Chapter 112
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 112
Chapter Title: Waves Conquered and the Mark's Origin
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The first wave had successfully concluded.
Ragan shook the blood from his sword and returned to his knights.
Captain!
Arent you a bit late?
Man, we were waiting so long we thought our necks would snap.
The knights greeted Ragan with playful laughter.
Sorry. For something like this to happen while I was away.
The captain hadnt been there when he was needed most.
He had nothing to say, even if he had ten mouths.
Its fine. Didnt the vice-captain handle everything?
Exactly. They say a bearer of the mark appeared, right?
The reason Knight Captain Ragan had moved personally was because of the mark.
More importantly, is that otherworlder up there on the wall the one who brought the mark?
One knight, sitting on a rock to catch his breath, pointed at the otherworlder atop the ramparts.
The otherworlder who had displayed insane archery skills.
Without him, more than half of those still breathing here would have been cold corpses.
Yeah.
Ragan nodded.
Hmm? Does our lord have some questions?
At that moment, a man none of them recognized suddenly butted in.
Wah!
Who are you!
The knights aimed their weapons at the man.
Startled, the man threw both hands up high.
Argh! You dog-like bastards! I was covering your asses hard from behind, and now you repay me with swords!
Covering?
Ah No way, that monster-looking thing you controlled?
Michael nodded quickly.
Only then did the knights realize it was Michaels ability.
They lowered their weapons.
Phew.
Michael finally let out a sigh of relief.
But how did you get into the royal castle? Its not a place outsiders can just enter.
Ragan scanned Michael up and down as he asked.
The royal castle was surrounded by double walls.
They were currently between the inner and outer walls.
It wasnt a place an outsider could casually enter.
Ah, I just helped temporarily on my lords orders.
Your lord?
Yeah. That person up there is my lord.
No way, a summon?
Ahem, in a way, youre not wrong.
Ragan let out a hollow laugh.
Hed heard of tamers who handled summons.
But he hadnt expected that otherworlder to have tamer abilities on top of everything.
Just what is his identity?
He looked like a martial artist, yet he had insane archery skills and commanded ghostly summons.
At this point, the otherworlders true nature was becoming endlessly intriguing.
But there was no time to get lost in thought.
The second wave begins.
The second wave was announced mere moments after the first had ended.
The monster for the second wave was the Black King Ogre.
Lv. 220 Black King Ogre
The Black King Ogre boasted a massive bulk incomparable to mere orcs.
That things got to be at least 8 meters.
And there was only one such monster.
Meaning it was the final boss of this wave.
The Black King Ogre bared its fangs at the sight of the orcs strewn about.
You dare reduce my minions to this!
The Black King Ogre uses Rage.
All stats greatly decrease.
The Black King Ogres stats greatly increase.
The ogres level shot up rapidly to 250.
What the hell.
A watching mage muttered in a dazed voice.
Lv. 250 Black King Ogre
The ogres special abilities didnt end there.
The Black King Ogre uses Intimidation.
As it activated Intimidation, everyone felt their bodies freeze solid.
Even Ragan, facing it from below, was no exception.
Strong.
Ragans level was 250.
They were equal in level, but Ragans stats had plummeted to around level 220 due to the debuff.
Pitting himself against the ogre in that state would be suicide.
What a ridiculous monster.
Jeong Hoon snorted and drew his bowstring.
Black King Ogre.
It was one of the countless monsters hed hunted before.
Hed already discerned its two special abilities.
Without Anima, it would have been a tough fight at his current levela genuinely powerful monster.
But Jeong Hoon had Anima now, plus additional skills.
Extreme Archer: Soul
-Type: Passive
-Level: 3
-Grade: Epic
-Bow damage permanently increases by 22. (Critical Arrow always active)
-PhysicalMagic evasion rate permanently increases by 12.
-When holding a bow, breathing stabilizes and body tremors are minimized.
-When holding a bow, field of vision extends to 520m.
-Enemies hit by arrows are incapacitated for 3.2 seconds. (Does not stack)
-Enemies hit by arrows have abilities sealed for 7.4 seconds. (Does not stack)
Extreme Archer had reached level 3.
Jeong Hoon released the drawn string, and the arrow arced through the air.
It struck the ogres chest dead center.
The Black King Ogre is incapacitated.
The Black King Ogres abilities are temporarily sealed.
That was the special effect of Extreme Archerthe reason monsters couldnt recover after taking Jeong Hoons arrows.
The ogre was no exception.
With its abilities sealed, the debuffed knights stats recovered, while the ogres reverted to normal.
Ill finish it in this gap.
Jeong Hoon drew and released again.
This arrow pierced the ogres right eye perfectly.
Eyes were a part impossible to toughen by any means.
The ogre shrieked as its eye was gouged.
Kwaaaaaagh!
It tried to raise its arm, but its body wouldnt move.
Jeong Hoon swiftly drew and released once more.
This arrow hit the ogres left eye.
Simultaneously, the 3.2 seconds ended, freeing the ogre from incapacitation. It raised its arms to rub its eyes.
But it could no longer restore the damaged eyes.
Humaans! Ill kill youuuu!
The beast thrashed wildly amid agonized screams.
Shut up.
The next arrow struck its nape precisely.
Gurk!
Hit in a vital spot, it screamed and dropped to its knees.
Now! Attack!
Ragan led his knights in charging the ogre.
The Black King Ogre uses Roar of the Lion.
The ogres mouth gaped wide, unleashing its roar.
The seal on its abilities had lifted.
- Shrieeeeeek!
The air-splitting shockwave slammed into everyones ears.
Argh!
Ugh!
Including Ragan, the knights collapsed, clutching their ears.
Their eardrums had burst.
Grrgh.
It pierced the barrier.
