The Man Without Divine Power
“Full of confidence, eh? Haha, it’s amusing—like looking at Muen in his youth. Muen’s my son. You must’ve seen him just a bit ago.”
“Don’t care whose son he is. Does that mean you wanna go at it?”
The man replied to Adel’s provocation with an oddly relaxed expression.
“Kekeke. Is the ancient god Kalderet the one you rely on? Or maybe the mid god Garon? I knew you were a god’s contractor the moment you passed through the fog wall.”
“Interesting. You knew and still stand there like that?”
“A god’s power isn’t anything special here.”
“For someone saying that, seems like you can’t use a blessing yourself.”
“Not being special also means it’s not essential.”
The man smirked.
Paaat—!!!
In that instant, his body shot forward like a bullet toward Adel. It was a speed unimaginable for a frame that massive.
Kwaaaang—!!!
Instead of a sword, his fist flew at Adel. Adel blocked the attack with Rundel’s gauntlets.
Peok…!!
“…?!”
But even protected by the gauntlets, Adel’s wrist snapped with excruciating pain.
Thud!
Kwang…!!
Compared to his massive body, Adel’s was far too small and light.
“Huh? You blocked it? Heh heh, not bad for such a little guy. And your arm didn’t shatter after that…”
Watching Adel get flung out of the tent, he spoke as if surprised.
“Even the monsters in the holy land have their skulls explode from one of my punches.”
“Oh yeah?”
“…!!!”
Skaang—!!!
Then, to his shock, Adel’s voice came from behind. He whipped around in a panic.
Pakak!!!
The sound of blade grinding bone rang out. Adel’s sword struck his collarbone and embedded itself.
Jeokdeok…!
Jjeok…!!
“Hup!!!”
With the sword lodged between his neck and collarbone, he grabbed Adel—clinging to his back—with one hand and hurled him forward.
Kwaang…!!!
Adel spun once in midair and landed on the ground.
“Hoo, hoo…”
Adel flicked Nazas lightly, spattering the blood on its blade into the air, as he eyed the man breathing heavily.
“You’re still alive? Not bad. Even dragons lose their heads to my sword.”
Adel mimicked his speech pattern.
“You’re misunderstanding something. Saying it’s not special just sounds like an excuse from someone who doesn’t have it, to my ears.”
Hwaaaak…!!
At that moment, black smoke rose from the wound where the sword had pierced.
“Kuhk?!”
His body staggered for the first time, wracked by dizziness many times worse than the stab itself.
Tsk, soaked in the stench of rifts—tasteless.
Kalderet spat out a chunk of his flesh after tearing it off with his teeth.
“I know. I’ve smelled how foul the stench from the rifts is too. But you gain something from it.”
Kwak—!!
He reached back, grabbing Kalderet’s face by the scruff as it bit into his nape.
“Watch out!!”
Adel shouted, recognizing the same trick he’d just fallen for.
Hmph, you think I’m some novice?
But before his hand could connect, Kalderet leaped away using his front paw on the man’s shoulder.
“…”
Tok—
He glanced at the tattered flesh from Kalderet’s teeth, then casually tore it off.
Ugh.
Kalderet clicked his tongue at the fallen flesh and the exposed white fractured collarbone.
“An ancient god’s teeth… What an honor.”
A normal person would’ve fainted, but he just licked his lips and grinned.
‘I’ve seen plenty of powerhouses, but this guy’s a first.’
Adel was dumbfounded watching him burn with even more fighting spirit before an ancient god.
Kududuk….
But an even more astonishing sight unfolded before his eyes. The wound Kalderet had torn open was healing in seconds.
“…This guy’s a complete monster.”
Adel grimaced at the sight.
It wasn’t just the healing that shocked him. Recovery magic and regeneration boosts existed aplenty on the continent.
The issue was that the wound came from a god.
‘Wounds from divine power can’t be healed by mere magic or spells. Only equivalent divine power…’
Kalderet was at the pinnacle among gods—an ancient god.
‘Not even high gods like the pure-blooded Nephrem, nemesis of the void and bearer of recovery, or the sun god Leat—unless it’s another ancient god…’
Only the god of extinction, another ancient god, could heal such a wound.
“Hmm.”
Yet this man, without a god’s blessing, had healed Kalderet’s damage.
“Name’s Belkan. Someone your caliber deserves to know it, age aside.”
“…Adel Temir.”
“Temir? Don’t tell me you’re a descendant of the Ghost Commander.”
Belkan’s eyes widened slightly in surprise at Adel’s words.
“If you mean Alkan Temir, that was ages ago. Hundreds of years, at least.”
“Hmm, has it been that long already?”
He spoke as if he’d known the Ulan tribe’s chief from centuries past.
Adel sensed something off in his reaction.
