After Betrayal, I Awoke as the Game's Final Boss

Malice twinkled in his eyes as he added, "I told you… you were on the losing side from the very beginning!"

Suddenly, the king felt a cold shiver run down his spine. If this was true… then he was currently torturing a subordinate of the person who had destroyed the entire forest.

And that meant one thing… he had just signed his own death warrant.

Meanwhile, the skirmishes between the two armies began to escalate.

Everyone knew that the great battle was now imminent.

Despite the close proximity between the two sides, no one had yet initiated the main attack. This wasn't just a random brawl; it was a war that required meticulous strategic planning, as major battles often descend into devastating chaos.

But in the end, victory always depends on the strength of the leaders.

For example, if King Albero could defeat the Black King, he would be able to annihilate the rest of his army almost single-handedly.

…

At that moment, Lloyd was preparing to enter the first tower—the Torment of Beasts.

But strangely, there was no gateway to be found.

"How am I supposed to start the training?"

[Ding!]

[First Floor Permit has been obtained!]

An ethereal key suddenly appeared in his hand before merging with his body, giving him a strange and unfamiliar sensation.

The activation was simple… all he had to do was think of entering, and he would be instantly transported inside.

Fwoosh—!

[The Torment of Beasts Tower - First Floor]

[Available Difficulty: Normal]

When Lloyd opened his eyes, he found himself standing in the middle of a gigantic city that stretched to infinity, surrounded by a crimson energy dome that shimmered like a calm flame.

The buildings looked ancient but sturdy, its unnervingly wide streets and weathered rooftops bearing the scars of time, as if the place had witnessed fierce battles long before his arrival.

He stood in the center of a huge plaza, paved with black stones that radiated a faint heat.

The air was strangely dense—not hot, but heavy… as if it carried the scent of suffering and blood.

"Damn…" he muttered, turning in a circle to survey the place. "This is huge! I don't think I've ever seen a city this big before!"

But something wasn't right. Despite the city's vastness, there was no movement, no sign of humans, not even any creatures… His intuition was screaming that something was… amiss.

"Where are the beasts? Was the name just for decoration?"

But before he could think further—

[Ding!]

[First Floor of the "Torment of Beasts": Body Training!]

[All types of energy, skills, and weapons have been restricted!]

[You are now in the center of the first floor: the City of "Silence."]

[Inside the city walls, there is no danger.]

[But outside… there are infinite numbers of beasts, and you must eliminate them with your body alone!]

[Warning! The Host's chance of survival is extremely slim.]

[It is not recommended to begin the training!]

Lloyd read the message in silence, his eyebrows knitting together.

"Energy restriction?"

He tried to activate his power, but felt his body stiffen as if something were binding him.

When he tried to summon his weapon, nothing happened. Even when he tried to use a simple physical skill, his muscles didn't move in the usual way.

He sighed slowly. "It seems this is going to be… interesting."

Then, out of nowhere—

A deep horn sounded, as if the city itself were awakening from its slumber!

The ground trembled slightly, and the giant walls surrounding the city began to glow with a crimson flicker, as if responding to his presence.

At the city gates, massive metal gears began to turn slowly, emitting a terrifying screech as they opened…

When Lloyd stepped out of the city, he found himself facing a strange landscape.

It was a barren plain, stretching to an unseen horizon. The ground was cracked, as if it had been subjected to devastating fires in the past, and a red-hued ash floated above it, as if the place had been slowly burning since the dawn of time.

But that wasn't the worst part.

There, a few meters in front of him… shadows began to move.

Then, from beneath the ground, hideous creatures emerged, resembling skeletal figures covered in burnt flesh. Their eyes glowed with a blood-red light, and their long claws dripped with a thick, black liquid.

[Ding!]

[Detected "Raging Flame Beast"!]

[Awakening State: First Transcendence - Level 49]

[Description: Cursed creatures that burn with sun-like fire. They mercilessly attack anyone who crosses their path. They can only be killed through the complete destruction of their bodies.]

As soon as he finished reading the information, one of the beasts charged at him with astonishing speed, its burning claw slicing through the air towards his neck!

Swoosh—!

Lloyd moved instantly, but he felt as if his body were ten times heavier than usual!

It wasn't just an energy restriction; even his physical speed and strength had been terrifyingly reduced!

"Damn it!"

Nevertheless, he had no choice. He ducked quickly, narrowly avoiding the claw, before delivering a direct punch to the beast's chest!

BOOM!

But… nothing happened!

Despite the force of his blow, the beast was barely affected, only taking a single step back before lunging at him again!

He had no time to panic. Before he knew it, more beasts swarmed from all directions, completely surrounding him!

"Crap."

But Lloyd wasn't one to give up easily. Not anymore.

He took a deep breath, then focused all his remaining strength into his fist. If he couldn't rely on energy, he would have to rely on raw power.

"Alright… let's see who lasts longer!"

Then, amidst the simultaneous attack of the beasts, he charged straight towards the nearest one, head-on!

The real torment had begun.