Chapter 213
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 213
Chapter Title: Decisive Battle - 5
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The Demon King was looking down at the battlefield through the massive eye on his castle.
The enormous pupil repeatedly contracted and expanded, scanning every inch of downtown Seoul.
The undead army was spreading out in all directions, attacking multiple shelters simultaneously.
But in many areas, the undead had already been reduced to piles of ash.
Before long, the Demon King’s gaze settled on a single Player.
“Inferno…”
The flames spreading from her body were painting one side of Seoul red, turning the undead army to cinders.
*FWOOSH—!*
With every single swing of her greatsword, dozens… sometimes hundreds, were eliminated.
If he could move the Demon King’s Castle itself and fire a beam at Inferno, everything would be solved. But during the ‘Soul Harvest’—the process of absorbing human life force to strengthen his own power—all functions of the castle were temporarily suspended.
“…I need to revise the plan.”
Continuing this war of attrition was by no means a good idea.
But it wasn't a situation he could simply back out of.
“I must properly destroy Seoul to crumble his foundation. But I’ve only just reached 10,000… I’ve only fulfilled the first stage of the Soul Harvest. Accumulating more of this powerful energy will take much more time.”
A system message, just like the one Players saw, was still being displayed before his eyes.
- 134 remaining until completion of Soul Harvest (Stage 1).
Completing Stage 1 of the Soul Harvest required killing 10,000 people and drawing their souls to the Demon King’s Castle… and with 134 remaining, it meant he had killed 9,866 humans so far.
While that number was by no means small, it was a pathetic figure considering the overwhelming size of the undead army he had unleashed.
At this, the Necromancer stepped forward.
He spoke cautiously.
“…Give me Chronos and Atlas.”
Chronos, Atlas.
Those were the names of the Titan race’s boss monsters. They too were vassals of the Demon King, currently on standby within the castle.
At levels 256 and 241 respectively, they were the greatest force the Demon King possessed.
But for the Necromancer to ask for them meant he had no intention of using them as they were.
He was saying he only needed their ‘corpses.’
“Hm, and what do you plan to do with them?”
“I’m going to make a Brimstone Patchwork Golem. A huge one. With their corpses, it won’t burn, even in Inferno’s flames.”
“…I see.”
The Brimstone Patchwork Golem.
It was a powerful skill the Necromancer had obtained after defeating Inferno, eating her heart, and absorbing the ‘Devil’s Stone (Inferno)’.
A corpse golem created by consuming a vast amount of mana and the bodies of boss monsters.
It was an undead weapon that would not burn in any ordinary fire.
“Yes, with that… you should be able to pierce through those fierce flames and deal with Inferno. Fine, take them and use them. But kill Inferno as quickly as possible and proceed with the plan. Before Steel Rain arrives.”
“Yes! I’ll do my very best not to disappoint you!”
The Necromancer, who had just shed his boyishness but still seemed innocently cheerful, ran off with a bright smile.
***
Inferno advanced.
Her name was Han Ju-hwa.
She was once one of the most powerful Players in the world.
But after a certain incident, she went into a state of seclusion that was close to disappearing entirely.
People questioned her sudden absence, and all sorts of rumors began to circulate.
That she fell in love with a civilian man who told her to stop fighting, that she got pregnant.
It was usually that kind of gossip.
She didn't want to be forgotten by the world, nor did she intend to turn her back on it.
She knew well that this precarious world needed her power.
How could she not know that even the most difficult battlefields, where countless Players died, could be easily resolved by her arrival, and that she could save so many lives?
She was a ‘Guardian.’ A member of a secret society dedicated to protecting this world-turned-game in any way they could.
So, at times, she steeled her heart and tried to step forward, but strangely, she couldn't.
A certain terrible memory kept welling up, holding her back.
A person she couldn't protect because her power was just slightly lacking… The moment she saw the life slowly fade from that person's eyes came to mind.
The Prophet.
‘…Ando Suzu.’
Around the time Han Ju-hwa had just awakened, she met Ando Suzu in the same guild.
Back then, they were both S-rank Players, rising stars. The two naturally became close friends and, later, as they carried out Guardian quests together, they spent a whole eleven years together, right up until they became heroes who could sway the world.
