[Lava King’s Army’s Knight Commander, ‘Lava Heart,’ has appeared! Before defeating him, it is impossible to defeat the Lava King. Note that there will be no tomorrow if you do not win. I pray for your victory!]

“Thank you, message noona,” I murmured in response to the notification message that rang in my ear.

The giant knight glared down at me and shouted, [How foolish, Hero. You dare to challenge the king with such meager power?]

I retorted, “Shut it, Giant.”

His words caused the earth to rumble. I thought my eardrums would rupture. He was extremely hot, and the burning flames making up his body caused the earth to melt, sinking his feet into the ground. If I wasn’t wearing the Felixes’ Chaotic Cape, I wouldn’t have been able to overcome this heat.

[Since you awoke the king, you must be prepared to face the punishment!] he snarled.

I replied flippantly, “Sorry for waking up a sleeping guy. I’ll put him to sleep again as an apology. For eternity.”

[You!] he snapped.

The spear he held descended towards my head like a bolt of lightning. It looked like a simple attack, but the terrifying pressure of mana strangled me. Haha, even with this much power, he wasn’t the king. I could only smile bitterly.

“Lotte, you can dodge it, right?” I asked.

[I will!] Lotte replied confidently as she flapped her wings. The black flames that ignited along her wings set the mana restraining us aflame. Then, she escaped from the trajectory of the spear and charged towards his thighs.

Feeling the wind and lightning energy from the final blow gathered at the tip of my spear, I shouted, “Peika, Sharana! Let’s go!”

[Leave it to me!]

[Got it!]

The two elementals shouted in response. They weren’t just controlling the energy. They were harmonizing it with the Heroic Strike I was preparing. If the intimacy between us had not reached the peak, it wouldn’t have been possible even in my dreams.

The boss crowed, [Is the thing you’re holding a toothpick? How funny. You dare to attack me with just a frail weapon!?]

I grinned viciously. “I’m sure you’ll change your mind once your thigh bursts from being poked at by this toothpick!”

The final blow of Wind King’s Rage was being added with a Heroic Strike I was focusing all my mana to make! The wind and lightning energy danced as if to match my breathing. Peika and Sharana’s power heightened. Everything was becoming one with me.

[Hero, I will erase you and raise the curtain to the end of this world!] he proclaimed arrogantly.

“Know your place, grunt! Also, die!”

As I opened my eyes widely, I focused on the one point I would thrust at. The giant’s leg, covered by his armor of lava, grew closer. He was simply trying to kick me, but the highly dense mana emitted a powerful pressure enough to crush me to death.

However, I would not lose. I couldn’t.

“Eat this! Sacrifice! Desire Thorn!”

I directly used my trump card skills and thrust out. In that instant, everything that was pressuring me disappeared. The enormous energy gathered at my spear tip had sucked in the nearby mana and freed me. Feeling that power, I gulped down a mouthful of saliva.

If this attack can’t deliver a fatal blow…! Desire Thorn will restore my health, but I won’t be able to avoid the pain!

Lotte encouraged me, [Don’t worry about the consequence and attack, Hero!]

“Haaaaap!”

With Lotte’s support, I threw away my hesitation and thrust my spear towards his oncoming thigh. In that instant, a tremendous pain swept over me. From the pain well beyond what I had imagined, I staggered. The damage would never be enough to outright kill me, but the inflicted pain was a different story. I had to use all my strength in order to hold onto my spear. Thankfully, the pain seemed to have ravaged the giant as well.

He shrieked, [Kuaaaaaak!]

The moment my spear attack reached its destination, the giant’s enormous scream rumbled the earth once more. His leg burst completely, sending lava towards me. Although the thorns extending out from the spear tip absorbed most of it and restored my health, a great amount of lava still shot towards me.

Even as I was wreathed in pain, I spread my cape out and wrapped it with mana. I might be fine, but if Lotte was hit by that attack, she would undoubtedly melt! However, Lotte was not hit by even a single drop of lava. Even though her body should have felt heavy as a result of my skill, she had gotten away with an incredible acceleration. Her extremely quick movements even made me falter.

