Chapter 26
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: The Corrupting Sword (4)
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I realized a new elite monster had appeared some time after the battle had started.
After finishing the ramen Id cooked, I leisurely picked up my smartphone and spotted someone fighting Yutenia.
It was a male character, wielding a light-infused sword against her.
With expert swordsmanship, he blocked her shadows and landed a strike on Yutenias barrier.
Of course, his attack was stopped cold by her barrier, and he retreated without having inflicted any damage.
Did an elite monster show up?
I recalled the elite monster that had charged at Yutenia last time.
That one had also swung its sword in an attempt to defeat her.
The current situation didnt feel all that different.
Seeing this pattern, I was beginning to think that targeting the characters I was raising was a common trait among elite monsters.
He definitely looks stronger than the last one.
Even the way he swung his sword was different.
He brandished it with swift, sharp movements, parrying Yutenias shadows several times.
A bright light emanated from the sword he held.
It seemed to be a trait that added a bonus to the users attack or defense.
He certainly looked stronger than the elite monster Id defeated before.
Though, of course, if they fought to the end, Yutenia would win without much trouble.
Liberate!
Perhaps spotting an opening in Yutenias opponent.
Loan used the Magic Sword: Ednos I had gifted him before to send the enemy flying.
Cra-kooom!
With a heavy thud, the elite monster was flung far into the distance.
He had used Lightning Arrow, which dealt up to 30 damage and induced a shocked state.
Witnessing the power of Loans Magic Sword: Ednos made my chest swell with pride.
Its performance was well worth the 80,000 won.
Ahh. This is why I keep pulling.
The target, struck by Lightning Arrow, took 8 damage and crashed into a tree.
He staggered for a moment after the impact, then gripped his sword and rose to his feet again.
He was still moving even after being hit by Lightning Arrow, a powerful attack that came with a status effect.
It was a different outcome from the previous enemy, who had been knocked out by a simple Lightning spell.
It seemed this one was tougher in terms of defense or durability than my previous foes.
He was an opponent that made me feel the games difficulty had certainly gone up.
Still seems pretty easy, though.
If one Lightning Arrow wasnt enough, I just had to keep using it until he was dead.
Tap.
I pressed the skill button to activate the Lightning Arrows targeting reticle.
One thing Id learned from playing the game for a long time was that if you set the target and held your finger down, you could fire continuously.
Activating the rapid-fire function would launch the skill repeatedly without needing to press the button again.
The only downside was that it was slightly slower than casting the skill manually each time.
O, Goddess!
As I aimed the activated reticle at the character before me, he raised his sword and called out to his goddess.
Suddenly calling for a goddess.
Between the glowing sword and his fighting style, he seemed to be a holy knight type of character.
Crackle. Sizzle.
With the sound of arcing electricity, the Lightning Arrow skill was ready.
I began to spam the fully charged Lightning Arrow skill at my opponent.
Guide my path!
The character, after uttering a line that stirred the heart, swung his sword at the incoming magic.
Clang!
The Lightning Arrow, deflected by the light-infused sword, struck the ground in a different direction.
He had used his sword to divert the magic elsewhere.
I couldnt help but be impressed as I watched the character bend the path of my spell.
My opponents abilities were greater than I had anticipated.
Wow, this one can actually deflect magic.
Of course, as strong as an elite monster was, he wasnt at a level where he could block every spell.
Boom! Cra-koom! Cra-ka-kooom!
Unable to handle the continuous barrage of Lightning Arrow strikes, the character finally allowed a hit.
Struck directly by Lightning Arrow, he staggered, having taken 9 damage.
It seemed his defense had been lowered by the repeated attacks.
The character, now in a shocked state, groaned and raised his sword again.
Ugh
The more I watched, the more impressed I was by his performance.
He had a tough defense that significantly reduced magic damage.
On top of that, he possessed the swordsmanship to block magic.
As I took in the strength of the character before me, my gaze naturally drifted to the skill icons in the corner.
In one corner of the screen where the skill icons were gathered.
There sat the Apostle Selection skill, its button activated, having met the conditions for its use.
Can I not make an elite monster an apostle?
The last opponent I faced, I simply defeated him using Lightning magic.
But with this elite monster, there was still a choice.
Countless games allowed for the taming of monsters.
So, if I were to designate an elite monster as an apostle, what would happen?
Greed began to blossom in my heart as I stared at the Apostle Selection skill.
This was an elite monster that could deflect magic.
If I could make him my apostle and strengthen him, he had the potential to perform far better than my other characters.
Hah what should I do?
There was no clear distinction between an elite monster and a regular character.
It might be possible to influence elite monsters just as I do other characters.
If it worked, it could be my chance to obtain a powerful character.
But I also wondered if the developers of this game would have made it that easy.
Was it possible, or not?
After a moment of deliberation, I clicked the skill icon to activate the targeting reticle.
