Insane!

"Insane!"

The lizardmen, eyes rolling back in fury, charged at Vulcan, who had lost his weapon. But Vulcan didn't even glance their way. Dodging attacks with his entire body's senses, he retrieved his sword with telekinesis—yet his eyes remained locked on Jamoyev, who was mutating beyond limits.

The sheer terror of the beast's transformation demanded it. A boss monster already over level 300 had devoured the souls of a hundred lizardmen warriors—that alone was horrifying enough. But then it had consumed the countless souls trapped in the Soul Stone as well.

'Explode, damn it. Please.'

It might just burst from being unable to contain it all. Vulcan hoped desperately for that outcome, but unfortunately, it didn't happen.

After gorging on souls, it had even earned the title Soul Devourer. But it wasn't over yet. Finishing its first mutation, it gaped its maw toward the sky—and with that, a hazy something stirred around them.

It surged into the air, then got sucked straight into its mouth.

'Souls?!'

- Best hurry. If it devours every soul on this land, it'll become a real pain. At your current level, you won't stand a chance.

It was summoning and devouring the souls from this battlefield, scarred by countless battles and deaths. Visible only to Vulcan's eyes, the souls left everyone else baffled by the motionless foe—but as Tud warned, leaving it be was dangerous.

"Mountain Splitter!"

Dorian sensed the instinctive peril too. Waiting for the enemy to transform was kid's stuff from comics. While it stood still, he gathered mana and swung his greatsword to cleave it in one blow, unleashing an Aura Blade to bisect it.

"Kuh?!"

Kagagang-!!

But Dorian's sword fell short. Despite no visible resistance, it hit something in midair, halting amid fierce pushback. He sliced flesh, but no fatal wound. His sure-kill strike was effortlessly blocked.

'Telekinesis!'

Vulcan unleashed his power instantly. Unsure if the pale force blocking Dorian was souls or sorcery, he bet the Arrow of Denial could pierce it.

'Please, break through!'

Jejeong-!!

The unknown mass—sorcery or souls—vanished under the Arrow of Denial. Slight resistance, but it crumbled after a moment, pierced through.

"Power of Fire!"

Vulcan charged simultaneously. Others' attacks wouldn't scratch it after blocking Dorian's, but he was different. Igniting Power of Fire, he rushed the defenseless beast.

"?!"

Kiriririk-

But before reaching it, Vulcan froze in shock. The beast, mouth agape to the sky, rolled its eyes cross-eyed at him.

'Grabbed?'

His raised hand clutched the Arrow of Denial. He poured telekinesis to yank it free, but it wouldn't budge. Locked in the beast's scale-armor like gauntlets, it screeched metallically, bending gradually.

The beast was snapping the Arrow of Denial with raw strength.

"Stop!!"

Normally, morale-crushing—but Vulcan's eyes blazed. That was an Epic-grade item! Repair? Even remaking it at the same grade was iffy. As it neared breaking, he snapped.

"Agility Boost!"

He leaped, slamming bodily into it.

"Ugh!!"

Jjeeng!!

Its power was monstrous—the blade, +9 reinforced and divinely blessed, had its durability slashed. Even Vulcan, who'd dumped everything into Strength, got flung back. Licking its lips greedily, it eyed him.

- How dare this vermin look at anyone with those filthy eyes!!

No—precisely, not Vulcan, but Tud. As a soul-body, to this soul-devourer, Tud looked like tasty prey. Tud bellowed in disgust, but it went unheard.

It advanced, tongue flicking, still bending the wriggling Arrow of Denial.

"If it's gonna break anyway……!"

He wanted to sever its arm to save it, but no way. About to be destroyed, Vulcan tearfully decided.

"Shatter!!"

He cast Shatter on the Arrow of Denial. If doomed, at least deal damage. Epic-grade hurt like hell, but he used it as a time-buying gambit.

"Keruk!?"

Peobeobeobek-!!!

Then, miracle. Mana-charged strikes had barely scratched its hide—Vulcan knew, low expectations. But Shatter's shotgun shards pierced scales effortlessly, riddling it like a beehive.

……Insane damage?

Vulcan gaped, speechless. Simple reason: Arrow of Denial's effects applied to every shard. Epic-grade, Shatter's power scaled with item level/rarity—leagues beyond Rare greatswords.

Dead? Shards sank deep; it stood silent, unhealing.

- Not yet.

'I know!'

But Vulcan knew better than anyone—it wasn't done. No level-up alert.

A 100+ level gap demanded levels on kill, but silence.

"Power of Fire! Blessing of Strength! Strike of Judgment!"

Vulcan kicked off, stabbing its defenseless heart with full power, avenging the shattered arrow.

