Becoming the Dark Lord

Chapter 552: The Assassin and the Elven Goddess

[Temporal Resistance]: Temporal skills used around you have their effects drastically weakened.

He had only seen a real use for that when he fought Miles. Even with time frozen, something in him had still been there, half-awake. It had caught him completely off guard. His body was locked in place, suspended in that frozen moment, but his mind… his mind knew. How to train that, he had no idea. It wasn't exactly the kind of thing you could practice on a whim.

And then there was the final skill, the one he mentally labeled the "cherry on top."

[Eye of the Archangel]: The eye functions as a second heart and a second brain. If either vital organ is destroyed, the eye assumes its role, allowing the body to continue functioning while severe injuries are gradually restored.

Standing at the top of the massive tree, he could see the entire region. This labyrinth had its own special zones, and he was in one of them. Luke closed his left eye and focused solely with the right. [Long-Distance Sight] tightened like a lens, giving him a hyper-zoom of the terrain. He layered [Mana Sensitivity] on top of it.

Then he added [Witch's Gaze] to see partially through the canopy, and [Assassin's Tracking] to bring out the faintest footprints. Without moving an inch, he could track any piece of this region with frightening precision. [Mana Sensitivity] made the footprints glow even clearer in the mana-vision overlay. He followed them… and found her.

Artemis stood between the trees, waiting. One of her tests.

"Found you."

He sprinted toward her.

She sat perched on a stone, chin propped on one hand. "Finally. I thought I'd be waiting here all day."

"What's that movie you love with Bradley Cooper?"

Her brow twitched. A low growl escaped her.

Luke flicked a knife.

[You have slain a Labyrinth Prisoner – Lvl 75]

A head appeared upside down, dangling from a branch. Artemis hung there, concealed until she let herself drop.

"You cheated. You used The Hangover," she said, landing lightly.

"How'd you get the creature to cooperate?"

"I told it I'd let it go if it convinced you."

"I'm guessing if a shapeshifter escaped this place…"

"Goodbye to that entire city," she said. "It would multiply like crazy, devour people, lay eggs… a whole nightmare."

They walked together, leaving the zone behind. She'd made it clear: he had to kill every monster in the area before moving on. Her rule. Artemis finally started helping, firing her bow in rapid bursts. And she was… unnervingly good. Sometimes she'd kneel to adjust something, not even looking up as she released an arrow that nailed a creature far ahead.

The labyrinth didn't hold only monsters. There were beasts too.

***

Luke crouched, brushing his fingers across the ground. A print. Feline. A massive one had passed through this part of the labyrinth's forest.

Could be a good mana core for my spectral beast.

Hours later he made his way back to camp. Artemis was cooking something over the fire.

"Why are you wearing a maid outfit?"

"Because I'm cooking," she replied, as if it were the most logical thing in the world.

He was almost certain she was messing with him.

Luke sat on the ground and slipped into a meditative posture. One of the exercises Artemis had given him, meant to help him understand how mana traveled from his core into the eye.

He stayed like that for a while.

"It's like a faucet. You need to learn how to close it on your own," she said, touching his cheek. Her hand drifted down his torso until she slid her fingers across his stomach, probing.

"Are you groping me?"

"Not really. I'm just… feeling the mana flow."

When she finally finished her "analysis," she explained how he needed to treat the eye's skills exactly like his passive skills: suppress them when necessary, open them slowly, regulate them consciously.

After they ate, Luke cleaned himself up and went to sleep. Artemis was already lying beside him.

"Before you complain, technically we slept in the same bed every day back when I was just a voice in your necklace."

"You're… spooning me."

"Reverse spooning," she corrected. "The woman is the one hugging."

"Don't tell me you're 'feeling the mana flow' again."

"No. I'm just indulging in a few impulses," she murmured. "And it's cold. Would the young knight be willing to keep this poor farmborn elf warm a little longer?"

If the labyrinth weren't actually freezing, he would never have humored her.

"What do you know about feelings, Luke?" she asked after a while.

"Feelings?"

"Yes. The basic kind. What do you know about them? Have you ever liked someone in your life?"

Silence.

"I mean before the system."

"Never."

"Never liked anyone, or never allowed yourself to?"

"There's a difference?"

"There is," she said softly. "You're like a cat, Luke."

"A cat?"

It was warm and comfortable under the blanket, the two of them curled loosely together.

