Chapter 125 : Clash (1)
Chapter 125: Clash (1)
The Vice Commander of Dragon's Claw, whose Divinity had reached mid-March, was killed in a single blow.
That essentially meant the enemy was so powerful that the current raiding party couldn't even touch him.
“Why are you all so frozen? Weren't you trying to stop us?”
A beautiful boy with snow-white skin and blue eyes snickered.
A Nephilim.
And one on an entirely different level from those they had encountered until now.
“How dare you, Sir Ian!”
“Kill him!”
The Knights nearby swung their swords.
Blue energy rippled along the edges of the blades imbued with [Aura].
Fast and fierce coordinated strikes.
It showed just how relentlessly they had trained until their hands bled.
However.
Papapak!
Before their swords could even touch the Nephilim's body, holes were punched through the Knights' hearts.
Instant death.
“Sacred Light. Destroy the enemy!”
A Priest recited a Holy Spell.
Radiance condensed and soon surged forward like a storm.
“Haa? How dare you speak of Divinity in front of me?”
The Nephilim immediately snapped his fingers.
The incoming Divine Power was instead absorbed by the Nephilim.
Kwakakakaka!
White lightning struck down, and the body of the Priest who had cried out for light was charred black.
“Guh. Guh…ugh.”
The Priest died standing upright, black smoke pouring from his mouth.
Damn it.
He was firing off high-level Skills like they were nothing.
Yohan already felt like cursing.
[‘Eyes of the Prophet’ has failed to identify the target.]
Throb!
Because the gap in Divinity was too severe, an aching backlash followed.
Dangerous.
His instincts repeatedly warned him to retreat.
However.
‘We have to overcome him.’
If they couldn't destroy the Gate, this Raid would fail.
All the hardship they had endured until now would also go to waste.
Therefore. They had to overcome this by using every means available.
Once his resolve was set, his head cooled.
Those gathered here were the elite members who could be called the core of the entire raiding party.
‘We have no chance if we simply fight him….’
But if someone could maximize their Traits and combinations, there was a possibility.
No, he would create a possibility even if none existed.
If only to survive in this damned world.
‘First, I need to turn the atmosphere around.’
Yohan's gaze turned toward the frozen raiding party.
Everyone was desperately fighting against their fear, but their bodies had already stiffened.
He understood.
It wasn't easy to maintain one's reason while Knights and Priests were dying like insects.
“I thought you'd at least entertain me a little, but I'm disappointed. At this rate, there won't even be anything to enjoy.”
Pajijit!
The Nephilim once again generated lightning.
Matching that timing.
[Void Magic ‘Black Gale’ activates!]
Yohan unleashed the Magic he had cast.
Pwoooong!
A thunderous explosion erupted where the lightning had been.
Void Magic had swallowed the Divine Power whole.
“……Ohh. You use quite a strange power. Pretty impressive for a human with inferior blood flowing through you.”
An unusual exclamation escaped the Nephilim's mouth.
Tsk. Yohan had put a fair amount of Magic into that attack, yet he had simply deflected it.
Still, this was much better than when he had faced Behemoth.
Back then, he couldn't even bring himself to think about fighting back.
“Hmm. Isn't either your mother or father human too? Unless your wings are going bald, they're awfully sparse for a Pure-Blood, aren't they?”
“They say speech is silver and silence is gold. It seems you don't realize… just how many have died because they couldn't control their tongues.”
He was pretending to speak calmly, but the smile had already disappeared from the Nephilim's face.
This was why intelligent monsters were nice.
They always had at least one trigger that sent them into a frenzy.
“Ah! Sorry if there's some secret behind your birth. Maybe you don't have a mother.”
Hmm. Was that too harsh?
It did seem like he might have hit a little too hard.
“…….”
The Nephilim's expression turned ice-cold.
The composure he had shown as a powerful being vanished. In its place was nothing but intense killing intent.
Yohan had struck his complex dead-on.
The pressure crushing his entire body made even breathing difficult.
However, to lead the raiding party, he had to put on a performance like this.
No matter how horrifyingly powerful the enemy was, they needed hope that he could still be overcome.
In an instant.
Piiiiing!
Tinnitus pierced his eardrums.
It was coming.
Yohan reflexively brought out his defensive Skills.
[The Stag of the Blue-White Forest uses ‘Bone Shield’!]
[The Lowest-tier Skill ‘Frozen Armor’ activates!]
The frozen bones of the stag blocked the incoming projectile.
Kwaaaang!
An enormous impact shook his entire body.
It pierced through in one blow.
