Chapter 276
Chapter 276
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 276
Chapter Title: The Holy King's True Face
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Creak—
The door swung open.
No unusual sounds came from the well-maintained hinges, but to Seowoojin’s ears, it roared like thunder.
‘Divine Dragon Eye.’
He murmured the words inwardly and heightened his senses to their peak.
Once the doors fully parted, the Holy King’s figure came into view, seated upon his jade throne.
Dark brown hair and a rugged, resolute face.
Even concealed beneath opulent priestly robes, his solid muscles were unmistakable.
He looked more like a Tyrant King than a Holy King.
But Seowoojin couldn’t care less about superficial appearances.
‘Divine Dragon Eye’ began dissecting everything about him down to the finest detail.
From a single strand of hair to the secrets buried so deep no one else could detect them.
And finally…
‘Found it!’
A dark, viscous energy.
Lurking at the Holy King’s deepest core, without a single trace leaking out—an all-too-familiar presence.
Demonic Energy.
Seowoojin didn’t hesitate.
The instant the Holy King opened his mouth toward Freya, he kicked off the ground.
Crack—!
The beautifully tiled white marble floor shattered.
Before the debris could even fly into the air, Seowoojin was right in front of the Holy King’s nose.
Shing—
‘Karaniel’ was unsheathed.
Only then did the bastard’s eyes widen.
A sudden attack.
And from a Hero he’d never anticipated—the Holy King’s face twisted in shock.
Originally, he’d planned to attack only if the Holy King was exposed as a Demon King’s follower, per his agreement with Freya.
But facing him changed his mind.
‘This way, I can confirm it much faster.’
If someone tried to kill him, the Holy King would have no choice but to unleash his hidden power.
That was what Seowoojin was banking on.
“Die.”
Chaos energy coalesced, forming a blazing gray aura.
Whoosh—!
The aura tore through space itself as it flew toward the Holy King’s neck.
“How dare you!”
The Holy King’s voice boomed belatedly.
At the same moment, a familiar energy—Demonic Energy—exploded outward.
Boom—!
The clash of Chaos energy and Demonic Energy shook the annex palace.
Even in that split-second exchange, the aftermath was devastating.
“W-What is this…!”
Miteon, watching from behind, trembled.
He couldn’t comprehend what was happening.
Why had this man, introduced as Freya’s disciple, suddenly attacked the Holy King?
Too intimidated to intervene, he glanced at Freya beside him.
He figured someone who’d reached the transcendent realm could surely handle this.
But Freya showed no sign of moving.
No, she looked even more stunned than Miteon, her mind frozen.
“F-Freya?”
Miteon called out to her.
Freya staggered for a moment before taking a step back.
“…To think it was really true.”
Boom—!
Another explosion rang out.
This clash was even fiercer; chunks of stone began raining from the ceiling.
Freya grabbed Miteon and dodged them, then spoke.
“Can’t you sense it and still not grasp the situation?”
“What do you—”
Miteon’s eyes widened as he turned to question her.
“T-That’s…?”
Only then did he feel the energy emanating from the Holy King he served.
“Demonic Energy!”
The priests’ greatest foe, the accursed existence they must absolutely block.
Why did the Holy King possess the Demonic Energy that only the Demon King and his followers should have?!
Miteon couldn’t think rationally.
What was unfolding before him was utterly unreal.
Too much for his mind to accept.
“Get out of here. And summon every Holy Knight stationed in the Grand Cathedral to the annex.”
Miteon blinked dumbly.
“Move, now!”
Her voice laced with mana snapped him to attention.
“Y-Yes!”
Miteon turned and fled the annex.
Left alone, Freya watched the fight with a rigid expression.
“The Holy King is an Apostle…”
Rage welled up within her.
Rage against the one who’d dared mock the Lord God, scorned Aier, and toyed with the world.
Freya’s hand went to her sword hilt.
“I will never forgive you.”
* * *
‘Strong.’
Seowoojin furrowed his brow.
He’d realized it from the first strike.
Just how powerful the one calling himself the Holy King truly was.
Not quite on the level of Xenonia or Ardeto, but formidable nonetheless.
‘Ruyonbali? No, maybe even stronger.’
One thing was certain: this bastard was no pushover.
‘But…’
The corner of Seowoojin’s mouth curled up.
‘I can take him.’
At this level, he stood a solid chance.
He wouldn’t even need ‘Demon King Transformation’ or Freya’s help.
‘Though it’ll be a hell of a fight.’
Still, victory seemed possible.
“Begone!”
The bastard stomped, splitting the floor with a crack as Demonic Energy erupted.
“Hup!”
Sensing the fearsome power, Seowoojin leaped back.
Rumble—!
The annex, barely holding together, began collapsing entirely.
But none present were weak enough to be crushed by falling rubble.
Seowoojin batted away the debris and stood atop a pile of stones, looking down at the Holy King.
