Chapter 66: Chapter 66: Hell Difficulty Blood Moon Cathedral, Moon Sect Devouts

After leaving Tolkien behind in his blacksmith shop, Leon and Emilia stepped back into the streets and immediately picked up their pace.

They moved quickly, weaving through the dimly lit roads of [Moon City], careful but not hesitant.

Thankfully, they didn’t encounter any [Moon Sect Guards] on the way.

After his reputation with the Moon Sect had dropped to zero, any guard who spotted him would attack without hesitation.

Leon didn’t mind fighting them, but unnecessary battles would only waste time and stamina, both of which mattered right now.

The [Blood Moon] event had already begun. Time was ticking.

Eventually, the massive silhouette of the [Blood Moon Cathedral] appeared before them once more, looming over the city like a dark omen.

The area around it was crowded.

Tens of thousands of players from all races were gathered nearby, most of them standing in groups, discussing strategies, checking their stats, or simply staring at the massive structure in front of them.

No one was in a rush. After all, the [Blood Moon] would last for twenty-four hours.

Rushing blindly into a high-risk dungeon was the fastest way to get wiped out.

For most players, caution was the right choice.

But Leon wasn’t most players. He had a secret quest with a time limit.

And most importantly, he didn’t want to stay in one place long enough for the Moon Sect to reorganize and come after him.

So while others hesitated, Leon pushed forward.

He and Emilia slipped through the crowd, ignoring the curious glances and whispered comments.

Fwoosh!

They reached the cathedral’s entrance, and the familiar system panel appeared before Leon’s eyes.

[Which difficulty do you wish to choose?]

[Normal] [Hard] [Hell]

Leon narrowed his eyes slightly.

Unlike previous dungeons, there was no [Easy] difficulty. That alone spoke volumes.

And this was also the first dungeon he had seen in this life that offered [Hell] difficulty.

A difficulty so brutal that almost no one dared to choose it.

If Leon remembered correctly, most players needed at least 40,000 Combat Power just to attempt it, and even then, survival wasn’t guaranteed.

But Leon wasn’t here to play it safe. The quest description was clear.

The "terrifying force" was sealed inside the deepest part of the cathedral.

And that place was only accessible through the hardest difficulty. Leon didn’t hesitate.

Ding!

[Blood Moon Cathedral (Hell Difficulty) has been selected.]

[Party of 2 detected: Celestial and Saintess.]

[May the will of the "Heavenly One" be with you.]

"...Damn," Emilia muttered under her breath.

Leon smirked faintly. Whenever the system included a line like that, it usually meant one thing: you’re about to suffer.

Still, Leon felt confident. Without any further delay, the two stepped forward.

Their surroundings blurred for a split second.

Fwish!

And then—

They were inside. The interior of the [Blood Moon Cathedral] was enormous.

Far larger than the outside suggested. The ceiling stretched impossibly high, supported by massive black pillars carved with twisted symbols.

Shadows crawled across the stone like living things, warping and shifting as if reacting to their presence.

Crimson light seeped in through tall, narrow windows lining the walls, bathing everything in an eerie red glow.

The air itself felt heavy. Oppressive.

"This place is..." Emilia swallowed, her face paling slightly. "Creepy."

Leon didn’t respond. He simply stepped forward, eyes scanning the surroundings, senses sharpened.

The [Hell] difficulty wasn’t going to ease them in.

They advanced deeper into the cathedral, their footsteps echoing faintly against the stone floor.

The silence was unsettling.

And then—

Fwish!

A sphere of crimson light shot straight toward them.

"Move!" Leon barked.

They both dodged instinctively.

BOOM!

The orb slammed into the ground where they had been standing, erupting in a violent explosion that shook the entire area around them.

"What the hell?!" Emilia lifted her scepter instantly.

Before either of them could speak again, more crimson orbs began forming in the darkness ahead.

Figures emerged alongside them.

---

[Moon Sect Devout]

[Level: 25]

[Exclusive Talent: Blood Moon Worshipper (C-Level)]

[Combat Power: 30,000]

[Details: Devouts of the "Blood Moon" sect, currently searching for the force hidden deep within the cathedral.]

---

Emilia’s eyes widened.

"All of them have thirty thousand combat power?!" she exclaimed. "Holy hell... even I couldn’t beat one of these by myself!"

"They can’t hurt you," Leon said calmly as he took his stance. "And for me..."

His grip tightened around his sword.

"They’re weak."

Fwish!

Leon activated [Vision Enhancement], his perception sharpening instantly.

At the same time, [Darkness Barrier] enveloped his body in a thin, shifting veil of black energy.

The devouts raised their scepters in unison, crimson energy gathering at their tips.

Leon moved first.

Slash!

He cut through the incoming orbs with precise swings, the explosions dispersing harmlessly as their cores were destroyed mid-air.

In the next instant, Leon raised his staff.

Storm of Lightning!

A violent storm erupted above the devouts, bolts of lightning crashing down relentlessly.

The moment the lightning struck, all of them stiffened, their bodies locking up as electricity coursed through them.

"Now!" Leon shouted.

Spectral Flames!

Emilia’s magic surged forward, ghostly flames engulfing the stunned devouts.

They didn’t even have time to scream. The combined assault wiped them out instantly.

Ding!

[You have killed x7 "Moon Sect Devout" and gained 14,000 experience points.]

[100% Drop Rate has triggered, items have been automatically placed in your storage space.]

Ding!

[Congratulations, you have leveled up to Level 18!]

[Due to "Heaven’s Blessing", you have gained 100 points in all attributes and 100 free points to distribute.]

Leon felt a surge of power flow through his body.

Emilia did as well, her expression lighting up as she felt her own strength increase.

"Nice," Leon said with a grin. "Since the enemies here are far above our level, we’ll level up fast."

Emilia nodded eagerly. "This place is dangerous... but it’s perfect for growth."

Leon quickly checked the drops.

[Moon Sect Devout Robe x7 (Uncommon): +300 Defense, +150 Constitution, +100 Spirit. Requirement: 1,500 Spirit.]

[Moon Sect Scepter x7 (Rare): +500 Magic Attack, +400 Spirit, +200 Agility. Requirement: 1,000 Spirit.]

Without hesitation, Leon began fusing them.

Ding!

[You have consumed two identical equipment... enhancement successful!]

He repeated the process until only two items remained: [Moon Sect Devout Robe +3] and [Moon Sect Scepter +2]

Leon handed both to Emilia.

"These are way better than what you’re using," he said.

"Thanks!" Emilia beamed as she equipped them, her stats rising noticeably.

As they continued deeper into the cathedral, Leon spoke again.

"Focus mainly on your [Constitution] and [Spirit]. You don’t need agility if you can tank everything, and strength is pointless for you."

Emilia nodded, "Got it."

They moved forward once more. More Moon Sect Devouts appeared along the way, but none of them posed a real threat.

Even with 30,000 combat power, they couldn’t break through Leon’s attacks or even approach Emilia.

Still, Leon remained cautious. This was [Hell] difficulty. Something worse was coming.

And sure enough, only about ten minutes after entering the cathedral...

Fwish!

Leon spun around just in time to see a dark figure materialize behind Emilia.

A dagger flashed through the air, aimed straight at her back. Leon didn’t even bother to move even though he saw it though.

’That shoul make more confident in herself,’ he thought.

Because—

Slash! Clang!

The dagger struck Emilia... and bounced off harmlessly.

"...?"

The figure froze in confusion. And before it could react again, Leon rushed forward.

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