Plans for the Hell Path
However, just as all three believed Max’s puppet was doomed, something even more unexpected happened…
The Iron-Cutting Cat Demon’s two palms were suddenly sliced clean through, and then the completely unscathed Asura Path Pain leaped out from within.
From the start of the battle until now, his face had been filled with an expression of disdain.
It seemed as if all of this was nothing to him.
Immediately after, he raised his right fist, aiming it at the abdomen of the Iron-Cutting Cat Demon before him.
As a smooth incision appeared at his wrist, his fist shot forward like a rocket launcher.
It was incredibly fast and packed immense power.
The group only saw a black Shadow flash by before a huge hole had already been blasted open in the abdomen of the Iron-Cutting Cat Demon.
A torrent of filthy blood gushed out, dripping to the ground and beginning to emit a nauseating stench.
As the ultimate beneficiary, Max directly received a system notification.
[Ding Dong! Congratulations, host, for successfully clearing the Nightmare Dungeon: Ghost Shadow Cat Demon.]
[Obtained Drop Materials: Ghost Shadow Cat Fur x50, Corrupted Iron-Cutting Cat Claws x4, Nether Cat Eyes x2, Phantom Step Skill Scroll x1 (Assassin), Cat-Fur Cloak x1, Tier 1 Mutated Magical Beast Core x1!]
[Total EXP: 5000 points]
[Overall Rating: S (No additional rewards!)]
[Personal Rating: SSS (Additional reward: Intermediate Storage Ring x1!)]
…
“That’s it!? A Tier 1 Nightmare Dungeon is nothing special.”
“…”
Max looked at the Iron-Cutting Cat Beast that had been thoroughly dealt with by the Asura Path, calmly accepting all the rewards from this dungeon run.
He had essentially soloed the Nightmare-level dungeon; the other three hadn’t been of any help to him at all.
There was no need, nor were they worthy of sharing the rewards with him.
After briefly taking stock of his gains, Max began to calculate in his mind.
“Apart from all the magical beast materials obtained, just this Assassin skill scroll alone could fetch millions of alliance coins on the market.”
“It’s more than enough to cover the cost of materials for crafting the second Pain.”
“…When the time comes, I will simultaneously command the Asura Path and the Hell Path!”
“No one in the same tier will possibly be my match!”
Max first opened the crafting template for the Six Paths of Pain.
Apart from the Asura Path, which he had already successfully crafted, among the remaining five Pains, the one with the lowest current entry barrier was the Hell Path, which possessed the Rinne Rebirth Jutsu…
It could directly summon the King of Hell via Summoning Jutsu to tear out the tongue of a liar before it.
It could also fully restore a shattered Pain to full health through a chewing process.
It could be said to be capable of both offense and defense, solving the current problem of the Six Paths of Pain sustaining damage that he himself couldn’t repair.
To put it simply, as long as he could successfully create the Hell Path, the combined strength of it and the Asura Path would definitely not be as simple as 1+1=2!
It could even directly cause his own power to take a qualitative leap.
“Is this real… Did you guys see that? The Nightmare Dungeon’s BOSS was actually one-shot killed by that puppet creation.”
“…”
Leo’s expression was one of utter disbelief, as if he’d seen a ghost.
He had never imagined such a scenario.
Not only did someone clear a Nightmare dungeon on their first attempt and one-shot the final boss…
but that person also had the Puppet Master template.
At this moment, he was filled with deep doubt about this world.
Compared to the other party, he seemed to be nothing.
However, after only a brief period of self-doubt, his full attention was captured by the Phantom Step skill scroll held in Max’s hand…
That was a scroll only the Assassin profession could learn, currently priceless and impossible to find on the market.
Basically, as soon as such things appeared on the market, they would be preemptively acquired by major influential families. This chapter is updated first at novelping.com.
These items were completely a matter of luck, only having a chance to drop in Nightmare dungeons.
Just as he was still pondering how rare the Phantom Step scroll was, Max directly chose to leave the dungeon, not even planning to glance at them.
“Wait, wait, wait! Bro, I know we didn’t help much, but… could you sell us some of the final loot at market price?”
“No, no, I’m willing to pay fifty percent above market price!”
“…”
“Yes, we also want to bid on some of the materials dropped in the dungeon!”
Just as Max chose to walk out of the dungeon, the dazed few behind him suddenly perked up and hurriedly tried to stop him…
After all, these were materials dropped in a Nightmare dungeon, far more valuable than rewards from easier or Hard dungeons.
If they could purchase some resources from Max, it would surely lighten their future cultivation burdens considerably.
“Want to buy the loot!?”
“…”
“That’s possible, but you must show me your sincerity.”
Max understood the meaning of the three people before him.
He then prepared to trade all resources except the Intermediate Storage Ring, setting all prices fifty percent higher than the current market rate.
After all…
why not take advantage of the opportunity?
Just by looking at the desire in Leo’s eyes for the Phantom Step scroll in his hand, Max knew this deal was definitely going through.
Finally, after haggling over the price for a long time, Max very easily sold off all the direct proceeds from this dungeon run.
