<h4>Chapter 85</h4>


    <i>What''s with her toughness?</i>


    As he flew like a bullet, Ian did not panic and cast the Wind de. His trajectory, which had been following a parab, elerated once more.


    "What are you going to do if you only throw Ian! What about us?" Thesaya''s outcry followed.


    "We''ll fight to the end!"


    "What? You crazy—"


    Amidst Charlotte''s roar, the closing gap of the great gate drew nearer. Concentration peaked, and Ian, twisting in mid-air, passed through it.


    <i>Swoosh—</i>


    Ian, having prated the magic barrier in an instant, rolled on the ground tond.


    —Such a ruthless decision, usurper...! I see the extent of your ambition...!


    A voice that seemed to resonate throughout the body echoed. Ian, adjusting his grip on the Scale Sword, looked up. As expected, it was the queen''s audience chamber. A tall dais and a giant throne that extended from the wall to the ceiling caught his eye. The giant queen sitting on it resembled a gray mummy. A rtively small golden crown sat on her head. The ne around her neck shimmered with arge purple gem.


    A questpletion window popped up in front of Ian''s eyes, followed by another quest window.


    [The Usurper''s Choice.]


    At that moment, light burst from the gem in the ne. A familiar whisper followed.


    —I will seal the queen''s spell, O covenantor... Usurp the throne before my power fades...


    The light from the gem dimmed and the queen''s voice continued.


    —Impudent, devil. The immortal power and the kingdom of the undead are solely for me...!


    "...It must not have been boring even in the underground," Ian muttered, closing the quest window.


    Thud, the gate closedpletely. In front of the dais, statues of heavily armed royal guards dropped their greatswords. The moment red magic began to swirl in Ian''s eyes,


    <i>Thud— thud—</i>


    The royal guards, clutching their greatswords, started to charge. Their movements were still blunt. But, as time passed, they would be as natural and agile as the guardians outside.


    <i>Swoosh—</i>


    Of course, there was no intention of waiting for that to happen. Amidst the advancing royal guards, the me Barrier burst forth, its size noticeably smaller than usual even without any amplification.


    <i>Red doesn''t work well in this space, I see.</i>


    Ian lunged toward a royal guard that had broken through the barrier.


    <i>Whoosh—</i>


    Dancing mes around him extended toward the enemy, which was followed by an explosion. Ian, bursting through, swung his Scale Sword, now edged with a Wind de, with all his might.


    <i>Crack—</i>


    The neck of the royal guard caved in. A ck inner skeleton was briefly exposed within the ice.


    <i>At least one is confirmed.</i>


    Drawing back his sword, Ian''s eyes shone. From the moment he sensed the need to fight these creatures, there had been something he wanted to experiment with.


    —You il in vain, usurper...! You will ultimately meet your death. You will pay for coveting the throne...!


    The queen''s voice continued.


    <i>I have no interest in your throne, you know?</i>


    Thinking this, Ian lunged back into the midst of the giant royal guards. Dodging falling greatswords, he surged toward the first royal guard he had attacked. The Scale Sword engulfed in mes, extended once again toward the exposed neck.


    <i>Crack—</i>


    He couldn''t sever the neck in one stroke. However, Ian, without a hint of disappointment, grasped the sword hilt with both hands and clung to the chest of the royal guard. The next moment, as if the guard was trying to shake him off, it waved its hand. Ian, having jumped onto its shoulder as the hand passed, grabbed the sword hilt again and clung on.


    <i>Swoosh—</i>


    Another royal guard swung its greatsword toward him.


    <i>Woosh— </i>


    mes surged on the scale sword, and Ian kicked the chest of the royal guard, pulling out the sword.


    <i>Crack—!</i>


    The greatsword that flew in embedded itself directly into the chest of the royal guard, cracking the thick ice armor and scattering ice powder around. Losing bnce, the royal guard slowly fell backward. Ian, rolling on the ground tond and turning to look at the scene, a faint smile spread across his lips.


    "Indeed, this was the strategy."


    Even as Ian crossed the convention hall, he could feel that these creatures had excessively high defense and resistance. Their level did not match the period of their appearance. It was only natural to think that there must be another strategy to defeat them.


    Moreover, they seemed tock intelligence, resembling golems who mechanically carried out their assigned tasks. This led him to spection, which soon turned into conviction.