But at some point, the shadows targeting Ando Suzu for her special ability of prophecy began to grow… it was the emergence of the ‘Villains.’
The Guardians prioritized Ando Suzu’s protection above all else. And Han Ju-hwa appointed herself as Ando Suzu’s guardian. Since she was the closest to her and spent the most time with her, she believed there was no shield more perfect than herself.
And indeed, the shadows of the Villains were exposed one by one by her intense light, unable to even dare approach.
But one day… it must have been during the annual event for the world’s Players in Washington D.C.
An event hosted by Gordon Price, a magnate and a member of the Guardians.
Security was tighter than ever, and with countless guards deployed, they thought there would be no problem.
They were complacent.
As the event was drawing to a close, a sudden explosion was followed by the appearance of assassins who launched a coordinated attack on Ando Suzu…
In that moment, while everyone else was panicking and scrambling to save themselves, Han Ju-hwa reacted swiftly. She raised a pillar of fire, pushing back the weapons and skills flying in from all directions.
‘…I could have saved her.’
But whether the Villains’ level had risen, a few attacks managed to pierce her pillar of fire and… embed themselves in Ando Suzu’s chest.
Right in the heart.
And so, the Prophet died.
‘…It’s my fault. If only I had been a little stronger.’
That’s what Han Ju-hwa thought. If only her abilities had been a little stronger. If they had been in Busan… it would have been different.
That thought dominated her mind for a long time.
After that, just the thought of leaving Busan made her short of breath and weak, symptoms of a panic disorder.
Inferno, the number three ranked Player in South Korea, with a panic disorder. Wasn’t that a ridiculous story?
“Villains. This is your doing…”
She gritted her teeth and pushed forward.
Soon, she could see the Demon King’s Castle in the distance.
The source of all this was right there.
The being that killed the Prophet and was consuming the world.
A Villain… no, something more than that had come to Seoul.
It was Lee Hyun-wook who had told her this.
He had sent her a short message along with a number of items.
He said he had cornered the leader of the Villains who killed the Prophet, and that the leader would soon pay for his crimes. And that his name was the Demon King.
Right now, she planned to shoot down that castle.
‘I’m not lacking anymore.’
The power she possessed was stronger than ever.
As proof, she had been effortlessly fending off the Demon King’s offensive until now.
But just then—
*THOOOM—!*
Something enormous fell from the Demon King’s Castle.
“…Huh?”
It was about 50 meters tall.
A form larger than a building slowly rose to its feet.
But its appearance was utterly bizarre.
*Grrrrr—*
At a glance, it looked like a Titan, but twisted, one might say. It had three heads and six arms.
Entrails, bones, and flesh were twisted together, covering its entire body like armor.
And it gripped a club made from a giant’s shinbone.
The Brimstone Patchwork Golem. The worst kind of undead weapon, haphazardly stitched together from numerous corpses.
And…
*Fwoosh—!*
Green flames began to burn from its body.
Han Ju-hwa scoffed.
“Fire? You dare show off fire in front of me?”
She pointed one of her Laevateinn swords forward with an annoyed look.
A flame shot from the tip of the sword, spiraling toward the patchwork golem.
*KWA-GWA-GWA-GWA—!*
Even a giant over 50 meters tall couldn't withstand her attack.
If she put her mind to it, she could demolish a building in a single blow.
And a biological monster like that was even easier prey.
‘It’s just a big pile of soon-to-be ashes.’
She was confident she could turn it to ash in an instant.
However…
*Fwooo…*
Even after the flames she had unleashed died down…
*Grrrrr…*
It was perfectly fine.
Far from being turned to ash, its skin hadn't even melted.
All that had happened was that it had been pushed back a few dozen meters.
“…Huh?”
She was bewildered.
“…It didn’t work?”
That couldn't be right.
No matter its fire attribute, there were levels to fire. Inferno’s flames were strong enough to roast even most fire-attribute monsters whole.
But this thing was different.
‘Does it mean its fire is on the same level as mine?’
If so, it meant she couldn't defeat it with fire.
And if fire didn't work…
‘…What am I supposed to do?’
There was practically nothing else she could do.
In that moment, the creature kicked off the ground and began to charge.
