Chapter 164
Chapter 164
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 164
Chapter Title: Liberty's Shadow
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"May God's grace be with you."
The moment Foreia finished his prayer.
Whoosh!
Their hidden forms emerged from stealth, as if a cascade of pure white light poured down.
"Ah...!"
Foreia let out an involuntary gasp.
He had grown up as a soldier and mercenary since childhood.
Even after awakening as a Player, his life hadn't changed much. Living by ironclad rules, he had somehow become a giant of the battlefield.
-Gigant, Foreia.
That's what they called him.
He never questioned orders.
That simple creed had carried him to World Rank 12.
-This time.
-The next operation.
He could not defy commands.
He must not harbor doubts.
But.
-Please... spare me...
At some point, thoughts of right and wrong began to creep in.
Once the doubts started, they snowballed.
-Captain, are you all right?
By the time he realized they were deeply affecting him, he made up his mind.
'This will be my last operation.'
He vowed never to work as a mercenary again.
Black Panther, Samuel—assassination.
This mission would be Foreia's final one.
If only that were the case.
"Aaah...!"
Now, the power surging through him drew gasps from Foreia and everyone around.
A profound fullness coursed through their bodies, the thick darkness in their minds swept away in an instant.
"I... I..."
[All stats are...]
[The power of skills is...]
[Regeneration is...]
Independent of the system alerts ringing in his ears, strength welled up within him.
A tear rolled down his cheek, speaking volumes.
"I wasn't wrong."
If he had been, God would never grant such a blessing.
So.
Whoosh!
He was not wrong.
And for the great one who had bestowed this faith.
'I will dedicate my life to Him.'
An indescribable sense of fulfillment and exaltation, like glimpsing a new world beyond a wall.
"You have talent."
Foreia turned at the voice beside him.
There stood one of the angels, who until now had seemed unwilling even to exchange words, lips sealed tight.
They had exuded such a faint presence that one couldn't be sure they were even Players.
Whoosh!
But in this moment, to Foreia's eyes, they appeared as exalted beings one dared not even face.
"If this mission ends successfully, I'll tell the gods about you."
"......!"
"You seem qualified to join our ranks."
"Is that true?" "Angels never invoke God's name lightly."
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Foreia's heart pounded like a mad drum.
Gulp.
To be acknowledged by the source of this power.
"What happens if I become an angel?"
"Curious?"
It was as if time had stopped; only their conversation rang out.
Despite the urgent situation on the verge of entry, no one pressed them.
"It means beholding a greater world, shedding your human shell and receiving salvation."
Tap.
A hand clapped his shoulder, transmitting immense power.
"You'll feel humans are utterly insignificant."
"...But my sins..."
"Didn't I say?"
The angel snapped his fingers crisply.
"They're insignificant."
The sins Foreia had committed were trivial, all things considered.
In that instant, Foreia felt as if all his sins had been forgiven.
And at the same time.
"We move in—!"
He vowed to succeed in this mission, no matter what.
*
*
*
Samuel's desert villa was a fortress through and through.
When those Samuel targeted had approached to a certain distance.
Slam!
Foreia urgently raised his fist.
At that moment.
Woooong!
Blue light began erupting from beneath the sand.
Boom!
A massive explosion soon engulfed the area.
Was this truly Goldian's fortress?
Even ranker-level Players, prepared as they were.
"Casualties!"
"Seven injured!"
Seven swept up in the blast lay unconscious, their bodies mangled.
Foreia looked to the angels.
Swish.
But the angel shook his head.
Known for healing abilities, yet they refused his plea for aid.
Unclear if it was because they couldn't heal others, or severe wounds, or simply lacked the spare capacity.
Snap.
The key point: the explosion meant Samuel had detected their approach.
Slam!
As Foreia signaled to hurry and stepped forward.
Click.
His heart seemed to stop.
The recent blast site, where they'd paused briefly due to the injured.
Thud.
He hadn't expected a follow-up explosion.
Splash!
Feeling the faint tremor, Foreia unleashed all his mana to form a barrier.
Not just him—most of the forces, beyond gold rank.
