Chapter 339
Chapter 339
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 339
Chapter Title: Apophis (1)
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Whoooosh!
The area opposite Muryeong Paradise was desolate.
An untouched expanse of barren wilderness, completely undeveloped.
My subordinates and I had made our way here over the course of about two days.
"Hoo."
Having climbed to the highest point there,
I exhaled, feeling the cool temperature wash over my entire body.
Yeah.
This was where we were going to summon the ancient creature, Apophis?
"Professor."
Arin approached my side and gently closed her eyes.
A moment later, her lips parted.
"Yes, after doing some rough calculations, this spot should be fine. It won't put too much strain on Muryeong Paradise."
"Is that so?"
Apophis.
I'd heard more than enough about the thing from Arin.
A massive serpent measuring a staggering 1,110 meters in length.
It wasn't quite on the level of a dragon, but even just the numbers made it sound insane.
The Lotte World Tower in Seoul stood at about 555 meters tall, so this was exactly twice that length.
The average car was around 4.5 meters long, which meant this beast was the equivalent of about 246 cars lined up end to end.
And we were about to summon that monstrous horror right in front of our eyes.
"Honestly, it's pretty dangerous. Summoning a constellation-level being and fighting it head-on..."
"But Hase is a constellation too, right?"
"Come on, Professor."
Arin shook her head.
"Not all constellations are created equal. Just like not all humans are the same."
"You're saying Apophis is way stronger? Last time you said it was just approaching dragon level."
"That's the problem. Dragons are among the absolute top tier of constellation-level beings. Especially ancient dragons. Did you already forget about the fight with that earth dragon?"
Fair enough.
That earth dragon had been terrifying.
'But.'
The me from back then and the me now were worlds apart.
"Anyway."
I looked at Arin.
"What's our chance of beating Apophis?"
"Honestly, I have no idea. Fifty percent? It's about even."
"Really?"
That's all?
"If we assume you're using the power of that weapon you have, it's 100%. Otherwise, there are too many variables. Hmm, looking at the effects of that weapon set we just got... it might crush it completely."
Arin tilted her head, her expression uncertain.
Hoo.
Is that how it is?
Hearing that only made my competitive spirit burn brighter.
The decision was made anyway.
I planned to use Apophis to gauge my current level.
More precisely, to train against it.
If we barely won?
I'd summon it over and over until victory came easy.
'It's a constellation. One that's close to an ancient dragon in power.'
Meanwhile, I was still SS-grade, and only ranked 4th at that.
But I wasn't your average SS-grade.
I had constellation-level beings like Yuisah and Demir under me.
"Everyone."
Fwoosh!
I swung my arm, manifesting my spear.
"Prepare yourselves."
This time, I intended to unleash my full power without holding back.
Rustle, rustle rustle!
I summoned all eight of my subordinates, excluding the unawakened Bone One and Bone Twelve.
Those subordinates in turn summoned their own,
and then summoned more...
Rustle, rustle, rustle rustle!
And just like that.
It didn't take long before a massive skeleton legion teemed before me.
Creak, creak creak!
Countless skeletons took their positions in perfect order.
What made skeletons so magnificent?
They had no emotions.
No matter the opponent, they never felt fear.
They didn't experience terror.
Thus, there was no wavering, no curiosity about the situation.
They simply prepared according to orders.
"For the lord! Lower your stances!"
At Sun-yi's command,
Whoosh, whooooosh!
Countless skeleton spearmen gripped their spears tight.
"Forest kin! Take positions under the forest's blessing!"
At Eldrin's command, skeleton archers settled into spots amid the underbrush.
Kaden and Arin's subordinates likewise
spread out widely across the barren plain in a dispersed formation rather than a tight cluster.
"Swing those hammers!"
"Kahahahat! Craft massive monster weapons!"
"Build the towers!"
Demir's subordinates swung their hammers.
What was astonishing was that every one of them was a master alchemist.
Clang, clang!
Using nearby rocks and trees, they extracted metal and rapidly forged massive weapons.
Onagers, trebuchets, ballistae, and the like.
They resembled the siege engines commonly used in the medieval era.
Dana and Mugak's subordinates scattered to various points as well.
And finally.
"Spiritists!"
Yuisah reverently raised both hands.
"Summon your contracted spirits!"
Woooong!
Whiiiing!
Portals opened in every direction.
From them poured low-grade, mid-grade, and high-grade spirits in endless numbers.
'Yeah.'
I marveled.
'This is it.'
The reason I'd decided to fight Apophis.
It was all thanks to Yuisah.
I'd wanted to see her subordinates form a spirit legion.
Of course, her subordinates weren't all like her, handling all four elements.
The vast majority specialized in one element.
Here and there were skeletons wielding two or even three.
Oh ho, looks like some RNG at work?
And finally.
Fwoooosh!
Splaash!
Groooowl!
Whiiiiiish!
The great spirit kings, capable of unleashing 20% of their full power, were summoned.
Sallion, Elaim, Noas, Sylphid.
"Wow, that's impressive."
"It's like they've transplanted the entire spirit realm here."
"A miniature spirit world?"
- Grwoooar, grwoooaaaar!
The expressions on those mighty beings' faces were unmistakably ones of delight.
As expected of spirits—they loved anywhere but their own realm.
"Alright."
I grinned.
Preparations were complete.
"Arin."
"Yes, Professor."
At my call, Arin nodded and slammed her staff into the ground with a thunk!
At the same moment.
Woooong! Immense mana enveloped her, and countless hieroglyphs etched themselves around her.
The activation of ancient magic!
['Eloise Arin' uses the skill 'Summon Apophis' (SSS Grade).]
Summon Apophis.
A spell that literally called forth Apophis!
Rumble rumble rumblerumble...!