    <i>Even after bing a reality, the elements of strategy from the game haven''tpletely disappeared.</i>


    Dodging the ensuing dull attacks here and there, Ian ran toward the fallen royal guard. The royal guards followed his trail with emotionless movements. He didn''t rush straight for the throne. If the queen felt endangered, how these royal guards would start to wildly react was an unpredictable factor for him. Perhaps even the queen herself would start to move.


    With a surefire way to reduce their power right in front of him, there was no need to add another gamble.


    —Do not interfere with me, devil. Your interference will only return as pain to the usurper. Afterward, I promise a long andsting pain to you as well.


    Even as Ian kept moving without pause, the queen''s voice continued. Her tone seemed unconcerned with the battle happening in front of her.


    —Time is short, O covenantor...! If the queen regains control, the great endeavor wille to naught. Break through them ande to the throne...!


    On the other hand, the whispers of the devil grew increasingly desperate.


    <i>It seems you''re still alive enough to talk.</i>


    While responding only in his thoughts, Ian climbed over a fallen royal guard and surveyed the others. Greatswords tore through the silent air, plummeting down. Ian thenunched himself into action.


    <i>Boom! Crack!</i>


    The fallen royal guard was battered. The one whose armor waspletely shattered almost exposed its entire skeleton. Before the royal guards could recover their greatswords, Ian returned, aiming his sword at the exposed neck of one with Wind de. The sharp wind entangled with mes.


    <i>Crack—</i>


    The neck of a royal guard was severed from its body. The headless body twitched for a moment before settling down. Instinctively checking his status window, Ian''s eyes momentarily brightened. His experience points had increased.


    <i>Well, it is indeed a boss fight.</i>


    His gaze then moved to the other royal guards who were recovering their greatswords. The second kill was easier than the first. He waited for the royal guards to prepare their attack, then timed his rush. The greatswords of other royal guards mutted the body of the one Ian was clinging to. Climbing onto the one with shattered armor, he faced another barrage of greatswords.


    The neck was openly vulnerable. Using the spell on the scale sword was enough for a moment to slice through the neck.


    —You may have some skill, but your ambition is impossible, usurper. This devil was born from a fragment of my soul, feeding on my ambition and madness...! In the end, you cannot go against me, and only I can control this devil...


    —Do not be swayed by the queen''s deceit, O covenantor...! You, born of noble blood, can harbor me, and without you, I cannot fulfill any ambition...


    <i>They''re both incredibly talkative.</i>


    In the midst of contemtion, a surge of magical power from the queen''s ne urred.


    —You''re scared, devil. I can feel you trembling...


    The queen''sughter echoed. Coldness began to spread from the bodies of the royal guards. Ice Spikes sprouted with each step they took, and Frost des scattered with each swing of their swords.


    <i>A second phase, then.</i>


    However, the counter was simple. Ian unfolded a me Barrier mixed with chaotic energy. The iing Frost des melted before reaching him, and the Ice Spikes dissolved quickly.


    Ian repeated the same process, sparing no magic, setting fire as he went. One by one, the necks of the royal guards were severed.


    —Do not stop, O covenantor...! The queen''s spell has been resealed, and our victory is near...!


    With the devil''s whisper, the ne''s magical power subsided. The coldness enveloping the royal guards dispersed. Ian continued the battle unfazed.


    As the number of royal guards dwindled, the time it took to defeat one increased. Ian moved among them, making them strike each other. In the process, another neck was severed first.


    Now, only two remained.


    Meanwhile, the queen''s ne began to shimmer again.


    —Do not be deceived by the devil''s temptations, usurper. It seeks only to gain its freedom by using you...! In the end, the devil will consume your soul!


    The queen''s voice carried a sense of urgency. The devil''s whisper followed as if it had been waiting.


    —Do not listen, O covenantor. It is the queen who, even now, melts my soul with the power of the dragon. Without you, I would ultimately perish, and the immortal conqueror would once again drench the continent in blood...!


    <i>They are causing amotion among themselves.</i>


    After finishing off another royal guard with a sh, Ian gasped for air and snorted. He didn''t care who was telling the truth. All that mattered was that there was only one royal guard left.


