Chapter 184
Chapter 184
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>Translator: penny
>Chapter: 184
>Chapter Title: Fierce Strike Slash
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Chapter 184
>184.
>Fierce Strike Slash.
>A skill that could become an insanely powerful combo starter depending on how it was used—or conversely, just a mediocre dash attack.
>For swordsmen, Fierce Strike Slash was always like an unsolved homework problem.
>-What's the best timing to use Fierce Strike Slash?
>-Old man, why are you so curious about that? You aren't thinking of switching classes just because you want it, are you?
>-That's not it, you punk. I'm just wondering because it always seems like you use it so effectively every time.
>That was why questions like this always followed. Bora the Old Man, who had a huge interest in Fierce Strike Slash, was one of them.
>He figured he'd just use it for mindless DPS and mowing down enemies.
>He was amazed at how Do-hyun and the Sword Emperor always made such great use of it in so many ways.
>Back then, Do-hyun had said this:
>-The first hit is key. Before you stack five strikes, the stun and knockback are weak, so it's easy to get blocked. You fake them out as much as possible to throw off their focus.
>-What about after you stack five?
>-After that? Timing doesn't matter. You just beat the crap out of them.
>-Oh.
>The reason countless swordsmen struggled to use Fierce Strike Slash properly was that its effects were negligible before five stacks.
>After stacking, though—the range, travel distance, damage, even the stun and knockback.
>It boasted flawless performance in every aspect, and once it landed properly, you'd get beaten like a dog in the summer heat.
>By the time you snapped out of it, you'd hit the maximum of ten stacks.
>[Five Strike stacks active.]
>[The power of Fierce Strike intensifies, increasing stun duration and knockback strength.]
>[Damage amplified.]
>Just like now.
>Thwack! Crack! Thud!
>'Damn, feels good.'
>[Kyaaah!!!]
>Six strikes, seven, eight, nine...
>The rapid Fierce Strikes hammered Luidra like a steamroller.
>The satisfying feel of a proper Fierce Strike Slash after so long vented all his frustration.
>Already in rough shape from the ice aura, Luidra was getting knocked back and stunned with every hit—enough to drive her insane.
>[Luidra's health is below 15%.]
>In the frenzy of beating down on her, 5% health vanished in an instant.
>A ridiculous speed that made the previous 10% grind seem pathetic.
>At this rate, he could kill her with just a few dozen more stacks of Fierce Strike Slash.
>A properly landed Fierce Strike Slash boasted DPS on par with top legendary skills, after all.
>But Luidra was a hidden named raid boss.
>She might've been caught off guard for a moment, but she wasn't the type to go down easily.
>[How dare you... inflict such humiliation on me! I am the dream witch acknowledged by 'Him,' the ruler of nightmares! You should be the one trembling in fear!]
>Screech, whoosh—!
>Breaking the limits of her body with various buffs, Luidra twisted into an impossible angle mid-knockback to regain her stance.
>Creak—
>With a grotesque crunch of bone, her scythe whipped toward Do-hyun's neck faster than his sword.
>If things continued, Do-hyun would eat a counter.
>[Die, insolent apostle!]
>It was a do-or-die crisis, but Do-hyun was smiling.
>This was well within expectations.
>He'd used Fierce Strike Slash more times than he could count—this didn't even qualify as a crisis.
>"I don't know who 'He' is, but He must have shitty eyesight."
>[...What?]
>With those words, Do-hyun's figure vanished.
>Crackle—
>A spark flared from behind.
>Do-hyun had used Back Grab and swung his sword.
>[Five Strike stacks active.]
>'That's why Fierce Strike Slash has such great utility.'
>If it was just repeated sword swings for knockback, it'd be nothing special.
>The reason Fierce Strike Slash shone was that you could use other skills mid-animation.
>A brief second or so.
>Only instant-cast skills worked, but with the right setup, you could chain into countless flashy combos.
>'I never thought I'd chain Back Grab into it someday.'
