Reinforcement (10)
"We can breach the barrier in ten minutes."
The Goyad royal family wasn't just standing around with their thumbs up their asses.
583 people.
That's how many talented survivors remained after thirty had fallen.
Barad stepped up to the barrier. Just ten minutes to go.
But he harbored doubts.
'Can they hold out that long?'
Watching the fierce battle unfold, Barad made the coldest judgment.
Within his common sense, the most rational call right now was for Hyun-soo to pull back.
'Those who can live must live.'
If there was a way to survive, that was the right choice.
It was a cruel decision, but one befitting a king.
And with that thought came another.
'Hyun-soo.'
In the face of his kingdom's crisis, Barad felt it keenly.
'I've grown old.'
He called it a cold judgment, but because Hyun-soo was his dear friend, there was worry in his words.
The young Barad never would have said something like that.
What saddened him was this.
'The path to you is still too far away.'
And to Barad's words, Hyun-soo replied.
"We've won."
Barad's chest burned hot.
He knew his friend wasn't one to speak from arrogance.
'Have you seen something I missed?'
And also.
'Are you achieving what I could not?'
He was drawing even closer, step by step.
Unimaginable.
Gulp.
Barad swallowed hard.
What would happen if it truly came to pass?
Contribution points.
They were already applying to Hyun-soo.
No, from the moment the kingdom message triggered, they applied to every citizen.
Setting aside those trivial rewards, what if he actually slew Helinya?
'The hero who saved the nation, Hyun-soo has saved our country!'
'A new era dawns!'
'He's a hero!'
The people would shout it from the rooftops.
'Ahh~ A new walker on the king's path~.'
The bards would sing.
He wondered what reactions Marquis Constantinu and the talents inside would have.
And moreover.
'What must I do for you?'
Even thinking it overwhelmed him.
What to grant a hero who saved the nation.
***
Chills ran up Helinya's back.
The legend of the Divine Archer is being written.
A single archer staring her down.
Blood streamed from his eyes, ears, and nose, yet he didn't collapse.
-It's Ian!
-Incredible power radiating from Ian!
The casters gasped in awe and shock, their excitement peaking.
-Whoa?
-Ian was hiding his power!
1.8 million viewers.
No, it had changed now.
The battle reaching its climax drew even more spectators.
2,031,011 viewers
Cold sweat trickled down Helinya's back before the eyes of the entire world.
She had thought only a legend-class could kill her here.
No legends were present.
No one could match her.
Yet she felt the power of a legend.
'I-Impossible...'
Was that one the Divine Archer legend?
In that moment, Helinya realized.
'That single shot is the legend.'
Helinya grew desperate. Hyun-soo had gripped her spear shaft.
Forgetting to reclaim it, she launched into the air.
Thwack!
At that instant, the arrow flew.
Hyun-soo spoke then.
"My friend's arrows never miss."
Ian possessed far more archer skills than Hyun-soo ever could.
A power that temporarily lent the might of a single turtle ship.
The reason he'd applied it to Ian now revealed itself.
The arrow twisted its trajectory, hurtling toward Helinya.
Too fast for her to react.
Her instincts kicked in.
Queen's Fortitude
Defense increased by 50%.
Helinya's defense was already three times that of same-level foes from the start.
Now she grew even tougher.
But.
Piiiing!
Krraaaash!
Helinya's eyes rolled back from the direct hit.
It wasn't mere pain.
Her body was being torn apart.
Rumble rumble rumble!
The arrow's ferocious spin hurled her away.
Boom!
She smashed into the fortress wall, burrowing straight through.
Crrrack!
Buried deep in the wall, Helinya couldn't regain her senses.
-138,031 HP
Helinya's HP drops below 10%.
In that instant, one thought filled Helinya's mind.
'I have to run...'
This was true peril now.
With her defenses, she could still escape.
She clawed her way out of the wall.
Spreading her wings, she soared into the sky.
The vast open sky above the coliseum-like Baldrom Fortress.
Reaching the barrier, relief washed over her as she laughed.
Then.
Pull
The space around her warped.
Her face twisted in bewilderment, just shy of crossing the barrier.
Looking up at the sky, her vision filled with a man.
Hyun-soo planted his back foot, yanking the Twin Dragon Swords with all his might.
