Chapter 120
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 120
Chapter Title: Ilion's Castle
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Entrance to Ilion's Castle.
A crude fortress made entirely of gray stone.
Guarding the castle gate was a single monster.
Lv.245 Dark Lizardman
A monster resembling a lizard.
Yet it stood upright on two legs like a human, wielding a spear in its right hand and a shield in its left, its head and body clad in a helmet and armor.
"......Why of all things."
Cain's body trembled slightly.
"Why?"
Jeong Hoon tilted his head.
"Probably because they know we escaped, so the guards have tightened up."
Cain and the two warriors had seized a moment when the enemies' vigilance was lax to make their breakout.
Of course, they'd ended up caught by the venom armored insect, Creed.
"For now, we need to take down that guy first."
Jeong Hoon slowly stepped forward.
In his hand, he gripped Leviathan.
"Chiiik Who are you."
The Dark Lizardman spotted Jeong Hoon and aimed its spear, shouting.
"The one who's gonna beat your ass."
Style 1: Entry Stance activated.
As Jeong Hoon activated Entry Stance, sharp sword strikes assailed the Lizardman.
The clash of Leviathan's blade against the Dark Lizardman's armor echoed loudly.
The monster winced from the impact, raising its shield to block, but each time, Jeong Hoon deployed his footwork to strike at its openings.
Style 2: Erosion activated.
He immediately followed with Erosion.
The strikes, which had been swift and sharp until moments ago, now gained destructive power.
Jeong Hoon advanced with his footwork, targeting the Dark Lizardman's head.
"Chiiik You damn human!"
Dark Lizardman uses 'Valiant Warrior.'
As Jeong Hoon swung Leviathan in a wide arc, the Dark Lizardman's body flushed red simultaneously, deflecting the sword.
'Using an invincibility skill, huh?'
Jeong Hoon let out a hollow chuckle.
For its level, it had an absurd special ability.
"Chiiik I'll kill you!"
Dark Lizardman uses 'Spear Breath.'
The Dark Lizardman slammed its spear down hard on the ground.
The earth shook, and the condensed mana exploded toward where Jeong Hoon stood.
The burst mana shot up like a fountain before vanishing in an instant.
Fortunately, Jeong Hoon had evaded the Breath with his footwork just before the explosion.
'If any of the others got hit by that instead of me, they'd be turned to dust.'
Even at similar levels, it'd be tough.
You'd need Jeong Chang-ho's caliber to handle the Dark Lizardman and then Ilion.
'That theme dungeon gave me a real hard time too.'
He'd said it was quite the struggle, and now Jeong Hoon could vividly feel why.
But that was exactly it.
A difficulty that challenged early 300s-level Jeong Chang-ho.
It wasn't enough to trip up Jeong Hoon.
Style 2: Erosion activated.
He unleashed Style 2: Erosion again, closing the distance tight.
Jeong Hoon swung Leviathan in a grand sweep.
The invincibility lasted exactly one seconda brief ability.
This time, his sword smashed down hard on the Lizardman's head.
Leviathan's Wrath activates.
Fortunately, Leviathan's Wrath triggered.
Style 3: Annihilation activated.
Confirming the Wrath, Jeong Hoon immediately unleashed Annihilation, piercing the monster's vital spotits throat.
The vulnerable area between helmet and armor, impossible to defend.
"Kieeeek!"
The monster screamed and collapsed on the spot.
"Wow......"
"Perfect...... Is that true swordsmanship?"
Cain and the warriors, who had taken cover to watch, stared blankly at Jeong Hoon's swordplay.
"What are you guys doing? Let's move."
At Jeong Hoon's call, they snapped to attention.
"Yes!"
At that moment, Ilion's Castle was in a state of emergency.
"The Dark Lizardman went down?"
"Yes......"
"Hmm."
A humanoid monster sat at the head seat, propping its chin.
Ilion fell into brief thought.
