Dekan Was More Outrageous Than the Enemy

After Dekan and his two companions joined the battle, Clay received reinforcements, and the situation improved significantly.

Croix can provide continuous healing to Clay, slowing down the overload of Clay's [Super-Speed Regeneration] and reducing Clay's mana consumption.

At the same time, because Dekan summoned [Ruined Poet], which amplified the pain tenfold, he could effectively Enrage Clay while healing him.

"What kind of support players are you?!"

Clay couldn't see, but he felt that he had been treated.

But the pain is unbearable!!

How could there be such Underworld dad!

As Clay's anger continued to rise, his attack power increased.

The Warden no longer dared to underestimate the threat Clay posed to her.

Because a pure warrior like Clay, who doesn't use spells, is the biggest nemesis of Anti-Mage like her.

Unfortunately, there is a huge difference in stats between eighth-tier and ninth-tier items.

Even in a direct confrontation of strength, she would completely overwhelm Clay.

But Clay isn't the only one in real trouble.

Rather, it was these three support characters who joined the battle.

Their formation consists of one forward, one center-back, and two defenders in the back row.

Besides Clay at the front, Morion will position himself closer to the Warden to prevent the Warden from breaking through Clay's defenses and prioritizing the elimination of Croix and Dekan in the back row.

Whenever the Warden tries to bypass Clay and kill the babysitter first...

Morion would then block the Warden, disrupting her offensive rhythm, and Clay would immediately follow up to block the Warden again.

The Warden had already sensed the sinister nature of these three assistants.

Let's leave aside the healer whose healing output is bizarre and who can constantly Enrage the warrior.

She has an Underworld assistant that makes her take extra pain when attacked!

Although the pain wasn't enough to significantly affect her, given her ninth-level mental strength, it did make her feel like she was in prison while fighting these people.

What frustrated her the most was that intermediate-level fifth-tier trickster who could have been killed in one hit.

But no matter how I try, I can't hit him!

Several times she almost managed to get around Clay and find an opportunity to kill the two backline defenders, but each time she was interrupted by this acrobatic center-back.

In fact, Dekan knew that Morion's evasion was due to the reward he received in the previous Shadow World [The Secret Tale of the Withered Sacred Rite]: Countess Lisilina's epic spell passive ability, the ultimate evasion ability.

[Blood Phantom]

[Category: Spell Card]

[Rarity: Orange Epic]

[Class: 5]

[Passive effect: Whenever there is a possibility of dodging, gain 3 chances for a perfect dodge every 10 seconds.]

[Note: This is the key reason why Countess Lisilina survived when the Blood Race was nearly wiped out.]

Morion, who possesses Countess Lisilina's evasion abilities, also has other Spell Card equipped that are mostly for survival.

Even if Dekan wanted to mess with him, it would be extremely difficult without anyone's help.

Therefore, Morion is not very useful in direct combat.

However, with his extremely strong survivability, he can be used as an acrobatic evasion tank to help relieve some pressure on Clay while protecting the backline.

Occasionally, it can provide some additional control, and the [Bandit Goblin] deck can be used to harass the Warden.

It's a specialized auxiliary tool designed specifically to work on mindset.

"You bunch of bastards!"

The Warden finally couldn't hold back and roared.

Although none of these individuals are particularly strong individually.

But when combined, they can indeed hold their own against her!

The only weakness of this team of four is their attack power.

It cannot cause her any threatening harm.

But she couldn't let herself be held back.

The Warden is increasingly feeling this way.

Since there are jailers who can bring prisoners to this floor.

So the Saintess of Darkness must have been brought along as well!

The real purpose of this group is likely to rescue the Saintess of Darkness!

As the battle gradually became a back-and-forth affair, the two sides engaged in a fierce exchange of blows.

Clay is getting stronger and stronger, and seems to be about to enter a completely new state.

The Warden could roughly sense that if Clay triggered a certain effect, she would be truly threatened by Clay's gradually increasing damage.

At that time, she will have to focus all her energy on the battle.

Even as the Saintess of Darkness began to flee towards the portal, she had no time to spare!

"You lot got yourself into this mess!"

The Warden seemed to have been cornered by Dekan and his men.

Without hesitation, he chose to enter the state of restriction removal before Clay entered the true damage state!