The mages and archers suffered the same agony.
Unlike the knights, with no physical training, even at this distance, the roar burst their eardrums.
Tch, that things tougher than expected.
Jeong Hoon, of course, was unscathed.
Hed activated Adamant Immunity from the magic stone embedded in Mukho.
With defense and evasion doubled, the roar was easy to withstand.
Stronger than anticipated.
Anima, whod been silently watching, spoke for the first time.
You were here?
I stayed quiet so I wouldnt disturb your focus.
Its fine. Using Roar of the Lion means its done for.
The Black King Ogre had three abilities.
Rage, Intimidation.
And Roar of the Lion.
The roar was rarely used, as it consumed all its mana.
It only unleashed it when cornered.
To withstand the roar required defense far exceeding the ogres stats.
It was only natural everyone but Jeong Hoon suffered.
Michael was sent back the moment the ogre appeared, so hes fine.
Jeong Hoon drew his bow one final time.
Grrr Humans Why wont you die.
The ogre ground its teeth, looking around blindly.
Both eyes blinded, it couldnt pinpoint Jeong Hoon.
Because youre weak.
With that crisp answer, he released the string.
The arrow pierced its nape once more.
Gahk!
The ogre slammed its head into the ground.
The second wave has ended.
Current contribution: 88.93.
First to surpass 80 contribution. 30,000 achievement points awarded!
The second wave was over.
Contribution at 88.
Its done.
Jeong Hoons lips curved upward.
Eardrums burst.
Even in agony, Ragan stood before his knights, back turned to the ogre.
He would protect his men no matter what.
But the ogre didnt attack them.
No, it couldnt.
Thud.
The ogres massive body crashed forward, utterly still.
Dead.
The second wave has ended.
Phew, its over!
Its over.
Ha Unreal.
The announcement brought joy amid the pain.
Not a single knight had died since the waves began.
Wait. Its not over yet.
Ragan narrowed the distance to the ogre, sword at the ready.
Better safe than sorry.
Four years ago, during the waves.
The boss monsters breath had been cut, ending the waveor so they thought.
Theyd let their guard down, but the beast moved for about 10 seconds despite being done.
Gahk!
In those 10 seconds.
Ragan lost his comrade Haul right there.
No room for carelessness.
Stab! Stab! Stab! Stab! Stab!
Ragans sword pierced the ogres heart five times.
No movement at all. Its completely dead.
Only then did Ragan call it.
Are you alright?
Just then, Jeong Hoon descended from the wall to join them.
But with burst eardrums, Ragan couldnt hear.
Mid-tier Healing is used.
Mid-tier Healings energy seeped into Ragans ears, slowly regenerating the eardrums.
He could hear Jeong Hoon now.
Wh-when did you come down?
While you were stabbing the ogres heart repeatedly.
Ahem This was just confirming the monster was truly dead.
Yes. Good method.
It must have been a few years ago.
Bruce Willis, the first to tackle the royal castle quest.
At level 282 then, hed entered via Knight Captain Ragan and achieved 79 contribution in the monster waves.
Yet the boss, clearly dead, suddenly moved and killed a knight.
That was likely why Ragan did this.
Thanks for understanding.
Yes.
An exclamation mark blinked over Ragans head.
Quest completed.
Contribution exceeded 75.
Eligible for maximum reward.
Receive reward from King Kaiserk V.
The quest reward came from King Kaiserk V.
The barrier between the palace and the north gate.
Erected by kingdom mages before heading to the north gate.
Thanks to it, the monster waves spared everyone inside the castle.
Including King Kaiserk V.
With waves recurring periodically, he was well-practiced at evacuating.
Your Majesty, the situation has ended!
Good. Then lets return at once.
Yes!
It was already the second monster wave incident.
Kaiserk V returned to the palace routinely.
Soon after, the knights and palace mages returned.
Their condition was remarkably clean for having fought waves.
Hm? This wave must have been easy.
Kaiserk V welcomed Knight Captain Ragan warmly.
Thanks to the otherworlder, it was an easy battle. He alone filled nearly 90 of the contribution, so we barely had to do anything.
Ragans words stirred the hall greatly.
What? One otherworlder did 90?
Thats basically him soloing it?
Insane.
But they quickly fell silent.
Kaiserk V gestured for quiet.
A bit noisy. Continue, Ragan.
Yes. And the otherworlder brought Merhens mark. I verified it personally before letting him in.
I see. The otherworlder who achieved great merit, step forward!
Kaiserk Vs eyes widened as he urgently sought Jeong Hoon.
Jeong Hoon, blended among the knights, stepped forward.
I pay respects to His Majesty the King.
The otherworlders proper bow drew a satisfied nod from Kaiserk V.
Its you. You brought Merhen Kingdoms mark, correct?
Yes.
Jeong Hoon presented the mark to Ragan, who infused it with mana as before.
A hologram formed, displaying Merhens seal.
Authentic Merhen Kingdom mark.
Luke! Escort this benefactor to the reception room and grant him my greatest reward.
Understood.
His adjutant Luke approached Jeong Hoon.
The reward would be in the pond accessible only to the king.
But Jeong Hoon had no intention of ending the conversation here.
Please wait a moment.
Jeong Hoon raised a hand, halting the approaching Luke.
Kaiserk V tilted his head at the action.
Hm? More to say?
Yes.
Luke, step back for now.
Luke retreated at the order.
With conversation possible again, Jeong Hoon got straight to the point.
Its about where I got this mark. Its a bit suspicious.
Suspicious?
I got this mark from a circus troupe operating right in the capital.
Doesnt that seem off?
Jeong Hoons eyes asked as much.
Meeting that gaze head-on, the corners of Kaiserk Vs mouth twitched.
Soon, a new question mark blinked over his head.