Chapter 31
Chapter 31
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 31
Chapter Title: 2-2. The New Land Granted to Us
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“Raaargh!”
With a shout, I charged straight ahead.
My current strength stat was 655.
I didn’t know Urukel’s exact strength, but according to Metatron, Lord-grade monsters were typically above 500.
And with that massive bulk, overpowering it with raw force was impossible.
Even if our physical strength were equal, its mass alone would overwhelm me. Even so, the reason I was charging like an enraged bull was the S-grade skill Charge I’d gained after manifestation.
The Charge skill accelerated me in an instant, turning my entire body into a living cannonball. In Metatron’s case, she aimed her flame sword and pierced enemies with it. For me, with a shield thrust forward, it’d be like slamming into it with a car.
“Watch out!”
“No!”
Screams erupted from behind as I rushed forward.
A head-on collision with a Lord-grade monster? It definitely looked reckless.
Crunch!
Activating Charge unleashed an explosive surge of power through my body.
With every step, the ground shattered beneath me. The path I’d run was carved into a long furrow, like a plow had passed through.
At the moment of impact, Urukel swung all four of its massive hands down at once. The onslaught felt like a building collapsing right in front of me.
We collided without yielding an inch.
Boom!
The mana cloaking my body clashed with the mana in Urukel’s fists, creating a deafening sonic boom that nearly burst my eardrums. Yet my momentum didn’t falter. Instead, it pushed through its fists.
Crack!
A bone-snapping sound came from Urukel’s wrist, and I immediately kicked off the ground, leaping upward. Shield-first, I rocketed diagonally, striking its chest dead-on.
-Guhh!
Urukel let out a pained groan. No wonder—my charge had nearly pierced right through its chest. If it had been Metatron’s sword, it would’ve gone clean through. As it was a shield, the blow merely caved in its chest.
The next instant, an explosion of mana erupted at the point of contact between chest and shield, sending us both flying in opposite directions.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh.
Spinning through the air like a somersault, I realized a black, tangible energy had formed on my back. I’d have to check it out once I landed.
Soon, I twisted mid-rotation and touched down.
The impact was so fierce that I spread my legs wide, bracing the ground with my shield.
Crack!
The asphalt shattered, cracks spiderwebbing outward.
Ahead, Urukel was nowhere in sight—probably flung into some building rubble again. Dust clouded the air, making it impossible to pinpoint.
“Hmm.”
For now, I turned to examine my back. It was hard to see, but I could tell there were wings.
Not surprising.
As Metatron’s incarnation, having black wings like hers was only natural.
But they were different. It was like the mana had materialized. Black mana clumped together into wing-like shapes. Unlike Metatron’s three pairs, I had just one.
Since it was an incarnation, it mimicked her form, but growing actual wings on a normal person’s back wasn’t feasible, so it approximated with mana.
Still, the black mana extending from my back like wings looked incredibly cool. In some ways, even cooler than real ones. When I moved vigorously, they draped like a black cape.
“It’s the Archangel!”
“Who called her the Hyena? What an insolent fool!”
“No, that’s definitely the King of Hyenas!”
The watching Hunters were in confusion. The manifestation effect made allies see me as an Archangel. But rationally, they knew I was Hyena, creating cognitive dissonance.
Amused by the debate, I glanced their way. Unexpectedly, it had an effect.
“Archangel!”
“Forgive our rudeness!”
They all prostrated themselves en masse, groveling.
A few held out, but most of the sane ones followed suit.
“Huh?”
Bewildered, I soon realized why.
My charisma stat was 215. With +200 from manifestation, it was a whopping 415.
Top-grade Hunters usually hovered around 250.
It overwhelmed them mentally.
Hunters, being part of the system, were influenced by stats like in a game.
“I’m not an Archangel.”
Best to state the facts upfront.
I didn’t want accusations of deception later.
“But what’s certain is that I am the incarnation of Metatron, the foremost among Archangels. So, you must show me the respect due to her.”
I decided not to flaunt authority in peacetime.
No need to grovel to other Hunters, but no reason to suppress them either. As a newcomer to the Hunter world, rampaging with Metatron on my back wouldn’t earn goodwill.
From my position of planning a united Hunter force in Noryangjin Sanctuary, I needed to build trust gradually.
Having led for ten years, I was confident in that.
Finishing my words while facing backward, I spun around to deflect an incoming attack.
Clang!
A magic blast struck my shield squarely, ricocheting off with a deafening ring.
It was Urukel.
The beast, looking gravely wounded, ground its teeth as it approached. Buried under another building, its body was a mess.
-You bastard! A puny human dares! What is that power!
-So you’re an angel! An angel after all! That explains it!
