Chapter 228: The Veteran Becomes a Castle Lord
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 228: The Veteran Becomes a Castle Lord
The unique ability, Berserker, was a double-edged sword.
While it pushed the target's physical abilities to their absolute limits, it also caused them to lose their sanity and run wild indiscriminately.
This meant that even if the target was an ally, they would be ruthlessly deemed an enemy and cut down.
The fact that he had only unleashed this unique ability now meant he had likely wanted to avoid using it if at all possible.
"Krooooo!"
A crimson aura flared up around Ograkun's body.
Finally, the climax of this battle had arrived.
Thud!
Step.
The two closed the distance between them.
A distance where a single gesture could claim a life.
From that very spot...
...the greatsword and the axe vanished from sight.
Boom!
With a deafening roar, the greatsword ground to a halt right above Jinhyuk's head.
Had he been even a fraction of a second slower, his head would have been smashed like a watermelon.
But before he could even catch his breath, the next attack followed immediately.
Crash!
As the greatsword aimed for his vitals, the axe deflected its trajectory.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
A clash of pure, unadulterated strength, devoid of any tricks or techniques.
Countless sparks bloomed in the air.
It was a breathtaking exchange of blows.
Not only was the speed incredible, but every single strike carried enough destructive power to obliterate a giant monster in one hit.
"My god..."
"That giant... was what he showed earlier not his full strength?"
"Are you really looking at the giant right now? That human... he's the real monster."
"That's... true. It feels like I'm watching Sir Abraham."
"Is this... really reality? How can anyone move like that..."
The watching knights stared blankly at the duel between Jinhyuk and Ograkun.
They had no choice.
It was a battle fought at breath's distance, with both sides completely disregarding defense.
The shrieking of clashing metal was enough to deafen their ears.
But what was even more shocking...
...was that instead of the giant, whom they hadn't even dared to challenge, a single human, barely half the giant's size, possessed far more monstrous, overwhelming strength.
* * *
Ten seconds left.
Jinhyuk counted down in his head.
That was exactly how much time he had left to maintain Tombgrave's right arm.
He subtly loosened his grip on the axe.
Ograkun instinctively swung his greatsword.
Kabaam!
Unlike their previous violent clashes, the axe, overpowered, spun away into the air.
"Krooooo!"
Ograkun let out another wild roar, as if certain of his victory.
He must have assumed the fight was as good as over now that his opponent was disarmed.
However, that opening was one Jinhyuk had exposed on purpose.
...Got you.
Having discarded the axe, Jinhyuk instantly slipped inside Ograkun's guard.
The greatsword blocked his path, but it didn't matter.
Jinhyuk channeled a massive amount of mana and pressed his palm against the flat of the greatsword.
Black Heaven Demonic Emperor Art.
Defense was utterly useless against this.
For breaking through defenses was the very reason this technique existed.
Third Form.
The air grew so still it felt as though everything had vanished.
A heavy, deep mana, like the abyssal depths of the ocean, surged.
Blood-Earth Penetrating Force.
Through Tombgrave's arm, the Dark Emperor's signature martial art was unleashed.
Thoom!
Not the exterior, but the giant's entire interior was violently twisted.
A thirteen-fold shockwave pierced through the clouds and shot up into the atmosphere.
Only the faint, lingering resonance of mana hinted at the sheer devastation of the strike.
With a wobble, Ograkun's massive body collapsed on the spot.
No matter how much the Berserker ability turned him into a pain-immune madman, it was only natural that he could no longer move once his insides had been turned to mush.
"Cough... ugh... cough!"
Froth bubbled from Ograkun's mouth.
Soon after, a torrent of dark red blood gushed out.
Jinhyuk slowly stepped back.
"It's impressive that you even lasted this long. Even if I only used ten percent of Tombgrave's power, I have to commend you for standing against a Colossus for a whole minute with just a giant's body."
He meant every word.
Though it probably wasn't much comfort.
