Chapter 61: Heaven's Net (5)
I leaped off the horse alongside Seo Yerim and kept running. The progress bar continued to climb steadily.
97. 98.
[Progress Distance: 99%]
Even at 99, the old monsters hadn't appeared yet.
Going full throttle with all buffs had been the right call.
99.1
99.3
99.5
99.7
99.8
99.9
Right when we were truly almost there.
“Haha! Where are you rushing off to in such a hurry!”
A massive barrage of sword energy poured in from all directions. Without hesitation, I summoned Dolsae and the skeleton horde amid the terrifying aura.
['Dolsae' utilizes Defensive Stance!]
Dolsae stood firm, shield raised steadfastly.
The skeleton horde did the same.
Boom boom boom!
Explosions erupted.
[Skeleton 706 is reverse-summoned…]
[Skeleton 1,032 is reverse-summoned…]
The skeletons were reverse-summoned en masse as they shielded our bodies. The Death Lord's passive had been used up long ago, so revival was out of the question.
Dolsae had taken a severe hit as well, with chunks of his body shattered all over.
Martial Alliance Leader Yang Jeong-hak.
Heavenly Demon Gu Yang-cheon.
Demonic Alliance Leader Baek Hak-seong.
The three old monsters blocking our path came into view.
They must have rushed here desperately, as all three were pale as ghosts.
Gu Yang-cheon cracked his knuckles.
“You sly bastard. Nearly let you slip away. How do you run so infuriatingly?”
Yang Jeong-hak pointed his sword at me.
“Heh, it's been ages since I ran this hard.”
Baek Hak-seong's eyes grew icy.
“… You're no longer my blood.”
A chilling aura completely enveloped the surroundings.
Seo Yerim's face hardened. She recalled what Kim Minwoo had said last time.
He'd said we wouldn't last ten minutes.
She'd scoffed inwardly back then.
But now, she felt grateful for those words.
‘… Five minutes might be pushing it?’
Her body was exhausted, but more than that, the three of them were overwhelmingly strong.
The goal was right in front of us, but breaking through the path they blocked was doubtful.
Then.
Kim Minwoo stared straight at her and said.
“I'll take the Alliance Leader and the Martial Leader.”
“… You sure?”
“Have to. To survive. We need to break through before more pursuers arrive.”
“… Okay.”
The two drew their swords.
“Heh. That Baek So-cheon kid's got guts. Thinks he can handle me and the Alliance Leader?”
“Thought he'd piss himself, but kids these days got no fear. Haha! Then I'll take the girl!”
The five charged at once.
Explosive sword energy burst from Seo Yerim's blade. Gu Yang-cheon sneered and thrust his fist forward.
The Demonic Alliance Leader and Martial Leader rushed in.
On our side, Cedric and Dolsae charged.
“I'll handle the small fry! You take the ungrateful son!”
“Got it.”
Clang!
Baek Hak-seong's sword clashed with mine. The first exchange was even.
‘Manageable.’
The most crucial stats for swinging a sword are strength and agility.
Stamina and mana are secondary. When Baek Hak-seong had tested me with sword energy earlier.
The difference in our stats now was night and day.
At least in raw stats, I could go toe-to-toe with Baek Hak-seong.
We exchanged dozens of blows in an instant.
His eyes narrowed slightly at how I wasn't buckling as expected. Soon, mana surged into his sword.
A sinister energy rose.
Dozens of sword energies split off in an instant, engulfing me. I summoned some skeletons to block the front.
A few sword energies grazed my body, sending fountains of blood spraying.
Screech!
Baek Hak-seong's blade slipped through a gap, lunging in.
I twisted my ghost sword to parry.
Clang!
Sparks flew as our blades scraped.
I swung my sword down as if to cleave him.
Baek Hak-seong's form blurred.
‘Knew it.’
Typical footwork user.
Aiming for the rear at high speed.
I'd anticipated it.
I spun and thrust backward immediately.
Squelch!
His blade pierced straight through Kim Minwoo's shoulder.
In exchange, one of Baek Hak-seong's arms was half-severed.
“Huh?”
Gu Yang-cheon's surprised voice rang out. Yang Jeong-hak, who had been hammering Cedric and Dolsae, paused as well. Looking at the results, both sides had one arm mangled.
It meant he'd matched the Alliance Leader.
