As the bearer of "All the World's Evils," Cao Ye himself wasn't even sure whether he could still be considered human.
The magical power inside his body, influenced by that curse, had evolved into something called Black Mud.
Like magic power, it could be controlled freely.
However, this power had extremely negative implications.
So Cao Ye had only used it once before.
That time, it was to eliminate witnesses.
Since then, he had never used it again.
But now—
He had no choice.
When life is on the line, everything else becomes secondary.
Even dark or forbidden powers.
As long as it allows someone to survive, countless people would willingly use it.
Whoosh—
The bloody holes in Cao Ye's chest and abdomen, created by the Minotaur's horns, were filled by black mud.
Then they healed rapidly at a visible speed.
Previously, the abilities Cao Ye displayed—such as rapid regeneration and even finger regrowth—came from this power.
The essence of black mud was a condensed mass of magical energy, filled with the evil of the world.
And Cao Ye, as the embodiment of All the World's Evils, was essentially one with it.
As long as he had enough magic power, even lost limbs could regenerate.
"Magic power is still my weakness…"
"I'm still too weak. Otherwise…"
Under the black mud's restoration, Cao Ye's wounds healed completely in seconds.
After becoming an adventurer—and especially after his last Falna update—his magic power had increased significantly.
So his healing speed improved as well.
"I have quite a few abilities now."
"If I combine them… maybe something interesting will happen."
The black mud began to boil.
A layer of dark substance appeared across Cao Ye's body.
But instead of forming dripping sludge, the black mud merged with his clothing.
His grey battle clothes were completely dyed black, transforming into a dark robe.
On his face appeared crimson markings resembling cursed sigils.
They gave him a strange yet eerie beauty.
ROOOAR—!
At that moment, the Minotaurs rushed forward.
Although they had little intelligence, their animal instincts were extremely sharp.
The moment the black mud appeared—
They became enraged.
Their instincts sensed danger.
They had to tear him apart.
The instinct of beasts…
And the command of the Dungeon itself…
Both screamed the same thing:
Kill him.
Kill him!
KILL HIM!!!
BOOM!
Under the dual enhancement of Mana Burst and Black Mud, Cao Ye's speed skyrocketed.
With a powerful dash, he exceeded the Minotaurs' speed.
The first Minotaur still had the black sword stuck in its waist.
Cao Ye grabbed the sword instantly.
THRUST!
With a powerful stab, he pierced straight through the monster's body.
Slash!
He ripped the blade back out, spraying blood across the ground.
"First one."
CRUNCH!
The black sword pierced directly into the Minotaur's head, killing it instantly.
As a Second-Class Weapon, the black sword's sharpness was unquestionable.
Previously Cao Ye lacked the strength to pierce Minotaur muscles.
But now—
With double enhancement—
His power had already surpassed the limits of Level 1.
ROAR!
The remaining Minotaurs surrounded him.
Even though he killed one, there were still over a dozen left.
His danger hadn't decreased at all.
"Projection… start!"
Cao Ye took a deep breath and focused.
The magecraft known as Projection activated.
Analyze the concept of creation.
Construct the fundamental framework.
Copy the material composition.
Imitate the forging technique.
Synchronize with the experience of growth.
Reproduce the accumulated years.
Surpass and complete all processes.
At this moment, the crystallization of fantasy is complete.
FLASH!
A second black sword identical to the original appeared in Cao Ye's other hand.
However, the projected version was slightly inferior.
It also had a limited duration.
And the process consumed a large amount of magic power.
"Black Sword… Dual-Wield!"
Holding one sword in each hand, Cao Ye moved instantly.
The blades flashed through the Minotaur horde.
He sliced their skin, muscles, and joints.
His goal was simple.
With his strength, he couldn't kill them instantly.
So instead, he aimed to cripple them first.
Then finish them afterward.
At that moment, Cao Ye moved like a shadow in darkness.
There were no elegant techniques.
No swordsmanship.
From start to finish, his fighting style relied purely on:
Speed.
Power.
Reaction.
SLASH!
A Minotaur roared as the black sword sliced open its skin.
The blade cut the muscles at its arm joint, leaving the limb nearly useless.
And it wasn't just that one.
Every Minotaur present had been injured in some way.
"Haa…"
Finally stopping, Cao Ye let out a long breath.
The enhancements gradually faded.
The sudden loss of power left him feeling empty and exhausted.
A nearby Minotaur roared at him.
But its arm muscles were severed, preventing it from charging again.
All the Minotaurs were now injured to some degree.
"I've always had a theory."
"Now seems like a good time to test it."
WHOOSH!
Black mud exploded outward from Cao Ye's body.
It instantly covered one Minotaur.
ROOOAR—!
Just as Cao Ye's face began to show excitement—
BOOM!
The Minotaur suddenly died instantly, turning into black smoke.
Only a magic stone remained.
Cao Ye froze.
It died… just like that?
Originally he wanted to test whether black mud could control monsters.
If successful, it would become a powerful trump card.
But the moment the black mud entered the Minotaur's body—
The magic stone inside the monster violently rejected it.
The reaction destroyed the Minotaur immediately.