novelraw Chapter 26 : Chapter 26
Chapter 26 : Chapter 26
Chapter 26. Chaos
‘What the hell is this…!’
Kang Min gritted his teeth as he watched the opponent, whom he thought he had almost subdued just a moment ago, transform into a threat.
The most bothersome was Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin, who had suddenly become a 7-star heroic spirit.
‘If it were just him, I might have had a chance.’
His 7-star heroic spirit was the warrior-class Blue Wave Swordsman, Giparanga.
Known as a Hwarang from the Silla period, he was a being who had traveled between the mortal world and the world of the gods to obtain eternal life after death.
As he possessed the reality-altering abilities characteristic of heroic spirits under the Cycle Constellation, he could gain a compatibility advantage against the general-class heroic spirit, Chungmugong.
‘The problem is that the ranks of the other guys have also suddenly risen.’
Earlier, because their ranks had suddenly risen by one stage, he had failed to kill those he could have killed without even calling Giparanga.
This time, it seemed they had risen one more stage than before.
‘That state seems to be temporary, but he had an awakening skill that causes promotion?’
It was three of them—Giparanga, himself, and Kim Jin-ho—against five on the other side—Lee Han-seong, Park Seong-cheol, Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin, and the shadow clones of Jin Yu-seong and Yoo Se-hee.
No, with the werewolf that had just appeared, it was six, making it a 3 vs. 6 situation.
If they fought like this, his side was numerically disadvantaged.
While Kang Min was assessing the situation.
“This time will be a little different!”
Thwip!
Park Seong-cheol, excited by the boiling power from the 2-stage promotion, rushed towards Kang Min.
In fact, for Park Seong-cheol, choosing to become a follower of a constellation he didn't even know well was no different from a gamble.
It was a choice he made trusting Lee Han-seong, as it was obvious he would die if he did nothing.
The result was a great success.
‘I can't believe he actually promoted the rank of the contracted heroic spirit itself.’
Normally, choosing Chungmugong's constellation, the Sun Constellation, would have been the standard move, but at this rate, it seemed he wouldn't regret his choice of constellation.
‘From the looks of it, the projection sitting on Han-seong's shoulder seems to be the constellation's clone. Not bad.’
Though it was a joke, even excluding the abilities, it was an appearance worth serving.
Thwip! Thwip!
Moreover, Transcendence, which could be called Lee Han-seong's true value, had evolved one more step in a short time, making a 2-stage promotion possible.
He wasn't not curious about the details of how this was possible, but right now, Kang Min came first.
‘I have to take him down before the 2-stage promotion state ends.’
He savored the speed that was much faster than when he was 1-star and gauged the distance to Kang Min.
When Kang Min appeared as a contractor seemingly targeting Lee Han-seong, he had secretly regretted forming a party with him, but now, that feeling had completely disappeared.
Shing!
The deaths he had accumulated while passing through the passage had been consumed against the golem, but thanks to absorbing the golem's death, the tip of the Three-Foot Sword, which had a slight blood-red hue, rushed towards Kang Min.
“…You've gotten faster?”
Kang Min muttered as if surprised by the speed of Park Seong-cheol, who had transcended twice to 3-star, but conversely, that meant he had the leisure to speak.
It was understandable.
Kang Min, who was contracted with two heroic spirits of 4-star and 7-star, was bound to be slightly superior in the amount of starlight and physical agility compared to Park Seong-cheol, who was contracted with only one 7-star Chungmugong.
“Still, you're still slow.”
Zzzzzzzzzing!!
A chain of the assassin heroic spirit's awakening skills, leading from Hundred Stabs, to Single-Point Concentration, to Defense Penetration, unfolded in Kang Min's hands.
However, Park Seong-cheol did not avoid the attack.
“The Battle Is Urgent, Do Not Announce My Death.”
Stab! Swoosh-
He left his physical body to the opponent's attack and formed an original spirit body.
In his original spirit body state, he thrust the blood-red Three-Foot Sword.
Although not enough death had been accumulated, thanks to it changing from an awakening skill to a skill, he could forcibly activate "One-Swing Sweep, Blood-Dyed Mountains and Rivers" by reducing its power.
Kwa-gwagwagwagwagwa!
A blood dragon erupted right in front of Kang Min.
No matter how much faster Kang Min was than him, he couldn't have avoided this.
That would have been the case if he hadn't instinctively sensed the crisis and pulled back in advance.
Tatat!
Kang Min, who had suddenly appeared in another place, let out a sigh of relief as he looked at the blood dragon that had swept through where he had just been.
…It would have been dangerous if I got hit.
“He Who Seeks Death Shall Live, He Who Seeks Life Shall Die.”
Park Seong-cheol, whose attack had failed, revived his pierced heart with the effect of “He Who Seeks Death Shall Live, He Who Seeks Life Shall Die”, and returned his original spirit body to his physical body.
