Chapter 174
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 174
Chapter Title: The Grand Muster, The Great Battle - 3
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The reason Lee Hyun-wook was late to the great battle was that it took some time to push his ‘Metal Control’ to its absolute limit.
He had been absorbing metal nonstop on his way to Dresden, while simultaneously hunting every Titan Hoplite he saw.
The result…
[Achievement List]
8) Giant Slayer (Stage 6)
- Requirement: Hunt 60 or more Titans.
- Effect: All Stats (+30%), Total Mana (+30%), Stun Immunity (+40%)
Along with this achievement, another one called <War Hero>, which had a ‘stacking’ effect, was also triggered, causing his Metal Control to rise sharply. And just before arriving in Dresden, he succeeded in reaching 100 tons of Metal Control.
Immediately after, he launched a ‘War Box’ into low-earth orbit and loaded the 100-ton ‘Moglea No. 1’ inside.
‘Good, with this much… I can even shatter the infamous Deus Phalanx.’
The Deus Phalanx, a battle formation of about a hundred Titan Hoplites gathered under the command of a Named Titan, was passively enveloped in a magical barrier that was nearly impossible to breach.
And at regular intervals, it would unleash a wide-area skill called ‘Giant’s Advance’—a powerful earthquake used to demolish obstacles that were difficult for the Deus Phalanx to traverse.
‘Like, say, a city center…’
In other words, Dresden was fated to be wiped off the map.
However, Lee Hyun-wook had twisted that fate.
‘I will plunge a 100-ton greatsword down upon them.’
He had already run the simulation in his head several times, and the result was a conclusive success.
‘One shot is all I need.’
His left hand dropped, like a starting signal.
From the distant sky, a single straight line descended, bisecting the world as it streaked toward the ground.
The 100-ton greatsword, fully charged with gravitational acceleration, slammed into a single point.
As if a heavy object had been dropped on the surface of water, the ground in that area liquefied and shot into the air.
It was a sight like a mountain range being born…
Kwwwwwaaaaaaah—!
And everything on it—the Titans—were flung into the air, a scene briefly visible through Hugin’s eyes.
Faced with a destructive force that could obliterate an entire region, even those giants were nothing more than small leaves caught in a typhoon.
“N-No way…”
Woooooong—
Then, a strange sound, a feeling difficult to describe, filled the world. A mixture of all kinds of explosions, impacts, and vibrations had overwhelmed the limits of auditory perception.
And here, on the northern edge of Dresden’s city center where the Players were gathered, despite being about six to seven kilometers from the point of impact, they were not entirely outside the disaster’s reach.
R-r-r-r-rumble—!
“Ugh— The aftershock is coming!”
“Dammit, everyone brace for impact!”
A bizarre phenomenon—a mix of shockwaves, sandstorms, waves of earth, and all sorts of other dangers—was tearing across the plains, heading straight for them.
And above it, boulders of indiscernible size were being thrown into the air… once they reached a certain height, they began to rain down like a meteor shower.
Right this way.
Whoooosh—
“—Dammit, all mages, deploy magic barriers!”
Finally, Brian Till gave the order, and the mage unit, which had been on standby, stepped forward and cast a large-scale magic barrier.
Wooooo—
A multi-layered dome of white energy formed above their heads, blocking the aftershock.
Thud—Thud—Thud—Thud—Thud—!
It was only because they were several kilometers away that they were able to block it, and just barely at that.
“W-What in the world did he just drop?”
“Is that… really the power of a single person?”
Voices mixed with awe and fear emerged from all over. Everyone wore a dazed expression.
“…He dropped Moglea from low-earth orbit.”
The one who said this was Brian Till.
As a top-tier ‘Analyst’ Player, he could record the image of any item he had seen once with a skill called ‘Database’.
That was why, even though he couldn't visually confirm the identity of the object that had plummeted from the sky, he was able to ‘recognize’ it through a skill.
“—What? Are you talking about that ridiculously huge greatsword?”
The one asking was the Ruler of the Sandcastle, Conor O’Neil.
