Chapter 123
Chapter 123
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 123
Chapter Title: Warrior, Duels
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Right after reorganizing in the inner space of the 50th floor.
The administrators and their forces, trapped in what looked like a back side space resembling the city they had been invading, were utterly bewildered.
"W-Where is this place?"
"Our powers…"
"No way, is this an entirely different dimension?!"
The mystical powers the administrators currently wielded were limited to the dungeon.
If it was a space outside the dungeon, those powers were utterly useless.
Like a Matryoshka doll, this newly created inner space within the dungeon was the perfect prison that weakened their abilities.
They soon realized they had fallen into a trap, and since they hadn't inflicted much damage on the enemy in the previous battle, morale began to plummet sharply.
But fortunately for them, their spiritual pillar was with them.
"Everyone, quiet! Remember our mission!"
"Do you think we'll be defeated like this?!"
"Brothers and sisters! Rise up!"
Led by the top administrator who headed the radicals, his subordinates rallied the others and stabilized the atmosphere.
And while the various privileges usable inside the dungeon were sealed, these beings were innately powerful.
Whiiiiiing!!!
"We can escape."
"R-Really?!"
"Yes!! We're good!!"
Once they figured out they could tear the space itself with raw power and break out, they began the escape operation.
The space had been twisted in such an annoyingly intricate way that escaping in one go was impossible.
Still, when word spread that they could break out within 12 hours, everyone sighed in relief.
"But there's one problem."
"The prisoners outside will definitely know we're escaping."
"They'll surely try to interfere."
"It's a good thing so many artificial soldiers got sucked in here with us."
And just like that, the siege warfare flipped from offense to defense.
The administrators deployed the artificial soldiers that had been sucked in with them to the outskirts to build a defensive line.
In the city center, the higher-ups began work on the escape.
As everyone busied themselves, the top administrator's mind grew complicated.
In truth, he had sensed signs of the anomaly the moment it happened and could have escaped.
But since he could only escape alone, he couldn't abandon his loyal subordinates.
'Plus, if I go back alone… the outcome is all too obvious.'
The administrators were currently divided into factions.
What would happen if he returned having lost all his forces and minions?
It was clear he'd meet a horrific end.
Moreover, those acting with him shared the same convictions.
If they died, they'd die together.
With that resolve to ensure everyone escaped, several hours passed.
Progress was faster than expected—they'd broken through more than half—but the lack of any interference so far left everyone puzzled.
But as expected—
Kwaaaaaang!
Something appeared in midair.
It flew at a speed that surpassed the perception of those guarding the defensive line, slipping right past them!
The ultra-high-speed flying object ignored everything and charged straight into the center.
Chaaaaaaaang!
"Urk?!"
"Hahaha! We meet again!"
"Y-You?!"
It was the top administrator facing Balrak once more.
****************
Normally, walking into enemy territory on your own would be suicidal.
But the dungeon's strongest beings had combined their powers.
And even on their first time coordinating, they showed perfect teamwork.
As Zarkan soared through the sky at a speed hard to follow with the eyes, Balrak hurled javelins at the enemies from the saddle.
Moreover, Zarkan wasn't slacking off either—he incinerated everything with his breath while repelling approaching foes with magic.
Each flap of the dragon's wings made the space itself rumble, inflicting massive damage.
In the end, to stop the two, everyone involved in the escape work moved to intercept Balrak and Zarkan, and their leader began to act as well.
Thud!!
Kwachik!
"Again?!"
"Balrak! What's going on?!"
"That white one is attacking without any warning!"
"…It's true."
This time, thanks to various buff and defense spells, they avoided a direct hit from the unknown attack.
But landing such precise strikes in ultra-high-speed aerial combat felt off somehow.
Having assessed that the top administrator possessed special powers, the pair decided to act defensively while sowing chaos.
As the two rampaged as sturdy vanguards, reinforcements arrived at the outskirts.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
"G-Giants!"
"Stop them!!"
The massive Primordial Giants first charged the defensive line, causing earthquakes.
Everyone on the line tried to block them, but the giants had received enormous buffs before entering the inner space.
And from behind, ancient beings with prominent octopus heads continuously layered powerful magic barriers on the giants, turning them into living battering rams that shattered the defensive line.
Once the path opened, the demonkin and chimeras launched their assault.
Slash!
Chaaang!
"Hup!"
"Urk?!"
Even in their first battle, the chimeras performed surprisingly well.
And who had raised them?
The demonkin, of course.
A master couldn't lag behind their disciple, so the demonkin fought even more aggressively.
By the time large-scale combat erupted at the outskirts.
