I know who is behind this now, Emmet thought, watching the Chaosborne retreat. He hadn't been able to consume it because it wasn't a true demon, but a Chaosborne—a living weapon infused with raw, destructive power. The creature’s chaos energy signature was an exact match for the residual power Emmet associated with Mr. BlackMask, confirming his theory: this entire dungeon was a product of the Chaos Domain.
He had also confirmed his second hypothesis: the monsters were like illusions, designed to test weapon efficiency and strategy, not to be permanently destroyed, which is why he had conserved the purchased weapons. His main objectives were met:
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Tested the Illusion Theory: Confirmed.
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Showcased Strength to the Cult: Confirmed, earning total trust and obedience.
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Assessed Cult Power: Confirmed, they are strong but brittle and limited without support.
Emmet turned to the team, replacing the persona of the focused leader with the grateful comrade. "That was an excellent job, everyone. Flawless execution. Now, as agreed, we are going to collect all the points and purchase the needed materials."
The two independent adventurers, still shaking from the encounter, rushed forward. They had made it to the end and understood they wouldn't have survived the boss without Mr. Craft. They happily contributed half of their substantial earnings to Emmet’s group as thanks.
Adon and the cultists, having promised their loyalty, followed suit, turning over all their remaining earnings for the Red Empire cause. Emmet, meanwhile, made sure to keep his and Locks’ personal points intact, a move no one dared to question given his display of power.
Emmet left the mountain of reward points and currency exchange to Clyne and his team. "Clyne, ensure these points are fully converted into the most useful resources for the rebellion forces. Focus on the blueprints—weapons, vehicles, and building structures—and the treasures that can be exchanged for local currency in the Rongan Kingdom."
The points they had accumulated were overwhelming, an exaggerated windfall meant for a single adventurer, now split into enough wealth to significantly arm an entire faction.
Emmet gave a final, genuine nod of gratitude to everyone. Clyne and the remaining adventurers used their last remaining personal points to open their exit portal.
Before stepping into the swirling vortex, Adon paused. "Rest assured, Mr. Craft, we will help bring the kingdom down."
Emmet replied, his voice low and conspiratorial, "Go find Skull or Gale. They will tell you what to do next. As for me, I am going to the Power Room and investigate this dungeon further. You can re-enter the dungeon when you are done helping them. I believe there is more to explore, and I want to gift all the knowledge I can gain on this dungeon to the Red Empire."
Adon and the cultists were clearly pleased by Emmet’s dedication, especially after witnessing the true extent of his capabilities. "Very well," Adon said, "then we will leave it up to you." The Red Empire contingent stepped through the portal.
The courtyard was suddenly quiet, leaving only Emmet and Locks/Tierra among the ruins.
"Well, Tierra," Emmet said, relaxing his shoulders. "Good work. Now we're moving to the Power Room and hunt demons. I surely hope there is one."
The silence that fell over the courtyard after the Red Empire agents and the other adventurers departed was profound. The ruined environment shimmered and reformed. The wreckage dissolved, the central pillar displayed a large digital Shop Interface, and a swirling Exit Portal hovered nearby. Emmet and Locks found themselves in a sterile Safe Zone created by the dungeon for transactions.
Emmet removed his mask. "That was efficient," he said. "The initial phase is complete. Clyne and his group have a massive windfall, and the Red Empire is now deployed to help them. That would sure make it easier for Gale and others."
Locks walked over to the shop display, her fingers hovering over a category marked 'Attire.' Emmet, meanwhile, bought some random junk items—old circuit boards, a dull, heavy chain, and a chipped glass orb—all items he knew his Unwoven power could easily corrupt and store in his dimensional ring later.
Locks, meanwhile, selected a new set of robes. They were elegantly cut, offering subtle lines that emphasized her figure, yet retaining a functional look with a stylized green cross stitched over the heart—a perfect blend of sexy healer attire.
"You look good on that, Tierra," Emmet complimented.
Locks, momentarily dropping her professional demeanor, curtsied and made an idol pose. "Thank you, Master! What do you plan on doing now?"
Emmet’s eyes were fixed on the 'Monsters & Resources' tab of the shop. "My initial goal was Clyne, yes. Now, my only priority is personal power."
He scrolled down and found a section marked "Demonic Entities - Limited Stock." It displayed three chained demons. The price was staggering. Emmet noted that even with their combined personal points, they could only afford one.
"One hundred thousand points for a single, low-tier demon. That sure is an expensive demon," Emmet noted. "But I need a consumable source. I'm buying one now."
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Locks/Tierra contributed all her points, leaving only enough for an emergency exit portal. Emmet purchased the item for 100,000 points.
A new, seamless Obsidian Door materialized on the wall to Emmet’s right.
Emmet entered the chamber, his Unwoven Eyes immediately focusing on the center. A colossal figure was chained by a thick collar of corrupted iron. The demon was massive, resembling a giant, muscular human with thick, monkey-like hair, a grotesque face featuring three eyes and a heavy, protruding jaw, with two enormous tusks extending from beneath its lower jaw. It looked exhausted.
I feel bad for the human it used as a vessel, Emmet thought, confirming the parasitic nature of the Red Empire’s power source.
The demon, noticing the masked figure, spoke in a grating, ancient language. “Let me go! I will consume you all.”
Emmet replied in intentionally broken ancient language, mangling the words: “Sure, sure. No, no. You chicken, roasted.” What Emmet meant was, It is me who will consume you.
The demon was puzzled. “You’re not a demon?” it slurred.
“Demon not whole,” Emmet replied, implying his unique status.
Emmet wanted to test the vessel's strength before destroying it. He threw a few pebbles to taunt and provoke it. Successful, the demon screamed. It began to enlarge its limbs, its muscles bulging to unbelievable size, preparing to attack like a frenzied ape despite the restricting chain on its neck.