*Thud— Thud—*
Its movements were sluggish due to its massive size, but it crossed a block in a single step. It closed the distance in an instant.
Han Ju-hwa shot another pillar of fire at it.
But the creature extended four of its arms forward and began to push through the pressure of the fire pillar.
*Thud… Thud…*
In an instant, it was right in front of her.
Close enough to be hit if it swung its club.
At this, her subordinates, who were protecting her, stepped forward.
“Protect Inferno!”
“Fire everything!”
They stood in front of Inferno, firing all sorts of magic at the Brimstone Patchwork Golem to keep it at bay.
But their mission was never combat, only to act as Inferno’s guards…
“Nothing’s working!”
It was impossible to subdue such an overwhelmingly powerful enemy.
“Ma’am, you have to retreat! Prepare a teleport spell, now!”
“No! If I move, the shelter will fall!”
Behind her were tens of thousands of civilians.
If she moved from this spot, they would all die.
“But still…”
Just then—the Brimstone Patchwork Golem’s body swelled and…
*Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!*
It exploded, sending pieces of rotten flesh flying, which then exploded again.
“—Kuh!”
The explosion swept over Han Ju-hwa and the other Players, sending them flying.
Han Ju-hwa, however, was resistant to explosions and flames, so she quickly recovered without any injuries.
But her teammates were not so lucky.
“Kuh…”
“Ugh—!”
They were scattered everywhere, groaning in pain. Some seemed to have lost consciousness. They might even be dead.
The moment she saw the scene, Han Ju-hwa felt her breath catch in her throat.
“Ah… again… like this…”
It wasn’t because she was out of stamina or had taken damage.
‘Damn it! My power… it’s not enough again.’
The rage and bravado that had been boiling inside her moments ago cooled, and their place was filled by powerlessness and fear… all in a single, empty moment.
“Gasp— gasp—”
Panic disorder.
The trauma she thought she had suppressed came flooding back. Ando Suzu’s face flashed in her mind, and she saw it superimposed on her fallen teammates nearby.
She thought she had changed, but was the ending the same after all?
But this time, she had no intention of turning back to hide in a place where she could feel safe.
“Still, I have to do something.”
Her power was lacking then, and it was lacking now.
But she had failed because her power wasn’t enough; she had never run away because her power wasn’t enough.
She forced her trembling body to its feet and moved forward.
Even if it meant her own death, she would not let any more of her comrades die.
“Lee Ho-jin, I’ll buy you time. Get the others and fall back.”
“B-but if you do that…”
Flames erupted from her entire body.
“If you come any closer, you’ll burn to death too.”
It was her unwavering will.
“Ah…”
*KRRREEEEEE—*
Before they knew it, undead soldiers had gathered around the Brimstone Patchwork Golem.
They began to climb its body, melting and being absorbed into it.
*Gurgle— Gurgle—*
Their flesh and bones tangled together and…
*K-k-k-k…*
The flesh from four of the Brimstone Patchwork Golem’s six arms shifted, stretching out like whips, which were then raised toward the sky.
“Ma’am! It’s dangerous!”
They then lashed out indiscriminately toward Han Ju-hwa.
*CRASH—! CRASH—! CRASH—! CRASH—!*
The spot where she had been standing was torn to shreds.
She had narrowly dodged this time, but she couldn't keep it up forever.
Her attacks didn't work, and her defense was limited.
She would be dead soon.
“…I’ve failed again. I always fail when it matters most.”
But just then—
- Inferno, you were perfect.
A voice, amplified by magic, echoed through the air.
Han Ju-hwa looked up.
A man was floating majestically in the sky.
Steel Rain.
At last, he had arrived.
- You protected Seoul. Millions of people.
“Ah…”
And around his body floated countless metal weapons, packed densely together.
Steel Rain. True to his name, their tips were pointed toward the ground, as if ready to pour down at any moment.
But today, their form was quite different.
They were all greatswords over two meters long… Morglays.
Somehow, the Morglays, of which there were said to be only four… now numbered in the hundreds, adorning the sky.
- From now on, I'll take over.
He slowly raised his left hand.
The weight contained in that gesture felt far heavier than usual.
The steel rain that would fall on Seoul today was going to be fiercer than ever.