The Abyssal Knight roared and charged.
Dominic moved.
Not away — forward.
His left dagger flashed in a feint, slipping under the knight's guard. The enchanted steel bit deep into the corrupted plate, carving through like wet parchment.
[ARMOR BREACH DETECTED]
Target's defensive integrity reduced by 47%.
The knight staggered but retaliated instantly. The greatsword swept across in a killing arc. Dominic ducked low, rolling under its reach, then came up with his right dagger slicing across the knee joint. Ichor hissed and spattered on the stone.
The gauntleted fist slammed into his ribs like a battering ram.
[HP -5012]
Remaining HP: 4,988 / 10,000
The world slowed.
White-hot pain flared through his chest. He hit the cavern wall hard, dislodging chunks of stone. His vision blurred for a moment — then cleared with a slow, deliberate grin.
Domain Lord perception kicked in, every micro-shift in the knight's stance laid bare. The golden sword materialized in his grip, arcs of condensed lightning curling so tightly they sliced the air itself.
He feinted with the left-hand dagger. The knight bit, raising its guard high. Dominic stepped inside, sword sweeping upward in one smooth, devastating arc.
Blacksteel split like glass. The slash tore through chest and helm in the same motion.
The Abyssal Knight froze. The red glow in its eyes flickered… then died. It collapsed to one knee, toppling forward, dissolving into streams of shadow that bled into the floor.
Where it fell, the dungeon core floated — a perfect black-crystal sphere threaded with faint blue veins.
[QUEST COMPLETED: Capital 4th Mine – Abyssal Knight Purification]
Reward:
+5% Synchronization (Total: 15%)
Skill Unlocked: Aegis Breaker
+Gold: 100,000
All Stats increased Sixth Sense Permanent
Health Regeneration: +200/sec passive
All Resistances increased to Lv.20
New Skill: Heavenly Rend — unleash a high-speed triple slash imbued with divine lightning; ignores 30% of enemy resistances.
New Skill: Stasis Chain — bind up to three targets in a temporal lock for 5 seconds; cooldown 3 minutes.
Item Acquired: Abyssal Core Fragment (Material – Mythic Tier)
+5 Greater Health Potions
Dominic exhaled and sat on a jagged rock, the golden blade fading from his grip. He opened his status window, eyes running over the new numbers and skills without much reaction. His fingers idly rolled the Abyssal Core Fragment between them.
He already knew the knights had surrounded the mine — some lingering at the entrance, others descending into the tunnels. Their armor wasn't exactly subtle.
He didn't move when the heavy footsteps finally reached him.
The first of the royal knights stepped into the dim light, followed by five more. Their polished plate seemed almost dull against the cavern's corrupted glow.
Dominic sat there, long coat draped over one shoulder, posture loose, like someone entirely unconcerned by the steel aimed in his direction.
One knight stepped forward.
"By the order of King Eldric, what's in the kingdom belongs to the kingdom. You are a summoned, so you are meant to serve the kingdom. Sir Dominic, by the order of the king, you are to follow us to the palace and also release the dungeon core and rewards to the kingdom. If you disagree, we will have no other option but to force you."
Dominic scoffed. The sound echoed faintly.
The knights' blades hissed free of their sheaths.
"Pulling your swords," Dominic said softly, "means you're ready to give up your life."
One of them snarled. "You are just a weakling. No matter what tricks you used—"
"Yeah, yeah, blah blah blah…" Dominic cut him off, smirking. "Are you all programmed to say that? Man, I feel bad for you. A dungeon you couldn't clear — you watch me clear it — and then you raise your sword at me? Who does that?"
The knight swallowed hard.
"Well," Dominic continued, "if you really want to fight me… you have to pass a test. I've always wanted to try this."
He raised his foot.
The moment it touched stone, an invisible wave of killing intent exploded outward. The very air seemed to groan under its weight.
Outside the mine, low-ranked knights dropped instantly, unconscious. Inside, steel rang on stone as armored men collapsed to their knees. Those who stayed standing clawed at their throats, gasping like fish pulled from water. It was as if the pressure itself wanted to crush their hearts.
Then — just as suddenly — it was gone.
The survivors staggered upright, panting.
But Dominic wasn't in front of them anymore. His voice came from behind, low and casual.
"Tell your king… I don't push away my grudges. I always repay people — forty times over. But tell him I won't kill him. If he wants to see me, he should come to the Dominic's Empire. And tell him… I appreciate his reward. I'll take good care of it."
He was gone before they could turn.
The knights stood frozen, still trying to process the weight of what they'd just felt.
"…We need to tell the king," the captain finally breathed.
"We messed with the wrong person."