Becoming the Dark Lord

Luke checked the timer.

[Time Remaining: 0 days : 0 hours : 9 minutes : 04 seconds]

“Almost time for... the super horde,” Anne said.

He was in the temple chamber that held one of the idols, with Charlie and Anne beside him. In the other chamber, guarding the second idol, were Eleanor, Evangeline, and Angie.

“We still don’t know if this beacon has a Final Challenge,” Charlie replied.

Last time, when the Beacon timer hit zero, it triggered a super horde. So they had prepared for that possibility. Each team was ready to handle a swarm of powerful enemies at once. Both formations had a healer and someone who could hold the line. Ironically, Angie was both the healer and something close to a tank. And as if that still wasn’t enough, she could also create a clone made of lightning.

“One second...”

[Dungeon Challenge 1 “Protect the Sunken Temple” has been successfully completed]

Then the next message came.

[Dungeon Challenge 2 “Idol Race” has been activated]

“Another challenge?!”

Dungeon Challenge 2: Idol Race

Objective: Ten groups are scattered throughout the cave temples and must now face one another. At the end of the cavern labyrinth lies a great altar. You must choose one of the two idols from your temple and carry it to the altar, but stay alert. Only five idols will be accepted at the altar. Only one member of your group may leave the temple carrying the idol, becoming the Idol Bearer, while the others must deal with the hordes of creatures that will try to steal the idol left behind in the temple.

Rules:

- If the Idol Bearer has their idol destroyed along the way or dies, the group will be disqualified.

- If the idol left in the temple is taken or destroyed by the creatures, the group will be disqualified.

Decide who will be the Idol Bearer as quickly as possible. The race has already begun.

[Time Remaining: 59 minutes and 59 seconds.]

“This is bad,” Luke said.

At that exact moment, the entire temple shook.

“Who’s going to... be the Bearer?” Anne asked.

Luke looked at the idol and processed the information fast. The Bearer would probably have to deal with creatures and other groups on the way. All while swimming. Being a good swimmer wouldn’t be enough. It had to be someone who could fight.

“You’re too valuable as a healer, Anne. You need to stay.”

And there was another reason. She didn’t have good mobility underwater, and she had no items or skills to compensate. Charlie, on the other hand, was pure brute force. Too useful to risk letting the temple fall.

“I’ll be right back.”

Luke stepped onto his teleportation circle and appeared in the chamber with the other group.

“So, did you read the notification?” he asked.

“We did,” Eleanor answered.

“We vote for you,” Angie and Evangeline said.

“Good. Saves me the argument.” He grabbed the idol without wasting a second. “I’m not wasting mana going back. Tell them, then get over there and help protect the idol.”

Then Luke ran to the opening and threw himself out of the temple. He emerged straight into the sunken cavern. It was his first time leaving the temple that way. Dark water pressed in from every side. Far off, a few points of light glimmered like lost eyes in the water.

So which damn way is the right way?

Below him was nothing but a black abyss. As far as Luke could see, the hole kept dropping, swallowing every trace of light.

No exit behind the temple. So there’s only one way.

From what he could tell, the temple sat at the very end of a cave.

And what the hell is that?

Above the pyramid, pressed against the cavern ceiling, was a stone circle covered in markings. Luke barely registered it before moving on. There was no time to investigate. The space ahead was narrow.

The kraken won’t fit through here.

His old Spectral Beast form, the [Grasping Octopus], could have squeezed through easily. The kraken couldn’t. Luke swam through the tight corridor, using his [Tactile Telekinesis] to control the [Scarf of the Sunken Kings] and pick up speed.

As he moved forward, he looked back and pulled out the compass. The needle pointed toward the sword on the pyramid. At least I can find this place again if I need to come back.

He had also marked Charlie with [Predator’s Mark]. That gave him another anchor if everything went wrong.

The idol fit inside his storage item, which at least kept it from getting in the way. For several minutes, Luke swam through the narrow passage, choosing forks as they appeared. Below, even in the tightest sections, the abyss was still there.

Did those creatures come from the abyss? I haven’t run into any here yet, but I’m guessing plenty have already invaded the temple.

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He kept swimming, tense as hell, glancing down again and again for anything waiting in the dark. When he reached the end of the vertical corridor, he found a horizontal passage. Luke flattened himself almost completely in the water and pushed through the tight space until he saw a hole. He entered it and came out into another narrow stretch, also horizontal.

Far ahead, there was a glow. Found it!

Luke accelerated. The glow came from the place where the idol had to be placed: the altar. Two idols were already there, and a person holding a staff guarded the area. Farther away, another participant was descending through a hole. The space was so cramped there was barely room to move.

Why is there a guy at the altar?!

Luke swam faster. Only five groups would win. Every second mattered. When he got close, the man with the staff lunged straight at him. Luke dodged in the water and tried to strike him with a kukri, but a chain snapped around his leg and yanked him back.

Damn it. Perception underwater is a mess. Sound barely helps.

The chain dragged him toward another enemy. Luke grabbed a knife and considered using [Shadow Mana Explosion], but an explosion in that enclosed space could be way too dangerous.

[Telekinetic Impulse activated]

The strike hit the man’s shoulder. Luke used the opening and swam toward the altar. A figure emerged from another hole with a bow in hand and began firing arrows at everyone near the altar. At the same time, Luke spotted another participant swimming absurdly fast, gripping a trident.

There’s a bastard swimming like Aquaman.

The trident bastard moved way too easily.

If we kill each other, the challenge ends for a lot of groups. For some of them, that was the best play.

