Chapter 51

[This target is eligible for Shadow Extraction.]

At Suho's command, a black shadow began writhing within the Venomfang Sand Centipede's corpse.

[Attempting Shadow Extraction.]

[Extraction in progress...]

SKREEEE!

Within the shadow, the enormous centipede shrieked as its venomous fangs struggled to thrust their way out.

But then...

TING!

A notification appeared with a metallic chime.

[Shadow Extraction has failed.]

[You have 2 attempts remaining.]

'Failed?'

Suho clenched his teeth.

'Are you saying I'm not good enough?'

Shadow Extraction had a chance of failure. The skill window clearly stated that the likelihood of failure increased in proportion to the target's stats, and the Venomfang Sand Centipede was, in fact, a magic beast far stronger than Suho.

'It's not as if I killed it by myself.'

He had mobilized every means at his disposal just to bring down this one creature. That only made him want it all the more.

'Two attempts left...'

Suho took a deep breath and calmly attempted a second extraction.

"Arise."

TING!

[Shadow Extraction has failed.]

[You have 1 attempt remaining.]

"..."

Suho swallowed hard. Only one last attempt remained.

SKREEEE!

Even now, the sand centipede was flailing its countless legs, desperately trying to escape the black smoke.

'You want to come out too?'

Suho's gaze grew calm.

'Then come.'

And fight our enemies at my side.

Standing before its enormous corpse, Suho solemnly extended a hand.

"Arise!"

At that moment...

THUD!

The sand centipede roared and planted a foreleg outside the black smoke.

That was the beginning.

CRUNCH, CRUNCH, CRUNCH, CRUNCH!

CRUNCH, CRUNCH, CRUNCH, CRUNCH!

Countless legs followed, bracing against the ground to lift its body. Streams of black smoke intertwined, beginning to weave together its still-incomplete form.

[Shadow Extraction has succeeded.]

"Yes!"

Suho let out a cheer.

[?? Lv.1]

Knight Grade

At last, an enormous sand centipede formed of black vapor majestically revealed itself before Suho.

[SKREEEEEE!]

A shiver ran through Esil.

[...!]

Having emerged from Vulcan's Horn at some point, she flinched at its murderous presence and backed away.

Gray, who had just separated from Suho's body, tucked his tail between his legs and hid behind Esil, trembling. Suho swallowed hard too, remembering their first battle.

'But now it's mine.'

DING!

[Soldiers of Knight Grade or higher can be given names.]

[The assigned name will remain until the shadow is destroyed.]

[Please name your soldier.]

What did a name matter? This one was only a day laborer, anyway.

[Shadow Centipede Lv.1]

Knight Grade

"Let's go."

Suho hastily picked a name and climbed onto its back.

"W-wait...! Me too!"

"Grrr!"

Esil hurriedly scooped up Gray and leaped onto the Shadow Centipede after Suho. He chuckled at the sight.

Then he turned his gaze toward the depths of the labyrinth, his eyes gleaming.

"All right. Shall we get going?"

* * *

Meanwhile, Randolph was still running through the labyrinth with a handful of his men.

"R-Randolph, sir! Hah, hah!"

"The mummies aren't following us anymore...!"

Randolph came to an abrupt stop at his exhausted subordinates' words and looked back.

"Tch. Weaklings."

He clicked his tongue at the men who had fallen behind.

"Well, they're tough enough. They'll catch up eventually. We keep moving!"

"Y-yes, sir!"

Fortunately, he slowed down. From now on, they would proceed carefully, one step at a time. Randolph walked down the seemingly endless corridor, keeping watch in every direction.

"... But why have the mummies disappeared?"

"Maybe we're nearly at the end?"

"Hmm."

A faint smile crept across Randolph's lips.

The inscription discovered in the pyramid...

May light shine upon the challenger's future.

"That makes us the only challengers left."

Then the relics were naturally theirs as well!

"Search every inch!"

"Yes, sir!"

"There's bound to be something if we tear this place apart!"

The Scavenger Guild was renowned for one thing: physical toughness. That strength shone especially brightly in treacherous places like this.

"Tank any traps with your bodies! Just smash everything to pieces and find us a clue—anything!"

KABOOM! BOOM!

No one dared stand in their way. Walls crumbled, and they smashed anything that looked even slightly suspicious, gradually advancing toward the end of the labyrinth.

And finally...

"A door!"

An enormous door appeared before them.

"We found it!"

"We found it!"

Delight spread across their faces.

But the moment they threw the door open without hesitation...

"...!"

They saw it.

"H-holy shit!"

Their eyes went wide.

An enormous circular chamber lay before them. At its center, a gigantic crocodile man was bound in chains.

He opened his eyes and looked at the uninvited guests who had entered.

A chill ran through them.

"...!"

The instant they saw those reptilian eyes with their vertical pupils, the Scavenger Guild members felt an instinctive terror.

All except one.

"Ha!"

Randolph alone unleashed the power coursing through his body, a cruel smile spreading across his lips.

"Found you! The boss monster!"

ROOOOM!

Bolstering himself with every skill he possessed, he lunged at the creature.

"Listen up!"

