Chapter 261
Chapter 261
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 261
Chapter Title: Spear King Spear Master (2)
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Rumble...
On the shaking ground, five skeletons and one hunter faced off.
The sheer intensity of their standoff whipped the trees like a typhoon and made the streetlights sway.
└ Wow, respect. You're filming that right up close.
└ Thanks, Reporter Han. Now we know our rights.
└ So it's Spear King vs. skeletons now?
└ Yeah, looks like it. Joo Dong-hoon's hanging back.
└ Joo Dong-hoon, fighting!
Viewers from around the world flooded into Reporter Han's stream after digging through the live broadcasts.
Even the fleeing spectators pulled out their phones to check the real-time streams.
“Joo Dong-hoon! You have to win!”
“Don’t lose to the Spear King!”
“Show us the dignity of ranking tenth!”
“Joo Dong-hoon! Joo Dong-hoon!”
They shouted encouragement even as they ran.
└ ?? Guys, check the broadcast TV right now. The Magic Tower Lord interview is on.
└ Magic Tower Lord? Isn't she friendly toward Joo Dong-hoon?
└ Yeah, she's defending him. China’s totally isolated after this incident.
└ lol If the Magic Tower and even the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult turn their backs, it's over for them. The American Demon King Army won't side with them either. They'll be completely cut off diplomatically.
Led by a few viewers' comments.
People switched to a certain broadcast channel.
Flash!
The screen showed Sophia Silverstone gripping a microphone.
But contrary to expectations that she'd be excited.
Her expression was remarkably calm.
“The Spear King, that old man, finally went after Joo Dong-hoon? Heh heh heh! A fight between hyper-rankers should be quite the spectacle.”
Sophia answered with an expression like she was enjoying it.
That was when the broadcast MC asked his question.
“Magic Tower Lord! You previously revealed an alliance with Byeolcheonji, the group Joo Dong-hoon belongs to. We're curious about the Magic Tower's future actions!”
“Our actions.”
The Magic Tower Lord smiled faintly.
“What would be different? We'll always support Byeolcheonji, and we consider Joo Dong-hoon a friend.”
“No, that's not what I'm asking, Tower Lord! If Joo Dong-hoon gets hurt or killed in this confrontation, how will you deal with China?”
“Ah...”
Sophia lifted her chin while holding the mic.
“So that's the question?”
She wore a subtle expression.
“Hmm, but isn't that question a bit strange?”
“Pardon?”
The MC blinked.
“You know, it's like suddenly asking a fisherman how he'd deal with a shrimp that opens its mouth wide and swallows a whale.”
The Tower Lord shook her head as if it was absurd, then looked at the MC.
“MC.”
“Yes, yes!”
“Don't underestimate hyper-rankers. The gap between tenth and eleventh place is far beyond what you imagine.”
It was a declaration from the Magic Tower Lord, subtle yet brimming with conviction.
* * *
Boom!
The moment Kaden slammed his shield down.
['Kaden' uses the skill 'Must Block' (Lv.5).]
A glow enveloped the entire team.
A buff that boosted defense for allies in a certain range.
And also.
['Kaden' uses the skill 'Unyielding Shield' (Lv.5).]
Boom!
The ground shook with a resounding echo through the space.
A massive transparent shield, like a mountain, blocked all directions.
Crack!
The aura pouring from the Spear King fizzled out before reaching the absolutes.
“I'll take responsibility for blocking the front.”
A trustworthy declaration.
Behind that shield.
“Healing's on me.”
Dana knelt and clasped her hands together.
Support from the world's sturdiest tank and healer.
“Wow, that's solid.”
Whoosh!
Arin swung her staff with an excited voice.
“Then I'm charging in! We're engaged, so let's fight! Hahaha!”
“I'll show that obnoxious old man how a spear is truly wielded!”
Mu-gak and Sun Spear also spread out to the flanks, charging toward the Spear King.
Swoosh! Scrape!
“Hm.”
The Spear King's pupils dilated sharply.
They looked like mere skeletons, yet their movements were as sly as serpents.
And that wasn't all.
Every incoming attack was both blindingly fast and crushingly heavy.
'As expected, ranking tenth isn't just for show.'
But.
He was the Flower Spear.
The spear that uniquely carried on China's traditions, the first to reach hyper rank.
'My spear shall be heavy as a mountain and swift as thunder...!'
Whoosh!
Crack!
Space tore at his swing.
Mu-gak and Sun Spear, closing in, urgently retreated from the overwhelming spear art.
“Good! Come at me together!”
The Spear King kicked off the ground and soared into the sky.
Flash-flash-flash!
Bouncing off the air several times, he rose above Kaden.
“Block this if you can!”
Just as he poised to thrust his spear downward.
“Hm?”
He frowned at Sun Spear catching up from behind in an instant.
'No way.'
Was it planning to block his attack from below?
'Pathetic.'
He knew that skeleton.
Sun Spear, was it?
The one that supposedly defeated his disciple, Judgment Spear.
That one's spear held a blazing something.
'Arrogance as ever.'
All who challenged him with spear arts were the same.
The hubris of thinking themselves the best.
The dullness that only learned right from wrong after a beating.
“......”
The Spear King was purely curious.
How would it block this spear thrust containing all his essence?
* * *
- Ugh, viewers! The skeletons' teamwork is no joke!
- Look at that! You can see why Joo Dong-hoon's epithet is Skeleton Emperor!
