The Transmigrated Author
Chapter 240: Dominance (2)

[Mireksan Mountain - Dungeon Of Sacred Treasures, The Sunlit Kings Boss Room]

"Boy..." Though weakened, the Sunlit King's voice still commanded Jan's attention.

"...!"

Jan, who turned around immediately, unsheathed his sword, realizing the battle might not be over.

However, he saw that the King's body was still severed, his hope of recovery dashed.

Slowly, he inched closer, his hands gripped tightly to his sword.

Though his mind expected a second phase, his heart told him otherwise.

As Jan's eyes looked over the King, there was no further push of dialogue... except one that lacked the intent to kill.

"What is it?" Jan finally replied.

The Sunlit King, hearing his response, turned his head to face him.

"Do you know how these realms... or so-called dungeons form in your world?"

"Well, one of two things creates dungeons; Irregular phenomena, places that lack the natural flow of time or the existence of negative mana which takes a certain area and converts it into a dungeon,"

The King subtly shook his head. "Not quite," he said with a chuckle that held a touch of bitterness.

"Dungeons in your world act as gateways to other realms. Essentially, these worlds have been corrupted after being conquered. The reason they appear is because..."

ZIP!

The King paused, and his voice distorted with a static shock that stunned him.

"⬛⬛⬛... ⬛⬛⬛!"

Only faint, distinctive sounds echoed around the room.

His voice lagged and blurted unconsciously.

Jan watched in confusion, unable to see the force that silenced the King.

"Is that how it is?"

The shock ended, and He muttered under his breath as if to curse at someone whilst looking above.

"Damned that contractor..."

The King realized he could only reveal so much without triggering 'that' effect.

"Sorry, I didn't quite understand?" Jan gazed into the king's eyes, almost taken aback by his sudden sporadic action.

The Sunlit King paused momentarily, trying to think of a way to bypass the effect without being stunned.

haah...

"Because someone from your world managed to contact 'it'..."

"It?"

As Jan's face twisted in confusion, he stroked his chin, thinking about who it could be.

"From my world, these people were called apostles... and if I could say one thing, they stumbled upon an object or item to gain contact with a being beyond imagination."

"...A being beyond imagination?"

Jan thought long and hard about who it could be.

『That can't be right... He can't be talking about?』

ACK!!!!

Without warning, memories flooded his mind.

"Wha-"

FLASH!

A blinding light, and suddenly, Jan found himself back in the past.

"—YOUR WORLD!"

The booming voice echoed across a desolate landscape, a chilling familiarity in its tone.

Jan blinked and his vision struggled to gain focus.

At that moment, he became aware that his back was pressed against a crumbling wall.

Pain, unbearable pain, radiated from his lower body.

Looking down, he saw the mangled ruin of his legs, crushed beyond repair.

"No..." he gasped, choking a whisper.

HERHAHAH!

A wave of panic surged through him.

He was reliving the moment of his death, the moment of his utter failure.

He looked up, his gaze meeting the towering figure that stood before him.

Dark armour, a gigantic weapon, and an aura of pure malice.

The memories flooded back — the guilt, the desperation, the betrayal.

FLASH!

The dark being raised its weapon, channelling energy from the sky.

Darkness, thick and suffocating, enveloped the world.

Jan recognized the finality of the moment, the inevitable end.

"—IS GONE!"

FLASH!

Haah!!!

His eyes blinked once more and the memory of a thousand nightmares evoked a single, overwhelming emotion.

Guilt.

Everything he had experienced, everything he had felt, brought back the image of one man, one being not of this world.

A force beyond the comprehension of evil and destruction.

"N-"

ACK!!!

Another searing pain pierced Jan's head, his body wracked with tremors as he fought to maintain his balance.

『 Something's stopping me from saying his name.』

SSSTTTT...

But before he could figure out why The King's body began to fade and his presence weakened.

"It's okay... you'll figure it out one day," he said. "After all, you aren't from here, are you?"

"N-no..." Jan earnestly shook his head.

"I figured," He sighed, looking upon Jan one last time.

"...!"

Then his eyes widened one last time in surprise.

"Hmph, it seems you were the one 'it' was searching for."

With half of the King's upper body gone, all that remained was his head.

"Jan, If it's you... then heed my words..."

SSSSSTTTT

"The item within me is the only thing that person's apostles are after. Whatever you do... DON'T let anyone take it."

His voice rose but still had the energy of dominance that made Jan take a step back.

"Is that the reward?" Jan asked,

"Yes, the reward within me is a special soul orb that holds a power beyond imagination... My ancestors... and I couldn't grasp it, which is why... I kept it out of 'it's' reach..."

SSSSSTTTTTTTT

"haah... I guess my time's up. Farewell Jan and good luck, you'll need it."

WHOOOOOSH!

On the cold stone floor, the King's head finally crumbled into ashes.

What remained of him was a golden sphere of light pulsating with an intense energy.

『That energy, it feels similar to light?』

Jan cautiously approached and picked up the orb, turning it over in his hands.

『But the energy is different entirely. He wasn't using it in any shape or form, but there seems to be something blocking it from being used?』

Even with his enhanced vision and lost archive ability, he couldn't see anything past the second layer of energy that seemed to conceal its true nature.

KYAAKK!!!

A scream echoed from beyond the chamber doors.

"That sound is that...?"

Jan's instincts kicked in, and he quickly pocketed the orb and rushed towards the exit.

***

[Location: Outside Of The Sunlit King's Dungeon]

From outside of the Sunlit King's dungeon, a fight between Rel and the blood mimics continued...

KEKE!!!

"You've been slasssshed by the serpent blade!"

"Mumu... now die,"

From Rel's right shoulder, a clean cut gushed blood.

The two blood mimics before him had nothing to worry about; humans didn't have a clear understanding of their intelligence and abilities.

But these were different from normal blood mimics – they were filled with demonic energy.

Rel, who got up after being slashed, placed a hand over the cut and the demonic energy within his shoulder was severed.

[Passive Ability: Mana Control [Grade 6] Has been activated!]

As steam rose from his shoulder, the cut from the demonic serpent turned into a scar.

"...!"

From the demonic monsters' view, their eyes couldn't believe what they had witnessed.

"Mumu... how'd he do that, Vester?"

"KEKE... he is no ordinary human, if he can grasp that energy that means..."

'"Death."'