novelraw Chapter 301: Episode 301
Chapter 301: Episode 301
Over ten thousand Balak soldiers and more than seven thousand Talos soldiers. Even combining all their Main Forces, they numbered only five. It was an utterly insufficient force compared to the Aneis Kingdom, but firepower was meant to compensate for that disparity. Though merely B-grade Undead Soldiers in rank, their momentum, surging like a tidal wave, was considerable. An immortal legion, reminiscent of modern-day zombies.
Even with equipment reduced to rags, they relentlessly bit, tore, and charged at the S-rank soldiers, creating utter chaos. Occasionally, Wigan, wielding Holy Sword Ludwig, annihilated entire groups of Balak soldiers, but their numbers showed no sign of decreasing.
’The Holy Sword is somewhat dangerous against dungeon soldiers.’
Seonghwi scratched his cheek, watching hydras instantly chopped to pieces. He had faced Wigan when Balak was B-grade, but the knight seemed to have grown stronger; the power of his Divine Power was extraordinary. If they fought individually, an overwhelming victory would be certain, but Wigan wasn’t the opponent Seonghwi needed to deal with. First, he had to leave it to Balak’s knight, charging from the opposite side. Grai, seemingly unable to forget his previous defeat, blocked a crescent slash and charged like an arrow.
"Do you remember me, wielder of the Holy Sword?"
"I don’t need to know who you are. My only objective is to subjugate Balak. You are no exception. I will annihilate you in one blow."
"That won’t happen. I am Balak’s knight, who drew his sword for my Master. Through the defeat of the last battle, I have grown even stronger. Now I will show you I’m different from back then!"
’KABOOM!’
An explosion erupted the moment Gravolta and Holy Sword Ludwig clashed. A blue haze rose from the black smoke. The two faced each other, gradually widening the distance.
Wigan, who had intended to cut them down instantly along with the other soldiers, seemed slightly surprised and began a war of nerves with a serious expression.
"I didn’t recognize you because your appearance changed, but you were that orc from back then. Was that crushing defeat so bitter? Your swordsmanship has become similar to mine."
"I honed my skills using our battle as a stepping stone. Now, it will be you who collapses to the ground!"
"You’ve changed a lot. Balak, and you as well. I’ll face you properly!"
The fierce offense and defense of the two knights continued. Soldiers passing by completely made way to escape the effects of the Divine Power and explosions, charging at each other via different routes.
Meanwhile, Seonghwi headed to the rear, instilling fear in the Magic Palace’s monsters with his murderous intent, but he was in considerable difficulty due to the Main Forces appearing intermittently.
[S-rank Hero Guardian Emperor of Martial Arts Pamuloda has cast Ruin.]
[S-rank Hero Keeper Steel Tempetran has cast Steel Barrier.]
Just then, Tempetran, Talos’s Main Force, blocked a large, hulking boxer. It seemed a considerable number of Main Forces had been deployed in the rear, as Tempetran blocked an enemy attempting a surprise attack from behind.
"I’ll hold them here, so hurry, Master!"
"Insolent fool, trying to stop me with a mere wall. You’re a hundred years too early!"
"You’re huge, yet you talk too much. You won’t pass until you defeat me, so remember that!"
A Guardian and a Keeper of the same rank clashed again. The efficiency of their equipped gear and skills was almost on par. If it was just about stalling for a long time, Tempetran, the Keeper, would easily manage it.
Seonghwi kicked off the ground and lightly leaped. From a distance, Kaiharst, Commander of the Magic Palace, was visible, wielding a mace as large as his own body.
’It seems the gates of hell, once opened, cannot be closed again. In that case, as expected.’
Even to block the Magic Palace’s monsters continuously being summoned from behind, he had to eliminate Kaiharst first. As murderous intent slowly spread from his entire body, Kaiharst, perhaps having spotted him, let out a light snort.
"A Dungeon Master standing directly before me. How amusing. You seem to have a melee class, but I wonder how long you can last against me, Kaiharst!"
"I dislike childish lines. Just die, please."
"That’s impossible!"
The spinning mace plunged straight down. Seonghwi’s body moved nimbly like a snake, accompanied by fragments scattering in all directions. Some fragments grazed his cheek, stinging slightly, but his gaze was solely fixed on the mace, which was spinning again.
[SS-rank Guardian Kaiharst, Commander of the Magic Palace, has cast Teaching of Ruin.]
’It’s coming. The approximate power is...’
It was the most formidable mana he had ever felt. It would surely reach Balak Territory’s city walls, leaving immense damage. Seonghwi instinctively knew he had to block the skill first, based on the predictions forming in his mind. At that moment, his favorite daggers were clutched in both hands. If he burrowed down and canceled the skill’s activation, he could inflict a fatal blow and damage simultaneously.
