Chapter 70: Trial Ends
Su Xiao aimed at the Dark King's eye socket, his long blade piercing through the already blind eyeball and deep into the brain matter.
The Dark King convulsed like a fish stranded on shore, unable to move.
The Azure Steel Shadow ability continued to release. After more than ten seconds, the Dark King's nervous system collapsed, yet even so, it still didn't die.
Bubu Wang also charged forward, biting and clawing, while Su Xiao slashed again and again.
Due to severe injuries, Su Xiao collapsed to the ground after just a few cuts.
Two minutes later, Bubu Wang retreated to the side, baring its teeth. The Dark King's hide was too tough for it to chew through.
Su Xiao rested for a moment before standing up. The Dragon-Slaying Flash in his hand radiated a deep blue glow. He had activated Azure Steel Shadow for ten minutes now, triggering the Mana Combustion effect.
With one slash, boosted by terrifying true damage, the blade severed the Dark King's throat.
[You have killed the leader-class creature Dark King Minas.]
[Dark King Minas is a key figure on Devouring Island. Obtained 16% World Source. Total World Source now at 34%.]
[You have obtained the Demon Box.]
...
Just as the notification for killing the Dark King appeared, a burning sensation spread across the back of Su Xiao's hand.
This was a blood-red cross mark, the ability [Demon Mark] he had gained after the Water Capital incident.
Demon Mark: Lv.2 (Passive Skill)
Skill Effect 1: Adds 13 points of true damage on attacks.
Skill Effect 2: Can upgrade the Demon Mark level by sacrificing equipment. You have made a pact with a high-level demon.
...
[High-level demonic power detected. Demon Mark activated. Absorbing demonic power...]
The blood-red mark on Su Xiao's hand pulsed, and a wisp of black smoke drifted out from the Dark King's corpse.
The smoke was pure black, seemingly capable of devouring all light. This was the purest demonic power.
The demonic power was gradually absorbed by the Demon Mark, and the Dark King's body quickly shriveled, its tough skin cracking into large fissures.
Su Xiao wasn't worried about the changes to the Demon Mark. The mark was on his body's surface, and with Azure Steel Shadow energy present, the demonic power couldn't enter his body.
[Demon Mark has been upgraded to Lv.3.]
[Demon Mark has been upgraded to Lv.4.]
[Demon Mark has been upgraded to Lv.5.]
[Demon Mark has been upgraded to Lv.6.]
[Demon Mark has been upgraded to Lv.7!]
The Demon Mark stopped after rising five consecutive levels. If upgraded by sacrificing equipment, these five levels would have bankrupted Su Xiao.
Checking the Demon Mark's attributes, Su Xiao raised an eyebrow.
Demon Mark: Lv.7 (Passive Skill)
Skill Effect 1: Adds 28 points of true damage on attacks.
Skill Effect 2: Can upgrade the Demon Mark level by sacrificing equipment. You have made a pact with a high-level demon.
...
Lv.7 Demon Mark was already very strong, adding a full 28 points of true damage. Although it required melee combat to apply true damage, Su Xiao's main ability, Azure Steel Shadow, only dealt 50 points of true damage.
Based on Su Xiao's observations, true damage had a high tier, with characteristics like ignoring physical defense.
Su Xiao put away the Demon Box dropped by the Dark King. He didn't have many recovery items, and his injuries weren't just about restoring health. He needed to hide quickly—this was deep in the Black Forest.
Looking around, the area was nothing but trees and rocks. Su Xiao's gaze locked onto the vertical shaft where the Dark King had been.
This was an excellent hiding spot.
"Bubu, scout it out."
Bubu Wang's dog face twisted in reluctance, shaking its head rapidly. Its gaze seemed to say, "Master, I just peed in there."
"It's fine. This shaft is deep enough. We'll take shelter in the middle section."
Bubu Wang reluctantly walked to the edge of the shaft, sniffed the air inside—there was no smell—and listened carefully. The shaft was completely silent.
Su Xiao threw the Dark King's corpse down the shaft and cleared the nearby traces of battle.
Standing before the several-meter-wide shaft, Su Xiao thought for a moment. He cut down over a dozen large trees nearby and tossed the thick trunks into the shaft.
Bubu Wang's expression relaxed considerably. Su Xiao used his right hand to pull out the Realm Severing Thread and lowered Bubu Wang down.
"Woof."
A bark echoed from within the shaft. Su Xiao also descended using the Realm Severing Thread.
Standing on the cross-section of a trunk about two meters in diameter, Su Xiao leaned against the shaft wall. He needed rest. Multiple fractures and heavy blood loss made him drowsy.
