Yamata no Orochi.

It was one of the most dangerous monsters in YuWons memory. Among the monsters that existed in the Tower, it was a predator at the top of the food chain. It was also the thing that took Susanoo to the grave.

It was an ancient shard of an Outer God.

For this thing to actually be in the Colosseum.

YuWon couldnt believe the difficulty. If the Administrator was here, YuWon would have cussed him out.

Kkiyah, hiss!

The beast unleashed its fury with a cry. Bloodthirst, anger, torment, all sorts of emotions could be heard in that cry.

It only had one head, and it was significantly smaller than YuWon remembered, but it was still an extremely dangerous monster.

Crash, slam!

Ssss

No matter how much the serpent thrashed around, the Colosseum stayed sturdy.

At this point, it was simply a large animal. To put it in perspective, it was the equivalent of a newborn human baby. It was only loud.

Unable to break anything, Orochi started throwing a louder tantrum.

Kkyaaah!

Its cry echoed and filled the colosseum.

YuWon started to find the beast loud and annoying.

Ill have to take it down quickly.

Fwoosh

A crimson light glimmered from YuWons eyes.

At the same time, the thrashing Orochi spotted YuWon.

Sssss

It flickered its long tongue, closely watching YuWon.

The bloodthirst and mana that radiated from its eyes were quite ominous.

Without warning, Orochi started charging at YuWon.

Gnaaaw

Crunch

Orochi took a bite out of the ground.

YuWon jumped to the side, landing with one hand on the ground.

Orochi truly was a threat. Its bloodthirst was one thing, but there was also its size, which exerted a pressure. Being large in size was a powerful strength.

I guess the silver lining is that all it has going for it is its size right now.

As YuWon tightly gripped his sword

Slam!

Orochis tail slammed down towards YuWons head.

Slam, slam, slam!

Seething with anger, it continued to slam its tail down, even though YuWons body would have been turned into mincemeat after the first strike.

After it had swung its tail countless times

The Orochi I knew wouldnt have acted like this.

Vzzt

Orochi sensed an ominous energy above his head.

Crash!

It felt a blow on its head.

Vzzzzt!

A rain of black light swallowed up the surrounding light as Orochis head shook and fell.

Kkkiyaaaaaaah!

Feeling excruciating pain, it let out a scream as it thrashed around. It shook its head, trying to get YuWon off of it, but he endured, swinging his sword.

[Pure Dark Divine Crystal]

The Pure Dark Divine Crystal concealed by the invisible glove let out a black light that started enveloping Edge of Nightfall.

This was a completely different sensation to the one he felt while fighting Chryses.

This is much better.

The energy of the Crystal wasnt something that could be controlled by a mere normal sword. This energy wore out ones body just by using it and made any normal weapon that took on its power disintegrate rapidly.

However, Edge of Nightfall was different. It was an item Hephaestus forged using the powder from the Dark Divine Crystal. As it held the same property, it had no risk of disintegrating from the Crystals power.

YuWon widely swung the sword filled with the energy from the Pure Dark Divine Crystal.

Klang!

Ting, ting

The hard scales and tough leather impeded YuWons attack. Even though the scales and skin were being cut apart, causing Orochi to bleed, the wounds were too shallow.

Whoosh

Dash

With Orochis tail flying above his head, YuWon jumped down to the ground.

He wasnt satisfied by the cuts he had inflicted. All he managed to do was make the thing bleed a little.

However

Fssh

Hissss!

Orochi trashed around in pain from the Crystals mana, which had penetrated through the cuts on its skin.

YuWon stared at Orochi, writhing in pain, coiling up its body.

Its way too fucking sturdy.

Its scales and skin were far tougher than YuWon had anticipated.

Thanks to the Crystals power, he managed to inflict some damage on it, but it was still nothing if you took its large size into account.

YuWon needed a plan B.

This might be the twentieth trial, but this is still the 1st Floor.

YuWons eyes darted around the Colosseum.

The difficulty shot up way too high, almost to an impossible level.

Kkkiyagh!

The wounded Orochi started swinging its tail around even more violently.

YuWon continued to avoid its tail, chipping away at its scales and leather.

Slash, slash!

Kkiyaagh!

The number of wounds on Orochi increased. But unlike previously, it stopped screaming and coiling up. Maybe it was overtaken by anger, but it continued to rampage after YuWon, fiercely whipping its tail around.

Slam!

Dust was kicked up.

Every single attack was powerful enough to chill ones spine.

Phew

With higher focus came a faster consumption of stamina.

After a certain point, YuWon stopped swinging his sword around.

Some time passed.

YuWon, who was busy avoiding Orochi, stopped in his tracks, and his crimson eyes looked to a specific spot.

Found it.

Slam!

Orochis tail fell on top of YuWons head.

* * *

So you showed yourself, Yamata no Orochi.

The text examiner for the 1st Floor, Shuri, got up after seeing the boss make its appearance inside the Colosseum.