>For someone at All Master like Do-hyun, it was a given.
>Enraged, Luidra spun around and swung at him, but Do-hyun parried as if expecting it, spun, and chained into ten stacks.
>Her side tore open, white blood spraying from pale skin.
>She swung her scythe in agony, but her body wouldn't obey, and she took another slash.
>Kyaaaaah!!!
>[The hidden raid boss 'Nightmare Ruler Luidra' uses Nightmare Scream.]
>Her death-throe shriek blasted out as a shockwave.
>Powerful enough to sweep the front.
>An unavoidable distance—but even this missed Do-hyun.
>[Back Grab used.]
>[Mark erased.]
>He still had one Back Grab left.
>Staring at the exposed nape, Do-hyun gripped Cheonbyeon. Explosive energy surged instantly.
>[Ten Strike stacks active.]
>[Maximum stacks reached. All amps at maximum.]
>[Can chain Fierce Strike within 1 second.]
>[Sword Aura – Slash used.]
>[Deals heavy blow proportional to mark damage.]
>Fierce Strike Slash stacks plus Sword Aura.
>One of Do-hyun's favorite kill combos from his Damage Locker days, one he trusted for raw power.
>One stack short, but Back Grab's heavy hit made up for it—power even greater.
>'No way she'll dodge this.'
>The precisely angled Slash plummeted toward Luidra.
>[The hidden raid boss 'Nightmare Ruler Luidra's' health is below 10%.]
>Enough remaining health for this killing blow.
>[Ah...]
>In that instant, the world slowed like slo-mo, and Luidra caught a familiar scent.
>Familiar yet strange.
>A swamp of nightmares born from countless deaths.
>For the first time here, the scent of nostalgia wafted from her own body.
>''His' first request to me. I was so close to fulfilling it.'
>Her sun and savior.
>The being who taught a worthless slave girl the life of the strong.
>She was so close to fulfilling their request.
>Just a bit more, and she'd have secured 'it' successfully.
>[I can't... die like this. I can't die like this.]
>It became an obsession.
>Her resolve to earn acknowledgment from her savior turned obsession to madness, driving her body into overdrive.
>Kaaaaah!!
>[Phase 3 activates.]
>[Luidra unleashes the origin of nightmares.]
>[Luidra loses all traits. Transforms surrounding 5m radius into domain space.]
>[All skills and buffs on targets in domain space are dispelled.]
>'What the hell...?'
>He frowned at the chilling scream, but gasped at the messages.
>He'd expected a phase 3, but skill dispel?
>She'd already been plenty unfair—this was beyond the pale.
>[Sword Aura – Slash canceled.]
>[Fierce Strike energy dissipates.]
>[Thunder Dragon Descent dispelled.]
>[Heavy blow erased.]
>[Ice Aura gone.]
>'Damn it!'
>But now wasn't the time for complaints.
>Every buff and skill really was gone.
>His all-in burst reduced to nothing in an instant.
>[Health below 30%.]
>[Mana below 20%.]
>To make matters worse, health and mana were bottoming out.
>With forced cooldowns, he had no usable skills.
>Meanwhile, Luidra still had her dream buffs.
>The tables turned in a flash.
>[Die for Him, apostle of prophecy.]
>Luidra's colorless eyes flashed as she swung her massive scythe.
>Outmatched in stats, but Do-hyun didn't give up.
>He still had one shot left.
>[Mark of the Holy King used.]
>[Faith's power reduces all skill cooldowns by 65%.]
>The mark slashed cooldowns massively.
>[What...? ]
>It could nullify her ace pattern—a cheat effect—but the timing sucked.
>65% wasn't enough for any instant skills.
>[Thunder Dragon Descent used.]
>[Hemorrhage used.]
>Just long-cooled ones like Thunder Dragon Descent and Hemorrhage.
>'Better than nothing.'
>But it bought him breathing room.
>He activated Thunder Dragon Descent, and blue light flashed from the sky—a dragon-shaped bolt crashing down.
