Chapter 218
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 218
Chapter Title: A Different Caliber
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He's on another level.
He was somehow a being from a whole other dimension.
Aindorf flashed a fragmented smile.
"Ju Gonghyeok, did you put that hidden card to good use?"
"Well, yeah. Used it right where it counted."
Aindorf wrapped his body in his wings.
"We'll see how you play the next one."
"Yeah. Thanks."
[『Progenitor Aindorf (SSS+++）』 summon released.]
[Final ability sealed.]
[Click.]
[『Progenitor Seed (SS----)』 rank change complete.]
The wings' surface gradually shifted to a faint darkness.
A black sphere like a clump of fur blinked its eyes.
= Huh?
The black sphere rolled its eyes around before asking curiously.
= Where'd Remiel go? She was definitely right here.
"She's dead."
= Pardon?
Nathaniël whispered with a slack-jawed stare.
- I heard the rumors, but... why's that thing so strong?
"Because of the conditions attached."
As you can see from the Progenitor's current form, Aindorf had lost his original power.
Whatever happened with the ancient demons, to return to his true form, he needed a main god as sacrifice.
Drakenshtein's main gods numbered three.
When Babel invaded Drakenshtein, the other two gods fed themselves to the Progenitor to block the invasion.
And once the sacrifice god ran out, Drakenshtein got absorbed by Babel.
= I don't get it. We were fighting, and when I opened my eyes, the wolf robo was gone, then Iron Man Victor vanished too... Ack! Don't hit me!
When I'd asked the Progenitor long ago, it only remembered fragments.
I pieced together the facts by asking demons and angels, unlocking the Progenitor's final ability.
As a result, one SS-rank avatar was used as sacrifice, turning the avatars against Ju Gonghyeok and the Progenitor.
'Living sacrifices other than gods are only allowed if they're vampires.'
Gonghyeok prayed for Guardsand's soul.
Anyway...
[Seraphim Remiel has been annihilated.]
[The Seraphim's gateway has been cleared.]
[Angel authority 「Selection」 permanently granted to Ju Gonghyeok.]
[Astonishing feat! 'Defeated Seraphim Remiel!' succeeded, achievement completion 100%]
[Achievement reward: 100 crimson coins granted.]
[You are the first among the three races to defeat a seraphim.]
[Additional reward: 100 crimson coins granted.]
[Acquired 'Tombstone of Angel Remiel.']
[Acquired 'Essence of the Seraphim.']
[Achieved highest demon contractor quest 「Kill Seraphim Remiel」.]
[Reward to contracted demon Lilianne...]
['Essence of the Seraphim' to...]
At a glance, investing 16 crimson coins and netting 200 looked like a profit.
But.
"Cheap bastards."
Killed the guy who ate 1,000 crimson coins, and they cough up just 200?
Nathaniël sighed as the messages poured in.
- You won, which is great and all, but now the angels will hate your guts too.
"My image went to shit ages ago. What's new?"
- There's a line you don't cross. Absorbing a seraphim like that...
"Ah, shut it."
Ju Gonghyeok waved him off.
"Don't bitch about one. I won't touch any more."
- Good. If you kill all the angels, you think the demon king will follow Babel's rules?
"Yeah, yeah."
Ju Gonghyeok immediately swallowed the 200 crimson coins.
Maxed out strength and agility, leaving 2 coins in his mouth.
"SS fully topped off."
Opening his status showed packed stats.
Strength SS 1 -> 100
Agility SS 1 -> 100
Endurance SS 100
Technique SS 1+99 [Trait: Living Hunting Manual (SS)]
Will SS 1+99 [Trait: Final Spirit Armament (SS++)]
Mind SS 1+99 [Trait: Final Spirit Armament (SS++)]
Mana SS 1+99 [Trait: Final Spirit Armament (SS++)]
Two grand dukes, one four heavenly king, one seraphim down, 51 crimson coins left.
Enough to break into SSS-rank.
"But no SSS traits yet, so worthless."
Great hero's vessel, guardian divine beast, angel's incarnation, unreal martial god, four heavenly kings, seraphim...
Just as superhuman S-rank traits were needed to surpass human limit A-rank and reach S, SSS traits were needed to surpass god limit SS-rank.
"Human limits for a guy like me. Whatever."
- Hitting SSS doesn't guarantee a win. Senior Remiel had three SSS stats and still lost.
"Back in the day, I maxed them all at SSS."
- ...For real?
"Yeah, SSS filled to 100."
- Are you insane?
Nathaniël backed away with a horrified look.
- Then your stats outrank Demon King Bel Marduk's?
"That's why I crushed him."
11th strongest ever.
Back then, Ju Gonghyeok tore the demon king apart in two hours with pure stats and skills, no avatars.
Ground ten avatars into Mistilteinn for stats, got Hildegaard's consent to kill her and inherit 「Foresight」 authority, pushing technique to EX.
Nothing to fear.
- Gonna do the same this time?
"Nah, that was just copying the dragon god once. SSS in three or four is plenty."
“He knew the demon king’s strategy for clearing the dungeon perfectly.”
Follow the normal process, gather items and stats, and he dies easy.
'Unless he gets cocky, dooms humanity prematurely, and skips the normal path.'
Recalling the past, Gonghyeok sliced half of Remiel's tombstone.
The other half had another use.