"A cat is skilled at killing. It's in its nature. But cats are terrible at socializing, terrible at understanding emotion. That's why they're solitary creatures."

She shifted closer. "So here's the best advice I can give you right now. If you don't understand feelings, then try experiencing someone else's feelings for you."

"Experiencing… feelings?"

"For starters, a certain blonde vampire we know."

"But would Charlie even understand that if I just told her I wanted to experience it? Wouldn't it hurt her feelings?"

"And isn't it already hurting her feelings that nothing happens at all?" she asked. "Live today. Let tomorrow be tomorrow. Try feeling something. You finally got what you wanted. The letter tells you what happened to your mother. If I were you, I'd take that step before reading it. Close one cycle by beginning another."

After that, they both fell quiet, the weight of sleep slowly pulling them under.

Damn it… she actually gives decent advice sometimes.

***

By morning, they pressed deeper into the forest. They were searching for the wall with the opening that would take them to the next section of the labyrinth. Luke crouched, examining a paw print that looked like it belonged to a tiger. Far ahead, half-hidden in the foliage, the animal watched him in silence.

"Planning to hunt it?" Artemis asked.

He stood. "No. Better to leave it alone."

They continued until they found the break in the stone wall and stepped into the narrow hallway leading deeper into the labyrinth. As they walked, he opened his system interface. Facing the Witch class evolution options.

"You know you lost some experience delaying that choice, right?"

"You can see my system screen?"

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

"My necklace is still around your neck. We're connected." She drifted closer, a little too pleased with herself. "By the way… I read your confused thoughts when you saw me and realized how beautiful I am."

"Bastard…"

"Actually, I lied. I wasn't reading anything. But it's nice to know you think I'm beautiful." She flashed a grin.

Damn it.

He'd walked right into her trap. Ignoring the elf's laughter, he shifted his focus back to the system prompt.

**Mandatory Class Evolution Achieved!**

Congratulations! You've reached the absolute peak of your class, squeezing every drop of knowledge and mastery it had to offer. It's been a long journey, one of focus, determination, ambition, greed… and, of course, a little luck.

As a true Witch, you advanced step by step in your understanding of magic, of combining skills, and of deepening your mana. On your path to level 50, you faced trauma, excitement, loss, and triumph. Every battle, every choice, every risk shaped who you are now.

Your fights were bloody, your spells were lethal, and your enemies were even more terrifying, from a mythic creature to one who bore the title of King. Well done, Witch. You are the sum of your own actions. May this new evolution take you even farther.

[Mandatory Class Evolution]: This evolution occurs for all races across the multiverse upon reaching level 50 in any class. On rare occasions, certain individuals awaken special evolutions during their journey, but none of them ever surpass the power of a mandatory evolution.

There are countless paths in the vast multiverse. Some choose quiet, ordinary lives. Others devote themselves to their professions. And then there are those like you, who throw themselves wholly into their class.

Every step of your story has shaped the options now before you. Each path is unique and will carry you farther than the last. Choose wisely, for there is no going back.

(Warning: Until your new class is chosen, you will gain no experience, learn no new skills, and must not hold any unspent attribute points.)

"Why did you take so long to pick a class? You stunted your own growth for days," Artemis said.

"With my soul core blocked, I wanted to see how the Spectral Beast behaved. Whether its core gained experience even when I didn't."

"Smart boy…"

They kept moving through the winding halls.

"Beasts have cores and need to feed on other cores to evolve," he said. "But even so, when we use Identify, we still see levels tied to them."

The corridors ahead were quiet, empty of threats for now.

"The level of a beast is influenced by three things: how many cores it's devoured, how long it's lived, and, of course, its biological potential."

That was simply how the world worked. A newborn dragon would never match an adult one. And an adult dragon that had never absorbed a single core wasn't automatically weak. Age was a defining factor, the same way an adult human vastly outclassed a human infant.

Absorbing cores was more like the final gate before evolution, not the main driver. Time still mattered most.

"The wyvern from the tutorial was level ninety-nine. Bigger, older, and more developed than Franky's wyvern form. Biologically, it had reached the peak of Rank E, but it was stuck at level ninety-nine. It hadn't consumed the required hundred Rank E cores. And since it was undead, who knows how that rule even applied."

He also wasn't sure whether older beasts needed more cores than younger ones, or how age interacted with evolution thresholds.

