The 31st Piece Overturns the Game Board

Swish—!

Karuna didn't use excessive strength. Instead, his movements were calculated and precise, striking only when it mattered.

Even to Seol, who had now become Yaksha, his movements seemed to be perfect and efficient.

Crash—!

He blocked Karuna's kick with his elbow.

Even though he partially covered himself with shadow, the impact was still significant.

Whoosh…

Like a machine, Karuna aimed for his lower body.

Swish—!

BOOM—!

Debris covered their vision.

Guoo…

Karuna leaped onto the back of the Darkness Dweller, striking from above.

CLAP—!

[You used Black Flower.]

[Summon shadow hands that perform rapid strikes. Each attack deals damage equal to the amount of hands created. Each additional strike on the same target deals 20% increased damage.]

Whir—!

Fists surged upward in rapid succession.

Whoosh…

Dark energy flowed from Karuna's sword.

Tuunngg…

Tuung…

A black wave swept through everything around Karuna.

Swept up by the wave, the shadow hands lost their target and scattered in all directions.

There was probably no power as useful as that regarding distance control.

CRACK—!

Karuna drove his sword into the ground.

However, Seol wasn't there. He was glaring at Karuna from within the Darkness Dweller he had summoned.

'The Pitch Black Labyrinth's master is just imitating me when I first entered this place—everything I remember, and more. In other words, this Karuna still hasn't reached Supreme-rank.' ȑ𝒶NÔ𝖇Êṡ

By now, Karuna would have reached Supreme-rank. Due to the Connected Soul skill with Karen, the two shared enlightenment.

However, the Karuna Seol faced still hadn't reached Supreme-rank. That's why he could handle him relatively easily.

'The Pitch Black Labyrinth's master lacks imagination.'

The Karuna Seol remembered had stagnated.

It had been a while since Karuna had entered the Void, and even more time had passed since he entered the Pitch Black Labyrinth.

The Karuna he was facing now wasn't his true self. This Karuna had been created from stolen memories and was far from the Supreme-rank.

'But still, he's strong…'

At that moment…

After changing his stance, Karuna mumbled.

"Your movements passed."

"What…?"

"There is no need to see anymore. The next is…'

There was something in Karuna's reaction.

Seol noticed it, and even the Pitch Black Labyrinth's master sensed something was off.

"You… What did you just say?"

Karuna ignored the labyrinth master's words.

"It's power."

Whoosh…

Karuna's body ignited with a blue flame.

[Karuna has entered the 4th Stage of Soaring Moonlight, Blue Moon.]

[All stats increase by 20%. Elemental damage you deal to your target increase by 30%.]

…

An overwhelming power surged from Karuna's body. Yet it only burned and didn't spill over.

'He isn't hostile…?'

Seol had a suspicion. That's why he needed to confirm things.

Whoosh…

A Black wave rippled.

It seemed like he was preparing something.

Seol realized that and used the Darkness Dweller as a shield.

'This…!'

An immense energy surged without prior warning.

[Karuna used Exceptional Skill: Night Sea.]

…

A dark wave crashed down.

WHOOM—!

'I can withstand it…!'

The Darkness Dweller's body had endured even the Storm Sword of the Shin Yu from the dream. That's why it should be able to easily block the power of someone who had stayed in the past.

Creak…

[Karuna used Exceptional Skill: Link: Darklight.]

…

SPLASH—!

"Ugh…"

The Darkness Dweller staggered backward.

Another Darkness Dweller emerged behind it and caught it, and then another one supported it from behind.

Crack…

The first Darkness Dweller split in half.

However, the second Darkness Dweller wasn't completely shattered.

Clank…

Suddenly, Karuna sheathed his sword.

"Master, you've grown."

"What…?"

He could feel Karuna's smile.

Why was it?

The labyrinth's master shouted.

"I'm your master! What nonsense are you talking about?!"

Upon hearing that, Karuna turned around, looking annoyed.

"Those are disgusting words. There's only one I serve after being reborn—and that someone isn't you."

"What…?"

"I'll be going back now."

Whir—!

Karuna defied the labyrinth master's order and left on his own.

The labyrinth's master gritted his teeth and reconnected to the fake Void.

"Karen, I need your help."

Soon, a longing voice echoed from the Void.

Although it was fake, it was enough to evoke longing.

Karen was a Knight who had stepped onto the threshold of Supreme-rank. She would likely be much harder to deal with than Karuna.

'Even if she's as strong as I remember…'

Even if the memories poured out as they were, the odds were uncertain.

However, something unexpected happened.

- No.

"What…?"

- Don't call me. Ah, Ur is busy, so he probably won't even answer…

"I-I'm your master! Why aren't you following my orders?"

