Natsuki Subaru stepped through the portal to the 80th floor, and a thick smell of dust hit him.
Before him lay the ruins of a city built in an ancient European architectural style. White spires tilted precariously, and stone buildings were covered in vines that emitted a faint glow, while the streets, paved with some kind of black glazed stone, were now covered in cracks.
The air was filled with the stench of decay, and the collapsed buildings in the distance cast distorted shadows under the dim light.
"So this is the 80th floor... It's even more desolate than I imagined."
Muttering this under his breath, Natsuki Subaru vigilantly surveyed his surroundings. The instincts honed through countless life-or-death battles kept his body in a constant state of combat readiness.
The calmer the surface, the greater the danger that often lurks beneath!
And just as he predicted, the moment Natsuki Subaru took his third step forward—
"Swish!"
A black shadow suddenly lunged from behind a broken wall to his right, accompanied by a piercing whistle through the air. It was a demon with leathery wings, its crimson eyes glinting with bloodlust. It was so fast that it left only a blurry afterimage in his line of sight.
"Hmm, so you've come..."
Just then, a cold system notification suddenly sounded in Natsuki Subaru's mind. A light blue panel materialized before his eyes, clearly displaying level-up information.
But Natsuki Subaru's reaction was even faster. Without even looking back, he judged the enemy's position by the sound of the wind alone and thrust his sword backward with the precision of a striking viper.
"Psh!"
The dagger pierced the demon's chest without resistance, accurately running through its heart.
The demon's forward momentum came to an abrupt halt as it looked down in disbelief at the sword tip protruding from its chest.
"Decent speed, but your bloodlust is too strong."
Natsuki Subaru commented coolly, flicking his wrist to withdraw the dagger from the demon's body. Dark purple blood slid down the blade, splattering onto the black glazed ground like a grotesque flower.
At this point, an ambush of this level was no longer a threat to him. After being tempered by the battles across the previous seventy-nine floors of the Demon Castle, an enemy of this caliber didn't even count as a warm-up.
However, this confirmed Natsuki Subaru's assessment. The demons on this floor were indeed more cunning, knowing how to use the environment for ambushes.
"The higher the floor, the harder the demons are to deal with."
Natsuki Subaru focused his gaze on the surroundings, a hint of gravity flashing in his dark eyes.
A faint demonic aura filled the air, yet there was no sign of any demons. This abnormal tranquility was unsettling.
On the first dozen floors, the moment he appeared, swarms of demons would pour in from all directions, lunging madly like sharks that had scented blood. Those low-rank demons were completely devoid of reason, entirely dominated by their instinct to kill.
But now, aside from that one suicidal demon, the area was dead silent, so quiet that he could only hear the wind moaning through the ruins.
"It seems the intelligence of these demons has clearly increased. What a pain."
Natsuki Subaru stroked his smooth chin and said thoughtfully.
The demons on the upper floors were not only stronger, but more importantly, they had learned to think and strategize. They no longer charged blindly but knew how to lie in wait, ambush, and perhaps even set traps.
This was one of the main reasons why Natsuki Subaru's progress over the last few floors had slowed considerably; he had to be wary of potential ambushes with every step.
"I should get to high ground and assess the situation first."
With this thought, Natsuki Subaru leaped into the air, landing lightly atop the ruins of a ten-meter-high, half-collapsed tower. He stood steadily on the slanted stone pillar and gazed down, surveying the entire area.
A ruined city stretching for dozens of kilometers unfolded before him, the shattered buildings scattered across the landscape like the skeletons of giant beasts. Some buildings still retained their general outline, but most had been reduced to rubble.
In the distance, a few particularly tall towers, though incomplete, still pointed stubbornly toward the gray sky, as if recounting their former glory.
"This area is too vast. Searching it by myself is just too inefficient."
Standing high above, Natsuki Subaru scanned his surroundings and quickly made his judgment, his brow furrowing slightly.
At his current pace, it would likely take several hours to thoroughly scout the entire floor by himself.
"There's no time to waste. We have to split up."
With that decision made, Natsuki Subaru focused his mind and activated the vast shadow power within him. The shadow behind him instantly began to churn violently, rippling like a boiling inkwell. It expanded in a 180-degree arc behind him, enveloping the entire ruined clearing in surging darkness.
Then, the shadow energy rapidly coalesced, materializing into heavily armored Shadow Soldiers.
In the span of a single breath.