He was glaring at Lee Hyun-wook’s back with a look full of undisguised hatred.
“Hmm, are you sure you saw that right? As I recall, it wasn’t nearly that strong…”
In truth, Brian Till didn't understand it either.
‘…Yes, from what I know, not even Moglea, no matter how high it’s dropped from, should be able to generate that much destructive power.’
All of them knew very well the extent of the item named ‘Moglea’s’ destructive power.
Having considered Steelrain a rival and kept him in check until now, they had analyzed his full strength as much as possible.
And above all, the scene where Moglea had been dropped on the Orc settlement in Shanghai was so famous that there was hardly anyone who hadn't seen it.
But even then, it hadn't possessed this level of power.
‘Back then… it barely broke the black dome created by the Black Orc shamans and only dealt damage within a certain radius.’
But this time, it had literally erased an area hundreds of times larger from the map…
‘How is that possible? No matter how much it’s enhanced, how could it improve by such a large margin… or is it something else…’
Suddenly, Brian Till turned his head to look at Lee Hyun-wook, who was walking forward.
Even after committing the terrifying act of annihilating an entire region, he was advancing alone, completely unfazed.
That relaxed demeanor, so obvious at a glance…
Come to think of it, that man had never once shown an anxious expression. Having watched almost every video related to him, Brian Till knew this for a fact.
‘It’s as if he’s always seeing one step ahead… and as if he always has an insurance policy for any contingency…’
Only then did Brian Till realize.
‘Ah—so he was hiding his true strength from the very beginning?’
Their Omega Team was also a team formed by gathering the hidden trump cards of the major EPU guild masters.
‘To think that we were the only ones using such deception… was, in itself, being deceived.’
For some reason, he felt a sense of bewilderment.
‘What have I been doing all this time? Ha, I must look like a complete fool…’
He felt a sense of shame and ran his hands over his face.
As Europe’s top Analyst Player, and as an established Player… to be honest, he had a desire to keep the newly rising Steelrain in check. In other words, he had unknowingly harbored envy and jealousy toward him.
That was why when several major guild masters contacted him, praising his analytical skills and asking him to lead the <Omega Team> project, he hesitated for a moment before accepting the offer.
And when the Omega Team played a major role in <Titanomachia>, he got caught up in the atmosphere and didn't hesitate to provoke Steelrain.
Of course, it wasn't to the extent of Alexander Chekhov, but he too had appeared on broadcasts and mentioned Steelrain's name several times.
He had done so because he was confident he could win, and that confidence was based on his own thorough analysis.
‘But to think he was hiding this much power… it was an unwinnable game from the start, regardless of strategy, wasn't it?’
Somehow, he felt like an idiot.
***
The whole world was watching that scene.
And the American broadcast program with the highest viewership in the world today, <Kill the Monster>, was also broadcasting this scene live.
- Ah… Mr. Tyrone, how should we interpret this scene? D-Does this even make sense?
The screen of <Kill the Monster> was currently focused on Lee Hyun-wook as he walked toward the plain that had been crushed by ‘Gaia’s Foot’.
- Uh, well…
But just then—
- Oh! Wait a moment! Steelrain is under attack!
His opponent was none other than the Titan’s great warrior, the Titan Mage who had just trampled Alexander Chekhov.
The creature had been staring blankly at the spot where its comrades had vanished, but upon spotting Lee Hyun-wook approaching, it immediately used a binding skill called ‘Tartarus Prisoner’s Rage’ on him.
Ch-ch-ch-ch-chain—
Purple chains shot up from the ground, ensnaring Lee Hyun-wook’s legs.
- Gasp— If you get caught by that, not even Alexander Chekhov, who was said to possess the greatest strength in history, could escape, could he?
- Yes! It seems to be a virtually absolute binding skill! And it’s immediately followed by a wide-area skill named ‘Gaia’s Foot’ to deliver an unavoidable blow. A truly vicious attack mechanism!
The traces of that attack were imprinted on the plain, and the spot where Lee Hyun-wook stood was right around the big toe of that giant footprint.
