Chapter 162: 33rd Floor. Loser of the Great War. God of Counts. Numberless (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 162: 33rd Floor. Loser of the Great War. God of Counts. Numberless (2)
This was the first time in this life that a god had attacked him directly. Kang Jun-hyeok expanded his senses to their limit, bracing for the onslaught.
I wonder just how powerful this will be.
He had to withstand a total of seven attacks. His survival depended entirely on how he responded to the intensity of each strike.
In the distance, light began to coalesce. It crackled and hissed, weaving itself into the shape of a spear. The brilliant radiance illuminated the world, carrying an intense divinity that threatened to swallow everything in existence.
[1]
The countdown began.
Goosebumps erupted across Kang Jun-hyeok’s skin. In that moment, he realized it—Death was caressing his throat.
The spear flew. It tore through space, moving at a speed that transcended human perception. Kang Jun-hyeok tightened his grip on his sword as Aura flickered and surged forth.
Claaaaaaang!
The sword and the spear of light collided. Kang Jun-hyeok’s body was violently thrown back, the muscles in his arms screaming as if they were about to tear from the bone.
He pushed his Aura to its absolute limit.
The first secret principle: Turning Adversity into Strength and Absorb Force to Break Momentum.
He attempted to neutralize the spear's power by converting its momentum into his own.
But it wasn't enough. Against a power that transcended his very category of existence, the secret principles failed to function. His body felt like it was being crushed under an impossible weight.
Grind.
Kang Jun-hyeok gnashed his teeth. He poured strength into every fiber of his being, drawing out every last drop of his Internal Energy.
Clang!
With a desperate surge, he succeeded in slightly deflecting the spear's trajectory. The weapon grazed him and soared past.
Rumble!
A massive explosion erupted. Even though the impact occurred far behind him, the aftershock alone was enough to send him reeling. Kang Jun-hyeok looked down at his hands. His arms were trembling like those of an eighty-year-old man.
A single strike.
Blocking it had nearly emptied his Dantian. To be precise, he hadn't even blocked it; he had barely managed to parry it. He struggled to recover from the sheer fatigue caused by the divine power.
But there was no time to rest. In the distance, the spear was manifesting once again.
[2]
Once more, the spear flew toward him. Kang Jun-hyeok kicked off the ground.
[Rift Movement]
In an instant, he flickered to the edge of his vision. But as if mocking his efforts, the spear adjusted its course mid-flight, aiming straight for his heart. Kang Jun-hyeok clicked his tongue.
“So, complete evasion is impossible.”
In that case, he would meet it with overwhelming force. Kang Jun-hyeok pulled out his Orb.
Rattle.
Rubies, sapphires, diamonds—the numerous gems he had painstakingly collected surged out. They collided with the incoming spear and detonated simultaneously.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Intense magic flooded the world. The power contained within the gems was formidable; having been slowly refined within the Orb, they were now of the highest grade. It was a force capable of turning the Archmage’s golem into a pile of rubble.
But the spear pierced through.
Shredding the magical explosions, the spear continued its relentless path toward Kang Jun-hyeok. He raised his sword.
Claaaaang!
He barely managed to twist his blade and deflect the trajectory. In the process, half of his stamina vanished. If he didn't possess the reinforced body of a Player, he would have lost an arm.
“Ha.”
Kang Jun-hyeok let out a hollow laugh. Only two strikes, and he had already exhausted both his Internal Energy and his magic.
In the distance, the spear manifested for the third time.
[3]
“I might actually die at this rate,” Kang Jun-hyeok muttered, the truth disguised as a grim joke.
* * *
The spear flew again.
Death caressed the back of his neck, triggering [Boundary of Death Awakening]. The power in each spear was more than enough to end him.
His mind raced. Every single strike was a lethal threat. He had already spent his primary reserves. He couldn't afford to worry about what came next; he had to survive the now with everything he had. Kang Jun-hyeok glared at the god in the distance.
He’s not actually here.
Directly interfering with the god was impossible. In that case... He raised a finger.