Warning bells rang in their heads. The Demonic Alliance Leader's level was not inferior to theirs.
In other words.
That Baek So-cheon was truly a dangerous existence. Gu Yang-cheon turned deadly serious and unleashed a barrage on Seo Yerim.
She was instantly pushed into defense.
Baek Hak-seong unleashed every ultimate technique as well. Dolsae and Cedric couldn't hold out long and were reverse-summoned.
We were brawling like mad dogs too.
‘Wish I had more skills.’
I deliberately held back on Curse of Aging.
It'd probably take dozens of failures to land, and even then, the debuff would be under 5%.
‘Gotta save mana.’
Baek Hak-seong was a master.
No way he'd give me time to potion up.
Even if he did, getting poisoned mid-fight would be game over.
Mana should be reserved for resummoning Cedric and Dolsae as much as possible.
Then.
[Cedric is reverse-summoned.]
[Dolsae is reverse-summoned.]
All summons vanished.
Martial Leader Yang Jeong-hak soon joined the fray. I hurriedly resummoned, but they were already closing in tight.
Things got far messier.
‘Tough bastards.’
On top of that, Seo Yerim's body was turning into a wreck.
It was clear she was cornered.
At best, she'd hold 30 seconds.
After that, the Heavenly Demon's attacks might kill her. Kim Minwoo agonized over it dozens of times in a flash.
Two main options.
First, abandon Seo Yerim.
She wouldn't last long.
The Heavenly Demon would join soon.
No way to survive that.
But if abandoned…
‘I could make it out.’
Seemed possible to create an escape window.
Second, save her.
Baek Hak-seong and Yang Jeong-hak weren't pushovers. I'd have to concede big to even reach her.
‘Might save her somehow.’
The problem: my own survival odds plummet.
Then.
Seo Yerim blocked the Heavenly Demon's fist technique and spat up a gush of blood from her mouth.
‘Damn…’
Kim Minwoo gripped his sword tightly.
The reason we'd made it this far smoothly. All thanks to her.
She'd sniped down the messengers and scouts with arrows.
And that wasn't all?
She'd fought alongside against countless search parties. Without her, clearing the path would've taken far longer.
‘Plus, this isn't a game.’
It's reality.
He had no qualms killing those who deserved it, even accounting for that.
Conversely, those worth saving had to be saved no matter what.
Otherwise, it'd weigh on his conscience.
A moment's deliberation.
Decision was swift.
‘Save her.’
And I'll survive too.
Low odds, but not zero.
That meant it could be cleared.
‘Then let's do it.’
I had never taken the easy path before.
“Cedric!”
Cedric blasted breath forward in an instant. Baek Hak-seong recoiled slightly from the massive flames.
I bolted straight into the gap.
The two masters reflexively slashed out.
[Dolsae uses Provocation (A) on Yang Jeong-hak!]
[Opponent's level is too high!]
[Provocation lands for a very brief moment!]
Yang Jeong-hak flinched for a split second.
I barely deflected Baek Hak-seong's sword.
The two blades aiming for heart and throat veered off.
I raised my already shredded arm to block one.
Took the stab from behind. Yang Jeong-hak's blade protruded from my lower abdomen.
Blood gushed from my mouth.
I charged on with my rag of an arm.
A fleeting moment.
What I pulled from inventory wasn't a potion, but the Thread of Ascension.
“Cough! What you wanted… it's here!”
“…!”
Their eyes locked onto the thread.
A brief opening.
I staggered toward Seo Yerim. Gu Yang-cheon snapped to and thrust his fist.
Fist shadows poured like no big deal.
Chest, face, forearm.
Three critical hits landed.
In exchange, I reached Seo Yerim.
Grabbed her waist.
“Go!”
I spun and hurled her with all my might.
No one chased her flying toward the clear zone. The thread had drawn all their greed.
I turned, sword raised.
The three masters were already charging.
‘Can I survive?’
Their tenacity exceeded expectations.
Took more hits than thought.
Body's shaking bad.
Then.
Screech!
A tiny sound from behind. All too familiar to Kim Minwoo.
Precision snipe.
The sound he'd heard beside her when she used her skill.
A single arrow.
From the sound, its target was…
‘Baek Hak-seong.’
Demonic Alliance Leader.
It'd hit the one charging at him now. A precision snipe arrow.