In that instant.
The bright world began to drown in darkness.
The warm sunlight filtering through turned to faint shadows leaking between the trees.
At the same time.
Craaaack!
The black sky split open.
- Shiiiit! Shiiiiiit!
From the edge of the sky came the sound of rippling waves.
The sinister hiss of a serpent flicking its tongue.
Thump thump!
My heart pounded.
This wasn't the pounding of fear.
Excitement.
My blood boiled.
And then.
Kurrr rumble rumble rumble!
Between the parted skies, crimson eyes flashed.
The terror serpent, Apophis, had arrived.
* * *
- Shiiiiiit!
The eyes of the newly arrived beast brimmed with malevolent energy.
Drip drip!
From its maw poured razor-sharp venom that could flay flesh, melting rocks and withering trees.
"That thing... It's hopeless trash."
Eldrin grimaced.
Anything that killed foliage was an enemy.
An enemy that needed to be crushed.
"Everyone, fire."
Swoosh! Swoosh swoooosh!
The skeleton archers began loosing their arrows.
In sync with them.
"Charge!"
"Gonggeeeeoook!"
The skeletons who had been waiting with weapons drawn surged forward in unison.
The melee fighters soared into the sky on the mages' levitation spells.
The ranged attackers unleashed volleys at every visible part of its body without discrimination.
And that was just the start.
"Let's show 'em!"
- Grwoooaaaar!
Kurrr rumble rumble!
Noas erupted from the ground, spun his arm in a whirlwind, and swung a fist toward the serpent.
In that moment.
Booooom!
Heaven and earth seemed to split asunder.
A vibration like the world turning upside down brutally shook the space.
- Shiiiiiit!
The brutish assault from the earth spirit king, Noas.
Yet even so, not a single scratch marred the serpent's body.
- Shiiit! Shiiiiiit!
If anything, it grew more enraged, spewing venom in thick streams while radiating sinister energy.
The archers' arrows melted away before they could even approach, and the magic fared no better.
"My lord, it's too hard to get close!"
"Damn it, what kind of ridiculous ability is that? The venom keeps pushing us back every time we try!"
As Taeyang-i and Mugak clicked their tongues,
Boom!
Kaden slammed his shield into the ground.
"We'll hold it off."
He then murmured to Arin.
"Lift us up too."
"Got it."
Arin nodded, then flicked her staff with a twang!
Her subordinates immediately began levitating the shieldbearers into the sky.
"Everyone, hide behind the shieldbearers! Advance after that!"
Rumble rumble rumble!
The skeleton legion clashed desperately with Apophis.
Countless attacks embedded into its body, and Apophis thrashed wildly in response.
'Amazing.'
I watched it all at my leisure.
That presence from Apophis?
To be honest, compared to Sylphid back in the spirit realm, it was like a baby.
Cute, even.
'And poison?'
Thank you very much.
Ssssh.
I stepped into my shadow.
Mute Step.
The Shadow Shepherd King's technique unfolded from my feet.
In an instant, I was atop its head.
- Kieeeeeek!
Sensing the danger, it hurled venom my way.
Poison?
Bring as much as you want.
I was immune to all poisons anyway.
'And Poison Fog.'
Wriggle.
The one stored in my dantian stirred.
Come on, there's something delicious here.
Time to gorge yourself endlessly for once.
- Kiaaaaaaaa!
In that instant.
A roar capable of shaking heaven and earth engulfed the entire space.
The horrific, vicious bellow of a monster packed with countless grudges and resentments!
The monster that had returned after so long.
The one that had been with me, harboring myriad poisons.
Poison Fog bellowed in delight.
* * *
- …….
Apophis was a horrific lifeform drifting through the cosmos.
Known as the terror serpents.
This Apophis was one as well.
A monster among monsters that devoured planets—countless worlds.
- Shiiit! Shiiiiiit!
How many constellations had been torn apart beneath its fangs?
And yet.
What was this?
Just like always, drifting through space and devouring as it went.
Apophis caught a scent.
The delicious smell of someone calling it.
A temptation it absolutely had to consume.
Thinking it had hit the jackpot, it entered...
And Apophis cheered inwardly.
Countless bony figures on the planet.
The thought of swallowing them in one gulp made its skin tingle.
Everyone had been the same until now.
The moment their eyes met, they froze in terror like statues.
One blast of venom from its maw, and they melted without resistance.
But.
This time was a little different.
White bones.
They neither feared nor fled.
The instant they saw it, they assumed attack stances and boldly charged.
This was a new experience for Apophis.
- Shiiiiiit!
Apophis was seized by surprise and rage.
Yeah.
It happened occasionally.
Fools who didn't know their place and charged anyway.
Wasn't crushing such fools the destiny of the Apophis race?
"Bullshit."
But something felt off.
A being that suddenly appeared above its head.
And the bizarre cloud that being summoned.
- Kiaaaaaaaa!
What the hell was that?
Apophis panicked.
It was letting out an enormous roar while deliciously devouring its venom!
Devouring venom?
Who could possibly do such a thing?
That wasn't all.
Boom! Boooooom! Boom!
Some absurdly massive boulders kept slamming into its body relentlessly.
At first, it ignored them, but the more they hit, the more its skull rang and its insides twisted.
- Shi, shiiiiiit! Shiiit?
Its mouth filled with water.
It could confidently say this was the most water it'd ever had in its life.
Fwoooosh!
Its skin burned on the outside.
Whiiiiiish!
And razor-sharp gales closed in as well.
- Shiiit!
Apophis sensed something was going terribly wrong.
At the sight of the gleaming-eyed bones and spirits closing in.
- …….
For the first time, Apophis felt the emotion called fear.
What was this?
Was it the one being hunted instead?