A dense formation of Shadow Soldiers stood in neat ranks upon the ruins. Three thousand warriors stood in silent solemnity, motionless as statues, quietly awaiting their master's command.
Standing at the very front of the formation was Igris. The commander of the shadow knights exuded a terrifying killing intent, his eyes pulsed with a crimson light of loyalty, and the greatsword in his hand shimmered with a dark luster.
"All the Shadow Soldiers have been summoned."
Natsuki Subaru stood on high, looking down at the perfectly aligned shadow legion at his feet. Three thousand soldiers stood solemnly in the ruins, spreading out like a black tide.
"With the shadow legion's help, my search efficiency will increase dramatically."
Seeing this loyal army, Natsuki Subaru felt a little more at ease, and his confidence in quickly clearing this floor grew.
To maximize search efficiency, he carefully organized the shadow legion based on his combat experience from the previous floors. Each squad was composed of 300 Shadow Soldiers, including 100 heavily armored Shadow Knights, 100 Shadow Mages skilled in ranged attacks, and 100 agile Shadow Assassins.
Each squad was led by the highest-level Shadow Knight as its captain to ensure an efficient command structure.
Ten squads would search in different directions, forming a reconnaissance network that covered the entire floor.
"Using this tower as the base point, search outwards in a radial pattern."
Natsuki Subaru issued his command to the Shadow Soldiers.
The next moment, the ten shadow squads immediately moved out in all directions, quickly disappearing into the depths of the ruins.
Natsuki Subaru himself chose to remain at the central high point. The view was wide here, allowing him to monitor the entire battlefield and quickly support any squad if needed.
Time ticked by, second by second.
Brief sounds of battle occasionally echoed from deep within the ruins, but they all subsided quickly.
Judging by the sounds, these encounters all ended in the shadow legion's complete victory, proving that ordinary demons were no match for the Shadow Soldiers.
[Notification: Level Up...]
Just then, a cold system notification suddenly sounded in Natsuki Subaru's mind. A light blue panel materialized before his eyes, clearly displaying level-up information.
"Leveled up again... It seems the number of demons on this floor is greater than the last two combined."
Natsuki Subaru looked at the information on the panel, a faint smile touching his lips.
This method of leveling up by reaping the benefits of others' work was the greatest convenience he had gained since taking command of the shadow legion.
Even without personally fighting, the experience points gained from every enemy annihilated by his Shadow Soldiers would be funneled into his body proportionally.
This passive growth was especially practical on the higher floors, where the number of demons and the experience they gave were high, saving him a great deal of effort from fighting alone.
"This feeling of leveling up while lying down is pretty great."
Natsuki Subaru could clearly feel the increase in his power and couldn't help but mutter.
Theoretically, as long as his shadow legion was large enough, he could continue to grow stronger without even lifting a finger himself. It was a very tempting thought.
But the next second, Natsuki Subaru shook his head, casting the tempting idea from his mind.
"Better not."
After all, a true powerhouse must be forged in blood and fire. Relying solely on external power for growth would ultimately have its limits.
Moreover, the guardians of the upper floors were extraordinarily powerful, far beyond what ordinary Shadow Soldiers could handle alone. In the end, he would have to face those powerful bosses himself.
"But then again, the strategy of a divided assault was indeed a wise move."
Natsuki Subaru carefully sensed the changing status of his Shadow Soldiers, confirming that the two orders he had given were being strictly executed.
First, each squad must annihilate all encountered enemies. Second, if a permit was found, it must be reported immediately.
Although all loot aside from the permit was being abandoned, the speed of his advance had increased significantly as a result.
The efficiency of this split-force strategy far exceeded his expectations, making him wonder if his previous tactics had been too conservative.
As Natsuki Subaru was lost in thought, a flickering number on the system panel caught his attention.
"Huh...?"
Natsuki Subaru's expression suddenly turned serious as he stared at the rapidly decreasing number of Shadow Soldiers on the system panel.
The number representing Group D's Shadow Soldiers was plummeting. This was not the rate of attrition from a normal battle.
In just a few seconds, their number had dropped from 300 to less than 100.
"Something is rapidly eliminating the Shadow Soldiers."
Faced with this sudden development, Natsuki Subaru analyzed the situation internally.
"Group D was configured with Shadow Magic Beasts as its core fighting force. Logically, ordinary demons should be incapable of inflicting such heavy casualties in such a short time."