“Lotte!” I shouted.

[Recover, Hero! I already said you should leave all the dodging to me!]

Lotte was too cool!

I followed her advice and hurriedly gulped down a potion. My health which even Desire Thorn couldn’t fully restore seemed to be slowly going back up. When I looked back, the giant’s detonated leg lay on the ground melting the entire earth.

I wanted to believe that his flames weren’t EX ranked, but I had never seen such destructive power before. If Hwaya was here, could she surpass this power? I couldn’t be sure.

[Kuaaaaa! You little insect!] he shrieked.

The giant was staggering after losing his leg, but he soon created a new leg and stood tall. He had gotten shorter by about thirty feet, but he had returned to a perfect human form.

I was confident that I had dealt critical damage, but he didn’t even seem to be on the verge of death. Apparently, I would have to fight him for a long time. For the first time in a while, I recalled the Orc Lord, the one that I had fought when I was level 5.

[Pay the price for harming this indestructible knight!]

I retorted, “If you were indestructible, I wouldn’t be able to harm you, you idiot!”

[Die!] the giant screamed and swung his spear. With how big the spear was, I could only hear the sound of it cutting through the earth after I saw it flying with my eyes. Lotte dodged this attack with an almost godlike maneuver. Even I couldn’t be confident of dodging the previous attack unless I used Divine Speed.

[Hero, I’m charging again!] she warned.

I grinned. “Yeah, go ahead!”

At that moment, someone was approaching me with a cold, freezing energy. I thought it was Ina at first, but it turned out to be Ruyue.

[Shin, let’s go together!]

I shook my head. “Ruyue, you deal with the army. I’ll deal with him alone.”

[But you’re in danger! That guy is too strong!]

“If we don’t take care of the army now, we’ll be in greater danger later. Ruyue, please,” I pleaded.

[…mm! Okay!]

Ruyue fell back obediently. Immediately afterwards, another spear attack flew towards me. His spear had stayed the same size unlike his body, but he had gotten weaker, so the pressure I was facing was lesser than before. Lotte could also dodge his attacks easier. I shot bolts of lightning from my spear as I shouted in the guild communication channel, [Everyone, focus on eliminating the lava army! I’ll handle this giant! Again, focus on eliminating the Destroyers and Sweepers!]

[We’ll leave it to you, Son!] my father promptly replied.

Hwaya screeched, [If you die, I’ll kill you!]

[Good luck, Guild Master.]

Go fight instead of cheering me on! Even as I complained inwardly, I smiled and held up my spear. However, I thought that I couldn’t win like this. I had used Wind King’s Rage and had even used Desire Thorn and Sacrifice. Even so, the giant seemed completely fine other than that he had gotten shorter.

I was confident I would be able to crush him if I used Overlord, but I recalled what the message noona said. I would have to face the Lava King after this giant. As I couldn’t use Sky God’s Rage, the only method I had left was…

I took a deep breath. “Alright, let’s try it.”

I activated the Succubus Queen’s Tattoo. Immediately, my mana rose to double its maximum amount. If this wasn’t enough, I would have to absorb the crystal ball Licorice gave me, but I wanted to save it until I faced the Lava King. I wanted to end this fight with just the doubled mana!

The giant grunted, [I acknowledge that you have many mysterious powers contained in that tiny body. Still, you are weak!]

“Well, you only know how to talk with that huge body!” I replied cheekily.

Fresh lava began to flow along his spear. Lava dripped down in all directions as a thick aura shot towards me as if to pierce straight through. I cursed inwardly and dodged the attack by relying on Lotte. Then, I immediately threw the Chaotic Spear tempered with Heroic Strike.

“Die!”

[Kuaaaak!]

Having penetrated the giant’s lower abdomen, the Chaotic Spear flew back into my hand with lava scattering everywhere. Once the giant filled in the hole in his abdomen, he had shrunk by another three feet. I was beginning to see a way to defeat him!

“You’ll soon reach my height, haha!”

[Yooooou! Lava Havoc!]

Shit, I provoked him too much! He must have gotten annoyed as he struck his spear in the ground along with a fierce cry. Lotte quickly soared up.