His men flinched at his commanding shout, then looked at his reassuringly broad back.

"Don't be afraid! Attack together! Remember the prophecy! All the wealth and glory we'll claim once we kill that thing!"

They remembered the fortune-teller's prophecy.

—Soon, a life born from death will awaken from its seal. And its power will raise the dead.

A power that could defy death itself!

As they wandered through the labyrinth, that seemingly preposterous prophecy had planted certainty in their hearts.

'Those mummies! The power that raised the dead must be sleeping here!'

And that power would surely be theirs the moment they defeated the crocodile monster. Just as it had been in every dungeon they had experienced so far!

"L-let's go!"

"We've got a chance if we attack all at once!"

"Trust Randolph—!"

THWACK!

At that moment, the heads of the hunters charging bravely forward exploded.

"W-w-w-what...!"

THWACK!

What had struck them was none other than the crocodile man's thick tail.

Though bound in chains, the creature loomed with a mountain's imposing presence, looking arrogantly down upon the laughable humans charging at him like moths to a flame.

"Grrrr..."

Pure white smoke spilled from his mouth, and the corners of his long, split jaws curved into a cruel smile.

In an instant, ten people lost their heads. Scavenger's tanks, famed for their toughness!

"S-spare me..."

The hunters who had barely survived began backing away, their faces deathly pale. Finally, they turned and fled back the way they had come.

"N-no way! I have to live—!"

THUD.

Another life was extinguished.

And at that moment, Randolph...

"R-right! Randolph! He can...!"

The surviving hunters frantically looked around for Randolph. But the very first attack had already sent him flying into a wall.

"Urgh..."

Covered in blood, Randolph rose again. Yet his eyes still blazed fiercely.

"Th-this is fun. Finally, someone worth fighting."

Burning through his mana once more, he charged the creature.

THWACK!

"...!"

What had just swept past?

He hadn't seen a thing.

"Aaaaaargh!"

Blood spurted like a fountain. Randolph screamed, clutching the shoulder where one arm had vanished.

"H-healer...!"

Defeat was already written all over his face as he frantically turned to find a healer.

'I can't win.'

This had never been a fight he stood a chance in.

'It's insanely strong...!'

At that moment, Randolph thought of the Scavenger Guild's guildmaster: "Goliath" Thomas Andre, who could make his body tremble with a mere meeting of their eyes.

The creature inspired the same fear as facing an overwhelmingly powerful opponent of that caliber.

"R-retreat..."

Just as those words finally escaped his trembling lips, the chained crocodile giant unleashed a terrifying roar.

"ROOOOAR!"

"Gah!"

At that mana-laden roar, the Scavenger hunters began fleeing for their lives back the way they had come.

That was when it happened.

CRACK!

The chains binding the crocodile giant snapped.

And in that instant, hell began.

* * *

"Gah! Hah, hah!"

Randolph ran and ran. Had he ever run so frantically in his life?

As a result, he managed to save himself.

"Damn it! Damn it!"

The problem was that Randolph was the sole survivor. Having lost all his men, he kept repeating the same words, his face twisted with terror and rage.

"A monster. It's a monster, a monster!"

He could never win. If the thing had been capable of reason, he would have thrown himself at its feet and begged for his life.

He had no idea why such a powerful magic beast was imprisoned in a place like this. Nor could he understand how such a powerful creature had been held immobile by those pathetic chains.

His mind was a complete mess.

'What the hell is this place?!'

That was when it happened.

RUMBLE!

The labyrinth wall collapsed, and Suho appeared before Randolph.

"Huh?"

Through the hole in the wall, Suho recognized Randolph and widened his eyes. That innocent expression made all of Randolph's pent-up rage erupt at Suho.

GRIND!

"You bastard...!"

Randolph's eyes blazed. At the same time, a thought surged into his mind.

'That's it! I'll catch him and use him as bait! When that crocodile bastard comes after me, I'll throw him...!'

Then he could live!

His face alight with joy, Randolph lunged straight at Suho. Injured or not, catching a single summoner would be child's play.

He was Randolph, an A-rank tank of the Scavenger Guild!

Unless he was up against something like that boss monster, no opponent could possibly overpower him!

BOOOOM!

A thunderous roar erupted from his entire body as explosive aura concentrated around his fist. It was monstrous strength, enough to crush a pathetic summoner like a bug.

"This is all your fault! If it weren't for you, we could have cleared this place one step at a—!"

RUMBLE!

"Cleared it...?"

That was when the rest of the wall collapsed, revealing the enormous shadow Suho was riding.

"... Huh?"

Randolph's expression crumpled.

What on earth was going on?

[SKREEEEE!]

The Venomfang Sand Centipede.

The enormous monster that had claimed the lives of countless hunters visiting the pyramid of Kamaru stood before him.

'This is impossible...'

How could anyone control something like that through summoning?

As an A-rank hunter, Randolph knew a great deal about summoning. Mere summoning could never control a boss-level creature like that. If anyone tried, the summon might devour its summoner instead.

And yet now...

"My God..."

The terrifying demon of the red desert had appeared before him.

With Suho on its back.