He gained a full 1.7 million alliance coins!
Compared to the 250,000 spent to craft the Asura Path Pain, his net worth had increased several times over!
And Max had successfully earned what would take a middle-class family several years to earn, all in less than a day.
It had to be said, being able to become a combat Professional…
He definitely wouldn’t lack money in the future.
The profits were just too substantial!
After the successful transaction, Max didn’t hesitate for a moment and chose to leave the Nightmare dungeon.
Accompanied by the intense dizziness from when he entered, the scene before him began to change simultaneously.
At the same time, in the dungeon hall, all the newbie Professionals still nervously waiting to enter dungeons suddenly saw the light at the dungeon exit glow.
They knew it meant the previous group that entered the dungeon had completed their run.
But when they saw the people who came out and the dungeon they had just cleared…
Almost everyone present went crazy, because they discovered that someone had actually cleared a Nightmare-level dungeon on their first attempt!
Even on normal days, only a handful of talents across the entire nation could achieve this…
Could it be that their Silveridge City had produced a prodigy this time!?
It was simply unbelievable!
“Is this real? Someone actually managed to clear a Nightmare-level dungeon!? Back then, our four-person squad, all with hidden profession templates, couldn’t even solo a Hard dungeon!”
“Without a doubt, these people must be among the top of the current hidden profession templates. Otherwise, how could they possibly clear a Nightmare dungeon on their first try!?”
“It’s truly outrageous. Look, those guys seem to be holding equipment that dropped in the dungeon! So envious, they even have a skill scroll!”
“Hey! Skill scrolls are priceless and hard to find. Some people can’t buy them even if they have the money. As expected, only these extremely difficult dungeons can drop such things!”
Countless Professionals looked at Max and the others with fanatical eyes, wishing they could join such a team themselves.
However, what they didn’t know was…
within the entire team, the others were merely Max’s appendages.
They were completely like tools; their presence or absence made no real difference.
After walking out of the Nightmare dungeon, Max immediately focused his consciousness inward and opened the crafting template for the Six Paths of Pain.
A blue interface, visible only to him, instantly appeared before his eyes.
[Six Paths of Pain: Hell Path]
[Current Template Material Collection Progress: 0%]
[Required Crafting Materials: Tier 4 Magical Beast Core, A Large Number of Living Souls, Flesh of the Hellhound, Eyes of the Prison Yama]
[Upon successful creation, the host will inherit all Rinnegan abilities of the Hell Path Pain.]
…
“Compared to the first-crafted Asura Path, the materials required for the Hell Path are even more expensive.”
“Just a Tier 4 Magical Beast Core alone will cost me 1 million alliance coins. As for the remaining Hellhound flesh and Eyes of the Prison Yama, they’ll probably cost around 700,000.”
“Finally, a large number of living souls… that will likely take quite some time to gather.”
“…”
After glancing at the materials required to craft the Hell Path, Max estimated the approximate cost in his mind.
The 1.7 million alliance coins he just got from Leo and his group would probably all have to be spent.
But he didn’t feel too much heartache about it.
After all, how many of the Six Paths of Pain he could create would directly determine his future combat power.
And as his combat power grew stronger and stronger…
mere alliance coins would be very easy to obtain.
Thinking this, Max didn’t waste time standing at the dungeon entrance.
He directly chose to walk out of the dungeon hall.
He began preparing the materials needed for crafting the Hell Path next.
Meanwhile, several dozen minutes after Max left the dungeon hall, Leo and the others, who had gone to the hospital, were suddenly visited by a group of Professionals dressed in black robes.
Judging by the expressions on their faces, they had come for a purpose.
“Are you the ones who recently cleared a Nightmare-level dungeon?”
“Let me introduce myself first. My name is Beatrice, and I am currently the guild master of the Black Dragon Guild.”
“I wonder if you all would be interested in joining our Black Dragon Guild.”
“We assign tasks regularly, and all resources within the guild are available at a discount, far cheaper than market prices!”
Soon, a tall woman stepped out from among the black-robed crowd.
Her voice was very magnetic, making it memorable even on first hearing.
“The Black Dragon Guild!? The largest Professional guild in all of Silveridge City right now!”
“I’ve heard that as long as you can join, you’re destined to become a Tier 6 powerhouse in the future!”
“…”
“Any resource material that can drop in dungeons nowadays can be found within the guild!”
After hearing Beatrice’s words, Leo, Marcus, and the others immediately flushed with excitement…
A great sense of honor welled up in their hearts…
Clearly, the name ‘Black Dragon Guild’ was like thunder to their ears as citizens of Silveridge City.
There was even a recent rumor circulating: anyone who receives an invitation from the Black Dragon Guild is destined to become a Tier 6 powerhouse in the future.
To become a powerhouse in their own right.
However, no matter how excited the three of them were internally, and how much they wanted to use this opportunity to get into the Black Dragon Guild, they still had some self-awareness.
They knew…
the person who truly cleared the Nightmare dungeon for the first time was actually someone else.