The Returned Hunter Has Awakened to a Hidden Class - Chapter 13

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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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13

Chapter 13

Asmodeus

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[Quest Generated]

[Underground 1st Floor Conquest]

[Objective: Eliminate 72,000 demon soldiers, Eliminate Great Demon Asmodeus]

[Reward: ???]

—-

 Asmodeus. 

 One of the kings of Hell, and a great demon who commands 72 demon legions. 

 His symbol is also lust. 

“You did not come here to kill me?”

“That is correct.”

 An androgynous appearance that even men would fall for. 

 Silver hair swayed as he looked at Kim Jun with interest. 

“Then why have you set foot in this place?”

“As I said, to have a conversation.”

 Kim Jun before his regression, who had completed even his 2nd Awakening, possessed overwhelming power.

 When he set out to conquer Hell to break through the upper floors, demons were merely monsters to be eliminated.

 Hell, where the more fundamental power of ‘destruction’ slept unlike the surface world. Here, Kim Jun had trampled everything without any dialogue or contemplation.

 The current Kim Jun wasn’t as overwhelming as before his regression, but still at a level where he could sufficiently face Asmodeus.

‘I cannot repeat the same mistake.’

 But Kim Jun regretted that past. 

 Ever since encountering the 76th Floor, ‘Kingdom of the Fallen Knights’. 

“Ho. What an unpredictable human. Very well, what story do you wish to share with me?”

“I want to receive the power of Hell.”

“With empty words?”

 Asmodeus spoke mockingly. But Kim Jun pulled out an unexpected card.

 What Kim Jun knew wasn’t simple conquest information.

 A deep secret that no one in the Tower knew, held only by Asmodeus and the Tower’s architect.

“I know your pain.”

“…!”

 Tebe on the 5th Floor, Artemis on the 25th Floor, Caldion on the 50th Floor, and Aurellia on the 76th Floor. 

 Originally, Aurellia was a frontline base for Tower conquest.

 Powerful knight orders and mages were stationed there, supporting all Hunters heading to the upper floors.

 But that was already a story from the distant past that had vanished.

 The current Aurellia was littered with corpses, ruins where not even a shadow of its once brilliant appearance could be found.

 As if they had collectively fallen, they all blindly obeyed the commands of a princess who had become a demon.

 Knights who once protected the kingdom had now become wraith knights, and mages were also tainted by dark magic.

 Only one purpose remained for them.

 To kill and eliminate all intruders, whether Hunters or monsters.

 And at the center of all that tragedy was Asmodeus.

“You say you know my pain?”

 Emotion mixed into Asmodeus’s voice for the first time.

“That is correct.”

“If it’s a lie, you will die here and now.”

“I understand.”

 Kim Jun slowly opened his mouth.

“Princess Sara of Aurellia. This is the story of the woman you love.”

 Asmodeus’s eyes wavered.

 Sara was the only daughter of Barat, King of Aurellia. Beautiful and wise, she was the perfect princess beloved by her people.

 But a cruel fate awaited her.

 As the war between Aurellia and the 80th Floor Monsters continued for hundreds of years, the kingdom’s national strength hit rock bottom.

 When they reached a point where they could no longer endure, Barat King made his final choice.

 A political marriage.

 Offering his daughter to the leader of the 80th Floor Monsters. To end the war and secure the kingdom’s stability.

 Sara was only sixteen at the time. 

“That night, you couldn’t bear it.”

 Kim Jun’s voice quietly echoed.

“You couldn’t watch the woman you loved be violated by monsters.”

 That was why Asmodeus possessed Sara.

“How do you know that?”

 Asmodeus’s voice lowered. 

“Your brilliant golden wings began to slowly rot away.”

“You, you…”

“It was the price for breaking the Tower’s laws. But that wasn’t the end.”

 Kim Jun quietly continued.

“When Barat King brought a second fiancé, you had to choose again.”

 Asmodeus’s fists trembled.

“Whether to watch Sara be defiled, or endure the pain of your wings turning blacker.”

“Stop…”

“You chose the pain. Even when half your wings turned black after the second possession.”

 Despite the agony of his wings rotting away, Asmodeus.

 Eliminated all the monsters trying to take Sara’s purity, one by one.

 Ghouls, wraiths, undead lords…. Every monster without exception.

 But as the frequency increased, the possession time grew longer, and each time Asmodeus’s magic seeped into Sara’s body and soul.

“And finally….”

 Kim Jun spoke his final words.

“Sara despaired at her fate. Being abandoned by her father, continuously offered as a sacrifice to monsters.”

 That was the moment.

 As Sara’s emotions exploded in despair, Asmodeus’s magic that had been accumulating rapidly amplified.

 Sara’s magic became distorted, transforming into a power of madness and destruction that swept through all of Aurellia.

 The king, the knights, the people—all were tainted by Sara’s madness.

 The brilliant stronghold city became hell overnight.

“In the end, Sara lost the very form you tried so hard to protect.”

 At Kim Jun’s words, Asmodeus hung his head.

“Now she is nothing more than a ‘boss monster’ on the 76th Floor who kills all visitors. This couldn’t be the result you wanted.”

“I was… only trying to save her….”

 Asmodeus’s voice trembled.

 A long silence flowed.

 Only the sound of flowing lava could be heard underground.

 Kim Jun slowly opened his mouth.

“Asmodeus. Please make a contract with me.”

 Asmodeus raised his head.

“I have heard your story well. But what do I gain? What benefit is there for me, trapped in this Hell for thousands of years?”

