Chapter 9 — The Bet of Twenty
Lucas stood in the center of the throne chamber, smiling.
The massive stone hall echoed with the quiet hum of power. Shadow soldiers filled the outer edges of the room, their silent forms standing like an army waiting for orders.
Across from him stood the knight.
Tall.
Armored in black steel that seemed older than the dungeon itself.
Its sword rested calmly in one hand.
Lucas cracked his neck slightly.
"Alright then."
His crimson eyes gleamed faintly.
"Let's see what twenty hits feels like."
For half a second nothing moved.
Then—
BOOM
The knight vanished.
Lucas barely registered the movement.
A sharp kick exploded into his face.
CRACK
His jaw was blown completely off.
Bone fragments and blood sprayed across the throne room floor.
Lucas's head snapped sideways violently.
But before his body even hit the ground—
Muscle began regenerating.
Bone regrew.
Skin sealed itself.
Lucas's jaw reformed instantly.
"…Damn."
He rotated his jaw slightly.
"Solid kick."
The knight didn't respond.
Lucas glanced around and grabbed a random sword from the floor—a weapon dropped earlier by one of the dungeon monsters.
He tested its weight.
"…Cheap steel."
Then he charged.
His movement was fast.
Brutally direct.
Nothing refined about it.
Lucas swung.
The knight blocked effortlessly.
CLANG
Steel screamed against steel.
Lucas swung again.
The knight countered.
A flash of black armor moved like liquid.
Slash.
Lucas's side opened.
Blood poured down his waist.
Lucas didn't slow.
He attacked again.
Wild.
Barbaric.
Every strike was raw power and instinct.
The knight fought differently.
Precise.
Elegant.
Every movement efficient.
Where Lucas was chaos—
The knight was discipline.
Another slash landed.
Then another.
And another.
By the time the exchange ended—
Seven strikes had landed on Lucas.
His body was torn apart.
One arm hung half severed.
Deep cuts carved across his chest.
Blood soaked the stone floor beneath him.
Lucas stood there.
Still smiling.
His wounds began sealing.
Muscle reconnecting.
Skin reforming.
"…Seven."
He flexed his fingers as the last cut closed.
"Nice technique."
The knight stepped backward slightly.
Then it raised its hand.
Lucas blinked.
"…Wait."
Fire exploded into existence.
A massive sphere of blazing orange and white mana formed above the knight's palm.
Lucas's eyes widened.
"Oh shi—"
The fireball launched.
BOOOOOOM
The explosion consumed half the throne chamber.
Flames erupted everywhere.
Stone walls cracked from the impact.
Smoke filled the room.
Shadow soldiers were blown backward from the blast.
When the flames cleared—
Lucas stood in the center.
Or what remained of him.
His body was charred black.
Skin burned away.
Muscle exposed.
One eye melted.
But he was still standing.
And then—
He laughed.
"…That one hurt."
His voice came out hoarse.
But amused.
His flesh regenerated again.
Burns vanished.
His eye reformed.
Lucas stretched his shoulders.
"Alright."
He cracked his knuckles.
"My turn."
He rushed forward again.
Faster this time.
Lucas grabbed the knight by the armor collar.
Then slammed his forehead forward.
BAM
A brutal headbutt.
The impact echoed across the chamber.
Lucas grinned.
"…How's that—"
Nothing happened.
The knight didn't move.
Didn't react.
Lucas blinked.
"…Oh."
The knight calmly dropped its sword.
Lucas frowned.
"…Why'd you—"
BAM
The knight headbutted him back.
Lucas's vision exploded into white.
His brain rattled violently inside his skull.
For the first time since gaining his new body—
He felt dazed.
The knight grabbed his shoulder.
Then kicked him.
Hard.
Lucas flew across the chamber.
His body smashed into the stone wall.
CRASH
The wall cracked from the impact.
Dust and debris rained down.
Lucas slid slowly down the stone surface.
He coughed once.
"…Damn."
Then he paused.
His eyes widened slightly.
"…Wait."
He counted quietly in his head.
"…Twenty."
Silence filled the chamber.
Lucas slowly stood up.
His body finished regenerating again.
He dusted himself off.
"Well…"
He looked toward the knight.
"I guess that means I win."
The knight stood still for several seconds.
Then—
It bowed.
Deeply.
Lucas blinked.
"…Huh?"
The knight's voice echoed calmly through the chamber.
"Please take me under you."
Lucas stared.
"I want you to resurrect my shadow after I kill myself."
Lucas scratched his head.
"…You want to die?"
The knight nodded slightly.
"So that I may serve you."
Lucas blinked again.
"…Why?"
The knight raised its head.