Even after putting everything he had into defending, all he could manage was to alter its trajectory.
‘I couldn't even see it.’
There was a reason Ian had died without even being able to react.
Before Yohan could regain his senses, a storm-like barrage of projectiles followed.
Kwakakakakakaka!
Hardened feathers embedded themselves where he had been standing only moments earlier.
Their raw Attack Power exceeded 2,500, and they even possessed the [Light Penetration] Trait, making them attacks that simply couldn't be blocked head-on.
However.
He struggled.
Creating a path where none existed.
To kindle the flame of survival upon a land where death had arrived.
‘I can't hold out for long.’
No matter how close he was to an all-rounder. A Mage's fundamental position was at long range.
To maximize his firepower and land a proper effective hit, he needed support from his team.
Kagagagang!
Through the crystal orb of the Elemental Spear, he barely knocked away the feathers.
In the blink of an eye, Yohan switched his weapon to Obsidian Grudge and slipped toward the Nephilim's flank.
He stacked the ‘Nature's Sprint’ and ‘Acceleration’ Skills of the Fairy Shoes he was wearing.
Paaang!
His body surged forward like a single bullet.
After slipping past the feathers and penetrating deep inside, Yohan activated ‘Blood Bind’.
A crimson hand seized the opponent's ankle and pulled.
Kagagagak!
Naturally, the Nephilim didn't move even 1cm.
Looks like he's immune to grappling Skills.
Still, Yohan managed to shift his center of gravity slightly forward.
Taking advantage of that minuscule disruption in his balance, ‘Earth Spikes’ activated.
Spikes erupted through the ground, with ‘Blood Burst’ gathered at their tips.
Papapapow!
The droplets of blood exploded violently.
It was a combo that simultaneously dealt physical and magical damage.
Not yet.
‘Crimson Blood Asura’.
The scattered droplets of blood were once again drawn toward the tip of the blade.
Second Form
The crimson sword touched the Nephilim's abdomen.
‘Soul-Destroying Hand’.
A Martial Art that dealt damage directly to the soul rather than inflicting physical damage.
Tukwaaaang!
Crimson waves erupted in every direction, and the Nephilim's waist bent backward.
However.
‘Damn it.’
Yohan's expression violently twisted despite landing the attack perfectly.
He had felt the impact.
A heavy sensation had definitely traveled through his hand….
Not enough.
Not even remotely.
Even the parade of Skills capable of dealing with most Named Monsters in Purgatory couldn't reach that boy.
“To think you could produce this much power. Haha. I'm a little surprised. It feels like I'm playing with a little Demon rather than a human.”
The Nephilim chuckled and raised his hand high.
“But, what a shame?”
Five bolts of pure-white lightning were forming there.
Each was easily three times larger than the lightning he had shown at first.
“No. This is enough.”
Yohan steadied his breathing and smiled faintly.
There were two reasons for striking a boulder with an egg.
The first was.
[Hoshino Yuki activates the Skill ‘Nature's Purification’!]
[Joanna Siondark activates the Trait ‘Fragment of Sacred Flame’!]
[Some Status Effects are removed!]
“Protect Hunter Kang!”
“How long do you intend to just stand there and watch?”
After witnessing Yohan's desperate struggle, the raiding party shook off their fear and joined the battlefield.
“Kahaha! Sing the song of battle!”
“Tch. My chance to shine has been stolen again. Lines and actions like those are supposed to be reserved exclusively for me.”
Rodbrock and Seo Changhee charged in while releasing new Magic.
That became the turning point that reversed the atmosphere.
Various Skills and abilities overlapped, and the Raid began in earnest.
And the second reason was….
Yohan spoke to Vivian through the Seed of the Living Spirit.
-Vivian.
-Yes. Lord Yohan.
-How are things over there?
-It seems it will take a little time since I'm moving while appropriately restricting my abilities. Of course, Priscilla is watching my back, so you don't need to worry too much.
The first condition that absolutely had to be fulfilled before they could destroy the Gate.
For that purpose, Vivian had manifested not here, but at the lake behind the ballroom.
There were numerous Nephilim and monsters there as well, but Vivian should be more than capable of handling them alone.
Having her move only after the strongest Nephilim appeared here.
That too was part of the plan to buy time.
Just then.
“We'll be indebted to you again.”
“Thank you. If Lord Yohan hadn't stepped forward, we would have suffered irreversible losses.”
Sherphon and Beatrice.
The Military Mage and Priestess who had been with him in the Hungry Temple stood beside him.
One by one.
Reliable allies gathered.
