Adventure World Online (AWO)

Even though they now understood the conditions of the quest, that did not mean it would be easy. The beasts in Hell Dungeon were of the auto-aggro type—so while it was nice not to have to waste time looking for them, as they willingly came to be slaughtered, they always arrived en masse, often more than necessary. Worse still, the moment they had fulfilled the beast kill requirements, the gate to the second floor and that floor's king would appear immediately, giving them no chance to rest.

Still, not all was bad. When the first floor's guardian boss appeared, it did not rush to attack them unless someone approached the gate. Also, no other beasts wandered near the boss's presence. The group flopped to the ground, clearly exhausted from the onslaught they had just endured. Everyone rushed to consume crystals, heal their wounds, and recover their strength—all while keeping a wary eye on the beasts beyond the king's range, and the king itself, who sat silently, staring straight at them.

"I wonder how long it's going to just sit there like that,"

Anya spoke up, clearly on edge. Despite having taken damage during the brutal battle—especially tough for a newbie fighter like her—she had kept her wits about her and fought alongside everyone without panic.

"She's right. We need to recover as fast as we can, before it decides to stop sitting idly and charges us,"

Devi-chan said seriously.

"I agree, my liege. Just tea for me, please. If I drink liquor, I might go on a rampage unbecoming of myself,"

Hisa-chan added with a grave nod, turning toward Chang Long, who was currently pouring food out of the Horn of Abundance—leaving the twin assassins in stunned silence.

"As for me, I'll take a few gulps. I like the zing it gives!"

Devi-chan quickly added, noticing Chang Long returning the horn to her bag.

"Uh... aren't we supposed to be recovering our stamina quickly?"

Killer asked, bewildered at the scene unfolding in front of him.

"And we are. That's what we're doing right now,"

Brownie replied matter-of-factly as he munched on a nut with gusto.

"But, that looks a lot more like you're just having a party."

The younger twin—spoke up again, incredulous. Trying to recover their strength while surrounded by hell beasts was hard enough without a proper safe zone. But these guys were throwing a feast in the presence of a beast king like they were on a picnic trip.

"How can they be this relaxed."

Murder's mouth was agape, dumbfounded at how unfazed Chang Long and her companions were. Even in a situation this tense, she casually pulled gourmet food from a horn (Horn of Abundance) and shared it around like they were dining at a banquet.

"Come join us. I made enough for everyone. You know, eating real food like this recovers stamina way faster than chewing on candy,"

Chang Long waved them over, holding out a plate.

"R... right. Thanks for the food,"

Killer murmured as he accepted the plate, still stunned.

"Heh heh heh. Oliang's group once said that Master Chang Long always finds ways to surprise. They weren't wrong at all,"

Murder chuckled, accepting his share as well. He could not help but wonder what kind of situation would actually shock someone like Chang Long.

After the meal, the twins were fired up again, ready to take on the boss guarding the way down. But when they turned to check on Chang Long, assuming she would be just as raring to go—they were stunned to see that after eating, everyone had flopped down in full relaxation mode. Some were even yawning openly. None of them seemed even remotely concerned that they were in the middle of a beasts horde, or that a beast king was staring them down just a few meters away.

"Um, Master, aren't we going to fight that beast king now?"

Killer asked hesitantly, his previous enthusiasm more than half gone.

"Hm? Our fatigue meter isn't fully recovered yet. What if we rush in and someone dies because of it? Since it's not making a move on us, we might as well rest up properly first. Once we're ready, we'll go all in."

Chang Long replied lazily, spreading out a cloth and lying down, using her bag as a pillow. Devi-chan promptly pulled over Fluffy Head-chan to use as a headrest, completely ignoring his protests. Kitsune and Flatear lay curled up together among the beast gods. Brownie happily rested his head on Anya's arm, while Anya shared her bag as a pillow with Chang Long. All in all, it looked like a rather lazy, cozy gathering.

