Virus King [Translation]

It turns out that everything Novak had done up until now had significant meaning.

He had long lost track of how much time had passed since he first began his journey through the abyss, starting from its first level. However, this time was different. Armed with the knowledge of the demon lords' weaknesses, which he had meticulously gathered, Novak found himself breezing through the trials. While he couldn't outright crush his way through, except when facing special defenses like those of the Death Defender Demon Lord or specific combat conditions, most of the time, it took him mere minutes to hunt and eliminate his targets.

Yet, Novak felt no sense of pride or accomplishment. His mind was entirely preoccupied with the demon lord of the hundredth floor—Gilbert, the Shadow Sword Demon.

What kind of skill allowed Gilbert to move with such speed? Was it an Acceleration Skill, or simply raw Agility? The latter seemed improbable. After all, even with the bonuses of a third-rank profession, there were still rules, weren't there? It didn't make sense for pure Agility to be so overpowering. It had to be a unique skill.

Novak furrowed his brow, already working through potential strategies to overcome this situation. He had anticipated that the Abyss Trial would be challenging, but he never imagined it would be this difficult. After all, he had already completed an SSS-level task and a job change, which had lulled him into a false sense of security. He thought that reaching the next level wouldn't be that tough.

But this... the ruler of the abyss... it was an entirely different story. In terms of personality and sheer difficulty, this trial surpassed even the Plague Sect's Scourge of Life job change.

Still, Novak held no regrets. He knew that he could still grow stronger, though the path would undoubtedly be more difficult. The talent of the Virus King still had untapped potential, but the real question was: where would he find the evolution points needed for that growth?

The Plague Sect had been a reliable source of evolution points, but he had already extracted everything useful from the plague factories and floating fungi in the sewers. Low-level zombies now offered next to nothing in terms of progression. Unless he stumbled upon another hidden Plague Sect facility, the prospect of rapidly increasing his power seemed dim.

On top of that, improving his equipment—specifically the Biochemical Disaster—was another challenge. The potential for improvement was there, but it required hundreds of mutant zombies, which were increasingly rare. Hunting them down in the early stages of the apocalypse would be even more troublesome than cultivating the Virus King's talent.

No wonder the gods had said this trial was impossible to complete. No living being could truly pass it. 

Novak pondered what the profession of Abyss Master truly entailed. What kind of unimaginable power was behind such a title?

His mind raced with these thoughts, but his hands never faltered. In the endless trials of the abyss, even the slightest distraction could be a critical mistake.

The lord of the seventy-second floor of the abyss, Spencer, was also a demon of immense power. Unlike Balkh, who occupied the first floor, Spencer was a formidable elite demon warrior—a true powerhouse befitting his status on the seventy-second level.

The massive demon sword in his hand swung forth with ferocious power. 

Fortunately, Novak's reflexes were sharp. He reacted instantly, raising his weapon to block the vicious strike! 

However, the immense force sent him hurtling backward, crashing heavily to the ground.

"Foolish human! Have you lost your mind in battle? You dare look down on this Great Lord!?"

Slowly, Novak rose to his feet, a faint chuckle escaping his lips.

"Your strength is no threat to me. Naturally, I wonder what kind of power the Demon Lords, who have ascended to godhood from the countless layers beneath the abyss, might possess."

The demon snarled, its eyes burning with fury. "Ridiculous human! With your pitiful strength, you wouldn't even survive the 100th layer of the abyss. Even if you manage to defeat me, there are others. Lord Gilbert of the 100th layer will tear you apart. A mere human who dares defile the abyss and mock the demon race will serve as a sacrifice to the abyss! And you dream of facing the demon lords? Preposterous!"

Novak's heart tensed momentarily, but his expression remained unchanged. A disdainful sneer curled his lips. 

"My strength? Have you truly witnessed its full extent? The so-called 100 layers of the abyss? Gilbert? Hah! Among demons, the weakest of bloodlines reside in those layers. You make me laugh! What kind of champion could arise from such weakness?"

The demon's fury exploded. It swung its colossal sword in a blind rage.

Though demons were creatures of chaos and destruction, indifferent to most insults, such an affront to power was intolerable to a warrior who revered strength above all.

"Damn you, human! I'll tear you to pieces! Lord Gilbert is no ordinary demon! He is a third-rank Shadow Sword Demon of the Dark Night Assassins, feared even by Grand Duke! His assassinations are legendary!"

Among the demons, the Grand Duke was regarded as an emperor-level powerhouse, and Novak had learned something invaluable from the demon's enraged outburst.

Dark Night Assassin?! Novak's thoughts raced.

Shadow Sword Demons, masters of the shadows, lethal and swift, invisible in the night. The most terrifying assassins. Their only weakness? Mediocre physical endurance and spiritual resilience.

It all made sense now.

Novak's eyes gleamed with newfound understanding. Though he wasn't entirely familiar with Gilbert's abilities, his knowledge of the Dark Night Assassin class gave him confidence. 

In his past life, Daphne's loyal follower, Nicole, now the supreme leader of White Emperor City's Evolution Brigade, had been a Dark Night Assassin. The class was well-known to Novak.

A smile crept across his face. For the first time, he felt ready to challenge the abyss lord of the 100th layer.

Spencer, the demon before him, saw his smirk and roared in rage.

"Human! How dare you! Prepare to die!"

But Novak simply waved him off. 

"Thanks for the tip. Now, I'll pay Gilbert a visit. Farewell."

And with a flash of his blade, he struck, taking advantage of the demon's slight weakness, and killed it with a single blow.