[The unique ability 'Berserker' has been deactivated.]
[Sanity is gradually returning.]
The crimson light in Ograkun's pupils slowly faded.
His clear eyes looked directly at Jinhyuk.
"My kin... in the castle..."
"I won't lay a finger on a single one of them."
"...Thank you."
With those final words, the light completely vanished from Ograkun's eyes.
And at that exact moment,
[You have defeated 'Ograkun', the King of Giants!]
[You have secured a base that neither the Empire nor the Murim could capture for a long time.]
[The incredible achievement you have accomplished will be listed in the 'Hall of Fame' all day tomorrow.]
[You have leveled up!]
[You have leveled up!]
[You have leveled up!]
...
[You have leveled up!]
[You have met the conditions for copying.]
[You have successfully copied the unique ability 'Berserker'.]
[The copied ability has been stored in the 'Memory of the World'.]
A flood of status windows began to appear.
It's not like he would have accepted if I told him to surrender anyway.
Given Ograkun's personality, he would have chosen death over ever serving under a human.
Above all, knowing he was entangled with the Demonic Human Association, Jinhyuk couldn't afford to let him live.
Promising not to slaughter his kin was the absolute minimum mercy he could offer right now.
Jinhyuk's gaze shifted to the status windows.
A whopping six levels.
Gaining this many levels from a single raid was an immense achievement.
At level 80, the amount of experience required to level up even once was notoriously brutal.
Level 86 already...
He had thought he took the most optimized route when he climbed the Tower of Trials in the past, but compared to his current growth rate, his past self was practically adorable.
But right then,
"...This is?!"
Jinhyuk's eyes widened in shock.
Among the dozens of lines in the status windows, he had spotted an unexpected notification.
[You have acquired 'Berserker's Greatsword'.]
[Berserker's Greatsword]
Acquisition Difficulty: S
Attack Power: 10,250
Weight: 150kg
Description: Ograkun's cherished weapon. When used in conjunction with the unique ability 'Berserker', attack power and attack speed are increased by 10% each. However, due to its extreme weight, it is considered difficult to wield for anyone other than a few giant species.
Only those to whom Ograkun has expressed gratitude may wield this sword.
The Berserker's Greatsword.
The absolute best reward possible from hunting Ograkun had dropped.
Come to think of it, he could see the greatsword, which he assumed would have vanished upon Ograkun's death, still lying there perfectly intact.
I thought this sword had a near 100% chance of disappearing along with its owner...
Jinhyuk immediately realized the reason behind this stroke of good fortune.
Ah, right. 'Monopolize'. The perk I received after reaching the top of the Tower of Trials.
A broken perk that guaranteed the acquisition of the absolute best item a monster could drop.
As expected, a perk was a perk.
His body was already itching to try it out.
He was dying to test his newly acquired unique ability alongside the Berserker's Greatsword, but...
...there were more pressing matters to attend to first.
Namely, letting the stragglers of the Empire and Murim know exactly who the master of this castle was.
"From now on, this castle is under my management. So, I would appreciate it if you withdrew your forces immediately."
Jinhyuk lightly swung the greatsword, drawing a line on the ground.
This was a warning.
A warning that anyone foolish enough to cross it would be the first to die.
"T-That is..."
"Hmph!"
The knights hesitated, glancing at one another.
Having received strict orders, they couldn't easily turn tail and run, but challenging that monster was an option they wanted to avoid even more.
On the other hand,
Grit!
Baek Seol-rin, who had arrived a moment ago to assess the situation, grit her teeth so hard they nearly shattered.
She, too, had witnessed Jinhyuk's martial prowess with her own eyes.
That even if she and all the Mount Hua Sect experts she brought along attacked him together, victory was far from guaranteed...
...was something she knew better than anyone.
To think he would be this strong.
A mere rising star of the younger generation wouldn't stand a chance.
At the very least...
...the absolute peak masters of each sect would have to gather just to stand a fighting chance.
