Genetic Ascension

Chapter 1417: Astral Dungeoneer [Bonus]

[Apparently you guys think this is funny -.- ; anyway, thanks I guess, Tommy_C] [Abyssal Pope (???)]

[Level: 50]

-

[Physical: 20,000][Mental: 20,000][Will: 20,000]

—

The aged pope sat on a throne with skin so wrinkled and aged it almost appeared to be a greyish blue. He held a staff in one hand as Sylas slowly walked in, the glaives of ten Elite Abyssal Knights hovering at his back.

The glaives shimmered with gold, pulsing with a life and vitality that didn't seem natural for this cathedral.

Sylas, however, stood with his hands in his pockets, his emerald gaze looking ahead to the pope as he seemed to wait on it to make a move.

What Sylas didn't expect, though, was for the Abyssal Pope to actually speak. His jaw unhitched like a rattling mechanism, a hoarse laughter leaving his lips.

"A Rune Master taking on a Dungeon for warriors. How fascinating… I've watched you on your way here. You actually made such short work of my Abyssal Knights. One would think I had no defenses here at all."

The laughter, grating on the ears, continued even as the pope stood, his bones rattling as much as his jaw as he finally reached his full height.

"However, if you hope to have the same success here, you are sorely mistaken. You have overextended yourself. Before the presence of this pope, do you think yourself to have the right to command the world?"

A halo of black and grey thrummed into existence behind the Abyssal Pope's head.

"Time erodes all, even the strength of the powerful. Only by obeying it may you survive just a little longer. And you… do not know how to obey.

"Die."

The Abyssal Pope waved his staff, its polished black pearl, attached to its end, exploding with strength.

Heavy, oily liquids shattered the Cathedral's patterned windows, forming a sea that surged at Sylas so fast that the waters already around him pressed down with every intention of crushing him before they could even make it.

The pope seemed to have gained some sort of domain, stripping away control from Sylas and making the Runes fall from his control.

It seemed that the pope had the right to be arrogant, but Sylas' thoughts were elsewhere.

"Why is he so aware?" Sylas asked the little girl.

The words the pope had spoken just now felt too… real. It seemed aware that it was in a Dungeon, and even more aware of how Sylas was making it through.

It wasn't that Sylas ever got the feeling from the things in Dungeons that they were NPCs, only fit to communicate with certain lines of dialogue. After all, Gogo had come from a Dungeon too—at the very least, this proved that Dungeons had more to them than met the eye.

As far as Sylas could tell, Gogo was no different from any other living, breathing creature.

Could it be that everything in a Dungeon was aware that it was in a Dungeon? But then what about when a Dungeon was cleared and then reset for the next participant? What then?

Sylas didn't wait for the little girl to say her usual line and just gave her the Genes he wanted. He had almost too many to spare at this point anyway.

"Astral Dungeons aren't normal threats. They're specifically designed to allow stronger Sectors to participate precisely because of the threat level. Dungeon breaks from Astral-level and above Dungeons are often world-breaking. If an Astral-level Dungeon breaks, it usually means that the universe is about to lose a piece of itself."

"Lose a piece of itself?"

"Well, from your perspective anyway. If one successfully Dungeon Breaks, then it means the Demon Race will take over this region and this would become a part of the Demon World, forever vanishing from this half of the universe."

"And what's the correlation between that and this awareness of this pope?"

"This pope is an Abyssal Demon. It's aware of why it's here and what its purpose is."

"But the Dungeon has already been cleared."

"Like I said, Astral Dungeons aren't normal threats. Unlike lower-ranked Dungeons that only have to be cleared a single time for it to no longer be a threat of breaking, Astral Dungeons have to be continuously cleared every so often. Otherwise, the threats inside will grow stronger and eventually break loose.

It's just biding its time right now."

Sylas shook his head, not understanding this level of fealty. It sounded like this Demon was trapped here on purpose just for a sliver of a chance they would slack on this Astral Dungeon enough in the future that he could break free.

To do this, just to experience death again, and again, and again…

Ridiculous.

"Then is there a way to clear it for good?" Sylas asked.

Sylas asked knowing the answer was likely no. But there was a non-zero chance of another answer.

"Nothing you're capable of doing. Plus, though the rewards for forever-clearing a Dungeon like this one would be quite excellent, the rewards for helping stall its break aren't too bad either."

"Mm."

Sylas knew that since the little girl wasn't being clear about what that method was, there was no point in asking.

He couldn't afford it.

But it was interesting enough information to know anyway.

That was because if these Demons were real, that probably meant…

Chi. Chi. Chi.

Sylas seemed to awaken from his thoughts just as the heavy crude oil was about to smash him to pieces.

The ten glaives at his back soared through the air, ripping through the current.

Crack.

The crown above the pope's head cracked and then shattered to pieces, the Abyssal Pope's eyes opening wide in shock, not understanding what just happened.

How could Sylas take precedent over it—?!

'Spark Master!'

BANG!

A glaive ripped into the pope's collarbone, pinning one of his shoulders to his throne. He was sent flying back so fiercely his body seemed to shatter on impact.

But that process was interrupted by a second glaive that tore through the other half of his collarbone, pinning his left shoulder this time.

Then another came, ripping through his gut.

Read on lig‌ht‌no‌‌vel‌world‌.o‌rg

And then another, pinning down his groin.

And then another through one knee, and then one more through the other knee.

A howl filled the skies as the Hollow Wing appeared, its body activating its hollow flash-step-like ability as it couldn't withstand the weight of the environment.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Its claws slammed into the throne, its long neck rising up with a roar before it bit down onto the Pope's neck and ripped the Abyssal Pope's head off.

It seemed to all happen in a single instant of time, so fast and quick the Pope couldn't hope to react.

Sylas nodded from the back of the Hollow Wing. Simple enough.

—

[Title Upgraded]

[Classic Dungeon Crawler > Solo Astral Dungeoneer]

[The world is complex, but the rigid order of a Dungeon is where you thrive the most.] [+50% ALL Stats when entering a Dungeon of Astral Rank or Lower]

[-50% Debuff when facing the pressure of unfamiliar System Territory]

—

While Sylas was looking at his new Title, and waiting for his rewards to pop up, the situation outside was very different. Especially for the pair of siblings… …

"Wake up!" the young woman shook her brother.

"Why are you shaking me awake?!" he grumbled, groaning awake. They should still have time. Unless that Sylas Grimblade actually died?

"The leaderboard. Look at the leaderboard!"