Chapter 70
Chapter 70
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 70
Chapter Title: Australian Continent (2)
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Australia's northern region, the Northern Territory's central city and port hub Darwin, was famous as a tourist spot. But the Darwin now was a ghost town devoid of any human presence, a hideous ruin filled only with crumbling concrete debris.
"......"
Lee Sang-hyun, who had crossed over to Darwin, Australia via portal, fell silent at a situation far more dire than what he'd seen on the internet.
'I expected it, but... I didn't think it'd be this bad. It's no different from Rune.'
The barren, desolate landscape evoked memories of the ruined world Rune. It made his chest tighten with a sense of hopelessness.
'...If we can't stop the demons, the whole world will end up like this.'
Lee Sang-hyun etched the demons' danger deep into his heart once more as he set out to locate the Babel Tower.
"A monster wave...?"
Lee Sang-hyun's expression darkened momentarily at the sudden monster wave.
It couldn't be good news. For a single human facing a monster wave, it was nothing short of horrific.
But that lasted only a moment.
His expression softened.
"...Not bad. The things I have to deal with are coming to me on their own."
For Lee Sang-hyun at least, the current situation was ideal.
Because the things he needed to handle were coming right to him! No need to hunt them down one by one!
"I'll wait it out."
It felt like overdue homework vanishing on its own. His heart felt light, not heavy, as he awaited the monster wave.
Grrrrrr...!!!
The horde charging with deafening roars was a goblin legion.
Their numbers were so vast they filled the horizon, every one with bloodshot red eyes.
"Double... no, triple the strength."
The berserk goblins' power far exceeded normal goblin limits.
Of course, it was still like comparing acorns—stronger than average orcs, but not overwhelmingly so.
But if mere goblins were like this... he couldn't even guess the state of the other monsters.
"Wish it was the sea."
If the battlefield were the ocean, berserk or not, he wouldn't have cared a bit.
No matter the numbers, he'd have swept them away with overwhelming force.
But this was land.
He couldn't use the absolute power he'd shown on the first floor of the Gluttony Tower.
"Doesn't mean there aren't ways."
Lee Sang-hyun recalled the Blood Sword.
Blood Sword.
A ability to create swords using blood.
At first glance, it seemed like forming swords from the user's own blood, but delving deeper, as long as there was blood as a medium, he could create swords regardless of length, size, position, or number.
In other words, he could use the enemy's blood too. Blood inside or spilled outside the body.
"Of course, without an overwhelming difference in mana control, using blood inside a living body to form swords is impossible... But the blood of the dead, who have lost mana control, is fair game."
His plan was simple: fell the goblins, use their spilled blood to make more Blood Swords, and fell even more goblins.
A straightforward, foolproof strategy to wipe out the goblin legion without hassle.
Whether it'd go as smoothly as planned was another question, but to him, it didn't look difficult.
Kieeeek!!!
Berserk or not, goblins were goblins. Hundreds fell like leaves in a single strike.
Whoosh!!
The second attack swept away hundreds more, spewing thick droplets of blood.
Moments later, the ground was soaked in goblin blood. Enough at a glance to start the plan.
'Here we go.'
Lee Sang-hyun formed Blood Swords from the blood of the mana-less dead goblins.
Swords shaped solely for piercing enemies, ignoring durability or sustainability.
They weren't refined. Crude, haphazard, amateurish.
However...
Pfshhhhk!!!
Thousands of Blood Swords erupted from the blood pools, skewering the oncoming goblin legion.
"Que... e... eek...!"
Twitch twitch!!
And it didn't end there.
As thousands more bled out, Blood Swords rose from an even wider area.
Pfshhhhk!!!
The swords pierced goblin soles, thighs, hips, sides, elbows—mercilessly ravaging their bodies.
"Grk...!"
Almost none survived. Except miracles dodging vitals, most died instantly.
'Bring it.'
Naturally, the blood pools on the ground widened and deepened.
Now large enough for tens of thousands of Blood Swords.
Kieeeek!!!
Lee Sang-hyun unleashed Blood Swords at the madly charging goblins.
That instant, tens of thousands pierced the legion.
Pfshhhhk!!!
From thousands to tens of thousands, then hundreds of thousands—the goblin legion vanished.