Luke threw a knife and activated [Witch’s Thread], using it to pull himself toward the altar.

No acid underwater. Then it’s [Curse] time.

He attacked the man with the trident while the thread dragged him forward. A heartbeat later, he reached the altar and slammed the idol into place.

[Dungeon Challenge 2 “Idol Race” has been successfully completed]

[Final Dungeon Challenge has been activated]

Behind him, the man with the trident tried to attack. Luke was pulled by another thread and fired a knife from his bracer with [Telekinetic Impulse]. The impact hit the man and broke his rhythm. Luke advanced.

[You have slain a Human...]

[+1 Soul Fragment]

The man with the chain tried to pull him again. This time, Luke was faster. A knife struck the target, and the effect of [Cursed Weapon] kicked in. The pain from the curse gave him the opening he needed. Luke threw more knives at the man.

[Telekinetic Impulse activated]

Then the notification flashed.

[You have slain a Human...]

[+1 Soul Fragment]

Your second class [Arcane Witch] has reached Level 95! (+12 Intelligence, +10 Wisdom, +7 Perception, +6 Willpower, +5 Agility, +3 Vitality, +2 Endurance, +10 Free Points.)

[You have unlocked a new Second Class Skill]

[You have reached Level 98! Half-Demon (Rank E)] (+2 bonus points to all attributes, +5 free points)

Luke looked around as he swam. The archer and the others were already gone.

They’ve already started heading back to their areas.

The new system message opened.

Final Dungeon Challenge: Boss Hunt

Objective: With the Idol placed on the altar, a passage above the temple has opened to a new area. The groups must split into two teams: Attackers and Defenders. In the next area, there is a single boss that must be defeated, and the group that defeats it wins. However, victory will not be that simple. Only half of the group’s members may go to the new area, forming the Attacker team. The rest must stay behind to protect the temple idol, forming the Defender team.

Rules:

- The Idol Bearer must return to their temple.

- Only half of the group’s total number of members may be inside the temple for entry into the next area to be valid.

- Victory will only be counted for the group that manages to defeat the boss while also protecting the temple idol.

My group has six people, but there are definitely groups with ten. That means we’ll have three attacking and three defending, while some of the others get five on each side.

Luke did not waste time. He swam back as fast as he could until he reached the temple. When he arrived, creatures were pouring in through every opening. Others came from the abyss, rising like a living tide.

He attacked on the way in and rushed inside. His group was in the middle of chaos, dealing with several creatures while protecting the idol. Sea Knights advanced one after another. Eleanor stayed farther back, providing support. A [Healing Circle] was active, and Charlie was the only one fighting outside it. Every punch she threw sent a creature flying back.

“Did you read the notification?” Luke asked as soon as he entered.

“The one saying all our work goes to hell if we don’t kill a boss before everyone else? Yeah, we read it,” Eleanor replied.

“So, have you already decided who’s going with you?” Evangeline asked.

Luke looked at the three defending the temple, then at Angie and Charlie.

“I hate putting this on you, but I need Angie and Charlie with me. Can you hold without them?”

Angie and Charlie were two of the strongest frontline fighters in the group. Taking both meant leaving the defense weaker. But facing the boss without them meant risking losing the Beacon challenge.

“It’s not like we couldn’t use a healer who makes lightning clones and a vampire in a creepy blood breastplate,” Evangeline said, cutting down a creature that got too close. “But sure. We’ll manage.”

“Thank you. I won’t forget this.”

“Then kill the boss fast,” Eleanor said, dodging an attack.

Luke looked at Charlie and Angie. Both nodded. Before leaving, Charlie activated [Wave of Ash]. Fire and ash tore through the chamber, burning through the horde and giving the group room to breathe.

Then the three of them left the temple and swam upward. The stone circle in the ceiling had vanished, revealing the passage mentioned by the system. When Luke passed through, he came out of the water.

A lake.

They emerged in a lake in the middle of a forest.

“No one else is here,” Charlie said, looking around.

“The other groups were in different caves. I’m the only one who came back this way,” Luke explained.

Even so, they watched the forest carefully. None of them could assume they were safe.

“My lord, I leveled up while you were heading to the altar,” Angie said.

Angie’s 2nd Class [Light Cleric] reached Level 85! (+22 WIS, +14 WIL, +8 VIT, +7 TGH, +5 END, +4 INT, +2 PER, +15 Free Points)

[Angie has unlocked a new Second Class Skill]

Her notification appeared.

“And I chose this skill from the options.”

[Greater Ranged Heal (Rare)]: The cleric projects a stabilized flow of restorative mana toward an ally within several meters, reproducing the effects of [Basic Heal] at range. Unlike [Lesser Ranged Heal], the mana does not significantly disperse before reaching the target, allowing the spell to heal wounds and stabilize allies with the same reliability as direct restorative magic.

“It is new, but it should still prove useful,” Angie said.

“Yeah.”

They started running through the forest. Luke climbed a tree to survey the area while Angie flew upward. Ahead of them, there was a large clearing with no trees.

“Given how much time has passed in this dimension, Phase 5 should already be over,” Luke said. “If we lose this beacon challenge, that’s it. We won’t be able to reach Phase 6. We won’t find any more Phase 5 beacons outside. We have to go all in.”

He looked at Charlie and Angie.

“Don’t hold anything back. We have to kill that boss.”

And there were still the other participants. Every single one of them, right at that moment, had to be thinking the same thing. Luke opened the system interface and stared at the list of Witch skills for level 95. He needed power. Now.