The Transmigrated Author
Chapter 236: The Sunlit King (2)

[Mireksan Mountain, The Dungeon Of Sacred Treasure]

"Are you the boss of this place?" Jan called out, his voice echoing in the cavernous chamber.

The figure behind the curtains leaned forward, its golden eyes intensifying in brilliance.

"Boss of thou place?"

The voice, a soft yet commanding whisper, sent a shiver down Jan's spine.

"No... I am the King Of This World."

CRACK...CRACK...CRACK...

The curtains parted, revealing skeletal hands reaching out, manipulating a strange flow of energy that snaked towards the knights flanking the throne.

"Come forth, O' Knights Of Crucified Order. Now is your time to defend thy King."

Jan watched in fascination as the knights stirred, their movements robotic and jerky.

A yellow light ignited in their hollow eye sockets, and massive weapons materialized in their grasps.

The knight on the left wielded a greatsword, the one on the right, a battle axe, both gleaming with an unearthly golden sheen.

"Lost soul, I adore you, for how far you've come," the King's voice resonated, filled with an unsettling warmth.

As the knights' forms solidified, bathed in a golden aura, the King placed his hand upon his chest in a gesture of honour.

"Shall you defeat these knights of gold, only then the radiance of thy throne will grant you audience. Failure will be DEATH."

WHOOOOOSH!

With a dramatic bump, the King slammed his fist into his chest and a hurricane of wind blasted towards Jan, forcing him to raise his sword in defence.

"He only raised his hand but this much power?"

The sheer force of the gale pushed him back, his feet skidding across the cobblestone floor.

The knights didn't hesitate. In a blur of motion, they lunged towards Jan with their golden weapons raised high.

Their speed was astonishing, even for Jan, who had faced countless opponents in both his lives.

"Oh, whatever," Jan muttered with a smirk, sheathing his silver broadsword.

huuu...

As the knights reached him his eyes flared, and a golden aura enveloped him like a second skin.

SWING!

With perfect synchronicity, the knights swung their weapons from both sides.

The greatsword and battle axe whistled through the air, aimed at Jan's head and torso.

"Open," he commanded, extending his left arm to meet both attacks head-on.

As he extended it, the arm hardened with a combination of aura and his light attribute.

The two energies intertwined seamlessly, creating a barrier of pure energy.

BANG!

The impact reverberated through the room.

Jan's arm absorbed the full force of the blows, his light attribute acting as a shield against the knights' golden weapons.

CLACK!

The knights stumbled back and their movements were momentarily disrupted by the unexpected resistance.

Jan acted quickly, tightening his grip on the hilt of his broadsword.

"Extend," he whispered, and his light attribute surged forth from his blade, forming a golden extension of pure energy.

CREAK!...CREAK!...CREAK!!!

The knights struggled to free their weapons, trapped in the inflexible grip of Jan's imbued arm.

They could feel their own energy being drained as their movements grew sluggish.

With his sword held to the side, the golden tip of the blade extended far beyond the room.

"Light Cleave," Jan declared, his voice ringing with power.

SLASH!

With a single, horizontal swing, a golden arc of light erupted from his sword, cleaving through both knights simultaneously.

WHOOOOOSH!

The knights were flung back and their bodies smashed into the pillars lining the room.

The once-proud guardians lay motionless, their golden aura leaking out of their soulless bodies, dissipating into nothingness.

Jan, his gaze fixed on the fading remnants of the knights, performed a customary gesture of respect.

Regardless of whether his opponents had possessed souls or not, he honoured their passing.

He plunged his sword into the ground; the blade sinking deep into the cracked cobblestone.

Clasping his hands together in prayer, he bowed his head in a silent tribute to the fallen warriors.

"Thank you."

As the last vestiges of the knights dissolved into dust, the King's glowing eyes pierced through the shadows.

"An interesting kind,"

Echoing with a regal tone, his voice conveyed both amusement and fascination.

"You..."

CREAK...

The room trembled, and the curtains swayed as the mighty King slowly rose from his throne.

Jan felt a sudden and powerful tremor surge through his body, causing a jolt of fear to seize his answer.

His hands trembled uncontrollably, desperately trying to maintain the grip on his sword, which now felt heavy and unwieldy.

It's that feeling again... why?

He couldn't understand this sensation, a pressure, unlike anything he had experienced before.

It was a wall, a challenge, something he had only encountered a few times in his life.

And now, it was back.

—If it was back then, I would've given up... but now...

huuu...haah...

Jan took a deep breath, steadying his trembling hands.

"It's different."

**

[Rel's POV]

[This is a cannon event. You are not to interfere with the following characters' event: Jan Ates]

A cold sense of dread washed over me as I neared the double doors of the sunlit king's room.

The system's warning was clear as day.

I wasn't allowed to interfere with the canon event that was about to unfold.

I pressed my head against the cold stone, hoping that 'they' wouldn't show up.

But my worries weren't unfounded.

The journey through the dungeon had been a gauntlet of infected monsters with most of their contorted forms and unnatural strength meant that those damned things would arrive to jump Jan in no time.

I had narrowly avoid them at every turn since I knew that facing them would only put me at a disadvantage since I don't have the attribute to kill them.

But I guess despite the obstacles, I had made it here in one piece.

"...!"

RUMBLE...RUMBLE...RUMBLE...

The ground shook, and a tremor emanated from the room behind the doors.

The long-awaited signal had finally come.

Jan was about to face the sunlit king and uncover some truths behind his reincarnation.

It was an answer to one of his most burning questions, a revelation that would give some reason for his destiny.

_______

Authors Notes:

- Jan's aura colour turns black when using flow and enhancement.