Abyss Layer 6 — "Razor Plains."

  There were no swamps here, no forests. The ground was composed of countless sharp, slate-like rocks standing vertically like blades. The wind howled, carrying metal shards that honed these rocks into even deadlier edges.

  The Slayer walked upon the knife points.

  The modified Abyssal Dragon Praetor Suit now displayed incredible adaptability. The black keratin layer on his soles hardened automatically, effortlessly crushing the rock blades capable of slicing through steel.

  But the locals clearly didn't intend to let him pass easily.

  *Hiss—Hiss—*

  A rapid, dense friction sound came from all directions.

  Dozens of black shadows darted at high speed between the rock crevices. "Obsidian Mantises."

  These demons lacked ranged attacks, but their forelimbs had evolved into two-meter-long, high-frequency vibrating bone scythes. Combined with their extreme speed, they were the deadliest assassins of the Abyss.

  Further away, atop the rock pillars, crouched several "Magma Lobbers," their abdomens swollen and radiating intense heat.

  The Slayer stopped.

  He didn't adopt a defensive stance, nor did he seek cover.

  His shoulders heaved with heavy breaths. A low growl, filtered by his helmet, rumbled from his throat—deep and filled with violent aura.

  It was pure rage.

  For these bugs that dared to block his path, dared to make noise in his presence, his only feeling was—annoyance.

  *Whoosh!*

  The first Obsidian Mantis launched its attack. Using the terrain, it leaped high from the Slayer's blind spot. Its razor-sharp bone scythes sliced through the air with a shriek, chopping down toward the Slayer's neck.

  It was a killing blow.

  The Slayer didn't dodge.

  He didn't even turn around.

  *CLANG!!!*

  The scythes struck the Slayer's back armor dead on.

  In the past, even if the armor held, the kinetic impact would have staggered him. But this time, it was different.

  The moment the scythes touched the layer of black dragon scales...

  *HUMMMM—BOOM!*

  The black scales on the Slayer's back suddenly stood erect like the fur of an enraged beast, transforming into countless sharp "Black Thorns."

  Simultaneously, a surge of dark red "Hellfire" energy—absorbed from the slain Balrog Lord—erupted along these thorns.

  "Contact Thermal Feedback."

  *SCREEEEECH—!!!*

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  The ambushing mantis let out a blood-curdling scream.

  Its scythes didn't cut in. Instead, at the point of contact, they were instantly melted by a high-temperature energy backlash. Dark red flames raced up its forelimbs, consuming its body.

  In less than a second.

  The mantis turned into a fireball in mid-air, then exploded into charred fragments.

  The Slayer remained with his back to it, unmoving.

  He only turned his head slightly, a crimson glint flashing across his visor.

  The surrounding mantis swarm wasn't scared off. Instead, the smell of their kin's blood triggered their frenzy.

  "KILL!"

  Over a dozen mantises lunged simultaneously.

  At the same time, the distant Magma Lobbers spat out blobs of scorching lava.

  It was a saturation attack.

  The Slayer stood his ground. He released his grip on his weapon.

  He spread his arms wide.

  It was an incredibly arrogant pose. As if saying: *Come on. Hit me right here.*

  *Bang! Thud! Clang! Hiss!*

  Blades struck shoulders.

  Lava smashed into the chest plate.

  Claws raked the leg armor.

  The Slayer's body was engulfed by attacks.

  But a second later.

  BOOM——————!!!

  A blinding red-and-black energy ring erupted from the Slayer's center.

  It wasn't an actively fired shockwave.

  It was an "Omni-Directional Reflection Storm"—all the damage absorbed, converted, and amplified by the armor, released at once.

  The dozen mantises surrounding him felt like they hit a red-hot iron wall. Their blades snapped, their skin blistered, and their bodies were instantly consumed by the reflected kinetic force and flames.

  The lava that hit him didn't burn through the armor. Instead, the dragon scales absorbed it rapidly, making the red glow on the Slayer's body even more intense.

  The dust settled.

  The Slayer stood in a circle of corpses.

  His armor was pristine.

  But its form had changed.

  The smooth dragon scales were now all erect and jagged, turning the suit into a terrifying "Blademail." The tip of every scale burned with dark red fire. The air around him distorted; anything within a meter would spontaneously combust from the heat.

  He raised his hand, looking at a retractable barb on his forearm, still dripping with demon grease.

  He clenched his fist.

  Fire exploded between his fingers.

  Anger.

  Still anger.

  These bugs' attacks were too weak. Weak enough that the armor didn't even register "pain," only triggering its "counterattack instinct."

  *Thud.*

  The Slayer took a step.

  A dying Obsidian Mantis struggled on the ground, scythes broken, half its body charred. It looked at the approaching Slayer with terror in its eyes.

  The Slayer raised his foot.

  He didn't stomp the head.

  He simply, directly, walked *into* the mantis with his shin, covered in flaming barbs.

  *Sizzle—*

  Just contact.

  The mantis was shredded and vaporized instantly by the barbs and heat, as if thrown into a grinder.

  Absolute defense. Absolute offense.

  Singularity's drone recorded everything from a distance, the lens trembling slightly.

  Data streamed across the tablet:

  [SYSTEM ALERT: Armor Evolution Confirmed.]

  [New Trait: Hell Thorns.]

  [Effect: Physical/Energy Damage Reflection 200%. High Thermal Burn applied on contact.]

  [Evaluation: Don't touch me. It's hot, and it pricks.]

  The Slayer scanned the battlefield.

  Nothing living remained.

  He seemed dissatisfied. This feeling of "enemies dying just by standing there" was efficient, but lacked tactile feedback.

  He turned toward the end of the plain.

  There lay a massive vortex composed of ice and lightning.

  He grabbed the Super Shotgun he hadn't had a chance to use, and racked the slide violently.

  *CH-CHICK!*

  The action was aggressive, venting his frustration.

  He needed harder bones.

  He needed enemies that forced him to shoot, to swing his sword, to tear apart with his own hands.

  These self-destructing trash mobs weren't enough.

  ...

  Netherworld, Control Center.

  Singularity stared at the screen, watching the Slayer—now a walking, flaming porcupine—and swallowed hard.

  "Too brutal... He's a mobile reactor plus a meat grinder."

  Singularity checked off [Defense Overload] on his upgrade log.

  "But..."

  Singularity's gaze shifted to the shotgun in the Slayer's hand. Modified with Demon Steel, yes, but still strictly "Physical/Fire."

  He looked at the map for the next zone—filled with extreme elemental energies.

  "The road ahead is tough. Pure physical damage and fire might hit a wall."

  Singularity grabbed the mic, speaking to the angry back on the screen:

  "Slayer, cool down. The Thorn Armor is great, but we can't just tank hits without hitting back."

  "Ahead lies the 'Polar Thunder Prison.' The monsters there... are immune to physical attacks and immune to fire."

  "But don't worry. I just had a brilliant idea."

  Singularity pulled out two crystals emitting opposite energies—a Yang Thunder Core, and a Yin Ice Soul.

  *Next Chapter: Super Shotgun - Yin Yang Edition. Since physical trauma won't work, how about some... 'Ice and Fire' elemental reactions?*