The Corrupted Altar
Thick, dense forest.
I walked slowly along a narrow trail winding between the lush green trees.
“This is truly unpleasant.”
“You dislike forests, Goddess?”
“Hmph. It seems you cannot sense it.”
Nyx released a portion of Polar Night, trapping the air scattered throughout the space.
What is she doing?
Sssssssst!
The air enveloped in Polar Night split into two layers.
A dark energy was extracted from between the clear air.
“Dark mana.”
“Ohoho. You recognized it immediately.”
“I use a similar power myself.”
Activating Blessing of Greed.
The power I received from Baal unfolded, using my mana as its foundation.
A dark crimson current dyed the air.
“This unpleasant scent… is it related to demons?”
“It is. Our opponents are demon worshippers, after all.”
Dark mana was the opposing force to the mana that composed the world.
Negative energy.
A powerful mana derived from the death of living beings, the destruction of nature, or the negative emotions of people.
It was both the staple food and the source of power for demons.
“Before I fell asleep, such impure energy did not exist.”
Nyx furrowed her brow.
By the way, to detect dark mana mixed in the atmosphere like this… even after losing most of her power, a goddess was still a goddess.
“Let’s start preparing.”
I spoke briefly, shifting the mood.
Gray carapace covered my entire body.
Above it, jagged spikes protruded outward.
Nyx also cloaked herself in Polar Night, readying for battle.
“I shall leave the opening of the barrier to you.”
“It is an honor.”
After exaggeratedly arching my back, I spread my right hand.
Mana rapidly rearranged itself.
“Earth Spike.”
Sharp stone pillars tore through the ground as they advanced.
The spell, racing toward the densely packed forest, came to a halt upon striking an invisible barrier.
Like cracks spreading across a mirror, the scenery shattered into dozens of fragments, revealing a gloomy wall-like altar beyond.
“You did not sense this unpleasant smell, yet you managed to find it.”
“My sense of smell may not be as good as yours, Goddess, but my eyes are decent enough.”
The location marked on the map was only approximate.
The standard method was to search the forest while using magic to locate hidden altars, but I possessed Thousand Eyes, which allowed me to visually read the flow of mana.
“Illusion magic. How utterly trivial.”
Nyx sighed.
The discomfort from coming into contact with dark mana seemed greater than expected.
Atop the revealed altar, figures clad in black robes appeared one by one.
“You dare attempt to destroy the altar?”
“Show these ignorant fools the truth of darkness.”
“Kikiki. Die!”
They were black mages belonging to Klyphoth, the secret organization lurking within the Tower of Babel.
Black Icicle Arrow
Megiddo
Ice Buster
Nyx raised her hand upward.
Dense darkness surged into the sky.
Above the widely spread Polar Night, the spells cast by the black mages rained down.
“For such impure beings, they are quite capable.”
“No need to take them all head-on.”
“I merely wished to gauge their level.”
Seventeen units of Polar Night were consumed.
Simply receiving the attacks with raw power had thinned the Polar Night enveloping Nyx’s body slightly.
It was fortunate that her naked form would not be exposed like before……
Fierce Charge
The moment I tried to approach the black mages, something suddenly appeared.
“Greeeeeh!”
A monster letting out a bizarre cry.
A creature born from black magic—a chimera.
When I struck the chimera’s chest with a clenched fist, a clear cracking sound echoed as bones shattered.
“Kuuuugh.”
With a single groan, it was sent flying several meters backward.
The chimera had been reduced to pulp in a single blow.
There was no need to induce a stunned state.
“Greeeeeh!”
Its appearance resembled a grotesque fusion of a frog and a lizardman.
Dozens of chimeras stepped forward in front of the black mages, blocking the path.
That was not all.
Blue bubbles began to gurgle across the body of the chimera I had struck.
“A chimera created by diluting demon blood. Such wounds would normally regenerate instantly……”
BOOM!
The bubbles that had risen across its slippery skin exploded as they were.
The chimera was reduced to minced meat.
“Impossible!”
“A chimera destroyed in a single strike?”
“That human cannot be underestimated.”
They realized it too late.
While the black mages were flustered, I did not remain idle.
Inner energy spun along my forearm.
When I thrust it straight forward, it surged up to three meters.
Hundred Beasts Emperor Martial Arts, First Form—Responding Dragon Emperor Fist.
BOOM! Large holes opened in the bodies of three chimeras.
Even though I had not reached the realm of manifesting energy externally.
Thanks to the characteristics of the martial art, I could mimic the effect of projecting qi.
Although the consumption of inner energy was severe and the power was not at its peak.
I continued moving without rest.
Mountain Lord Blue Wave Claw
Claws slashed diagonally.
Three chimeras caught in the trajectory were torn to pieces.
The chimeras of Klyphoth had weak durability, but their regenerative ability was extraordinary.
Therefore.
Killing them one by one with a single strike was the best approach.
While the black mages were in disarray.
Nearly half of the chimera horde had been destroyed.
“B-block them!”
“We can just make more chimeras!”
“We just need to stop that man!”
The black mages unleashed all sorts of mental curses.
My eyelids grew heavy.
Various hallucinations flickered in my vision.
I felt like I was about to retch, but—
User’s emotions are greatly fluctuating.
Cold Blood skill activated. A calm mind is maintained.
Skills that disrupted the mind could be resisted with Cold Blood alone.
“How unsightly.”
Nyx, who had entered the battlefield a step late.
With an elegant gesture, the materialized Polar Night sliced through the black mages’ necks.
Thud.