Now it was Round 2.
＊＊＊
At the same time.
Cain, who stood in the ballroom, slowly stroked the surface of the Gate.
Wooooong!
The rippling surface emitted a brilliant light as though responding to his touch.
“The raiding party is coming. I've done everything you ordered, so I'll be leaving now.”
Ryuhei sheathed his sword.
The contract was strictly to liberate Purgatory.
It did not include exposing the fact that he had defected.
If he dawdled around and happened to encounter Hoshino Yuki. That Onmyoji, then everything he had built up until now would collapse.
“Deposit the remaining payment without even a one-second delay.”
Having said everything he needed to say, he was about to turn away without hesitation when.
“Please wait.”
Cain stopped Ryuhei.
“What? Don't tell me you're trying to change the terms now….”
“That isn't it. It's simply that, in order to make this operation succeed, it seems I'll have to wager everything I have.”
[Revelation: The Witch of the Maple Tree shall utterly destroy the Gate. Stop the one who hums. Otherwise, your wish shall be nothing more than a single snowflake destined to melt beneath the rising sun.(489)]
Only one girl who had been humming came to mind.
A girl with black hair and light-purple eyes.
The very person who had remained closely beside Yohan.
“I knew she wasn't an ordinary human, but it seems he has an extraordinary being under his command.”
Cain recalled everything that had happened until now.
Even with the lowest possible estimate, she was a monster whose Divinity exceeded June, so naturally, they had been doomed to repeated failure.
There was a high probability that this mission, into which they had poured everything, would end with the same result.
Unless they employed some other means.
“I have no idea what you're talking about.”
“Haha. I was simply talking to myself. More importantly. The last thing I need you to do is swing this sword.”
Cain pulled a bronze sword from inside his clothes.
It was a 50cm-long relic that looked incredibly ancient.
[Sword of Collection]
Acquisition Difficulty: AAA
Description: A sword capable of summoning a target who owes a great debt. However, if the debt is between third parties rather than involving the user, a special price must be offered.
Cain had seen it clearly aboard the Sky Ocean Cruise.
He had seen Yohan take something away from the Collector.
If the enraged Transcendent's cry hadn't been a lie….
Then the Sword of Collection could summon that being here.
“Oni.”
“Grrr.”
The girl with long hooked claws bared her fangs.
“You've worked hard following me until now. My abilities are too insignificant to grant you freedom, but I hope you can escape this place and safely return to the Order.”
Clatter.
The chain restraining her neck came undone.
“…….”
Oni mulled over Cain's words with suspicion and wariness in her eyes.
Then, she immediately kicked off the ground and left.
Only Cain and Ryuhei remained in the ballroom.
“Tch. From the look of things, you intend to die here.”
At Ryuhei's words, Cain wore a self-deprecating smile.
What followed was a story from long ago.
Even though so much time had passed, it still returned every night as a nightmare.
“I lost my wife and daughter to the Vatican's Inquisitors. At the time, I was an ordinary schoolteacher. I had absolutely no connection to Requiem.”
“Revenge?”
“At first, yes.”
He hated those who had destroyed his precious everyday life. And this world itself for tolerating them.
So he joined the Order.
Because he wanted them to feel the exact same pain he had experienced.
He felt that only by standing in a sea filled with blood and entrails and screaming until his throat tore apart could this rage subside even slightly.
However.
After the battle in Daejeon, his feelings changed.
“Now, I move for a greater cause.”
Sacrifice was a mirror that illuminated the hidden side of history.
Noah built the Ark.
And just as new life carried on into the next era after the Ice Age.
The present process was an unavoidable task.
One that only they, who knew the truth, could accomplish.
“I sincerely pray that you can protect those precious to you in this terrible world.”
“Of course I will. I'm different from you.”
“Hoho. Then, let us begin.”
Stab!
The Sword of Collection pierced Cain's heart.
Red blood gushed from where the sword had entered.
The blood moved rapidly, drawing a crimson hexagram.
“Only now… can I finally meet you again. Cough!”
Cain reached toward empty space.
One step.
“I-I'm sorry. Selina. Amela… I-I made you wait far too long, didn't I?”
Two steps.
He staggered after the illusion.
Hoping to feel even the faintest warmth at his fingertips.
Hoping to reach the two whose presence had grown faint even in his memories.
“N-Now, we'll never be separated agai….”
Thud!
And then he collapsed.
At the same time.
[The conditions for Collection have been fulfilled!]
[The Ninety-Eighth Abyss responds!]
A crimson Status Window flashed.