Dungeon of Pride, Laplace

Like water released from the dam, the magic swept away the three attacker zombies who tried to muster all sorts of resistance against it.

<strong> BOOOMMM...</strong>

The crimson dragon carried their bodies, crashed onto the opposite side of the hall and bore a deep tunnel through the wall. The entire place rocked like crazy as if it would cave in any moment.

Fire and electro spread everywhere depicting the intensity of the destruction. Only after a few seconds passed, did the disruption stopped.

"This should do it" Simon fell on his butt, wheezing heavily. After that last attack, he was completely spent. The duration of his various augmenting skills had also ended right now leaving him with heavy repercussions to suffer.

At this moment, even moving a finger sent a jolt of pain all across his body. Simon laid on his back as he waited for the notification telling him of his successful clearance of the tenth horde to arrive.

DING… the notification arrived; however, it wasn't about his clearing of the tenth horde and instead the fireplace going out.

[The fire in Yela's sacrificial crematory had gone out. Warning, the light binding Ozy has been removed, his powerful curse is now able to reach all around the tomb].

The moment he read the information, Simon's breath got stuck in his throat and he hurriedly turned around to look at the fireplace. Indeed, the fire there had gone out, since he failed to find the crimson bead in time.

But it shouldn't matter now that he had defeated the last of the hordes or that should have been the case unless the attacker zombies hadn't… Simon turned his head towards the dark tunnel that his magic bore through the wall and strained his ears and senses. He could hear a low growling sound akin to a beast that was on its deathbed.

"They are not dead yet?!" Simon realised to his surprise that one of the attacker zombies although was mortally injured, had failed to die from his last magic.

"Was the power not enough to kill all three of them" he mumbled in shock. He had used every last bit of his mana and stamina to conjure that magic; however, it was still not enough?

"Dammit" Simon cursed punching the ground. He willed his body up and was barely about to keep his exhausted body standing. There was no point in questioning and spiralling in the mire of self-contemplation.

The fireplace or the Yela's sacrificial crematory as per how the trial called it, had already gone out which mean that the effects of the curse would soon be taking effect. He needed to do something before his opponent got even more powerful but what?

If he couldn't defeat the attacker zombies even with his most powerful magic, how was he to defeat them now when he was all exhausted and their power boosted even higher?

At this moment, as if to mock him an eerie aura that could give nightmares to anyone, started seeping out from the walls and the ground. The wicked and fiendish energy, quickly started spreading and entered the dark tunnel where the bodies of the attacker zombies were.

WHOOOSH… a cold wind appeared in the hall out of nowhere and snuffed all the remnant flames and electro away.

<strong>GROOOAARRR…</strong> a deep guttural sound that was a mix of insanity and brutality, came from inside the tunnel.

[The mighty Ozymandias snarls at the one who harnesses the light, his powerful curse carries his deep-seated grudge for the one who trapped and tormented him for thousands of years. Warning- All beings under his depravity, will have their strength restored and power buffed by 300%].

Another notification popped up in front of Simon informing him about the effects of the curse. Even without trying to sense it, he could tell that the attacker zombie that had survived was feeding on this energy and was quickly getting stronger.

However, instead of cowering in front of this absurdity or cursing at it, right now his mind was occupied with something else. The eerie energy that was filling up the entire hall was somehow…

<strong>TREMBLE… TREMBLE…</strong> the entire place trembled with the footstep of the attacker zombie and before long, it once again showed its appearance coming out of the tunnel.

If previously it was a hulking fellow at around five-meter, right now it was more than seven meters and looked even more menacing than before. All of its wounds were healed, it had grown four more hands and its body was emitting the very same black aura of the curse.

At a glance, the attacker zombie appeared as the very incarnation of carnage. There was no need to mention its power level which was many times higher than before. Even from a distance, Simon could feel the vast power that was overflowing from it.

The current attacker zombie was above level 500, a level that was even above the Lightning Draconic Serpent that could change the weather from its power. if he compared the current attacker zombie with the previous three, it was a difference between day and night.

Level 500 was a different realm in itself and one that cannot be understood if one hadn't reached such a level. There was a reason why millions of beings get stuck here unable to make even the slightest progress even after decades or millennia.

Once one reaches this level, they would start to comprehend the true concept of mana and how to better harness it. Their power won't just be bolstered by a little but would magnify by a whole new realm.

If the difficulty of facing the three level 450 attacker zombie with all the constraints and time limit could be said as extremely difficult, then now it was next to impossible even without any added factors.

Forget completing the fourth trail, the possibility of him coming out of this tomb alive was so low now that it was not even a laughing matter anymore. Nonetheless, why was it that instead of having his face covered with gloom, Simon looked unfazed, excited even?

The reason for that was none other than the malevolent curse that was covering every corner of the hall. The powerful curse of Ozy, had a deep seated grudge and intent within it, it abhorred light and was filled with evil and hatred.

The curse energy was so full of negativity that anybody would be affected by this curse and their powers might even plummet due to it. But Simon was an exception, there was something on him, something deep, that resonated with this curse energy.

Thanks to it, he did not feel any sense of discomfort, on the contrary, when his body was exposed to this energy, he felt exhilarated. It was as if this energy was extremely docile in front of him and instead of harming him, it was aiding him, healing his wounds and restoring his energy.

"Hahaha..." Simon laughed like a madman at this sudden incredulity of situation.

Just when he thought that everything was over and he was done for, the curse instead of affecting him in a negative way, through some strange coincidence that was beyond his understanding was actually benefiting him.

Simon felt his whole body lighten, his exhausted body started filling up with power as he was exposed to more and more of this curse energy. This was an opportunity, one that might not present itself again, and Simon took full leverage of it.

"If the energy can increase the attacker zombie's power, then there is no reason to think that it can't do the same with mine" Simon muttered as he started focusing on absorbing more and more of this energy.

The curse energy that he was absorbing was fundamentally very different from the mystical energy he was used to and both shared no resemblance to each other. Normally, it shouldn't be possible for him to absorb this energy which he had no prior knowledge of but due to some reason he had no problem circulating this energy as a substitute for his mana.

As he activated his [Mana lines] and started channelling this energy all around his body, he started feeling a little different. His body started getting bigger, his horns became denser, and the ancient symbols on his body started shining a bright golden black.

That was not all, out of all the parts of his body, the one to be heavily influenced was his mind which wanted to bathe in blood and stomp on his enemies. Feeling the changes in his body, Simon gave a wicked smile displaying his two sharp canines.

[Your level is being temporarily bolstered by the curse energy. All your basic abilities and power are increased by tenfold].

Simon clenched and unclenched his hands feeling the enormous power that was brimming inside him.

<strong>TREMBLE… TREMBLE…</strong> feeling the ground beneath his feet shake, he looked up only to see the humongous fist of the attacker zombie come flying at his face.

"Too slow" Simon said as he casually extended his hand and caught the fist.

<strong>BANG…</strong> a dull sound rang out and just like that, the powerful punch of the level 500 attacker zombie powered by its skill [heavy punch] was easily stopped by Simon. if it was the previous him without the buff of the curse energy he would have no doubt been caved inside the wall and heavily injured by that attack.

However, the current him facing the attacker zombie that was above level 500, felt nothing. No, saying that he felt nothing would be wrong as there was a smile of pure pleasure on his face right now.

Simon extended his other hand, grabbed the huge fist of the attacker zombie and hurled it airborne before smashing him to the ground.

BANG… the force and power with which he did so, was enough to shake the entire hall and create a deep depression on the ground.