Royal Shop (5)
[Imp's Fighting Spirit.]
All stats -15%
Agility -25%
Damage: 1,613 per second
Level 615. The moment he faced the imp, Hyun-soo plunged into a status ailment for the first time and felt an overwhelming terror.
The creature's fighting spirit was unlike any ordinary status effect.
Extreme Terror.
It was a higher-tier affliction than the standard "Fear," one that hit his skin like a physical force.
The instant their eyes met, the hairs on his body stood on end, and his legs trembled like aspen leaves.
But Hyun-soo focused on something else.
Legion Commander's Fury
First Legend title shines brightly.
Same legends cannot suppress one another.
Robus had appeared out of nowhere. Being the same legend-grade, Hyun-soo could resist his status effect.
Bahala said even hunting an imp with 20% HP left wouldn't be easy.
If he tried to protect Hyun-soo now, their movements would tangle, dooming Bahala to defeat.
Besides, Hyun-soo's presence here stemmed from his half-forced invitation.
I won't be dead weight. No, quite the opposite.
As Hyun-soo shed his fear, his fighting spirit surged.
You are one of Asgan Continent's Ten Legends.
But most will not acknowledge you as a true legend.
Hyun-soo wasn't revered like Barad or Ben.
There were many reasons.
In an era where average legends were level 480, his level still lingered in the 360s.
Legends had piled up grand achievements, but his were limited to crafting special artifacts.
Yeah, a legend in name only.
That was Hyun-soo now, and he'd lived the past two months in that state.
He clenched his fist at the incoming notifications.
Legion Commander Robus has slain 2,761,614 humans, making him legend-grade.
Succeed in slaying Legion Commander Robus, and as one of the Ten Master Craftsmen, people will hail you.
When Hyun-soo became a legend, he'd harbored doubts.
As expected, it unlocked massive stats and his first legend title.
But he'd deemed it insufficient.
Now, these notifications electrified him.
Legend Who Defeats a Legend
📍 Rank:SSS
📍 Restriction:Master Craftsman
📍 Reward:Master Craftsman's Pride
📍 Penalty on Failure: Legend status questioned
Gremory's Legion Commander Robus led the massacre of humans.
Several territories vanished because of him, and he's legend-grade like you.
Slay Legion Commander Robus to solidify your standing as a Master Craftsman.
The reason his legend ascension felt lacking was now clear.
His level had been in the 330s then.
His achievements were legend-grade, so the system auto-adjusted.
Just like this quest.
Master Craftsman's Pride is a status effect held by legends.
It unlocks each time you prove you're a true legend.
And Hyun-soo realized.
Being on par with the legends he knew meant Ben or Barad level.
Named NPCs and named boss monsters had clear differences.
NPCs' edges were skills, technique, and experience.
Boss monsters' were insane HP pools no human could match, illogical attack/defense power, and traits.
People defined it thus: at equal levels, monsters held the advantage over humans.
It will not be easy to win.
Even Barad or Ben here wouldn't find this easy.
But Hyun-soo smiled.
Legends' innate status effects tied closely to them.
Sword King's Killing Intent.
Barad's emanating aura was untouchable for ordinary humans.
Spear Heaven's Wrath ironically activated when the grumpy old man unleashed his tightly controlled fury.
Master Craftsman's Pride.
A name only he, who'd overcome the impossible, could claim.
All Evil is Slashed!
Deletes 80% HP.
The moment Babylon swung, Hyun-soo's mind raced.
Not enough.
Within 30m range.
Under the status effect, his options were limited.
"You mad human bastard?"
Robus lunged, embracing him and pouring all his strength into a charge.
I'll create a chance to win somehow.
Legion Commander Robus was likely a tamer.
He wielded stats absurdly high for his level.
Shwaaaaa—
The flaming whip in Robus's grip battered Hyun-soo relentlessly.
-HP drops below 70%
Just four whip strikes shaved off 30% HP.
Doubting if this was really a tamer, Hyun-soo endured.
Fwoooooosh—
Vast pillars of light-lava erupted from the ground, engulfing Robus.
Why Hyun-soo dragged him into splash range despite the damage?
Bahala's evil bonus damage, plus the top ranker's base attack amplified to 2,300%—transcendent.
Legion Commander Robus's HP drops below 60%
"Kraaaaaah!!!"
Boss monsters—especially demon commanders like Robus—had HP pools three times human tamers at the same level.
Sizzle—
Robus couldn't believe the man before him who took the hit.
What the hell is this guy?
Bahala would return eventually.
Robus had waited with the imp, confident.
When they entered, he sensed it.
Ah, easy human prey.
The other human seemed utterly insignificant without Bahala.
But he'd inflicted massive damage with a momentary flash.
Shock faded quickly amid lingering light shards.
"Playing with cheap remnants!"
Just a lapse in guard.
His whip speed surged exponentially.
Magic-infused strikes whipped Hyun-soo once, thrice, five times in an instant.
