Chapter 18 : The Butcher of the Void
The atmosphere of the dimensional realm was a sustained violation of the senses, a crushing blanket of acrid air and despair. The sky was not merely red and green; it was a swirling, toxic tapestry of corrupted starlight, perpetually choking the dim light of this plane. John Vance marched through the jagged obsidian landscape, the sheer weight of his Cosmic-Level power causing the brittle ground to creak and crack beneath the armored soles of his boots. He was a beacon of cold, focused energy, every atom of his being tuned to the single-minded goal of ascension.
His Ultimate Magus Armor was his true shell, the crimson Essence Devourer Sigil etched into its breastplate thrumming with a palpable, almost sentient hunger. It was no longer a tool; it was a sophisticated, soul-scavenging machine, ready to gorge itself on the raw power of this dimension.
The Trial by Blood
The shift in the ground ahead warned him—a deep, seismic tremor that spoke of power beyond the fodder he had so easily dispatched. The air split open as his first true obstacle emerged: a Dimensional Guard, not just large, but a colossal, ten-foot titan whose body was a repulsive fusion of obsidian plating, twitching black sinew, and toxic sludge. Its eyes burned with a calculating, malevolent intelligence, and its massive axe, forged from the calcified remains of some other, older creature, was a grotesque weapon of immense weight.
The Guard let out a roar that wasn't just loud; it was a wave of sonic malice designed to shatter weaker minds. It charged with terrifying acceleration, a living battering ram of hatred.
John did not evade. He chose brutality and dominance.
As the colossal axe began its downward arc—a blow capable of cracking the planar crust—John met it, not with magic, but with the pure, unadulterated force of his STR stat. He raised his right gauntlet and caught the axe head with a casual, almost bored indifference.
The impact was a silent, concussive wave of power that momentarily warped the air around them. The Dimensional Guard froze, its eyes widening in existential terror as it realized its attack, which had slain legions, had been stopped by a single hand, without effort. John's armor didn't even register the impact, its millions of points in VIT making the blow feel like a gentle tap.
In the fraction of a second the Guard was paralyzed by shock, John began the slaughter.
The Brutal Harvest
He twisted his gauntlet, the force of his spin instantly disarming the Guard and tearing the massive axe from its grip. The heavy weapon tumbled end over end into the darkness. Then, John delivered his counter-attack: a perfect fusion of magic and kinetic force.
* Violation: He unleashed his [Advanced Kinetic Sovereignty]. An invisible, crushing wave slammed into the Guard's torso, not to explode it, but to violently disrupt the skeletal structure and organs within its frame. The creature convulsed in silent agony, its internal chaos visible as the outer plating buckled and warped.
* Scripting Annihilation: As the Guard was crippled, John activated his [Arcane Scripting Mastery]. He didn't cast a spell, he wrote one. A complex, glowing crimson sigil instantly manifested on the Guard's pulsating skull. The sigil was a script of pure magical decay, violently dissolving the demon's intelligence and consciousness in a flash of agonizing light.
* The Consumption: The moment the Guard's internal life ceased, the Essence Devourer Sigil on John's chestplate flared to life with terrifying ferocity. A torrent of pitch-black, screaming energy—the raw, immortal soul and power of the Dimensional Guard—was violently ripped from its shell. The demon's massive body collapsed into a rapidly cooling husk of bone and dust, its essence entirely stripped and devoured. The process was sickeningly effective, leaving no trace of the demon's existence behind.
Ascendant Power
The harvest was glorious. The System registered the immense value of the consumed essence.
[Enemy Defeated: Dimensional Guard (Elite Sentinel)]
[EXP Gained: 15,000,000 EXP!]
The simultaneous rewards confirmed John's exponential ascension:
[Total EXP Gained: 15,000,000 EXP!]
[Essence Absorption Confirmed! Armor Integrity +2.0% (Permanent)!]
[New Passive Perk Gained: Minor Strength Augmentation Stack (x1)]
[Level 90 -> Level 94!]
[Attribute Points Gained: 6 Attribute Points x 4 Levels = 2,400!]
The immediate, relentless use of his Dimensional Manipulation during the brief fight also solidified his mastery of the sub-skill.
[Sub-Skill [Dimensional Sovereignty (Tier 1)] has been constantly utilized at maximum capacity. Commencing refinement...]
[Sub-Skill Upgraded to [Dimensional Sovereignty (Tier 2)]! Dimensional awareness and boundary manipulation significantly enhanced.]
John felt the world expand again. He didn't just understand this dimension; he could subtly manipulate its inherent chaos, using the dimensional distortions to his advantage. The power was intoxicating, and it made the armor hum with a fierce satisfaction.
[Status]
* Name: John Vance
* Level: 94
* EXP: (Massive Amount) / (Even More Massive Amount)
* STR: 1,610,983
* DEX: 1,610,983
* VIT: 1,610,983
* INT: 1,610,983
* WIS: 1,610,983
* LUK: 1,610,983
[Overall Power Level: Cosmic-Level (Rapidly Approaching Universal)]
[Ultimate Magus Armor Status: Integrity 102.5% (Permanent), Demonic Energy Resistance Stack x1, Strength Augmentation Stack x1]
The Observer's Despair
High above, in the crumbling watchtower of the Inner Citadel, Lord Krull watched the execution of his most powerful Sentinel in his scrying pool. The terror in his ancient, red eyes was absolute. He had seen countless wars, but he had never witnessed such a violation of natural law.
"He stopped the axe... with his hand," Krull whispered, his demonic voice trembling. "And then he ate its soul. He is not a warrior, he is a cosmic plague! An anti-demon! His armor gains our strength; his mind consumes our magic!"
The sight of the Magus's stats increasing, the very visible glowing of his armor as it consumed the energy, drove Krull into a desperate frenzy. The Magus was a living, breathing EXP Farm who grew exponentially with every death.
"He must be stopped now!" Krull shrieked, smashing a massive fist onto the stone console, sending arcane shrapnel flying. "He cannot be allowed to reach the Inner Citadel!"
Krull turned to his remaining lieutenants, his face a mask of cold, tactical malice mixed with utter despair. "Immediate mobilization! Send forth the Obsidian Brigade—five thousand Shock Troopers and every archer we have. Spread them across the Valley of Thorns. Do not engage him in close combat! Pin him down with saturation fire! Their mission is not to defeat him, but to bury him under so much demonic flesh that his armor cannot absorb it all! We will drown the scavenger in numbers before he becomes truly unstoppable!"
The Commander was gambling everything, throwing away his entire frontline defense. He looked back at the scrying pool, where the glowing figure of the Magus continued his unwavering march toward the peak. Krull knew that if the Magus survived this trap, nothing in the dimension would be able to save them.