Chapter 242
Chapter 242
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 242
Chapter Title: Rampage (5)
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“Perish!”
With the Corrupted Ancient Emperor shouting like a declaration and slashing down with his sword, Rokan swiftly moved.
No matter that his power had dropped a notch, he was still a High Master. Moreover, he was someone who had stepped into the Grand Master realm, a height even the Rokan of his previous life had never reached.
That experience could not be ignored.
“Damn, he’s tough as hell.”
As proof, two of the Gnome Five Brothers’ puppets were already shredded.
Though High Masters, their power was exceptional due to the corrupting force, so mere mechanical dolls couldn’t hold out.
Rokan’s clones and Kai dodged and blocked nimbly to keep him in check, but they weren’t landing any real hits.
“Massacre!”
That was why keeping them around held little meaning.
They could only buy a bit of time at best, so he boldly sacrificed them all.
He threw them in as fodder for the Corrupted Ancient Emperor, creating a split-second opening.
“Kyaaak!”
Rokan’s battle axe smashed into the monster’s body in several places. Deep gashes like clay scraped away gaped red, but it didn’t cleave through.
Normally, the limbs would have been severed into six pieces or more, but the heavily reinforced defense repelled Rokan’s battle axe.
“Urk!”
It even counterattacked.
It annihilated the remaining Gnome puppets and clones, wounded Kai despite his Elemental Barrier, withstood Rokan’s Massacre, and launched a counterstrike.
‘Not enough.’
Thanks to that, Rokan realized. Even with his overwhelming attack power, it fell just a little—ever so slightly—short.
He needed a way to draw out even more power.
“Barrage!”
Accepting there was no choice, Rokan immediately unleashed Barrage.
Not at the Corrupted Ancient Emperor. At the tree trunk they stood on.
Kwarung! Boom!
The massive explosion rocked their footing, and the structure—nothing more than a giant tree in the end—collapsed easily.
Even infused with mana by the half-elves who grew it, it couldn’t withstand Rokan’s attack power.
“No way!”
“What the hell is that?”
“Why are humans here…!”
Chaos erupted around them.
When the Council of Elders’ building was destroyed and two human-like figures dropped down, how could they not feel hostility?
His reputation received a title bonus, but in this special situation, it didn’t apply.
They were only on guard since it was clear he was fighting the visibly deranged Corrupted Ancient Emperor, but the half-elves drew their weapons en masse, ready for battle.
That was exactly what Rokan wanted.
[Title: Ten Thousand Slayer effect. Attack and defense rise proportionally to surrounding combat-ready beings. Current effect: 20%.]
[Kill log against humanoids confirmed. All stats rise 10%.]
[Title: Ten Thousand Slayer effect. Removes fear immunity from surrounding beings.]
Title: Ten Thousand Slayer!
The number of half-elves entering ‘combat state’ was limited, so it didn’t draw out his full power, but it seemed enough to fill his immediate combat shortfall.
A shame they weren’t a hostile race or in a defensive battle, but this alone was a massive power-up.
‘That’s the charm of percentage effects.’
And one more thing. Rokan still had a power-up opportunity left.
“World Tree’s Blessing.”
[You receive the World Tree’s Blessing.]
[All stats rise 30%.]
[All cooldowns reduce 30%.]
[All status ailments removed.]
[However, for those using impure power, the effect may not apply or may backfire.]
He activated one of Death Hall’s special skills.
The Sealed Gale Chain Battle Axe was a two-handed weapon, but thanks to his immense strength, Rokan wielded it one-handed with ease.
Thus, like dual-wielding, he drew Death Hall in his other hand.
Of course, that was it. He used the skill, then tried to put it away.
No, he was about to.
‘Wait.’
In that moment, a hypothesis flashed through Rokan’s mind.
What was the source of corruption power? Fear, screams, and other negative energies played a part collectively, but the core energy was ‘death.’
And Death Hall had the ability to absorb that death built in.
“Death Drain.”
Death Hall aimed at the Corrupted Ancient Emperor.
As if sensing an instinctive threat, it twisted to dodge, but it was futile.
Death Drain wasn’t a non-targeting skill—it was a guaranteed targeting skill.
Wooong! Flash!
Pitch-black death light poured from Death Hall, mingling with the monster’s corruption power.
No telling which dominated, but one thing was clear. Death Drain was nibbling away at the corruption.
[Death Drain effect. Absorbing death power.]
[Black magic accumulates in your body.]
[World Tree’s Blessing purifies black magic.]
[Black magic converts to mana.]
Interesting. Death Drain gnawed at the corruption power, recovering Rokan’s mana.