She personally removed the Warden's blindfold.

Dekan understood that the BOSS had been forced into the second phase.

She was amazed.

The moment she opened her eyes, she was initially surprised to see three humans.

Then he looked towards the safe zone of the teleportation portal.

The moment she saw the Saintess of Darkness, she became completely certain of the group's purpose.

Then the Warden's bright, demonic eyes instantly locked onto the jailer, the Little Succubus Dekan.

The Warden's eyes were filled with murderous intent, as if he had pulled a piece of ice from a thousand-year-old icy pool, cold and sharp.

Now the four of them finally saw the Warden in his entirety.

She wasn't ugly, and there were no scars on her face.

Or perhaps it's more accurate to say she possesses a flawless, unparalleled beauty.

As Dekan had previously obtained, the Warden was not blind, but had sealed his eyes himself.

Her eyes possessed no special characteristics or magic.

The consequence of lifting restrictions is poor eyesight!

At this moment.

The Warden regains his sight.

Their overall combat effectiveness seems to have increased several levels.

In an instant, he deftly bypassed Clay.

The Warden in this state possesses the combat power of a fully-fledged ninth-tier Anti-Mage!

Despite Clay's desire to pursue the Warden at all costs, even at the cost of a fatal wound, the Warden this time did not choose to exploit the opening Clay had created. Instead, she resolutely charged toward Dekan, even though she was about to be struck by Clay.

This time, Morion was also fooled by the Warden.

She also disdained to attack Morion.

They headed straight for Dekan and Croix!

Dekan, who couldn't wait for Clay and Morion to come to his aid, had no choice but to stand in front of Croix.

Dekan was then ambushed by the Warden.

Fortunately, he can use 900 Demon Point to become immune to one attack.

Just as Dekan was about to use his Crown of Thorns's life-saving effect to trigger 60x pain feedback and block the attack for Croix...

Dekan's pupils flickered, as if he had sensed something.

He quickly chose to spend 9000 Demon Point to teleport back into the safe zone and become a fountain commander.

If I had used 60 times the pain feedback, given the exaggerated mental strength of a ninth-level being, I might not have been able to knock her unconscious. At most, I could only render her unable to move for a few seconds, and the exact duration of control would be unpredictable.

They might not even be able to use this opportunity to adjust their formation.

In the current situation.

The Warden at full strength is Terror.

If we can't find a countermeasure, continuing to confront them head-on will only lead to certain defeat!

However, based on Dekan's observation of the Warden's behavior patterns and combined with several pieces of intelligence gathered in the first eight floors, he began to deduce the truth.

He seemed to have some idea about the Warden's weaknesses.

"Use Plan 15, Branch 6!"

Dekan shouted instructions.

Although the three on the battlefield didn't know why Dekan chose to retreat to the fountain when the BOSS entered the second phase, they all resolutely carried out Dekan's instructions.

15-6 is a tactical countermeasure by Dekan against the Warden.

It can only be used if several spells are effective.

They had previously determined that the Warden was Anti-Mage.

This plan was thus established.

On the battlefield.

First, Morion activated the [Muting Barrier] that Dekan had lent him, blocking the Warden's hearing.

Croix then activated the [Shadow Forbidden Zone] barrier, sealing off the vision of everyone within its area.

At the same time, Clay also smashed the special incense that Dekan had bought from the third level with Demon Point to interfere with the Warden's sense of smell.

Everyone is now in a state of complete loss of sight, hearing, and smell.

The battle between the Warden and Clay has returned to its original state.

Although both of them are capable of fighting while blind.

However, the Warden doesn't use his eyes; he relies more on Magic Power detection and auditory feedback.

Clay doesn't fight with his eyes; he relies more on his aura perception and martial instincts.

With both sides' sight, hearing, and smell sealed, the Warden found himself at a relative disadvantage.

"How many seconds can you hold me like this?!"

The Warden was clearly annoyed by these unheard-of Underworld spells.

But she had already guessed it.

These guys are trying to make one last desperate attempt.

At the same time, she used several strange spells she had never seen before, forcibly creating an opportunity for the Saintess of Darkness to escape before she could break the spells!

Within the pitch-black shadow barrier, another great battle is about to erupt.