Calculations done.
Of the three charging, I targeted only Baek Hak-seong with my thrust.
The arrow flying hidden behind me suddenly curved, grazing Kim Minwoo's face.
Baek Hak-seong, startled by the arrow popping up point-blank, raised his sword to block.
Reacting in that instant proved he was a true supreme master.
But.
Could he block the thrust I'd already aimed, predicting that?
Squelch!
“…!”
Right in the center of his airborne form that halted to block the arrow. My sword pierced his heart cleanly.
Clean instant kill.
[Demonic Alliance Leader Baek Hak-seong has died!]
[Level increases by 6!]
[Success in near-impossible hunt!]
[Acquire title 'Beginning of the Legend'!]
[Title 'Strong Slayer' changes to 'Law of Victory'!]
[The Thread of Ascension blooms after drinking the strong one's blood!]
[Reach level 151, fulfilling second trial condition of Death Lord!]
[You may now heed the call whenever you wish!]
One down.
In exchange.
Squelch!
My heart stabbed in turn.
Boom boom boom!
Blasted away by the Heavenly Demon's fists pounding my body.
Even in that final moment, I didn't let go of the thread.
[Warning!]
[Critical injury sustained!]
['Indomitable Soul' effect activates!]
[Your soul endures the body's death!]
[Soul Value begins to decrease!]
[Soul Value (56/60)]
When did soul value go from 50 to 60?
No idea.
Not important now.
Couldn't twitch a finger, but didn't matter.
Inventory.
Its miracle works even on vegetables.
[Soul Value (52/60)]
Mid-flight.
Stored the thread in inventory.
[Soul Value (48/60)]
Body soaring through air.
Heavenly Demon and Martial Leader flew after immediately. Eyes blazing as they pursued. Heart stabbed, body battered to hell.
Instant death by any measure.
They'd probably think me dead by now, eyeing each other for the thread.
[Soul Value (44/60)]
But I wasn't dead yet.
Thanks to Baek Hak-seong dying, their attacks hit harder than expected. Especially the Heavenly Demon's panicked flurry was top-tier.
Flying speed was insane.
And from behind.
Screech!
Another arrow flew, blocking Yang Jeong-hak who was slightly ahead.
He twisted his head slightly to dodge. It slowed him a tad.
Letting me barely reach the clear zone first.
That instant.
[Soul Value (40/60)]
Everything froze, as if time inside the gate halted.
‘Gulp. Thanks for the meal.’
[Clear objective achieved.]
[Cleared via special route!]
[Gate clear rewards granted!]
[Clear reward: Title 'Beginning of the Legend' evolves to 'Beginning of the Legend – First Part'!]
[Clear reward: 'Thread of Ascension' evolves to 'Ring of Ascension'!]
[Exit outside?]
“W-what do we do!”
In the stopped time, Seo Yerim rushed over frantically.
Same clear situation let her move in the frozen time too, it seemed.
Strictly speaking.
‘Not completely stopped.’
Post-clear, time slows drastically for a very brief period.
1 second feels like dozens.
She'd probably experienced this first. Waited instead of escaping right away.
Party status and her prior clear shared the second time-freeze with me.
She hoisted my body urgently, calling out nonstop.
“Y-you okay? You're not dead, right? You're alive? Won't die right after exiting?”
Her eyes trembled as she stared.
Not dead yet…
Focused my mind.
Eyelids twitched ever so slightly.
Her eyes widened at the sight.
“Y-you're alive! Priests outside. Just hold on a bit, don't worry!”
I knew that already.
High gates often had priests and healers waiting at the entrance.
Common to exit mangled.
This gate, now A-rank with all the attention.
Nationwide chaos, entrance swarming with healers.
Gotta treat the Sword Sage when he emerges, right?
‘Lemme get some of that benefit.’
High priests revive the dying. Flood of heals should fix me.
Indomitable Soul lasts longer than expected.
4 per second, so 9 seconds outside.
Enough for treatment skills.
We exited the gate.
“Q-quick, heal Kim Minwoo! Now!”
At Seo Yerim's shout, all waiting healer Awakeners swarmed.
“My god… his body's completely wrecked?”
“Heal him fast!”
Massive heals poured down.
A veritable heal bath. Wounds knit shut across my body. Tension finally snapped.
Sleep crashed over me in an instant.