The twin assassins reluctantly sat down on the ground as well. They did not want to go against Chang Long's judgment—besides, their fatigue bars, though miniscule, were not fully emptied yet either. Thinking it over, they realized: if they had the chance to fully recover in peace without being harassed by beasts, why waste it? With that revelation, the two finally relaxed and sprawled out alongside Chang Long, her pets, and spirits. A bit of rest after such an intense battle was probably the best thing they could do right now...

"Mmm, how long have we been here? What were we doing again? And wait—where even is this place? Yawn~ That nap was so refreshing. But, hmm, why do I feel like I'm being watched? And why does the sky look kind of dark and wiggly? Also, what's with that weird thunder that sounds more like moaning? Eh… wait a sec. What kind of sky has messy hair, glaring eyes, and a huge mouth full of rotting teeth? Oh crap, this is Hell Dungeon!"

"WAAAAAAAH!!"

A scream echoed through the dungeon, jolting everyone awake in shock. The source of the scream was none other than the tiny mouse Brownie, who now sat with his little paws clutched over his chest, visibly shaken. Everyone looked at him with uneasy expressions—because Brownie had been sleeping right on the edge of the boss's radius. The coffin-warden ghost beasts lurking just beyond had been eagerly waiting for him to roll over the line. Fortunately, Brownie had woken up just in time, narrowly avoiding becoming their next meal.

"That was a heck of a scream, Brownie,"

Chang Long teased. The group burst into laughter at his antics. If it were not for the fact that he had just woken up to find a dozen horrifying beasts staring at him, the image of Brownie's terror-stricken face would have been downright hilarious.

"Come on, master—I was startled. I have no idea how I rolled this far in my sleep."

Brownie grumbled, thoroughly rattled. That might have just been the most terrifying wake-up of his life.

"Haha, hey! At least be thankful you didn't roll all the way out of the safe zone. You should be glad you're not dead before you even knew what hit you."

Fluffy Head-chan laughed while trying to offer some comfort.

"Wow, that's your idea of comforting words?"

Brownie shot a glare at the little lion, who had collapsed in another fit of laughter.

"Well, at least you're safe. Break time's over—time to move. Looks like your scream just woke that guy up too."

Chang Long pointed toward the beast king, now reacting after sitting motionless for so long. She bent down to pack up her things and check her readiness.

"You two ready?"

She turned to the twins.

Their drowsiness vanished instantly at her question. They both stood and nodded eagerly. When it came to fighting, they were always ready—especially now that their stamina bars had fully recovered. Honestly, they could barely restrain themselves from rushing the beast king already.

"Good. Then let's go."

Chang Long led the way with cheerful energy, followed closely by Devi-chan, Hisa-chan, and the twins, while her pets trailed behind to watch their backs.

> "First Gatekeeper Beast King — Level 70 — Preparing for engagement."

The massive beast dog stood up. It resembled Cerberus but had only one head and was about the size of a double-decker bus. Its face looked far friendlier than Cerberus's, though it was still imposing as it sniffed the air and locked eyes with the group.

Chang Long frowned. Unlike the other beasts they had encountered on the first floor, this one did not charge immediately. Maybe it was waiting for something. From what Fierik said, there was supposedly a way to get past without fighting, if one knew how. But no clues had presented themselves so far.

"Stop. If you value your life, do not approach the gate."

The First Gatekeeper's voice echoed, even though its mouth had not moved at all. The party froze, unsure what to make of it. They had not expected a gatekeeper beast king that was guarding the way down to want a conversation.

"But I have to go down,"

Chang Long said cautiously, unsure if diplomacy would work.

"No one may pass without Lord Lucifer's command."

The gatekeeper replied sternly.

"Lucifer isn't the ruler of this land. Who gave him the right to issue commands?" Chang Long narrowed her eyes, sensing a deeper rift forming between her, the Reaper King, and Lucifer—the enigmatic figure.

"Lord Lucifer governs the Hell Dungeon now. The true ruler vanished over a hundred years ago. No one may issue orders here but Lord Lucifer."