Even the angels.
Boom!
A colossal blast enveloped everything.
Impossible.
Who would have thought explosions chained like this.
Goldian's tech.
Boom boom boom boom!
Debris scattered everywhere.
In the slow-flowing time, Foreia focused solely on shielding himself.
Crackle.
When the explosions finally ceased.
"Huff, huff, heave."
Foreia spat out ragged breaths.
The blasts had been so fierce that his mana, at World Rank 12, was down to a third.
If he was like this.
Grip.
What of the others?
"...Fuck."
Over half of their hundred-plus force was gone.
Even if the angels could heal, the carnage was beyond comprehension.
Crimson stains on the sand.
Remnants of those who had marched beside him, once comrades.
"Hold."
In the end, Foreia clenched his fist, ordering a halt.
Step.
But some ignored it and moved.
"W-Wait!"
The angels.
Limbs and torsos torn open by the blast, faces twisted in rage, they strode past Foreia without heed.
Twitch.
Their wounds visibly knit back together.
And.
Thud.
That familiar aura crashed down once more.
'These crazy bastards!'
How many bombs had they planted, and how?
As Foreia lunged toward them, fearing the loss of their greatest assets.
Wooong!
White wings sprouted from the angels' backs.
Their bodies fully restored in an instant, power erupting simultaneously.
Boom!
They contained the blast harmlessly, nullifying it.
Swish.
The angels' eyes on Foreia seemed to say:
'Ready now?'
No more delays—move out.
They would take the lead.
Boom!
No further casualties emerged amid the ongoing explosions.
*
*
*
Was it due to the explosions before entering the villa?
Swish.
Foreia entered more tense than ever.
The silver lining: with angels in front, no more sacrifices from traps.
What was astonishing.
'He anticipated this.'
Samuel seemed to have foreseen it—no traps or defenses inside the villa beyond the outer blasts.
'I figured there'd be mana turrets or space shredders at least.'
The villa's center, opulent yet impeccably designed.
Each piece of furniture could crush a luxury car.
The space boasted perfection, as if mocking the need for guards.
"......"
As they tensed to begin searching.
"No need."
One angel spoke.
"He doesn't seem inclined to hide."
Only then did Foreia understand the angels' words.
The faint thread of mana he'd sensed.
Fwoosh.
It expanded sharply, becoming crystal clear.
"......!"
Stealth and mana control that even stunned Foreia.
Someone with such skill.
'Samuel?'
The Samuel hiding his power?
And the auras he felt.
"...Ha."
Not one or two.
Dozens of presences revealing themselves at once.
To enable this: legendary items, or monstrous Apostles.
Or the lord of monsters, called demon or such—Go Yohan.
If not.
"This, I didn't expect."
One man.
A predictable figure.
Holder of a higher rank than his own.
A master of mana control, top-tier in America.
"Kyle."
Kyle.
"Long time no see, Foreia."
A top powerhouse in World Rank 2 guild, Liberty.
One of Liberty's two vice-guild masters, Kyle, revealed himself.
Swish.
Beside him, Liberty's elite rankers Greus and his raid party.
And behind them, at last, the target: Black Panther, Samuel.
"Never thought Liberty would betray us."
He'd thought Samuel alone, or Goldian's forces—victory assured, if not overwhelming.
"Betray?"
But Liberty.
America's top guild, proclaiming freedom, were beasts off the leash.
Crushing all in their path, monopolizing gates for wealth and EXP.
Among them, Kyle was.
'Shadow of Freedom.'
Renowned enough for that moniker, one of Liberty's prized strengths.
"Going to claim it's not betrayal? Harboring a traitor?"
"Since when did we care about that?"
"Fair point."
Liberty wore a guild facade, but they were mercenaries like him at heart.
"Goldian could move Liberty..."
"Misunderstanding, Foreia."
"......?"
"We don't move for money."
And.
Thump!
His heart plummeted again.
More insidious, dangerous than mana bombs.
Flash!
A presence that startled even the angels into unleashing full power.
"We've been His servants from the start."
The aura of a being who shouldn't appear flooded the villa.