“That's a shame. I was trying to end it in one blow.”
“You dream big. I don't know how you raised your status, but from the looks of it, the duration isn't very long.”
Although he feigned composure, Park Seong-cheol also had a bitter taste in his mouth that this attack had missed.
The death accumulated in the Three-Foot Sword had all disappeared, making it difficult to use ”One-Swing Sweep, Blood-Dyed Mountains and Rivers” again in this battle.
And the revival chance of “He Who Seeks Death Shall Live, He Who Seeks Life Shall Die”, which applied only once per battle, had also been consumed.
‘Still, it's not like I've lost my chance of winning yet.’
《Light of Regeneration》.
Hwaaaak-!
From the rear, Yoo Se-hee's shadow unfolded the newly unlocked 4th awakening skill.
The fourth effect following Life Extension, Purification, and Healing.
A light that regenerated not only lost body parts but also consumed stamina and starlight filled the cavern of the Midpoint.
As the light grew stronger, the range of the shadow narrowed, making it difficult to create Shadow Clones here and there and switch positions as before.
But conversely, there was more leeway to use awakening skills.
Considering that he already had the buff of “Three-Foot Stream, Mountains and Rivers of the Same Color”, it would be possible to spam awakening skills.
The environment was perfect for Lee Han-seong, who had the most awakening skills in this place, to be active.
‘Yu-seong’s 4th awakening skill is Toxin Immunity, so it's not particularly helpful in this battle, but since his stamina will be insufficient just by maintaining the Shadow Clone, this might be better.’
As Yoo Se-hee's clone, which was unfolding the Light of Regeneration, was being maintained by Jin Yu-seong, he was also doing his part.
Of course, if one were to consider the cause-and-effect relationship, the fact that they could use their upper-level awakening skills so early was thanks to Lee Han-seong's Transcendence, so he was also doing his part.
But I had no intention of doing just my part.
《Eight Gates Dun Jia》.
“Eight Luminaries' Silent Extinction.”
Paaaaat!
The rank that had already reached 4-star through the 2-stage transcendence soared to 5-star through Eight Luminaries' Silent Extinction.
However, this time, unlike during the History Alteration, my life was not in danger.
Pheidippides, who had reached 4-star, was already in a state of having reached 6-star due to the effect of Consecutive Transcendence.
Wooooong!
The violent torrent of starlight that I couldn't control was perfectly controlled by the rank of 6-star.
The Eight Gates Dun Jia, which had changed to a normal awakening skill, could control the starlight by overpowering it with sheer class, even with a lack of understanding.
And the clear difference between 5-star and 4-star was the creation of a treasured weapon.
Woooooong!!
The unique weapon, Demonic Sword of Gluttony, and the 1st awakening skill, Transcendence, resonated.
The Demonic Sword of Gluttony was transforming into a treasured weapon for activating Transcendence.
Chwachwachwachwachwa!!
The energy that the Demonic Sword of Gluttony had swallowed was being converted into energy to maintain Transcendence.
But the usefulness of the Eight Gates Dun Jia did not end there.
[Synchronization rate with the heroic spirit increases.]
[……200%]
The synchronization rate with the heroic spirit, which had a limit of 100% even with Overmind, rose to 200%, allowing him to draw out the heroic spirit's power to a level far beyond what the original heroic spirit had reached.
This meant that a 1st awakening skill could exert the power of a 2nd awakening skill.
“Hoo.”
I sequentially activated the Destiny Awakening Skills of the heroic spirits that had changed to normal awakening skills.
Crackle!
The awakening skill of the primitive man Utanka who had lit the first fire, 《Heaven-Bestowed Thunderflame》, clad the Demonic Sword of Gluttony in lightning.
When the awakening skill of the tomb raider Lian who had robbed the tomb of an ancient emperor, 《Path of Survival Revelation》, showed the path the sword should take.
The 《Sky Severing》 of the slash-one-trick-pony swordsman Duren unfolded along that sword path, skipping space and drawing a clean diagonal line on the chest of Kang Min, who was engaged in a high-speed battle with Park Seong-cheol.
[
Chwaaaaaak!
A single strike that had been amplified to the level of a 2nd awakening skill through the Chain link, and then raised again to the level of a 3rd awakening skill!
Fwoosh!
But what was cut was not Kang Min, but a water mist in the shape of Kang Min.
The form scattered in vain, as if the fierce battle with Park Seong-cheol just moments ago had been nothing but a lie.
It was an illusion created by Giparanga's 5th awakening skill, 《Mirror Flower, Water Moon》.
Just as Jin Yu-seong's Shadow Clone had done, Giparanga, having sensed the contractor's crisis, had spirited away the real body and replaced it with an illusion of water mist, saving Kang Min.
‘As expected.’
Lee Han-seong was not discouraged by his failure to cut Kang Min.
In the first place, Path of Survival Revelation had told him that this would happen.
