called out to Olande Pompidou, but he couldn’t move.

It was already too late to save them with Teleport.

“Save…….”

Crrrunch-!

Their voices were cut off by the swirling debris of the transforming fortress, and soon they were buried under a pile of rubble.

“Wh-what on earth is happening?”

Liu Yaofang muttered in a bewildered voice.

No one could answer that.

As the escaped Hunters watched, the massive fortress finally completed its transformation.

A long tail, a huge torso, pitch-black dead eyes, and the putrid gas of corpses spewing from its mouth with each breath.

“……A dragon?”

A giant dragon composed of corpses spread its wings.

Ivan Ivanov looked at Siguk.

“That thing…….”

Siguk said, staring at the dragon.

“That’s right. It’s similar to the one in Moscow.”

A foreboding premonition flashed through Siguk’s mind.

‘It’s understandable that Hunters who died here become Undead. But how can those who died in the Dungeon…….’

Li Yixin and Adolf Randlinger, who died in the Moscow Dungeon.

If they became Undead, then there was no reason the Black Dragon that died there couldn’t become one too.

‘Damn it…….’

Once again, the fear of death wrapped around Siguk.

Then, Ululu Tumbebe’s voice emanated from the corpse dragon.

“Some among you have likely seen this form before.”

As he spoke, the dragon glanced once at Siguk and Ivan Ivanov.

“I will achieve what he failed to do.”

The dragon took a step.

“Everyone, prepare for battle!”

Ivan Ivanov shouted.

The Hunters, thoroughly intimidated by the massive dragon’s majesty, tightly gripped their weapons and assumed combat stances.

‘No. That can’t be. He’s not an ordinary Monster. He’s a Monster with a will, one who knows how to attempt deals with humans. Such a being couldn’t become Undead. That is…….’

Siguk used his All-Seeing Eye to scan the dragon slowly approaching the Hunters.

An immense amount of Mana was felt from it.

But there was no sign of the Life Force that a living creature should possess.

‘There, Ululu Tumbebe is there.’

And an area of particularly dense Mana concentration was detected by Siguk’s All-Seeing Eye.

A dense clump of Mana located in the dragon’s head, where the brain should be.

‘If we destroy just that…….’

Siguk steadied himself and adjusted his grip on his sword.

‘That form is merely an imitation. The intimidation from its size and the destructive power from its Mana are certainly not to be taken lightly, but it’s weaker than the dragon from Moscow.’

Within that rational judgment, Siguk also assumed a combat stance.

“Foolish beings. Do you truly believe you can defeat me, who has become one with the entire fortress, no matter how much you resist?”

As he spoke, the dragon—no, Ululu Tumbebe—opened its maw wide.

Instantly, Siguk tensed up at the ominous flow of energy he sensed from it.

Ivan Ivanov was equally tense.

“Gather around me!”

At his command, the Hunters swiftly gathered around Ivan Ivanov.

‘It might not be acid on the level of the Moscow dragon, but the corpses forming the fortress and the Corpse Poison emanating from them alone would pose a significant threat.’

Thinking this, Ivan Ivanov drew up his Mana.

“Foolish thing.”

Simultaneous with Ululu Tumbebe’s voice, a toxic substance accompanied by black gas spewed from the dragon’s mouth.

“Ura!”

At the same time, Ivan Ivanov also deployed his strongest Shield with all his might.

Kwa-kwa-kwang-!

A tremendous roar echoed as if a volcano had erupted.

Black gas and poison continuously spewed from the dragon’s maw, while Ivan Ivanov’s Shield, constantly supplied with Mana, protected the Hunters.

For a while, Ululu Tumbebe’s Corpse Poison gas and Ivan Ivanov’s Shield continued their struggle.

After a moment, the dragon closed its maw, and the poison and gas scattered in the blowing wind.

And then,

“Cough!”

Ivan Ivanov vomited blood and fell to his knees.

The Shield he had been maintaining had long since vanished along with his Mana.

Fortunately, no one was exposed to the gas and poison, but some Hunters suffered internal injuries from the shockwaves caused by the collision of the Shield and the gas.

“Damn it!”

Olande Pompidou cursed and took out a Mana Potion, feeding it to Ivan Ivanov.

Ivan Ivanov raised a hand in thanks.

“Attack!”

Ivan Ivanov shouted.

Simultaneously, Liu Yaofang’s pre-prepared magic attack was the first to engulf the dragon.

A massive blizzard erupted, freezing the dragon’s lower body.

Following that, lightning summoned by Olande Pompidou mercilessly struck the dragon’s head and upper body.

Amidst the flashing lightning and thunder that shook heaven and earth, the corpses forming the dragon’s exterior burned or fell away.

“Huaaap!”

The surviving A-Rank Hunters of the Melee Dealer type led the B-Rank Melee Dealers in a charge.

As they charged, Liu Yaofang froze even the dragon’s tail, and Olande Pompidou succeeded in igniting a large fire with lightning on its back and neck.

“Haap!”

Thud-!

And finally, the Melee Dealers who had reached the dragon began to pummel its lower body with their weapons and Skills.

Those with swift movements climbed up the dragon’s knees and struck around its waist area.

‘What’s this? It’s too easy.’

Thinking this, Ivan Ivanov wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and stood up.

‘Is it just borrowing a shell?’

If it had truly Copied the Ability Stats of the deceased like Adolf Randlinger or Li Yixin, the entire Assault Team would likely have been wiped out.

But, at least from Ivan Ivanov’s perspective, the dragon they were now facing didn’t even qualify as a Copy compared to the dragon Siguk had hunted in Moscow.

‘Huh?’

