Chapter 206: Collapse of the Silent Domain

“That monster…”

Really, Captain Bilon felt that Soren was a monster that he could not take on. So, he directly abandoned his mission and ordered everyone to run.

As long as they got out of this Silent Domain, they would immediately activate the Return Token and leave this dungeon.

*Swish!*

Unfortunately, even as the order was given, the realization settled in that it was already too late, as an overwhelming pressure suddenly descended upon them like a physical force that crushed the air itself, locking their bodies in place in an instant.

It was so overwhelming that even Bilon felt unable to move.

When Captain Bilon finally forced himself to turn, Soren was already there behind them, his presence towering over him.

Even as an assassin trained to perceive motion and intent, Bilon could not comprehend how he had crossed that gap, because there had been nothing to observe.

He was still of the idea that Soren was an archer.

If so, with his level 50 Assassin class, there should be no one who would be able to come close to him this fast.

In fact, he thought Soren would at most shoot arrows at them since he could see their position.

But instead…

‘What is this? Why can’t I move?’

He felt like being looked down upon by those squad captains of the Paragon Guild instead.

“Wait! Soren…”

Too bad, he could not think much as he saw the shiny hook of the Crimson Lash nearing him in the blink of an eye.

Then, before he could even say anything, the hook pierced through his chest, killing him in an instant.

Not only him, but the other three assassins died the same way, without even being able to turn their heads.

“Tch… I wasted so much time for nothing. It seems I really am suited for this world.”

The last thing they heard was Soren’s deep disappointment.

Was Soren thinking that he would feel bad or nervous about killing a fellow human, a stupid thought?

Looking at how he appeared calm despite killing five of them in an instant, it seemed so.

In fact, he looked like a demon reaping human lives left and right without any regard. His S-rank passive, King’s Grace, truly didn’t let him feel a trace of discomfort even once.

The silence around him only made it worse in a way. There was no sound of struggle, no screams echoing back through the tunnel.

Just the dull fall of bodies and the fading presence of life, as if everything had been erased in an instant.

Despite this, Soren still burned those bodies into cinders. Even if they would dissolve on their own, he did it quickly.

Maybe he was somehow afraid of letting his teammates know about this? Who knows?

The thought barely lingered in his mind before it was pushed aside. There were more immediate matters to deal with.

‘But I have to say, this B-rank Crimson Queen Lash is really something else.’

Soren diverted his mind, looking at the whip that was fighting and defending on its own.

—

[Artifact: Crimson Queen Lash (Bound Artifact)]

[Rank: B (Upgradable)]

[Origin: A whip once wielded by a fallen succubus queen, now fully awakened after….]

[Effect: > Queen’s Absolute Defense (Passive): Can automatically negate a fatal attack once per day, as long as the incoming force does not exceed the artifact’s threshold. Requires sufficient lust energy to activate. > Crimson Aegis (Active): Forms a semi-autonomous defensive barrier that reacts to hostility within range, reducing damage from attacks and partially redirecting weaker strikes. Can operate passively but drains lust energy over time. > Heartbound Control (Semi-Passive): The lash can now act independently in combat, responding to killing intent and the user’s subconscious will, significantly improving reaction speed and precision.]

[Note: All effects require lust energy. Energy consumption increases significantly when facing higher-ranked opponents or multiple targets. When lust energy is depleted, all abilities are reduced or disabled.]

[Current Lust Energy: 400/1000]

[Upgrade Condition: A-rank Demon Core]

—

It moved like it had a will of its own, striking with precision that didn’t rely on sight or sound. In a place where even hearing was stolen, it fought as if nothing had changed at all.

He thought that the effect Heartbound Control only made it easier to use. Who knew it was even capable of killing monsters above level 45 so easily?

In fact, with just his thought, the whip was already moving toward the monsters’ weak points, piercing their chests and hearts quickly.

Each strike was clean. Efficient. Almost elegant in its brutality.

Because it responded to killing intent and not vision, the Silent Domain had no effect on it.

In no time at all, Soren found himself surrounded by more and more monster corpses.

The ground beneath his feet had already begun to vanish under them, the dark forms piling up like silent proof of what had just happened.

‘It seems I really underestimated this artifact after that incident with Demon Lord Lilith.’

Really, except for the rapidly declining lust energy, this artifact was extremely useful for attack and defense.

The Crimson Aegis effect alone had already saved him so many times. Honestly, Soren was truly too overpowered for this dungeon.

So much so that even those monsters were beginning to back down by the sheer bloodlust emanating from the whip.

‘It’s good then. Let’s kill those Echo Lurkers now and get to the boss chamber. No need to waste time.’

In the end, the Echo Lurkers seemed to realize that he wasn’t an easy target, as the monsters stopped appearing around them.

Even the Silent Domain began to disappear slowly. Truly, those Echo Lurkers were intelligent enough to want to run away after seeing his power.

The oppressive stillness slowly loosened, as if the dungeon itself was holding its breath before finally letting go.

“Soren… a-are you alright?”

As soon as the Silent Domain disappeared, Sylvia and the others’ voices echoed through the tunnel as they quickly came to his side.

Only, their expressions shifted from anxiety to shock as they saw the corpses of monsters piling up around them.

Since they were too busy defending themselves, they didn’t see Soren being attacked by the assassins.

All they saw was his whip, the one he usually wore as an ornament, tearing through those monsters like it was nothing.

The scene didn’t feel real at first glance, as if the battlefield had ended in an instant without them even realizing it had begun.

‘Hm? Isn’t that the same artifact Soren used to save me? Was it…always that strong?’

Even Elise was dumbfounded by what she saw, feeling that the whip seemed somewhat different than before.

For once, she was certain it hadn’t been anywhere near this powerful before.

However, just as she wanted to ask, Soren looked somewhere far down the tunnel and gave them a light smile.

“Okay, let’s talk later. Those damn monsters are trying to run. If they regroup with other Lurkers, things could get bad. Let me get rid of them first.”

His tone was calm, but there was a sharp edge of urgency beneath it.

They were already overwhelmed due to two Echo Lurkers working together. If more joined, even Soren could handle them, but the situation would quickly become troublesome.

So, after saying those words, he suddenly disappeared from his position, heading deeper into the tunnel, his eyes shining faintly as they locked onto the grotesque humanoid figures in an instant.

Naked eyes might not have been able to see those tall, thin, shadow-like beings with featureless faces moving through the dark. But his Artemis’ Sight never failed to locate them.

Especially when the target itself was born from darkness.

‘Hmm… it seems I should better use Helios’ Piercer and get rid of them fast.’

Soren thought solemnly as soon as he saw a semi-spirit, a tall, thin humanoid creature in front of him.

The creature had shadow-like skin, a featureless face split by a glowing purple crack, long, clawed arms, and a body that constantly seeped black mist, making it look like a living shadow.

Soren knew this creature wasn’t as easy to kill as the physical monsters. In the game, Evan had only managed to deal with them using sword light.

So, Soren decided to use Helios’ Piercer instead. Of course, he wouldn’t release its full power, as even a trace was enough to vaporize them instantly.

As he made his decision, his teammates soon saw a bright light flash pierce through the darkness, followed by a blood-curdling howl from the creature… before silence fell once again.