He was already seething from some of his recent catches escaping.
He'd put in all that work, only for the three most promising sacrifices among them to slip away. How could he not be irritated?
And now, in that situation, he received word of the Dark Lizardman's fall.
"I'll go check it out."
Lv.250 Fenrang
A wolf-like monster rose to its feet.
Like the Lizardman, a werewolf monster that could walk on two legs.
"Got it."
Ilion nodded.
Fenrang was the Lizardman's superior subordinate.
It wouldn't go down easily.
"Yes!"
Fenrang arrogantly flung open the door and charged out.
And soon after......
"Kyaaang!"
Fenrang's scream echoed from outside.
"......"
Ilion silently stared at the door.
Moments later, the door burst open with a bang!
"There you are."
General Quest: Rescue the Ilion Tribe
Dark Lizardman defeated 11
Fenrang defeated 11
Ilion defeated 01
They'd cleared out all the miscellaneous mobs entering the castle, but only those two counted.
Meaning they were the mid-bosses of this theme dungeon.
After severing Fenrang's last breath, Jeong Hoon arrived at Ilion's boss room.
It was called a humanoid monster, and unlike the Dark Lizardman or Fenrang, this one truly looked identical to a human.
'The rescue is up to those guys now.'
After eliminating every monster inside the castle, he'd sent Cain and the two warriors to the prison where the tribesmen were held.
Now, he just needed to comfortably take down Ilion to clear the theme dungeon.
"You dare touch my sacrifices and think you'll get away unscathed?"
Ilion bared his fangs and growled.
He looked human, but his teeth resembled a great white shark's.
"Yeah."
Jeong Hoon nodded confidently.
"......What?"
"I said I will."
"You insolent!"
Ilion rose furiously from his seat.
At that, the corners of Jeong Hoon's mouth subtly lifted.
"Let's end this quick."
Black Field activated.
First, he activated Black Field to boost his stats.
All stats corrected by 1.2 times.
Monsters invading the Black Field territory have all stats reduced by 3.
Still not enough.
All stats increased by 15.
Damage reduction of 20 applied.
Duration: '1 hour.'
He used the stat amplification ring he'd been saving for this moment.
"Human...... What have you done?!"
As Jeong Hoon's aura surged suddenly, Ilion's face twisted in bewilderment beneath its helmet.
But Ilion quickly regained composure.
Ilion uses 'Enhance: Super Armor.'
Enhanced Super Armor.
It boosted Ilion's defense by a whopping 1.7 times.
Ilion uses 'Enhance: Sword Aura.'
A blue sword aura formed on Ilion's blade.
'Not bad sword aura.'
Slightly stronger than the sword aura from a level 265 Saber.
Jeong Hoon closed in with footwork.
Ilion uses 'Enhance: Senses.'
Three abilities in total.
With senses enhanced, it read Jeong Hoon's movementsits black eyes whipped around inside the helmet.
Pivoting on its right foot, it swung its sword in a powerful diagonal slash.
Whooosh
But the strike only cleaved air.
No other sound.
In that instant, Jeong Hoon appeared behind Ilion's back.
Style 1: Entry Stance activated.
Jeong Hoon's sword unleashed Annihilation Sword Style 1, striking down on Ilion's armor.
"Impossible!"
Ilion spun desperately, raising its sword.
But Jeong Hoon had already shifted right with footwork, slashing repeatedly at its side.
Leviathan's Wrath activates.
Leviathan's Wrath triggered.
Style 2: Erosion activated.
Followed by Annihilation Sword Style 2: Erosion.
"Grk!"
As the massively powered strikes landed, a groan escaped Ilion.
Erosion activated once more, smashing down on Ilion's thigh.
Crack.
Ilion's armor crumpled.
The shock transferred fully to Ilion.
"Krahk!"
The monster groaned again, swinging its sword wide.
But the strike whipped only empty air.
"Your attacks are too straightforward."
