◈ Chapter 263. I Don’t Believe in Coincidences (1)
Gwicheol changes its form depending on who its opponent is. “It is impressive, but……” That was thanks to the countless escape routes I had dug for survival.
An ability that allowed one to seize the advantage in most situations.
You could say it was similar to mine.
In my eyes, it was simply.
Nothing other than a clone that looked exactly like me.
But everything depended on how it was packaged. [Transcendent: Your transcendent realm is sufficient for you to be called a Transcendent.
- Current achievements reached: Circle (all magic manifestation power increased by 1,000%) / Sword Path of Pride (currently liberated path: First Path) / None / None…….]
Thanks to that, it had even been given the grandiose name “Sword Path of Pride.”
The problem was, as expected, how gaudy the wrapping was.
The prototypes that guarded Raymon Sean’s hideout.
The first form of Gwicheol, which had sliced through them as if cutting tofu. [Sword that Cuts Illusions: Illusion Breaker] “I truly cannot hold my head up, can I.” Why, when heard separately.
They might still sound somewhat plausible.
But that isn’t the situation right now!
Starting with the Black Dark Dragon, then Tempest, and to top it all off, Illusion Breaker……. When you gather them all together like this. Good grief, they are names that would make anyone tilt their head.
And in that situation, they asked for Gwicheol’s name.
It was an extremely awkward situation.
Yet Gwicheol opened its mouth in my stead.
-A name? Do not try to confine me with something as paltry as a single name. ……
Truly, that answer is just like you, Gwicheol.
But well done.
Rather than uttering that bizarre name, it is better not to tell them at all.
There is a reason people say that if you stay still, you’ll at least make it halfway.
And above all.
Crrrrunch—
The byproduct of primordial evil.
I couldn’t allow that thing to keep writhing forever.
Just as the message had said it would alter the field.
The flesh of the byproduct gradually began to cover the area.
I opened my mouth.
“Repulsive.”
An appearance that would make most people shrink back from merely witnessing it.
But there was no way I would be intimidated.
Without even twitching an eyebrow, I continued my venomous words.
“Both outwardly and inwardly, you are every bit a demon.”
Well, it was certainly a sight my aesthetic sense could not tolerate.
So there was no hesitation.
Tempest and Argentress.
Now that I had confirmed that their attacks could not land an effective blow.
First, let us test it.
As I had guessed.
Whether my attack would work!
Gwicheol’s blade was dyed black, and silver qi surged and flowed from it.
So lightly that it did not even make a sound.
I cleaved the air with Gwicheol.
Splurt!
Then blood spurted from the byproduct’s flesh.
Whether it was the byproduct of primordial evil or mere dregs, a demon was still a demon. [Natural Enemy Relationship]
It could not escape that.
And on top of that, [Blessing of the First World Tree]
was added.
This time, I raised my sword and slashed, observing the reaction.
Puuuk!
The flesh in the same area was gouged out even deeper.
From the deeply exposed flesh, I could be certain.
That strike just now had unquestionably been a critical hit.
Indeed, that was the answer. [A critical hit occurs against the demon, “Byproduct of Primordial Evil.”]
Gwicheol spoke coldly.
-Did you think you could block my master’s sword aura with mere lumps of flesh? ……
You are overflowing with confidence, Gwicheol.
I had not even activated the “Sword Path of Pride.”
I had merely swung Gwicheol lightly, twice.
If one compared objective destructive power……. Tempest’s fierce charge or Argentress’s magic arrows would undoubtedly have surpassed it in sheer power.
Which meant. “There is a reason for this, circumstances behind it.” It was purely thanks to buffs.
Gwicheol, with you stepping forward to gild my face like this.
At this rate, I won’t be able to walk around the continent with my head held high.
However, this made it certain.
Primordial evil.
As an evil that originated from the World Tree.
Only I, who possessed the [Blessing of the First World Tree]
that originated from the World Tree.
Could defeat it.
As expected, a message appeared. [The Blessing of the First World Tree rejects the “regeneration” of the Byproduct of Primordial Evil.]
Argentress seemed to have noticed as well.
“Indeed, your words were correct.”
“Did you witness it as well?”