"In short, my beast probably works the same way. It'll grow stronger simply by existing longer."

"I'm not giving you information about that," Artemis said. "It's part of your journey. Right now we're focusing only on using that eye."

Luke opened his class options.

[Succubus Witch]: A Witch who discovered desire as a weapon and sex as a hunting method. You walk the path of flesh and lust, developing skills that amplify emotional influence and the power to manipulate hearts. Your body becomes a temple of devotion, and your techniques allow you to conquer, persuade, and lead others through charm, hypnosis, and supernatural charisma.

The Succubus Witch is chaotic, playing with the feelings of others, understanding that love is not merely emotion but fertile ground for magic to bloom. Pleasure may be part of the path, but true power lies in being desired and bringing others to their knees.

It is said that those who follow this path eventually abandon their original form and are reborn in the most alluring female shape their race can produce, as part of their ascension. The Path of Lust transforms the body into a sacred weapon, molded to fascinate and subjugate with a single glance.

(Attribute Bonus per Level: +12 Perception, +10 Agility, +8 Willpower, +8 Wisdom, +5 Vitality, +4 Lethality, +3 Dexterity, +10 Free Points.)

"Absolutely not. That class is a guaranteed no."

"And why not?" Artemis asked in a tone dripping with suggestion.

"Because no. And I don't need to explain it."

"It would've been fun," she sighed.

[Cursed Witch]: While other Witches study luminous spells and elegant rituals, you chose what was abandoned in the basements of magic. Curses are not bitter words thrown into the wind. They are seeds, and the Cursed Witch plants ruin patiently.

Along the way, you will learn to inscribe pentagrams that breathe chaotic energy, to corrupt artifacts until they become extensions of your will, and to touch weapons that begin to whisper disaster to their own wielders. Confusion, agitation, and paranoia are natural byproducts of your craft, because the mind is fertile soil for your techniques.

Your markings on the ground are not mere drawings. They are anchors, conduits, and doorways for forces waiting to be commanded. Through them, you will raise constructs and golems shaped from earth, stone, or from the accumulated resentment of an environment left to rot.

Where you walk, nothing breaks immediately. First it weakens, then it decays, and eventually it collapses. The Cursed Witch does not seek flashy glory; she builds her enemies' downfall layer by layer, and by the time catastrophe strikes, no one realizes you were the one who started it.

(Attribute Bonus per Level: +10 Intelligence, +9 Wisdom, +8 Willpower, +7 Perception, +5 Endurance, +4 Toughness, +4 Vitality, +10 Free Points.)

[Arcane Witch]: Some Witches make pacts. Others summon creatures. But you chose to understand mana itself. The Arcane Witch doesn't fear volatile energy; she studies it, provokes it, and shapes it. Where others see instability, you see raw potential begging for direction.

This is the path of dangerous versatility. You'll learn a bit of everything, pure offense, elemental manipulation, magical reinforcement, even momentary distortions, yet you won't remain shallow. Eventually you'll decide what you want to master, and you'll elevate that branch to heights few can witness without trembling.

Your spells do more than cause damage; they set the pace of battle, control space, force choices, and impose fear. The Arcane Witch is the calm eye of the storm, seemingly composed but surrounded by energy ready to erupt. No entity guides your steps and no doctrine limits your study. There is only mana, and the decision to bend it to your will.

(Attribute Bonus per Level: +12 Intelligence, +10 Wisdom, +7 Perception, +6 Willpower, +5 Agility, +3 Vitality, +2 Endurance, +10 Free Points.)

Eliminating the first option left him with these two paths. Cursed Witch granted fifty-seven attribute points per level. Arcane Witch gave fifty-five. If he were judging by numbers alone, the Cursed Witch had the edge.

What remained was to evaluate the power tracks of each evolution.

Luke opened his current [Witch] class and checked its attribute gains: +5 Intelligence, +3 Wisdom, +1 Agility, +1 Endurance, +1 Vitality, +1 Perception, +1 Willpower, +2 Free Points.

The difference is going to be absurd no matter which evolution I choose.

He kept walking as he thought it over.

Golems… I don't really see myself using golems. I already have the Spectral Beast. The curse skills seem interesting, but the offensive power is pretty limited.

And the Arcane Witch…

Too bad neither path mentions telekinesis explicitly. If one did, I'd choose it immediately.

