<Chapter 41. The Second Advent of the Sun God - 7>

[Lee Shin Woo]

[Shadow Joker]

[He Who Has Reached the Peak; 15 others]

[Lv - 8 (Status Effectiveness 300%)]

[Strength - 2,548, Agility - 2,717, Health - 2,913, Magic - 6,501]

[Passive skills - Wild Card Lv1, Acting Lv20, Invisible Heart Lv4/Lv159, Rebellion Lv5, Mana Acceleration Lv7, High Rank Mana Bone Lv7, High Rank Command Lv7, High Rank Assimilation Lv5, High Rank Combat Sense Lv6, Lucky Strike Lv3, Soul Seeing Eye Lv3]

[Active skills - Disguise Lv9, Instigate Lv8, Bone Reinforcement Lv12, Rule of Bone Lv11, Bone Armory Lv10, High Rank Regeneration Lv5, Sacrifice Lv1]

[Elements - Darkness: MAX, Beginner Dark Shadow Lv1, Intermediate Dark Flame Lv1, High Rank Fire Lv6, High Rank Water Lv1, High Rank Wind Lv3, High Rank Earth Lv3, High Rank Ice Lv1, High Rank Acid Lv4, High Rank Lightning Lv5, Absorption Lv12]

[Resistances - Holy: MAX, Darkness: MAX, Light: MAX, High Rank Fire Lv5, High Rank Water Lv1, High Rank Wind Lv3, High Rank Earth Lv4, High Rank Acid Lv3, High Rank Ice Lv1, High Rank Lightning Lv4]

Lee Shin Woo melted into the darkness and then checked his completely changed stats. His skills grew, which resulted in a noticeable increase in his stats as well. He'd just become level 8, yet his stats totaled 14,679.

Moreover, by becoming level 8, his status effectiveness had increased, so even he wasn't sure how much stronger he'd gotten. Although his growth rate was lower now than when he had leveled up from level 6 to level 7, he had gained an overwhelming authority in its place, so he didn't have any complaints. As the message said, it would be nigh impossible for other level 8s to gain this much power.

'And I feel it too. That I won't lose to anyone I've met anymore.'

He recalled the Archmage, Feotane Von Seldin, yet he didn't feel tense. When he was level 7, he'd set the groundwork to countering the Archmage's spatial magic. And now that he'd learned the Dark Shadow element and had reached level 8, he was confident that he could counter his spatial magic completely. If he were to factor in the dark flames as well... Wait, the dark flames?

"Ah, that's right."

He knew he was forgetting something. Lee Shin Woo stopped ruminating and got to work. The dense darkness was condensed into a single point, giving his body its shape. It'd be fine if he looked like a skeleton, but he decided to assume a human form, just in case the dungeon collapsed and they were exposed.

"Hoo."

He appeared as a young man with a fit body and a tall height, causing him to emit a sort of decadent appeal. His body was much more 'balanced' than when he was on Earth, but it was only natural when he took into account the transcendent growth in his stats.

He could make himself look like this with the Disguise skill, but making this form from darkness resulted in a way more lifelike feeling.

"I don't even need to use Disguise anymore. Is this what happens when the world automatically overlaps the frame of 'a living person' onto one's essence? Interesting..."

Of course, it was because of the Disguise skill that he was able to awaken, so he shouldn't be worrying about the differences between the two abilities. All of his abilities made up who he was. 'Perhaps I've achieved enlightenment,' Lee Shin Woo uselessly thought, and equipped himself through Bone Armory.

He couldn't yet, but if he were to transcend Bone Reinforcement, Rule of Bone, and Bone Armory... his skills related to bones, then Lee Shin Woo would be 'complete', or so he thought. He'd already transcended his previous physical form, so now he had to transcend his current abilities.

"Shin Woo!"

"Yeah, thanks for covering me."