To Jeong Hoon, the Dark Lizardman, Fenrang, and now Ilion were all much the same.
Their attacks were so simple they were too easy to dodge.
No matter how explosively you boosted attack power, if it didn't hit, it was useless.
As he read and evaded the monster's simplistic sword paths, a massive opening appeared.
Style 3: Annihilation activated.
He dove into the gap, activating Annihilation to pierce Ilion's throat.
"......!"
Jeong Hoon's expression shifted oddly for a moment.
Ilion uses 'Valiant Warrior.'
Ilion had the same ability as the Lizardman.
The one-second invincibility allowed it to block Jeong Hoon's Annihilation.
"Kuhuku, human! I will definitely offer you as sacrifice! And I will grow even stronger!"
Bloodshot eyes glared at Jeong Hoon through the helmet slit.
Ilion raised its sword high, then brought it crashing down.
It swung ferociously without pause, pressuring Jeong Hoon relentlessly.
Thwack!
"Grk!"
Mid-swing, Ilion felt intense pain in its side.
Jeong Hoon had closed in and punched its flank.
With Myeongwang Fist Technique First Star, infused with Myeongwang's energy.
As Ilion's strikes paused, Jeong Hoon aimed his sword at its throat.
"Told you it's no good."
"Why...... Why can't even one hit land......"
Ilion's voice carried a hint of hollow despair.
"Simple. You're weak."
"......I can't understand. I've never lost once until now."
Ilion openly showed its confusion at the clear answer.
"That's 'cause you've only messed with weaklings nonstop."
"......"
"Die."
Style 3: Annihilation activated.
Leviathan's tip finally pierced Ilion's throat.
"Kehuk!"
Ilion screamed and died instantly.
First clear of 'Theme Dungeon: Ilion's Castle.'
30,000 achievement points awarded.
Level up.
All stats 1.
Bonus stat 1 awarded.
Quest completed.
Return to the village for completion rewards.
Done.
Theme dungeon cleared.
'Now I can close that random gate to the royal castle too.'
Clearing this theme dungeon connected to the random gate forcibly severed the link, so the gate would soon vanish.
Jeong Hoon picked up the item Ilion dropped.
The boss item that dropped 100 on first clear.
Ilion's Fang
-Type: Consumable
-Rarity: Unique
-Can be used to enhance Unique-grade equipment.
-On success, adds 13 additionally.
It was an item used as sub-material for enhancements.
For Unique gear enhanced once, it added 13 extra.
'Epic would've been trash, but Unique's fine.'
Now for the highlight of this theme dungeon: the 'Rune.'
Time to claim that rune.
"Is everyone alright?!"
Cain led the tribesmen out of the castle to safety.
In his absence, two more captured warriors had been sacrificed, but the rest were all safe.
"Whew...... We're fine."
"Great Warrior, it worked......"
The warriors held on through sheer willpower, though they looked ready to collapse.
"Yeah...... We escaped thanks to that outsiderno, the true warrior who helped us."
"True warrior?"
"Yeah. He'll come back after slaying Ilion."
"Ilion? That's nonsense......"
They knew bone-deep how absurdly strong Ilion was.
No attack could pierce its defense.
They'd been utterly defeated, imprisoned, awaiting sacrifice.
And now someone went to slay that monster?
Defeat was obvious.
"It's fine. He personally defeated the Dark Lizardman and Fenrang, so trust him."
"......Is that true?!"
Cain nodded.
"That's not all. He took out the golems outside and every monster inside the castle."
"Huh......"
Unbelievable.
They couldn't handle even one with their full power. How?
"Hard to believe, but it's all true."
As if proving Cain's words weren't lies, moments later, Jeong Hoon slowly emerged through the castle gate.
In his right hand dangled Ilion's head.
"It's him, for real!"
"Waaaaah!"
"The true warrior has felled Ilionnnn!"
The tribal warriors recognized Ilion's head and erupted in massive cheers.