Chapter 76
Chapter 76
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 76
Chapter Title: Advent
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Players' apostles aid their players in various ways.
Among them, Advent is the most direct skill for helping the player.
Seong-un, who had been about to press 'Yes,' regained his cool-headedness.
'Rakrak becoming an apostle is great, but I can't just send him down for simple revenge.'
Thinking there was no choice, Seong-un checked Apostle Rakrak's stats.
'...What?'
Seong-un blinked.
'He's strong?'
Ascended apostles incorporate their lifetime fame and various titles into their stats and skills.
'Becoming an apostle means truly becoming a figure from legend.'
Seong-un permitted Rakrak's Advent.
Quezl sent his forces down the slope.
He was the last one.
Thanks to Rakrak's sacrifice, everyone had been able to evacuate.
'But...'
His heart ached at the thought of telling Jaol about Rakrak's death.
Jaol was known as a patient person, but that wasn't entirely true.
She was simply skilled at keeping her inner turmoil in check.
Even so, Quezl believed that Rakrak's final moments could serve as a guiding light not just for the lizardmen, but for all the people of Blackscale—perhaps even everyone on the entire continent.
The moral imperative to help those in hardship.
'Until now, many on the continent have fought to fill their bellies and seize treasures. That won't change in the future. But the massive mark Rakrak left on this continent won't fade either.'
Still, Quezl felt some regret.
'We couldn't fully vanquish that evil god.'
At that moment, as if the heavens were responding to Quezl's lament, a rumble shook the air—"Rumble."
Quezl looked up at the sound.
Not just Quezl—the lizardmen, the vampire slaves, the vampires, and even the Two-Headed Abomination raised their heads to the sky.
It was a dry sky dotted with stars; there was no reason for thunder.
But the Two-Headed Abomination seemed to grasp its nature.
It staggered back from where it stood, raising its weapons as if ready to charge at any moment.
The mortals, including Quezl, were baffled.
'...What is it targeting?'
The evil god wasn't looking at the mountain stronghold, the lizardmen, the vampire slaves, or the vampires.
The truth was revealed immediately.
-Boom!
A massive beam of light descended.
Before the light even faded, the Two-Headed Abomination smashed its hammer down on the spot.
Strangely, the hammer didn't touch the ground.
It bounced off, and the abomination's massive body staggered.
-You... you bastard...!
Now everyone could see what the Two-Headed Abomination had been trying to attack.
It was a lizardman with black scales.
A sturdy warrior clad in armor, but no ordinary one—anyone could tell.
Blue lightning crackled endlessly around his body, scorching the earth with sizzling sounds wherever it touched.
Even from that distant vantage, golden pupils gleamed in his sharp eyes, and a matching golden halo circled his head like a crown.
Everyone there knew his name.
"Rakrak!"
Quezl shouted it, along with all the lives saved by Rakrak's sacrifice.
In Rakrak's hand was a beautifully crafted golden spear.
The Two-Headed Abomination couldn't accept Rakrak's return.
-How dare a mere mortal...!
Ignoring the abomination's rage, Rakrak twisted his body, bent at the waist, and crouched his legs.
The abomination swung its blade down.
But Rakrak was faster.
He kicked off the ground with both feet, launching toward the abomination's shoulder.
-Crash!
Rakrak's trajectory became a bolt of lightning itself, piercing the abomination's shoulder.
-...!
It wasn't just a shoulder wound.
It left a pitch-black hole at least a meter wide in the abomination's body.
-How... how can this be...!
The abomination seemed greatly flustered.
Until his death, Rakrak hadn't even scratched it properly.
But Seong-un knew Rakrak's stats and saw this as the natural outcome.
All of the Priest levels had converted to Apostle levels, ballooning the stats to absurd heights.
Even so, these stats were still lower than the manifested Two-Headed Abomination's.
The abomination's Divinity level was 16—meaning its Divine Power, denoted by 'd,' was 3 higher, even excluding the strength from its gigantic body.
With this alone, Rakrak could wound it, but winning would be tough.
'Right. These stats are just a portion of an apostle's power.'
The true strength of an apostle lay in their skills.
Divine Weapon Creation: Creates one's own divine weapon. Weapon level matches apostle level.
Giant Hunter: +d4 Strength against foes larger than self.
Thunder Lizard: Consume Faith to use electric attack skill (details).
First Chosen: Stats rise proportionally to current Faith resources.
Blackscale Great Chieftain: +d4 Charisma against 'Blackscale Lizardmen.'
King of Blackscale: +d4 Charisma to people from the nation 'Blackscale.'
Path Opener: +d4 Charisma to those who know the name 'Rakrak.'
(...)
Unique skills reflecting the titles Rakrak had earned.
