Chapter 217
Chapter 217
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 216
Chapter Title: 1 Billion Gerault
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"......1 billion Gerault."
Prince, cradled in Seril's arms, speaks with difficulty.
"I'll give you 1 billion Gerault."
"1 billion Gerault......"
That's 300 billion won in Korean currency. An amount no ordinary person could earn in a lifetime, and even the wealthy rarely reach it.
Even major conglomerates might hold that much in assets, but having 300 billion in cash is exceedingly rare.
'And that's even based on 34th Earth standards.'
While browsing the internet, you often see posts like this.
[Save up tight and take about 10 billion to immigrate to another Three Civilization planet—you could live in a palace with ten beautiful wives!
Work even harder and collect wives like an idol group lineup!]
The value of 34th Earth currency is so high that the same amount would let you live out your days in luxury in any of the Three Civilizations.
Of course, the responses aren't favorable.
↳ Heard your dirty desires loud and clear. Ever thought your idol-lookalike wife might stab you in the gut and steal your fortune?
↳ Get scammed out of everything by con artists and end up broke, unable to return to 34th Earth? Wouldn't that suck?
↳ Other civilizations have killer robbers, dude......
↳ What makes you think you can go somewhere without the Justice God or Truth God...... Even master-level combatants feel unsafe......
'No need to think about other civilizations. With 300 billion...... simple math says I could pull 30 Mythic cards.'
No joke—1 billion Gerault is national budget territory in most civilizations.
With 300 billion, even assuming full Mythic setups for class, pet, and guardian spirit, I could create ten Mythic players.
Mythic players built purely on specs without enlightenment wouldn't match Transcendents in combat power...... but they'd still be a massive help in Cheonwon raids.
'I could buy stocks too.'
Nemesis stock is currently at 11.41 million won—round it to 10 million, and that's 30,000 shares.
A far cry from scraping together a few dozen shares in the past.
However.
Even so.
I shook my head.
"No, that's impossible. You think I'd cave for that kind of money?"
"Excuse me, mercenary."
At that moment, Researcher Seril raised her hand.
"But you pondered it a bit too long for saying that......"
"......"
Pretending I didn't hear, I calmly explained.
"It's not about the money. Saving you could cause problems later."
The Grotesque are the Union's archenemies and cosmic terrorists.
Even if independent, a 34th Earth mercenary affiliated with the Union freeing one is risky in every way.
'Of course, the Justice God's gaze doesn't reach here now...... but if info leaks and Truth God priests investigate, it's the same. If the secret holds, fine—but can I trust a Grotesque?'
300 billion sounds good, but if things go south, I could lose it all in disaster.
But Seril shouts.
"No!"
"......What isn't?"
"Prince is a student at Ouroboros! He's the only leader of the Grotesque peace faction. If he dies, with the universe groaning under monster outbreaks, an even greater war will erupt! The King will rage!"
"......"
Her words didn't convince me. So what if he's an Ouroboros student? Does Ouroboros vouch for everyone?
Ouroboros accepts anyone with talent and skill, villain or criminal alike—so affiliation proves little.
'And Prince leads the Grotesque peace faction?'
It might be true...... but irrelevant.
Peace faction or not, they can't escape Grotesque sins. How many civilizations destroyed, lives lost to them?
Even I am the son of a 98th Earth survivor, wiped out by Grotesques.
'But separate from conviction...... it'll make a good excuse.'
Shallow logic and evidence, but enough to defend myself against Justice and Truth Gods.
'As long as opinions differ, it's not clear evil.'
It establishes grounds for [judgment]. Not just paid mercy, but acting for cosmic peace on a macro scale.
"Hmm."
Still insufficient. It's an excuse, but I wasn't convinced by Seril.
"Cough...... huff...... huff......"
And toward me like that.
"1 billion...... 300."
Prince said.
"......"
Yeah.
That's real persuasion.
★☆Job Change Complete☆★
Void Lord (Mythic) => Holy Lord (Mythic)
Changing classes envelops my body in auspicious energy.
I open the skill window and cast the Legendary skill, Light of Salvation.
Wooong--!
"This is......"
Even amid our argument, Prince's worsening condition rapidly improves.
Not stopping there, I open my inventory.
Pop.
I pull out songpyeon rice cakes.
'I should feed some to that guy. If I'm taking him out anyway, he needs to recover enough not to drag me down.'
`
(213,186,404,030 won)
Beep!
(213,175,986,030 won)
My face grimaces at the dwindling funds.
'No way—one songpyeon costs 10 million won?'
Item manifestation is priced way too high. As a miracle of material creation, maybe not—but it's free for me to eat, yet feeding others burns through this much.
"Eat."
"......Rice cakes?"
"Oh, you know rice cakes."
"They came up a few times in Ouroboros cafeteria...... but rice cakes in this situation?"
"Eat if I say so."
Prince tilts his head but grabs and eats the songpyeon.
The moment the plate empties, his expression changes.
