Becoming the Dark Lord

Luke and the group were on the Expedition beach, sprinting toward the forest while chaos erupted all around them. Other participants were doing the same, scrambling for solid ground before the beach turned into a slaughterhouse. Some were already fighting in the sand. Others were still fighting out in the ocean, between ships rocking under the storm and skills tearing through the waves.

“Six Bracelets, six Beacons, and now… six towers,” Luke muttered as he ran, reading the notification for the final challenge.

[Challenge of the Colored Towers!]

Several towers are scattered across the Ship-Island, each belonging to a color group. Each Challenge Area contains specific types of Colored Towers. The participant who manages to claim six different towers will win the event.

[Time Remaining: 23 Hours : 43 Minutes : 38 Seconds]

One day for the final challenge. At least it won’t be weeks. This’ll all be settled soon.

There was also a player counter.

[Participants on the Island: 1322]

The number kept climbing as more ships arrived, but Luke still found it strange.

“That’s it for the final challenge? That’s fewer people than that Battle Royale.”

Considering the size of the event and the number of people he had seen over the past months, he had expected a lot more.

“Maybe no one else is as stupid as us, Luke,” Artemis said. “Think about it. A person survives Stage 1 after getting dumped on an island for three months. Then they spend six months either sailing across a scary-as-fuck ocean full of things trying to kill them, or hiding somewhere that gets wiped out by a tsunami every night. The first thing any sane person would do is get the hell out of the event. Nobody’s like you, man. You’re insane.”

Which meant the ones who stayed were probably the strongest people in the event. Or the craziest bastards willing to gamble.

The forest soon appeared ahead, but it wasn’t just a forest. Ruins sprawled between the trees, like the remains of an abandoned city swallowed by time. As soon as they crossed into the area, a new notification appeared.

[Area 1: Ruins]

Yellow and Green Color Towers are scattered throughout the Ruins. Once you claim both towers, the next area will become available to you. But be warned, a tsunami from the volcano crater will arrive in a few hours. Once caught by the water, you will be disqualified.

They pushed through the ruins. Creatures began emerging from the rubble, beasts unlike the aquatic monstrosities they had fought through most of the event. These were built for land. Heavier. More solid. Made to hunt through broken streets and shattered buildings.

A group of archers appeared near a plaza overrun with roots. The moment they saw Luke and the others, they opened fire. Angie spread her wings, rose into the air, and hurled a spear with brutal precision. The spear punched through one archer and dropped him dead in the sand. His companions didn’t even hesitate. They kept attacking.

Bad call.

Luke ran ahead, knocking arrows aside with his kukris as he closed the distance. A few seconds later, none of them were standing.

“That was… a lot of points…” Anne said, staring at her notifications.

“They’re people who survived and hunted through the whole event,” Luke replied. “Each one is basically a walking loot bag full of points.”

Some people here clearly didn’t care about winning anymore. They just wanted to hunt participants and rack up as much as they could before the end.

After running through the ruins for a while, they got used to the sound of explosions coming from every direction. Participants were killing each other all over the place. The counter had passed 3,500 before it started dropping instead of rising. Apparently, only that many people had decided to see the final challenge through.

A beast that looked disturbingly like the tutorial ants charged them. Then more followed. All of them were Level 130. Powerful, bipedal, with four arms ending in natural blades. They attacked with fast, slicing movements, trying to surround the group.

Luke watched Anne bind a few with her threads, close in with her sword, sever their arms, and finish them off one by one. When the last one fell, everyone reached the same conclusion.

“That’s not native to this world,” Angie said first.

“I’m pretty sure, Cadmus,” Luke said, “your Ship-Island didn’t make its crew claim towers to survive.”

“Correct,” Cadmus replied. “The island was modified to host the challenge.”

“What are the odds the King’s Tomb is still where it used to be? Can you guarantee they didn’t move it?”

