Facing the dense rain of black-feathered arrows, so thick that even a fly could not pass through, Zach remained unfazed. His expression was calm as he walked through the air, advancing toward the fallen angel. It was as though he was ascending steps, one at a time, each step bringing him closer to his target.
The arrows, as if guided by some unseen force, seemed to avoid Zach with precision, not a single one landing on him. The sound of the arrows piercing the air was sharp—call out, call out, call out—followed by the thunderous impacts as they crashed into the ground, creating deep pits with each strike. The smoke and dust billowed up like the aftermath of an explosion, growing thicker by the moment.
Zach could sense the fallen angel's fighting spirit had waned, her hostility less intense than before. As he neared her, her movements became more frantic, as if she were looking for an escape from the church.
"As an angel, facing an enemy, how can you think of fleeing?" Zach spoke coolly. By the time she could react, he was already right before her. The fallen angel, now looking almost helpless, appeared as though she had been stripped of her previous might.
Without hesitation, Zach raised his arm. The moment she turned her face toward him, he unleashed a devastating blow, channeling tens of thousands of power attributes and triggering the SSS-level amplification of ten thousand times the power.
Boom! The explosion echoed across the air.
A shower of blood spattered across Zach's face as the fallen angel's head was torn away. Her body crumpled to the ground, the black aura fading from her form, her wings returning to their original white and gold brilliance before disintegrating into dazzling stardust.
[Successfully killed Seraphim! Congratulations to the host for obtaining the customs clearance treasure chest, killing point +1500!]
The influx of killing points left Zach momentarily unsure of how to use them, but he didn't let that distract him. With the stardust still floating before him, he seized the moment.
"Extract now!" Zach commanded.
[Extracting...]
[Extraction successful! Congratulations to the host for obtaining the skill Summon Guardian Knight! Light of Healing, Magic Power +250, Speed +100, Magic Defense +100!]
"Wait, you extracted two skills?" Zach was genuinely surprised. This system was certainly living up to its reputation.
[Congratulations to the host for obtaining the skill Summon Guardian Knight! Automatically upgraded to SSS-level Summon Guardian Knight!]
The restrictions were lifted, no longer limited by the number or consumption—Zach could summon as many as he wished. This skill complemented his other summoning abilities, now encompassing ground and air knights. All that was needed now were knights of the sea to complete the trio of land, air, and sea forces.
[Congratulations to the host for obtaining the skill Healing Light! Automatically upgraded to SSS-level and made passive—heals automatically.]
With a satisfied grin, Zach turned to face the next challenge.
[Calling...]
[Successful summoning! Congratulations to the host for obtaining a Seraph!]
The seraph, summoned from the world of shadows, appeared as it had before, not undead, retaining its divine appearance. Zach chuckled to himself. "Did you take care of my eyes?" He appreciated the seraph's unchanged form. If it had been undead, the scene would have been far less pleasant—much like the fate of a fallen angel.
With no time to dwell on the moment, Zach turned his attention to the next floor, eager to face whatever strong opponents awaited him. There was no fear in his heart—only anticipation for the battles ahead, and the promise of new troops to command.
Stepping through the portal with Miria, Zach arrived on the fourteenth floor. The environment had shifted again. No longer was there a pier or a church, no fog or sea—before him lay an endless desert. The wind carried the sand in rhythmic swirls, and in the distance, a figure emerged from the dust, slowly approaching.
This figure was not as large as previous foes, standing at around 1.9 meters. However, Zach quickly noted the pair of inward-curving horns on the creature's head—something unmistakably demonic. A human could never grow such horns.
Zach considered the monster's form. It seemed powerful, similar to the seraph but clearly not human. This, he concluded, must be a devil.
Boom!
A sudden thundering sound echoed in the distance.
Crisis sensing triggered!
Zach pushed Miria aside and swiftly shifted his position, narrowly avoiding a golden thunder spear that zipped by, inches from his face. The spear crackled with electricity as it shot hundreds of meters away at incredible speed.
"Are you okay?" Zach asked, checking on Miria.
"I'm fine, thank you, master," Miria replied as she rose from the sand, brushing herself off.
With a quick glance to confirm Miria's safety, Zach turned back to face the devil. His sharp eyes focused on the two large drums hanging from the devil's waist.
"So those are the drums?" Zach mused. The thick sticks in the devil's hands seemed to confirm his suspicion—they were drumsticks.
Boom! Boom! Boom! The devil struck the drums once more.
This time, a dozen thunder spears shot out in unison, hurtling toward Zach. Recognizing the danger, Miria swiftly intercepted several of the spears with her own weapon, but the remaining spears were directed straight at Zach.
It was clear the devil recognized Zach as the greater threat.
Zach raised his arms, pointing his palms at the incoming spears. With a silent gesture, an invisible net formed, ensnaring the spears, each one bound tightly within it. He clenched his hand into a fist, compressing the lightning into a single sphere.
With a flick of his wrist, Zach thrust his hand forward.
Boom!
The ball of lightning shot forward like a cannonball, faster than any projectile, and slammed into the devil, who had been hiding behind the dust and sand, reluctant to show his full form.
Boom! Boom!
The devil reacted by raising his arms to smash the drumsticks together, simultaneously pounding the two massive drums. In the next moment, the ground trembled as a massive sand wall rose up before him, blocking the lightning ball's path.
Boom! Boom!
The explosion sent shockwaves through the sand, dispersing the dust and revealing the devil's true form—two large horns, drums at his waist, and a fearsome black-and-gold appearance. Zach's suspicions were confirmed. This was no mere creature; it was a devil, and it was powerful.