**Congratulations! Your class has successfully evolved!**

[You have evolved into Arcane Witch]

Nothing stops me from developing Curse magic or Telekinesis as an Arcane Witch anyway. It leaves room to grow.

[Your skill Basic Magic Conjuration (Common) is evolving…]

[Basic Magic Conjuration (Common)] -> [Advanced Magic Conjuration (Uncommon)]

Luke opened the description of his newly evolved skill.

[Advanced Magic Conjuration (Uncommon)]: Your control over mana has deepened, becoming sharper, more efficient, and far more stable. What was once instinctive is now deliberate and refined. You summon and channel arcane energy with greater speed and precision, reducing waste and increasing potency.

Your manipulation of mana has improved, allowing for more controlled spell activation and smoother integration with scrolls and stored incantations. When channeled through wands, grimoires, magical foci, or caster weapons, your spells become more stable, more forceful, and harder to disrupt.

Your connection to arcane energy flows more naturally now, each spell shaped with clearer intent and greater mastery. Magic no longer answers you hesitantly, it responds with purpose.

***

A cluster of serpents blocked the corridor ahead. Artemis loosed arrows with smooth, practiced precision while Luke flicked throwing knives through the air. When the last creature collapsed, they turned their attention to the entrance of the next chamber.

"This is the labyrinth's center. From here on, it's all you."

Luke stepped forward alone.

Back when he fought the baron's army near the rift, he had reached level 80 in his class. Among the skill choices he'd gained, one in particular had filled the void left by the destruction of his old [Wraith Form].

[Shadow Dive (Rare)]: With your primary stealth skill gone, the shadows call to you once more. This skill allows the assassin to merge with his own shadow, taking an umbral form that slides across any surface like a living silhouette. It grants fluid movement through darkness and the ability to slip into places a physical body could not, so long as you accept a shadowed shape.

He drifted forward as a thin smear of darkness, gliding across the stone. Artemis hadn't offered a single hint about what guarded the labyrinth's core. Then he saw it: a lake in the center of the chamber, a massive nest at its edge, and perched atop it, a great bird.

Luke crept as far as the shadows allowed and slipped into the water. There, submerged and silent, he summoned his Spectral Beast. The enormous serpent materialized beside him, yellow eyes glowing faintly beneath the surface. Luke gripped its shadowy form, letting it guide him through the lake. The Abyss Princes he'd fought in the past had taught him something valuable: these serpents could remain underwater for a long time, needing almost no oxygen.

The beast erupted from the water in a lunging strike.

The bird noticed far too late. The Spectral Beast had already sunk its fangs into it, pumping paralyzing venom into its body. The massive creature thrashed violently, wings beating at the air, until its body ignited with red light. Luke burst from the water, kukri glowing crimson with the power of [Crimson Fang].

The bird detonated in a wave of fire, forcing him back. The Spectral Beast was scorched, parts of its body dissolving. The enormous creature took flight, launching volley after volley of fireballs. Luke zigzagged across the water's edge, knives leaving his hands in rapid bursts as he activated [Burst Throw]. Each blade clipped the enemy, its flight wasn't particularly fast.

A jet of fire roared toward him. Luke dove underwater, gripping a knife tight as he gathered [Shadow Mana Explosion] into the blade, then hurled it upward.

[Telekinetic Impulse activated]

The knife struck the bird midair and detonated. Luke shot out of the water. The Spectral Beast lunged upward beneath him, its strike launching him even higher. He slammed into the flaming bird with [Crimson Fang].

The creature plummeted into the lake. Luke dove after it, and together he and the beast tore it apart beneath the surface. When the fight ended, he emerged from the water, panting on the shore.

[You have slain an Ignis Bird – Lvl 103]

**Your class [Demonic Predator] has reached Level 81!**

He sat catching his breath as Artemis stepped into the chamber.

"Well done. You earned the treasure."

"And that is?"

"Let's just hope you didn't ruin it."

She approached the nest and lifted a giant egg the size of a boulder-shaped melon.

"The best omelets I've ever had come from this thing."

"Seriously? That's the treasure?"

"I already told you why I became the Goddess of the Hunt. I like eating." she said.

Luke waded back into the lake and hauled the giant bird corpse to shore.

"In time, the labyrinth will spawn another one. This place runs on an eternal loop," she added.

Luke retrieved the mana core from the creature.

"If you use your beast's skill on that core, it'll take this bird's form, won't it? Now that is a real treasure," Artemis said.