Considering their numbers were at least in the millions, it was astonishing.
Lee Sang-hyun evaluated with a serious expression.
"Not bad at all. Useful even in fiercer battles."
Less destructive than compressed sword beams, but overwhelmingly efficient.
He'd wiped the goblin legion with less than half the power of sword beams.
And considering its immaturity and room for improvement, the potential was limitless.
"A bit more practice, and I could make millions..."
Kuoooo...!!
Right on cue, the orc legion appeared.
Raising dust clouds from afar, their numbers and momentum were immense.
"Orcs, huh."
Like the goblins, the orcs were berserk. Far beyond normal orcs, their swollen muscles evoked ogres.
Kugugugu...!!
Less than two minutes since the goblins fell—worst timing imaginable. But perfect for Lee Sang-hyun.
Because the goblin blood hadn't hardened yet.
"Lucky."
Pfshhhhk!!
Blood Swords surged from the dark pools, piercing orcs. Tens of thousands died at once, even more bleeding out.
"Krwoek?!"
"Kraaa...!!
"Grk... ugh...!"
The orcs' screams were piteous. Their aimless rage echoed into the void, shattering.
"......"
Lee Sang-hyun didn't settle for mere creation. He advanced to the next phase.
'...Inhale and exhale. Breathe in, breathe out. Same principle: draw out the Blood Sword, retract it.'
Draw, retract.
A profoundly simple action.
But with hundreds of thousands, it wasn't easy. Far from it.
Humans struggle with even two tasks; hundreds of thousands were beyond capacity.
Yet Lee Sang-hyun focused his mind, creating a 'flow.'
Pfshhk! Swish. Pfshhk! Swish.
The flow undulated like waves, rough yet rhythmic.
Compared to the haphazard spikes moments ago, tremendous progress.
'...Not yet.'
Unsatisfied, he closed his eyes, severing external ties to focus solely on the flow.
Thump. Thump.
'Draw, retract.'
The innumerable monster legion's advance was like endless waves crashing on a vast sea.
Krooooaaaaaarrrr...!!
And all were mad.
Bloodshot-eyed beasts, drooling ones, grotesquely swollen bodies, twisted forms—none normal.
Kraaak!! Kraraak!! Kuooo!!
Madness erased survival fear. They spewed blind rage, advancing relentlessly.
Kugugugugu...!!
The terrifying charge seemed unstoppable even for Italy's guardians.
However...
It didn't faze Lee Sang-hyun. Because the moment they stepped into the blood pools, they were pierced.
Pfshhhhk!!!
A thorn hell. Massive spikes meters long erupting from below, skewering bodies.
And not just once. Every 3-5 seconds, across the entire blood pool.
Pfshhhhk!!
Only death awaited those entering the thorn hell. No exceptions for regenerative trolls, mighty ogres, or swift krugas.
"Kua... aak?!!"
Lucky dodges of one or two failed on the third. Impaled by rising thorns, they perished.
Twitch... pfshhhhk!!
"Kieeek!!"
Flying monsters fared slightly better. Blood couldn't reach the skies.
But as they neared Lee Sang-hyun, spikes over dozens of meters shot up.
Pfuk!!
Weaker than ground thorns, elongated at the cost of thickness and solidity.
But relentless. Ten missed? Double, triple dragged them down.
Pfshhhhk!!
Fallen monsters met only death.
Burr... rrr...
Resurrection impossible.
And death summoned more blood.
Kraaaaa!!!
No time for blood to dry. It spread further, soaking the parched earth.
"......"
Lee Sang-hyun stood at the center, expression calm and unshaken, focusing on the flow's next stages: 'absorption' and 'circulation.'
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Unlike his steady heartbeat, absorption and circulation were far from light.
Taking in monsters' blood—utterly alien to his own—and converting it to mana was excruciating.
Bubble bubble...!!
An ordinary player would've fainted or vomited blood to death from the pain.
Injecting foreign blood was like shoving contaminants into veins.
But Lee Sang-hyun was a Berserker. Closer to death than anyone, inured to agony.
That's why it was possible.
The near-miraculous madness of turning enemies' blood into more blood.
'Pierce them!!'
Pfshhhhk...!!