Chapter 187
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 187
Chapter Title: Fall of the Eastern Stronghold
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At the same time.
Min Jin-ho of Dokjeon was tapping the armrest of his chair with his index finger.
"So, you couldn't even mount a proper counterattack and lost two castles?"
And in this short time?
"......I'm sorry."
"Hah, this is ridiculous."
Did this even make sense?
No matter how he thought about it, he couldn't wrap his head around it.
Was it possible to shrug off all the poison set up in the castles like it was nothing?
It wasn't just a matter of high levels.
To endure that level of poison, one needed a skill granting immunity to it.
'I don't know anyone with an immunity skill that strong.'
Who the hell was this guy?
That's when it happened.
One of the executives who should have been guarding outside the castle rushed in.
"Guild Master! Someone's attacking the castle!"
"Attacking?"
"Yes!"
"......No need to look. It has to be him."
Min Jin-ho rose from his seat.
The bastard who stole two castles from Dokjeon.
He was curious to see that damn guy's face.
They arrived at the large eastern castle where Dokjeon's leader had set up base.
It was a massive fortress incomparable to the two they'd already conquered.
"Master, shall we begin right away?"
"We have to."
"Understood!"
Michael led the ghosts in attacking the castle's barrier.
This barrier had far higher defense than the previous ones.
As a result, it took much longer than expected to destroy it.
'Min Jin-ho.'
In the meantime, Min Jin-ho appeared atop the castle walls.
Jeong Hoon's lips curled into a smirk.
"You came out."
Jeong Hoon drew his bowstring, aiming at Min Jin-ho.
Ultimate Arrow.
He released the string, and the arrow arced through the air.
It flew straight toward Min Jin-ho.
But the arrow embedded itself into the barrier before it could reach him.
'Your face is priceless.'
Min Jin-ho's expression was thoroughly sour.
He must have realized it was aimed at him from the arrow's trajectory.
Crack. Crackle.
Fine cracks formed where the Ultimate Arrow struck.
With 1,700 attack power, it crushed the barrier's defense.
As the ghosts repeatedly smashed their weapons into it, the cracks gradually widened.
Shatter!
Finally, the barrier shattered with a crash.
NPCs were arrayed in formation ahead.
Far more than in the previous conquered castles, they solidly blocked the path.
"Go in first."
"Yes!"
Michael controlled the ghosts to blitz through the NPCs.
Unlike the prior castles, over a hundred guild members were holding the line, so the ghosts would be far more effective than Jeong Hoon charging in first.
Taking advantage of the gap, Jeong Hoon rushed the NPCs.
The front-line NPCs all held shields.
Jeong Hoon grabbed one at random with his hand and yanked it away with brute force.
With the shield in hand, he bulldozed through the NPCs.
"What strength...!"
"Can't block it!"
The NPCs scattered like leaves in the wind.
Breaking through them revealed twenty users holding formation ahead.
They were close-range specialists who wielded poison.
"What the hell? This?!"
"Necromancy! Nothing else explains it!"
They were battling the ghosts.
In that interval, Jeong Hoon closed in on them.
"Got you!"
At that moment, one guild member thrust a fist toward Jeong Hoon.
Green liquid enveloped him.
Heavenly Poison Immunity activates.
You are not poisoned.
But this poison couldn't harm Jeong Hoon either.
Jeong Hoon wiped the liquid from his face and swung his sword at the users.
With each swing, a user's head hit the ground.
"Gahk!"
"Keurk...!"
Jeong Hoon swiftly slew the twenty users and entered the castle.
Just like before, the interior was filled with poison.
Heavenly Poison Immunity activates.
You are not poisoned.
Without its Unique-grade Heavenly Poison Immunity, he would have died instantly from the sheer volume.
"What...?"
"How is a mere level 226 Martial Artist resisting the poison...?"
"His face should be turning blue by now?"
The users who had prepared the poison stared at Jeong Hoon in disbelief.
"This much poison won't take me down."
Jeong Hoon flashed a smile and massacred the users.
As expected of a castle long held by Dokjeon, not only was it grand in scale, but the poison was on another level.
Even afterward, the relentless poison barrages made Jeong Hoon furrow his brow.
'It's obstructing my vision.'
The thick poison gas inside the castle blurred his sight.
"Master! I'll guide you!"
"Alright."
With the ghosts' guidance, Jeong Hoon climbed the stairs to the upper floors.
Whenever he spotted users fighting the ghosts along the way, he quickly ended them.
Upon reaching the top floor, he found Dokjeon's leader, Min Jin-ho.
Min Jin-ho greeted him as if he'd been waiting.
"......You made it."
A little earlier, when he'd stood on the castle walls.
An arrow had arced toward him.
Though blocked by the barrier, it had clearly targeted him.
Min Jin-ho's mood was foul as a result.
On the surface, just a level 226 Martial Artist.
He couldn't believe such a guy had raided their castles.
Jeong Hoon smirked.
"Pleasure to meet you, Guild Master Min Jin-ho."
"Here for the flag?"
Min Jin-ho jerked his chin.
A flag was planted there.
To conquer this castle, that flag had to be pulled.
Honestly, Jeong Hoon was confident he could yank it out right then.
He could order Michael to draw their eyes while forcibly ripping it free.
But that option wasn't even on his mind.