Far away.

Dekan, who was inside the safe zone, didn't seem flustered at all.

He gave no instructions whatsoever for Cornelia to take this opportunity to rush out with the Saintess of Darkness.

It looks like this is the Beautiful Soul Squad's last offensive.

But in reality...

Dekan was calmly using the life spell [Heat Detection] that geologists would use to spy on the general battle movements within the [Shadow Barrier].

"Sure enough, the offensive has become fiercer again. I've finally determined the Warden's weakness..."

Dekan stopped exploring and muttered to himself.

"Varied?"

Cornelia didn't understand.

Dekan: "Ominous, not ominous."

He condensed the entire sentence—"When the Warden's eyes were sealed, although he lost his sight, his attacks were fierce. However, after the seal was broken, although his combat ability greatly improved, his attacks were not as fierce at all. Now, inside the Shadow Barrier, having lost his sight, his attacks have become fierce again"—into three words and told Cornelia.

After all, he doesn't have the ability to stop and narrate like those characters in animation.

The message must be conveyed as quickly as possible.

Cornelia tilted her head. "Hmm?"

She didn't understand. The Warden's first act after breaking the seal was to kill Dekan, so why did Dekan think her attacks weren't fierce enough?

Dekan: "No." (There's a difference. After she regained her sight after the seal was broken, she was only fierce towards me. However, after regaining her sight and full combat ability, she became hesitant and less aggressive towards the other three.)

Cornelia remained confused for a while.

He seemed to be pondering why the Warden treated Dekan differently, and what the difference was between Dekan and the other three.

Logically speaking, the Warden should have understood from the beginning that the priority target to kill was Croix, the healer who maintained the team's balance, not Dekan.

Why did things suddenly change?

Just like...

Is it generally the case that Dekan is the only viable target for attack?

"Oh!"

Cornelia suddenly realized something and clapped her hands.

She understood.

Dekan's current state differs from the other three in race or gender.

But the problem is clearly not about race.

Cornelia had previously sensed that the Warden, the moment he opened his eyes, seemed to meet her and the Saintess of Darkness's gaze.

The Warden's eyes, just as they had looked at Dekan, were filled with murderous intent and showed no mercy.

However, the Warden then found himself unable to effectively fight Clay, Morion, and Croix.

His eyes have softened considerably!

And it wasn't just Dekan who discovered it.

Cornelia now recalls the Warden's initial surprise upon seeing the three of them, his gentle gaze, and the awkwardness accompanying his hesitant and restrained attack.

Cornelia thought this conclusion was outrageous.

But the answer is quite obvious.

The Warden's weakness...

It's because I can't bring myself to make a move on a handsome guy!!

Although it was absurd, it matched the intelligence they had previously gathered.

Even though the Warden's eyes were perfectly fine, she insisted on sealing them to reduce her combat effectiveness.

If seeing a handsome guy makes her unable to make a move, then that's a valid point!

According to Altis's previous intelligence, the eighth-tier paladin who was able to defeat the Warden in a one-on-one duel must have been extremely handsome!

This indicates that the Warden is seriously ill, and his condition is very serious.

Before she even realized this problem, she was actually able to be killed solo by an eighth-tier paladin.

So the Warden has this fatal weakness.

Even if she has ninth-tier combat power, the Demon King would not let her go to the front line to be killed for nothing!

It's too easy to be countered and targeted!

The most suitable job for her is to guard the rear of the Demon Realm in a place where she won't encounter any handsome human enemies.

After experiencing that crushing defeat...

Over the years, the Warden has also been working hard to adapt to fighting without sight.

Just close your eyes.

Although she will lose a large portion of her fighting strength, she will have no weaknesses.

Even if the current Warden were to encounter a handsome eighth-tier paladin, he wouldn't lose.

Because she has learned how to fight without using her eyes.

"It's still Zhuge Clay's fault..."

Dekan covered his forehead.

Clay is a real swindler when he's in a bad mood!!

If only they had known this information sooner.

Otherwise, we wouldn't have waited until we'd almost emptied our deck before realizing the Warden's weakness!

However, considering how reliable Clay was on the Ninth Floor, Dekan didn't know what to say to Clay.

Dekan had never seen another man like this before.