'The skill that bounced the hammer was Giant Hunter.'
The abomination nocked an arrow to its bow once more.
It aimed at Rakrak, who had pierced its shoulder and soared into the air.
But Rakrak wasn't simply falling.
As Rakrak extended his hand, a golden bow materialized in midair.
'Divine Weapon Creation skill.'
Rakrak drew the 'empty' bowstring.
'And Thunder Lizard on top.'
Currents gathered in the air as he drew the empty string, coalescing into a concrete arrow shape.
-...Die!
The abomination released its arrow.
It was massive enough to pulverize Rakrak's body.
Rakrak didn't flinch at the incoming arrow. He fully drew the string and released.
-Krarararoom!
The high-voltage electricity ripped through the air with a deafening roar.
The beam from the bow vaporized the abomination's arrow.
The lightning struck its side as well.
-...Gah!
The abomination clutched its side with one hand, staggering.
-I, a god... who has obtained Divinity... to a mere apostle...!
In an instant, Rakrak's body turned to lightning again and shot toward the abomination.
The abomination's Divine Power was no joke either.
Its spear tip thrust at the charging Rakrak.
-...Think I'll fall for that!
Rakrak reappeared, sliding lightly along the shaft of the spear the abomination had thrust.
He began running up the abomination's spear shaft.
-You pest!
As the abomination tried to pull back its spear, Rakrak launched into the sky.
A single leap carried him over 200 meters high.
The abomination craned its neck to look up at him.
'Blackscale Great Chieftain, King of Blackscale, Path Opener—all massively boost Rakrak's Charisma for specific groups.'
Rakrak gripped his spear with both hands; it shimmered and turned blue.
'And First Chosen adds stats proportional to Faith resources.'
Rakrak plummeted toward the abomination's forehead.
The abomination's weapons turned toward the light-turned Rakrak.
'The Faith Rakrak gains is based on his own Charisma—his personal magnetism. The more prayers to Rakrak, the stronger he gets.'
And everyone watching this mythic battle prayed for Rakrak's victory.
Someone shouted.
"Rakrak! Smite the evil!"
As if granting that wish, the blue light pierced the evil god.
The Two-Headed Abomination's manifestation was cleaved in half.
The evil god's corpse turned to ash under the rising sunlight, scattering on the wind up the slope and vanishing into the sky.
As the scattered crimson dawn lit the horizon, people began to gaze at Rakrak one by one.
Rakrak stood in the middle of the slope, one foot propped on a small rock, surveying his surroundings.
His gaze fell on the vampires, their slaves, and his own warriors.
Quezl snapped out of his daze and ran toward Rakrak.
"Lord Rakrak! My king!"
Rakrak smiled as Quezl approached.
Quezl prostrated himself at Rakrak's feet.
Rakrak spoke.
-Quezl.
"Yes, speak."
-I must depart now.
Quezl looked up.
"No. You've only just returned—how can you leave again?"
-It is the law of the heavens.
"But you must at least return to the palace and say farewell..."
-Hey now!
Rakrak barked.
-Do you think the heavens are a joke?
Quezl shut his mouth.
Rakrak's eyes sparkled with mischief, but Quezl couldn't see it through his tears.
Rakrak consumed the remaining Faith resources into the spear he held.
There was no visible change.
But system-wise, it was no longer a weapon exclusive to apostles—it became one mortals could wield.
-Take this spear.
"This..."
Quezl accepted the spear with both hands as Rakrak offered it.
-I'll leave the spear that slew the evil god in Blackscale. It's a divine relic—treat it with care.
"Of course. We'll treasure it as the nation's heirloom and use it only in times of crisis."
Rakrak nodded.
-Don't worry. Though I depart, as God's apostle, I will protect Blackscale.
"We will ensure Rakrak's name is never forgotten in this land."
-That's not the important part, Quezl.
"Pardon?"
Rakrak patted Quezl's shoulder.
-You've already understood.
Quezl's eyes widened.
Of course he had.
The conviction Rakrak had shown would echo endlessly among all lizardmen and Blackscale's people.
If Owen somewhere far away spread tales of Rakrak, Quezl himself would record what that conviction truly was.
Rakrak patted Quezl's shoulder again.
-And handle the rest.
Quezl could only nod, throat tight with emotion.
"Yes... of course... I will."
By the time Quezl wiped his tears with a sniffle, Rakrak was gone.
137 years passed.
Year 23 of King Anpyeong, in Blackscale's Orzan.
In one corner of the palace, the second library used by royals and nobles, a conversation was unfolding.
One was human, the other a lizardman.
The human gazed out at the inner courtyard before turning to the lizardman.
"So... you're saying the third prince should be named crown prince?"