“Yes.”
The system.
And even Argentress had officially confirmed the situation.
At this point, I couldn’t help but start worrying all over again. “Can you do this, Hoyeol……?” My past deeds flashed through my mind like a revolving lantern.
Our esteemed Grandfell would never acknowledge it, but.
I, Lee Hoyeol, whose specialty was knowing my place, knew.
That if I had been alone, I could never have made it this far.
Why, you could tell just by looking at the allies I had recruited through shamelessness and pride, couldn’t you?
Not only the prominent forces of the Arcana Continent.
But also the top guilds, excluding Unification.
Every single ranker player was participating in the Holy War Alliance. “I received a lot of help, knowingly and unknowingly.” In that sense…….
An enemy that only I could defeat.
An enemy that I had to defeat alone.
Would I possibly feel pleased to stand before such a thing?
Just look at me. I still couldn’t even slip an arm into a level 700 jacket.
Even now, all I could do was drape it over my shoulders like this.
However.
“So you hid such an arrangement inside this cumbersome blessing.”
I was before none other than a demon.
There was no way I, no, Grandfell, would acknowledge insufficiency.
I looked at Argentress.
“It seems you are not the only ones with whom conversation is needed.”
“……!”
Argentress’s pupils widened.
My statement just now meant that the World Tree’s arrangement was wrong.
It might sound blasphemous, but that was as sincere as could be.
You really got it wrong, terribly wrong, World Tree……! “How could you dump such a heavy mission on me!” With great power comes great responsibility.
There had never been a moment when those words struck me this deeply.
But the World Tree no longer existed in this world.
“However, as the circumstances are unfavorable, I shall omit the conversation.”
“……?”
“Instead, watch.”
That was the end of venting my lingering resentment toward the World Tree.
My loose tongue ended there as well.
Primordial evil that only I could defeat.
Now that this fact had been revealed.
I firmly shut my mouth.
Silence.
It meant I would no longer exchange words with prey.
What I had realized while hunting countless demons until now.
Was that there was no battle more efficient against demons.
Than the battle of a demon hunter.
At last, I understood the meaning of those grinding quests.
“Tempest.”
“Woo?”
“Watch carefully.”
“Awooo!”
Demon hunter.
The class skills were extremely simple.
Excluding the unique skills I had acquired after awakening as a player.
The list of skills in my skill window was……. 《Skill》 Natural Enemy Relationship Exorcism Ritual Silver Mastery (Master)
Shooting Mastery (Master)
Simultaneous Shooting (Master)
Only five in total.
That was the ordinary demon hunter’s skill list.
From the first time I saw it until not long ago.
No matter how many times I looked, that skill window could only make me laugh hollowly.
Just by looking at it.
Even when compared to other classes.
It was far too simple.
It probably had fewer combat skills than even non-combat classes, didn’t it?
But that very simplicity was the spirit of the demon hunter.
“Only a demon.”
That was right.
To a demon hunter.
Demon hunting was nothing grand.
“There is no need to be shaken by mere prey.”
That was right.
To a demon hunter, demon hunting.
Was an everyday act that one did not shirk.
What was needed was not some grand hunting technique.
What was needed was the stamina to continue hunting demons.
And in the process of training that stamina.
Only a mental fortitude that grew even firmer.
There was nothing more important than that in demon hunting.
As expected, someone would surely say.
Wasn’t I merely spouting smooth words again this time?
If so, as always, I would show them.
I would bring it to reality.
I advanced into the byproduct’s domain, the field covered in flesh.
Did that mean the field’s transformation had already ended?
Messages appeared. [The Blessing of the First World Tree rejects “bleeding.”] [The Blessing of the First World Tree rejects “burn.”] [The Blessing of the First World Tree rejects “infection.”] …….
One step.
Merely entering the domain.
Caused troublesome status ailments to appear endlessly.
Among them, the highest-tier status ailment, “fear,” must surely exist as well.
However, no message appeared saying that fear had been rejected.
The reason was simple.
Click—
Even without something like the Blessing of the First World Tree.
I, Grandfell.
Had no reason to tremble in fear before a demon.
Swoosh—
In that sense, it would be different from before.