At the same time, Dekan finally fully understood the true mechanism of this layer.

The final level tests not only strength but also the overall advantages the jailers have gained in the first eight levels.

If a prison guard can obtain valuable intelligence from the five non- Exile Zone with a significant advantage, he can then connect the dots.

This leads to the deduction that the Warden's weakness is his inability to resist handsome men.

Then there's no need to force our way in.

Instead, they could choose to use tactics to induce or force the Warden to remove his armor and blindfold.

Then, by disguising himself as a handsome man, he could catch the Warden off guard and, when his offensive was hampered, seize the opportunity to escape.

But here's the problem.

If it's a normal challenge against the jailer.

This method can be used to significantly reduce the difficulty of clearing the Ninth Floor.

But now the problem is...

Dekan and his team's objective was for everyone to escape.

Even if Croix could use [Forced Dispel] to remove Dekan's [Blood Mimicry] and turn Dekan back into a human male.

Cornelia and the Saintess of Darkness had no immediate way to disguise themselves as men.

There are no disguise masters here.

Even if the Saintess of Darkness truly possessed this acrobatic skill, she would be completely uncooperative.

Therefore, under the Warden's "gender-separated" mechanism, the presence of two women in the team makes this level the most difficult to pass.

Once they tried to escape.

The Warden will not prioritize attacking Clay and his group, but will instead focus all his offensive efforts on instantly killing Cornelia and the Saintess of Darkness.

With the Warden in his awakened state, the four of them simply couldn't hold him off.

Most importantly, due to a lack of prior intelligence, they had already missed a golden opportunity.

The best opportunity to deal with the Warden is to kill him on first sight.

Finally, after all the cards were played and the Warden had completely broken the spells, there was no way to play anymore.

Now.

In order to gather intelligence.

They paid too high a price.

The countermeasure cards that could have a tactical effect on the Warden have basically all been used and have been countered.

Once the Warden breaks the Sight-Sound-Smell Seal, these spells will no longer be effective against her.

A dead end is looming.

"Heh, so what if you know her weakness now?"

The Saintess of Darkness chuckled coldly, Taunt Dekan.

The Saintess of Darkness, who had been knocked unconscious, regained consciousness amidst the intense and continuous sounds of battle.

Seeing that these guys were actually fighting with the Warden, the Saintess of Darkness was just gloating.

Anyway, these guys just want to take her to another den of iniquity.

Aside from returning her to the human realm, these guys could take her to any hellish place imaginable.

She didn't even want to leave this Demon Realm Prison.

So, the Saintess of Darkness was naturally pleased to see these guys being stopped by the Warden and the demons fighting amongst themselves.

Even though her body was still paralyzed and unable to move, and she couldn't understand the abstract conversation between Dekan and Cornelia, she still guessed the Warden's weakness based on what had just happened.

And the current situation was analyzed--

These guys are about to lose; as long as they still want to keep her with them, it's almost impossible for them to get out!

"Oh."

Dekan, not wanting to waste his breath arguing with the Saintess of Darkness, shook his head with a confident smile.

"Just watch, how could I not have foreseen this situation?"

Then.

Dekan prioritized going through the third-level special envoy at the portal and purchased some strange supplies.

Cornelia also understood how to help Dekan.

She tacitly began moving the supplies toward the entrance of the barrier.

Saintess of Darkness: "???"

Although she was in a daze when she was on the Eighth Floor, she did realize that this group had been exchanging tactics for a long time.

But surely we don't need to consider even this scenario?

What exactly is going on in your head?

Are you suggesting that "as long as you have a strong enough imagination, you can achieve a flawless solution through exhaustive search"?

And what are you planning to do with all these bizarre props?!

The Saintess of Darkness hesitated, gradually finding it incomprehensible.

Just as the Saintess of Darkness was completely bewildered...

With the help of the Super Porter Cornelia, Dekan finally had everything ready.

And soon, he was finally able to leave the safe zone again.

Undeterred, they rejoined the battlefield.

Dekan glanced at the distant battlefield.

The Warden had by this time successfully broken several spells.

But the Warden was no longer able to do anything about the three men.

She does indeed have some serious illness.

After gaining insight, I can't bring myself to pursue handsome men; in fact, I might even become obsessed with them.