"Kwaaaaaa!!!"

Chiiiiiik-!!

Instinct sensing crisis, Jamoyev gaped wide again—not sucking, spewing. It expelled absorbed souls in a blast to hurl Vulcan.

"Kuh!"

Mid-healing from Shatter, the hasty soul wave wasn't full power—Vulcan gritted, resisting. He'd maxed output too; divinely blessed Sun Sword sanctified touching souls. He could hold.

"Kyahahaak!!!"

Peoeong!!

But briefly. Sensing Vulcan holding and souls vanishing, it unleashed denser soul power, blasting him. Force flung even Strength-maxed Vulcan, vision blacking.

'One hit……!'

Dazed, Vulcan rasped. Indomitable could revive at 0 HP, but it'd kill him instantly after.

"Time Reversal!"

Time rewound his body 10 seconds—HP, mana, cooldowns reset.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

"Air Walk!"

To seize the chance, he air-dashed. Time reset, but aggro didn't—he kited to drain it, minimize ally damage.

"Power of Fire! Blessing of Strength! Strike of Judgment!"

Again, max attack plunged in.

Kagang! Kagagang!!

Yet no head-split. Its feet cratered ground holding, but endured. Blood trickled forehead instead—mere graze split supposedly unbreakable skin.

"Hraaaah!!!"

Just a bit more. Vulcan roared, pouring everything to crush its skull.

"Guhk!"

Peoeok!

Balance shattered—not by strength, but tail. Stalemate dragged; it whipped tail, striking Vulcan loose—sword flew, clattering.

Annoyed by puny human resistance? Or fearing its damage potential? Yellow eyes flashing, Jamoyev snatched the dropped sword, intent on snapping like the arrow.

"Kruk……?"

Hwarururuk!!!

Sudden twist. Trying to destroy Sun Sword, Jamoyev engulfed in massive flames.

"Kyahaaak!!!"

"……Ah!"

Writhing, soul power summoned—flames unrelenting. Fed by its own soul force, fiercer, melting scales.

- Idiot picks that up.

Vulcan grasped instantly. Recalled Blessed Sun Sword's equip restriction.

Blessed by Radin. Qualifies for Radin Apostle class change.

But unqualified wielder?

'Burns. Divine punishment.'

Sun God Radin's holy sword wouldn't tolerate a mutant lizardman. Not class change—judgment. Proud god wouldn't let unworthy ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠touch his relic.

"Sir Dorian! Now!!"

Regenerating scales softened. Moment enhanced scales neutralized.

"Mountain Splitter!!!"

Vulcan yelled; Dorian, as if knowing, unleashed Aura Blade again.

Peoeok!!!

Like squashing mudman. Less split, more smash—greatsword pulverized its form.

Soul barriers? Burned away by Radin's divinity as they rose.

No resistance—Jamoyev crushed flat.

Pleasurable system chimes announced its end, flooding ears. 100+ level gap, obvious. Dorian landed first/last hits, but Vulcan's contributions dwarfed.

"Annihilate them all!!!"

"Enemy commander down!!"

"Don't let any escape! Not one!!"

Dorian's order skyrocketed morale. Core power and command gone—no variables left. Lieutenants/shamans pre-killed by Vulcan. Lizardmen rout inevitable.

Especially in ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠war—commander-triggered Legion Buff crucial. Tide turned hard.

Vulcan recovered adamantium shards from Arrow remnants, rejoined—lizardmen swept away.

"All units, cease combat! Secure perimeter, prepare for ambushes!"

Humans crushed desperate resistance, victorious. Ally losses notable but minimal for total annihilation. Vulcan worried overzealous push to enemy base, but Dorian cool-headed. Satisfied with smashing main force/commander, regrouped.

New general/support unlikely in days—reorg safe. Deeper risks traps, squandering gains. Post-familiar zone, unknown territory.

"Come find me upon return."

Battlefield ended. Vulcan, top contributor, called aside—exactly what he wanted. Questions on Soul Stone. Pre-talk time allowed prep.

"Alright, then."

But first, grab what he could en route. Assigned cart in main force center, real-time repairs began. Fixed soldiers/knights' gear, brewed potions for wounded—using supplies.

Contribution/skill gains, no need own gold. Could wait, but unknowns; battlefield contribution 1.2x—squeezed every drop. Dorian busy reorganizing/ambush prep—meeting post-march.

Scraping every bit, back at wall—Vulcan spotted something with ending alert.

"That……?"

Dragon Eye-only light shimmered from lord's castle where commander stayed.

"Magic!"

Black—demonic magic. Evidence wipe on Dorian's arrival? Escape? Vulcan dashed, dodging guards, racing to castle depths for Dorian.