Deep inside the city, Zarkan and Balrak were still wreaking havoc.
But the enemies were no pushovers.
They didn't give up their lives easily.
On top of that, the top administrator's sharp attacks, whose power source was unknown, kept putting them in constant danger.
However, even mysterious powers reveal patterns with enough observation.
Zarkan realized the unknown power couldn't be used consecutively.
And aside from the white-armored being, he figured he could take the others alone.
Finally, he grasped what the warrior on his back wanted most right now.
"Balrak! Don't you want to duel that white one?!"
"If possible, yeah!"
"Then I'll set the stage! When I give the signal, charge straight at him!"
"Really?! Got it anyway!"
Balrak didn't know how Zarkan would set the stage.
But for now, he decided to trust his comrade and kept clashing until an opening appeared.
In the ongoing battle, as his magic barrier shattered from yet another attack without warning—
"Now!"
Paat!!
Following Zarkan's signal, Balrak was launched at the top administrator like a cannonball.
In that split second.
Zarkan successfully chanted an transcendent spell using a magic tool he had, and the two vanished somewhere.
The remaining enemies panicked at their leader being kidnapped in an instant.
Fwooooosh!!
"Your opponent is me."
Zarkan blocked their path.
**************
The transcendent magic Zarkan used created another small space within the inner space.
The two who entered it—
Thud!!
Kwaaaaaang!
Clashed immediately upon arrival.
Even in a situation that should have flustered his opponent, Balrak's foe calmly swung his sword.
Was it some kind of precognition?
He successfully defended against Balrak's attacks, enhanced by multiple buffs.
But since all his weapons glowed blue, a numbing sensation lingered in his hands.
"Such petty tricks!"
"High praise, thanks!"
Soon, Balrak's fist from the front and dozens of weapons traced eerie trajectories, swirling like a storm.
To onlookers, it looked like the administrator was being overwhelmingly pushed.
But as if seeing through everything, he blocked it all without a scratch.
Even from distances and angles impossible to block, his sword caught them all.
And—
Kwaang!
Just like their first encounter, without any sign or casting motion, Balrak was struck by something.
But thanks to his armor and battle suit's defenses, it didn't inflict meaningful damage.
As Balrak stormed like a tempest and the administrator blocked, the cycle repeated with Balrak taking hits from something.
At this point, thanks to the various buffs heightening his senses, Balrak noticed a slight delay in his own movements.
Moreover, in his previous life, he'd seen countless abilities across all sorts of media.
Attacks and movements without warning.
Defense as if foreseeing everything.
Impossible to perceive.
Opponent's motions completely different before and after a hit.
Even a delay in his own movements…
Putting it all together!
"Time!!! It's time!"
"……!"
The administrator panicked momentarily as his ability was seen through.
But even if the enemy figured out it was time manipulation, what could he do?
As the administrator exhaled once, everything stopped.
Of course, it only halted for a very brief moment, and the power released the instant he interfered with anything.
But it was an unfair ability that guaranteed his desired attack would land.
And as he swung his sword down at Balrak this time—
Click….
"My finger's moving—?!"
"Here it comes!!!"
"Guh?!"
Kwaaaaaang!!
Balrak moved within the stopped time!
The administrator desperately tried to block the fist with his sword.
But too flustered, his stance crumbled.
As the sword shattered, Balrak's fist slammed directly into the administrator's helmet.
************
Finally, a hit!
He tried for follow-ups.
But seeing him immediately regain composure meant the helmet shattered but no real damage was dealt!
"You… stupid… idiot!"
"Tsk tsk tsk, just a nosebleed, and you curse? Pointless."
"Shut up!"
The white bastard tossed his broken weapon and pulled out a spear from somewhere.
Twirl!
Whoosh!
"Who'd have thought I'd draw a spear…"
"Wasn't it your main weapon till now? That's why you're losing to me."
"You can gloat now. But in the end, I'll win!"
"We'll see at the end."
"…Before I take your head, one last question. How?"
"What do you mean?"
"Moving in stopped time."
Honestly, I didn't expect it to work either.
But it was exactly as a certain grandma from my past life said.
"I just believed I could. And the key is perception."
"Hah, you perceived it and moved in stopped time?"
"That's part of it…"
Woooong—
"That blue power…!"
From the start, against the Demon King, it was the vibration power that nullified various abilities.
The moment he perceived time stopping, he enveloped his battle suit in this power.
Not just his fist—it was tight, but this sealed the bastard's main ability.
And explaining all this to him served one purpose!
"Now it's my turn to ask."
"What?"
"Even if this could be the last, will you fight without honor like before?"
