Rise Of The Hoarder

Mantle of Death?

Check

Staff of Horrors?

Double Check.

All the other useful gear I had?

Triple check.

I donned myself with my equipment, relishing in the fact that I was overgeared. Still, allowing myself to be conceited would only warrant trouble.

Which was why I remained cautious and level-headed.

Once I prepared my personal array of equipment, I also shared some valuable spoils with my subordinates to buff them. They weren’t much, but Grade 3 equipment would still assist in some ways.

Of course, I was the most equipped since I had more value. I could easily retrieve my Enslaved Souls if they were in any danger, but… I only had one life.

Or did I?

Once all the preparations were complete, my eyes fell on the warbling portal in front of me.

It leaked out corruption and dense Miasma, but, after making my decision, it was too late to turn back now.

Having my subordinates wait for me in the Spirit Ring, I ventured into the gaping abyss.

>FWUUUUSSHHH<

I felt everything around me distort, and my surroundings began changing drastically.

I was warping to the most secret portion of the Tower, the most powerful place.

The transition took longer than expected, but that was probably just my imagination. Once the portal spat me out, I emerged into an entirely different setting.

This looked like a vast expanse of darkness.

No light could be seen anywhere.

Of course, since I could see in the dark, I had n major issues. Even with my sharp vision, the Miasma around was so thick that I had to activate <Miasma Essence> to adapt.

Once I did that, my sight and perception became much better. I could see my surroundings properly.

>CRUNCH<

My feet stepped on something.

It was unavoidable, considering this entire place was littered with the same thing—bones.

Skeletal parts of several races spread across the expanse—as far as my eyes could see. It was horrific, but also quite beautiful. This was a landscape that was full of bones, like endless sand in a desert.

One entity, however, stood before me—a great distance from my location.

Other than the being and me, no one else seemed to dwell in this area. We were alone.

I watched it, and it slowly turned in my direction. At this point, I had already been noticed.

It began to approach.

This entity was a horseman, riding on a very horrifying creature—a bicorn.

The bicorn had plumes of purple flames and smoke emanating from it. Its body was a mix of skeletal armor that glistened, and its grey skin. Purple marks, like tattoos, glowed on its pale body, and it moved majestically.

I could tell that this was a very powerful Demon.

“Grade 5…” My lips gave out a sound.

The major issue was the rider himself. He had black armor covering his entire body. Glowing purple eyes watched me with precision as he rode.

Purple lines of warbling energy could be seen in the chinks of his armor, and a huge concentration of Miasma swirled around his vicinity.

No one needed to be a genius to figure out who this person was.

“The Pale Rider, eh?”

His horse had a pale complexion, so that had to be the cause of the title. This was without a doubt, the master of Helios and the others—Death himself.

His approach was not hurried, but it didn’t take the horse to close our distance. I felt unimaginable pressure close in on me the closer this monster got.

I was already Level 540 thanks to Helios, but… that amount of power didn’t mean much in the presence of my adversary.

‘So, this is a Grade 6 Demon… uh?’

I forced myself not to gulp, instead looking sharply at my adversary.

[SYSTEM INFORMATION]

[Welcome To The Final Floor]

<Description>

Death himself has been imprisoned here, waiting for the time he would be released and wreak havoc on humanity.

Once the allotted time of grace has passed, humanity will be invaded by Death, as well as the other Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Until that time comes, he can not leave this place.

<Quest 1>

Weaken Death so he doesn’t wreak havoc on humanity

<Quest 2>

Take out his mount

<Additional Quest>

Defeat Death

[END OF INFORMATION]

“Aye, aye, System!” I grinned.

Even if I wasn’t told to, this would be the path I had to take.

Many people were of the assumption that the Towers were meant to prepare them for the appearance of the Horsemen.

While they were partly right, their reasoning was flawed.

‘I blame this on the System, though…’

Once the time limit elapsed, and the Horsemen appeared, many Gifteds would die. Four Grade 6 Demons, mounting Grade 5 Horses would be overkill.

Of course, the gear the Tower gave Gifteds, as well as items from SHOP would help to even out the odds a bit, and the sheer number of Gifteds would ultimately lead them to victory.

But, how many would have died by then?

To prevent such deaths, it was best to clear all the Towers and challenge the Final Floor where the Horsemen resided.

Weakening them before they could wreak havoc was a wise decision. Eliminating their mounts was also a prudent choice.

Doing so would ensure more people would survive.

However… those two weren’t my goal.

I was a person many people would define as obsessive. Once I started something, it was only natural that I saw it through to the end. It was the reason I could go to unimaginable lengths to achieve what I wanted.

It was the reason I became a hoarder.

I didn’t like settling for less.

If I wanted to get something, I would go all the way.

Which was why, after coming this far, nothing but fulfilling all the Quests—including the Additional one—would satisfy me.

Many would think of it as an act of madness, but… not me! I was going to kill Death himself!

‘Hehe… hehehe… hahahaha!’

I could feel excitement surging through me as I raised my head to meet the gaze of the pale rider—one who seemed to be twice my height.

“Human, this is a surprise… to think someone would visit me here in my—”

“Zip it, zombie! Let’s fight!”

[A/N]

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