Monopolizing Skills to the 666th Floor - Chapter 51

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Skill Devouring to the 666th Floor Episode 051

51. Bargaining with Orcus

I boarded a plane to Shenzhen to prevent the massacre.

I could fly there myself, but it wouldn’t be faster than a plane.

‘I won’t be late. China is close, after all.’

A distance that could be covered in 4 hours would be enough.

I believed there would still be time to stop Weihao.

However.

[Due to deteriorating weather conditions, the flight to Shenzhen has been delayed by 3 hours. We ask for your understanding.]

I boarded the plane later than expected, and the result was now unfolding before my eyes.

“Kyaaah!”

“Someone save me!”

“Run away!”

The massacre was already taking place.

‘Damn it. I’m too late.’

Bodies visible everywhere.

Among them, Han So Ra’s body was nowhere to be seen.

A blessing in disguise.

‘Where is she.’

When I maximized my senses and tracked the traces of magic power, I pinpointed her location.

‘Over there.’

I quickly flew up and soon spotted Weihao.

He was holding Han So Ra suspended in mid-air, preparing to execute her.

‘I can’t let that happen.’

I arrived at the scene just in time.

Clang!

I caught the machete blade mid-swing as it was coming down.

“What are you…?”

“Why should I.”

Crack!

When I applied force, the blade snapped.

“Answer your question?”

Weihao was shocked.

Not missing that opportunity.

Snap!

I broke one of his legs.

“Urgh!”

Just as I was about to break his other leg as well.

‘Hmm?’

I felt an invisible force pressing down on my body.

‘Grip of the Dead. It’s a good skill.’

To give such an SSS-rank skill to a bastard like this.

For someone who claims to be the God of the Underworld, he has no eye for people.

‘Whatever the case, it won’t work on me.’

The suppression was brief, and my stiffened body began to move.

My body had resisted the telekinesis.

That was only natural.

With my resistance stat at 30, there’s no way such a technique would work on me.

‘Unless the opponent’s magic power was much higher.’

No matter how much of a genius Weihao was, comparable to Joshua, he was no match for me.

“How… how?”

“How am I moving?”

Crunch!

“Urgh!”

I stomped on his shin, crushing the bone.

Now he wouldn’t be able to run away.

“I told you. There’s no reason for me to answer.”

This time I grabbed his arm and twisted it.

Crack!

“Aaaah!”

Now he won’t be able to use telekinesis either.

“I won’t even tell you why I’m beating you up.”

Thwack!

I threw a punch that crushed Weihao’s nasal bone as well.

He was on the verge of losing consciousness.

‘But I can’t kill him.’

He was trash who committed massacres, but I had no intention of killing him.

If I killed him, I wouldn’t be able to copy the ‘Grip of the Dead’ skill.

Actually, I had already planted a parasite in his head.

[Since the target has only one skill, attempting immediate replication.]

[Successfully replicated skill ‘Grip of the Dead’.]

‘I can’t let an SSS-rank skill slip away.’

That was the reason I barely kept him breathing.

But it seemed he had more strength left than expected.

“Kugh, fucking Chinese bastard!”

He spat out curses in Chinese and threw the broken machete with his remaining arm.

Not at me, but toward Han So Ra.

‘I guess he planned to take at least one more person with him…’

Ting!

‘As if that would work.’

The blade bounced off before it could even touch Han So Ra’s body.

The ‘Cloud’s Protection’ skill had detected the threat and activated.

‘I knew this would happen, so I cast it on Han So Ra beforehand.’

An invincibility skill that automatically activates before taking damage.

It’s really useful at times like this.

Since it can prepare for unexpected situations.

However, I couldn’t avoid Han So Ra’s gaze.

She was puzzled about how I was using the same skill as her.

‘There’s no need to explain.’

My face was already changed with camouflage anyway.

For me, it would be enough to kill Weihao and leave.

Of course, my purpose wasn’t to kill him but to drive him to the brink of death.

Crunch!

“Aaaah!”

I stomped on and broke Weihao’s remaining arm as well.