The shaft was a safe point in the Black Forest. The Dark King had chosen to sleep here, proving how secure it was. The Wild Boar had been lucky to find this shaft; otherwise, Su Xiao would have had difficulty locating the Dark King.
Food and fresh water were plentiful. Su Xiao and Bubu Wang could hide in the shaft for a long time.
As the sky darkened, the black mist around the Black Forest grew thinner.
Su Xiao was too severely injured. In the shaft, he often drifted in and out of consciousness. If not for the Snow Goddess's Halo and the skill "Vitality" from the scabbard [Divine Afterglow], he might have died from his wounds. The ribs piercing his internal organs were too lethal.
Snow Goddess's Gift (Halo): Generates a Snow Goddess Halo, restoring 1 HP per second to allies. No cost. Recovery effect scales with Intelligence attribute.
Vitality (Passive): Restores 10 HP and 0.5 MP per minute.
These two abilities kept Su Xiao alive despite his severe injuries. To recover from his current state, he would need a super-effective recovery item or to return to Reincarnation Paradise.
Time passed quickly. Su Xiao woke up for the fourth time in the shaft. Though his chest felt tight and breathing was difficult, he was no longer in immediate danger of death.
Checking the remaining trial time, Su Xiao was startled.
[Remaining survival time: 7 hours. Contractors alive: 61.]
"I've been unconscious for nearly three days. I thought I was done for."
Su Xiao checked his status. Below the status list were a few small blood-red characters.
[Severely Injured Status.]
He hadn't expected the Dark King to be this strong. This was a lesson: in the future, he shouldn't recklessly enter areas with difficulty above Lv.20, even if soloing a boss was exhilarating.
Checking the hidden quest, it showed as completed but couldn't be finished yet. This wasn't a derivative world but a trial world. The hidden quest's rewards would be settled after returning to Reincarnation Paradise.
Su Xiao decided not to go out. As it turned out, this shaft, though located in the Black Forest, was mysteriously safe.
...
Normal Area, Grassland.
The area was bustling. Large groups of beasts fled for their lives as countless undead surged from the Black Forest. Not only undead, but several beings similar to the Dark King had fully awakened.
Over 90% of surviving contractors had fled to the Red Soil Area. The Normal Area had become the undead's territory.
Three hours later, the Normal Area was completely overrun by the undead. Everywhere were beast skeletons stripped clean, with fresh blood still on the bones.
At the stone bridge connecting the Red Soil Area and the Normal Area, countless undead stood before the bridge, not daring to advance an inch.
A pale old man emerged from the undead. He was completely bald, with no eyebrows or beard.
"Why are we not allowed to pass?"
The old man looked human, but he wasn't. He was a Void race being. Like the Dark King, the strong beings in the Black Forest were criminals exiled to Devouring Island from the Void.
Rat Lord stood on the stone bridge. It hadn't even attacked, just stood there.
"I said no passing, so no passing."
The black mist around the Black Forest dissipated. The difficulty of Devouring Island far exceeded the trial's intended level, so Rat Lord stepped forward under Reincarnation Paradise's directive. Otherwise, fewer than ten contractors would have survived.
The pale old man stared at Rat Lord.
"You..."
"Shut your mouth. I asked if you're getting lost or not."
Rat Lord glared at the pale old man. It had seen this kind of scene too many times.
The pale old man clenched his fists but was interrupted before he could speak.
"Have you forgotten..."
Rat Lord's voice grew softer, but the pale old man's body trembled, a look of terror on his face.
"In three hours, you can attack the Red Soil Area freely. Now, get lost!"
Rat Lord roared. The pale old man turned and left without another word. Rat Lord wasn't scary, but the person behind it was terrifying.
Under Rat Lord's suppression, three hours passed quickly. A total of 36 contractors survived the chaos.
501 people had landed on the island. 36 survived. The survival rate of this trial was less than one-tenth.
...
Red Soil Area, a valley.
Umbrella Brother leaned against a rock wall. Beside him lay Old Baer, long dead.
"Cough, cough, cough~"
Umbrella Brother coughed up several mouthfuls of blood, a look of unwillingness in his eyes.
"Little Confused, so you were the one hiding the deepest."
Umbrella Brother glanced at his two severed arms and smiled bitterly. They had ventured deep into the Skeleton Cave, hoping to stop the black mist's dissipation, but unfortunately...
...
Inside the shaft in the Black Forest, Su Xiao waited for the trial to end.
[Remaining survival time: 0 hours. Contractors alive: 36. Survival trial concluded.]