[Judgment of the Law]
The spear’s speed slowed noticeably. Then, he clenched his fist.
[Heaven-Defying Spear of Jealousy]
The formation of jealousy manifested. A spear imbued with Zelesi’s Authority flew toward Numberless’s weapon. The [Heaven-Defying Spear of Jealousy] grew more powerful the higher the rank of the opponent—and the opponent before him was the highest-ranking being he could possibly encounter.
Claaaaang!
The power within the [Heaven-Defying Spear of Jealousy] amplified infinitely, reaching a level he couldn't normally handle. As the two spears collided, they threatened to tear the very fabric of space.
But it was still insufficient.
The [Heaven-Defying Spear of Jealousy] shattered, and Numberless’s spear continued its charge. However, its power was significantly diminished.
[Glory of the Lost God]
A brilliant light erupted. The spear finally succumbed to the divine interference and began to corrode.
“So I have to use three Authorities just to barely neutralize one,” Kang Jun-hyeok muttered in disbelief.
That was only the third. There were still four more to go.
[4]
The spear aimed for him once again. Wings sprouted from Kang Jun-hyeok’s back.
[Pixie’s Wings]
He took to the sky at high speed. He couldn't dodge the spear itself, as it would never stop until it made contact, but he could manipulate the timing.
[Air Jump]
Just before the spear reached him, he kicked off the air. The spear grazed past his feet. Targeting that split-second opening, he struck at the spear's joints.
[Instant Acceleration]
• Single Point Penetration
• Thrust
• Shock
• Charge
• Sword Ki and Sword Wind
• Repulsion
• Beam Rifle
• Helberscream
Kwaaaaang!
He activated every skill in his arsenal to sever the spear. By accurately targeting its weak points, he managed to dampen its momentum, but he couldn't cut it down.
The spear curved through the air and banked toward him again. Clicking his tongue, he raised his shield.
[Anti-Field]
• Block
Claaaaang!
The [Anti-Field] shattered instantly. The spear pressed down with enough force to crush him along with his shield.
[Pixie’s Faint Miracle]
I wish...
That the spear would fail to reach me.
It was a pathetic, tiny miracle—less than an insect compared to the miracle of a god. But it was undeniably a miracle. Whether it was thanks to that wish or because it was simply meant to be, the spear’s momentum broke just before it could pierce his shield.
[5]
Then came the fifth attack.
Kang Jun-hyeok’s eyes turned blood-red as he watched the incoming spear.
[Enhanced True Ancestor Awakening]
The power of the True Ancestor manifested, his blood surging violently. Kang Jun-hyeok unleashed that raw power directly.
Boom!
Numberless’s spear and the power of the True Ancestor clashed. The great divinity and the True Blood of the Vampire Princess repelled each other with violent force. Kang Jun-hyeok grit his teeth, drawing out even more blood.
Creeeeeak!
Finally, the spear could no longer hold and shattered. However, Kang Jun-hyeok was far from unscathed. His body swayed as if he were suffering from severe anemia. He barely managed to stay upright by activating [Balancing].
“Cough.”
He used [Grace of Benevolence] to stabilize his health, which had plummeted to a near-death state. Internal energy, magic, and skills—he had exhausted every power he possessed.
Yet, two more attacks remained.
[6]
[Wait.]
Eldiria’s voice grew urgent. This was too dangerous. Kang Jun-hyeok could truly die here, and she did not want to witness that. Just as she was about to intervene, the Master of All Weapons spoke quietly.
[Stop, Eldiria. That is something not permitted to us, the losers. Your soul will be torn apart.]
[But...!]
[Just watch. This fellow isn't the type to go down so easily.]
Whirrrr.
The spear flew. Kang Jun-hyeok reached into his Inventory. When his hand emerged, he was holding the [Shield of Diffuse Reflection].
Eldiria let out a gasp. [That is...]
[I wondered where he would use that, and it turns out to be right here,] the Master of All Weapons chuckled. [I can't tell if he planned this or if it's just a coincidence. No matter how many times I see it, I can't explain it.]