All his limbs were completely broken.

Even so, his eyes were still alive.

‘Full of venom.’

As expected, he’s different from ordinary people.

He’s not a psychopath for nothing.

How should I deal with this guy?

Should I just kill him here?

‘No, I can’t do that.’

He needs to be alive for me to use Grip of the Dead.

More than anything, this trash still had value to exploit.

Especially to that god who cherishes his Apostle dearly.

‘A reaction should come soon.’

As expected, a message appeared shortly after.

[Orcus, God of the Underworld, shouts angrily asking what you’re doing to his Apostle.]

[Orcus, God of the Underworld, yells for you to come into his room immediately and explain.]

[You can temporarily use the ‘Eternal Room’ through Orcus, God of the Underworld’s Divine Authority.]

[Would you like to enter the Eternal Room? Y/N]

‘As expected.’

Orcus had reacted.

This was the situation I wanted.

‘Shall we start negotiating?’

[What the hell are you doing, human!]

Orcus shouted angrily as soon as I entered the Eternal Room.

He still calls me ‘human’ even though he clearly knows my name.

It means he won’t show me respect.

‘I knew that from the beginning. How you view me.’

Even before the regression, Orcus had always disliked me.

Back then, I hadn’t even stood out particularly, and I wasn’t a Regressor either.

‘At first I didn’t know the reason… but now I do. Because I asked.’

The reason was too simple.

Ridiculously so.

‘He dislikes my soul because it’s murky?’

It was absurd to me, but if that’s what he says, what can I do?

‘Even now, he can probably see it in his eyes. My murky soul.’

So, I decided to use that murkiness.

“What am I doing? Can’t you see for yourself?”

[Are you planning to kill my Apostle!]

“Yes, I’m going to kill him.”

[What?]

Orcus looked stunned at my bold answer.

“He’s trash who massacred people indiscriminately. What good would come from keeping such a bastard alive? It would only create more victims. It’s better to kill him here.”

[You, you bastard…!]

[Stop, calm down Orcus.]

[That’s right, nothing gets solved by just shouting like that. Find your reason.]

The other two gods stepped in to stop him.

Kairos, who had barely calmed the fuming Orcus, spoke.

[Tae Seong, let me ask you one thing.]

“Go ahead.”

[Was it a coincidence that you met Orcus’s first Apostle?]

Was meeting Weihao a coincidence?

“How could it be? What are the odds of coincidentally encountering another Apostle of the same god? And in a different country at that.”

[Then you’re saying you met him intentionally?]

“Yes. I already knew he would commit a massacre. I flew all the way to China to stop it.”

The situation didn’t make sense to claim it was coincidence.

So I had no choice but to tell the truth.

‘Of course, I’ll have to hide my real intention.’

My real intention was to copy Weihao’s skill.

There was no need to tell the gods, who don’t know how I overcame Skill Copy’s limitations.

[To prevent a massacre… hehe.]

[To think it was for such a reason… You’re unexpectedly altruistic for a human.]

When the gods showed surprised reactions, I smiled bitterly inside.

My actions were far from being for others’ sake.

‘Of course it would be nice to stop villains and help people in danger. But I can’t hunt down every villain in the world, can I?’

Removing dangerous elements to make the world better?

The intention is good.

But that alone isn’t enough.

Villains are scattered all over the world, and even knowing what they’ll do, it’s impossible to stop them all.

‘It’s not like I have multiple bodies.’

Rather than playing hero like superheroes in movies, getting even a little stronger would be more beneficial to Earth.

That way, the chances of killing Amon and preventing destruction would also increase.

‘Trying to get Weihao’s skill is for that reason too.’

To become stronger.

But what I’m really after is something more important than skills.

I think I can get it if I work just a little more.

“I told you before. To be careful of Liu Weihao. That he did the crazy thing of killing other Twelve Apostles even before the regression.”

[You certainly said that.]

“That’s why I came to eliminate him. There was a variable with flight delays so I’m a bit late… but dangerous elements must be removed.”

[You’re going to eliminate my Apostle!?]

