Chapter 65: The Slumbering King’s Throne

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Riven carefully checked his status after his energies and newly gained powers had fully settled down, taking a quiet moment to admire just how strong he had grown in such a short time.

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[Name]: [Riven Hale Claymore]

[Age]: [18]

[Race]: [Human (Assimilating Titan Bloodline)]

[Title]: [Lord (Provisional)]

[Hunter Rank]: [E-Rank (Official)]

[Class]: [Predator – Level 60]

[Subclass]: [Beast – Level 40]

[Talents]: [Dormant Apex – SSS-Rank] [Voracious Beast – S-Rank] [Biological Armor – S-Rank] [Natural-Born Leader – S-Rank] [Calamitous Power – SS-Rank] [Apostle of Chaos – SS-Rank] [Abyssal Predator’s Inheritance – SS-Rank] [Heavy Metal Sentinel – S-Rank] [Treasure Hunter – S-Rank] [Death King – SS-Rank]

[Authorities]

{Demonic Authority of Gluttony – Beelzebub}

[Monster Eater]

[Gluttony (Stat & Skill Absorption)]

[Talent Devourer]

{Demonic Authority of Greed – Mammon}

[x10,000 Reward Multiplier (Active)]

{Demonic Authority of Lust – Asmodeus}

[Love Investment Authority]

[Target: Elisa Frostbane]

[Affection Level: 40]

[Investment Progress: 5%]

[Status: Critically Crippled | Potential: Supreme+]

{Demonic Authority of Pride – Lucifer}

[Sovereign Codex Recognized]

[Domain-Building Functions Unlocked]

[Host marked as "Lord"]

{Authority of the Blood-Soaked Shadow Wolf, Fenrir}

[Beast Senses]

[Bloodthirsty]

[Core Stats]

[Vitality]: [181,000]

[Mana]: [191,940]

[Strength]: [310,430]

[Endurance]: [160,900]

[Intelligence]: [84,150]

[Agility]: [128,100]

[Luck]: [1,010]

[Charm]: [2,100]

[Class Skills – Predator]

[Devourer’s Instinct – Level 3]

[Endless Hunger – Level 2]

[Gene Absorption – Level 1]

[Class Skills – Beast]

[Call of the Beast – Level 2]

[Pack Hunter – Level 1]

[Active Skills]

[Skadi’s Blessing: Titan Physique – Level 2]

[Veil of Invisibility – Level 3]

[Heavy Weapon Master – Level 3]

[Impenetrable Skin – Level 3]

[Frost Emperor’s Touch – Level 4]

[Abyssal Fist – Level 3]

[Assassination Shadow Blade – Level 2]

[Venom Production – Level 4]

[Abyssal Shift – Level 3]

[Tyrant’s Embodiment – Level 2]

[Sacrificial Abyssal Werewolf – Level 2]

[Ten Thousand Poison Fang – Level 2]

[World of Silence – Level 1]

[Asura Blood Sea Scripture – Level 1]

[Netherworld King Swordsmanship – Level 1]

[Spectral Ghost King Aura – Level 1]

[Yin Corpse Bone-Forging Art – Level 1]

[Cultivation Methods]

[Divine Frost Emperor’s Legacy – First Step]

[Ten Thousand Poison Heart Sutra – Poison Accumulation Phase: Stage 1 (12/100)]

[Items]

[Divine Weapon – Fenrir’s Abyssal Fang Blade (Tier 1 / Growth: 91%)]

[Elisa’s Pride (SSS-Rank)]

[Divine Frost Emperor’s Crown (SSS Rank)]

[Abyssal Assassin King Bracelet (SS++ Grade)]

[Eternal Silence Ring (SS++ Grade)]

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Honestly, it always felt incredibly satisfying for him to see his status and his steady growth. After living through four miserable lives without the strength to fight back even once, finally gaining real power was something that made him feel like he was living inside a vivid dream he never wanted to wake from.

He finally had the opportunity to grow stronger, to fight back against the forces that had crushed him before, and to change the course of events that once seemed impossible to alter. He was not going to waste a single opportunity that came his way. And finally, he was determined to completely clear this dungeon and earn himself a full Gate Conquest Reward, no matter what obstacles stood in his path.

"We’re here," he spoke calmly. He, Daniela, and Noir were all allowed to speak and listen to one another freely within the Domain of Silence, which moved protectively around Riven as he walked forward. The Fallen King waiting deeper inside, however, could not hear a single word they exchanged. "Listen well, Daniela. The Fallen King is still a formidable foe even now. He has two distinct phases... memorize carefully what I am about to tell you."

Riven briefly but thoroughly explained to Daniela how this particular boss worked, detailing the attack patterns, weaknesses, and the dangerous shifts that occurred between phases. She nodded silently the entire time, her eyebrows furrowed tightly together while she tried her hardest to memorize every important detail.

Of course, it would have been far better if she had known from the very start about studying the Monsterpedia and preparing properly in advance... but well, things had turned out this way instead, so they simply had to adapt to the situation as it stood.

He knew deep down that Daniela might still be unable to memorize everything perfectly under the pressure of the moment, yet he still made sure to teach her as much as he possibly could. Every piece of knowledge he shared might make the difference between survival and disaster once the real battle began.

Once they reached the boss zone, they chose not to enter through the main gate. Instead, they approached from high in the skies through an open window set into the upper walls of the ruined structure. Riven simply ran straight up the vertical surfaces with practiced ease, Daniela following close behind him while Noir stayed right at her heels.

All three of them possessed high enough agility and strength to run across walls and ceilings as if gravity meant little. Even so, Daniela’s legs were not nearly as strong as the others. By the time they neared the top of the wall she was already breathing hard and growing tired. Seeing this, Noir quickly grabbed her with his shadowy form and helped her leap the final distance to where Riven waited.

"Phew..." she sighed in deep relief as her feet finally found solid footing again. "Ah! It’s there..."

Below them, in the vast chamber, the silhouette of the boss sat motionless upon an abandoned and ruinous throne made of black stone.

"Opening the gate will trigger it to wake up, regardless of any sound we make," Riven explained in a low, steady voice. "The Domain of Silence can only last for so long, so we must hurry. But with the Domain still active, he won’t be able to conjure his strongest Magic. That means we can concentrate fully on destroying his armor before he becomes truly dangerous."

"Okay!" Daniela nodded with determination. She now carried a whole arsenal of SS-Rank weapons ready to use with her Weapon Throw skill. "We got a lot of loot from that last fight, Riven! We’ve gathered... almost one hundred items in total! Eighty of them are weapons!"

"Yeah," Riven nodded, a faint look of satisfaction crossing his face. "It’s a good thing that your Weapon Throw works on every type of weapon, and so does Dice Thrust. Daggers are still your recommended weapon, but Weapon Throw carries the passive ability of turning you into a Weapon Master. You can now learn and master all kinds of weapons under this single skill and freely combine them with Dice Thrust."

"Yes!" Daniela nodded again, feeling a genuine hope for the future that she had rarely experienced before. For the first time in a long while she truly felt strong. "I’ll stay up here and play my role! Noir, please keep Riven safe!"

"Woof!" Noir seemed to almost nod in understanding. His tail wagged once before his living shadows surged forward and wrapped protectively around Riven’s entire body.

"Let’s go," Riven said quietly.

Without another word both he and the shadow-covered form of Noir dropped from the high altitude, plummeting straight toward the sleeping silhouette that still sat motionless upon the black stone throne far below.

It was time to conquer this gate once and for all.

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