Alexander Chekhov, who had taken a direct hit, seemed to have been driven deep into the ground.
He might still be breathing, but the fact that he hadn't emerged yet suggested he was too battered to move on his own.
- A-At this rate, Steelrain will be stomped too!
However, in such a critical situation, Lee Hyun-wook showed no intention of dodging.
He just stood tall in his spot, merely lifting his left hand slightly.
- Uh…
And in the next moment, a gust of wind blew past, and then…
Thwack—
Suddenly, wasn’t the greatsword, Moglea, in Lee Hyun-wook’s hand?
- Huh?
- Uh…
It seemed to have flown from the distant crash site… and the Titan Mage standing in Moglea’s path…
Crack—
With that sound, it split into two and collapsed.
At that scene, the world could only be shocked once more.
No matter how astounding the destructive power Steelrain had just shown, to dispatch an opponent that Alexander Chekhov had been helpless against in a single blow…
It was perhaps to be expected, but… it was a scene that repeatedly confirmed to the entire world that his power had reached a level that was simply untouchable.
At this, the regular panelist of <Kill the Monster>, America’s 5th-ranked Player, Tyrone Thompson, opened his mouth.
- …I understand now.
- Yes?
- You asked me earlier, didn’t you? How to interpret this situation.
- Ah, yes!
He paused for a moment, then spoke in a solemn voice.
- Steelrain is now demonstrating his overwhelming power… his dominance.
- Ah, overwhelming power… I suppose at this point, he does seem more dominant than anyone else.
- Yes, it’s clear now. He is…
He swallowed dryly before speaking again.
- …To be honest, he is the world’s strongest.
- …
- And I believe he has presented this perfect single strike to the world with the intention of avoiding unnecessary squabbles from now on.
Just then, a broadcast magic drone from <Kill the Monster> zoomed in on Steelrain, as he turned his head to look at the Players in Dresden and said something.
“—Brian Till, are you going to miss this opportunity?”
At those words, Brian Till snapped to his senses, turned his head, and said something to his team members.
Then, the hundreds of Player troops, including the waiting Omega Team, began to advance all at once.
At their head, of course, stood Steelrain.
- For the Omega Team, this situation must be quite awkward, wouldn't you say?
- That’s right. Having maintained a competitive rivalry with Steelrain until now, the picture of them putting a spoon on the table he set for them can’t be satisfying.
- Looking at the live chat right now, uh… the criticism is quite fierce.
- Hmm, I don’t think it’s right to criticize the Omega Team. They did their best. But… Steelrain just possesses overwhelming power.
And so, the world properly witnessed Steelrain’s true form.
***
The great battle, the bloody clash between two factions anticipated from its grand title, never happened.
A single attack falling from the sky had dealt near-annihilating damage to one side.
And right after dropping Moglea, Lee Hyun-wook also dropped ‘Balmung’.
‘That way, even if they survived Moglea’s strike, they would fall under a curse and lose the will to fight.’
Thus, what the Players who advanced toward the giant crater created by Lee Hyun-wook encountered were battered Titans; half were already dead, and the other half were half-dead.
Still, the Level 171 boss monster, a Named Titan called ‘Crius’, had survived and resisted for quite some time, but it eventually fell with Lee Hyun-wook’s Moglea piercing its heart.
Thus, Lee Hyun-wook acquired the ‘Victory Flag’, and all Players who participated in the war event received a massive temporary buff of All Stats (+10%).
However, the <War Quest> displayed a system message of ‘1st Stage Complete’, and the reward distribution was deferred.
This meant that Titanomachia was not yet over.
- Alexander Chekhov Regains Consciousness… Able to Return to the Front Lines Thanks to Healing Magic from A-Rank Priests
- Omega Team, Who Had Been Provoking Steelrain for Days, Makes No Official Announcement After the Battle of Dresden
- In the End, It’s Steelrain! He Leaves a Crater in Dresden, Firmly Establishing His Position to the World!
That night, Lee Hyun-wook’s party decided to stay for a day at the allied Player camp set up in Dresden.
