Chapter 62
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 62
Chapter Title: Bern (1)
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Three pairs of eyes focused intently on Jun.
He ignored their gazes and drew up his mana.
'Is this the feeling?'
The recipe he'd obtained from the hidden dungeon, the Witch's Forest—Spirit Annihilation Dew—was the "power that kills eternity."
In other words, nothing was better for wiping out grudges.
'It works perfectly on those who control grudges like the undead.'
He hadn't prepared it specifically for this situation, but Spirit Annihilation Dew was a valuable recipe in its own right.
After all, within Blackout, you ran into immortal beings like the undead surprisingly often.
"Mm."
He channeled the gathered mana like a brush, sketching out the magic pattern as if painting.
And with that, he activated the completed spell.
Mental: Marionette Line
[Threads of black light extend from the caster's hand]
Just like when he'd faced the golem in the Black Forest alongside Aiden, back when they'd struggled.
Threads of black light flowed from Jun's hand, floating slowly through the air before touching the forehead of one of the fallen holy warriors.
He focused his mind, piercing into the brain. Then downward.
No resistance so far.
It was the effect of Sleep. The faint holy power even gently guided the black threads.
Following that guidance, along the path from brain to spine.
There, it collided head-on with the dark purple grudge energy.
'Fierce one.'
The moment it appeared, it bared its hostility savagely.
It even looked like a beast that had lost all reason.
These things feared nothing.
The grudge thrashed wildly to invade the brain protected by holy power.
But upon encountering the black threads infused with Spirit Annihilation Dew, it was as if it screamed in agony.
According to Eleanor, it was like mixing water and oil.
Similar, but slightly different.
This one had merely cloaked itself in holy power.
Like a beast wearing the skin of a sheep.
'Vanish.'
The black threads pursued the snarling, retreating grudge.
It gradually drove it down the spine to the heart, and soon the threads seized the dark purple grudge.
Saaaaah—
Like fire meeting water, the grudge fizzled out powerlessly.
Watching that scene, Jun opened his eyes.
"Ugh……."
The holy warrior twisted his body with a faint groan.
Dark purple smoke poured from his nose, mouth, and pores, dissipating into the air.
"My god."
Eleanor let out a gasp of genuine admiration.
Maya showed rare interest.
And Aiden smiled at Jun, as if he'd believed in him all along.
"Now, shall we handle the other two?"
It took only ten minutes to completely purge the grudges from the remaining two holy warriors.
"What was that just now?"
Eleanor asked after scanning the still-sleeping holy warriors with her holy power.
In the end, every trace of grudge energy accumulated in their bodies had vanished.
"It's an item called Spirit Annihilation Dew. A witch's lifelong masterpiece, created to kill the immortal."
Of course, compared to the version brewed in that witch's cauldron back then, this one was far inferior in quality.
The original had benefited greatly from the cauldron infused with the witch's own mana.
"It's poison to the undead. But I don't have many. It takes a long time to make, and the ingredients are tricky."
Made from all sorts of deadly poisons, it came with plenty of restrictions for trading too.
Thanks to Cloi's help, he'd managed to produce this much at least.
"Then……?"
"We'll maximize our numbers like this for now."
He had nine Spirit Annihilation Dews left. Each lasted one hour.
Maximum of nine hours.
"We can't save everyone. But we can create a way to save everyone."
The holy knights consumed by grudges.
Prioritize rescuing them, then charge straight to the Holy Grail.
"Time's short. We need to move fast. Eleanor, what about the forces the church sent?"
"……Two hundred holy warriors, ten holy knights, thirty regular priests, four senior priests excluding me, one senior holy knight, and one bishop."
"As expected, we can't worry about every single holy warrior. Let's prioritize the holy knights first."
But that plan was doomed to unravel from the start.
Maya's half-day reconnaissance revealed that all the holy knights were stationed inside the base camp.
Not everyone was found within the camp, though.
"Found a big holy knight. He was holding a huge hammer and shield."
Eleanor shouted in response.
"Bern!"
"Bern?"
"The guy we saw before. He's a senior holy knight. Used to be a knight commander."
"A big shot."
The next target was decided immediately.
"Preparations complete?"
The three holy warriors standing before Eleanor responded crisply, full of discipline.
They were the holy warriors who'd awakened while Maya was out scouting.
"Yes! All perfect, ma'am!"
"We'll complete the mission no matter what!"
"We'll repay this grace!"
Following Eleanor's suggestion, they were being used as insurance.
Messengers to escape the territory and inform the church of the current situation.
Even if Jun's plan failed, it would lighten the blow somewhat.
After seeing off the three holy warriors, Jun and the group followed Maya through the enemy territory's city.
They encountered undead along the way, but not in great numbers.
For some reason, the undead avoided circling the base camp.
Probably sensing the faint holy power even through the grudge saturation.
Thanks to that, the path was relatively easy.
"There he is."
"The old man……."
Eleanor let out a soft sigh beside him.
