CHAPTER 68: WELL... WE’RE FUCKED

"Shit, did you see the dungeon system notification?!"

"Yeah, we’re fucked this time. The dungeon’s finished evolving!"

"Uh, but I d..don’t want to die..."

"Tough luck. With the beasts all evolved to E-rank, good luck getting out of here alive."

"Our shot at killing the dungeon boss while it was evolving is gone. Nothing we can do about it now."

"But... but... the beasts... they disappeared... doesn’t this mean—"

"Agh, goddammit, do you live under a rock? The dungeon sucked them in. When they respawn, the dungeon breaks and we’ll just be collateral damage. So no, the beasts disappearing isn’t a good thing, dumbass."

"Since this is the end, might as well get it over with." A youth in basic warrior’s attire muttered softly, his eyes shifting to a girl clutching a bow.

"Say, Jessica... you don’t think..."

"Not a chance in hell."

"Well, at least I tried."

Murmurs rippled across the dungeon as the notification blinked in everyone’s vision. Panic and unease swelled among the youths, the prospect of imminent death was anything but comforting.

And just before the panic could explode, the dungeon walls and ground hissed with a sizzling sound. A cloud of mist rose, engulfing the chamber, and with it came true terror.

Hordes of Evolved Acidic Slimes emerged, towering over eight meters tall. Their frames gleamed faintly with mana, marking them as true E-rank beings. The oppressive aura rolling off them was more than enough to promise death for anyone in their path.

Even so, some still held firm. Eyes hardened, they barked orders, trying to muster one last stand.

"Form the formation!" a raven-haired maiden shouted.

"If we die, then let it be in battle—as the first line of defense before they break out of the dungeon!" another youth roared, his black eyes burning with determination.

"Delay them as much as possible! Even if we can’t kill them, every second we stall gives the outside world a chance to prepare!" a shield-bearing youth cried, slamming his rune-etched shield into the ground.

Across the dungeon, similar scenes played out. The youths faced death with grim resolve, determined to make it count.

But determination without power was meaningless. They soon learned the lesson all over again as the evolved slimes plowed through their defenses, spewing acid and corroding everything in their path.

Even blows that landed did nothing. The mana barriers wrapping the slimes shrugged off attacks like they were raindrops.

Despair spread. The survivors’ faces fell as reality set in: everything was useless before absolute power. The gap between F-rank and E-rank was just too massive.

Then, mid-slaughter, the slimes froze.

"Uh... what are they doing? Why’d they stop?"

"Are they mocking us?"

"Come on and finish it, you cowardly fuckers!"

Anger and confusion rippled across the survivors. But then their gazes followed the slimes’, to the depths of the dungeon, where a resplendent purple light pulsed like a beacon.

The instant it appeared, something primal stirred within the slimes. Their weary postures vanished, green eyes glowing as they streaked toward the light, abandoning the battlefield entirely.

"Wait... they just left? Like that?"

"No...it’s that purple light. They’re drawn to it."

"But... after unleashing all this chaos... how can they just leave?"

"What do you mean, ’just leave’? You wanted them to keep slaughtering us?"

"No, I meant..."

"I know what you meant. It’s the law of this world. We kill their kind to grow stronger. Maybe they finally retaliated."

"You sound way too detached... You think you’re suddenly wise or something?"

The murmurs carried on as the survivors tried to process the bizarre sight.

Elsewhere in the dungeon, a girl stood among the bodies. Her black eyes gleamed with a freezing light.

"I’m going after them," she whispered, her blue hair rippling with silent determination.

"Wait, Lena, now’s not the time for rash decisions. We just survived a calamity. Throwing your life away won’t help," a girl said, resting a hand on her shoulder.

"And waiting for the slimes to return and finish us will?" Lena shot back. Her voice lowered. "They’re heading toward the same direction that youth went, the one who saved us. He was already on the cusp of evolution when he left. If anyone can face those E-rank slimes, I’ll bet on him."

"You mean... the Grim Reaper?"

"She’s right. Finding him is our best chance. Worst case, we die, but if we stay here, we die anyway."

"Argh, dammit! Fine. If we’re going, I want to know what that purple light is too."

"Has to be some kind of treasure. Why else would the slimes rush toward it?"

And so, across the dungeon, multiple survivor groups made the same decision, chasing after the slimes, drawn by the purple glow.

***

Ding! The host has slain a Level 29 Evolved Common Acidic Slime! 9,000 dungeon points awarded!

Ding! The host has slain a Level 26 Evolved Uncommon Acidic Slime! 26,000 dungeon points awarded!

Ding! The host has slain a Level 30 Evolved Uncommon Acidic Slime! 30,000 dungeon points awarded!

[Ding! Congratulations, host has leveled up!]

[Level 29: 80,000/80,000]

[Ding! Congratulations, host has leveled up!]

[Level 30: 90,000/90,000]

[Ding! The Vortex of Doom has absorbed all energy from the slain foes. Where do you wish to channel it? Attribute Points? Talents & Skills? Equipment?]

[+224 unallocated attribute points]

"Bit less than I expected, but better than nothing," Aurelian muttered, eyes locked on the glowing notifications.

The attributes he gained from devouring weaker beasts were dwindling. What sort of bullshit was that? His brows furrowed in annoyance.

He inhaled sharply and shifted focus to his Supreme Records.

[+96 Toughness | +93 Willpower | +35 Charisma]

Warm streams of energy flooded his body. His mind sharpened, his willpower fortifying into a fortress against mental assault. His skin shimmered, bones drinking in the energy. His flesh grew softer to the touch, yet his body felt tougher than ever.

He pinched his skin, no pain. That was with half his strength.

With full strength, just a faint prick.

"Interesting," he murmured. Grinning, he tried something riskier, dragging his white blade across his palm.

"Yeah, maybe that wasn’t so wise," he hissed, watching it slice through like butter. The wound, however, closed almost instantly.

Not bad. Channeling mana into his fingers left only white marks on his skin. Combined with his C-rank [Iron Skin], his defense would be monstrous.

"Only sixty more to go before the record awakens," he muttered. "Let’s see if you’ll do the trick."

With that thought, his figure blurred, shockwaves rippling behind him as he charged straight toward the dungeon’s deepest chamber. The final boss awaited.