Time seemed frozen for Helinya.
Humans are like that.
They hate passing the ball, always seeking ways to win alone.
"H-How...?"
Her trembling voice betrayed her utter overwhelm.
"I know you."
It transmitted through the Twin Dragon Swords.
A legend, a nation-saver—is never made by one person alone.
Countless supports back them up.
"I knew I'd lose."
Know your enemy and know yourself, and you will never be defeated.
"My comrades knew their strength."
Victory in every battle.
"That pathetic blade of yours can't cut me!"
Helinya tried to take flight again.
She'd only take one strike from that sword.
She could escape faster than that.
Hyun-soo thrust the drawn-back Twin Dragon Swords with full force.
Shiiiing!
Helinya's expression filled with shock.
Until moments ago, the sounds she'd heard were clangs like kaang.
Her superior carapace had protected her.
Then she looked down.
The thick carapace shattered by the arrow lay in ruins.
Her face drained of color.
'His arrow neutralized me, and his sword cuts me?'
Slice.
Helinya was bisected horizontally.
As she scattered into motes, Hyun-soo's heart pounded wildly.
No time had ever made it race like this.
As mentioned, Hyun's Forge from today onward would be different.
He wondered what gains awaited in that process.
And one thing that set his heart racing: the Lord's Coat and Calamity Necklace.
These two artifacts bound by calamity formed a set.
Set artifacts gained bonus effects with each additional piece.
Hyun-soo prayed fervently.
'Please, please, please...'
He desperately needed one specific artifact.
Finally, it rang out.
You have slain the First Calamity, Helinya.
You have defeated three Calamities.
Something special occurs.
Hyun-soo looked puzzled.
'Something special?'
It is unprecedented for one person to slay three Calamities.
The Calamity Cult targets you.
But the Ares Church protects you.
Double EXP and artifact drop rate for hunting the First Calamity.
'...!?'
An unexpected windfall.
2,010,010 EXP acquired.
Hyun-soo's level skyrocketed to 339 in one go.
Six levels at once.
431,689 gold acquired.
Gold from a single mob hunt equaled 400 million won.
And the notification Hyun-soo had awaited finally appeared.
"...!"
What Hyun-soo desperately needed and awaited was armor.
For ages, he'd worn the Mad Lord's Armor.
Rare-grade artifact, basically from the beginner zone.
Yet he kept it for its special skills: damage reflection and reduction.
But its defense was woefully inadequate for his current level.
'If nothing else, I was gonna craft one...'
No suitable materials, so he'd held off.
The Calamity Coat and Necklace were unique.
But this was different.
Legend grade.
Calamity artifacts typically carried their owners' powers.
The Calamity Armor was black leather armor.
Hyun-soo checked it immediately.
◈ All stats +2%.
◈ Physical/Magic Defense +35%.
◈ Triple Defense (passive).
◈ Additional Calamity artifacts: All effects +5%.
The armor worn by the First Calamity. Its defense defies reason, just like hers.
Hyun-soo was stunned.
'Insane...'
The Calamity Armor's defense was broken.
Average unique armor hit around 300 defense.
This was 589—nearly double.
Plus Triple Defense passive triggered 10% of the time, making him as tough as Helinya.
Equip it immediately.
All effects increased by 5%.
Calamity artifacts' trait: +5% per piece acquired.
Suddenly, a thought struck Hyun-soo.
'Sets usually start at three pieces.'
Full effects at three.
But sometimes four-piece sets existed.
1-in-1,000 chance among set items.
Why so rare? Hard to collect so many matching pieces.
Armor, boots, helm, necklace, etc.
Matching three-plus is tough.
'But more than three means insane rewards.'
Lost in thought, he watched Helinya fully dissipate.
Something flashed in his mind.
His heart raced again.
'No way...?'
Helinya devoured the Second Calamity, Rogal.
What this implied.
The Third Calamity, Ran, possesses no Calamity artifact.
Why the Third Calamity had no artifact.
Ran, the Third, was uniquely a user.
In other words.
You have collected all Calamity artifacts on the Asgan Continent.
All set effects improved by an additional 6%.
Calamities were the pinnacle of humanoid named NPCs on the Korean server.
Something special occurs.
The final notification left Hyun-soo in awe.
You can create your own Calamity.