>Boom—!
>[Urk...!]
>Her monstrous reflexes dodged the direct hit, no fatal wound, but it was enough.
>It bought time.
>[Madness used.]
>[HP drains 1% per second for 90 seconds. Stats and speeds rise proportional to current HP %.]
>[Mana below 15%. Caution advised.]
>'Tch. That would've made it easy... but no choice.'
>Using the 'thing' he'd recently discovered would burn through mana.
>Impossible with current mana.
>Small mercy: he'd saved it instead of spamming.
>Otherwise, he'd have no mana at all.
>[What kind of monster are you?! Even an apostle of prophecy shouldn't be possible!]
>"That's my line."
>Who designs a pattern like that and expects anyone to clear it solo?
>As if it was ever easy. Do-hyun gritted his teeth and gripped Cheonbyeon.
>Both feeling hard done by, they had one thing left to do.
>"Fine. Let's see who wins to the end."
>[Kaaaa!!!]
>Clash.
>No attack skills left for either.
>Pure physicals and control—a soul-shaking slugfest would decide it.
>And Do-hyun had never lost such a fight.
>Slash! Stab!
>Seemingly even, small cuts accumulating on both, but they felt it.
>[Kahaak! Why! Why won't you die!!!]
>Luidra was slowly losing ground.
>Her massive scythe tasted his blood less and less, while Do-hyun's weapon shifted forms—swords, spears, shields, daggers—effortlessly throttling her throat.
>Stab! Crack! Boom!
>Slash—Pierce!
>Block the scythe with shield, slash with sword.
>Gap? Spear thrust. Close? Dagger to vitals or martial arts turning body to weapon.
>A brutal melee.
>The even fight tilted in his favor, then became one-sided.
>Thud—
>[The hidden raid boss 'Nightmare Ruler Luidra's' health is below 1%.]
>Finally, she dropped to her knees, closer to death's swamp than anyone.
>"Fuck off already. I'm done."
>Panting, Do-hyun spat the words. Blood-soaked, she lifted her head.
>She saw the sky.
>A colorless sky devoid of life.
>The exact hue of her emotions before salvation.
>[So... this is really the end?]
>Black tears like the achromatic world traced her cheeks.
>[I'm sorry. Useless as I am, I've received your grace yet failed even one request.]
>"Who's 'He'? You've been yapping about Him—let's hear it."
>[The five suns and the moon... The true masters of Avtartele. They are the lords of all, the saviors.]
>Some might call it a nightmare, but to her, it was salvation.
>They were the world's true owners.
>Do-hyun sensed something ominous in her voice, full of unshakable conviction.
>"...What are they?"
>[You think trash like you deserves to know their identity?]
>"So you're not telling?"
>[Do you think you qualify?! You, an apostle who couldn't even complete the trials! But fret not! On the promised day, they shall appear. All will receive true salvation in death! Kyahahaha!!]
>Her madness-filled cackle echoed shrilly.
>She truly believed it.
>"Fine, don't tell me."
>[Kyahaha...! Gahk!]
>Her fanatic gaze irked him, so Do-hyun stabbed her throat without hesitation.
>No point waiting—she wouldn't spill more, and he was at his limit.
>Besides, he didn't need to hear more.
>[Hidden raid boss 'Nightmare Ruler Luidra' defeated.]
>[First clear guarantees boss-related gear drop.]
>[Harvesting essence orb from hidden raid boss 'Nightmare Ruler Luidra' guarantees gear harvest.]
>[Recorded in Book of Adventures.]
>[Level up.]
>[Level up.]
>[Unbelievable feat accomplished.]
>[Unbelievable feat grants title 'Unbelievable Humiliation.']
>[All stats +5.]
>[Recorded in Book of Adventures.]
>....
>A feast of reward messages.
>[Learned of the existence of unidentified beings.]
>[Obtained info related to main quest.]
>'Main quest?'
>The final line explained it all.