"......My wounds?"
"Simplified...... medicine? But this effect......"
Prince and Seril marvel, but it's just Heroic-grade. Saving Legendaries for the Temple of Death raid.
[Ra~! Guppta! HA! HA! HA!]
Then, a victory roar echoes from outside the cave.
'The Grand Overlord is dead.'
Prince and Seril seem to grasp it too, faces darkening.
I glance at Prince. A Grand Overlord is valuable even to Grotesques—no resentment or grief from him.
'He knows I basically let it die.'
I could have saved the Grand Overlord. Quick negotiation and intervention would have done it.
But I didn't.
'In the end, I'll wipe out all Grotesques and monsters from 98th Earth. No need to spare an enemy and complicate things.'
For now, rescuing Prince and Seril comes first.
"Wait here a moment."
★☆Job Change Complete☆★
Holy Lord (Mythic) => Sword God (Mythic)
I cloak Hyperion in sword aura and exit the cave.
"I'll finish quick."
Focusing my mind as I step out, I sense the atmosphere. No—the vast sea.
An endless ocean. And within it, myriad martial arts swimming.
'It's expanding deeper.'
Great Vessel Late Bloom's forms endlessly form, shatter, reform, revive.
Its potential is so vast even I, rich in martial knowledge, struggle to refine them.
Long meditation in Ardania followed by logout for ultimate strikes—One Mind became impossible with overflowing inner power.
Sub-Light, Light Flash, Conquest Light differ only in cast time, power, difficulty—essentially the same.
Inner power's body enhancement merely adds minor buffs to my already pinnacle Extreme Body.
Attribute arts are bound to my eight flame points.
Countless heart methods and forms yield only basic moves any third-rate warrior could do.
Thud.
I kick off the ground—precisely, the dimension including the ground.
Accelerating to light speed.
A velocity even Transcendents can't handle. Even I, launching myself, can't fully perceive it.
But that's not the only issue.
Physical beings can't casually hit such speeds without shredding their bodies. Absolute masters can swing light-speed sword strikes, but only at the aura's tip.
'Honestly, as a pure martial artist, I'm unfinished.'
Great Vessel Late Bloom.
A vessel too grand is hard to fill. If purely a warrior, even reaching Transcendent would leave me half-complete.
But martial arts.
Are just part of what makes me now.
Great Vessel Late Bloom.
Conquest Light.
Dimension-crushing leap, speed surpassing light.
Immense sword aura of concentrated inner power, dimension-tearing strength.
Life force beyond physics, combat foresight glimpsing instants ahead.
Myriad passive and active skills.
12x physical coefficient, 14x mana coefficient.
Astronomic martial chakra, absolute master's sword aura, perfected Extreme Body.
And binding it all: One Will.
Thud.
I land beyond Shimgon.
"Login."
Transfer to Ardania.
"Great Heal!"
"Great Heal!"
"Great Heal!"
"Recovery!"
Receiving a barrage of heals, I eat. Then handle a few hours of state affairs.
Until the accumulated strain fully washes away.
"Logout."
Back to reality, I turn.
[Kraaaak!]
A scream of agony bursts from Shimgon's maw. Blood pours like a waterfall from its half-severed neck.
"Blocked again."
Ignoring causality, surging seawater deflected the strike, preventing a clean decapitation.
[Kek! Grrrk!]
But it's fatal. In peak condition, it wouldn't fall so easily...... battling the Grand Overlord took its toll.
Plus, drunk on victory.
Splash!
Seawater surges, enveloping Shimgon's body.
Not ordinary seawater. Intense dimensional vibrations from the black brine.
'Escape? Last time it was recovery...... makes sense; using escape on 34th Earth is suicide.'
But Shadow Twice activates!
Crack!
[Arati!?]
Amid the shock, as seawater ripples, I charge.
Seawater blocks me, but against Extreme Body that tears dimensions barehanded and endures black holes, it's futile.
Slash!
I seize and rip through the seawater. Shimgon's eyes bulge in terror.
I grab its already healing neck.
[Grkk! Karta!]
Simultaneously, Shimgon clutches me.
"Hmph!"
But I scoff it off. It can't shake me. Even if it's huge and I'm small...... my [Strength] stat is higher.
Crunch!
I snap its fingers trying to pry me off, burrowing deeper.
[Kek!? Grraaak......!]
Crack!
Final Shadow Twice erupts into Shimgon's thrashing neck.
Crunch-crunch!
I rip out its head, spine and all.
Thud! Boom!
Head hits ground; massive body follows, tumbling.
"......"
"......My God."
A stifled gasp from behind, but I ignore it. They're not important.
Sizzle! Hiss!
Amid blood melting earth like cotton candy—yet not touching my hair—I focus.
Soon, as Shimgon expires, the awaited appears.
Clatter!
Ten items burst forth!
'Mythic drop!?'
I scan them quickly. Spot the one scattering jet-black light.
I laugh.
"Haha!"
A Mythic dropped.