Frustrating as it was, she had no choice but to retreat for now.
When neither side spoke, Jinhyuk shrugged.
"Then, I'll take that as an agreement. Both factions have suffered significant casualties today, so let's end the battle here. I'll clean up this place myself."
"Do not think this is the end," Baek Seol-rin spat coldly.
She then turned back the way she came, accompanied by her Mount Hua Sect companions.
"U-Understood, Player Kang Jinhyuk. Also, would it be possible for you to explain this matter to Count Hobier in the near future?"
"Count Hobier... Do you mean the commander-in-chief sent by the Empire?"
"Yes, that is correct."
"Understood. Since I do need to explain this situation to the Empire anyway, I will do so."
Having their castle snatched away out of nowhere, both Count Hobier and Duke Beinstern would undoubtedly be thrown into utter chaos.
But what could they do?
I've already swallowed this place whole.
Of course, I could let them use it... if they pay a suitable price.
A very suitable price, that is.
The corners of Jinhyuk's mouth curled upward.
He could already see a path paved with gold stretching out before him.
* * *
Exactly one day had passed since the fierce siege ended.
During that time, Jinhyuk used the captured giants to carry out extensive repairs on the fortress.
They rebuilt the collapsed walls, and secured food and supplies once again through the Coin Exchange.
And of course, the most important task was changing the castle's flag.
Flutter...!
Flying at the very top of the castle, instead of the giants' emblem, was a flag bearing a dinosaur fossil—the symbol of the Veteran Corporation.
[The small-scale faction 'Veteran Corporation' has secured its first large-scale base.]
"Mmm..."
Jinhyuk nodded in satisfaction.
Thanks to the busy efforts of T-Bone and the ancient soldiers, the inner quarters for the castle lord were mostly sorted out...
...and all that was left was to leisurely enjoy a long-overdue rest.
It was then.
"Now that it's been repaired a bit, this place is actually quite decent. By the way, where is my room? You've prepared the best one for me, right?"
Alice, standing beside him, spoke up with a soft hum of admiration.
He had been in such a good mood, but because of her, his happiness vanished like bubbles in an instant.
Seriously, she doesn't have a single milligram of tact.
"Your room?"
"Yeah. My private room. Maybe because I've been pushing myself lately without any mana supply, but I don't have any energy. I need to rest and recover."
No energy, huh...
Is that so?
"Of course I prepared it. Actually, your room was the very first thing I thought of when we got here."
"...!"
At Jinhyuk's words, Alice tried to suppress her excited expression and put on a solemn face.
She probably thought she looked quite noble.
"Ho. You are surprisingly quick-witted for a human. I do not require much. A massive, three-thousand-square-foot room, a fur bed, top-grade wine, and a fireplace burning Acadream wood will suffice. Or... you could let me taste your blood again after so long. Nothing beats that for recovering mana."
Alice smiled coquettishly.
For a brat who wasn't even a meter tall, she certainly knew how to make such expressions.
Jinhyuk clicked his tongue in disbelief and waved his hand.
"Sure, sure. I've got everything you wanted ready, so just bring yourself."
He had secured the absolute best room for her.
The dungeon.
Damp and musty, it would perfectly suit her luxurious tastes.
It was specifically the room right next to Tangrasil's roots, so if she got thirsty, she could just drink some sap.
"T-Bone, what are you doing? Hurry up and escort Alice... no, the moooost noble Noble of the Night, to her special suite."
"Yes, Master."
T-Bone took Alice's hand and scurried down toward the lower levels of the castle.
"Hey. But aren't rooms usually upstairs?"
"These days, semi-basements are all the rage for premium rooms, Lady Master."
"Really? But why do I have such a bad feeling about this?"
"It's just your imagination, Lady Master. Your imagination. Of course. Would Master ever lie to you?"
Having become completely devoted to Jinhyuk after the battle with Ograkun, T-Bone executed his role flawlessly.