“But it’s really petty, you know? Even if we’re competitors, we’re still allies… and after such a huge victory… wow, for them to act like it’s a funeral is just too much, isn’t it?”
Kim Se-hee said, glancing out the window.
Since most of the troops stationed here belonged to the Omega Team, the atmosphere was far from celebratory; in fact, a sense of gloom was palpable.
“Well, <Titanomachia> isn’t over yet, so it’s too early for a festival atmosphere.”
Kim Se-hee snorted at Lee Hyun-wook’s reply.
“Oh, please, don’t give them that much credit. Don’t you remember them standing in front of the cameras just this morning, grinning while they tore you to shreds?”
“Ah, well…”
In any case, <Titanomachia> was not over, and what was about to begin was not a great battle, but the third act, a great war…
‘Now, Named Titans that everyone has heard of, like Cronus and Atlas, will all gather and rise.’
They were beings far stronger than the Crius they had faced today.
‘But for things to go smoothly, Lee Seong-yoon and the other Guardian members need to show up soon…’
The gravity mage Lee Seong-yoon and his party, who had worked harder than anyone to stop <Titanomachia>, were nowhere to be seen.
The reason was that they were still undertaking a certain ‘hidden quest’ to prevent this disaster.
‘By now, they should be clearing the Tartarus Labyrinth.’
Through it, they would acquire the Titanomachia-exclusive special weapon, <Power of the Hecatoncheires>, modeled after the divine beings who played a decisive role in defeating the Titans in Greek mythology.
‘But this time, the Dark Elf legion and the Black Orc King will join the fray… so I can’t be certain of victory with the Power of the Hecatoncheires alone.’
Lee Hyun-wook planned to return to Rome at the right time to strike the Dark Elf kingdom’s empty home, and the Second Prince was currently on standby in Rome.
‘…If I can shake them up from both inside and out, I should be able to win the final war easily.’
***
Night soon fell on the Player camp in Dresden.
With Titan Hoplites still being frequently spotted throughout Europe, a considerable number of guards were deployed.
In addition, EPU forces were spread out in a radius of several kilometers, and all sorts of reconnaissance drones dotted the sky, so it was unlikely that humanity’s last hope would be caught in a surprise attack in the middle of the night.
But Hyun-wook couldn't fall asleep easily. No, he had no intention of closing his eyes in the first place.
Because he knew better than anyone that his sworn enemies were hiding among the seemingly countless allied Players.
He placed ‘Hugin’ by the window, launched a few ‘Flyeyes’, and activated cloaking mode to scout the surroundings.
In the process, he once again discovered an incongruous presence.
- Dark Elf Shadow Hunter (LV: 89)
‘…As expected, Dark Elves have infiltrated here too.’
No matter how good their disguise was, it made no sense for them to have infiltrated an elite unit like this, where background checks should have been flawless.
This meant they were receiving protection from someone on the human side.
‘That would be the Villains, no doubt…’
Lee Hyun-wook moved Hugin to land on the roof of the building the figures had entered.
He tried to listen to their conversation, but strangely, not even the faintest sound could be detected.
‘…The fact that I can’t even hear footsteps or breathing means they’ve cast a Silence spell on that building.’
This left him no choice but to go and check in person.
Lee Hyun-wook took out the ‘Kynee’.
Its outrageous option of maintaining invisibility for a full 15 minutes would allow for stealthier espionage than any assassin-class Player could manage.
He put on the helm and melted into the darkness.
Then he carefully infiltrated the building in question.
‘Even with the Kynee, I can’t hide my presence completely, so I have to be careful.’
Still, Lee Hyun-wook could move while floating in the air, allowing him to minimize his presence by not touching anything.
Finally, someone’s voice began to reach his ears; he had entered the area of the Silence spell.
Lee Hyun-wook held his breath and used Hugin’s sensory enhancement to maximize his hearing.
Then, he heard a woman’s voice.
“…In 30 minutes from now, Steelrain’s quarters will explode. A ‘Hellfire’ will rain down and flames will rage, so even he won’t be able to survive.”