The halberd was almost piercing Clay's chest, but he stopped and looked at Clay with a hint of heartache.

Then the Warden closed his eyes in a conflicted manner.

After closing her eyes, although she can deliver a fatal blow to enemies that appear as energy entities in the Magic Power detection, the loss of her sight and the resulting decrease in her combat power will make her vulnerable to being restrained by this unconventional warrior-mage-priest combination.

However.

The moment the Warden saw Dekan leave the safe zone, she charged frantically towards Dekan.

"How dare you run out like this!"

In her opinion.

Dekan's actions were undoubtedly suicidal!

"Use Plan 42, Branch 1!"

Dekan remained calm and gave instructions to the three people on the battlefield.

The three responded in unison, and those who were already chasing the Warden charged towards Dekan with even greater force.

Even in a 100-meter race, none of the three men could outrun the Warden.

But at this moment...

The Warden possessed eyesight and visual judgment.

She can be controlled by [Captain Dekan], the Miss Gray Devil type!

Even if the warden didn't hate Dekan deeply, Dekan was still the Underworld assistant who had tormented her for quite some time.

It can be controlled for a second or two at most.

The Warden was quickly apprehended.

But also because the hatred wasn't strong enough.

Dekan was unable to reconnect the wireless control via [Captain Dekan].

It could only be intermittent, providing the Warden with some disruption.

However, this brief opportunity is all that's needed.

The Warden, who had been disturbed, was caught up by the three men.

To the Warden's surprise...

The three people did not try to stop her.

Instead, it surpassed it.

Their goal was to reach Dekan first.

"No matter what tricks you're up to, you can't escape now!"

The Warden finally broke free of his control and roared.

She began charging towards Dekan again.

Even if someone tries to shield Dekan, she will bypass them and kill the Succubus!

"Thank goodness for you, my trump card."

Dekan calmly looked at the Spell Card [Solar Fist] in his hand and said.

He had kept this Spell Card Dekan, which he had developed on his own, without ever using it.

It can also be effective on the Warden at least once!

Knowing what Dekan was about to do, all the team members closed their eyes.

The Ninth Floor has become a world of light.

"Ahh!"

The Warden was also momentarily blinded by the super flashbang.

Besides disrupting vision, this spell is mostly about messing with people's mentality!

Despite having temporarily lost her sight, she paused briefly before rushing forward without hesitation.

At the same time, she blinked hard, and her vision, which had been blurred by the flash, was gradually returning to normal.

Now, she has also successfully analyzed [Solar Fist].

It won't work on her anymore.

She was also certain that this group had used up almost all the spells they had.

The situation has completely turned against us.

Now.

When she arrives at Dekan's side in her full power after opening her eyes, it will be Dekan's death day!

The two female human prisoners were hiding behind the safe zone.

They're like turtles in a jar.

Once the Demon King returns, he will naturally drag them out of the safe zone!

It seems these guys are still hoping for a final, desperate attempt.

Let's see what other ways they can turn the tide!

In the current battlefield viewing area.

"I can't see! What happened?!"

"This is practically a dead end, isn't it? Their spell deck is almost empty, and they can't win with just Summon Card and Equipment Card, let alone take down Cornelia and the Saintess of Darkness!"

"Once you get past the last level, you'll be cleared! Good luck!"

The shouts and cheers of the audience rose and fell.

The most crucial moment of this seventh-tier Shadow World has arrived.

Dekan's team was now in a desperate situation.

The longer the battle with the Warden lasts, the more disadvantaged you become.

If you miss the opportunity before the market completely collapses, there will be no way to recover.

Overall, it now appears that Dekan and his team squandered a golden opportunity due to a lack of intelligence.

It's a situation on the verge of collapse.

The Warden's weakness has already been spotted by the audience.

Some people who were fluent in the "Deke Language" translated the conversation between Dekan and Cornelia.

But they all knew.

No one would have guessed that the Warden had such an outrageous weakness!

Furthermore, the two stringent conditions of rescuing the Saintess of Darkness and ensuring everyone's escape make the Ninth Floor infinitely more difficult.

What could have been a useful mechanism has now become a burden.

They seemed to have only one possibility of victory.

That means killing the Warden.

But now it seems...

