Chapter 96
Chapter 96
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 96
Chapter Title: Gwangmyeong's Raid (2)
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The reward for hunting the Gray Wolf was the title of Wolf King, and with it came the active skill, Wolf's Howl.
(Wolf King)
Unique Title
Rank: S
Special Abilities:
·Increases Attack Power and Defense by 17% against wolf-type monsters.
·Increases EXP gain from wolf-type monsters by 15%.
·Allows you to command wolves at will.
·Grants dominion over all wolves in the Wolf Sanctuary.
Hyun-soo stood atop a rock.
The Fenrir-faced helmet on his head let out a howl.
Awooooooo-
[Wolf's Howl.]
[Gathers the scattered wolves.]
His chest swelled with emotion.
As hundreds of wolves emerged from between the bushes, over the hills, and from behind the trees, he saw a new possibility.
The possibility of fighting Jack.
To be honest, Hyun-soo hadn't had the faintest idea how he was going to break through over a hundred cultists.
‘The Fifth Calamity, Jack…’
The Fifth Calamity, Jack, was a super-named NPC whose original level was as high as 365.
The gap between him and Hyun-soo was immense.
Fortunately, Jack had been weakened by his use of the Book of Calamity.
Hyun-soo mounted one wolf, and Bellia mounted another.
Bellia, unskilled in handling wolves, fell behind.
“Go on ahead. We don't have time.”
Without hesitation, Hyun-soo picked up the pace.
The Wolf King title included the ability to command wolves at will.
This seemed to include riding them, as Hyun-soo was able to run like an expert tamer.
Upon reaching the vicinity of the temple and cresting a hill, Hyun-soo saw a familiar face.
‘Ji-hoon?’
His best friend, Koteu, was holding a small child.
Hyun-soo drew the string of his Thousand Geun Bow.
First, he dealt with the black lions made of dark magic nearby.
The cultists who spotted him began to gather one by one.
Their numbers were so great that even Hyun-soo felt himself shrink back.
But Koteu was a precious friend, and he also had to rescue the Saintess.
Rescuing the Saintess.
‘Anyone would think this is impossible.’
He gave a bitter smile. But during the ride on the wolf, a complete plan had already formed in his mind.
Hyun-soo spurred the wolf's flank and charged.
The cultists looked on in disbelief at the lone figure of Hyun-soo.
“Heretic.”
“Despair!”
“What do you think you can do all by yourself!”
But their expressions wavered violently at the sight of the surging tide of hundreds of wolves following close behind Hyun-soo.
Kraaaaaaah!
[The Evil God's cultists are flustered.]
[The cultists' morale has decreased.]
[The cultists have been weakened by 7%.]
Hyun-soo's plan required one more thing.
‘I need to secure more levels.’
He had to take it one step at a time.
Just then.
[God's Emergency Production has temporarily leveled up by +5.]
A strange light flickered in Hyun-soo's eyes. A sudden 5-level increase for God's Emergency Production.
The reason was revealed.
[You will be given a preview of a Divine Secret you are destined to obtain.]
[You may use this Divine Secret one time.]
The first secret technique Hyun-soo might obtain was an upgraded version of God's Emergency Production.
(God's Emergency Production)
Active Skill
Rank: God
Level: 6
Penalty: None.
Effect:
·You can create a variety of weapons within 30 seconds.
·You can use Emergency Production to manifest anything you have ever crafted, and you may use the skill embedded in each artifact once.
·You can manifest a total of three artifacts.
Hyun-soo thrilled.
‘With this power, I can power-level like crazy.’
If so, his plan could be realized in an even better way.
Three minerals shot up simultaneously above Hyun-soo's head.
The moment Hyun-soo grasped the first completed sword, a cultist's spear thrust toward him.
But the wolf Hyun-soo was riding pounced on the cultist even faster.
At the same time, seeing the cultists swarming from all directions, Hyun-soo waited for a moment.
This was the sword he had crafted for the Sword King, Barad.
Krrrrrrrrk-!
The moment he swung the sword, the surrounding cultists instantly froze solid.
