Chapter 40: Advancing To The Next Zone.
The moment the notification appeared before him, Kael’s eyes brightened.
Without the slightest hesitation, Kael selected No.
A grin immediately spread across his face.
This was perfect.
His greatest concern at the moment was his Multiplier talent. A lucky multiplier triggering at the wrong moment could completely throw him off mid-battle, and that was dangerous.
Yet this instance had practically handed him the solution.
Store all experience.
Clear the instance first.
Claim everything afterward.
The more Kael thought about it, the more pleased he became.
Unfortunately, he didn’t have the luxury of celebrating.
A growl echoed through the banquet hall.
The remaining enemies were still very much alive.
Kael tightened his grip on his twin swords and shifted his focus back to the battlefield.
The two remaining Sloth Hounds wasted no time.
The first one lunged forward like a projectile, jaws wide enough to tear through flesh and bone. Kael stepped aside at the last moment, allowing the beast to rush past him before flicking one of his blades across its shoulder. The sword carved through rotting flesh and petrified muscle, spilling dark blood across the stone floor.
The wounded creature howled, but before Kael could press the advantage, danger flared through his instincts.
The second hound was already upon him.
Its body launched through the air with frightening speed.
Kael immediately rolled away.
The creature crashed into the ground where he had been standing a split second earlier, the impact sending dust and debris scattering across the hall.
"Nice try."
Kael sprang back to his feet.
Using the opening created by the failed pounce, he circled behind the first hound and drove one of his swords deep into its hindquarters. The beast shrieked in pain and spun around wildly, but Kael was already moving again.
A massive shadow descended from above.
One of the Slothbound Knights had finally caught up.
Its rusted greatsword swept through the air in a devastating horizontal slash capable of cutting a man in half.
Kael ducked beneath it.
The blade passed harmlessly overhead.
The force behind the swing was enough to create a low booming sound throughout the hall.
"Too slow."
His grin widened.
As the knight’s momentum carried it forward, Kael planted his foot and unleashed a brutal kick directly into its helmet.
The instant his foot connected, a burst of destructive force erupted from the impact point.
BOOM!
The knight’s head vanished.
So did most of its upper torso.
Fragments of rusted armor and shattered bone exploded outward like debris from a cannon blast.
A notification flashed across Kael’s vision, but he ignored it completely.
His attention remained fixed on the aftermath.
Echo Strike.
Finally.
A proper demonstration of what the skill could actually do.
Truthfully, Kael had always liked the ability. The damage output was incredible, but most of his previous fights never gave him the opportunity to fully utilize it. Either his opponents died before the third strike landed or circumstances interrupted the chain entirely.
Marcus had been too fragile.
The Sand Worm kept retreating underground.
Neither fight had allowed Echo Strike to display its true potential.
But now?
Now he had seen it firsthand.
The result was satisfying.
Very satisfying.
Another Slothbound Knight charged from the side.
Its sword thrust toward his chest with surprising speed.
Kael tilted his body slightly and allowed the attack to pass harmlessly beside him. Instead of engaging immediately, he leaped backward, creating distance while quickly reassessing the battlefield.
The remaining enemies were already covered in wounds.
Meanwhile, Kael himself remained completely untouched.
Exactly how he intended to keep it.
The Torpor curse hanging over this instance was already dangerous enough. The last thing he wanted was to start accumulating injuries on top of it.
After a brief moment of observation, Kael launched himself back into combat.
The next few minutes passed in a blur of steel and violence.
His swords danced between opponents with relentless precision.
One knight fell after another.
The remaining hounds soon followed.
Whenever an attack came his way, Kael slipped around it with fluid movements. Whenever an opening appeared, he exploited it mercilessly.
The battle slowly tilted further and further in his favor until finally the last Slothbound Knight collapsed.
Silence returned to the banquet hall.
Kael exhaled slowly.
Standing over the fallen knight, he pulled his sword free from its chest with a wet metallic sound before surveying the aftermath.
The once pristine hall had become a battlefield.
Tables lay shattered across the floor.
Broken chairs were scattered everywhere.
Dust drifted lazily through the air.
The remains of the banquet looked even more tragic now.
For a moment, Kael simply stood there.
Then he looked toward the massive doors at the far end of the hall.
"Time to keep moving."
The entire battle had lasted a little over four minutes.
Combined with the time spent crossing the courtyard and avoiding the Grey Shamblers, he estimated that less than twenty-five minutes remained before the next contact of the Torpor of the Eternal Rest curse.
Not enough time to waste.
Without further delay, Kael crossed the ruined hall and stepped through the exit.
A long corridor stretched before him.
The hallway was silent.
Oppressively silent.
Only the sound of his own footsteps accompanied him as he advanced deeper into the castle.
Several minutes later, he reached the end.
There, waiting for him, stood a massive double door covered in faded carvings and ancient symbols.
This was undoubtedly the next zone.
Kael steadied his breathing.
Then he pushed.
The doors groaned loudly as they slowly swung inward.
What greeted him on the other side made him pause.
A vast library stretched before him.
Towering bookshelves lined the walls from floor to ceiling, packed with countless volumes covered in dust. Ancient manuscripts sat abandoned on reading tables while stacks of unfinished books were scattered throughout the room.
The air carried the scent of old paper and decay.
Dust floated through narrow beams of pale light filtering down from high windows.
It felt ancient.
Forgotten.
As though nobody had set foot inside for centuries.
Kael remained in the doorway for several seconds, carefully studying his surroundings.
Then he tightened his grip on his weapons and stepped inside.
