Chapter 109
Chapter 109
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>Translator: penny
>Chapter: 109
>Chapter Title: Now It's My Turn
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>“……Pardon? Apostle, what do you mean? You’ll capture it?”
>But those hearing his words didn’t see it that way.
>“That’s impossible. Please don’t push yourself and just focus on holding out, Apostle.”
>“No matter how weakened he is, he’s contracted with an Abyss powerhouse. He’s not someone you can take on alone.”
>Gamillion, along with the priests listening nearby, panicked and tried to dissuade him.
>Do-hyun didn’t bother responding to their worried, anxious faces.
>He simply stared at the Destroyer Geymon, who had retreated a few steps, with a serious expression.
>‘It’s tough.’
>Do-hyun was well aware of what they were saying.
>He’d clashed with the monster multiple times—he knew better than anyone.
>But that didn’t mean he’d spoken without thinking.
>Feeling the numbness in his arms, Do-hyun let a faint smile creep across his face.
>Floating before him was the creature’s information.
>[Destroyer Geymon]
>-Title: Contracted with the Abyss Powerhouse
>-Type: Human
>-Trait: Immortality
>-Description: A holy knight contracted with an Abyss powerhouse.
>Already possessing great power, he grew even stronger after his pact with the Abyss.
>He inherited a portion of its immortal strength, granting him tenacious vitality, along with a cunning and ruthless personality.
>Currently, all stats and health are reduced due to using his immortal power, and he has sustained critical damage.
>-All stats are reduced by 50%.
>-Some traits are sealed.
>-Some skills are sealed.
>-Max health is fixed at 30% due to immortal power.
>‘He’s weaker than I thought.’
>Perhaps thanks to dying once, which slashed not just his stats but nearly everything else.
>It was a bit burdensome, but more than manageable for a straight-up slugfest. He’d even pushed the thing back by lowering his stance.
>Investing all his points had paid off.
>‘The buffs helped too.’
>His opponent was debuffed to hell and back, while he was buffed to the max.
>The perfect conditions—no better opportunity to take the bastard down.
>Of course, success wasn’t guaranteed.
>‘Maybe 20-30% chance?’
>A low probability, but any gamer would know.
>‘20% is jackpot territory.’
>When gear dropped at 2%, 20-30% was insane.
>If hero skills popped at 20-30% in a gacha, Do-hyun would’ve emptied his soul into microtransactions.
>Plus, solid reinforcements would arrive in just 20-30 minutes.
>‘If it goes south, I can always fall back to holding out.’
>Backing down from such ideal conditions without even trying?
>That wasn’t Do-hyun’s style.
>You push as far as you can—that’s how it worked.
>As if sensing Do-hyun’s resolve...
>[You insolent outsider, daring to...! Fine, now that I think about it, it’s all because of you. Come, I’ll kill you first.]
>The Destroyer Geymon ground his teeth, his pride clearly wounded from being repelled.
>A primal rage so vicious it felt like it was corrupting the area, taking physical form.
>“High Priest Herthy, please talk him out of it.”
>“Holding out and trying to capture it are two very different things.”
>“……I know that.”
>The priests grew frantic at the ominous aura, but Gamillion’s thoughts were slightly different.
>Objectively, the priests were right.
>You could endure even against a stronger foe if you focused on defense, but trying to win meant the slightest difference could spell defeat.
>With no one left to buy time if Do-hyun fell, safely holding out was the right call a hundred times over.
>‘And yet...’
>Why, then, did those eyes show no hint of fear of death?
>They burned with genuine intent to win, fighting without assuming defeat.
>That gaze sparked an inexplicable anticipation.
>‘...Maybe.’
>Maybe he really could pull it off?
>Receiving gazes filled with worry, anxiety, and faint hope, Do-hyun steadfastly gripped Thousand Changes.
>The distance to the monster: barely 30 meters.
>Considering their speeds, it was a gap they could close in the blink of an eye.
>Tension hung in the air as they eyed each other.
>[Thousand Changes transforms into ‘Black Raven Spear.’]
>Whoosh!
>Almost simultaneously with Thousand Changes shifting form, the monster vanished.
>Clang!
>It reappeared, clashing with Do-hyun and the spear.
>Repelled, it vanished again, only to reappear—the cycle repeated.
>Thousand Changes morphed endlessly as attacks flew back and forth.
>A battle of sheer speed.
>Boom, crunch!
>Clang—! Swoosh—.
>The priests stared, dumbfounded, unable to track the exchange even with their eyes.
>“......The Apostle’s skill is at that level?”
>“Fighting toe-to-toe with that Destroyer... unbelievable.”
>“I’m not seeing things wrong, right?”
>They’d heard outsiders in the Empire wielded great power.
>But that applied only within the Empire.
>Outsiders before that point were like children by comparison.
>The gap was vast in every way.
>“If he’s already this strong... how much stronger will he be later?”
>They’d heard Apostles grew by overcoming divine trials.
>Only upon reaching the Empire did they near completion.
>No NPC was unaware that resident outsiders in each city varied wildly in strength.
>That’s why they hadn’t expected much from Do-hyun.
>Subconsciously, they figured even the strongest outsider at this stage couldn’t be that impressive.