[You have leveled up.]
[You have leveled up.]
[You have leveled up…]
The cultists had all their stats and levels reduced.
Even so, dozens of them were originally a higher level than Hyun-soo.
Ignoring the completely frozen figures, Hyun-soo passed them and grabbed the second sword.
This was the Smelting Sword he had crafted for the Dragon Knight, Risel.
Gripping the new sword, Hyun-soo swung it toward the cultists approaching from the opposite direction.
Kieeeeeek-!
A single dragon took flight.
The revealed dragon soared forward as if ascending to the heavens, causing a wide-area explosion.
Kwaaaaaaaang-!
[You have leveled up.]
[You have leveled up.]
[You have leveled up…]
The notifications were endless.
In an instant, he reached level 184.
And then, Hyun-soo spotted Jack staring down at him from atop the fortress-like temple, a bewildered look on his face.
Gauntlets of Strength.
The gauntlets that had proven their power when hunting the Stone Golem, and again in the time-attack dungeon at AJ Internet Broadcasting.
[Strength increases by 141.]
His arm muscles bulged tautly as he drew the bowstring.
[Two artifacts closest to legendary have met.]
[Their effects are enhanced by 10% each.]
The combination of the Orichalcum Baby Arrow and the Thousand Geun Bow.
Twaaaang-
Swissssh-
The moment he released the bowstring, the baby arrow flew with a fierce sonic boom.
The Fifth Calamity, Jack, seemed to sneer at Hyun-soo.
He effortlessly created a black shield.
But the moment the baby arrow and the black shield collided,
Krrrrack-!
the baby arrow shattered the shield with ease and passed through.
And Hyun-soo had never been aiming for his chest in the first place.
This was the Fifth Calamity, after all.
He chose instead to bind his legs, and the baby arrow grazed Jack's right leg.
Kwaaaaaang-
After seeing Jack drop to both knees from the impact, Hyun-soo immediately dismounted the wolf.
His friend, Koteu, still holding the child, opened his eyes.
“...Hyun-soo.”
Hyun-soo gave Ji-hoon a small smile.
‘I have to reassure him.’
He wanted to give faith to his friend, whose face was etched with fear.
A smile of relief spread across Koteu's lips as he looked at him.
“What took you so long, you bastard?”
“You say that like we had plans.”
As always, Koteu's expression showed his trust in him.
“Go, Hyun-soo.”
Hyun-soo turned without hesitation.
Wolves, already under Hyun-soo's command, gently took Ji-hoon by the collar, hoisted him and the child onto their backs, and fled at full speed.
And Hyun-soo could see the Fifth Calamity, Jack, already rising to his feet.
[Resisting the strange thousand geun.]
The Fifth Calamity's expression was one of bewilderment.
As if to say, *Did you really think such a petty trick would work on me?*
Hyun-soo kicked off the ground to complete his plan, and Jack muttered.
“Blood Storm.”
A massive tornado formed behind him, pulling in the wolves and tearing them apart.
‘He did that on purpose.’
Hyun-soo realized what kind of person Jack was.
He had deliberately unleashed it on the wolves behind him.
To make him feel helpless, to toy with him.
Krrrrrrrrk-
Ghastly sounds echoed from behind.
The hundreds of wolves that had seemed so strong were being erased without a trace.
But Hyun-soo ignored it and kept running.
‘That means he's letting his guard down. And he's been observing me.’
He had figured out what level of power Hyun-soo possessed, and that was an opportunity.
Kiiiiing-
Jack, caught off guard, was mercilessly slashed by the sword's cry.
Kwakwakwakwakwak-!
“Kuaaaargh!”
[Fifth Calamity Lv. 276 Jack.]
[HP has fallen below 75%.]
Right now, Jack was only about 90 levels higher than Hyun-soo.
He had faced enemies with that kind of level gap before.
“Y-You insect.”
This single attack had enraged Jack.
Now, he would attack Hyun-soo in earnest.
Karrrrrrk-
Dozens of dark magic blades shot into the air.
At the same time, a mineral shot up above Hyun-soo's head.