But he had chosen this path because it was ultimately the path to victory.
“Now! Chungmugong!”
For Chungmugong, who had been facing Giparanga, this was the chance.
“I, Your Humble Servant, Still Have Twelve Ships.”
Twelve ships summoned in a circle, as if to surround Giparanga.
Although they couldn't move since it wasn't the sea, the bombardment function was still intact.
“Fire.”
A crossfire poured down, aiming for Giparanga, by the
Fwo-fwo-fwo-fwo-BONG!!!
In the midst of the mana cannonballs, no different from Ganghwan, flying towards him.
Giparanga lowered his stance, pressing down on his traditional wide-brimmed hat.
6th awakening skill 《Life is Fleeting》.
Sssss-
As if only the time around Giparanga was slowing down, the cannonballs slowed to a near-standstill.
However, only Giparanga moved normally, gently touching the flying cannonballs one by one with his sword.
The cannonballs, which should have exploded the moment they were touched, lost their form and collapsed like melting ice cream the moment they touched the sword.
Ssssk.
‘Reality alteration!’
Even the path of victory that Path of Survival Revelation had shown was being disrupted by that awakening skill.
Still, it wasn't completely broken.
There was still a way to turn it back.
‘If they altered reality first with the blessing of the Cycle Constellation, then we just need to use the same method.’
I activated the doctor Alter's 《Law Revision》, which had modified the subspace after the Sudden Rift incident.
However, even with Law Revision, which had become the level of a 2nd awakening skill through the Eight Gates Dun Jia, it was difficult to reverse the change of the 6th awakening skill, Life is Fleeting.
So, I added the jester Rough's 《Causality Disturbance》, who had become a heroic spirit of the Wind Constellation by performing the miracle of curing an incurable disease with laughter.
On top of that, I once again unfolded Path of Survival Revelation to firmly establish the wavering path of victory.
Both the Cycle Constellation and the Wind Constellation changed the laws of reality, but their methodologies were different.
If the Cycle Constellation modified reality with legitimate authority, the Wind Constellation deceived reality through illegitimate means.
The two types of reality alteration, unfolding as yin and yang, mixed around Path of Survival Revelation and gained the minimum capacity to resist Life is Fleeting.
[
A very brief, and very tiny, pinprick of a gap was created in the domain of Giparanga's Life is Fleeting.
And Chungmugong did not miss that gap.
Swish- Thud.
A brilliantly fired Ganghwan cannonball pierced through the space of slowing and made contact with Giparanga.
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-BOOM!!
The explosion that followed.
By itself, it couldn't reverse-summon Giparanga, but it was enough of a shock to stop the activation of Life is Fleeting.
The moment Life is Fleeting was broken, the match was as good as over.
“Fire again!”
Fwo-fwo-fwo-fwo-BONG!!!
The twelve ships continuously poured out cannonballs.
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-BOOM!!!
With both his survival skill and ultimate skill gone, Giparanga had no choice but to defend by wrapping himself in Blue Wave Aura.
The bright moon, or the white clouds, the blue stream.
The aura, imbued with various images symbolizing the passage of time, spread out like waves, forming a seamless curtain.
But the collision of aura and Ganghwan only led to a bigger explosion.
Ku-gu-gu-gu-gu-gu!!!!
Giparanga defeated.
***
Meanwhile, Kim Jin-ho, who had not entered the Midpoint but had hidden in the passage, occasionally firing arrows, was the first to notice Giparanga's reverse-summoning with his Clairvoyance and immediately turned his body.
His stamina was also running low due to consecutively using Snipe in the early stages of the battle.
“Shit. I'm screwed.”
Kang Min was still engaged in a close fight where he had the upper hand against Park Seong-cheol.
But the moment the battle between the 7-star heroic spirits, an asymmetrical force, ended in their defeat, their loss was as good as confirmed.
He couldn't die here like this.
He believed a way to survive would appear if he just ran away, and headed towards the starting point along the passage he had come through.
Tatatat!
‘Still, it's a good thing I brought a return stone in preparation for a time like this.’
To use the return stone, he first had to go back to the starting point where the portal coordinates were.
Of course, even if he left the dungeon, Lee Han-seong knew that he had attacked inside the dungeon, so it would be a problem, but if he asked his brother, he would find a way somehow.
Kim Jin-ho's escape, as he desperately spun such a hopeful circuit, was naturally discovered soon.
“You attack first and then run away?”
Lee Han-seong, who had been keeping Kim Jin-ho in the corner of his eye because of the intermittently fired arrows, frowned as he noticed his escape.
“Lycan, you can take care of him, right?”
“Grrr!”
He included Lycan, who had been temporarily out of the fight to adapt to his new body after the new Swarm, into the Swarm and entrusted him with dealing with Kim Jin-ho.
It was his judgment that the current Lycan, who had received a Stigma and become a werewolf, could sufficiently handle him.