Clad in thick plate armor, one hand gripping a battle hammer, the other a shield so massive it seemed impossible for a human.
That alone made him a human weapon.
"Even seeing him again, his presence is overwhelming."
Suddenly, memories surfaced of the warrior character he'd raised back in his 'Lee Jung-jun' days.
That character had similar gear to Bern.
"Uncle Bern is a level 7 warrior."
"Level 7."
A realm far beyond reach for now.
Jun himself was barely scraping level 5.
Aiden was at the tail end of level 3, Maya at the end of level 4.
'One wrong move, and we're dead.'
The silver lining—if you could call it that—was that the opponent couldn't use his greatest weapon: holy power.
In other words, pure physical prowess only.
'Even so, a level 7's physical stats aren't to be underestimated.'
The power output might reach early-to-mid level 6, but even that was daunting.
Aiden and Maya wouldn't last a moment, and even a golem fed prolonged mana could block just one attack.
'But with my buffs…….'
Aiden could hit level 4, Maya early level 5.
'Add Eleanor's holy magic, and it's not suicidal.'
No easy opponent, so maximum strategy.
Have Aiden and Maya wear him down, then Jun binds with restraint magic on an opening.
Layer Sleep on top for full neutralization. That was the plan.
Thud—
At that moment, the opponent spotted them.
Just his footsteps sent faint vibrations through the ground.
'An ogre or what?'
Sure enough, dark purple grudge churned in his eyes.
"Uncle, we'll save you……!"
Eleanor drew up her holy power.
"Hymnal of Light"
⟨ Hymnal of Light ⟩
A heavenly hymn echoed through the air.
The senior priest's blessing settled over Aiden and Maya.
Their overall physical specs surged, and fatigue became a non-issue.
"Life Shield of Light"
⟨ Life Shield of Light ⟩
A shield of light to protect from one unexpected blow enveloped their bodies.
A full-powered level 7 strike might be too much, but Bern's attacks without holy power? It could handle one.
"Hoo."
Following Eleanor, Jun activated his magic.
Enchantment: Elemental Armory
Attribute: Fire
Supporting Maya, whose attack power suffered from impure mana and shoddy gear.
Whoosh! Flames erupted along her twin blades.
Now mana-efficient, Maya moved even more stealthily and swiftly.
Thud, thud!
Bern, spotting them, advanced slowly with his massive hammer raised.
Maya charged at him.
Blending seamlessly into her surroundings, she vanished from sight in an instant, reappearing at Bern's flank.
"……!"
But Maya didn't rush in recklessly—she immediately retreated.
Boom!
The spot she'd just vacated was smashed by the enormous hammer.
"Danger……!"
If not for her sharp senses.
If her ancestral spirits hadn't bellowed a warning, that strike would've turned her to mincemeat.
While Maya bought that brief time, Jun's magic seeped into Aiden.
Enhancement: Elemental Body
Attribute: Wind
As in the battle against the Corrow Bee horde, wind attributes enveloped Aiden's body.
No imagery infused this time, but Jun's ascent to 5th circle made the spell far more precise.
"……Ah!"
On top of that, Aiden had gained some enlightenment since the bandage girl fight.
His body hadn't fully absorbed it yet, though.
'My body feels like a feather.'
Jun's magic and Eleanor's holy spells perfectly filled that gap.
'Back then, it was like entrusting my body to the wind…….'
Now, he could become the wind itself.
Instant destructive power might be lower, but his possible movements were far more varied.
'Right now, I can…….'
He lowered his stance.
And watched Maya's evasion closely.
Deeper still: how Bern pursued her movements.
'Even with that heavy gear…….'
He's keeping up.
'No, not keeping up. Predicting.'
Moving with minimal motions along that predicted path.
'So what I can do now is…….'
Support Maya.
And attack.
Aiden's attack potential could surpass Maya's in a burst.
Reading Maya's flow, Aiden kicked off the ground.
Maya dodged Bern's hammer and reset her stance.
Aiden read it.
'Aiming for the flank again.'
Thanks to training, he saw the light.
Like Bern reading Maya.
Aiden read Maya.
Not to counter her attack. To exploit the opening her movements would create.
Like Bern, minimal motions to close in.
Bern's torso was already turned toward Maya's flank.
Aiden targeted his rear.
Perfect timing.
'Gotta bind his legs!'
Blood-red mana exploded outward.
At the same time, the crimson gem necklace around Aiden's neck glowed.
An artifact that imbued mana with fire attributes.
Salamander's Blessing
[Fire attribute imbued]
The artifact Jun had acquired from the Volcanic Mage Tower.
Aiden's sword, wreathed in blood-like flames, swung toward Bern's leg, protected by sturdy plate.
Flames trailed the blade's path.
A swift slash, that fast.
'Got……!'
The cleanest sword path of his life.
No level 7 holy knight could react to that speed and trajectory.
However.
'……Huh?'
A shadow loomed over Aiden's head.
Bern's battle hammer was already at his nose.