Having nearly emptied their deck, they had no chance of defeating the Warden.

But.

The challenger is Dekan.

For some inexplicable reason, I still have a feeling that there's still a chance for things to turn around...

After all, Dekan always manages to pull off some fancy tricks.

Because Dekan wanted to conceal his combat habits, he did not choose to broadcast the entire tactical deployment live to the audience.

Therefore, the audience doesn't know whether Dekan has a solution.

For a moment, Dekan couldn't think of a way to salvage the situation.

Even if Dekan really does have a solution.

This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

To beat the Warden, you have to win this round!

The Ninth Floor Prison Dojo.

The dazzling light that had turned the entire prison floor pure white finally faded completely.

The Warden opened his eyes while using Magic Power to detect the enemy's location.

She felt her swaying vision gradually become clearer.

However.

Warden: "...?"

She discovered that the portal was now completely different from before.

In the dimly lit dojo, there was an area filled with warm colors and bright light.

A delightful fragrance wafted from that direction.

In contrast to the relatively simple dojo, a rather ornate carpet had been laid out on the ground near the teleportation entrance.

At the end of the carpet was a luxurious sofa, a low table, and various other decorations.

The scene before me was somewhat similar in style to the [Devil King's Imperial Restaurant] on the third floor.

It's just more flamboyant and more dazzling.

It all started with a champagne tower on the ornate, wide low table in front of the sofa.

Slender, tulip-shaped champagne glasses were stacked to form a pyramid several stories high.

It perfectly complements the elegance of champagne while retaining its bubbles and aroma.

"This, this is...?"

Before he could express his doubts, the Warden was shocked by something even more striking than the decadent scene before him.

There were the four people who had just fought her.

They've all changed into a stylish new outfit.

It looks quite elegant.

They stood in two lines and politely gestured to the Warden, inviting her to sit on the luxurious sofa that was reserved for her.

"What are you doing?! What are you all doing?!"

The Warden's expression and trembling voice could not conceal the surging emotions within him, like the waves of a bay.

Out of a sense of duty Warden, she desperately controlled her feet and took two steps back.

She wanted to close her eyes and not be seduced by this terrible illusion.

But no matter how hard she tried, she could only squint; she just couldn't bring herself to close her eyes completely.

Just as she was struggling...

The handsome young man with Pearwood hair had a faint smile on his lips, but his eyes held a dangerous glint as he stared directly at the Warden and said:

"Miss, wouldn't you like to have a drink with us? We'll be waiting for you!"

Before the Warden could even shake his head, the gentle and elegant young man, posing no threat whatsoever, spoke to her in a calm tone:

"You must be tired. You can sit down and rest for a while."

The next second.

The black-haired youth, his eyes gleaming with wildness, looked rather impatient. He slightly raised his chin and said domineeringly:

"A glamorous, rational, and captivating female demon, I grant you permission to come to my side."

As the Warden grew increasingly panicked, she overlooked one crucial issue.

The Little Succubus from before had vanished.

The [Blood Mimicry] on his body has been [Forced Dispel] removed.

At this moment, a handsome young man with gray hair and blue eyes appeared. He wore a business-like smile, but there was no joy in his eyes, and his tone was polite but tinged with disdain.

Whether you come over or not, at least please stay away from me.

As the voices of the group faded away...

The Warden seemed completely thrown into disarray.

"Ah... ah..."

The Warden's eyes widened, his face flushed, and he began to breathe rapidly.

"What kind of illusion is this?!"

Although reason told her that she absolutely could not go along with them in this absurd situation.

But it was as if there was an irresistible instinct that made her want to sit on the sofa and have a drink and chat with these handsome men of different styles, even if it meant death!

"Wow!!"

Final.

The Warden couldn't resist the temptation and rushed forward recklessly.

Just moments ago, a feeling of her reason snapping surged through her mind.

She knew someone had cast a spell on her.

But she had no interest in analyzing the spell anymore!

She only wanted to live for the moment, indulging in secret dreams without ever having to face reality!

"Hmph."

Finally, the gray-haired, blue-eyed boy went around behind the sofa and pushed out a small cart carrying the poisoned wine, finally unable to resist revealing a devilish smile.

"Welcome to the Devil King's Imperial Restaurant - Ninth Floor Branch."