What have I got to lose?
Worst case, I break even.
With that thought, I used the skill.
Tap.
I pressed the Apostle Selection skill and placed the activated reticle over the enemy character.
The outline of the character within the reticles range turned blue.
I tapped the reticle once more to designate that character as the skills target.
- Would you like to select Evan Alemier as an Apostle?
- 400 Karma is required to select an Apostle.
- Yes No
Upon using the skill, the Apostle Selection confirmation message appeared.
The name of the character currently in battle was Evan Alemier.
And the amount of Karma required to make Evan a new apostle was 400.
It was a number I had barely managed to reach by hunting diligently after acquiring Lightning Arrow.
Seeing the confirmation message pop up, it seemed making Evan an apostle was indeed possible.
For 400 Karma, I could make an elite monster my own apostle.
If I ignored the amount of Karma I had to pay, there was no reason for me to hesitate.
It actually works.
Without hesitation, I pressed the accept button.
Tap.
The confirmation message on the screen vanished, and Evans body was enveloped in a pure white flash.
Was it because his body was engulfed in light?
Evan immediately lifted his head and looked up at the sky.
His face, as he gazed at the heavens, looked utterly exhausted.
As Evan looked up, a series of messages scrolled across the bottom of the screen.
- Selecting Evan Alemier as an Apostle.
- Consumed 400 Karma to create a new Divine Artifact for the Apostle.
- Divine Artifact: Astrape has been bound to Evan Alemier.
- Evan Alemier has refused to walk the path of an Apostle.
- Apostle Selection has been put on hold.
Upon activating Apostle Selection, a new item was created in my inventory.
Up to this point, it was similar to when I made Yutenia an apostle.
But what happened next was something I had not anticipated.
A message appeared stating that Evan had refused to become an apostle, and the Apostle Selection skill had been temporarily put on hold.
A character directly refusing to become my apostle.
I felt blindsided by a situation I hadn't even imagined.
Whats on hold? And wheres my Karma?
This was an elite monster with superior stats compared to other characters.
As such, I had considered the possibility that Apostle Selection might not work.
But the problem was my spent Karma.
Because the message said Karma was consumed to create the item.
My available Karma had already plummeted to zero, and the skills next cost had jumped to 800.
On top of that, the Divine Artifact: Astrape, bound to Evan, was now sitting in my inventory.
So thats how it is.
Stunned, I stared at Evan on the screen.
Evan, who had put my Apostle Selection on hold, muttered something to himself and then started running somewhere.
In the direction he was running stood his horse, waiting where hed left it.
An icon of a fleeing person repeatedly appeared above Evans head as he ran.
Watching Evans swift escape, I frantically tapped the skill button at the bottom of the screen.
Youre just going to run away after eating 400 of my Karma?
I activated Lightning Arrow, moved the reticle over Evan, and repeatedly spammed the skill.
Boom! Crash!
Evan dodged the bolts of lightning raining down on him and sprinted toward his horse.
It was obvious what he was trying to do.
Watching him, I aimed a skill at his stationary horse.
Cra-ka-koooom!
Struck directly by Lightning Arrow, the horse displayed a skull speech bubble and collapsed.
Evan, seeing his fallen horse, changed direction and began to run into the mountains.
As I watched him flee, a possibility flashed through my mind.
A possibility I had forgotten while focused solely on using the Apostle Selection skill.
- (Fleeing)
Dont tell me my Karma will be gone for good if he dies?
I stopped my finger, which had been moving to target Evan.
Karma is consumed in the process of creating a Divine Artifact.
And the Divine Artifact: Astrape was currently bound to Evan, who was undergoing the Apostle Selection.
So, if Evan were to die, what would happen to the Divine Artifact: Astrape?
It would most likely get stuck in my inventory, unusable.
Thinking of this possibility, I had no choice but to consider a more amicable solution.
It seems likely itll be gone for good. But the fact that its on hold might mean theres a chance to resume the process.
The Apostle Selection was on hold solely because Evan had refused to become an apostle.
If Evan were to accept becoming an apostle again, there was a chance the selection process would proceed normally.
It was just a possibility, of course.
But then again, this was the first time an Apostle Selection had been put on hold.
There was enough reason to bet on the possibility of completing the selection.
I had to persuade Evan, one way or another.
I moved my finger to open a dialogue with Yutenia.
Yutenia, youll have to go bring back the rookie.
There was no normal way for me to persuade a character in the game.
There was only one method I could use.
Send someone who could actually speak to characters directly to Evan.
And for me, the only one capable of such a task was Yutenia.
Tap.
I opened the chat window and sent Yutenia a message to bring Evan back, no matter what.
Of course, the message I sent was translated by the speech bubble translator into something suitably grand.
Welcome the new apostle. He who has forsaken the wavering light shall find a new path.