The black mages collapsed, spurting blood.
She made good use of the fact that their attention was drawn to me.
“Contractor. Let us quickly dispose of these impure beings.”
“I feel the same.”
The formation split in half with us in the middle.
The few surviving black mages forgot even to control the chimeras and clung desperately to defensive magic.
Well, at best, it only extended their lifespan by about five seconds.
“Krrrk……”
After annihilating the Klyphoth group.
I climbed onto the altar.
A stone tower built in layered steps.
The topmost layer of the altar was surprisingly spacious, and the people kidnapped as sacrifices lay collapsed with their limbs bound.
“H-h-have you come to rescue us?”
“That is correct.”
I raised Polar Night.
The blade-shaped Polar Night severed the ropes.
“Your skill has improved again in such a short time.”
“I still have a long way to go to catch up to you, Goddess.”
“If I am your goal, then strive harder.”
Damn it. I could not deny it.
The number of hostages was twelve.
“Goddess, watch our rear.”
“Understood.”
We escorted the hostages in a formation with guards at both front and rear, returning to the base camp.
* * *
Around the time Yu Jinho was clearing the Klyphoth altar.
Karla and Ping Lei also discovered traces of black magic at a similar time.
“Behold. This is my ability!”
Ping Lei laughed confidently.
Discomfort Detection
A detection skill that any class could learn.
Since general detection skills could only be acquired by classes like Explorer or Adventurer, common skills were traded at quite high prices.
‘A rising star of Gold Moon, at best.’
Ping Lei snorted inwardly.
The only one he considered a rival was Yu Jinho.
He had grown stronger by gaining enlightenment through repeated sparring with Jinho.
Although he had been tense when he first saw Karla’s skill, that was no longer the case.
‘This time, I will lead the mission!’
Not only Karla.
He would also defeat Jinho and prove his worth to the Nine Dragons Sect once again!
Ping Lei glared at Karla with burning eyes.
Karla met his gaze with an expressionless face.
Soon after.
Space Compression
Double Dash
She silently kicked off the ground.
The moment her feet left the ground, the compressed space provided rebound, propelling her body forward.
Karla advanced like a ship catching a favorable wind.
“Thanks for telling me the enemy’s location.”
She replied in a dry voice and swung her scythe.
Swish!
The scythe interfered with space.
The Klyphoth barrier could not withstand even a moment and was split in half.
Even a chimera behind it had its chest cleaved in two by the scythe’s trajectory.
“Greeeeeh!”
Despite screaming in pain, it charged at Karla.
She lacked the strength after cutting through the barrier just now.
Its grotesque appearance.
Ping Lei flinched with instinctive disgust upon seeing the chimera.
In contrast, Karla’s breathing remained steady.
She cleanly severed the chimera that lunged at her with its dangling body.
“Ugh. Disgusting.”
“It’ll just become a lump of meat once it’s dead anyway.”
Ping Lei shot Karla a disgusted look and—
‘What is she thinking?’
Steeling his resolve, he stepped forward.
Martial technique activated.
No matter how hideous the chimera’s appearance was.
He could not retreat.
This was their first team play, and he could not afford to fall behind Karla.
The moment Ping Lei climbed onto the altar, he immediately activated his unique ability.
Clone.
Three split clones of Ping Lei charged toward the chimeras.
The clones had lower stats than the main body.
Yet they were excellent at diverting the enemy’s attention.
“Your opponent is me!”
Ping Lei swung his dual swords.
Ambidextrous Combat.
Based on the auxiliary martial art that allowed different movements with both arms, he executed two martial arts simultaneously.
The sword in his right hand carried extreme yang energy.
The left-hand sword technique was both subtle and sharp.
Executed simultaneously.
His martial prowess had deepened even further compared to when he used it against Jinho during the promotion match.
Multiple long wounds were carved into the chimera’s body.
“That won’t work.”
“Kekeke, are you jealous?”
“It’ll regenerate.”
Bubbles rose over the wounds created by Ping Lei’s sword.
The power infused in his strikes was stronger than before.
But the compatibility was unfavorable.
“Greeeeeh!”
As the regenerating chimera charged, Ping Lei let out a roar.
“Hah!”
With an angry swing of his sword, the chimera’s head soared into the air.
The Lord of the Bloodied Sky is watching you.
The Lord of the Oasis averts their gaze.
The Sage of Darkness supports you.
The Lord of the Bloodied Sky.
The constellation that had shown immense presence, the Lord of the Oasis, had departed.
But a constellation of comparable stature had begun observing Ping Lei.
A flow different from the world Yu Jinho had lived in.
Without either Ping Lei or Yu Jinho, who had orchestrated this situation, realizing it, the wheel called fate had begun turning in a different direction.
Karla also moved her hands busily.
Every time her scythe drew a trajectory, magic was erased and the chimeras’ lives were cut short.
‘As expected. Following what I was taught, my breathing doesn’t falter.’
A faint smile appeared on Karla’s lips.
It was such a small change that even she herself did not notice.
Ellen, the number one ranker in America.
The movements she had thought were optimal when receiving her teachings had changed after meeting Jinho.
How to breathe.
How to maintain distance from the opponent.
And many other things learned during the sparring process.
‘I’m sorry, Captain…… but I want to learn more from the team leader.’
More efficiently.
More powerfully.
Karla was rapidly breaking through her own limits through sparring with Jinho.
Karla, to embody Jinho’s teachings.
Ping Lei, resolved not to fall behind while watching her.
The two of them slaughtered the guardians of the altar, each carrying their own thoughts.