- Huh? Is the Spear King finally getting serious? He's shooting up into the sky!
Reporter Han, chattering in front of his installed camera.
And right before him.
Rumble!
The Spear King thrust his spear downward with a thunderous roar.
└ Whoa, is this for real?
└ How do you survive something like that?
└ That's movie-level CG, right?
└ Feels real though?
└ If I were there, I'd burn to death in one second, no doubt ㄷㄷ.
But.
The skeletons didn't just stand there.
Once more, a wide-area transparent shield unfolded.
Roar!
Sun Spear, wreathed in flames, surged upward.
└ The skeletons aren't pushovers either?
└ The point is they're just skeletons! Not even dullahans or death knights—just plain skeletons!
└ Dang, what skeletons go toe-to-toe with a ranker?!
Boom!
A flash erupted from the clash of the two spear wielders.
Not once, but multiple times.
Like lightning on a cloudy day, accompanied by thunderous roars.
Boom!
It sounded like a catastrophe had struck, just from the noise alone.
└ ??
└ ???
└ What, you see it?
└ Just flashing nonstop.
└ Damn, I get why people call hyper-rankers gods. Is this reality?
Multiple clashes.
The fiercer they grew, the more the ground gouged out and cars exploded.
Crash!
Glass shattered from nearby buildings.
And at one point.
“Hraaaah!”
With the Spear King's shout.
A dazzling spear barrage unfolded!
Boom!
The energy on the spear swirled like a dragon ascending.
Kaden and Dana, holding the shield, lost their footing and floated up, while Mu-gak and Sun Spear were swept into the turbulence.
A strike like a natural disaster.
But.
That was it.
To dragon-bone skeletons, it was an impact they could endure.
['Dana' uses the skill 'Salvation' (Lv.5).]
Whirr!
Dana's wide-area advanced healing wiped away all the shock.
└ Wow.
└ Spear King aside, what are those skeletons?
└ No damage from an attack like that? Makes sense?
└ Now I get how they survived that nuke hit;;
└ Dang, cockroach-level survivability.
Thud!
Sun Spear landed on the ground upon recovery and spoke in a mocking tone.
“Is that all?”
“You cowardly bastards...!”
The Spear King's face was full of frustration.
It couldn't be helped.
He was fighting like a madman, while his opponents endlessly healed and defended.
One of them had even reset at their master's command after running out of energy.
Where in the world was there such a cheat class?
Sun Spear chuckled and sneered at the sight.
“If that's all you've got, I'm disappointed.”
Fwoosh!
Flames burst from Sun Spear's body.
Soul Flame (Lv.Max).
An amplifier that maximally boosted physical strength and agility for a brief time.
“Then it's my turn.”
Thud!
Sun Spear kicked off the ground and charged.
At the same time.
Screeech!
He thrust fiercely toward the Spear King.
Sun Spear.
Sun Spear Chain Strike.
Lv.Max.
Flash-flash-flash!
The sun spear flashed like consecutive flares.
An insane-speed barrage.
“Hup!”
Even the world's Spear Master, proud of his spear mastery, showed panic.
'Should I dodge this?'
Clashing head-on out of pride might strain his body.
'Damn, dodging means I'll have to concede at least one leg.'
Even as he thought that.
Sun Spear's barrage poured down madly.
It was fast, and the blinding light forced him to rely solely on senses.
'What do I do?'
Conceding a leg? His pride wouldn't allow it.
He knew this moment was being broadcast live.
Taking a wound from an opponent's spear?
That would end the Flower Spear.
He'd have to throw the honor of the world's strongest spear art to the dirt.
'Then.'
There was one way.
To confront it.
'Using every trump card I have.'
Every ranker hid an ace.
The Spear King was no different.
A rare consumable item not factored into rankings.
[Item: Amplification Scroll]
[Grade: SS]
[Type: Scroll]
[Description: Use in your moment of crisis. Your power will amplify tenfold for a short time.]
[Effect 1: In your moment of crisis, ancient magic aids you.]
A scroll he'd luckily obtained from a high-level dungeon in the past, always carried like a talisman.
The Spear King drew it out with venomous eyes.
'In the end, I have to use this.'
But when using it.
Not on that Sun Spear skeleton.
It was just a doll that revived at Joo Dong-hoon's gesture anyway.
'Then, the target is one.'
Joo Dong-hoon.
Sizzle!
Judgment and decision were lightning-fast.
Sun Spear's relentless barrage pierced his thigh and calf—pfft!—but.
“Hraaaah!”
He ignored the pain and veered direction.
['Ancient Magic' (SSS Grade) appears.]
['Ancient Magic' (SSS Grade) uses magic per the ancient oath.]
['Ancient Magic' (SSS Grade) uses 'Power Amplification' (SS Grade).]
Whirr!
In that instant, the Spear King felt immense liberation.
A colossal cosmic energy filled his grasp.
Confidence flooded his mind that he could pulverize any being to dust in a heartbeat with this power.
And in reality.
Power strong enough to shatter his body surged into the spear.
“With this one strike, I'll end it all.”
The Spear King focused his mind.
His pain-twisted face contorted like a wrathful demon.
Boom!
At the same time.
Ignoring Kaden and Mu-gak blocking the front.
And Arin's magic, Sun Spear's attacks.
“Haaaaah!”
He charged straight at Joo Dong-hoon.