‘Inflict as much damage as possible.’
The use of the secret technique just now was a one-time special power.
This was a skill he already possessed, so it had no cooldown.
It manifested once more.
Gungnir, the spear once wielded by the chief god Odin.
Karrrrrrrrk-
Hundreds of magic blades rained down on Hyun-soo.
But Hyun-soo ignored them, endured the hits, and hurled the spear with all his might.
Sensing danger, Jack could be seen using Blink.
Blink.
The exclusive domain of high-level mages who could traverse space.
But Jack soon let out a cry of astonishment.
Because Gungnir had followed him through space and pierced him from behind, causing his back to arch like a bow.
“Kuaaaargh!”
[Fifth Calamity Lv. 276 Jack.]
[HP has fallen below 31%.]
Just as Hyun-soo was about to take another step,
Jack, having steadied himself, pointed at Hyun-soo's feet.
“Blood Explosion.”
Kwaaaaaaaang-
An explosion erupted from the ground, mercilessly striking Hyun-soo.
“Keuk!”
[HP has fallen below 12%.]
[You have been afflicted with the Dizziness status effect.]
His body a wreck, Hyun-soo staggered.
He couldn't control his body.
Jack, now wearing an expression as if looking at an insect, approached him.
***
Standing before the man who had led the wolves, Jack couldn't believe it.
‘What in the world is this guy?’
He possessed the Evil God's Eye, which allowed him to perceive his opponent's power.
It revealed their level.
The man was nothing but a low-level fighter. Yet he had never expected to be pushed this far.
‘Of course, I won in the end.’
In any case, the man before him was ultimately defeated. And now, the time had come.
[The sacrificial ritual will begin in 3 minutes.]
To conduct the ritual, he had to reclaim his original power.
Jack had been weakened by borrowing the power of the Book of Calamity.
He dispelled the barrier that had enveloped the temple grounds.
The red barrier melted away, scattering the power of the Book of Calamity, and the strength Jack had lost began to return to him.
“Haaah…”
Power surged through his body.
[Fifth Calamity Jack Lv. 365]
An indescribable killing intent radiated from Jack, who had reclaimed his true power.
That killing intent afflicted the man with a status effect.
His entire body trembled uncontrollably.
He couldn't control himself, paralyzed by fear.
Jack's long, slender fingers aimed for his heart.
“Now, die.”
Pzzzzzt-
Dark magic ignited at his fingertips, about to lash out.
Just then.
The man swept back his blood-soaked hair and glared at him.
Jack couldn't understand the sudden shift in his demeanor.
For a moment, Jack felt as if everything around him had gone silent.
The silence stemmed from an immense pressure, and he could see a shadow covering him.
A chill ran down Jack's spine. He slowly raised his head to identify the source of the shadow in the sky.
‘A dragon…?’
Yes, it was a dragon.
A massive dragon was looking down at him, snorting steam from its nostrils.
“Took you long enough to drop the barrier. You kept us waiting.”
A man descended from the dragon's back and stood to the first man's right.
‘Why, why…?’
Jack questioned inwardly.
How could this be?
Why was that man standing beside someone with such paltry power?
‘Was there a swordsman among the foreigners who exuded such an aura…?’
[Dragon Knight Risel Lv. 334]
He was presumed to be the best damage dealer among the foreigners Jack had seen.
“It was a perfect plan.”
Another man stood to the left of the one named Hyun-soo.
The moment Jack saw the shield he held, he felt his own feet begin to freeze.
‘Was there a tank this sturdy among the foreigners?’
[The Growing One, Bakeu Lv. 326]
He was presumed to be the best tank.
A woman's voice came from behind him.
“Fifth Calamity. You're so screwed.”
It was Nel, and she had already secured Saintess Aria.
Cold sweat trickled down Jack's forehead.
The man had attacked him while he was weakened to inflict the maximum amount of damage.
And even though Jack had regained his power, he hadn't recovered from that damage.
Jack stumbled backward, and Hyun-soo, who had completed his plan, pointed his sword at him.
“Guild Gwangmyeong. Commencing our first raid.”