"That's part of it... but first, I take down you, the Poisoner."
"I see."
Min Jin-ho nodded as if he'd expected that.
He wouldn't let his guard down.
Not with a large group, but a lone fighter who'd reached the top floor.
Most guild members had been wiped out along the way.
'A disguise.'
Level and class.
He'd heard there were ways to mask them.
He'd ignored it since he had no need, but facing one now piqued his curiosity.
Poisoner Min Jin-ho wiggled his fingers, activating a skill.
It blanketed the entire castle in deadly venom.
A neurotoxin even his poison-savvy guild members couldn't endure.
Only he, at fourth job advancement, could withstand it.
Hiss
With a hissing sound, poison mist descended from the top floor.
You are poisoned.
Heavenly Poison Immunity partially resists.
Health decreases gradually!
Jeong Hoon's lip twitched once.
'So even Heavenly Poison Immunity struggles here.'
As expected of Dokjeon's leader, the poison's power exceeded imagination.
But compared to pre-regression Min Jin-ho, who had ascended beyond the Heavenly Realm, it was a mere scratch.
Jeong Hoon raised his sword, slowly aiming at his neck.
"The poison's fierce. I'll end this quick."
"What...?"
Min Jin-ho's pupils trembled wildly at Jeong Hoon's words.
Not out of fear from the warning.
The poison he was inhaling destroyed nerves and stole life.
Even poison experts lasted under thirty secondsyet this guy claimed he could endure it unscathed.
Flash!
Jeong Hoon kicked off and lunged forward.
Min Jin-ho desperately widened the distance and clapped his hands.
Purple liquid erupted from the floor like fountains.
You are poisoned.
Heavenly Poison Immunity partially resists.
Health decreases faster!
With the poisons stacking, health drained quicker.
Advanced Healing is used.
Health does not recover properly.
Healing restored some health, but not fully.
"Not bad taking two of my castles. You're the first to make it this far."
Min Jin-ho regarded Jeong Hoon leisurely.
Two poisons were already stacked.
He didn't know how the guy was holding out, but his health had to be dropping.
Evidence: Jeong Hoon's complexion was worsening.
"......"
Yet Jeong Hoon's lips remained curled upward.
"Why so smug?"
Min Jin-ho narrowed his eyes, irked.
"Funny seeing you so sure of victory."
"What?"
"Guess I'll get serious too."
Black Field activates.
All stats are boosted by 1.5 times.
Monsters invading the Black Field have all stats reduced by 10.
Cooldown over, Black Field deployed.
Jeong Hoon's stats rose 1.5 times; Min Jin-ho's fell 10.
The floor blackened, and black hands rose to grab Min Jin-ho's ankles.
"What is this?!"
"Simply put, hallucinations."
Jeong Hoon smiled and kindly explained Black Field.
'If only I could equip my gear, this would've ended sooner.'
Siege restrictions allowing only siege gear were a pity.
Jeong Hoon dashed forward with his movement technique.
"Hup!"
Min Jin-ho tried using poison again, but Jeong Hoon's sword struck a beat faster.
Slash.
A chilling cut, and Min Jin-ho's right wrist hit the floor.
"Huh...?"
Min Jin-ho stared blankly at his severed wrist.
The speed was on another level from before.
"Good fight."
Jeong Hoon finally severed Min Jin-ho's head.
Roll
It tumbled across the floor.
"Master! Shall I pull that flag?"
Michael emerged from hiding.
Jeong Hoon shook his head.
"Not yet."
Jeong Hoon quickly sheathed his sword, drew his bow, and nocked an arrow.
"......Sharp one."
The headless Min Jin-ho didn't vanish; he stared at Jeong Hoon.
The area flashed, poisons swarmed Jeong Hoon, clinging to his body.
The sticky sensation was nauseating.
'Extreme Poison.'
Min Jin-ho's strongest skill.
Extreme Poison.
It concentrated all nearby poison essence on a target, swiftly ending them.
You are poisoned.
Heavenly Poison Immunity partially resists.
Health plummets rapidly!
Despite resistance, health drained sharply.
Advanced Healing is used.
Health does not recover properly.
Jeong Hoon used Advanced Healing to regain a bit.
"Let's end this."
He released the drawn string.
The arrow struck the ceiling.
Heavenly Strike.
A rain of arrows poured down.
The poisons clinging to Jeong Hoon dispersed.
"Argh!"
The arrow rain hit Min Jin-ho, hidden via illusion.
Extreme Poison was powerful, but had a clear drawback.
Inability to move while controlling it.
Hence the clone and illusion to trap Jeong Hoon with poison.
Severing the head hadn't fazed him for that reason.
Later, Min Jin-ho overcame that fatal flawbut not now.
Jeong Hoon drew again.
The illusion shattered under arrow rain, exposing him fully.
"Farewell."
He released; the arrow flew at Min Jin-ho.
Whoosh!
It struck his head dead-on.
"Guk!"
His head snapped back, and he collapsed.
Jeong Hoon approached with sword drawn and pierced the neck, ending the fight.
"It's over."
But poison lingered in Jeong Hoon's body.
He replenished his health with holy power and pulled the flag.
You have conquered the castle!
With this, they'd taken the castle Dokjeon valued most.
'Overwhelming first place is locked in.'
Jeong Hoon's lips spread into a wide grin.