The Villain's Story

A large wave of shadow energy erupted from the emperor, sending Alan flying.

He crashed through the golden doors and landed in the grand hallway.

"Cough!"

He coughed out blood as he tried to get up.

But before he could do so, another impact hit him right in the face and sent him crashing through the walls and into the city skies.

[Supreme Dragon of Chaos Suleras urges you to FOCUS.]

[Supreme Dragon of Frost Lanesha encourages you to FOCUS IMMEDIATELY.]

Alan was barely able to use the Ame-No-Sakahoko to block the next attack.

"Gah!"

*CRASH*

He had managed to block it but the sheer strength behind the attack proved incredibly strong and Alan catapulted towards the ground.

"Ah…"

He had lost all feeling in his body for a second. He quickly regained it and stood up, ready to defend again.

But no attack came…instead.

A swarm of Undead rushed inside the crater he was in.

[Did you think they were all gone?]

The voice of the tower resonated in his mind. Alan sensed a large amount of energy in the air.

That energy…was a black beam of Shadow energy.

Alan hurriedly cast a skill to protect himself from the impending doom.

[Frostflake Shield.]

A shield in the form of a snowflake appeared in the sky and managed to block the Shadow beam.

The beam spread all over the city and caused widespread devastation. Alan's shield cracked little by little and Alan's feet dug into the ground.

The sheer force behind the beam was enormous!

"Kugh…!"

Alan grunted, but he was not given even a moment of respite.

[Watch out…you are not alone!]

Exclaimed the tower joyfully. It truly enjoyed Alan's retribution.

The empire will now claim revenge!

The undead swarmed the little crate he was in. Alan stomped his foot into the ground and multiple ice spikes pierced the undead and created a small wall.

"Argh!"

He grunted and unleashed his mana in the form of a wave.

But it was just then.

[Did you think only the normal folk were there?]

The tower's voice sent a chill down his spine…and before he could even process it.

A metallic sound was heard as a large sword collided with his steel neck. The impact caused the wind in his body to escape and Alan stumbled.

The black beam broke through his shield and Alan was engulfed by it.

*********

[Outside the tower.]

Sabrina dropped her glass.

It wasn't just her.

A sense of dread engulfed everyone in the arena.

Harrison and Ragnar had set up barriers almost immediately to protect the normal audience from anything dangerous like a heart attack or shock from the dread.

Hugo hurriedly did the same and protected his family.

Sabrina and the rest could breathe once again.

"What is that…?"

Hugo's shocked voice escaped his mouth.

Sabrina and James, along with everyone else, paid deep attention to the screen that displayed Alan's trial.

"..."

Sabrina was scared, truly terrified.

Who wouldn't be? When they stared at that thing in the sky…It was a natural reaction.

With a body as black as night, eyes of scarlet blood, and hundreds of tendrils of black tendrils escaping from its back, it had long nails and vile feet. It had an aura so powerful that the surroundings bent to its will and the skies darkened.

The shadow borne was free…But it was different from what Elijah had seen.

It was weak, no it was on the brink of death

But even then…it could emit a terrifying pressure that even the audience could feel.

"It seems that the trial of the twentieth floor has changed drastically for our challenger Alan Peccator."

Announcing Harrison to the world, his voice was calm and collected as if to lower the anxiety of the people who had just been startled by the sudden wave of dread that had washed over them.

"...what is that thing…?"

Richard questioned from his seat, his shadow mana reacted violently when the thing appeared.

It wasn't just him…Everyone else who had the affinities for Darkness and Shadow were also showing similar reactions. Because of their weak rank, however…the reaction was much more intense.

"Ughh…."

Jame's dark mana went wild, the dread had pierced Ragnar and Hugo's barrier and caused a violent reaction within himself. His calm and collected pose disappeared.

Sabrina was relatively safe because of the items she was gifted by Alan…but even then she could feel it.

Her darkness mana was submitting to the horrid abomination.

It was not just the people with a darkness or shadow affinity…even the ones with an affinity for Light had a reaction.