“Once you claim the final tower, I will be authorized to reveal the tomb’s exact location. But I suspect you may find a clue before then. Perhaps an optional challenge before you are sent back to your home planet.”

They kept moving. Along the way, they faced other participants. A group of fist-fighters tried to block their path. They were all Rank D and strong enough to have survived until this point. Still, they went down. Once they were deeper inside the ruined city, Luke began to understand the true size of the place. Buildings stretched in every direction, mixed with gray towers rising above broken rooftops. At the top of each tower sat a massive crystal. Some shone yellow. Others glowed green.

They stayed together for a few more minutes, until they reached a spot where four towers were visible in different directions.

“This is where we split up,” Luke said.

“With my wings, I can get there faster,” Angie said.

“But snipers… will probably… intercept you,” Anne pointed out.

“I’ll go on foot. When I’m close, I’ll try a quick flight.”

“From there, each of us will probably have to take separate routes to the second tower in this area,” Luke said. He looked at them for a moment. “Either way, I’m grateful you helped me get this far in the event. And if you run into an enemy you can’t beat, it’s better to retreat and get disqualified than push forward and die.”

The group split. Anne and Charlie took nearby routes, while Luke followed Anne for a short stretch. With [Soul Infiltration], he also watched through Charlie’s eyes, keeping track of her position.

Luke and Anne ran across the rooftops. Below, groups clashed in the ruined streets. A stone building collapsed when someone was hurled into it at high speed, kicking up dust and shards.

“This is where… we split up… See you around… Lord Luke,” Anne said, before leaping off in another direction.

Luke continued toward one of the towers. When he reached it, he activated [Demonic Predator Hands] and began climbing the outer wall. That was when something cut through the air toward him. At the last second, he shifted aside. A spear struck the exact spot where he had been. Luke let go and dropped. Spikes burst from the ground below, trying to catch him like a trap. He drove his claws into the wall and stopped his fall at the last instant. A little farther away, on the rooftops, two people watched him: a mage and a spearman.

The spear returned to the spearman’s hand as if pulled by a magnet.

“Go hunting, my little birds,” the mage said, pointing at a corpse near his feet.

Undead crows tore their way out of the body. The swarm surged toward Luke, diving with beaks sharp as blades.

He smiled.

[Cloak of the Arcane Witch activated]

Luke kicked off the wall and launched himself upward, fast as a rocket. He became a black blur in the air and appeared between the two men on the roof. One kukri in each hand. One motion. Their heads came off. Their bodies hit the roof a heartbeat later.

The crows dropped dead.

“I wanted to see if some idiot would actually try me while I was climbing.”

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

With another leap, Luke shot high into the air, controlling his direction with the cloak’s power, and reached the top of the tower. Before him, the yellow crystal pulsed.

“I think this one explains itself.”

He touched the crystal and poured in a little mana.

[Tower Claimed: 1/6]

The crystal’s glow went out. The closest tower belonged to Anne. Luke saw her climbing with her daggers, moving with precision. He jumped from the top and landed on a tall building, deactivating the cloak to save mana while he watched the fights around him. In the distance, a sandstorm closed in on another tower.

“Well, look at that. We found a lucky guy all by himself,” a voice called from below.

A man walked with a crossbow in his hands, reloading it, accompanied by three others. Bodies lay scattered around them.

“Not gonna say anything?” the crossbowman asked.

“I’m not a psychic,” Luke replied.

“A psychic?”

The kukri was already flying before he understood. The blade struck the crossbowman in the face.

“Adam!” a woman shouted, aiming her own crossbow at where Luke had been.

But he was already gone. Luke dropped among them and attacked. The other three hit the ground almost together, dead before they could react.

“Because I don’t talk to dead men.”

Then he ran toward the next towers.

On the way, he found more participants. To most of them, Luke was nothing but a black blur crossing rooftops and ruined streets. Some tried to intercept him with blades, but they were cut down too quickly and fell moments later.

