Chapter 340
Chapter 340
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 340
Chapter Title: Apophis (2)
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The one who had summoned Apophis.
Eloise Arin wore a fairly stunned expression.
'What...'
The records of the Apophis race that she had read in the library were as follows.
- A horrific serpent born from the shadows of darkness.
- A being that draws forth the deepest, darkest fears of living creatures, inflicts ruthless tragedies upon its foes, and ultimately devours their souls.
- An existence even most Constellations dreaded.
Therefore.
Even though she trusted the Professor, she had expected him to struggle to some degree.
That made sense.
It was only logical.
'...Ahh, so my faith in the Professor was lacking.'
Arin blankly gazed up into the empty sky.
Apophis, manifesting as if to swallow the entire planet.
- Kieak, kieeeek!
Was letting out such bizarre cries as it got pummeled.
By the Professor.
And by the skeleton and spirit legions following him.
- Kiiieeeek!
Its face, which had gleamed with ferocity, had turned paler than a sheet of paper.
The obsidian scales it boasted were turning bluish-black in spots.
Ahh.
Was that really the terrifying Apophis?
Arin could scarcely believe her eyes.
'Amazing.'
In particular, the power of the newly added Spirit Kings was staggeringly potent.
Spirits were much like skeletons.
If overwhelmed, they simply got reverse-summoned back to the Spirit Realm.
They attacked without hesitation, harboring no fear of death.
Nod.
Arin nodded her head.
Then, she etched it into her mind.
'Yuisa, upper echelon of Constellation-grade.'
Kwa-gagagagaga!
Leaping into the air, he elegantly thrust his spear toward the serpent.
Whoosh!
Swinging his sword, stomping his foot, then firing arrows and throwing darts once distance opened up—the Professor.
Arin watched him, entranced.
'You've grown so much.'
Time passes slowly, yet swiftly.
Just when he had unraveled her own 'limitations,' the Professor hadn't been Constellation-grade.
Now, he was toying with this upper-echelon Constellation-grade Apophis.
Thung!
Arin bounced her Destruction Dragon staff off the ground.
'I should help too.'
Wasn't she also part of the Professor's forces?
Whoosh!
Azure flames erupted from Arin's staff.
['Hell Fire' (SSS Grade) activates.]
The infernal blaze said to incinerate all things in existence.
Something no mere human could wield, but now she could freely cast ancient magic within the limits of her mana.
'Though I'm not Constellation-grade yet.'
Glance.
Arin looked toward Yuisa.
'I can't fall behind.'
The Professor's greatest asset had to be her, not that woman.
Roooar!
As the hellfire blanketed the world.
- Kieak?
Apophis's red pupils dilated to the size of a local hillside.
The moment a new terror was born in the serpent of fear.
* * *
"Vice Guild Master!"
"Vice Guild Master, it's here!"
In the Muryeong Paradise conference room.
Kim Jin-ah, leaning back in a plush luxury chair for a brief rest, jolted awake in surprise.
'Huh?'
In her view.
The core members of the secret organization Styx, the Kwon sisters, were visible.
"I-it's here! It's here, I tell you!"
Seeing Kwon Seon-ji excitedly shouting, Kim Jin-ah calmly adjusted her posture.
It's here.
That word from Kwon Seon-ji's mouth.
Meant a major prophecy had emerged.
"Whew."
Kim Jin-ah took a deep breath to calm her excitement.
A prophecy big enough to make Kwon Seon-ji this worked up was no ordinary matter.
Nothing was certain yet, but knowing the future was thrilling.
An overwhelming information gap.
It could be used to prepare for threats or reap massive profits.
"How much mana for the prophecy?"
"A full year's worth."
"What?!"
Kim Jin-ah shot up from her seat.
It was the largest scale prophecy since hiring her.
Even the prophecy that nailed the Star Heaven Earth vs. Magic Tower match results had only been six months.
Twice that?
"Come sit. Secure the door."
"Yes."
Clunk!
Kwon Seon-ji locked the door and sat on the conference room sofa.
The room was protected by Arin's special magic.
Fully soundproofed.
Information was life, and money.
Any chance of eavesdropping had to be blocked.
"...Shall we do it now?"
"Seon-ji."
"Yes?"
"What's your gut feeling?"
"...Hmm, it feels like we have to."
Kwon Seon-ji bit her lip with a resolute expression.
Gulp.
Beside her, Kwon Tam-ji swallowed nervously in tension.
"If your instinct says so... let's go for it."
Sure, using this mana meant gathering another year's worth for a similar prophecy.
But she couldn't just hoard it forever waiting for a better one.
"Yes, Vice Guild Master."
Kwon Seon-ji demurely clasped her hands in prayer.
Woooong!
At that moment.
A mystical energy began enveloping Kwon Seon-ji's body.
Flash!
An intense light flashed in her pupils.
Sky blue, pink, green, and more.
Dozens of colors flickered in sequence, an aurora-like aura whirling around her.
How much time passed like that.
"Ahh."
A faint moan escaped Kwon Seon-ji's lips.
"I-it's bad. Really bad."
"Bad?"
Kim Jin-ah leaned forward, hands clasped.
What kind of bad?
Her heart sank inexplicably, and she urged her on.
