Chapter 232
Chapter 232
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 232
Chapter Title: Ardethos Retreats
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Chapter 232.
The duration of 'Celestial Wing' was 10 minutes.
Since he had set the minimum amplification rate, it could be maintained for the maximum amount of time.
'This should be enough.'
He had become at least twice as strong.
On top of that, with 'Luden Gardo' able to block virtually any attack, he was in a situation where he couldn't lose even if he wanted to.
"What did you just say?"
Ardethos asked with an unprecedented cold expression.
"I said stop talking shit and come at me."
"You dare...!"
It was right then, as the bastard exploded with rage upon hearing Seo Woo-jin's words.
"You dare, my ass."
Seo Woo-jin moved.
The moment his gray wings flapped, he arrived above Ardethos's head.
"'Swiftness', 'Berserk'."
'Kara Niel' dropped down at the speed of a beam of light.
"Hup!"
Ardethos's eyes widened.
He had no choice but to.
Seo Woo-jin's movements far exceeded his expectations.
And that wasn't all?
Thanks to 'Berserk', the explosively increased chaos energy was not just powerful—it was strong enough to instill fear.
"Guardian Burst!"
Ardethos urgently drew up his demonic energy and shouted.
Kwaaaaaang—!
An explosion engulfed his body.
It looked like a suicide attack, but in fact, the explosion was directed only outward, protecting Ardethos.
'Kara Niel' collided with the flames.
He had expected it to slice through easily, but the resistance was greater than anticipated.
'I could cut it if I pushed, but...'
In that gap, the bastard would dodge.
'I can't let that happen.'
Seo Woo-jin released the force from his hand.
Then, using the incoming explosive force, he spun his body.
Shwaaaaaak—!
From vertical to horizontal.
In an instant, the attack direction changed, and 'Kara Niel' flew toward the bastard's side.
Ardethos's expression hardened, as if he hadn't anticipated this.
"Try blocking this too."
Along with Seo Woo-jin's cold voice, 'Kara Niel' sliced into him.
Slash—!
'Too shallow.'
He felt the sensation at his fingertips.
But it wasn't deep enough to bisect the body.
Regrettably, it only managed to sever some skin and muscle.
"Grraaah!"
But even that was enough to inflict significant damage.
The pained groan from Ardethos's mouth was proof.
Was it thanks to 'Berserk'?
The wound was shallow, but the chaos energy seemed to have thoroughly ravaged his insides.
Cough—! Along with a hacking cough, blood spewed from Ardethos's mouth.
"I can't believe it."
He looked at Seo Woo-jin with eyes full of disbelief.
"'Celestial Wing'. To think the Sword Sage is backing you."
To be precise, it was something received from the Grand Duke, but Seo Woo-jin didn't correct him.
It didn't matter whose help it was right now.
"Judging by the output, the duration is limited to about 10 minutes..."
He seemed to know quite a bit of information.
Ardethos pondered for a moment before taking a step back.
"With even that lord's armor, I can't settle this with my power alone."
If it had just been 'Celestial Wing', he would have retreated temporarily and reappeared after time passed.
But with 'Luden Gardo' present, he couldn't inflict damage on Seo Woo-jin with his own strength.
That would mean their fight would never end.
"I'll withdraw for today."
Ardethos judged that further combat was meaningless.
Wooong—
A black gate appeared behind him.
"Where do you think you're going!"
Seo Woo-jin quickly charged toward him.
After using 'Celestial Wing', he couldn't let him escape.
But Ardethos was also at the pinnacle of transcendence.
"Instant Kill Burst."
Kwaaaaaaaaang—!
An explosion erupted above Seo Woo-jin's head.
Thanks to 'Luden Gardo', he took no damage, but he had to halt his movement momentarily.
"See you next time. I won't retreat so easily then."
In that interval, Ardethos stepped into the gate.
Shwaaak—
Seo Woo-jin tried to catch up belatedly, but it was too late.
"Look forward to that day, Seo Woo-jin."
The gate closed, and Ardethos vanished.
Slash—!
'Kara Niel' sliced through the space itself a beat too late.
"Tch."
But it seemed he had failed to cut the bastard.
Only a few strands of white hair fluttered in the air.
Seo Woo-jin turned away from where Ardethos had disappeared, his face full of regret.
It had been a fight lasting mere seconds.
But the aftermath exceeded imagination.
As if it had been bombed, the surrounding ground was completely devastated.
"Woo-jin oppa."
Fortunately, Gye Soo-ji was out of the fight's aftermath.
Bleeding profusely, she sat slumped and called out to Seo Woo-jin.
"Oh no."
He hurried toward Gye Soo-ji.
Excluding her leg, there were no fatal injuries visible.
But the blood loss was severe.
'This is dangerous.'
If left like this, she might die from excessive bleeding.
Without hesitation, Seo Woo-jin scooped her up.
'How much time left?'
About 8 minutes.
'It'll be fine. I can make it.'
He could return to base camp before 'Celestial Wing' expired.