"Whew!"
"It’s already too late—?!"
Just as the mace’s mana glowed, lightning struck from the sky. No, to be precise, it could be seen as a unique concentration of mana. Kaiharst, confirming his body had momentarily faltered, stepped back. The aura of ruin gathered in the mace had already been disrupted by the lightning. Since it was an effect that couldn’t even be judged as a Main Force’s skill, he had to increase the distance even further. However, Seonghwi, as if he had no intention of letting him go, swiftly burrowed to the left, aiming for the opening created by the lightning strike.
"You—!"
"You should thank Taehyun. Let’s go, Commander of the Magic Palace!"
"Protect me, monsters of the Magic Palace!"
Indeed, all of a Slayer’s techniques were skills designed not for continuous damage, but solely for a single, decisive strike. As the Magic Palace’s monsters swarmed from all sides, a chilling murderous aura struck the commander through Seonghwi’s narrowly opened eyes. Soon, following a shimmering path, a dagger plunged into the gaps of the armor’s connecting links. In the space that became silent as if time had momentarily stopped, their gazes clashed in mid-air.
’CLANG!’
His left shoulder was mercilessly torn away. Kaiharst’s expression instantly twisted in pain. Too late, he grabbed the wrist holding the dagger with his right arm, but the other dagger remained. Seonghwi boasted flexible movements, rotating his body once as if performing a swallow’s turn in mid-air. And with the dagger in his left hand, he aimed precisely for Kaiharst’s glabella.
---
[Valpurgis activation complete.]
[Neutralization 10/11]
[Please designate the next location.]
Lightning struck the rear. No, when Valpurgis activated, Kaiharst, who had been casting a skill, as well as all nearby soldiers, stopped moving. Seeing that there were still enemies in an incapacitated state, the neutralization’s duration was clearly long, just as he had been told beforehand.
—Taehyun, one Undead Soldier has set a Position Transfer marker.
"Send all the Drake Turtles and Hydras there. The Main Forces will also reinforce, so be ready."
—It seems you’re casting Valpurgis again. Understood. I’ll prepare immediately.
Valpurgis was something he had been preparing for personal combat all along. He hadn’t used it in the last battle, but with over 40,000 Undead Soldiers, even Siege-type Soldiers would have struggled against them. Taehyun summoned all Main Forces through Raviz.
[All of Balak’s Main Forces have been summoned.]
From Balak’s Attackers to Guardians, Keepers, demi-humans, and mercenaries, all appeared on top of the city walls. Including Turner, who joined after the last Hyacinth Raid Party, there were easily over 20 Main Forces. Since they had already been supplied with the dwarves’ new equipment, they were by no means inferior even when compared to the Main Forces of the Tarantula Faction. In particular, some had even been promoted to S-rank or higher through Evolution, so they would put up a proper fight. Taehyun deployed all of them to the battlefield and set the next designated location for Valpurgis.
"The area where the marker is located within my current field of vision."
[Location setting complete.]
[Neutralization charging 30%...]
[Neutralization charging 70%...]
[Neutralization charging 90%...]
Balak’s unique mana surged instantly. The formidable mana emanating from the original Balak was located at a distance so far that the enemies on Halung Plains would never notice it.
[S-rank Attacker Wigan has cast Position Transfer.]
[Bagnanda Dungeon Master Shintaeyoung has cast Position Transfer.]
Soon, two types of Position Transfer activated simultaneously. Thousands of Undead Soldiers were moved between the Abyss Hunters, along with the Main Forces waiting in the rear. Taehyun’s eyes flashed, and he gave an immediate order.
"Fire."
[Activating Neutralization.]
Lightning struck from the sky again. The soldiers, moved via Position Transfer, were directly struck by the lightning before they could even charge at the Abyss Hunters, trembling violently. They were temporarily frozen, as if electrocuted by high voltage. Not only the Undead Soldiers but even the S-rank Main Forces who were casting skills couldn’t move from their positions. Darkblind Lord Ashuanin didn’t miss the opportunity and charged with the hydras and Drake Turtles he had gathered.
[Hydra’s Acid Poison has been cast.]
[Drake Turtle has cast Spinning Crash.]
The Drake Turtles, spinning like tops, surged in all directions, and the hydras’ acid poison was sprayed. Furthermore, the Main Forces deployed to the battlefield immediately began to clear the situation by eliminating the neutralized soldiers. It was literally a scene of sweeping away empty scarecrows. In that situation, an S-rank Hero Guardian who was circling to the right side cast magic in fright, but a crow’s wing spread out in front of him, thwarting his attempt.
—Who are you trying to target now?
