Chapter 127 : Clash (3)
Chapter 127: Clash (3)
Thump! Thump!
The resonating heartbeats and the warmth being transmitted.
A subtle sensation enveloped their entire bodies.
Just like what had happened with Scarlet before, a Linked Ability was about to activate.
“L-Lord Yohan?”
Vivian's eyes widened at the inexplicable sensation.
“It's all right.”
Yohan calmed Vivian down.
The key to a Linked Ability was likely how well they could synchronize.
Fortunately, after being together with Vivian several times, Yohan had already grown accustomed to reading her unique wavelength.
All that remained was how completely Vivian could entrust herself to him.
“Vivian Astraea.”
Yohan spoke while looking at Vivian.
“Do you trust me?”
In a way, it was an extremely vague and abstract question.
At the same time, it was a question that couldn't be asked without a truly deep bond.
To that question.
“I trust you with my life.”
Vivian answered without the slightest hesitation.
Once again, Yohan realized it.
Just how important it was to have someone he could trust and rely on when overcoming this treacherous Forbidden Book.
He also recalled his previous runs, when he had believed he could do everything alone.
“I never abandon my people. So don't be afraid anymore.”
Yohan grasped Vivian's staff.
The energy of the Void seeped into the staff.
“Thank you. For saying that.”
Vivian also placed her slender white fingers over Yohan's hand.
Their gazes met.
At the same time.
Kukukukuku!
Their Magic perfectly merged into a single wavelength.
And at that moment.
[‘Maple Tree of the Boundary’ blooms!]
An enormous Maple Tree unlike anything they had ever seen before began to grow.
Dozens. No, hundreds of meters tall.
A magnificent and enormous tree reminiscent of Yggdrasil filled their entire field of vision.
Swaaaaa.
Countless maple leaves began to fall upon the wind.
A sweet yet wistful fragrance tickled the tip of the nose.
It was a magnificent sight, as though a new world had descended within Purgatory.
“I… would have no regrets even if I died now.”
Vivian gazed upon the new world with eyes filled with emotion.
＊＊＊
“This is….”
A small exclamation escaped the Collector's lips.
It was an expression of pure admiration.
And naturally so.
There had always been limits to what insects that were nothing more than insignificant creatures could accomplish.
Consumables he mercilessly killed depending on his mood. Whose possessions he ravaged, and whom he discarded once he lost interest.
That was the reason they existed in this world.
However.
This was a first.
“Not bad. In terms of potential alone, both of you are the finest among those I've encountered in the past hundred years.”
He could somewhat understand why Arianne had shown such interest.
They were raw gems that countless factions and Divine Beings would take an interest in someday.
Their Divinity might be low at the moment. But given time, they could certainly reach Dark Moon Rank. No, perhaps even Pig Moon Rank or beyond.
Kwaaaang!
An Ancient Species slammed into the translucent barrier created by the Maple Tree of the Boundary.
It was a twenty-meter-class Ancient Species covered from head to toe in spikes.
“Grooooar!”
Tukwaang! Kwaang!
Even its monstrous strength, which seemed capable of shattering steel, couldn't destroy the barrier.
[Guardian Territory], an advanced Trait of [Nestification].
It was like looking at the [Sanctuary] deployed by an Archangel or the [Domain of the Evil God] manifested by Solomon's Demon Kings.
“Judging by defensive power alone, it seems even stronger than those.”
The Collector looked at the man and woman who continued holding the staff together.
They were quite interesting.
Of course. Interesting talent wasn't a reason to forgive them.
For the Collector, leaving someone who had completely devoured one of his Holy Relics alone was unimaginable.
Kukukukuku!
Immediately, indescribable Magic surged upward.
“Since you've entertained me a little, I'll take my time breaking through this. I'll raise the difficulty one stage every minute.”
[The Collector activates the Skill ‘Beast's Nest’!]
Collars engraved with an ancient language appeared around the necks of the Ancient Species.
Damn it. He's already using that Skill?
Yohan wet his lips with his tongue.
Beast's Nest allowed the Collector to concentrate the Stats of the Ancient Species under his command into a single category.
He could reduce all their defensive Stats to 0. Then invest all of that into Attack Power, for example.
“M-Master! They're getting stronger!”
“We can't hold out for long!”
The Spirit Beasts' voices grew urgent.
They resisted by activating various Elemental Magic, but there was an obvious limit.
It might have been different if they were Spirit Kings.
No matter how much Magic they were supplied with, mere Spirit Beasts couldn't contend with Ancient Species.
Crack!
Crunch!
Cracks resembling a turtle shell appeared across the surface of the barrier.
It wouldn't last long.
Five minutes at best.
Once more time passed than that, the Ancient Species would get inside.
‘Still, it's fortunate that the Collector himself isn't moving.’
The Maple Tree of the Boundary seemed to have caught his interest, making him hold back.
In truth, this was the only advantage their side possessed.
Just then.
“Urgh. Did I lose consciousness?”
“Khahaha! I feel as though I've been reborn.”
Seo Changhee and Lodbrok rose while shaking their heads.
The powder flowing from the Maple Tree had removed their Status Abnormalities.
“Lord Yohan. This tree is….”
“Eek! That's why. I said we should've just waited in the rear.”
“Big Brother Yohan and Big Sister Vivian were holding them off?”
Scarlet, Reina, and Lagertha also awakened one after another.
The companions who had chosen to accompany him in this run.
The small pieces gathered together, adding fuel to the spark of their counterattack.
“Keep the Ancient Species from getting close. If you can hold out, I'll somehow handle the rest.”
“Do you have a plan?”
“Khahaha! Understood.”
“I'll do my best!”
At Yohan's command, the members moved simultaneously.
