The Game Difficulty
Is insane.
Fear.
By dictionary definition, it refers to an irrational terror felt from a thing or situation.
Chills rushed through the body, hands and feet trembled, and thinking became paralyzed. In Gray Eden, this was implemented as a status effect and greatly amplified.
It didn’t just paralyze thinking—it caused confusion, making the person act randomly.
Because of this, fear is always at the top tier among mental-related status effects, along with brainwashing.
And Glen’s party was witnessing the effect of the top-tier status effect magic Penelope had unleashed right in front of them.
“Krrrraaaah!”
“Kyaaahhh!”
The second gate to reach Morus’ altar, the Corridor of Distorted Harmony.
The hundred or so remnants of distorted harmony guarding the place screamed in fear and ran wildly.
Their grotesque bodies, covered with jagged claws and sharp manes, tore into their nearby companions.
Chaa-ja-ja-jaak—
“Kyaaahhh! Kyah!!”
All around, the sound of sharp objects cutting flesh mixed with screams.
All Glen did was make Penelope cast fear magic on them, yet they ran wild in terror, attacking each other.
Watching the carnage unfold, Penelope turned her head.
“Uh, how is it, Sir?”
Her expression was bad.
The scent of blood and the unique stench of the distorted harmony remnants were sickening her.
“Hm… exactly as expected.”
Of course, Glen said this, but inwardly he was impressed.
‘No matter that she’s a Legion Commander, her performance is insane.’
To cast a status effect over such a wide area isn’t something most could manage.
Yet Penelope filled this large chamber with top-tier fear magic.
‘Amazing. I felt it back then too.’
In the past, at Avenue, during the full-scale battle against her main force, Penelope had cast the same magic across the Avenue Fortress.
Glen had barely arrived in time to undo the fear with Madlus’ gaze; otherwise, the Gray Wolf Knights would have been wiped out.
Penelope Ogma.
Even known as weak among the 8-star fighters, it was clear why in the original story she held the fifth-ranking Legion Commander seat.
“Uh… if you say exactly as expected… what would the test results be?”
Penelope fiddled with her fingers, her voice filled with slight hope.
“Well… passing score. As promised, I will make you my true subordinate.”
“R-Really? Then… will I know Sir’s great plan…?!”
“Do not rush. I’ll tell you once this is over.”
Glen spoke while drawing Einheria, steadying his breath.
At the same time, Romina gathered her mana, and Lidenhall positioned the Skeleton Knights at the front.
“First, let’s finish this task.”
Woooooooom—
Glen used the Gray Ring and wrapped his whole body in golden holy power equivalent to an 8-star being.
“Understood, Sir! I’ll do my best even if my skills are lacking!”
“I expect nothing less.”
With that, Glen pushed off the ground and flew like an arrow.
Lidenhall’s Skeleton Knights followed, sword and shield in hand, cutting through the carnage.
The battle ended smoothly.
The moment Glen joined, more than half the monsters were already dead from Penelope’s skill.
Half of the survivors were frozen in fear.
Only about a dozen monsters remained to block Glen, falling like leaves in the wind.
“Easy.”
Ten minutes of Penelope’s magic, then five minutes with Glen.
The elite monsters guarding the Corridor of Distorted Harmony were defeated in just fifteen minutes by Glen’s party.
Normally, it would have taken longer.
Even if the monsters were unintelligent and weak to status effects, each was 6-star level.
A hundred of such opponents, comparable to minor noble heads or knight captains, would be tough for Glen alone.
‘Timing couldn’t have been better with Penelope.’
This easy victory was only possible because Penelope had cast a deadly status effect.
Without her, Glen would have been surrounded by countless monsters, struggling in a difficult battle.
‘Surely, having Penelope in the party is advantageous.’
Her unique ability to make potions from blood and her support magic for weakening foes is highly useful.
However, her value as a Legion Commander is higher than as a party member.
Since the Lunatic difficulty had altered the Demon King Army’s commanders, Glen needed an information source.
‘Sending her back now makes sense.’
Greed can bring disaster.
Having gained great advantage using Penelope, it was wise to stop here.
‘With this much power stored, whatever comes next won’t be a problem.’
Glen smiled faintly.
No further trials awaited.
They had cleared both the Corridor of Fallen Tuning and the Corridor of Distorted Harmony.
Now all that remained was to open the door ahead and meet Morus.
Glen didn’t know how Morus would react seeing him with both holy power and mana, but even if hostile, it wouldn’t be a problem.
‘Low-tier gods are called that for a reason.’
With lighter steps, Glen walked past the monster corpses toward the door.
Step by step.
Blood and flesh crunched underfoot, but he paid no mind.
The scene was cruel, yet none of those monsters would have wished to continue living.
Each had been a different species, but all were part of the world.
“Here?”
As Glen reached the large door, Romina, having prepared, followed with Lidenhall and Penelope.
“Yeah.”
The door to Morus’ dwelling had a massive spiral carved into it, surrounded clockwise by twelve scales.
“Does it have meaning?”
“Tuning and harmony, I guess.”
“Hm… crafted with care. Still, it’s a god’s altar. Is this it?”
Romina twisted her hair around her finger, curious.
Then her amber eyes suddenly shone with alertness.
“?!”
She looked left, right, up.
“What is it… hm?”
A delayed sense of danger.
Glen felt wary just as Romina shouted ahead.
“Glen! Something’s coming from below!”
“Everyone, back!”
At Glen’s command, the party retreated quickly.
The ground cracked, and from the fissures, something crimson swelled.
Globbing up, it pushed the floor open and blocked the door to Morus’ dwelling with its massive body.
“Guuuwaaaah!”
With a dull scream, its head rose from the flesh.
Its face distorted, but its gaze clearly fixed on Glen’s party.
As their eyes met.
“…Insane.”
Glen twisted his lips.
Its appearance was nauseating but not unfamiliar.
It was certainly from Seongyohwan’s memory—the original monster.
“Tuned Vigor.”
Muttering the name.
It shouldn’t have existed in this timeline.
“No wonder it seemed easy.”
“Glen!”
Romina shouted, stepping back.
She sought direction.
Glen quickly recalled the monster’s stats:
‘Power near 8-star, close to 9-star.’
‘All stats except health far below power.’
‘Feature: infinite regenerating health.’
‘Weakness: none in particular.’
Processing the data, Glen concluded:
“Form up!”
They would fight.
With current strength, Glen could take it down.
“Don’t be near it except me.”
“Understood.”
Romina nodded seriously and brought Penelope back to the rear.
“Brother! Blessings!”
Lidenhall opened his artifact book, golden light flowing to Glen, revitalizing him.
Meanwhile, Glen reset the Gray Ring cooldown with the Mirror of Origins and activated all eight rings again.
Woooooooom—
Enhancement complete.
Without hesitation, Glen pushed off the ground.
Kwakjak—
Paaaang!