"What is it."
"The next year."
Kwon Seon-ji continued.
"Within a year, a massive crisis hits Earth. Ahh, an unbelievable crisis."
"Massive crisis?"
"Yes, we must prepare. Five factions total... Urk!"
Her temple throbbed suddenly; she clutched her forehead with her right palm.
"Star Heaven Earth, Demon King's Army, Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, Magic Tower, World Association."
"...What?"
At Kim Jin-ah's question, Kwon Seon-ji shook her head vigorously.
"We must strengthen those five factions. Warn them. I-it's a crisis we can't handle. Even if every high ranker in the world gathers... Urgh!"
As her words ended, Kwon Seon-ji's strained facial muscles relaxed.
The multicolored glow in her eyes faded.
Drained of strength, she slumped back toward the sofa.
"S-Sis!"
Panicked, Kwon Tam-ji rushed to support her, but.
"......"
Kwon Seon-ji, already unconscious, slowly collapsed into her sister's arms.
Ragged breaths and lingering wisps of turbulent energy.
Aftereffects of the massive mana drain from the prophecy.
Smack.
Watching her, Kim Jin-ah smacked her lips.
...What.
The hell was this prophecy?
* * *
"Haaap!"
I let out a spirited shout.
Whoosh!
Switching my God-Slayer weapon to sword form, I vaulted off Apophis's body.
Pouring all my strength into a downward slash.
Schiiiing!
If you're Constellation-grade, this sword is God-Slayer grade.
Unless you have Earth Dragon-level resilience, it'll pierce right through.
- Kiiiiieeeek!
As expected.
Its membrane shredded, skin peeling away effortlessly.
Thanks to the Spirit Kings kneading it like dough and Arin softening the hide with Hell Fire.
- Kieak, kieeeek!
Apophis's skin began slicing off in chunks.
Plop plop!
The severed pieces wriggled on the ground like living things.
'Nice.'
Instinct told me.
Its life was nearly spent.
I'd been tense since it was Constellation-grade near-dragon level.
But what, no big deal?
Honestly, couldn't tell.
Was it weak?
Or had I grown stronger?
Slash! Schiiiing!
While I kept carving it up.
My loyal minions never ceased their assault.
Kugu-gagaga!
Whoosh! Boom! Kwaaang!
Whether Apophis thrashed, screamed, or rampaged.
They ignored it and poured on the attacks.
How much time passed like that.
- Kweeeeeek!
It let out a final agonized screech, lost balance, and began to fall.
A message appeared simultaneously.
['Apophis' (SSS Grade) has been defeated.]
Ahh.
A thrill ran through my body.
First time, right?
Defeating a Constellation-grade monster with my pure... solo power.
And not just defeating it.
I had utterly dominated it.
"Lord."
Flutter!
Taeyang flapped his black wings beside me.
"Yeah?"
"Sometimes when I look at you..."
Taeyang, lowering his Destruction Dragon spear, wore a weary expression.
"You don't seem human."
"If I'm not human, what am I?"
"...Who fights a dragon this casually and calls that human?"
"Silly talk."
Pfft.
I chuckled.
Taeyang, huh.
Grown a lot.
Even knew how to flatter now.
"I don't know anymore, Lord."
"About what?"
"Even if I faced you at my peak... whether I could win."
The Sun Spear was an absolute being.
The absolute ruler of one world.
A warrior-emperor who built the ancient desert empire had acknowledged my personal prowess.
Which meant.
'I see.'
Apophis wasn't weak.
I'd truly grown stronger.
Fwoosh!
I lightly shook out my limbs.
After taking down a Constellation-grade, I still had power left.
Mana full, minions showing no fatigue.
'One more... no, two more?'
As that cheeky thought crossed my mind.
[Kim Jin-ah: Guild Master, Guild Master!]
[Kim Jin-ah: Where are you?]
[Kim Jin-ah: I have urgent news!]
Contact from the Vice Guild Master.
* * *
Returning to the main city at Kim Jin-ah's summons, I.
"Hmm."
Rested my chin on clasped hands, murmuring.
"Kwon Seon-ji said that?"
"Yes."
A colossal crisis looming over Earth.
And the directive to strengthen five organizations.
"In the end, Delaila was right."
I nodded.
What Delaila had said when inviting the rankers last time.
Discussions on the unknown calamity striking the Otherworld and our response.
We'd agreed not to leak info then, but now things had changed.
'A year from now...'
The crisis was coming sooner than expected.
"Should we inform the other organizations?"
"We should."
Hiding this gains nothing.
Earth is our home.
A shared space to defend—why hide it for our gain?
"But how to tell them. Seon-ji's existence is our secret."
Right.
Easy to say.
But someone has to vouch for it.
Grab random people and yell Earth's end is nigh, prepare! Who's gonna buy it?
And.
To lend it credibility.
"Put my name on it for those five organizations."
Sell my name.
Embarrassing, but.
World ranking 4th, fastest hyper ranker—who else to trust?
Frankly.
Even all the so-called hunter experts couldn't beat one Arin.
And the whole world knows it.
"Earth's end is near. Prepare everyone. The Skeleton Emperor guarantees it."
Apocalypse.
Gotta say it shockingly.
To make people prepare, right?