Since all the monsters except the boss of the dungeon were wiped out, this time Alex decided to stay with the group at the starting point.

I didn't press him to tag along, knowing he would be of no help in the coming battle and would only hinder me.

"Late-Stage Spirit Adept Realm… Is it enough to defeat a monster at the Awakened Sage Realm?" I murmured, closing in on the boss room.

My body at Vyoman was absurdly powerful even at low-tier realms. Both my physical stats and Sea of Soulforce far surpassed any cultivator at my realm or even beyond it. Not to mention the blessings of gods and the earth-shaking skills I possessed.

Even after fighting thousands of cultivators in the battle against El Dorado, I still managed to defeat Theon, who was at the first level of the Awakened Sage Realm.

However, I didn't have the same confidence with this body, since my stats were barely half of what my other body had—not to mention the pitiful Sea of Soulforce.

I didn't even possess Ruru's blessing. One critical injury and I would be dead.

While having these thoughts, I let out a tired sigh, realising that there were only three hours left before the day ended—and the deadline for the quest as well.

---

"Grrrrrrrr! You wiped out my army!" Grendel muttered, sensing my presence.

His voice was laced with surprise; however, he remained seated on his throne.

"Well, it's not my fault that they were so embarrassingly weak," my calm voice resounded in the hall as I appeared before them from the shadows of the tunnel.

The moment I entered, a radiant glow emanated from the Goblin Shaman's staff, sealing all three tunnels with a thick layer of rock.

"Grrrr!!! You dared return here after killing my subjects," Grendel chattered through his terrifying tusks. "The victory over them must have gone to your head."

He slowly raised his arm and grabbed a long parang befitting his mountainous body. The moment he tightened his grip around its handle, a horrifying burst of Soulforce erupted from Grendel's body, the sheer pressure making it difficult to breathe.

Yet I kept my composure, hiding the turmoil under a calm expression, as if this intense Soulforce didn't bother me in the slightest.

"It must have been you," I mumbled, my voice still composed.

"What do you mean?" Grendel asked, his eyes narrowing.

"The black gate that appeared three years ago in China. I had my suspicions when Alex mentioned that there was no high-ranked boss monster in that dungeon. You must have had a delightful feast of humans back then. Is that also where your minions learned the language of humans?"

A wide, sickening smile coiled on Grendel's face—creepy enough to make a grown man collapse—while the pressure of his Soulforce remained suppressive.

Although he didn't utter a word, I had already received my answer from his horrendous reaction.

"I'm curious. How did you escape that dungeon—"

Midway through my inquiry, he suddenly vanished from the throne, the blurry image of his giant body appearing in the air ahead of me.

With a savage swing of both his hands, the machete instantly descended in a vertical slash.

I reacted immediately, raising the katana high, holding the hilt in one hand and the blade's end with the other.

BOOOOM!!!

The moment the blades clashed, a thunderous roar of metal echoed. The ground beneath me split apart, and from the point of impact, a ring of air pressure erupted outward.

Despite blocking the attack, blood gushed from the corner of my lips.

"Wh-what monstrous strength!?" I muttered, using every fibre of my muscles to hold my blade.

The katana in my hand roared violently, sensing the blood trickling down my lips. Thankfully, the curse wasn't activated—probably because the injury I suffered was internal, and there was no external wound from which it could absorb my blood.

While I was busy holding against the execution-like strike of the machete, a kick landed on my gut from the front.

The sudden hit sent me flying through the air. My body finally stopped after crashing into the rocky wall of the hall.

"Fuck!" I muttered, removing the fallen debris from my body.

If not for the suit I was wearing, that kick would have surely broken my ribs.

"Thanks, Nymeria," I thanked inwardly, my eyes locking onto the absolute monster ahead.

"Grrr!! You forced me to leave my throne, human!" Grendel's voice resounded, a hint of annoyance laced in it. "Entertain me before I devour you!"

I ran a hand through my loosened hair, a wide smirk coiling on my face.

"Let's see who is the one that will do the devouring!"

A deep frown creased Grendel's face, his expression darkening as the weight of my arrogant words sank in.

At blinding speed, he leapt at me, aiming to split me in two with the machete.

However, this time, I was prepared.

As the attack closed in, at the last moment I moved sideways, letting the machete strike the ground. In the same split second, Shinku no Sabi in my hand glowed with vibrant, blazing energy.

"Pseudo Sword Aura!"

Just before the Sword Aura could slice off Grendel's head, a thick wall suddenly ascended from the ground between us.

The katana cleanly sliced through the earthen barrier; however, the speed behind the blade slowed significantly, giving Grendel ample time to retreat.

"Tsk! That bastard!" I muttered, my sharp gaze turning toward the Goblin Shaman, who had cast the spell from the background.

Seeing my focus turn toward the shaman, Grendel bolted forward, coming in with a heavy attack.

Although all of his attacks were heavy, this one was off the charts. Even the air around the machete's blade shrieked and warped due to the sheer speed with which he swung it at me.

However, the troll king was unaware of one thing. Unlike the immature Awakeners I had come in with, I was a veteran of war.

When facing a stronger opponent, agility to evade and patience to wait for an opening in their heavy attacks are vital.

I ducked low against the incoming machete. The instant the blade passed just above my head, a compressed sphere of blazing sun materialised in my hand.

"Pure Yang Orb!"

The orb collided with the machete in a deafening detonation, the shockwave ripping the weapon from Grendel's grasp and flinging it high into the air.

While Grendel was still in a daze from what had just happened, I closed in on him, the Pseudo Sword Aura burning vibrantly along the katana's blade.

The katana pierced through one of his massive tusks, and just before it could completely sever his face in half, several earth lances shot up from the ground, piercing through the arm holding my katana.

Ding…

"The Host has suffered an external wound!

Curse of Binding is activated!"

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