“No surprise you’re shocked. Time flows differently in the rifts. The fog around the Cove seems to block time itself.”
“Living for hundreds of years… You’re no human. That insane healing too.”
“It’s called Spirit Immortal Arts. Passed down from ancestors’ ancestors. Kids born now seem to have it innately—no need to learn.”
“Innately? The ones I killed didn’t seem to. They just got sliced and died.”
Belkan gave a wry smile at Adel’s words.
“It’s a special power. Not everyone has it. That’s what separates the outskirts from the depths.”
“You downplay divine power, and now I get why. With monster abilities like that.”
“Kekeke… Shall we play more?”
“Nah. Pass.”
“That’s for me to decide.”
A smile crept across Belkan’s face as he spoke to Adel—he seemed to be enjoying this.
Kwaaang—!!!!
He snatched up the sword from the ground and swung at Adel.
Adel retreated hastily, and now Belkan closed the distance.
“Tch…!!”
Adel gripped Nazas tight.
Swish—!!
Wind stirred along the blade, and Adel slashed with all his might at Belkan’s wrist.
Kang!!!
It should’ve hit flesh, but it rang like striking steel. Worse, Adel’s arm, swinging down, was pushed back.
‘Wind sword can’t cut it?’
Adel stared in disbelief. Belkan’s arms holding the sword had turned gray.
“Put more power into it, kid. You stepped into the Forbidden Zone—you must’ve been prepared.”
Belkan’s arms had hardened like rock. Clumped stones covered his nape and half his chest like armor.
“…Monsterfication?”
Bwoong—!!!
He barely needed the sword. Encased in rock, he charged Adel relentlessly.
“Forbidden Zone humans use all sorts of tricks!!”
Adel gritted his teeth and dodged.
‘One hit and I’m in danger.’
His instincts screamed it.
“Show more spirit. Dodging won’t win. Descendant of the Ghost Commander.”
Pakang—!!!
Each sword swing burst the air.
“Hup!!!”
Adel’s thrust slipped inside Belkan’s fist, uppercutting toward the elbow.
Chulk…!
Woooong…!
The backplate opened, revealing the purgatory stone inside glowing red.
Peobang…!
Peng!!!!
Crimson flames shattered the rocks encasing Belkan’s arm.
Wuduk—!!
By the third explosion, the rocks peeled away, and his arm bent backward from the blast.
“Kuhk?!”
No body, however tough, could withstand purgatory’s power. His wrist twisted grotesquely, and he dropped his sword.
“Satisfied now?”
“Of course not.”
“…Mad bastard.”
Belkan swung his other fist instead of the broken arm.
* * *
“Heok… Heok…”
No idea how much time had passed, but this was the first time since regressing he’d fought this insanely.
“Kekeke…”
His body was drenched in sweat. Belkan wiped the dirt from his face with his hand and grinned at Adel.
Unlike Adel’s ragged breaths, Belkan still looked composed.
“Damn, even hunting ancient dragons wasn’t this bad.”
Adel lightly spun Nazas over his aching wrist. His body screamed in protest.
Even this spirit weapon—far lighter than most—felt heavy at the tip, drooping.
Not mortal enemies, yet they’d clashed like madmen.
“Keke…”
But if they were true foes, they wouldn’t have gone at it head-on like this. Belkan eyed Adel, lips twitching in a smile. Genuine pleasure lit his face.
“Fun. Real fun. Been ages since I cut loose like this.”
“…Not fun for me.”
Adel wiped blood from his mouth and winced. His jaw throbbed from Belkan’s punch.
“Are there many warriors like you on the continent?”
“Not many stronger than me.”
Belkan seemed even more intrigued by Adel’s nonchalant reply.
“But no one who’ll surpass me.”
“I like the sound of that.”
“Don’t care about pleasing you.”
“Keke…”
Belkan’s shoulders shook lightly.
Clang—!!
“You. Wanna get stronger?”
He tossed his sword aside, and silence fell between the two who’d just been fighting like beasts.
“What’s that mean?”
“A way to get stronger. It’s here. And I can show you. In return…”
Belkan paused.
“Get us out of the Forbidden Zone.”
Now Adel understood why Binraka had been so curious about the continent during their talk.
“Aren’t you guys from the Forbidden Zone?”
“No one chooses to live here. We have no choice.”
Belkan’s expression soured.
“And to break these chains, we need someone strong. Someone not from the Forbidden Zone.”
“Might be worth hearing out…”
Adel told him.
“You’re lucky. I’ve got a knack for rescues. Saved gods before—humans’ll be easy.”
Ahem…
“Speak.”
Belkan’s eyes trembled. It wasn’t mere hesitation—fear lurked in that monster’s gaze.
“What’s holding you here?”
Adel wondered why this powerhouse, who hadn’t yielded even against him, feared so much.
That had to be the true face of the Forbidden Zone.