Lagertha used [Ancient Blessing] to cover the entire team.
Scarlet and Reina took on the role of tying down the Ancient Species.
With ‘Blood Threads’ and ‘Arcade World’ activated, they targeted the creatures approaching the barrier.
“Kieeeee!”
“Aaaah! Sister Scarlet! Over there! There's another one over there!
“How many times do I have to tell you, I'm younger than you!”
Scarlet weaved around the white-furred spider while using ‘Arachne's Nest’.
Blood-red threads connected vertically and horizontally clung to the white-furred spider's legs.
Pyok pyok!
Reina's arcade-styled spiders fired rainbow-colored venomous stingers.
Venom carrying the ‘Blind’ effect seeped into its soft eyeballs.
“Kieeeee!”
Because the disparity in Divinity was so extreme. The loss of vision lasted less than 0.2 seconds.
Of course, since Reina was a Supporter, even that much was enough for her to fulfill her role.
Next was the Damage Dealer's turn.
“Have a taste of this too.”
Scarlet, who had already reached beneath the spider's chest, curled her palm.
[Special Skill ‘Crimson Flower Garden’ activates!]
The Blood Threads spread in every direction gathered into one, forming a gigantic rose.
From the ground.
Toward the sky.
Kwakakakakaka!
A crimson rose surged upward.
Its power was so tremendous that even the atmosphere convulsed.
The crimson rose, which had grown by absorbing the Magic of the Maple Tree and even Yohan's Magic, continued to increase in size.
It surged and surged and surged again.
Crimson blades rotated at high speed, grinding apart the entire body of the spider trapped within the petals.
[Infinite Craving] and [Blood Frenzy].
It demonstrated just how powerful the synergy between the two Traits, both possessing effects similar to predation, truly was.
“Khahaha! Send me to Valhalla!”
“Don't overdo it. Some of them are on the same level as Behemoth.”
Lodbrok and Seo Changhee took charge of the front line.
Their objective was to avoid direct confrontation as much as possible. And prevent the Ancient Species from focusing on destroying the barrier.
“What does not destroy me….”
Words of Power manifested through Equivalent Exchange.
“Only makes me stronger!”
What followed was swordsmanship as fluid as flowing water.
Seo Changhee's sword, which even masters of the Martial World would acknowledge, sliced through the air.
Kagagang! Kaaang!
Sharp teeth and sword collided, scattering sparks in every direction.
An exchange of attacks and defenses unfolded at speeds difficult for the naked eye to distinguish.
[Seo Changhee activates the Trait ‘Dawn’!]
Warm radiance blessed the protagonist's path forward.
He wasn't pushed back even against an Ancient Species.
One couldn't help but find him reassuring.
Pajijik!
Meanwhile, Yohan gathered the overflowing Magic into a single point.
‘Black Lightning’.
Lightning at least ten times larger and more powerful than what he had used against Behemoth gathered together.
Twitch.
The Collector frowned as he looked at the Void Magic gathering in the sky.
“An ominous power. I suppose being able to wield an ability that abnormal explains why you were so confident….”
Against someone with mediocre Divinity, it would certainly be threatening.
There was probably no being in all of Purgatory who could survive after taking that attack.
However.
“Do you think that would work on me as well?”
It wasn't arrogance, but certainty.
Having crossed countless brushes with death to reach the position of a Transcendent, the Collector was already looking toward the future.
To that question.
“Of course not.”
Yohan smirked and shook his head.
It might have worked if his opponent were Behemoth. But it wouldn't work against the Collector.
Yohan himself knew that better than anyone.
But here's the thing.
He never intended to waste his Magic on a monster like the Collector in the first place.
[Void Magic ‘Black Lightning’ activates!]
His target was the Gate.
The reason Purgatory had opened, and the final condition needed to conclude the Event Quest.
Crackcrackcrack!
Every defensive barrier erected by the Nephilim shattered.
Kwaaaaang!
The Gate was destroyed in a single strike.
Ding! Ding! Ding!
[You have achieved a remarkable feat!]
[95% Contribution has been recognized!]
[You have obtained the Title ‘Sorrow of the Half-Blood’!]
[You have obtained the Holy Relic ‘Fang of Purgatory’!]
[You have obtained ‘Nephilim Feather’!]
[…!]
Countless rewards poured forth.
Every single one was extraordinary, but right now, something else was more important.
Yohan's gaze moved toward the very bottom of the Status Window.
[Reward: The greatest contributor to preventing the Full Opening of Purgatory will receive. For Episode (10) or below. The authority to modify one of the core contents.]
A modification authority that could only be called absurdly powerful.
Using this was his objective.
“Change the activation point of Episode 8's Sub-Event ‘Wishing Well’ to the present moment.”
He had already decided what he would modify.
Originally, he hadn't intended to use it when facing the Collector, but this was actually even better.
The stronger the opponent, the more brilliantly this Event's reward would shine.
[Copy]
When specific conditions are fulfilled against a Boss-Class enemy with an overwhelming disparity in strength, you can copy one of the target's Traits.
The Collector possessed a total of five Traits.
There would only be hope if he could obtain the one he wanted among them.
The problem was the Copy Condition.
Yohan anxiously waited for the Status Window to appear.
Whether he succeeded or failed would depend on what condition appeared.
Please.
If possible, please let it be something easy.
He had already suffered more than enough unfair bullshit, so frankly, wasn't it about time he got lucky at least once?
[Due to the target's extraordinarily high Divinity, the difficulty of the Copy Condition is set to the maximum.]
[Contempt for the Strong: Accumulate at least 3 Provocation Stacks against the Collector. (However, a Stack will only be recognized if you genuinely enrage the opponent.)]
Fuck.
At this point, why not just shove him in the back and tell him to commit suicide?