[Internal Sephirot expansion – Forming the seventh vessel of Sephirot with Seraphim Remiel's Tombstone.]
[Entering 7th stage Chesed. The angel governing Chesed is Zadkiel, his authority is 'Intellect' and...]
[Angel Nathaniël ascends to the third choir.]
Nathaniël shuddered as he materialized, one rank up.
"Uwaa! Finally, I can walk around like a proper angel."
The materialized Nathaniël twisted this way and that, inspecting himself.
"Hmm."
Ju Gonghyeok eyed the life-sized Nathaniël closely.
"Seems like this part isn't fully materialized yet."
"Where?"
"Here."
Ju Gonghyeok reached out and groped the breast hidden under white cloth.
"Hmm, need to feel more to judge."
Using both hands now, seriously kneading her chest, the angel glared coldly down at Ju Gonghyeok.
"Let go."
Crack—
Her elbow, laced with killing intent, popped out a few parts.
Ju Gonghyeok, prosthetic eye busted, said calmly.
"Expected injuries fighting Remiel. Traded one eye for her, profit."
"I smashed your eye, not Senior Remiel?"
"Didn't know. You're stronger than Remiel, huh."
"Let go or the other eye flies too?"
Savoring the feel, Ju Gonghyeok reluctantly pulled away.
"Next chest, next time."
"Just go die."
[『Angel of Understanding Nathaniël (SS-)』 added to avatars.]
[Nathaniël can use additional authority 「Life」 upon ascending to seraphim rank.]
Sephirot stage up expanded Nathaniël's options.
Lend authority as an avatar or materialize for combat.
Rumble...
The ownerless dimension began crumbling.
Selection had blasted chunks away, accelerating the collapse.
"Remiel quest done. Time to wrap up the others."
- Already?
Nathaniël, fluid again, was startled.
- That was done here?
"Perfect spot, right? Knock out one of the three races."
59th floor, Twilight of the Gods.
Made to drop one race before 60th.
Ju Gonghyeok addressed avatar Gio.
"Guardian divine beast, keep your promise."
= ...Understood.
Gio replied steadily.
= If you can destroy Babel, I want a world where solbaraegi and people live without strife.
To accept Gio, Ju Gonghyeok made one promise.
Accepted a deal barring beastkin forever.
Their essence was peace, not strife.
- Then what outside?
Ju Gonghyeok forced the gateway open.
"Beat 'em half to death, smash their home city, force retirement."
Gateway light enveloped Ju Gonghyeok.
"Waaaaah!"
"The enemies are taking the flagpole! Stop them!"
"Tiger claw Tabi seized the flagpole! Sweep the humans and claim the outpost!"
Past the gateway, battlefield clamor rang out.
'About an hour passed, huh.'
Other challengers were still scrambling through trials.
Even one-on-ones like his would take hours.
Not a trial cleared in one or two hours, given the seraphim authority reward.
Whumm—
But a gateway opened right beside him.
"I'm late."
"...No, you came out faster than expected?"
"You too, Guardian Divine Beast."
The dragon god's lip curled slightly.
'A smile?'
The dragon god's smile tickled Ju Gonghyeok's instincts.
'This dragon god might be stronger than I thought.'
Revised dragon god assessment upward.
Beating the dragon god was key for Gio's deal.
'That's why I delayed the divine war too.'
Blocked prime dragon god completion, stole his instead.
Completing SSS trait hinged on this 59th floor.
"As always. Massacre."
- Dropout, not massacre.
Nathaniël chided, and Gonghyeok replied lightly.
"Yeah."
No, massacre.
Ju Gonghyeok planned to seal the beastkin's fate here.
In the past, beastkin faced extinction on 59th multiple times.
Beyond killing the seraphim, he got a quest from Lilianne.
Highest demon contractor quest.
「Beastkin Dropout」
What demons craved madly.
Rewards: four heavenly king rank and 「Collapse」 authority.
Seat prepared for the great contractor who dooms a world.
If Ju Gonghyeok turned demon later, guaranteed title 'Four Heavenly King Ju Gonghyeok of Collapse.'
"Let's aid the tribe. The warriors await us."
"Right."
Ju Gonghyeok walked with the dragon god.
Way to drop a race: simple.
Destroy all home cities.
Lose angel-made home cities, lose Babel climb rights and angel aid.
Relegate to mere dimensional refugees.
Guardian divine beast Gio's promises: three.
One. Protect the last guardian divine beast.
Two. Care for the Beastfolk.
Three. No beastkin genocide.
'Only one way then.'
Force beastkin out of Babel competition.
59th floor. Fate-deciding showdown, betray as guardian divine beast, beastkin annihilated.
'Siphon clan heads' energies one by one for guardian divine beast rank...'
Destroy beastkin cities, take the rest.
That was beastkin's end.
After seizing Babel, make world for guardian divine beast, cleanup done.
“The Beastfolk are going to take some heat.”
But after mopping up the rest, there was no clan left stronger than the Beastfolk.
Weak can't judge strong.
Even sincere apologies and thanks don't justify tormenting or genociding the strong.
'Now, how to backstab.'
Gonghyeok emerged onto battlefield with dragon god.
Ju Gonghyeok sensed something off.
'Waaaaah...'
'Get out of there...'
Battlefield cheers too distant.
Flags fluttered from flagpoles all around.
Beastkin flags.