But this one was repulsive. They were disgusted by the vile abomination of pure evil.

"Daniel!"

Ragnar shouted. He unleashed his mana and that was enough to make a certain man take action.

Daniel Parker, guild master of the Titan guild and one of the most mysterious men in the world finally took action.

Elaine and Elizabeth looked at their father, who paid them no heed as his face contorted into an expression of pure disgust.

"What a vulgar aura."

He grimaced and cast a skill

[Bastion Of Light(SS+) has been cast.]

Suddenly, even though no visual effects were apparent, the dread and disgust all disappeared.

"Now…let's see how the space wizard will react."

Commented Daniel, a hint of glee in his voice.

To be honest, he knew this was the end of the line for Alan. That monstrosity was too strong for a mere C+ rank to take on.

The tower had granted him an impossible trial, and so were his thoughts.

But he was still excited to see what the Space element was capable of.

The entire world watched with rapt attention as they wondered.

"Is this the end for Alan Peccator?"

******

[20th floor trial.]

The black beam faded and the shadow borne laughed from the skies, it spread its tendrils to every undead in the city and enhanced their powers. It let out a sickening laugh.

[You survived that? Amazing.]

The tower's voice echoed in Alan's mind. His figure left the crate as tendrils of Shadow energy were still stuck to his body.

"..."

[This is retribution…For your deeds.]

"Shut the fuck up."

Alan ordered, as he got up and wielded the Ame-No-Sakahoko.

He used the Ame-No-Sakahoko and spread its pure energy, greatly amplified by his own mana into the surroundings, making the undead fall back.

He used Dragon Eyes and examined the Shadow Borne.

[|DRAGON EYES| has been used.]

[Name: SHADOW BORNE ALAMUN.(Near death.)]

Age: 7098 years.

Rank: S-(LEGENDARY++)

Affinities: SHADOW(EPIC), DARKNESS(SUPERIOR]

DESCRIPTION: A shadow borne by the name of Alamun, was born when a world perished and it absorbed all their resentment. It is a formidable and nightmarish foe, one that has brought the end of multiple worlds, its onslaught would have continued had it not encountered the World of Murim and escaped when it was severely injured by the Heavenly Demon. And then defeated by the mighty Emperor.

This menacing creature defies conventional shape, resembling an ever-shifting, amorphous mass of pure darkness. Its body is a swirling, shapeless entity, evoking an aura of fear. It has multiple tendrils and takes whichever form it wishes. Two sinister, blood-red eyes pierce through the inky abyss of its visage. These eyes emit an eerie, crimson glow, casting an unsettling and ominous effect within its poor victims. The Shadowborn is perpetually veiled in a shroud of living shadows. This shadowy cloak adheres closely to its form, giving the impression of an ethereal, spectral garment that seamlessly blends with its body.

Within its shadowy cloak, tendrils of pure darkness writhe and pulse with an eerie grace. These tendrils serve as both a means of offense and a symbol of its supernatural presence, capable of extending to grasp and ensnare its unsuspecting prey.

It is able to manipulate Shadow energy like it is a limb. Caution is advised when clashing against one.

It has a tendency to also never…fight alone.

'I can see that…'

Alan commented in his mind as he saw the army that was surrounding him, all the undead he had killed and the ones he had not killed were here, each and every one of them enhanced by its energy.

The nun. The priest, the knight whose daughter had eaten him alive, the knight guarding the castle gates, the mage and even the Knight who fought with chivalry. Their attire had been reduced to a black mass that acted as armor, the once golden armor of the knight that fought with chivalry had vanished…and was replaced with an eternal darkness.

[This is what happens when you make an enemy out of an entire world…kekeke…]

The tower's insane laughter echoed in his mind, and Alan scanned his surroundings.

The shadowborn let out an ear-piercing scream, and the Undead all rushed towards Alan.

"Bring it on!"

He yelled triumphantly, not afraid of the sheer numbers.

[This is their revenge against you! Now how would you fair?!]

The tower watched with excitement.