Of course, he'd have to use 'Swiftness' and run with every ounce of strength.
"Excuse me for a bit."
Seo Woo-jin tightly held the dazed Gye Soo-ji and spread his wings.
Flap—!
His figure tore through the air at insane speed.
* * *
It was noisy.
Because all the heroes who had scattered earlier were gathered in one place.
"Is it true?"
"Multiple teams saw it themselves. It must be real."
"No way, 30,000? 30,000?"
"Fighting that many... we'd just get overwhelmed..."
"We won't lose, right? Our levels will go up a lot too. This is an opportunity, isn't it?"
The heroes were exchanging stories, each harboring anxiety and anticipation.
"What about Uncle?"
Lee Ji-ah, who had returned after informing other teams, asked.
"He hasn't arrived yet. He should be here any minute..."
As Goo Dong-hwan answered, he glanced around at the others.
"But it seems some accident happened."
At the word "accident," Lee Ji-ah's eyes sparkled.
It was one of her favorite words.
"What? What happened? A serious accident? Worse than the Ancient Orcs?"
Urging him to spill quickly, Goo Dong-hwan chuckled wryly and spoke.
"Over 20 people came back injured. One was on the brink of death."
"No way they got done in by Ancient Orcs? Who are these idiots?"
"You know those guys. Friends of Baek Si-woo and Sung Yu-ra. Kim Tae-jin and Park Jin-han, I think?"
Lee Ji-ah's eyes widened at Goo Dong-hwan's words.
"The elite friends!"
"Yeah, yeah. Their teammates got absolutely wrecked. That's why the mood is tense."
With all of Ier's priests returned to their homeland, treatment was difficult.
"The knights are trying to heal them somehow, but it seems they're just barely stopping it from worsening."
Over 20 heroes were out of commission.
When they had to face tens of thousands of Ancient Orcs, that gap was fatal.
Moreover, the injured Kim Tae-jin and Park Jin-han were S-rank heroes, weren't they?
Filling their spots wouldn't be easy.
"I wouldn't think those guys would lose to mere Ancient Orcs. What happened?"
Lee Ji-ah's face was thrilled, as if she weren't worried about the upcoming battle.
"Well. They're all keeping their mouths shut like they made a pact, so I don't know exactly."
"Maybe it wasn't Ancient Orcs, but other enemies? Like those Apostles."
It was a plausible guess.
But Goo Dong-hwan shook his head.
"If they'd fought guys like that, they wouldn't have come back alive."
A Demon King's follower injuring heroes and sending them back?
It didn't make sense.
"Yeah, true."
Lee Ji-ah agreed with Goo Dong-hwan, half-closing her eyes in thought.
Who could have wrecked them that badly?
"It'd take someone like Uncle Woo-jin..."
"Woo-jin oppa?"
"But he wouldn't do that."
She shrugged, thinking it didn't make sense even to herself.
"Woo-jin could do it, but like you said, no reason to."
Goo Dong-hwan agreed.
Unless they provoked him first.
"But come to think of it, all the injured ones were from teams near Woo-jin."
"Really?"
That was odd.
"Maybe Uncle really did..."
It was then that Lee Ji-ah tried to continue.
Pweeeee—!
Suddenly, a horn sounded.
All the heroes fell silent and looked toward the source.
"They're here."
Far away, a dust cloud rose.
A massive group numbering nearly 30,000 was approaching the heroes.
"Still looks like a lot, even seeing it again."
It seemed even more than when first spotted.
"Uncle and Soo-ji unnie still aren't here."
Anxiety flickered across Lee Ji-ah's face.
With over 20 missing from the force, and their strongest, Seo Woo-jin, not arrived.
They couldn't hold them off with current strength.
"The knights said they'd help too. We just need to hold until Woo-jin arrives, so don't worry too much."
Ludein had judged that the heroes alone couldn't handle the numbers, so he decided to fight together.
Only 300 knights, so not much help, but...
Pweeeee—! Pweeeee—!
The horn echoed across the plain once more.
Twice this time.
It signaled the battle was imminent.
"All assemble!"
Ludein's shout rang out.
Knights moved to the front lines, and heroes followed behind, steeling their resolve.
"Let's go."
Though unconcerned moments ago, tension surged now that battle loomed.
'Uncle, hurry up.'
Lee Ji-ah prepared for battle with Goo Dong-hwan, picturing Seo Woo-jin's face.
If he was late, something irreversible might happen.
With a slightly tense expression, Lee Ji-ah stood among the other heroes.
"Can we really win this?"
"Some low-ranks are gonna die."
Hearing about it and seeing it were worlds apart.
Even the hero excited about level-ups earlier was speechless before 30,000 Ancient Orcs.
Pweee—! Pweeeee—! Pweeeee—!
Three horn blasts resounded.
And simultaneously, someone soared above the Ancient Orcs.
'Who is that?'
As Lee Ji-ah's gaze turned to him,
A deafening roar shook the entire Jarbam Plain.
"Kill them all—!!!"