"And if the rightful ruler has returned?"

she pressed. From Cerberus to this gatekeeper, not a single one had shown her any reverence. It was as if they did not realize she was the Reaper King—the rightful sovereign of the Land of the Dead.

"Impossible. But even if he has returned, he will not be acknowledged—unless he proves, beyond all doubt, that he is worthy to rule once more."

So that was it. Negotiations were over. Chang Long now understood that these beings would never accept her as their liege unless she defeated them—utterly, undeniably, and with overwhelming strength. That was the only path to recognition in the Hell Dungeon.

"And what if that ruler is standing right in front of you?"

Chang Long continued speaking as she drew the Sovereign Sword into her hand. In the Land of the Dead, where spirits could regain their physical bodies, she was unable to use the Spirit Possession skill. From this point onward, she would have to rely entirely on her own abilities—there was no way around it. She might have Devi-chan, Hisa-chan, Anya, Killer, Murder, and her pets to support her.

But in the end, the only one who could make the First Gatekeeper acknowledge her was herself, through her own strength and the Reaper King's skills. However, each skill could drain her almost completely—her level was still too low to wield them efficiently. She took a deep breath and looked toward the First Gatekeeper, who gave her a sly smile. It knew who she was. It had been waiting for her to approach, waiting to challenge her—and waiting for the moment it would bow at her feet…

The confrontation between the Reaper King and the First Gatekeeper sent a chill through the ranks of the coffin-warden ghosts. The overwhelming bloodlust that radiated from both sides made it clear: the Gatekeeper would show no mercy. Despite what Fierik had said—that there was a way to subdue the gatekeeper without fighting—Chang Long was starting to doubt it. There was no hint, no clue as to what that method might be.

Truthfully, she had hoped for a peaceful solution. Fighting a beast king was already far more difficult than facing multiple enemies of the same level—and she could not even use spirit possession to enhance her power. This battle was shaping up to be one of her greatest challenges yet.

While she was still thinking, the First Gatekeeper's form began to change. The hulking black dog slowly shrank and shifted into a humanoid figure: a tall man with pale skin and long jet-black hair, wearing a long coat made of dark fur. His eyes were pitch black without a trace of white, and in his hand he held a strange weapon—something like a rake, but with the head shaped like a skeletal paw with five fingers, each finger a curved claw like hooked blades. Yet, his lower half remained canine, complete with dog legs, ears, and even a tail.

Without giving them a moment to gather their wits, the transformed gatekeeper lunged forward. He swung his claw-rake in a long arc. Chang Long, Devi-chan, and Hisa-chan leapt away with ease, but the attack was not over. The Gatekeeper spun and lashed out at the twins. Rather than dodge, they drew their weapons to meet the blow head-on. Although their levels were roughly the same—Chang Long, Killer, Murder, and the Gatekeeper—the sheer force of the Gatekeeper's strike drove Murder's feet deep into the earth, burying them several inches.

The Gatekeeper grinned widely, then lashed out with a powerful kick aimed at Killer. But instead of flinching, the younger twin grinned in return. With his Bloodshade Phantoms, a skill of his profession, multiple shadowy versions of himself struck back fearlessly at the same moment, countering the blow. The Gatekeeper's eyes went wide. He hastily withdrew his claw weapon, planting it into the ground to support himself and twist away in midair, narrowly dodging Killer's riposte.

"Not bad at all."

The Gatekeeper halted his assault and commented.

"What's this? You're the one who started it—getting cold feet already?"

Killer teased, stepping forward to face him directly, clearly excited.

"Now, now. Fighting alone isn't much fun. There's so many of you—wouldn't want things to get boring too fast, right?"

The Gatekeeper gave a cunning smile. Sensing trouble, Chang Long launched forward to strike—but the Gatekeeper activated a skill just before her sword could connect.

"Copycat."

At that instant, a second version of the Gatekeeper materialized beside him. It looked exactly the same, every detail and ability mirrored. The clone took the full brunt of Chang Long's slash—her blade carving a deep wound from cheek to collarbone, down through the chest. It screamed in pain so loudly that even the original flinched and turned pale.