Its helmet turned slightly toward him.
"Your aura…"
It paused.
"…Resembles that of a certain lord I once served."
Inside Lucas's mind, Arcadrim chuckled softly.
Lucas sighed.
"…Figures."
Then he shrugged.
"Alright."
The knight straightened.
It placed one hand on its own neck.
Lucas raised an eyebrow.
"…You're really doing it?"
The knight spoke one final time.
"It will be my honor."
Then—
CRACK
It snapped its own neck.
The armored body collapsed to the floor.
Lucas exhaled softly.
"…That was dramatic."
Suddenly—
Two glowing crystals appeared in the air.
The Dungeon Core.
They floated silently in front of him.
The dungeon boss had died.
Which meant the dungeon itself would soon collapse.
Lucas walked toward the knight's body.
"…Let's see."
He raised his hand.
"Arise."
Nothing happened.
Lucas blinked.
"…Okay."
He tried again.
"Arise!"
Still nothing.
Lucas frowned.
"…Seriously?"
He stared at the corpse.
"…Is it because I'm weaker?"
Inside his mind Arcadrim laughed quietly.
Lucas sighed.
Then closed his eyes.
His breathing slowed.
Calm.
Controlled.
When he opened them again—
His pupils glowed faint purple.
A deeper power stirred inside him.
Lucas spoke one more time.
Quietly.
But with authority.
"Arise."
BOOOOOOM
Red and black energy exploded from the knight's body.
The entire chamber trembled.
Shadow soldiers around the room knelt instinctively.
The corpse rose slowly.
But this shadow was different.
Unlike the others.
Normal shadows were purple and black.
This one…
Was red and black.
Its aura was far heavier.
Far stronger.
Lucas raised an eyebrow.
"…Well damn."
The shadow knight stood before him.
Even stronger than before.
That was the rule of his power.
When Lucas resurrected a shadow—
He automatically became stronger than it.
Because he was their master.
Lucas stretched slightly.
"…Nice."
He turned to leave.
Then—
A glowing window appeared in front of him.
A system message.
[A gift from me to help you see and grow your abilities.]
Lucas smiled faintly.
"…Thanks."
Arcadrim's voice echoed lazily in his mind.
"Don't mention it."
Another window appeared.
Shadow Registered
Title: Great Knight General — Rank 1
Please assign a name.
Lucas looked at the towering shadow knight.
He thought for a moment.
Then nodded.
"…Kang."
The system confirmed.
Name Registered: Kang
The shadow knight bowed.
"Yes, Master."
Lucas blinked.
"…Oh you can talk?"
Kang nodded.
"It is an honor."
Lucas smiled slightly.
"…Nice."
He grabbed the dungeon cores.
Then dismissed most of his shadows.
They melted into darkness behind him.
Lucas walked toward the dungeon exit.
Still wearing nothing but his boxers.
---
Outside the dungeon gate…
An army waited.
Over 400 hunters surrounded the mountain.
Ranks from A to B filled the battlefield.
Standing at the front were three S-rank hunters.
The first was a tall man with silver armor and a massive spear resting on his shoulder.
Name: S-Rank Hunter Leon Hartmann
Class: Dragon Lancer
Ability: Dragon Force — allows him to amplify his physical power and weapon strikes with draconic energy, capable of piercing even dungeon boss defenses.
Next to him stood a calm woman with long emerald hair and glowing tattoos across her arms.
Name: S-Rank Hunter Mira Valen
Class: Archmage
Ability: Primal Element Control — mastery over fire, wind, lightning, and ice simultaneously.
The third was a massive bald man with arms thicker than steel beams.
Name: S-Rank Hunter Ragnar Holt
Class: Titan Berserker
Ability: War Titan Form — exponentially increases strength and durability during combat.
And standing slightly ahead of them—
Elvanor August.
The Ice Saint.
She stared silently at the dungeon gate.
A phone rested against her ear.
Her superior's voice shouted through the speaker.
"Elvanor! Do NOT engage any monsters that exit that gate!"
Her voice was calm.
"I'm not here to fight."
"Then why are you there?!"
Elvanor looked at the gate.
"…I made a promise."
"To who?"
"…His sister."
Silence followed.
"…Just checking if he's alive."
Then—
The dungeon gate began glowing.
Everyone froze.
The massive stone portal slowly opened.
Hunters raised their weapons.
Mana filled the air.
A figure stepped out.
Tall.
Muscular.
Calm.
Holding the dungeon core.
Wearing nothing but boxers.
Four hundred hunters stared.
Three S-ranks blinked.
Elvanor's eyes widened.
Standing before them—
Was Lucas.
Alive.
The end.....