The bastard glared up at him, face contorted.
“This was completely unexpected.”
“That’s life for you—things don’t always go according to plan.”
Seowoojin smirked at the Holy King’s words.
“Reveal your identity, Hero.”
“Seowoojin. If you’re an Apostle, you’ve heard of me.”
He answered the Holy King’s question without a second’s hesitation.
“…Seowoojin?”
As expected, the bastard knew his name.
“So you’re the one the messenger mentioned. The one who’s ruined our plans multiple times.”
“And what’s your name? I’m not particularly curious since you’re going to die anyway, but killing a stranger feels a bit off.”
“Insolent fool.”
At Seowoojin’s taunt disguised as a question, murderous intent flickered in the Holy King’s eyes.
“I am Mardetain. The sixth Apostle—and the one who will kill you.”
Seowoojin narrowed his eyes at the Holy King Mardetain’s response.
‘Mardetain is the Holy King’s name. So it’s not some fake impersonating Aier’s master.’
He didn’t know the full story, but it seemed the real Holy King had truly become a Demon King’s follower.
‘Whatever. Doesn’t matter at this point.’
It mattered to Freya and Aier’s other priests.
They needed to know exactly what had happened.
But not to Seowoojin.
Whether the Holy King had always been a follower or turned traitor later—it changed nothing.
He had only one task.
‘Kill him and level up.’
Simple.
No need to drag it out.
“You said you heard my name from the messenger earlier?”
Seowoojin asked, pushing his Chaos energy to the limit.
Before Mardetain could reply, he continued.
“Too bad—he won’t hear anything more about me from that lion or tiger or whatever.”
Mardetain’s expression hardened at Seowoojin’s mocking tone.
“What do you mean by that?”
An inexplicable unease made him ask.
And Seowoojin turned that unease into reality.
“He’s dead.”
Mardetain’s eyes widened.
Then he shouted.
“Nonsense!”
“Believe it or not, I don’t care. I’m just stating facts.”
Seowoojin shrugged, and Mardetain ground his teeth.
Truth be told, he hadn’t liked the messenger much.
Unreadable, and refused to bend to his will.
Mardetain, who preferred everything under his thumb, couldn’t stand him.
But regardless, the messenger was essential.
To lead the Descent War to victory.
To offer this world to Pandemonium’s rulers.
The messenger was indispensable.
“Tell me. Is the messenger really dead?”
Even as he denied it, Mardetain had to ask.
If true, he needed to know how.
“Kratos. That monster killed him.”
Mardetain froze at Seowoojin’s words.
“…Kratos?”
His face showed utter incomprehension at the name.
“What was it he said? Oh, right. ‘By pact, I exclude the king’s enemies.’”
The word ‘pact’ wiped all emotion from Mardetain’s face.
Seowoojin didn’t know what that pact entailed, but Mardetain clearly did.
“Foolish creature.”
Who was he cursing?
Mardetain muttered lowly, then drew up his Demonic Energy.
“No need for further talk.”
Seowoojin felt the rising killing intent.
‘Good.’
He’d had no reason to waste time chatting, but there was one purpose.
To shatter Mardetain’s composure.
And it had worked perfectly.
Outwardly calm, but inwardly rattled—that much was clear.
Whether from the messenger’s death or Kratos’s pact, it didn’t matter.
The bastard had lost his cool, tilting odds in Seowoojin’s favor.
Gripping ‘Karaniel’ triumphantly, Seowoojin prepared.
Boom—!
The annex’s rubble shot toward him.
Hundreds, thousands of stone shards assaulted like a crematorium swarm.
‘Gotta dodge.’
Too many to block one by one, each packed with overwhelming force.
Seowoojin chose evasion over defense.
Straight-line attacks were easy enough to avoid.
A quick sidestep let him evade most.
But Mardetain’s real target was elsewhere.
Flash—!
The bastard vanished.
At once, the ever-analyzing ‘Divine Dragon Eye’ issued a warning.
‘Damn!’
He wasn’t coming for Seowoojin—he’d gone another way.
“Freya!”
Seowoojin shouted, seeing her draw her sword.
But compared to Mardetain’s speed, she was too slow.
“You might interfere, so I’ll deal with you first.”
In his rage, the bastard retained a shred of reason.
Realizing he couldn’t handle Seowoojin and Freya together, Mardetain targeted the weaker one first.
His form was blindingly fast.
Pure speed might even surpass Seowoojin’s.
In less than a blink, Mardetain closed in on Freya.
His hand reached for her throat.
“Well now.”
At that moment.
An incredulous voice escaped Freya’s lips.
“Seems I’ve been underestimated too.”
The sword she seemingly couldn’t draw in time was now fully unsheathed, slicing through the air.
Flash—!
A dazzling white sword beam erupted.
“How dare a Demon King’s mongrel.”