Solo Max-Level Newbie
Chapter 363: Base Reinforcement (3)

Chapter 363: Base Reinforcement (3)

The sound of metal scraping, flesh being cut, bones splintering. The cut surfaces were so clean it was as if they were art.

“Finally… caught them. The trash coveting the magic stones.”

The giant monster wielding a 2-meter halberd exuded killing intent in spades, its enormous figure dwarfing even the Executor they had just faced.

It was from a superior class, the ‘Slaughterer’.

If until now they had encountered middle to lower ranks of the Phantasmal Sect, the monster before them belonged to a higher class than even the elders.

At first glance, it didn’t seem ordinary. Far more daunting than any boss, the pressure of its aura weighed down on the surroundings, crushing them not with sheer magical power, but with an innate sense of unease and rejection—a visceral aversion to its very existence.

Just then…

“Damn it! What are you all doing?”

A blonde man burst from the tent, shouting angrily.

Feydan Romania.

Vice leader of the Olympus Guild and commander of this assault team. All the careful planning for this raid and former successful dungeon conquests—it was all thanks to his achievements.

“Commander!”

“Don’t panic! Keep handling them in squads as we practiced! We must prevent them from leveraging their numbers—divide and conquer thoroughly!”

“But, Master, there’s no way we can stop that monstrous beast!”

Indeed, while they could manage the other fanatics somehow, there was one exception.

The front-line Slaughterer, crazily swinging its halberd, was cleaving through even the sturdiest of tanks, cutting them to pieces.

In other words, their current armor was no match for its attacks.

“I’ll handle that one.”

Feydan drew his beloved weapon without hesitation.

Swhoosh!

A longsword emanating a yellow glow along with a thin shield appeared in his hands.

Legendary relics of yellow grade, they were specifically prepared for this raid by the guild.

‘Once we defeat that one, there’s a chance for us.’

Concluding this, Feydan charged toward the Slaughterer.

Swift!

His movements were fast.

One would wonder how many melee dealers could move that quickly.

Buzzz!

A halberd seemingly over 100kg sliced through the air.

Boom!

The earth cracked apart like the shell of a turtle.

‘The halberd is indeed a mighty weapon’.

Its destructive power could slay multiple foes in a single swing, adding to its already daunting range.

But,

‘The longer the reach, the wider the gap between its attacks’.

Every weapon had its pros and cons.

Avoid the initial strike…

And there will always be an opening to exploit.

Clash!

Deflecting the impact with his shield and swinging his sword to target the joints, Feydan’s blade grazed the Slaughterer’s ankle.

“Kraaaa…agh!”

The Slaughterer swung its halberd wildly as if to swat away a fly.

But, with Feydan utilizing his speed to strike and retreat effectively, the Slaughterer was always a half-beat too slow.

“Don’t lump me with the others.”

Feydan seized the moment, his blade cleanly beheading the Slaughterer.

Scrape!

The Slaughterer’s head fell to the ground.

“Oooh!”

“We did it, we did it!”

“Truly, the commander! He took down the monster!”

Morale surged instantly.

Having killed the enemy leader, they just needed to regroup and deal with the remaining fanatics.

But then…

The sight that followed…

Drove everyone’s faces to despair.

“Filthy human scum.”

“Dare covet the magic stones meant for Him… Pay for your sin with blood.”

“Hehehe. I’ll devour everything. The soft flesh. The eyeballs. And the innards.”

There wasn’t just one Slaughterer.

Twelve of them appeared, each armed with halberds, battle axes, and scythes of grotesque shapes.

Each Slaughterer alone was formidable, but now there were twelve.

Additionally,

There was more than just Slaughterers.

Clank!

Clink…

Knights shrouded in black armor.

‘Blood Knights’.

A variant of Death Knight with three arms, they had bizarre patterns and were counted as extremely difficult monsters.

In fact, even the elite holy knights of the Papacy, excluding one, had been annihilated by these Blood Knights.

“Undead monsters here, too?”

“Weren’t these just fanatics?!”

“How massive must their force be, for these superior kinds to keep emerging, damn it… Ha…haha.”

The assault team was aware that it was a battleground for various factions.

The problem was,

Their intelligence was limited to just that.

Focused on swiftly understanding the 20th floor’s layout and seizing key points, they overlooked the details.

Crash!

Bang!

The Blood Knights bore down on Feydan like a storm.

Top, bottom, bottom, then the flank.

His advantage in speed vanished completely.

He could no longer react based on sight and was reduced to relying solely on instinct and anticipation.

“Cough…!”

Feydan, drenched in sweat, was forced into defense.

And still, the enemy numbers increased exponentially.

“We have no chance…”

Despair filled Teresa as she watched the enemies swarm like ants.

Thousands of fanatics brandishing black flags poured towards their encampment.

Days without proper sleep had worn them thin, both mentally and physically, and now they faced these powerful monsters.

No chance of victory was in sight.

“We must flee.”

Not even steadying the formation was an option anymore. They had to scatter and survive as many as they could.

