Sweeping the Fallen Temple
Mu-hyuk knew he had to press the advantage while the momentum was on his side.
One more time!
With that in mind, he unleashed every skill at the revived High Priest. He figured that as long as he killed and resurrected it, the scales would tip heavily in his favor—so he didn't let up on the assault.
-1,971 HP
-1,230 HP
CRITICAL HIT!
-3,419 HP...
The damage kept piling up endlessly.
You have acquired experience points.
In the end, he brought the monster down.
"Revive."
He cast the skill immediately.
Monster soul detected nearby (1).
How many to resurrect?
There was only one, of course.
MP (-100) consumed.
The Fallen High Priest rose as one of Mu-hyuk's minions and began to move.
He checked its status.
The skills were the same as before.
Offensive: Fallen Holy Orb.
Healing: Absolute Heal.
Resurrection: Reverse Time.
All three were ready to use right now.
He started with Fallen Holy Orb.
A mass of dark orbs formed in the revived Fallen High Priest's palm, then shot toward the High Priest positioned behind it.
Thud. Thud-thud-thud.
The damage was even higher than expected.
Not bad.
Next, Absolute Heal.
Please select the area.
A blue rectangular shape appeared in his vision.
When he shifted his gaze, it followed.
This was the marker indicating the target area.
Hmm, probably won't work on skeletons, right?
Mu-hyuk thought so, but just in case—clinging to that slim hope—he gathered all the low-HP minions in one spot.
Cast it.
The blue light was absorbed into them.
Non-Albetar Priest lifeforms detected.
High Priest's power partially transfers healing to them.
Fallen Elite Holy Knight's HP (+25,000) restored.
Remaining lifeforms' HP (+5,000) restored.
Elite Priests could only heal Elite Holy Knights. But the High Priest, through its own power, could partially share healing with others.
Jackpot...!
It felt like unexpected luck had struck.
"Hoo."
He forcibly calmed his excitement.
Reverse Time is still left.
He activated that skill.
Poison Ogre's time rewinds.
Time reversal varies by ability.
Reverted to 3 minutes 17 seconds ago.
The Poison Ogre appeared as if by magic.
This works too? Wait a sec. Does that mean...?
He wondered if Reverse Time might even work on players.
But he couldn't exactly ask a teammate to die for testing.
Yeah, this alone is plenty. Thanks for that.
He cleared his stray thoughts and focused on the battle.
--------!
The chaos began with the Poison Ogre's roar.
"Let's take 'em out quick!"
"Okay!"
Mu-hyuk wiped the smile from his face and refocused on the High Priests.
Wind Step.
He closed in and unleashed the White Tiger Sword Technique.
The High Priest's movements were sluggish, making successful hits easy.
Its HP was sky-high, though, and the other High Priests occasionally healed it—so killing it would take time, he figured.
Hm...?
But something deviated from expectations.
Thud.
The High Priest collapsed after just a few strikes.
"Ah..."
The barrage of bone arrows and spells hadn't changed. Nor had the relentless attacks from the nearby Armor Cavalry and Elite Holy Knights.
The difference? One High Priest had become Mu-hyuk's minion, reducing the total healing output.
Three healers pouring in heals versus two—there was bound to be a gap.
HP recovery couldn't keep up with the damage anymore, letting them drop the High Priest easily.
"What? Already?"
"Yeah, one more to go."
"Okay!"
Sung Min-woo attacked the one on the right.
Boom. Kaboom!
Mu-hyuk headed straight for the last one.
Kirring!
By the time he'd finished it off after a not-insubstantial effort...
"Oppa!"
"Yeah?"
"Most of the summons are dead!"
"Ah..."
Mu-hyuk left the souls of the two dead High Priests behind and fell back.
"That was close."
"Yeah."
He'd gotten so tunnel-visioned on the attack that he'd forgotten to check his skeletons' status.
With most gone except the Elite Holy Knights, they couldn't keep fighting.
"Fall back for now."
"Okay!"
They hurriedly escaped the combat zone.
A short while later.
As soon as he resummoned the skeletons, he headed for the Holy Warrior area.
All three High Priests were dealt with, leaving six Holy Warriors.
When spells and bone arrows had sufficiently damaged them, he used the skill.
"Revive."
There were three souls lingering. Knowing they were two High Priests and one Holy Warrior, he hit yes on the hologram prompt.
Resurrect all?
[Yes/No]
This time, no.
Who to select?
He wanted one High Priest and one Holy Warrior.
MP (-200) consumed.
Fallen High Priest (1) revived.
Fallen Holy Warrior (1) revived.
With the two new additions, things felt much more manageable.
Holy Warrior, Wind Slash.
Slamming its greatsword into the ground unleashed a fierce gale. It continuously battered all six enemy Holy Warriors—the perfect skill.
But they countered in kind, activating Wind Slash as well.
HP dropping fast.
Just a bit more.
