Virus King [Translation]

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After Novak had slain the demon Orlando, Kong's mission was complete, and the demon village—like the old sewer—began its gradual transformation into a secret realm dungeon.

Initially, Novak had been too focused on rescuing Meimei to pay much attention to the village. But now, after a night had passed, he returned to find the small village, nestled between the hills, had fully transformed.

[Do you wish to enter the Hard-level Secret Realm, 'Devil Village (Level 10-15)'?]

'The level of this place is higher than expected,' Novak thought. However, when considering the involvement of demonic entities, it seemed well within reason.

Glancing at Meimei, Novak didn't hesitate. He chose to enter.

Once through the swirling vortex, they found themselves back in the small village, but the once gore-ridden scene had disappeared. Instead, the place now had an eerie, oppressive atmosphere—a bizarre, unsettling aura filled the air, and strange, unintelligible chants echoed ominously, as if the very air was whispering the maddening words of an evil god.

[You have entered the special state: 'Word Eater'. Your spiritual power decreases by 1 every minute. Your mind deteriorates.]

Novak winced slightly. 'This is only a hard-level dungeon, yet it comes with a debuff like this?' he mused. It was far more dangerous than expected.

Dungeons with built-in debuffs were some of the trickiest and most treacherous, often avoided by many evolutionaries. Yet here he was, standing in one of them.

Fortunately, both Novak and Meimei possessed high levels of spiritual power, allowing them to endure this environment for quite some time.

Around them, figures began to emerge from the village. They were the same villagers who had died the day before, now resurrected by the Cosmic Will, forever trapped within the secret realm. Their bodies, marked by demonic tattoos, moved as one towards Novak.

The once-human voices now gave way to guttural roars, as the demon-marked villagers lunged at him with blinding speed—far surpassing any ordinary human.

But for Novak, these lesser monsters were beneath notice. He didn't even bother to use his spiritual perception to track them. He simply extended his hands, freezing them in place with a mere flick of his will. 

Turning to Meimei, he said calmly, "Meimei, kill them."

"Yes!" Meimei replied eagerly, understanding his intent. This was clearly meant to be her combat training.

With a wave of her hand, the black flames of hell surged forward once more. The overkill nature of her attack, using such a devastating ability to handle mere small-fry, made Novak shake his head in mild exasperation. Still, Meimei was learning.

In less than a second, the villagers caught in the flames were reduced to ashes.

Looking at the smoldering remains, Meimei seemed awestruck by her own power. "I'm really that strong?"

Novak rolled his eyes. 'So much for combat training,' he thought. 'This girl's a long way from being a proper combat talent.'

Deciding not to waste any more time or effort, Novak's focus shifted back to the dungeon. He had no intention of lingering here for Meimei's sake. With a sudden burst of speed, his body blurred as he dashed towards the heart of the village.

Hell's black flames cloaked him, boosting his strength as he moved.

This was the first time Novak had fully unleashed the terrifying power of Hellfire. The raw violence and immense strength that surged through him made him feel invincible. Even the mindless villagers, tainted by demon blood, seemed to sense his overwhelming presence. They recoiled in fear, unwilling to approach the inferno surrounding him.

But Novak didn't care. These low-level mobs were insignificant.

With the strength granted by the blacklight virus, Novak's power to devour had only grown. These enemies, barely a challenge for him, were disintegrated in an instant, their bodies consumed by the pitch-black flames as soon as they were struck.

Without even bothering to acknowledge the notifications from the Cosmic Will, Novak moved from one enemy to the next with ruthless efficiency.

It was a massacre—plain and simple.

To the ordinary villagers tainted by demonic blood, Novak was a walking disaster. The sight of him moving through their ranks was akin to a tiger tearing through a flock of sheep. There wasn't even the slightest hint of resistance.

And this... this was just the beginning.

The true challenge lay ahead.

Deep within the village, the final boss awaited. No longer the pure-blooded demon from before, the secret realm had restructured, raising the difficulty exponentially.

A low, raspy voice echoed from the heart of the village, "Filthy human! Your blood shall be offered to the Abyss. The demon lords shall feast—"

Novak didn't bother to let the creature finish its speech. The Hellfire still burned brightly on his body as he charged forward.

Before him stood six level-12 demon servants and the boss itself—a level-15 dark priest.

For most evolutionaries, passing the level-10 threshold marked a significant leap in power. The difference between levels above 10 and those below was staggering. Monsters above level 10, including those found in dungeons, had already completed their job transfers, taking on more specialized roles. The demon servants and dark priest were no exception.

But to Novak, none of that mattered.

He wasn't here to marvel at their job classifications or their intricate powers. The 'blacklight virus' didn't grant him an array of fantastical abilities like 'Dreamwalker'. It was simple—pure combat enhancement. 

And that was more than enough.

Under the relentless Hellfire, Novak looked like a demon king himself, wrapped in flames. The black-red tendrils of the virus squirmed and devoured every enemy in his path, consuming them one by one. Even the dark priest, cloaked in a black robe and surrounded by the infernal energy of the Abyss, paled in comparison.

In this moment, Novak seemed more like the true demon lord—a creature of darkness incarnate.

Meimei, watching from a safe distance, couldn't help but feel awed. The thought of being strong herself faded into the background as she observed Novak.

'Brother Novak is truly incredible...' she thought, her earlier confidence quietly retreating into admiration.