Once he became visible, Jin flew through the air and approached him. Lee Shin Woo replied nonchalantly, accepting the Titan Bone Core and the two Bone Cores, but Jin's expression didn't look too bright.

"That's not the issue here. You look completely..."

"Ah, let's talk about that later."

"...Ok."

As expected, Jin also felt something after witnessing Lee Shin Woo's evolution. Did he find out that he could transform into a human? If he did, then Lee Shin Woo would have to apologize until Jin cooled off. But there was something more pressing at the moment.

"Bone Reinforcement."

Lee Shin Woo said softly and tightened his grip. Darkness leaked from his fingertips, enveloping the Titan Bone Core and the two Bone Cores. The Titan Bone Core and the two other cores lost their shape and fused together; they were forming into a completely different shape.

When he leveled up, his 'existence' changed completely, so all of his skills underwent fundamental growth, not just his Wild Card skill. If they hadn't, then the completed Bone Core probably wouldn't be rebuilt.

[Kyaaaaahk...!]

[Kihik!]

"Sorry, but you'll have to stick with me for a little bit longer... Heup!"

The Titan Bone Core was still evolving. He gripped the darkness in one hand and extended his other hands to the groaning Dark Flame Ghosts, who were trapped in their armor. Then, they surprisingly started to escape upwards!

[Kyahak!?]

[Kiiiiiiiiii!]

Lee Shin Woo reinforced their bone armor by infusing his magic into them, allowing him to control them more easily. Then, the Dark Flame Ghosts escaped the barrier, even though they hadn't been able to do so by themselves!

"Now's not the time to be fighting amongst ourselves! Get a hold of yourselves!"

[Giiiiiiik!]

He'd been the one egging them on, so it didn't sound right coming from him. However, Lee Shin Woo's expression didn't waver. Was he not going to instigate them now? This was a complete 180!

Jin looked disapprovingly at him (that's what his goblin fire seemed to convey at least) and Lee Shin Woo whispered.

"Jin, we'll be fighting the true boss soon. Bear with it until I get on the Titan. I'll take care of the rest once I've gotten on."

"Those bugs are still there, yet you want to call the host!? Are you going to try and fool them? You can't even talk to them."

"It's because those bugs are there that I'm attempting to call the boss. And I don't need to fool them. You'll see."

Jin was confused. Lee Shin Woo clicked his tongue and raised his hand even higher. The sound of something rupturing sounded throughout the clearing. Immediately after, a ridiculous amount of fire surged from under the ground. The Dark Flame Ghosts had moved so forcefully that the barrier had been completely broken!

[Kuaaaaaaaaaaaah!]

[Giiiiiiiik!]

[Gueeek!]

A frightening amount of fire shook the clearing. The Dark Flame Ghosts began to shake when they heard those cries. Lee Shin Woo didn't concern himself with their reactions and used more of his strength to completely pull them out from the ground.

The sight of the giant Dark Flame Ghosts unable to resist and being forced into the air was slightly adorable.

"Holy crap... Shin Woo..."

[Kuoooooooh!]

Once a part of the barrier cracked, the rest of it gave way quickly. Ultimately, the flames surging from under the ground burnt away the remains of the barrier.

Though they were far away, the surging golden flames momentarily obscured their vision. It was such that Lee Shin Woo couldn't completely shield himself from the sight with his darkness. In other words...

[Kuhaaaaaaaah!]

"That's..."

Jin shook at its overwhelming presence. On the other hand, Lee Shin Woo wasn't very surprised, as he'd felt it before. It crowed as it flew, its feathers, composed of golden flames, rising into the sky.

[Lv9 Corrupted Garuda - Sun God]

"If the Pope knew about this, then he'd grasp his forehead. Since he'd have to remake all the stone statues of the Sun God."

"Now's not the time to be joking around! If it's corrupted, then that means it's in the same condition as those Dryads!"

"Yeah, you're right. It'd be great if we can return it to its original state, but... Man, that thing's ruined."