Kang Jun-hyeok had cleared the Blacksmith quest and claimed the [Shield of Diffuse Reflection] as his reward. It was a piece of equipment that could deflect incoming force almost perfectly, provided the angle was exact.
Normally, it was impractical. In a war, attacks came from all directions, and even in a duel, an opponent could easily change their trajectory. But here, it was different. Numberless’s spear followed a precise, unwavering path. It was the perfect environment for the shield.
He read the trajectory. He calculated the force. Kang Jun-hyeok tightened his grip.
Screeeeeech!
Kang Jun-hyeok’s body was pushed back, but the shield held. Like light hitting a diamond and scattering, the power within the spear was dispersed in all directions.
Rumble...
He had succeeded in blocking the attack without taking a single point of damage.
Eldiria caught her breath. [To think such a thing was possible...]
[Impressive,] the Master of All Weapons said, sounding genuinely amused.
[7]
The final attack flew toward him. Kang Jun-hyeok raised his shield once more. He read the exact direction and trajectory, intending to deflect it perfectly.
Claaaaaaang!
The force was diffused, scattering into the surroundings. Kang Jun-hyeok had cleared the quest brilliantly. Eldiria believed so, and even the Master of All Weapons thought the same.
However.
Crack.
Cracks began to spiderweb across the [Shield of Diffuse Reflection]. Kang Jun-hyeok’s eyes shook.
Did I make a mistake?
No. He had deflected the force perfectly. But the power contained within this final spear was simply too immense. It was more than the shield could endure.
Shatter!
The [Shield of Diffuse Reflection] disintegrated. The spear pierced through Kang Jun-hyeok’s body.
* * *
[Hmm.]
[Kang Jun-hyeok!]
The Master of All Weapons groaned as Eldiria let out a scream. The spear had impaled him.
A sense of disappointment emanated from the distance. Numberless believed he had failed. Everyone—the Master of All Weapons, Eldiria, and even the god—thought he was dead.
But even then, Kang Jun-hyeok’s mind remained incredibly calm.
I failed.
But so what? His life had been a series of failures. Among them were many fatal mistakes that had brought him to the brink of death. Yet he had overcome all of them to stand here. A mere threat of death was nothing to him.
His mind worked at a frantic pace. In the face of oblivion, his brain accelerated until time seemed to stand still.
The spear has already pierced my body.
He couldn't block or dodge it now. He had to respond from within this state.
The shield broke, but...
Even though he had deflected as much as possible, the remaining power was still enough to kill him several times over.
What about recovery?
Impossible. He had already used [Grace of Benevolence] and [True Ancestor Awakening].
Then, he would absorb it.
A shield emerged from Kang Jun-hyeok’s arm: the [Great Shield of Rooting Slime]. Its ability was the absorption of force.
Screeeeeech!
But it still wasn't enough. The power left in the spear remained lethal. Even after using every ability he had, he was short.
Then what about a power he didn't possess? A power he had never been able to master?
The spear was powerful. The force within it was enough to tear the world apart. And that power was currently skewering his body.
“...The power of the universe fills me, only to eventually scatter in the wind. Like floating weeds, we come with nothing and leave with nothing...”
Faded Heaven Supreme’s final words flashed through his mind.
Grab.
Kang Jun-hyeok seized the spear. Instead of trying to defend against or evade the force, he completely relaxed his body. He opened his empty Dantian.
The spear’s power tried to ravage and destroy him. Kang Jun-hyeok accepted all of it. Moving beyond mere acceptance, he began to gather the energy into his Dantian. The divine power, which had been swirling like a storm, began to settle.
[Kang Jun... hyeok?]
[Ho?]
Eldiria, who had been in shock, paused. The power of the spear within his Dantian began to slowly vanish. A moment later, Kang Jun-hyeok staggered and collapsed.
[Health: 12/1310]
His health had dropped to double digits. But he was not dead. He was still alive, right here. The Master of All Weapons spoke softly.
[He has attained enlightenment.]
“...The power of the heavens was contained, only to vanish in vain.”
The third form of the Master of All Weapons.
Void Heaven Power Dissipation.