Chapter 168: Somi Token!

Miroku was utterly stunned.

But he wasn't the only one. Clare, too, was left speechless.

At this moment, they finally understood what it meant to "lie down and win." The stretch of mountain road, which once seemed so daunting, now lay flat beneath their feet.

That's right—what had appeared to be a long and perilous path had been completely conquered in under an hour, thanks to Novak.

This nightmare-level instance had been effortlessly cleared, with Novak leading them directly to the summit.

Aside from the first encounter with the flying short sword, they hadn't faced any other significant opposition.

As Clare and Miroku watched, two more flying swords—each no longer than a forearm—hovered in the air, circling Novak, just like the first.

In addition to these deadly swords, there had been other monsters. But compared to these sharp, flying weapons, the mountain spirits and tree demons were easily dealt with by Clare and Miroku.

Novak, however, was unimpressed by the dungeon. His 'Blacklight Virus' couldn't even absorb those mountain spirits and tree demons. His ability thrived on absorbing flesh and blood, but these creatures simply didn't fit the criteria.

Some of the loot was decent, though. The mountain spirits dropped precious ores, while the tree demons offered herbal essences that could boost attributes—a small bonus for those seeking power.

But to Novak, these minor boosts felt like mere crumbs.

The journey would have been even quicker if not for the scenic beauty of Somi Mountain. The view was pleasant enough to slow their pace for a bit, but had it not been for that, they could have completed the trek in under an hour.

With such a ludicrously fast clear time, both Clare and Miroku finally understood why Crow was not only willing to work for free but was even prepared to pay just to be part of the party. Who wouldn't want to join this team?

But no matter how thrilling a journey, it must come to an end.

And now, at the peak of the mountain, they stood before the final boss of the dungeon.

It took the form of a figure.

[Sword Spirit (Level 13—BOSS)]

"Trialists, you have arrived at last. If you wish to enter Somi Mountain, you must first kill me..." The Sword Spirit spoke in a cold, detached voice.

Before it could finish its sentence, Novak had already made his move. With a thought, he controlled the three flying swords—perfectly manipulated by his "Biochemical Disaster" ability—sending them hurtling forward in an instant.

The expression of confusion on the Sword Spirit's face hadn't even faded when it was impaled by all three swords, each one striking with precision.

On the now silent mountaintop, even the wind seemed to have disappeared.

All that remained were Novak's words, muttered in slight irritation:

"If you're going to show up, why so much talking? Just get it over with. I've got other things to do."

And with that, the Cosmic Will sent a clear message into everyone's minds.

[Dungeon Boss 'Sword Spirit (Level 13)' beheaded, experience gained: 25,000 points! (based on battle contributions)]

[Secret realm dungeon cleared, you may now exit at any time!]

[The Secret Realm 'Somi-masen Mountain Road' has been cleared for the first time. It is now permanently inaccessible to you.]

[001 Evolutionary team detected. You have cleared this dungeon for the first time. Would you like to release a video guide?]

Novak ignored the stream of notifications, focusing instead on a more urgent message that followed.

[Somi-masen Mountain Road has been cleared. All members who completed the dungeon will receive a special reward: "Somi Token." This Secret Realm is now open to the public, though each person may only challenge it once.]

[Somi Token]

[Special Item]

[Once acquired, you will automatically earn the title 'Disciple of Somi.' This token grants access to the special map: 'Somi Mountain(Levels 10-89).' Every Somi Token is bound to its owner and cannot be transferred.]

[Note: You must be at least Level 10 to enter Somi Mountain!]

"'What the...?'"

Novak stared at the small token in his hand, astonished. He had suspected that the Somi-masen Mountain Road held something extraordinary, but even he hadn't expected the significance of this token.

Levels 10 to 89? Even an Emperor-tier being could potentially advance further on this map? What kind of overpowered map was this?

What secrets were hidden within Somi Mountain?

Novak had no answers. His mind raced with possibilities, though he managed to suppress his excitement. For now, it was impossible for him to abandon his current quest—completing his job transfer mission in the Abyss—and venture off to explore Somi Mountain.

Besides, his power system had little in common with the sword immortals of this mystical realm.

With a shake of his head, Novak tucked the Somi Token away and shifted his attention to the loot scattered before him. He had little interest in the standard equipment, which would eventually be replaced. The main prize of this dungeon was undoubtedly the Somi Token.

Compared to the items he had obtained from the Red Star Mental Hospital dungeon, these were underwhelming.

However, the Somi Token alone was enough to make this journey worthwhile.

But then, something else caught his eye—a unique item among the spoils.

[Spirit Accumulation Technique (Level C): A passive skill book that enhances the speed and strength of spiritual entities like sword spirits and souls.]

Spiritual power!

This was exactly what the Yamai sisters needed. Without hesitation, Novak claimed the skill book and pocketed it.

Ten minutes later, a new announcement from the Cosmic Will appeared before all the evolutionaries.

[Cosmic Will: The Faeloria Country team '001—White Emperor,' '001—Meimei,' '001—Sword Fairy' and '001—Monk' have cleared the nightmare-level secret dungeon 'Somi-masen Mountain Road (Level 10).' The video guide has been permanently saved by (Sword Fairy)! Viewing cost: 50 copper coins.]

[Clearing the nightmare-level dungeon 'Somi-masen Mountain Road (Level 10)' for the first time earns you 1 point of prestige!]

The announcement came as no surprise to the members of Group 001.

But for evolunaries worldwide, it was a different story. Another nightmare-level dungeon had been conquered! And once again, it was the enigmatic White Emperor, along with the equally mysterious 001 team, leading the charge.

As rumors of unrest on Kepler spread, so did the legend of Group 001.

But Novak had no time to concern himself with any of this. He casually tossed the Spirit Accumulation Technique to Yuzuru after coming back to reality, his thoughts already consumed by the scroll in his hand.

The Demon Hunter Job Transfer Scroll.

The pitch-black parchment radiated an ominous, malevolent aura, yet it only seemed to stoke the fire of excitement in Novak's eyes.

[Would you like to use the Demon Hunter job transfer scroll to enter the special map: the first floor of the Abyss?]

"Yes!"