Limitless Undead System! I can Copy all Undead attributes.-Chapter 66: Eldritch King

Drip! Drip! Drip!

Water droplets fell from the ceiling of the Throne Room, at first in a slow, measured sequence, each drop echoing faintly as it struck the stone floor. Then the rhythm changed. The sound quickened, the drops multiplying, striking faster and harder until it felt as though a storm had suddenly broken loose overhead.

But that was impossible.

Rain inside a sealed structure and this much of it, defied all logic.

Out of curiosity, members of the Cohort began to raise their gazes toward the ceiling, eyes tracking the origin of the unnatural downpour.

What they saw made their faces drain of color.

Hearts slowed within chests. Breath caught. A strange, biting cold seeped into their bones.

The portion of the glistening ceiling where the rain fell appeared corrupted. The stone hissed and sizzled, turning pitch-black as layers of viscous liquid oozed from it, spilling downward like a malformed waterfall. The substance crawled over the surface, writhing as if alive.

But that alone wasn’t what caused the Awakened to shudder.

It was the wretched fiend that tore its way through the corrupted ceiling.

A massive figure emerged, ripping stone apart with sheer force. It was clad in golden, once-shining armor now drenched in thick black liquid that dripped endlessly from every joint. Even from a distance, its size was overwhelming, its presence crushing.

The way it hung from the ceiling, one armored hand gripping the stone as it dragged itself free, made it look like a demon clawing its way out of hell itself.

"AMBITIOUS HUMANS!"

The being’s voice boomed through the Throne Room as it slammed its fist into the ceiling. The impact sent a thunderous chill rippling through the air, vibrating through bone and soul alike.

The entire chamber quaked.

Stone groaned. Dust rained down. The Cohort staggered as the ground lurched beneath their feet.

{Skill: King’s Aura has been used}

Steven barely managed to stay upright.

It felt as though a thousand pounds had been dropped onto his shoulders all at once. His knees buckled, muscles screaming as he grunted under the crushing pressure of the King’s Aura.

Others fared far worse.

Some collapsed instantly, falling to their knees and gasping for air like drowning men. Others clutched their chests, eyes bulging, veins standing out as though their bodies were rebelling against the very presence of the being before them.

This wasn’t just power.

This was dominion.

The effect of this entity was on another level entirely.

And for that reason—

Steven’s face turned deathly pale as he opened his system interface with trembling hands.

{Name: King Nomis the Greedy has awoken from his rest}

{Status: Eldritch}

{Trial: 0/8}

{First Trial: Kill the King}

"Eldritch?" Steven whispered.

His legs shook violently now. Lightheadedness washed over him, his vision blurring at the edges as he fought to steady himself.

Now he understood why so many had collapsed under the Aura.

"That’s a fucking Eldritch, how... how can this be here on the First Realm?" someone muttered from the crowd, voice cracked with disbelief and terror.

No one answered.

There was no time to think. No room to question.

The rank of monsters known as Eldritch, when compared to Disaster-rank entities, was like comparing a god to a child.

This wasn’t a battle they could win.

It wasn’t even a battle they could survive.

"Run!" Silva shouted, her voice cutting through the chaos like a blade.

The word snapped many out of their paralysis.

Some turned instantly, abandoning all reason. They didn’t think about where they were running, only that they needed distance. Bodies crashed into one another as panic spread, Awakened shoving and stumbling in a desperate bid to escape.

Bang!

The deafening sound of the Eldritch King landing echoed through the Throne Room as Nomis dropped from the ceiling, boots slamming into the stone floor.

The impact sent shockwaves rippling outward.

And then—

Swoop!

Three Awakened who had fled first, who had gained the most distance, suddenly froze mid-stride.

They stopped at the exact same moment.

No spell. No visible force from anywhere.

Steven, Silva, and a handful of others who had only made it a few meters away stared in stunned terror also stopping their charge at the sight.

Seconds passed.

Then the bodies of the three Awakened began to come apart.

Starting from their craniums downward, flesh and bone were shredded into minced gore as if crushed by an invisible vice. Blood sprayed. Organs burst. What remained collapsed to the floor in a wet, unrecognizable mess.

Steven’s breath hitched.

"An attack... from right over there." He turned slowly, dread clogging his throat as his gaze locked onto the Eldritch King.

Nomis stood motionless, head tilted slightly to the side as though amused. As though mocking them.

’What’s going on with that stupid bastard?!’ Steven snarled internally, even as his nervous system began to shut down. His breathing turned shallow, chest tight, each inhale harder than the last.

The King’s Aura was growing stronger.

Unbearable. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

’And that’s just a passive skill...’ Steven realized with horror. ’The only reason we’re still alive is because he’s barely paying attention. I hate to admit it, but it terrifies me.’

"No one move!" Silva shouted again, though it was stating the obvious.

No one dared to move now.

Not after what had happened to those who tried to flee.

All eyes were locked onto the King of Kiloguard.

The monster’s expression was unreadable behind its helmet. Only its white, pupil-less eyes pierced through the darkness, glowing faintly with unruly, cruel intent.

"YOU ALL ARE WEAK. HOW DISAPPOINTING."

King Nomis’s growl reverberated as he began to move slowly, lazily through the chamber.

Each step was deliberate.

Each footfall echoed like a death knell as the distance between him and the Cohort steadily closed.

Still, no one moved.

They swallowed. They trembled. Horrid imaginings of their deaths flooded their minds, crushed, torn apart, erased from existence without effort.

Steven swallowed hard.

His eyes flicked across the lines of Awakened, then toward the massive doors at the far end of the Throne Room. To reach them, he would have to pass directly by the Eldritch King.

There was no chance.

But even if he somehow did, how certain was he that the doors weren’t sealed?

’There has to be another way out,’ he thought through clenched teeth, scanning the chamber desperately.

There was none.

No hidden passage, no cracks, definitely no miracle.

No matter how much he hated it, there was no escape from this place.

Only death.