—Turner!
Hendy, who was in the middle of activating a massive explosion, brightened and concentrated his mana. Inhye and Sihan, who were nearby, smiled proudly and began eliminating the Undead Soldiers alongside their former comrades. Meanwhile, Bigdream cast Mist of Phantasmal Dreams, moving to protect ranged soldiers, and with simultaneous buffs from priests, firepower instantly surged.
—Main Forces are charging, targeting the Mist of Phantasmal Dreams. Show them your strength.
—RAAAAH!
—You too are Balak’s soldiers. Raise your shields!
—Advance!
—Advance!
—Raise your shields!
—Raise your shields!
—They are the Magic Palace’s monsters. Shift direction to the right!
—To the right!
The slowly retreating battlefront began to turn around. Flyten, who was leading the Undead Soldiers through illusions in mid-air, was flustered as he saw the unknown lightning striking with the new Main Forces. In front were two Death Knights, in the rear a maid-uniformed fairy leading other fairies, among the Keepers were cow-humans, traps dug by Makye Dudeoji everywhere on the ground, and in the center of the Undead Soldiers, ground steeped in deadly poison. It was a banquet of completely unexpected Main Forces. He instinctively sensed the crisis and tried to escape alone, even as his main body. However, even that was not easy due to the arrows flying from above the city walls.
—How dare you invade Balak, where the World Tree exists. I will never forgive you!
—Oh dear. Saphaella, your voice is too loud.
—Whoa, in places like this, you’re supposed to shout loudly, Neru!
—Still, it hurts my ears.
Moreover, with the High Elves and Beastmen joining, the battle was becoming a one-sided slaughter. In particular, the movements of the Myoin Tribe, toying with S-rank Main Forces while stroking their long beards, were extraordinary.
—Haha. Try casting more skills.
—W-what kind of old man is this strong!
—This must be what experience is.
The Aneis Kingdom, which had invaded Balak, was being swept away by the soldiers of the two dungeons without even being able to properly exert their strength. Flyten, feeling there was no more hope, turned his back. At that moment, Krodin and Lucien, who had been in stealth, charged from both sides, and Flyten’s head instantly fell to the ground.
—Hehe, to turn your back before this King of Assassins. Pathetic fool.
—Can’t you do something about that way of speaking? It’s a bit awkward to be with you. Your assassination skills are exactly my type, but how can you be so charmless?
—Hmph, a Dark Elf like you wouldn’t know my true charm. You talk big for someone who only uses stealth to avoid the High Elves’ gaze.
—Ugh, why are my hands and feet...
’CLAANG!’
Soon, the third neutralization was fired. The Main Forces, who had been waiting, instantly declared their domain, bringing nightmares to the Undead Soldiers.
—Dead. Execute! Execute!
—Ahahaha. This battlefield is truly where I can exert my power. Watch closely. My speed!
—Ignore! Ignore! Ignore!
—Ugh, don’t ignore me. Damn it, Rainbow Tunnel!
A man stained with rainbow colors stirred up the battlefield intermittently, but none of the Main Forces paid him much mind. Thus, the second battle of Halung Plains also seemed to solidify into Balak’s victory. Taehyun had already returned to the Master Room to check the battle on screen. Just then, Wigan, who had been engaged in a fierce exchange with Grai, climbed onto a Magic Palace monster bird and headed towards the city walls.
"Master, it’s dangerous. First, I’ll use a black hole—"
"That bastard, surely not?!"
Taehyun quickly tried to use Forced Location Change, but before he could, Holy Sword Ludwig flew and embedded itself within the territory.
"This is His Highness Leon van Noah’s repayment for the last gift. Be grateful, Taehyun!"
Divine Power burst forth instantly. Holy Sword Ludwig burrowed deep into the ground, declaring its domain within the territory.
[Holy Sword Ludwig has declared Behel’s Domain.]
[All Undead Soldiers around Balak Territory are annihilated.]
[The stats of all dungeon soldiers and Main Forces around Balak Territory are reduced by three times.]
[The dungeon’s inherent mana is significantly reduced.]
"Aaaargh."
Raviz, who was nearby, clutched her head in pain. Furthermore, even the soldiers and Main Forces deployed to the battlefield were affected by the Holy Sword, temporarily falling into an incapacitated state. Taehyun watched the Tarantula Faction members retreating instantly and thought of the Ain Kart Holy Kingdom.
"Was this what you were aiming for, Leon van Noah?"
The Tyrant had thrown away over 40,000 Undead Soldiers and S-rank or higher Main Forces as if they were pawns. He had prepared all of this solely for one Holy Sword. Thus, Taehyun found himself in an unexpected situation, facing yet another crisis.