    <i>Boom!</i>


    An explosion erupted in the chest of thest royal guard. Then, Ian cast a Pinpoint Explosion beneath the guard''s feet. Swept up by the explosion, the royal guard fell. Ian, having showered the guard''s head with Dancing mes, struck the neck filled with cracks consecutively, finally severing it.


    The mes flickering on the Scale Sword died down and then went outpletely. The gemstone embedded in the hilt lost its light.


    However, it didn''t matter. No royal guards were standing anymore. All were butchered and beheaded, turned into pieces of ice scattered around. Ian''s gaze finally turned toward the throne. All that was left was the queen sitting on it, not making a single movement. Her face was utterly dry, without even the slightest glimmer in her eyes, as if the flesh was just a shell meant to hold the soul.


    —Ultimately, tragedy is about to unfold... Usurper, my soldiers will never acknowledge your coronation.


    —Behead the queen, O covenantor...


    The queen''s sigh and the devil''s whisper alternated. A scoff passed Ian''s lips. He felt oddly like he truly had be a usurper. Until he had set foot in this underground cave, he had never even imagined such a situation.


    <i>Though for what it''s worth, the boss fight wasn’t that difficult.</i>


    Ian moved toward the throne. The queen murmured as if speaking to herself.


    —The kingdom''s legions will awaken to the sorrow of losing their king. The chaos I have suppressed will overflow, and my consort will return from death. Ultimately, the devil will consume your soul and drench the continent in blood....


    Words that were no different from a curse. Ian, having climbed the dais to stand in front of the throne, curled his lip.


    “You seem unaware, being trapped in here. All that is already happening. It''s nothing new. Moreover....”


    Ian''s grip on the Scale Sword tightened.


    “You were bound to lose control in the end, queen.”


    —What does that mean...?


    It means I''ve already experienced these things.


    With those words, Ian swung his sword as if to shake off the burden. The Wind de traveling along the sword''s edge sliced through the queen''s neck.


    Her head fell to the throne''s base with such ease it felt anticlimactic. Ament filled with resentment echoed through the hall.


    <i>Crash—</i>


    The head that fell onto the dais turned into ash and crumbled away. Thement quickly faded. The golden crown made an unremarkable sound as it rolled down the steps.


    <i>Whoosh–-</i>


    The queen''s body also turned to ash and scattered. The ne she had worn fell and rolled to Ian''s feet. The gem in the center of the pendant pulsed with fluctuating waves.


    —Well done... O covenantor...!


    “Yeah. You did well too.” Ian responded nonchntly.


    Though this being had led him on a long journey, he had indeed reaped substantial rewards because of it. Not only the royal guards but also the queen just defeated had provided considerable experience points.


    Without this entity''s assistance, he couldn''t have managed so smoothly.


    —Immortal power and authority lie before you. Now, take me up and show the token of our pact...! You shall be reborn as the new master of the throne...!


    The devil''s voice was sweet,den with a potent magic that could have bewitched the average person by the sound alone.


    “I’ve been wanting to tell you something.” A smile spread across Ian''s face.


    “I have no interest in thrones or immortal power. I never believed your promises.”


    —What...?


    Confusion filled the devil''s voice.


    —But, did we not make a pact?


    “I said I''de to you, and that pact was kept. Between you and me, there''s no promise left to fulfill.”


    The gem''s brilliance wavered. It was understandably unbelievable. After all, who would refuse the chance to grasp the ancient giant kingdom and vast void magic?


    —Then, what do you desire?


    “Experience points. And the rewards forpleting quests.”


    —Quests...? What are...?


    Ian reached for his waistband. With a swish, a sword de gleaming with blue holiness was revealed.


    Holding the Sword of Judgement in both hands, Ian stepped back and dered, “These are what I''ll get by killing you.”


    The sanctity within the sword zed brilliantly in a moment. He used the strike of judgment. A blue crescent charged with Tir En’s holy power plunged into the center of the purple gem.


    —Aah! AAAAAAH!


    A scream far louder than the queen''s resounded. With a crack, the gem''s surface fractured, and then it shatteredpletely. The contaminated magical power inside was consumed by the holy fire, along with the soul it contained.


    —-Aaaa... AAAAAAH!


    The scream turned into a tortured howl in no time.


    Amidst the fading blue light,


    <i>Whoosh—!</i>


    A dark force burst from the gem, engulfing Ian in an instant.