Lee Shin Woo assumed that it was once covered in gold, but as of now, its body was a mix between a murky gold and black; he looked down at the giant divine bird and shrugged his shoulders.

It looked like it had avoided a complete undead transformation, but it wasn't alive; there was even less of a chance of him restoring its intellect. At least, that's what he saw.

"Its soul is rotten. ...Well, it must've gone through a lot, so it makes sense."

"Shin Woo, let's run. We can't beat that thing. Let's let it rampage on the surface and hope it kills the Emperor for us."

[He's right. That's... Not something a living being can oppose. Its existence borders on myth! As a spirit, I can tell. Only by transcending the barrier of the living and spirits can you gain that form!]

Now that he thought about it, he'd completely forgotten about Zenon. While he was evolving, he had unsummoned his greatsword and Zenon was released; he had been hiding all this time. Lee Shin Woo called him to his side and soothed him.

"It's ok. We don't need to fight right away. Let's just watch for now."

[Huh?]

The Garuda was slowly coming up and getting closer and closer to them. However, Lee Shin Woo remained relaxed. Zenon wondered why he was so confident, but he soon got his answer. The Dark Flame Ghosts were free falling towards the Garuda.

[Kyaaaaaaah!]

[Kihaaaah!]

"Good. Let go of your anger!"

"They're not letting go of their anger. You're letting go of them."

Jin calmly retorted, but that really wasn't very important to Lee Shin Woo. Lee Shin Woo would be happy as long as the Dark Flame Ghosts and the Garuda fought!

Jin had thought that Lee Shin Woo would convince the Dark Flame Ghosts to fight against the Garuda, but he never needed to do so. If he left the three together, then...!

[Kuaaaaaaaah!]

The Garuda noticed the Dark Flame Ghosts and furiously spewed flames. The flames were so great that the sides of the clearing walls exploded; part of the walls were simultaneously vaporized. The Dark Flame Ghosts had been drawing energy from the Garuda for years, so it was seething in anger!

[Giiiiiiiii!]

[Guaaahk!]

Of course, the Dark Flame Ghosts were quite pitiful. They were brought here and sealed by the Magic Emperor, and had no choice but to draw energy from the Garuda to survive!

But so long as it was hostile towards them, the Dark Flame Ghosts had no choice but to use their dark flames in order to survive! And so, the battle between the level 9 bird and the two giant level 8 bugs began. Lee Shin Woo watched from above with Jin and Zenon and stuck his chest out boastingly.

"See that? A swindler controls cause and effect, even while doing nothing."

"Yeah, you're amazing."

"That golden flame is either High Rank Fire or fire mixed with something else (a fusion element). I'm sure of it, considering the fact that the dark flames aren't very effective against it. ...Based on the info I'm getting from the black armor, the only reason they're lasting so long is because of the dark flames."

But there was a pronounced difference in physical specs, so the battle would end at this rate.

Rather than entering the battle himself, Lee Shin Woo reinforced their black armor further by infusing more magic into them. He increased their defense as much as he could and was trying to draw out as much of the Garuda's power as possible.

"Those guys... Do you think they can win?"

"Nope."

Jin asked cautiously and Lee Shin Woo firmly replied.

"On the contrary, the true battle will begin after they die."

He smiled as he looked at the still-evolving darkness within his grasp.

When those Dark Flame Ghosts had done their job and turned into Bone Cores, the Titan Bone Core would finally be reborn into the state that Lee Shin Woo envisioned. The Titan Bone Core would inherit the Dark Flame Ghosts' will and strength and be reborn. He would then ride the reborn Titan Bone Golem to defeat this foe. There was nothing more wonderful than this!

"I'm glad that you're still the Lee Shin Woo that I'm used to, even after leveling up to level 8."

"..."

That's strange. Jin hadn't insulted him at all, yet he felt unpleasant for some reason. As the battle continued, Lee Shin Woo wondered whether Jin had learned a skill like Instigate while he wasn't looking.