For some reason, all of the summons seem to have free will.

'Could it be…'

They knew that both they and the labyrinth's master were fakes.

'I see! It's because I lost control back then!'

It wasn’t just the labyrinth’s master who was shocked by the summons acting on their own—Seol was shocked, too.

The situation had already been foreseen.

The summons refusal to obey wasn't because they had become stronger—it was because the master's quality had fallen too behind.

- Well… You're weak.

"Weak…? Me? Your master?"

Even though they were fakes acting according to their own will, Seol's expression was dark.

'That's… my fear.'

It was the manifestation of his fear.

His summons refusing his orders was something that could happen at any time after he broke the balance due to having solely focused on their growth.

That image was one of the possible futures he had envisioned before entering the Pitch Black Labyrinth.

"If I'm weak… does that mean you've been used by a weakling all this time?"

The Pitch Black Labyrinth’s master dragged in Seol and tried to persuade her.

- Our Master is different from you.

"What's the difference?!"

- Our Master is noble. You're vulgar.

The labyrinth's master laughed.

"Haha… I see… I see…"

He realized that all of this was a reflection of Seol's true self.

"No wonder you're scared."

"…"

"But you know what? My power exactly mimics the memories and traits of the target. That means… deep down, your summons think the same way."

He was right—no, it was most likely true.

"You're a pitiful being… Haha… Ah, it was like that."

It was at that moment.

Whir…

Darkness swirled around the labyrinth’s master as a massive presence emerged behind him.

Upon noticing the arrival of the giant being, the labyrinth's master spread his arms wide to welcome him.

"Jamad! As expected, you came!"

The giant being carried an overwhelming presence.

'What the…'

He had never felt his hostility before—after all, it had always been directed elsewhere. But now, as Jamad stood before him, he felt pressure on a whole other level.

"Now, become one with me, and…"

Paaf—!

Jamad's hand gripped the labyrinth's master's head.

"Huh…?"

"You're too noisy. Why do you think you can give me orders?"

"W-Wait… I'm your brother…"

"Yes. Brother… but do you know what?"

Jamad brought his face close to the labyrinth master.

"I was reborn after killing all my brothers."

"Ah… No…"

Swoosh…

Jamad turned his head slightly to look at Seol.

"Yes. This might be the image you had in mind."

CRACK—!

The labyrinth master's head shattered.

Whoosh…

The darkness enveloped Jamad as he entered the Night Crow form.

The labyrinth master slumped down.

However, all of that was the will of the labyrinth's master—the will of the labyrinth itself. It was just that now, the labyrinth's master had taken on the form of Jamad.

"How long has it been?"

"Two years…"

"Haha… You sure talk a lot. You damn bastard."

Jamad laughed wholeheartedly before his expression turned serious.

"I thought of you as a brother."

"…"

"Someone I could share my life's goalv"

Seol also thought that.

It was just that he wanted to stand side by side.

"Your choices were always right. But… this time, I have my doubts."

He was angry.

"You will have to prove that your choice was right, as always. Even though I'm a fake… I'm sure the me inside you feels the same way."

CLAP—!

Dddrrr…

The surrounding terrain changed to a familiar scene—a starry night sky, and a solitary mountain's nest.

He needed to face one who had truly reached the Supreme-rank—the first shadow who had regained his true color—Walking Mountain, Jamad.

He could feel the pressure from a Supreme-rank.

His enemies so far must have also felt this way. A massive mountain stood before him.

"Do you remember where this is?"

"The place where we first met."

Grin…

It seemed that Jamad liked that answer.

This was the Pointy Mountains.

A bond formed through adversity.

Their encounter formed and stacked stories, and now, they were facing each other as enemies in the starry Pitch Black Labyrinth.

Seol stood on the testing ground.

This could become a guillotine or a runway to break free from the cage.

Jamad spat out the words he had once said to him.

“Oh demon, do you desire the mountain?”

- Oh demon, do you desire the mountain?

The being was larger and scarier than before. Now, he was standing before a being that had become a mountain.

"Then…"

Tsss…

Seol's body was covered in shadow.

Both of their bodies got painted dark, and each divined their own future.

They had grown now.

Too much had changed for them to remain in the past.

They were weak—now, they were strong.

They had wandered aimlessly—now, they moved with purpose.

They were enemies—now, they were brothers.

[The content of 'The Darkest Light' has changed.]

[The labyrinth's master has changed to 'Walking Mountain Jamad.']

[The Adventure’s difficulty has drastically increased.]

[The inheritance reward has increased.]

…

"Try and take it…"

Although they were standing opposite each other, the outcome they desired from this fight was the same.