Of course, he was currently in infinite mana state from Gale Incarnation, but it’d be a solid recovery method in normal times too.
“Die!”
But the Corrupted Ancient Emperor wasn’t just fending off Death Drain. It was a clash of energies, leaving his actions free.
The longsword brimming with corruption swung wildly to cleave Rokan in two.
Clang!
But the situation had changed. With Ten Thousand Slayer and World Tree’s Blessing stacked on top, Rokan’s attack power—which had felt slightly outmatched—now overwhelmed him.
Winner of the direct clash: Rokan.
The Corrupted Ancient Emperor’s sword bounced back hard from the recoil, exposing his chest wide open.
“You love ruin so much? Then eat this! Ruin Strike!”
Clatter!
Chains wrapped around Rokan’s left fist. The fearsome blow ignoring defense pierced the monster’s chest.
[Special effect of Chains Sealing Ruin activates.]
[Additional damage applied to beings with powerful corruption power.]
“……!”
Boom!
In that instant, an unprecedented notification appeared before his eyes.
‘Special effect additional damage…’
Rokan’s eyes grew complex as he stared at the Ancient Emperor’s body, chest blasted open with a gaping hole.
Who’d have thought the Chains Sealing Ruin had such an effect.
Then why hadn’t it triggered against corrupted monsters before? A matter of total power?
Because they didn’t have ‘powerful’ corruption?
‘Ruin.’
Shaking off brief confusion, Rokan regained composure. A word from the prophecy tome surfaced.
Ruin—one of the keywords repeatedly tied to corruption power. And the Chains Sealing Ruin.
He didn’t know ruin’s true nature, but it was clear this lucky find had perfect counters to corruption power.
“Oblivion Chains!”
Thud thud thud thud thud!
Finishing his thoughts, Rokan used the chain skill to end it. With his current attack power, he could’ve chopped it up with the battle axe, but no need to push when a surefire method existed.
The Corrupted Ancient Emperor, puppet-like, had survived a heart explosion but couldn’t endure Rokan’s violence in the end.
It was processed so simply that its recent revival felt pathetic.
[You leveled up.]
[You leveled up.]
Was it because it was a final-weapon-grade being that had reached Grand Master? In level terms, merely top High Master, but the experience poured in massively. Rokan, nearing High Master himself, jumped two levels in one go.
Level 344.
Just five levels shy of 349, where he could take the High Master promotion quest.
‘The experience bar’s almost full anyway, so it’s like four levels.’
Of course, grinding those four would still be a monumental task.
“Rokan… sir?”
As he canceled Gale Incarnation and recovered, half-elves who recognized him approached.
No point hiding now.
Rokan revealed the alliance compact and Compass of Corruption, formally requesting cooperation from the half-elves as a human duke and investigation team member.
He’d taken down two here, but corrupted priests or collaborators remained among the half-elves.
“Arrest them immediately!”
“Don’t let a single one escape!”
The half-elves were shocked that two elders had joined in corrupting the World Tree but quickly recovered. Greater fury overshadowed the shock.
To ruin the World Tree’s long-awaited revival with mere corruption power? Elder or not, no one could stand by.
Peace-loving half-elves though they were, in this moment, their resolve burned fiercer than any demon’s.
They swiftly searched for and captured the traitors in Rokan’s stead.
They probably wouldn’t die easily.
“The problem is the World Tree, though…”
Meanwhile, Rokan pondered the World Tree. With the communicator smashed, he’d lost control.
Someone else might have a similar device, but after this ruckus, they’d hide deeper.
Plus, having seen the communicator wouldn’t bring world ruin as planned, they might abandon controlling the World Tree altogether.
He needed another way.
“Maybe…”
In that sense, the fight with the Corrupted Ancient Emperor had given Rokan plenty of inspiration.
“Then it’s worth a shot.”
A plan formed in Rokan’s mind. No guarantee it’d work alone, but it was viable enough to try.
If the World Tree rampaged further, it’d tire out the humans too.
With the communicator destroyed, it might turn and attack the Golden Lion camp anytime.
“How long since the World Tree appeared? Feels about time…”
But he couldn’t do it solo.
Even Rokan needed a Master or High Master to assist against a Grand Master World Tree.
Unless he could one-shot it like before, but no—the remaining options all took considerable time.
So, he waited for someone.
“Heh, right on cue.”
In his previous life, they’d appeared exactly one month after the World Tree.
The elves.
Elves and high elves.
Their numbers had plummeted after the World Tree vanished, but they were a small elite race, all at least Masters, many High Masters.
While scouring the forums for info, Rokan spotted their movement.
They had revealed themselves.