Orcus, who had been listening quietly, flared up again.

He’s someone who cherishes his Apostles dearly.

‘If I provoke such a guy?’

I’ll be able to get what I want.

[Liu Weihao must not be killed! I will never let you kill my Apostle!]

“What can Lord Orcus even do?”

[What…?]

I deliberately sneered as I continued speaking.

“All you can do is send messages or provide sponsorship. In a situation where you can only watch from afar, let alone directly intervene, how do you plan to protect Liu Weihao? Do you really think you can stop me?”

[…]

“Lord Orcus, this isn’t the time to act tough and show off your pride. If you want to save your Apostle, you need to change your tone first. And.”

I turned my gaze to the other two gods.

“Let me ask the gods present here. Do you think my actions to kill Weihao are wrong? He’s someone who will attack the Twelve Apostles in the future. Just like now. Are you saying we should just leave such a guy alone?”

[Ah, but that future hasn’t come yet!]

Orcus protested, but.

“So, do you believe that personality that massacres people like that can be reformed?”

[…]

I immediately made him shut his mouth.

“Do you two feel the same way? Are you confident that Weihao really won’t cause any problems in the future? After seeing him kill people like that?”

[…]

[…]

It was quiet.

No god objected.

“You don’t need to answer. Silence means agreement.”

Two in favor, one against.

Weihao’s fate was decided by majority vote.

“Only one person is objecting? Then, according to the majority vote, I’ll eliminate Lord Orcus’s first Apostle…”

[Wait!]

Orcus cried out with a desperate expression.

[Please, don’t kill him. Regressor!]

His tone was much more polite than before.

[He’s the first Apostle I chose with my own judgment. I want to watch his growth.]

“He’s massacring people like that, and you want me to spare him?”

[Who knows? Maybe he could help our forces…]

“Hah…”

I held my forehead.

Of course, it was acting.

“What did you think I was saying? That guy is the one who will harm the Twelve Apostles in the future! And you’re talking about forces?”

[His talent is outstanding. He’s already conquered Floor 24. He’ll definitely be helpful.]

I know well that he’s a talent comparable to Joshua.

Even though Weihao’s personality was rock bottom, his combat sense and skills were worth acknowledging.

Seeing him handle Telekinesis, his Mana Control was also top-level.

‘In the past, he was a skilled fighter who ranked 3rd among the Twelve Apostles.’

He actually survived longer than Joshua, who died on the 399th Floor.

Though he ultimately couldn’t overcome the wall of the 666th Floor.

‘I should do some acting here.’

I spoke with a deliberately incredulous expression.

“Are you telling me to make that guy my ally?”

[Y-yes. If I persuade him well, he might be reformed…]

“That’s not someone who’ll come to his senses with words. I need to beat him half to death.”

[Fine, you can beat him half to death, just spare his life. So he can help with conquering the Labyrinth. I’m begging you like this, Regressor.]

Orcus bowed his head sincerely.

I didn’t know why he was so attached to one Apostle, but I could feel his sincerity.

‘He definitely cherishes his Apostles dearly.’

It was the same before the regression, and it’s the same this time.

Would his original personality change just because he regressed?

‘He’s completely fallen for it now.’

Should I try demanding what I want now?

“If I save Weihao? What will you do for me in return?”

[Huh?]

“I’m taking the risk of future danger to save him, so shouldn’t there be a proper reward for me as well?”

Orcus seemed flustered, apparently not expecting me to demand compensation.

[Ah… right, right. What should I give you… Ah! I know! When you reach the 80th Floor, I’ll sponsor you with the best thing I have!]

“That’s something you should do anyway.”

[Huh? Then, what should I give you…?]

Orcus muttered in confusion, having nothing else to offer besides sponsorship.

[There’s nothing else I can do for you besides that…]

“There is one thing.”

[What is it? Is there something you want? If there is, tell me.]

He’s telling me to speak up, but he’ll be shocked when he hears it.

I stated my demand without hesitation.

“Please share a portion of your ‘Terra’ with me, Lord Orcus.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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