“I will liberate Sara’s soul.”

“Impossible.”

“It’s possible.”

 Kim Jun pointed somewhere for a moment. 

“Please give me that.”

“…What exactly are you?”

“Just someone who can help you.”

 What Kim Jun pointed to was a strange object floating in the air behind Asmodeus’s throne.

 At first glance, it looked like just a sword hilt floating around, defying gravity.

 But upon closer inspection, there was something different about it.

 Where the blade should extend from the hilt, nothing was visible, yet there was definitely a feeling that ‘something’ existed there.

 The air was subtly rippling, and occasionally there were phenomena of light refracting strangely.

—-

[Item Discovered] : 「Melchizedek’s Formless Sword」

[Grade] : ???

[Type] : Sword

[Effect] : Cannot cut things of the material realm, but can cut things of the spiritual realm.

[Special Effect] : Purifies corrupted souls and returns them to their original form.

—-

 Melchizedek’s Formless Sword. With this sword, he could purify and liberate Sara’s soul.

“Hahaha! You think you can reach the 76th Floor?”

“That’s why I need your power.”

“….”

 Asmodeus fell into thought for a moment.

 Kim Jun’s current abilities were equal to or greater than his own.

 If he simply wanted power, he could have just killed him and taken it.

 But Kim Jun didn’t do that. 

 Despite having an easy path available, he chose the difficult route of persuading him.

 He didn’t know why this human knew his old story, but there must be circumstances he couldn’t speak of. 

“Making a contract with a demon means putting your soul as collateral, human.”

 Asmodeus warned.

“I know.”

“Aren’t you afraid?”

“Not at all.”

 Asmodeus chuckled at Kim Jun’s calm answer.

“Heh. You don’t care at all.”

 He slowly grabbed Kim Jun’s wrist. 

Ding-!

—-

[Hidden Quest Generated]

– Quest Name : Contract of the Abyss

– Content : Make a contract with Asmodeus and save Sara’s soul

– Objective : Purify the corrupted soul of Princess Sara of Drackenhardt (76th Floor)

– Reward : Skill 「Deus Ex Machina」,  Weapon 「Melchizedek’s Formless Sword」, Dark Attribute Acquisition

– Will you accept?]

[Yes]/[No]

—-

 The conditions of this contract were clear.

 If he succeeded in purifying Sara’s corrupted soul on the 76th Floor, Kim Jun’s soul would be safe, but if he failed, his soul would be trapped in Hell forever.

 Perhaps for eons.

 But Kim Jun felt no fear whatsoever.

 Before his regression, he had climbed to the 100th Floor alone without any information.

 Now, knowing all the information, there was no way he would die on just the 76th Floor.

 Moreover, there were things to gain from this contract.

 Kim Jun, who previously only had the fire attribute, would now obtain the dark attribute as well.

 With these two attributes, he would be able to break through the Heaven section, his next goal.

 Kim Jun chose [Yes] without hesitation.

Whoooosh-!

 Instantly, dark red mana began swirling between Asmodeus and Kim Jun.

 The entire underground shook, and a massive magic circle was drawn on the floor centered around the two.

 It was the moment when the power of the contract connected their two souls as one.

[Contract Established]

[Skill 「Deus Ex Machina」 Acquired!]

[New Attribute Acquired : Dark]

[Item Acquired : 「Melchizedek’s Formless Sword」]

‘Skill information.’

—-

[Skill Information]

-「Deus Ex Machina」

– Grade : EX

– Type : Summoning/Contract Magic

– Effect : Temporarily borrow and use the power of contracted transcendent beings

– Duration : 5 minutes

– Cooldown : 7 days

– Restriction : Requires consent of contracted being

– Detailed information available.

—-

‘Hmm. Check detailed information.’

—-

[Available Contract Slots : 5]

Slot 1 : [Asmodeus] – Archdemon of Lust

└ Effect : All attacks deal fixed damage for 1 minute

Slot 2 : [Empty]

Slot 3 : [Empty]

Slot 4 : [Empty]

Slot 5 : [Empty]

– Additional slots possible when contracting with new transcendent beings and maximizing affinity

—-

 Kim Jun muttered while checking the Skill Information.

‘Up to 5 contracts are possible? Then…’

 Various possibilities came to mind.

 In Hell, there were other archdemons besides Asmodeus, and in Heaven, there were archangels.

 Even more powerful beings would be waiting in the upper floors of the Tower.

‘Making alliances through contracts might be more effective than subjugating with force.’

 Before his regression, he had solved everything with power, but this time other methods were worth considering.

 Especially when facing that being on the 100th Floor, he would need every possible source of power.

“Ah, I know what you’re thinking, but not everyone will be as cooperative as me.”

“I’m aware of that as well.”

 Asmodeus fell silent for a moment before speaking.

“Kim Jun, I ask you once more.”

 His voice trembled. The dignity of Hell’s great demon had completely vanished, leaving only a man’s desperate plea.

“To Sara… I will use all my power to help you until you reach her.”

 Asmodeus bowed his head.

“Please, please save her. Guide me to her side.”

“….”

 Memories from before his regression suddenly flashed by.

 Back then, Kim Jun had beheaded Asmodeus without knowing anything. Simply to become stronger.

 But.

 The last words that flowed from the dying Asmodeus’s lips were something Kim Jun could never forget.

‘Sara…’

 Even as his head was severed, even as he drew his last breath, the only name he called was hers.

“I promise you, Asmodeus. I’d rather not be dragged to Hell.”

 Kim Jun grinned wickedly. 

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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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