He confirmed the Armor Cavalry's charge skill landed properly first.
Got it.
It successfully interrupted the enemy Holy Warrior's Wind Slash.
To offset the damage taken in the meantime, he ordered the High Priest to use Absolute Heal.
The blue square appeared in his vision. He maneuvered it to the optimal spot.
Non-Albetar lifeforms detected.
High Priest's power partially transfers healing.
Fallen Holy Warrior's HP (+25,000) restored.
Fallen Elite Holy Knight's HP (+25,000) restored.
Remaining lifeforms' HP (+5,000) restored.
As soon as cooldowns refreshed, he unleashed the minions' skills.
Of course, Mu-hyuk himself fired off Piercing Heaven Archery and the third form of White Tiger Sword Technique, White Tiger Slash.
Kuwaaaang!
Maybe because there were no High Priests left to heal.
The Holy Warriors dropped faster than expected.
You have acquired experience points.
You have acquired experience points.
He took down two in one go.
"Whoa, easier than I thought!"
"Don't get cocky."
"Okay! No worries!"
Sung Min-woo blended with his spirits to gang up on one Holy Warrior.
The remaining three had scattered in all directions.
We'll wrap this up quick.
He was just starting to relax a bit when—
Kwaduk.
All four Holy Warriors slammed their greatswords into the ground simultaneously. From the start, gale-force winds howled in, slashing the space itself like blades.
Not one, but four casting Wind Slash at once—the effect was beyond imagination.
"Hup...!"
His body kept getting pushed back; there was nothing he could do.
The summons fared no better.
In the end, they retreated while taking damage.
"Did we win?"
"Probably? Once the wind dies, we unload skills."
"Right?"
As the gale finally subsided...
"Time to finish 'em."
From outside the shrinking wind's reach, he closed the distance to the Holy Warriors.
When the winds fully died, he threw everything at them.
Kwaaaang!
Spells, Power Shots, Multi-Shots.
Charges and Accelerated Thrusts.
Followed by melee skeleton strikes.
Experience points increased.
Experience points...
No matter how high a Holy Warrior's HP, without High Priests to heal, it stood no chance against Mu-hyuk and his summons.
*
After Corpse Dissection to harvest the Holy Warrior bones, Mu-hyuk checked the progress.
Finally, he'd perfectly cleared one group of High Priests and Holy Warriors.
Seven souls lingering.
Plan was to rest up fully, then revive them and push forward.
"Let's rest a bit."
"Yeah!"
They sat, cooked, and filled their hunger bars.
"All rested?"
Yerin, Kim Ji-yeon, and Sung Min-woo all nodded.
The thrill of taking down Holy Warriors and High Priests lingered faintly, keeping morale high.
"Let's go."
He revived six Holy Warriors and one High Priest, then picked up the pace. Soon, they spotted the next targets.
"Five Holy Warriors. Two Priests."
Fewer numbers than before.
Easier than I thought?
Mu-hyuk smirked and directed the battle.
------!
After the fierce clash ended...
"Tough one."
"Elites are a whole different league."
"But we won in one go."
Sung Min-woo and Mu-hyuk looked satisfied. No retreat this time.
"Spirits?"
"One left. Gotta wait."
"Yerin?"
"Three squirrels left, oppa."
"Ji-yeon?"
"M-me too, mana low."
"Rest up, then move."
"Yeah!"
After sufficient rest, he revived the five Holy Warriors and two Priests they'd just downed.
They advanced with them.
*
After battle and rest, an out-of-nowhere comment popped up.
"Drop the formal speech?"
"Yeah, dude. How long you gonna keep -nim-ing Ji-yeon?"
"Uh, dunno."
Sung Min-woo's glance at her tense expression made Mu-hyuk turn too.
"Ji-yeon."
"Y-yes?"
"Can we drop the formalities with you?"
"Ah, sure. It's f-fine!"
"Sis, you don't look fine at all."
"N-no, really, it's okay."
"Hng."
Sung Min-woo asked again.
"For real, I'm dropping it then?"
"Y-yes."
"Ahem, uh, okay."
Everyone laughed at his awkwardness.
"M-Mu-hyuk oppa, you drop it too."
"Should I?"
"Yes."
"You drop it with me too."
"I'm comfy like this..."
"Being formal?"
"Yes."
"Fine, whatever."
"Yes!"
Relations settled.
Sung Min-woo, Mu-hyuk, and Yerin went casual with Kim Ji-yeon; she stayed casual only with Yerin.
Felt close enough already.
*
Day 6 since starting on Holy Warrior and High Priest groups.
You have acquired experience points.
As the last Holy Warrior fell, faint light emanated from Sung Min-woo and Yerin's bodies.
"Yaracha! Level up!"
"Me too!"
They'd finally hit level 205.
"O, oooh...!"
Changes hit them simultaneously.
Sung Min-woo's spirits and Yerin's squirrels evolved together.