Then, Ivan Ivanov noticed Siguk standing motionless, unlike the other Hunters.

“Why are you just standing there watching?”

In response to Ivan Ivanov’s question, Siguk couldn’t answer.

He merely watched the Hunters attacking the dragon with a grave expression.

“Hey, you…….”

“Call them back immediately, Nikolayevich. Now!”

Siguk looked at Ivan Ivanov and urgently shouted.

Instantly, Ivan Ivanov’s expression hardened.

“Hunters! All retreat! Return to the main force!”

Ivan Ivanov shouted at the top of his lungs.

“What are you talking about?!”

A British A-Rank Hunter, who had been hammering the dragon’s instep, looked at Ivan Ivanov with a puzzled expression before continuing to strike the dragon’s instep.

“Now! That’s an order!”

Ivan Ivanov repeated the command. But no one moved.

Instantly, the corner of the dragon’s mouth twitched slightly. As if sneering.

And then, the dragon’s body disintegrated.

The body composed of a pile of corpses disintegrated, instantly becoming millions of tiny, rotten lumps of flesh.

“Huh?!”

The Melee Dealers who had been pounding the dragon’s body up close were suddenly surrounded by lumps of flesh before they could react.

“Gasp!”

And the foul gas and poison emanating from them caused them to choke and rapidly lose Life Force.

The Hunters who lost their Life Force and died instantly decomposed, becoming one of the lumps of flesh.

“Damn it! Run now!”

Some of the A-Rank Dealers quickly retreated to the main force where Ivan Ivanov and the Ranged Dealers were.

But that only applied to those who had been attacking the dragon’s feet on the ground.

“Huh?! Huh?!”

One British A-Rank Hunter, who had climbed onto the dragon’s back and was stabbing it with a greatsword, was directly exposed to the poison and gas.

True to his A-Rank status, he held out for quite a while, but that only brought greater suffering.

“Gyaaaah!”

Exposed to gas and poison that even melted and rotted an A-Rank Hunter’s body, slowly losing Life Force, he suffered in agony until the moment of death, finally becoming part of the rotten mass of corpses.

“Damn it!”

Ivan Ivanov’s expression soured.

And it wasn’t just him.

The other surviving Hunters were the same.

Especially Siguk, whose expression had turned grim.

• Foolish being. Your shallow Skill was only useful against the foolish Tiamat. Your Skill can be sufficiently blocked simply by absorbing everything from the Hunter.

Siguk’s face contorted grotesquely at Ululu Tumbebe’s Telepathy, clearly referring to the March of the Dark Legion, which could be considered Siguk’s strongest Skill.

• Even though I borrowed Tiamat’s face, you did not surrender to me. Unlike Tiamat, my origin is human. With human judgment, I could have taken you under my command. As I did with Rudolf Krauf, I could have given you immense power and the opportunity to pledge loyalty to me.

Siguk clenched his fist tightly.

• However, since you rejected such an opportunity, I shall pass judgment upon you with the king’s authority.

Siguk gritted his teeth.

Meanwhile, Ululu Tumbebe’s main body, having absorbed all the Hunters attached to it, once again took on a concrete form.

This time, it changed its appearance not into a dragon, but into a giant.

Meanwhile, the utterly exhausted A-Rank Melee Dealers arrived at the main force and collapsed as if falling forward.

Instantly, a strange light flashed in Siguk’s eyes as he looked at them.

‘Familiar.’

The Familiar hiding in the shadows responded to Siguk’s call.

• Yes, Master.

‘Prepare.’

• Prepare for what, sir?

‘To absorb.’

The next instant, Siguk quickly approached the A-Rank Dealers collapsed on the ground.

“Huh?! H-hey! What are you doing!”

Olande Pompidou, who had noticed Siguk, shouted.

Everyone’s gaze turned toward Siguk.

At that moment, Siguk’s sword stabbed the neck of an A-Rank Hunter collapsed on the ground.

Already utterly exhausted, he died from that single strike.

And immediately, a Familiar appeared with crimson smoke and absorbed him.

“L-Lee Siguk Hunter… y-you, surely you don’t mean…….”

Olande Pompidou pointed a finger at Siguk.

At that moment, Siguk disappeared from before his eyes.

Thud-!

“Ugh!”

In an instant, Siguk went behind Olande Pompidou and deeply stabbed his back with his sword. Then, in a flash, he slashed dozens of times.

True to a Mage with pitifully low Defense, Olande Pompidou died from that assault. And his corpse was immediately absorbed by the Familiar.

“Hey! Are you insane?!”

Julia Texon shouted at Siguk. Instantly, Siguk’s gaze turned toward her.

Startled, she raised her gun. But Siguk’s sword was faster than her trigger pull.

Thud-!

“Guh!”

Siguk’s sword embedded in her heart.

Julia Texon felt her Life Force drop by 50% in an instant and knelt on the spot.

“What are you doing, Lee Siguk Hunter!”

Liu Yaofang, his face pale as he watched Siguk’s sudden team-killing, stepped forward.

At that moment, a massive wall of fire appeared between him and Siguk.

It was created by the Familiar.

• It is Master’s strategy. If you do not wish to become a sacrifice as well, stay still.

At the Familiar’s Telepathy directed at him, Liu Yaofang flinched and trembled.

‘Wh-what on earth is that…….’

Looking at the Familiar, which was burning to death or otherwise killing Hunters who were exhausted in various ways besides those Siguk personally killed, Liu Yaofang fell silent.

‘Just what is Lee Siguk Hunter…….’

Looking at Lee Siguk, who had killed Julia Texon and was now seeking other prey beyond the flames, Liu Yaofang trembled with fear.