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwang!
Five attacks per second.
-HP drops below 41%
Hyun-soo's agility was crippled by the imp's spirit.
He took every whip hit but landed none.
Yet pride meant unyielding spirit.
Robus was a species far beyond him.
Within that gap, Hyun-soo sought victory.
His armor crumpling and tearing, his eyes gleamed through effect remnants.
Gazing at Robus amid the light, he found one path.
"Pull."
Squiiiish—!
Irresistible force yanked Robus, stunning him.
The man he'd ravaged was now in his face.
Hot eyes flustered him, then Robus cackled madly.
"Krahak, krahahahak!"
The knights guarding territories he annihilated had those eyes.
Sure defeat, yet burning pride to protect and win.
What became of them?
Limbs torn asunder, their heads tossed before lords, despairing all.
Neutralization
Power bestowed by Lady Gremory.
Neutralization nullifies power in his sword.
Active skills cannot be activated.
Hyun-soo halted mid-Sword Cry activation.
His plan to stun and suppress with the debuff's 2-second stun crumbled.
"Kahahahahaha, still haven't landed a single hit!?"
Like Robus's mad laughter.
His only success: splashing Bahala's damage onto him.
Rumble—!
Immense magic surged into the whip.
Demon legend who massacred humanity. Robus's strength: Cleaving Whip.
The whip that severed steel rebar battered the frozen Hyun-soo repeatedly.
-HP drops below 31%
-HP drops below 17%
He hit a wall.
But he gripped the Twin Dragon Swords with all his might.
This one strike would sever the neck, forging another chance.
That was Master Craftsman's Pride.
Grip—
Power in his back foot, Hyun-soo reared the Twin Dragon Swords.
"Kahahahaha, yeah, maybe once!"
Not condescension.
Amid whipping strikes, he'd seized a gap for one guaranteed hit.
But Robus felt no fear.
Yet ecstasy lit Hyun-soo's face.
"You know what?"
Robus faltered.
Arrogance, dignity, charisma worthy of any legend.
Plus Hyun-soo's saint-exclusive stat.
Overwhelm.
Momentary Stun
"This one will be different from any you've known."
Robus denied it.
Humans loved empty bravado.
Claiming the impossible.
But wrong.
Ultimate (Essence) activates.
Ares's first defined instant-kill.
Its energy surged into the Twin Dragon Swords.
Hyun-soo's heart pounded.
Impossible foe.
Legend-grade monster.
Humanity's slayer, evil incarnate.
Robus was untouchable.
Yet he reached for it, if only briefly.
And this Ultimate replayed his strongest single damage ever.
Its flaw and strength: the user's peak limit.
But Hyun-soo?
I achieved a peak even Bahala couldn't touch.
His title Strongest Single Shot Creator had upgraded then.
How?
The Twin Dragon Swords held Accumulation.
It stored 15% of damage taken over 5 minutes.
A double-edged sword.
But that place was extraordinary.
In the continental war, it absorbed power from China's top rankers.
Hyun-soo had thought then:
Unprecedented accumulation.
It was.
Accumulation shone against many strong foes.
Hyun-soo defined it: no second chance.
But he knew.
Kuhwooooo—
The blade of his record damage felt unreal to him alone.
It couldn't cleave Robus at 60% HP in one go.
Even peak damage shaves 30% off legend-grade.
But that sufficed.
Lodge it fatally in the neck.
Finally swinging, power filled Hyun-soo's arms.
He knew this strike would leave him brutally slain after.
Yet one realization hit.
The Ultimate he'd imagined differed from this one.
Activates at 0.1% probability.
Ultimate had 0.4% and 0.1% triggers.
0.4% was known as peak damage.
But 0.1% was vaguely described: superior to normal Ultimate.
Once in a thousand swings.
Even boosted by Desire Dagger, once in seven hundred.
Thrusting, Hyun-soo burned with ecstasy.
Manifests twice your record highest damage!
True instant-kill unleashed.
Robus's casual eyes bulged.
"I too am a legend."
Swinging amid denial.
Seogeoeoeok—!
A crisp cleave, Robus's face went slack.
His stunned body felt no pain, contrary to his expression.
Nothing special, huh.
Wrong.
Duller blades hurt more.
Sharper ones? Unfelt until blood flows.
Drip, drip-drip—
Sliiiide. Robus's cleanly severed head tumbled.
Awareness dawned.
...In just one strike?
Hyun-soo exulted, watching the falling head.
Highest damage among all your single strikes ever.
No user will reach it for a long time.
Number one.
Even Bahala couldn't reach it.
And would take ages.
But Hyun-soo's joy wasn't that. The position it'd elevate him to.
The rewards strengthening him.
Now ringing: notifications seeding new rewards, thoughts, conviction.
Title "Pledge Your Loyalty to Me" shines brilliantly.
Lord's Grace activates.
These proved it.
Imp Lukio would become.
The guardian of the north gate.