"In that case, there must be a high-ranking demon among them capable of overwhelming my forces... This floor is definitely not simple."
Natsuki Subaru made a swift decision.
"I'll recall Group D's remaining Shadow Soldiers and investigate the situation myself."
However, the situation on the ground continued to deteriorate, and Group C began to suffer heavy casualties as well.
Natsuki Subaru's brow furrowed deeper as his fingers swiped quickly across the virtual map, marking the positions of each unit.
"After Group D was annihilated, the next target was Group C... It seems the enemy is stronger than expected and appears to have a clear battle plan."
Natsuki Subaru wasn't too concerned about the loss of his Shadow Soldiers. After all, as long as he had enough mana, he could re-summon them at any time.
But what perplexed him was the anomaly on the battlefield.
According to the system, Group B, led by Igris, was right near Group D. Why didn't the enemy attack the strongest group, B, and instead choose the more distant Group C?
"This is irrational."
Natsuki Subaru keenly sensed the abnormality and came to a conclusion.
"Unless... the enemy is deliberately avoiding Igris. This means they have the ability to assess their opponent's strength."
This discovery sent a chill through Natsuki Subaru's heart.
If the enemy was indeed selectively attacking weaker squads, it meant they were not only powerful but also possessed a considerable degree of tactical intelligence.
Such an enemy was far more dangerous than demons that relied solely on brute force.
Natsuki Subaru quickly analyzed the situation, his fingers tracing possible attack routes on the map.
"In that case, the enemy's next target is likely... Group A or Group E. They will continue to avoid Igris's Group B and choose relatively easier targets."
To verify his theory, Natsuki Subaru decided to head to the battlefield to scout personally.
Whoosh!
Natsuki Subaru's figure moved like lightning, darting swiftly through the ruined walls. His feet moved lightly over the rubble, each step precisely landing on the most stable foothold, making him as elusive as a phantom in the night.
Soon, he arrived at the top of a half-collapsed bell tower, from which he could overlook the entire battlefield.
"Stealth!"
There, Natsuki Subaru immediately activated his stealth skill. Faint, invisible ripples emanated from his body, allowing him to blend completely into the environment.
The sight before him made his eyes widen slightly.
Hundreds of Shadow Soldiers were engaged in a fierce battle with a group of elite demons covered in black armor.
These demons were not only well-equipped, but more importantly, their fighting style demonstrated astonishing discipline.
The demons were divided into several tactical squads, their coordination shockingly seamless.
Heavily armored demons in the front rank formed a defensive line with massive shields, while demons with long spears thrust from the gaps, supported by caster units in the rear chanting spells.
They feigned attacks to lure enemies, then executed pincer movements, completely unlike the low-rank demons that fought purely on instinct.
What surprised Natsuki Subaru even more was that these demons seemed to possess precise judgment.
The Shadow Mages and commander units were always the first to be focused down, while the ordinary Shadow Soldiers managed to last longer.
This kind of targeted tactical choice was comparable to that of a strictly trained regular army.
"I see... No wonder the Shadow Soldiers can't hold their ground."
Natsuki Subaru's sharp gaze swept across the battlefield as he murmured to himself.
He further discovered that the demons' coordination was flawless.
Whenever the Shadow Soldiers tried to organize a counterattack, a dedicated demon squad would interfere and disrupt them. When the shadow legion adjusted its formation, the demons would change their tactics accordingly.
The entire battlefield was like an elaborate chessboard, and the Shadow Soldiers were being pushed into a corner, step by step.
"It seems the guardian of this floor is even trickier than I thought."
Natsuki Subaru's right hand tightened around Kasaka's Venom Fang, but his eyes shone with a fiery battle spirit.
Since he had encountered an opponent worthy of a fight, he certainly wouldn't miss this opportunity to test his own strength.
"It's my turn."
Natsuki Subaru deactivated his stealth, suddenly appearing in the center of the battlefield.
Almost the instant he appeared, five black figures shot toward him from different directions.
_____
🔥 Check out the new story releases! 🔥
🪦 A 25% discount is active on my P... support page!
✅ Unlock a 40-chapter backlog for ALL my series.
✅ Receive exclusive content and regular updates!
Help us reach these goals:
🎯 100 Powerstones = +1 universal bonus chapter
🚀 80 MEMBERS = +5 extra chapters for ALL STORIES!
👻 P - Walnutchan