The probing battle had ended a while ago.
I raised the black-stained Gwicheol upright.
-Master, what shall I cut today?
It could have sounded rather cool.
But with a naming sense that resembled Grandfell’s, what name would it shout?
I fear you more than the demon, Gwicheol…….
However, it was still too early.
“A byproduct.”
-A byproduct, you say……?
“It means dregs that are not even worth assigning meaning to.”
Complicated and lofty pride.
If I were to translate Grandfell-speak.
It meant that since this was not even the true primordial evil.
But merely its byproduct.
There was no reason to give Gwicheol a grandiose name while facing it.
As ever, what a noble reason.
However, this was different from before.
This time, it was not baseless confidence.
Griip—
Whether it was because of noble pride.
Or because of the basic fundamentals of Akshan.
Whatever it was.
I had never skipped training in any situation.
And training to my limits every single day, at that.
The system had not ignored my “Tenacity.” [Tenacity: Converts mental fortitude into stats. Each time Tenacity rises, the converted stats additionally increase.]
The effect of Tenacity was proportional to my mental fortitude.
If it was a mental fortitude that did not break under any trial.
Then even by the system’s standards, it could only be highly evaluated.
In that sense.
The field covered in flesh was like a halo to me. [Blessing of the First World Tree]
rejected most status ailments.
And Grandfell’s pride scorned fear.
At this moment, my appearance. [Tenacity is converted into Strength.] [Tenacity is converted into Agility.] [Stats additionally rise due to unbreakable Tenacity.]
Would be more than enough to deceive even the system. [Tenacity: 5]
Five points were converted respectively into Strength and Agility.
The muscles throughout my body twitched.
To someone else, it might be nothing but numbers.
But for me, I felt like I needed to see it with my own eyes to truly grasp it.
I glanced at my status window. [Strength: 462] [Agility: 358]
It would last only for this moment.
But my stats had risen by a total of about 500 points.
At this level, they were not inferior even when compared to most combat-type ranker players. And it did not end there. There was also [Natural Enemy Relationship], which multiplied my combat power severalfold before demons.
Swoosh—
The sword strike I swung was simple.
Unlike usual, it was not flashy.
As I said, it was not even worth that.
But that alone was enough.
Slice—
Flesh was severed.
At that moment, the expanding radius of the flesh faltered for the first time.
I murmured in an icy voice.
“Primordial evil, is it.”
These were not words meant for mere byproducts.
If it was something on the level of primordial evil, it had to be watching me somehow, didn’t it?
Whether through the flesh or through the Magic Eye in the sky.
So, main body, primordial evil, I am speaking to you.
“What an unnecessarily grand modifier.”
It was neither provocation nor deception, but sincerity.
“Do not try so hard to deny it.”
That was right.
Just as light burns away darkness.
And good overcomes evil.
“The natural enemy relationship engraved upon you from birth.”
Primordial evil or whatever else.
As long as you were born a demon.
No matter what tricks you used.
You could not escape your natural enemy relationship with a demon hunter.
Flutter—
This time, I swung Gwicheol with enough force that my jacket flapped.
This was not some thrilling battle.
Nor was it luck born from coincidence piled upon coincidence.
This was precisely.
The mechanical, simple, and efficient demon hunting of a demon hunter.
I murmured toward the byproduct split in half.
“Akshan.” [“Fear” occurs in the demon, Byproduct of Primordial Evil.]
Flinch!...
Up to that point, it had been worthy of a demon hunter.
It truly had been a plausible scene. ……
Yes, until Diend popped out of thin air.
“Diend Crisiad Eternal Darkness.”
How could a single name.
“Diend is infinitely deep darkness. At the same time, a single ray of light. At the same time…….”
With only a few words.
Change the atmosphere this dramatically?
Could the weight of Akshan I had painstakingly captured scatter like this? “If only it hadn’t been for that damned Darkness…….” Damn my fate. ……
So what is your business, Diend?
Please tell me as quickly as possible before Argentress hears.
“Dredsen. And the Savior of the Empire. At the same time, the Black Dark Dragon. At the same time…….”
Please, stop reciting those damned epithets already!