>He was just their only fighter—an immortal straw to grasp.
>Gulp.
>Someone swallowed dryly, voice trembling with excitement.
>“At this rate... we might really capture it?”
>No one answered, but their faces said it all.
>Maybe—just maybe—that impossible feat could happen.
>But one among them...
>‘......Not equal.’
>Gamillion’s face was rigid.
>No combat expert, but as kin to the royal guard...
>His eyes could see it.
>Boom—!
>“Ugh......”
>Each time Thousand Changes met the monster’s hands or feet, Do-hyun recoiled slightly.
>At a glance, it looked like he was blocking and countering everything, but he was definitively losing in speed.
>He blocked somehow, but wounds accumulated bit by bit.
>‘How is he even blocking?’
>Honestly, Gamillion found even that impressive.
>To others, it seemed like an even speed battle, but the gap was huge.
>Like knight versus foot soldier.
>He shouldn’t have been able to react properly, yet he anticipated and parried like a ghost.
>A realm beyond prediction—near precognition.
>[Kuhuhu.......]
>But even that had limits.
>[Not bad for an outsider... but you’re struggling. Appearing like some last hope—how embarrassing.]
>While their blades locked, the sneering monster grinned. Do-hyun had no retort.
>Annoying, but true.
>[Mark is generated.]
>Even stacking mark damage with backstabs, he hadn’t landed a solid hit.
>Just glancing blows—no real damage.
>He’d made a mark now with a backstab, but clean hits were rare.
>Meanwhile, himself?
>[Current HP below 20%. Caution advised.]
>‘20%......’
>Health draining fast—already down to thousands.
>One or two more solid hits and he was done.
>The monster’s health started at 30%, yet showed little change. Despite 30% vs. 100%, Do-hyun’s was lower.
>[Without those weird moves, you’d be dead already... clever tricks.]
>It was right.
>He’d lasted this long thanks to his signature footwork.
>The same moves that drove Ssamdak and Kkukku’s blood pressure sky-high and tormented Jihad.
>‘Lure the movements, and dodging or blocking gets easy.’
>That bridged the speed gap.
>It also let him land occasional clean hits on openings.
>[......But it’s just a death throe!]
>The Destroyer pressed harder with its claws, shoving Do-hyun back unceremoniously.
>Boom!
>Not enough—it slammed him into the wall.
>A pitiful sight for someone who’d boldly declared he’d try to capture it.
>No amount of fancy footwork could overcome the spec difference.
>“Ah...... so it really was impossible.”
>“Even holding out looks tough now...... Does Brion have no future? At this rate, there’ll be countless casualties.”
>“When the hell is Sir Lebed arriving!?”
>The priests who’d briefly hoped sighed.
>Even weakened, a Destroyer was a Destroyer. And its true nature was Taxinel—no match for an outsider at this stage.
>It had been impossible from the start.
>But in this hopeless moment, one person alone...
>Heh.
>Do-hyun smiled.
>[......Smiling? You’ve lost it.]
>The Destroyer scowled in irritation.
>To it, Do-hyun looked utterly mad.
>Humans always reacted that way.
>When it plunged cities into ruin’s swamp, those facing death before it usually broke like that.
>[Death’s the cure for the mad...... Farewell.]
>Tsk. The Destroyer extended a hand.
>A massive shadow surged forth, poised to devour Do-hyun—like a beast’s claw.
>[Nightmare Claw activated by Abyss contractor ‘Destroyer Geymon,’ violator of taboos.]
>A ferocious strike that would surely kill on impact—yet Do-hyun didn’t flinch.
>“No, don’t......”
>“Snap out of it, Apostle! Dodge!”
>“Ah......”
>The frantic priests shut their eyes tight.
>No use shouting—he didn’t even twitch, lost to madness.
>As despair gripped them at the obvious outcome...
>“Finally down to 20%.”
>Do-hyun muttered softly, then vanished.
>Not truly gone—he’d sidestepped swiftly out of range.
>And that wasn’t all.
>[Mark fades.]
>A chill ran down its spine, then—
>Slash—splat!
>[......What?]
>Burning pain erupted from its left side, blood spraying like a fountain.
>The Destroyer clutched its flank. Warm blood felt alien.
>Instinct had barely saved its heart.
>“Damn...... good timing, though.”
>[Th-this... impossible! Where’d that power come from all of a sudden!]
>Do-hyun’s calm voice drew a bloodshot roar from the Destroyer.
>It made no sense.
>The worm had been dying moments ago. Yet that movement—what was it? For a split second, he’d seemed to vanish.
>‘Me...... I missed his movement?’
>Stats reduced, abilities sealed or not—he was a holy knight vice-commander, contracted with immortality.
>And he’d missed a move?
>It defied logic. The punk hadn’t even cleared the second trial.
>“You think only you get a phase two? Humanoid bosses always hold something back.”
>Lifting his head at the casual tone, the Destroyer saw a transformed Do-hyun.
>Crimson skin.
>Blood-red aura flickering.
>Eyes red like his own.
>Like a madman drenched in the blood of hundreds on the battlefield.
>It instinctively stepped back as the madman’s mouth opened.
>“Now it’s my turn.”
>Do-hyun’s scarlet eyes gleamed.