Kang Oh responded calmly. He swung Blood several times as he backed off, blocking Malak's falling, spinning attack.

Clang, clang, clang!

Whenever Blood and Malak's daggers clashed, a metallic 'clang' would echo through the room.

Droop.

Then, Malak back flipped and landed on the ground.

"Playtime's over." His disgustingly large eyes shined, and his body disappeared into the shadows.

'Shadow Transfer?'

Shadow Transfer was an Assassin skill, which allowed the user to move between shadows.

Kang Oh tightly gripped his sword, and prepared himself for Malak's incoming strike.

Malak could reappear anywhere. He could appear underneath the bed or table, or from the shadows cast by the chandelier or the ornaments on the walls. He could even appear underneath Kang Oh's feet!

He suddenly popped out of Kang Oh's shadow and swung upwards with his right dagger.

Shadow Aura!

His dagger unleashed a long trail of black energy.

"Tch!"

Kang Oh responded as fast as he could.

Slash!

A white line followed Demon Sword Blood's path, grazing Malak's cheek. At the same time, Malak's dagger nicked Kang Oh's nape.

'Shallow!' Kang Oh and Malak both thought, and they followed up with another attack. However, Kang Oh's attack was slightly faster than Malak's.

"Huahp!"

Malak's dagger flew into the air.

Swish!

The snow-white blade cleaved through him. Or it would have, if Malak hadn't already hung on the ceiling once more.

Kang Oh stared at Malak and used Devil Trigger. He was covered in bright red energy, as if a bucket of paint had been dumped on him.

"Die!" Malak fell from the ceiling, falling head first.

Before his attack made contact, however, Kang Oh's transformation was complete. He backed off and avoided Malak's attack.

"Tch." Malak grimaced. Failing attack after attack must be getting on his nerves.

Kang Oh pointed his index finger at him.

Blood Spear!

Two red spears floated around him, and then flew straight at Malak.

Whizz! Whizz!

"Kyahk!" Malak shrieked and swung his daggers, alternating between the two. He managed to block both of the blood spears.

Then, Kang Oh swung his sword horizontally.

Fresh Blood Wave!

The fan-shaped, blood red aura came flying towards Malak. Malak flew into the air once more.

"Tasha!" Kang Oh immediately yelled.

'You're not the only one with wings!'

His red wings flapped forcefully. Kang Oh rose into the air and followed after Malak.

"Haahp!"

"Kuhaahp!"

Kang Oh and Malak clashed in midair. They swung their weapons as much as possible.

Kang Oh was the first to gain an advantage. He left behind a lengthy scar on Malak's left wing! But Malak didn't stand around doing nothing. His dagger cleaved through Kang Oh's side as well.

A short while later...

Both Kang Oh and Malak landed on the floor. However, their expressions were completely different. Kang Oh furrowed his brow, while Malak was smirking.

It only made sense.

[Malak has absorbed your strength.]

[Abilities -2%.]

When Malak sliced his side, that's what showed up.

'Absorption... What an annoying ability.'

Whenever Malak landed an attack, he'd absorb a portion of his enemy's abilities!

Then...

The door opened, and in came Eder and Sephiro. Some Kalma had come in with them.

Eder and Sephiro had been gradually pushed back by the reinforcing Kalma. In the end, they had been forced back into Malak's room.

"Mr. Eder, the entrance!" Sephiro yelled.

"Yes!" Eder immediately swung his scythe, summoning layer upon layer of white bone that blocked the entrance. For the time being, this would stop anyone else from entering, though it wouldn't last for very long.

"Die!" Sephiro shot an arrow at one of the Kalma that'd gotten in. Eder began engaging the others as well.

Seeing this, Malak smiled cruelly. "I wonder how much longer you'll last."

He didn't think the bone would block off the entrance for long; soon enough, his men would come rushing in like a rising tide.

"We can't hold them off for long, Mr. Kang Oh!" Eder yelled.

"Do something!" Sephiro said.

Kang Oh was quick on the uptake. He knew that the situation wasn't in their favor.

'I have to end this ASAP.'

That was the only way they'd get out of this alive.

Kang Oh switched from Blood to Ubist. As if the setting sun had transitioned to nighttime, the Red Demon transformed into the Jet-Black Demon.

'The best item for this situation would be...'

Kang Oh had prepared three items as fodder for Gluttony: Quinton's Shield, Von Rene's Shoes, and Maurelion's War Sword. Each item would increase a single stat exponentially, whether it be defense, speed, or attack power.

What he needed right now was speed, or Von Rene's Shoes.

Malak was quick and nimble. In exchange, his defense was weak. Kang Oh just needed to land a single hit! Thus, increasing his speed was the answer.

'It's a waste to use it on him, but... Oh well.' Kang Oh pulled out the shoes from his inventory and used Gluttony. Ubist's darkness devoured the shoes.

[Demon Sword Ubist has consumed Von Rene's Shoes.]

[It is an AA-rank item.]

[Entering Gluttony mode.]

[For 20 minutes, the demon sword and your character's abilities are tripled.]