"…Speak."
"What's your name?"
"Trying to learn that at this point… tsk…."
He clicked his tongue once, assumed a stance, and said.
"Order."
"Meaning… order? Nice name."
Now he knew the opponent's name.
Time to fight for real.
"One warning. No more 'not my main weapon' or holding back at 50% or 70%—go all out right away."
"I'll decide that."
"Yeah?"
Thud!
Stamping the ground, power surged from his lower body, expanding his mana and physique.
The mana then settled into his body as two stars.
The freely swimming weapons in the air and his fist received the two stars.
Now for round three.
*************
Pure power and vibration.
Clashing with Balrak wielding both simultaneously left Order flustered.
'Completely different from before! And… he's getting faster!'
Blocking wasn't enough; Order had to deflect attacks while fighting.
Moreover, with Balrak's completely altered movements storming in, Order drew out all his power too.
Kwaaaaaaaaang!!
Their full-power clash made the space crack.
In that instant, who knew how many blows they exchanged—their weapons glowed red-hot with heat haze.
Even in the fierce battle, Balrak checked if the time-manipulating foe had derivative powers.
Sending freely moving aerial weapons to odd spots.
Making pointless attacks.
Even deliberately taking hits.
Suspicion turned to certainty.
He figured out why the opponent pulled off near-precognitive defenses.
"You see the future! But just the immediate future?!"
"Tch…."
In this fierce battle, no matter what chaos Balrak's weapons caused behind Order.
Strangely, he didn't suspect or react to attacks, as if he already knew what was ahead.
So what should Balrak do now?
No matter the attack, Order would foresee and counter, blocking all variables.
Thus….
Thud!!!
Kwadududuk!!
"Krk?!"
Faster.
Stronger.
Make seeing the future meaningless.
Balrak chose a very brute-force, absolute method.
Also, in this battle, his racial traits were making him genuinely stronger.
Soon, the duel of endlessly accelerating Balrak and Order defending reached a point where it looked like time around them had stopped.
And the simplest method was the truth.
In the end, Order couldn't keep up with Balrak's speed.
Puuuuck!!
"Guh?!"
Balrak's fist burrowed straight into his body, punching a hole.
But something amazing happened.
Like Wolverine, the wound healed in an instant.
"Healing factor?!"
"I… told you? In the end… I win!"
The reason Order emerged unscathed even after a direct headshot from Balrak's fist in stopped time was revealed.
Even if Order's armor was utterly shattered now, he'd clearly regenerate endlessly.
Realizing he now faced a near-immortal foe, Balrak….
Thud!!
Regained his stance.
No, this time it was a different stance.
Order charged, perceiving Balrak was about to do something, but Balrak's freely swimming weapons blocked him.
Gaining a moment, Balrak's shoulders began to slowly sway.
Left, right, left, right—
The rippling motion like small waves narrowed in amplitude.
Fwooooosh!!
Balrak's body drew a massive arc, hurtling at Order like a gale.
Of course, foreseeing Balrak's movement, Order assumed a defensive stance.
But seeing the future beyond that froze him.
'T-The punch doesn't end—'
Kwaaaaaang!!
The moment his right fist hit Order's spear, the recoil launched his left instantly, and Balrak's punching speed accelerated exponentially.
Overconfident in his ability, Order failed to withdraw when needed, and his spear shattered under the continuous barrage.
Thud!! Thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-thud!!!!!
Balrak's relentless pummeling continued.
Blood and metal shards flew, and the shockwaves widened the cracks in the enclosing inner space.
Unyielding, Balrak opted for the crude method of beating him to death since he wouldn't die.
But Order's regeneration was still faster!
Moreover, Balrak was going all-out, risking exhaustion first.
So he thought.
A way to deal damage exceeding that regeneration!!
At that moment, the blue and red stars moved.
With each punch, they traced circles, speeding up.
Soon, the two stars became lines, forming a double helix that began to 'rotate.'
Thud-thud-thud!
Whirrrrr!
Order, battered by continuous damage from the intensely spinning stars around Dempsey Roll, saw his regeneration outpaced by the harm.
Confirming the regeneration bottomed out, Balrak stomped for his final attack.
Thud!!!
With one reverberation, the double helix around his right fist expanded massively.
It became a gigantic drill, roaring as it spun violently, surging endlessly forward.
Finally completing the technique, Balrak—
"Giga Drill Breaker!!!"
"Kuhuk!"
Kwadudududuk!
Clang!!
With immense shockwaves, the drill pierced Order's body.
Balrak soared with Order, tearing through the ceiling of their enclosing inner space.
And their duel came to an end.