[Tell everyone to run! Staying on the ground is dangerous!]

[Damn, everyone! Dodge! Don’t stay on the ground!]

Soon after, the entire volcanic region flipped upside down. Scarlet lava erupted everywhere. The power of this lava was so strong that even many of the SSS+ ranked Destroyers melted down.

Screams rang out from several places. No! Could there have been a casualty!? I wanted to look around, but the giant didn’t give me the chance to do so.

[His main target is us! Hero, prepare yourself!] Lotte warned.

The giant snarled, [You puny arrogant human, you shall pay the price for your sins!]

A cone of lava erupted from right below me. I gasped and shouted, “Lotte, quickly, transform!”

[Got it!]

Lotte immediately morphed into her human form. I then instantly held her in my arms and shot up using Sharana’s power. Although I had flown up hundreds of feet in an instant, the jet of lava was chasing after me. As if that wasn’t enough, even the giant’s spear flew towards me from the side. I used Divine Speed and flew up even more quickly. Only then did I barely escape the lava.

[You’re fast like a rat!]

Lava Heart gritted his teeth and thrashed his spear about in the air to vent his anger. Meanwhile, I hurriedly confirmed the guild members’ safety.

[Is everyone safe!?]

[Two members couldn’t dodge in time, but they’re alive. With Elixirs, they’ll be fine! But some of the Succubi…!]

“Kyaaaaaak!”

While Hwaya gave a report on the situation, a wind-splitting scream rang out. Not far away, an immense mana was going berserk. Without a doubt, it belonged to Licorice.

“I’ll kill you!” she shrieked.

I yelled out, “Licorice!”

“Dear Husband, I must kill him!”

I couldn’t stop her. I couldn’t ask her to focus on killing the Destroyers in this situation. Not to mention, while the Lava Heart’s attack had harmed us greatly, it had caused even more harm to the lava army. Even if Licorice joined me, it would be fine.

“Alright, come.”

Even before the words had left my mouth, Licorice was consecutively drawing giant magic circles in the air. She glared fiercely as a strange scent flowed out from her body. I instinctively knew that was the scent of blood.

She chanted quickly, “O resentment of fragrant flowers, Branding of Rose! Become blind from beauty and forever wander in the prison of dreams, Sweet Nightmare!”

Licorice’s mana condensed to the point it was visible with bare eyes as it enshrouded the Lava Heart’s giant body. At that instant, his body shrunk rapidly. He was now only sixty feet tall, half of what he was only a moment ago. It was an unbelievable change!

[Kuaaaak! Succubus Queen! A mere microbe dares to seduce me!? Kuaaaak!] he shrieked furiously.

Sweet Nightmare was the Floor Master skill I got from the First Dungeon’s Succubus Queen! When used against a target with lower charm than the user, it stole half of the target’s health and afflicted him with the ‘critical charm’ status effect! That giant possessed an overwhelmingly gargantuan body and league of existence. I suspected that his charm might be higher than mine and didn’t gamble, but Licorice had used this skill without hesitation and had succeeded!

She was a Succubus Queen whose charm was doubled against those of opposite sex, but to think she would come out victorious against such an opponent! Although I couldn’t fully accept it, she clarified all the questions I had swarming in my head.

[Kuhuk, a mere succubus…!] the boss snarled.

Licorice grinned viciously. “My clan’s ‘Blood Vengeance’ only just started! Dear Husband, attack him now! The branding will restrain him!”

“Got it! Lotte, let’s go!”

[Understood!]

Blood Vengeance was her clan’s special ability and it increased her power when members of her clan died! In that case, if I killed members of her clan when I first met her…! Just thinking about it made my hair stand. The message noona’s warning was surely justified!

I gulped down a mouthful of saliva and charged towards the Lava Heart with Lotte who had returned to her wyvern form. Thanks to Licorice’s secret skill, he was no longer as overbearing!

He howled, [Kuaaaaak! A mere human and succubus will never make me kneel! Lava Lance!]