Due to her contract with the Administrator as a test examiner, she wasnt permitted to speak about the contents of the test with anyone. Thats why she couldnt let anyone know about the existence of the creature in front of her, even though she was aware that the Three Precious Children were looking for Yamata no Orochi.

This was the second time she was seeing that giant creature.

The first time she found out about Orochis existence, Shuri shouted in disbelief.

How does this make any sense?!

The twentieth trial was at a difficulty that no 1st Floor player could ever conquer.

The same could be said for the nineteenth trial, the nameless swordsman, but at least in the fight against him, one could win with a mix of skills and luck.

But in comparison to this monstrosity

Its body was big enough to take up half the Colosseum, and its fangs were longer than a persons height.

Though it didnt have any special abilities because it only had one head, it was still Yamata no Orochi.

So the rising rookies challenge ends here.

Shuri shook her head, watching YuWon get flung away after Orochis sudden appearance.

It was as she had expected.

You cant beat something like that.

Yamata no Orochi wasnt a being that a 1st Floor player could challenge.

The original Orochi was literally capable of insta-killing a player in the lower floors just by looking at them.

Even the great Son OhGong couldnt surpass this Orochi. OhGong had lost consciousness during the fight, and by fainting, the system failed him on the twentieth trial.

YuWon had unbelievable tenacity. Despite only being a 1st Floor player, he had survived a hit from Orochis tail.

Give up already. Youve already set a historic record.

A new player that cleared the nineteenth trial. Though Son OhGong had already set this record, the Tower would eternally remember YuWons record as well. That should be enough, since, as a 1st Floor player, there was no way he would be able to even leave a scratch on Orochi

Vzzt!

Mana emitting black light flowed out from YuWons hands.

Shuris eyes widened, seeing the mana suck up the surrounding light as it swirled around YuWons sword.

Such recklessness!

And thats when it happened.

Pssk

Kkkyaaah!

Orocho screamed, its scales and skin cut apart.

The mana that snuck into the open wounds rotted away its flesh.

As if it was spooked, Orochi coiled up.

Shuri was left speechless. She couldnt believe Orochi was shying away.

But more importantly

He cut through Orochis scales and skin.

A 1st Floor player, a brand new player that had just finished the Tutorial no less, had managed to cut Orochis skin.

She couldnt believe this.

Slam, slam!

Thump!

Orochi widely flung its tail around.

YuWon darted around, avoiding its tail while inflicting more wounds on Orochi with his sword.

Fsh, fsh

The number of cuts on Orochi gew,.

It no longer cared about being wounded. Instead, it swung its tail and bared its fangs with the sole purpose of killing its enemy.

YuWon kept cutting it so close that Shuri was scared for him.

Thats when she realized something.

Why?

Shuri noticed that YuWon had stopped using his sword a while back. This was odd, considering how YuWons sword was capable of cutting through Orochis scales and hide.

So why is he?

As she pondered

Found it, said YuWon, who had stopped in his tracks.

Whats he looking at? Shuri wondered.

His eyes were a crimson color, and she could have sworn shed seen eyes like his before.

Could it be?

She saw the face of a great being overlapping with YuWons face.

Slam!

Orochis tail fell on top of YuWons head, but Shuri didnt freak out.

This was no time for her to freak out.

As a Ranker, she could see it clearly.

What is that? she asked.

In a short span of time, YuWon had managed to twist his body to avoid Orochis tail and get on top of him.

Tap, taka, taka, taka

YuWon ran across Orochis body by using the openings between the scales as a stepping stone.

Orochi wiggled around to try and shake YuWon off, but it was unsuccessful as YuWon continued to jump up its body.

This wasnt something that was possible with just pure stats alone.

What in the world is he planning?

Once he was at the center of Orochis body, YuWon changed the grip on his sword to a reverse grip.

Finally Shuri understood what YuWon was up to.

Could that place be?

There was a small indent near Orochis heart, the only part of his body not covered in scales. That was Orochis reverse scale.

Suddenly an unchanging fact entered Shuris head.

No matter how high the difficulty of the Colosseum increased, this was still a part of the 1st Floors test. And the Tower and the Administrators did not give tests that could never be cleared.

Psshk

YuWons sword pierced Orochis reverse scale.

Pshk

Orochi did not scream. Instead of crying in pain, Orochi stopped letting out any sound.

Kkhaa Kkiyagh

The snakes sharp eyes started turning murky, and its body slowly stiffened up.

This was an old tale. A sinister snake that could cover eight mountains and ravines with its body, capable of using strange spells and enchantments.

The one who managed to bring down this enormous catastrophe that almost annihilated a floor was the High Ranker Susanoo.

Susanoo used an indestructible sword. There were special enchantments on it, and one of them was the power to seal a being that was pierced with this sword.

The name of the sword was Totsuka no Tsurugi.*

Only

*TL/N: Sword of Ten Hand-Breadths

With that sword, Susanoo was able to inflict a wound that could never be erased on Orochis chest. That became the only reverse scale on Orochi, and it was the only way to clear the final trial of the Colosseum.

And now, in this place, a legend was reenacted.

___