[You may use one of the consumed item's abilities.]

[Swiftness has been chosen.]

[Swiftness]

Explosively increases speed by 3 seconds. Cooldown: 1 minute.

Swiftness only lasted 3 seconds. But during those 3 seconds, he could match Transcendent Blade's speed. Plus, it didn't just increase his weapon's speed; it increased his own speed too!

If Malak showed an opening, then...

'That's when you die.'

Kang Oh was confident he'd be able to end him with this ability.

'Shall we?' Kang Oh kicked off the floor.

He didn't use Swiftness, but Gluttony had tripled all of his abilities! Kang Oh was plenty fast enough. In an instant, he'd gotten right in front of Malak.

Whoosh.

His greatsword emitted a heavy 'whoosh', as if it were crushing the air itself. That was just how powerful his strike was!

Malak didn't dare block and chose to retreat instead.

"Where do you think you're going!?" Kang Oh rushed forward and swung downwards.

Abyss Claw!

A three-lined, black aura came flying at Malak. Then, Malak split himself into two. It was his multi-form technique again.

Bam!

Malak's clone was ripped apart by the Abyss Claw. However, his main body was left unscathed.

The real Malak quickly pushed into Kang Oh's side. His movements were sharp, befitting a true assassin!

However, Kang Oh's eyes were as calm as ever. He'd expected Malak to use his multi-form technique.

'Here you are!' Kang Oh spun around, sweeping through his surroundings with Ubist.

"Kyaahk!" Malak quickly bent backwards. Unfortunately, Ubist had only sliced a bit of his black fur off.

Although his body was bent at such a strange angle, Malak still managed to counterattack.

Swish!

He slashed upwards with his dagger, aiming for Kang Oh's solar plexus. Kang Oh could easily block the attack, but he purposefully didn't do so.

Stab!

The dagger dug into his solar plexus. He received a message stating that he'd taken considerable damage, and shards of red light burst from the wound.

[Malak has absorbed your strength.]

[Abilities -4%.]

Then...

Kang Oh grabbed Malak's arm. "I got you, you bastard!" He immediately swung downwards.

Tempest Tiger!

It was a straight shot! Moreover, he was grabbing onto Malak's arm. There was almost no way for him to miss!

However...!

The golden aura passed through Malak's body.

Close Call!

This skill was like an Assassin's version of Absolute Evasion; it would allow the user to avoid a fatal attack just once.

Malak had just used up his lifeline.

"Die." Malak triumphantly swung his dagger at Kang Oh's neck.

Shadow Aura!

It seemed like the black energy would slice through his neck. Kang Oh was definitely in a desperate situation! And yet, he was smirking.

'You finally used Close Call.'

Kang Oh had forced Malak to use his multi-form technique and Close Call! This is what he'd been waiting for!

'Let's go!'

Swiftness!

[For 3 seconds, speed is explosively increased.]

Kang Oh quickly backed off, and the Shadow Aura cut through air. 1 second down!

Then, he approached faster than light. 2 seconds down!

Malak looked shocked. He couldn't believe that Kang Oh had simultaneously dodged his attack and closed in!

Kang Oh cleaved through his neck. 3 seconds down!

Bam!

"Kyaahk!" Malak screamed.

Thick shards of red light flew into the air. Unfortunately for him, Kang Oh wasn't done.

Transcendent Blade!

Kang Oh thrust his sword with transcendent speed, and Ubist pierced the crown of Malak's head.

Stab!

Kang Oh pulled out his sword, and Malak's body fell backwards.

'Let's finish this!'

Darkness flowed from his blade, coalescing into an unobstructed stream of darkness.

Everlasting Darkness!

"Guaah..." Malak screamed no more. The darkness had completely consumed him.

A short while later...

The darkness faded, revealing Malak's fallen form. He didn't so much as shake.

[You have defeated the Kalma Leader, Ill Omen Malak.]

[You have killed a notorious villain in the Goddess's Land. Reputation and fame has greatly increased within the Goddess's Land.]

[The Kalma Leader has been killed. In order to determine a new leader, the Kalma will begin infighting.]

[Until a new leader has taken over, the Kalma's outside activities will decrease significantly.]

He'd finally killed Malak.

Kang Oh picked up the black skull necklace and said, "I'm done. Let's go!"

"Yes!" Sephiro whacked a Kalma with the Lasselpino Bow, and then ripped a return scroll from his inventory.

Spurt.

However...

[You cannot use a return scroll here.]

"This is bad. Return scrolls can't be used here!" Sephiro said frustratingly.

Kang Oh scowled. To think he wouldn't be able to use a return scroll here!

Then...

"It's crumbling!" Eder yelled.

Then, the bones blocking the entrance crumbled, and the Kalma began entering the room in droves. Now wasn't the time to be thinking. Kang Oh made his decision.

"Let's go right through them!"

"What?"

"We're breaking through!" Kang Oh charged.

Sephiro gritted his teeth. Eder steeled himself too.

Kang Oh's party pushed through them like a salmon swimming upstream.