＊＊＊

A forest on the outskirts of the empire.

Deep in the darkness where no one tread, a small flame flickered.

“…That’s the situation.”

Jinhyuk shared with everyone what he had learned from Orun.

“That sounds troublesome. You mean hundreds of players could be annihilated?”

Chun Yuseong let out a sigh.

“The 20th floor is indeed the most chaotic spot in the tower. It seems they charged in blindly with nothing but ambition.”

Elise chimed in.

“That’s the case. The thing is, I’d usually ignore those blinded by greed, but…”

The problem was Teresa’s involvement in the raid team.

The renowned Rosenberg family of Europe surely found it hard to reject the help offered by presidents and prime ministers of various countries.

Undoubtedly, Teresa was compelled to take part in the raid.

‘Now I understand why she said it would be difficult to go with me to the empire.’

The reason was now clear.

“So, you’re not attending the empire’s banquet?”

“I’ll have to postpone it. That’s not my priority right now.”

The plan for conquering the 20th floor was initially meant to be slow and steady, but now circumstances dictated an accelerated pace.

Not necessarily a bad thing, though. Thanks to Olympus stirring things up first, various variables were at play, which he could tactically exploit to his advantage.

‘It’s all about leveraging the situation.’

Jinhyuk’s lips curved subtly.

If handled correctly, they could gain not just the 20th floor but also monopolize various other benefits.

“So, will it just be the three of us? You, me, and Miss Elise?”

“No, that would leave us with insufficient numbers.”

Despite significant individual strength, on the 20th floor, the resource of ‘manpower’ was essential.

Therefore,

Jinhyuk had secured the support of a few robust allies.

Footsteps approached at that moment.

“Man… it’s tough to even dine with you. I knew you were hot property, but didn’t expect you to be this expensive.”

Ebrahim approached, scratching his head, accompanied by another familiar face.

“I’ve heard there’s an intriguing venture afoot; should I be looking forward to it?”

Fessis.

The great explorer of the tower agreed to join the expedition.

An opportunity arose to copy his unique abilities besides engaging in adventure—an excellent two-for-one deal.

“Thank you. I know it wasn’t an easy decision to make, but I appreciate your willingness to help.”

“Your heartfelt commitment to saving a comrade impressed me.”

“And to save a holy woman from your world, how very romantic. It’s like a tale straight out of a fairy tale. Oh! Does that make Player Kang Jinhyuk the hero of the story?”

Hmm.

There seemed to be some misunderstanding.

No need to correct it, though.

The especially sharp look in Elise’s eyes was surely an illusion.

At least, he hoped so…

Chun Yuseong marveled at the new additions.

“Lucky for us. I was worried you’d insist on going in just the three of us, but with seven capable fighters, we might manage.”

Seven?

Not five?

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve also contacted some reliable folks. It was initially for a purpose other than the 20th floor, but saving Teresa comes first.”

As Chun Yuseong finished speaking, new figures emerged from the bushes on the opposite side.

“Master Chun called for an urgent meeting. I came flying, hoping to see my teacher again after such a long time. It’s a pity it’s not for nostalgic reasons though.”

“To not hear anything from your side, one might think I’ll only be summoned to your funeral. Ahem. It looks like I might get called when you’re about to enter the coffin, doesn’t it?”

Chu Heonsa and Am Hwang appeared.

Though the empire and Murim had signed a peace treaty, it was unusual for such top fighters from their respective forces to cross into the empire.

“Teacher…?”

“Yes. Have you been well?”

Am Hwang approached with a hearty laugh.

“I’ve been fine. Have you been at peace, teacher?”

“Peace my foot! I’ve nearly gone mad without a good fight. So, there’s tens of thousands of enemies for me to crush? Where shall I start my sweep?”

“It’s like that, but we have our forces, so we should approach this strategically. There’s no need to make enemies of everyone.”

Even the war-crazed Lü Bu relied on his intuition to fight between Liu Bei and Cao Cao. However, Am Hwang was equally, if not more, aggressive.

Of course…

“With me here, what use are a million troops?”

Am Hwang’s confidence was backed by overwhelming martial power.

A one-man army.

He declared he was all that was needed.

With the reinforcements set, Elise became anxious, feeling left out for doing nothing.

“I… I also have something prepared. Really.”

In haste, Elise infused mana into the necklace she wore.

With that, space ripped open like a crescent moon, and…

Shoop!

Amidst smoke, silver-haired vampires emerged.

Ophelia and Belus kneeled towards Elise.

“Greetings to the Lady of Ataraxia.”

“Greetings to the Lady of Ataraxia.”

“Yes, my kin.”

Elise’s shoulders rose with pride.

For once, not the butt of a joke, she seemed to revel in her status as the head of a household, savoring the queenly treatment.

‘…’

Jinhyuk silently observed the gathered group.

Gone were the days of facing adversity alone.

Now, someone was always there beside him.

“We will now proceed to the 20th floor.”

Jinhyuk took the lead.