It must have felt cheated, ambushed out of nowhere.
But explaining every detail was too much hassle.
I hurled the shield first.
Whoooosh!
Boosted by 655 strength, it flew with terrifying speed.
-Grahhh!
Urukel’s massive frame shook from the hit.
It writhed as if bludgeoned by a club.
Swinging my left arm outward to inward, I caught the blinking shield and whipped it inward to outward.
The shield curved mid-flight, smashing into Urukel’s right head.
Crack!
One of its dragon horns snapped off, flying into the air. Famous for their toughness, they were useless now.
Catching the returning shield, I tried something different. Gripping the side, I flung it underhand like bowling.
It rolled across the ground like a hoop, hurtling forward.
Screeech!
It left a vivid scar on the asphalt. Urukel, stung twice already, reached out to block.
So I snapped my fingers.
The rolling shield suddenly leaped upward as if hitting something, slamming into Urukel’s lower jaw.
-Grraaaaaah!
It toppled backward with a crash.
Thud!
My shield mastery had progressed astonishingly fast—even I was impressed. My motor skills were top-notch, unmatched by anyone. Even Olympic athletes captured by giants back then were no match.
Anyway, time to finish this.
Manifestation’s time limit was pressing.
I spread my wings and took flight.
Wings of rippling black mana, but they worked fine for flying.
No one taught me; it came naturally, like a legged creature instinctively walking at birth. Once manifested with wings, flight followed.
First flight, so cautious, but I ascended steadily. At around 1,500 meters, I paused to catch my breath.
Now, straight down—heart-pounding. The fierce winds excited me further.
This altitude was for the S-grade skill Plunge. I planned to crash into the ground.
“Alright.”
Muttering resolve, I flipped.
Shield forward, I began falling. At first, agonizingly slow, then plummeting at terrifying speed.
The target below looked tiny.
A slight wing twitch could veer me far off.
Fortunately, mana wings were easy to steer, even clumsily. Glancing back, black mana trailed like a comet’s tail.
From afar, a black something hurtling down would terrify.
Below, Hunters scrambled to evacuate.
Screeeeeam!
The air-ripping sound was ominous.
Then, light beams shot up from below. Urukel was spewing laser breath like anti-air fire.
Swoooosh!
A chilling beam grazed past.
Not enough—it unleashed magic from all four arms, firing countless beams skyward.
Like an anti-air machine gun.
My vision filled with sparkling light scatters.
Undeterred, I plunged through, shield first. Felt like a WWII dive bomber.
I’d seen it on a cable TV history channel.
U.S. dive bombers braving Yamato’s barrage of anti-air guns and cannons to drop their payload.
What stuck was their poise amid the storm, as if certain the flak wouldn’t touch them.
I felt the same. This attack would succeed.
Boom! Bang! Bang!
Beams hammered my extended shield repeatedly. Facing mortal peril, Urukel unleashed everything.
The vibrations traveled up my arms, hammering my heart like a mallet.
Already tense from first-time Plunge, now breathless.
Falling at 100 meters per second, yet time crawled. Senses sharpened; I could see mana orbs whizzing past my head.
Even sounds slowed.
The whoosh of mana orbs seemed distant, echoing.
Somehow, my body felt elongated—that instant.
Impact.
KABOOM!
An explosion rang out, I think.
Vision white, no bodily sensation.
No idea of my pose.
Rolling on the ground?
Dead or alive? No clue.
Oddly lethargic. Much left to do, but rest wouldn’t be bad.
Drifting off, cold hands gripped me.
“Are you out of your mind? Plunge isn’t used like that. Miraculous you’re alive.”
Something felt off. There’s a trick, huh.
Eyes closed, I replied.
“I firmly reject ‘out of your mind.’ Some fool tried proving my sanity, but it ended unresolved forever.”
“Your tongue still works, so you’re fine. Open your eyes.”
“Ugh…”
No strength in my body. Eyelids heavy. Then calm, warm power flowed in.
“Didn’t you say you couldn’t heal others?”
“You know, yet ask? Power incompatibility harms them if I heal. With you, same essence—no issue.”
“The Sanctuary?”
“Back on track. Took a moment to check.”
Got it.
I barely opened my eyes—and gasped in shock.
“Huh!”
“Why so startled? My face isn’t ugly, I think.”
Metatron’s face was too close.
Nearly touching; her large, beautiful gray eyes clear.
Pillowed on her lap, she gazed down, gray hair cascading like silk.
My heart pounded suddenly.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Couldn’t meet those pure eyes; I turned away subtly. But her cold hand, stroking my head, fixed my cheeks.
“Um? What are you doing?”