As he ran across the rooftops, he realized he was being followed.

“That’s a big fish!” a woman shouted.

“Bet he’s worth a ton of points,” another replied.

Luke simply turned and threw a knife.

“We’re too fast!” one of them shouted, jumping.

[Knife Storm activated]

The knives multiplied in the air and struck some of them mid-leap. Luke advanced right after, dancing between bodies suspended for a brief instant, cutting and dodging in the air as if it were just another part of the route. He landed first. A heartbeat later, bodies hit the ground around him in pieces.

An hour later, water began invading the streets. The rain grew heavier, and the storm became more violent by the minute.

[Warning: Any participant who falls into the water will be disqualified! The tsunami will arrive soon!]

Through Charlie’s eyes, Luke saw that she was beside Angie. The two had found each other again and were reaching a tower.

“Looks like I’m the one holding things up.”

He accelerated through the city, leaping between houses, rubble, and broken rooftops. The streets had already become rivers.

“I’m taking that tower, Anne. You take the next one,” he warned.

The doll maid had caught up with him for a moment. She nodded and shot off in the opposite direction, throwing a dagger attached to a thread and pulling herself along with agile precision.

When Luke reached the area around a green tower, several participants were running across the rooftops. Farther ahead, some were already climbing. He conjured knives and hurled them one after another. Each black blade shot through the air like a bullet, punching into backs, legs, and shoulders. One lost his balance, fell into the water, and vanished.

Huh. He really did get disqualified.

“You up there,” Luke called, raising his voice. “Jump into the water yourselves, or I’ll throw you in.”

“Go fuck yourself!”

Knives floated around him. Luke smiled and began plucking them from the air one by one, throwing them in rapid sequence.

[Knife Storm activated]

The participants were struck in mid-motion. Some, desperate, threw themselves into the water before the blades reached them.

“I warned you.”

With the cloak active, Luke jumped to the top of the tower. One participant arrived almost at the same time, drawing two scimitars.

“I’m Rank D, you bastard!”

The man lunged in an explosive burst, his scimitars spinning in a vicious blur. Luke dodged without rushing, cold and efficient, wasting no movement. In the middle of the exchange, he raised his hand and fired a shadow ball point-blank.

The explosion threw the man back. He fell screaming, one hand clamped over his face.

Luke conjured a knife and aimed it at his head. “So am I.”

The blade flew, and that was the end of it. Then Luke touched the green crystal.

[Tower Claimed: 2/6]

[Warning: Proceed to the indicated area!]

“This is going surprisingly fast. Wish the whole event had been like this.”

He jumped toward Anne. [Predator’s Mark] was on her as a precaution, which made her easy to find. A little later, the two reunited with Angie and Charlie.

“The tsunami,” Charlie said.

The waves were coming in the distance, advancing with absurd force. They ran. In the next area, the ground had not yet been taken by water, and that gave them a few precious seconds. Soon, they reached the wall of a canyon.

“I’ll take Charlie!” Angie said, grabbing her.

Luke scooped Anne into his arms and jumped. The wall was enormous, but he dug his claws in, kicked off, and climbed at speed. By the time they reached the top, the tsunami had swallowed the area below, devouring the ruins and drowning that part of the island.

“That was closer than I’d like.”

[Warning: Falling into the storm water results in disqualification]

[Warning: Participants who failed to claim both towers have also been disqualified]

“Then we keep going.”

Along the canyon, other participants had also managed to climb up. Some immediately started running away, avoiding any new fights. Luke and the group moved toward an enormous forest of giant trees, like ancient pines, their crowns disappearing into the mist.

“Anyone make progress?” he asked as they ran.

“I… did,” Anne said.

She had leveled up.

“Me too,” Angie said. “And I unlocked a skill.”