The demon raised its gigantic arm, and a strange kinetic energy gathered around its fist. It roared a phrase in the ancient tongue that Emmet instinctively understood: “Amplify Damage!”
The fist struck the air where Emmet had been, but Emmet, moving just enough to take a partial, glancing blow, let the kinetic energy ripple hit him. The impact came in three waves, like sonic bursts. It shattered his mask, tore his shirt to shreds, exposing his slim, muscular chest and abs, and left a painful laceration on his leg.
"That was strong," Emmet admitted, wincing slightly. "If I received the full blow, it could have damaged me further."
In an instant, his Unwoven Vellus Hair worked with his natural healing factor, closing the wound and restoring his flesh.
"I can't be reckless, but I want to see more," Emmet resolved.
He continued his nonsensical taunts in the ancient language. Frustrated, the demon kept attacking, focusing solely on the "Amplify Damage" skill. After an hour, the chained demon was spent, having showcased no other abilities.
"I guess that's all it can do," Emmet said, switching to clear, formal demon language. "Consider this as mercy."
He summoned Behemoth, his giant spear, and with a single, brutal thrust, sliced and pulverized the demon vessel, ending its suffering.
Emmet initiated the process of converting the demonic energy into Rend Crystals, carefully harvesting them and storing them in his dimensional ring.
Then came the part he truly desired: the glow. The final, glowing remnant of the demon's core energy hung in the air. Slowly, Emmet channeled the glow energy, compressing it into a single, vibrant Glow Crystal.
"Now I'm going to corrupt you with this glow, Behemoth," he murmured.
He imbued the crystal into his spear. The weapon shuddered, its familiar form twisting. The tip darkened into a blade of pure midnight, and the pole transformed into a sleek, metal shaft laced with shimmering obsidian rock. It felt heavier, stronger, and intrinsically linked to the demon’s unique power.
Emmet commanded the spear to grow—it obeyed—and then to shrink—it returned to a manageable size.
Excited, he tested its true power. Focusing his intent, he slammed the newly upgraded Behemoth into the ground and commanded: "Amplify Damage!"
A tremendous, multi-wave kinetic resonance erupted from the impact point. The effect was identical to the demon's ability—an extended force wave that dealt kinetic damage. I shouldn't damage this room further, Emmet thought, already calculating the devastating power he could unleash with a full-force strike. Behemoth, you are now a real force of a weapon. He stored the weapon back into his ring.
Emmet exited the obsidian door and returned to the safe zone. Locks/Tierra was sitting at a small, round table that had appeared, happily eating the sweet cakes she had purchased.
"Come, Master, you've gotta have a taste of this," she said happily, immediately assisting a spoon toward his mouth, forcing him to eat a bite.
Emmet, his mouth full, chewed quickly. "Well, this was indeed yumm."
Their personal mission was complete. Emmet donned a spare mask and a new tunic from his ring, the demonic energy consumed, and his spear upgraded.
The safe zone dissolved instantly. The ground beneath the ruined central pillar fissured, and the unmarked trapdoor that Emmet had located earlier sprang open, revealing the steep, spiraling staircase carved from black basalt that plunged into absolute darkness.
"And that Chaosborne confirmed it. The entire dungeon is a product of something far beyond a natural curse. It's an experiment, or maybe a training ground, engineered by forces aligned with the Chaos Domain. I need to find the architect, or at least the source, to understand BlackMask’s full capabilities," Emmet reiterated.
The descent was long and unnerving. The pressure of raw Chaos power grew heavier with every step.
After what felt like an hour, the stairs opened into a vast cavern. The air was thick and heavy, but instead of a central nexus, Emmet's Unwoven Sight revealed a maze of corridors and manufacturing bays stretching out into the gloom.
"The architecture here is industrial, Tierra," Emmet observed, pulling on his Unwoven power to scan the environment. "It seems my theory holds true: the enemies here are engineered. The mechanical beings we fought earlier, the Chaosborne... they all exhibit chaos energy signatures, but none possess true demonic energy like the one I just claimed."
He tightened his grip on the sheath where Behemoth rested. "In theory, we will encounter only mechanical constructs or pure Chaosborne weapons. No more easy demon vessels."
Just as he spoke, the grinding of gears and the hiss of compressed steam echoed from a nearby corner. A monstrous figure rounded the bend: a towering Steampunk Colossus, its chassis riveted steel, its limbs driven by powerful pistons, and thick black smoke belching from its exhaust stack. It was armed with a massive hydraulic hammer. The very air around it felt corrupted, vibrating with the raw Chaos energy that powered its mechanical heart.
Emmet drew Behemoth, the obsidian-laced spear glinting wickedly in the dark. He adjusted his mask. "So, the Power Room is more about fighting mechanized constructs, huh? Well, I guess it’s the perfect time to use Behemoth."
He charged forward, moving with a casual ease that defied the cavern's oppressive atmosphere. The Steampunk Colossus was strong, but its movements were predictable. Emmet didn't waste power. He used Behemoth's new ability sparingly, delivering focused strikes that shattered rivets and buckled thick steel plates. He was like a dancer in a factory, waltzing around the heavy blows, his spear striking the Chaos energy conduits that crisscrossed the monster's frame. Each devastating blow from Behemoth was followed by the immediate registration of power as points on their wrist bands.
With Emmet's amplified strength and the "Amplify Damage" skill of his spear, this mechanized Power Room became a high-speed farming zone. He casually moved through the first few monsters, maximizing point gain, the rhythmic pulse of his spear the only sound besides the crunch of collapsing metal. The cavern was filled with targets, and Emmet was thoroughly enjoying the efficient slaughter.