“Dear Husband, continue charging!” Licorice shouted in an ear-splitting voice and threw another magic circle. I could feel that she had expended her full strength as the enormous magic circle drawn in the air flashed and shot through the air, erasing everything in its path.

However, the moment the magic circle passed through me, I felt my strength surging. The giant spear of lava flying towards me didn’t seem so scary anymore.

I grinned wolfishly. “Good…I’ll pour all the mana I have left!”

[Hero, I will fly at full speed!] Lotte roared and flapped her wings more fiercely. A spear made of boiling lava descended towards us. However, before we were swallowed by the lava, the magic circle Licorice shot out clashed with it. It couldn’t erase the spear, but the lava was blocked by the magic circle and became unable to advance. Cracks paired with uneasy sounds were appearing on the magic circle, but the time it was buying me was more than enough!

I shouted, “Sacrifice! I will end this now!”

The boss shrieked, [I am the indestructible knight, Lava Heart! The one who will offer the power of the Hero to the king shall be none other than—]

Before he could finish, the bullet like Chaotic Spear I launched pierced into his chest. Peika and Sharan both shouted as they fully released their elemental power, and I also poured all my mana into the attack. At the same time, I pushed Absolute Soul’s power to its limit!

“Just die, you bastard!” I screamed.

[Kuaaaaaa!]

Licorice shouted, “I will achieve our Blood Vengeance!”

[Mere microbes dare…Kuaaaak!]

Licorice squeezed out the very last drop of her mana, shooting an arrow into his mouth. The moment he flinched, I detonated the mana I doubled from the tip of my spear. Now was the time to finish him!

[Kuuuuuuuk!]

His scream caused the earth to fissure. Just the mana behind his scream caused a great amount of damage to everyone in the battlefield. It truly made me shiver.

However, that was only its death throe. I could feel it. Licorice’s magic had weakened it by a level, and the spear attack I poured all my mana into had taken his life. At the same time his life came to an end, I could feel his lofty league crumbling down!

[You…The king shall punish you! All of you! None will survive!]

Even after losing his life, he cursed us. It was truly a colossal curse that had even taken form. He was casting a death curse using his flickering flame of life as sacrifice.

I snorted. “You coward! As if I’d let you!”

Don’t look down on Absolute Soul’s power! I jumped up from Lotte’s back and charged towards the ball of mana he vomited out. Before his eyes closed from death, I could see him making a final smile. What he had just done was undoubtedly to force me to make this move!

Immediately afterwards, at the same time the Lava Heart completely died, his curse directly slammed into me. Then, a concise notification message rang out.

[The power of Absolute Soul completely cancels the curse.]

“Whew…”

I had succeeded by a hair’s breadth. Although I was fine, anyone else hit by the curse would have faced a dreadful fate. This self-proclaimed knight had no honor!

“Dear Husband, no! You can’t face that curse alone… Eh?”

Licorice flew towards me in a hurry. After seeing that I was completely fine, a look of confusion emerged on her face. When I smiled silently, she asked curiously, “How are you fine after being hit by that thing? That was the essence of a curse containing that guy’s last-remaining compressed life force…!”

I shrugged. “It’s the power of Absolute Soul. What, aren’t you happy?”

“Of course I’m happy… Hic, I’m glad, Dear Husband.”

Licorice broke out into tears. Now that Lava Heart died, she could finally express her sorrow regarding the dead succubi. I smiled bitterly, embracing her and comforting her, “Sorry Licorice. Because of me…”

“No, Dear Husband. I never thought it was possible to protect Dear Husband’s world without losing anyone… Hic.”

The other girls would surely be okay with what I was doing. I silently comforted the crying Licorice. Then, I felt a sudden sense of emptiness. Wait…

“L-Lotte!?” I shouted.

The Lava Heart’s lifeless body of lava containing nothing but boundless mana was falling down on Lotte! I called her hurriedly, but she stayed still facing the lava without thinking to dodge it.

“Lotte!” I screamed.

I couldn’t lose her like this! When I was about to use Shadow Blink to go save her, a refreshing notification fanfare rang out in my ear.

[Congratulations! After meeting some extremely rare conditions, Dark Wing Lotte has evolved into a higher species!]