Angie’s 2nd Class [Cleric of the Radiant Dawn] reached Level 110! (+35 Wisdom, +28 Willpower, +23 Intelligence, +19 Vitality, +14 Perception, +12 Toughness, +9 Endurance, +30 Free Points.)

[Angie has unlocked a new skill]

Luke opened her notification history.

“I chose this skill.”

[Radiant Drill (Epic)]: The cleric releases the perfected form of [Lance Drill], compressing radiant mana into a spiral of incandescent holy light. Instead of coating only the spear tip, the drill expands beyond it, forming a massive rotating pillar of radiance around the weapon. With a single thrust, the cleric drives this force into the target, piercing armor, flesh, and magical defenses while flooding the wound with searing energy. On impact, the drill releases a concentrated burst of radiance, burning away corruption, disrupting regeneration, and leaving the enemy pierced by both physical force and holy judgment.

An interesting evolution of something that had started with the basic [Mana Drill].

There was a certain irony to it. In the past, [Mana Drill] had been a power Bartholomew used in the fight where Luke wanted to avenge Angelica. Now Angie wielded a skill born from the same principle, but taken to a level that man had never reached.

The forest didn’t take long to show its teeth. The path ahead was swallowed by thick mist. As soon as they approached it, a notification appeared.

[Area 2: Mist Forest]

Blue and Purple towers can be found within this enormous forest. For 24 hours, you must survive the forest and its threats while searching for the towers and, of course, the other participants. Killing a participant in this forest grants a 10% bonus on top of all points that participant possesses. Be warned: the number of towers in this area is only enough for 10% of you. Good luck surviving!

[Warning: Once you enter the mist, you will be teleported to a random location in the forest.]

“Of course this place pulls something like that,” Luke said.

[Participants on the Island: 1843]

“We don’t have a choice,” Angie said.

“I know.”

Luke touched Anne’s shoulder.

“Anne, this is where you turn back. You’re going home.”

“What…? But… why?”

“There’s no reason for you to keep risking your life here. You helped us a lot. If you enter the water, you’ll be teleported back home. So that’s what you’re doing.” He looked toward the mist ahead. “Honestly, I’d do it myself right now if I didn’t actually need to win this event.”

“I want… to help,” she said. She glanced at Charlie. “Help… my friends.”

Luke sighed and turned his eyes to Charlie. “See you soon.”

He shoved her toward the water. But just as Charlie was about to fall, she vanished.

[Blood Teleport activated]

“Why would you do that, Master Luke!?” she shouted, appearing beside him, furious.

So much for that plan.

Luke drew his kukris. “You’re going back to land, Charlie.”

“But why!?”

“Because none of you are following me past this point. I’m finishing this alone.”

“You’re worried about me? I can handle myself!” she said, drawing her sword.

“I don’t care. You’re out.”

“I’m not leaving my husband here alone!”

“Don’t make me force you, Charlie. You’re going home. I’ll see you soon.”

“I’m stronger than you!” she said, her body wrapping itself in an aura of fire.

“Only in raw strength, Charlie.”

“But you won’t go all out against me.”

She had a good point.

Angie aimed her spear at Charlie.

“You too, Angie?” Charlie asked.

“He’s right,” Angie said. “Only one person can win the event. One way or another, we’ll have to be disqualified at some point. Strategically, he’s better off not worrying about you and focusing completely on the forest challenge.”

“That same strategy applies to you, Angie. You’re going back too.”

“What? But why, my lord? I don’t care if I die. And I’m not even your girlfriend.”

A sword was pointed at Luke’s back.

It was Anne.

“Lord Luke. If… you send Charlie back… I’ll drag you with her.”

For a second, no one moved.

Luke felt the weight of it then. The absurdity. The danger. The fact that all three of them were ready to fight him for the right to stay in a death trap.

“So it’s the three of you against me, huh?”

“That’s called a gang bang, Luke,” Artemis said.

“Shut up, loudmouth. I’m dealing with a mutiny here.”