Chapter 196
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 196
Chapter Title: Hoyoung
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Hoyoung.
Yeo Sun-woo and Yeo Min-ji were hunting the dungeon's demon.
They were referencing the video Jeong Hoon had uploaded.
With that video as a guide, taking down the demon had been a breeze.
"Hup!"
Yeo Min-ji unleashed the Wind Fist technique, bursting the heart of the demon Baras.
"Graaah! You damned human!"
Baras let out a scream.
But as Annihilation Fist and Fire Fist followed, it couldn't hold out and met its end.
You have cleared the dungeon.
The penalty in the current area has been removed.
Just as Jeong Hoon had said, the penalty in the local area was lifted.
You are the first to defeat Lv.??? Demon Baras!
30,000 achievement points have been awarded.
5,000 dungeon points have been awarded.
Additional rewards will be given!
Unique (Unique) random item or experience
Unique item or 500 million experiencechoosing according to Jeong Hoon's advice, Yeo Min-ji went for the experience.
500,000,000 experience has been awarded.
Your level has increased!
All stats have increased by 1.
A bonus stat 1 has been awarded.
A whopping four level-ups.
At a level where gaining even one was a struggle, she'd jumped four in one go.
Your astonishing performance has caught the eye of a Transcendent.
'The Water Dragon of the Deep Underground' watches you with interest. It says you're still lacking, but your talent is there, and it offers to help you awaken it.
A Transcendent reaching out to Yeo Min-ji.
"......"
Min-ji, you okay?
Not long after the countdown hit zero, a message came in from Jeong Hoon.
He said he was about to raid a dungeon and would broadcast the process, so they should watch it and clear their own accordingly.
He also advised that if anyone tried proposing a contract during it, ignore them without mercy.
'Everything's going just as Hoon said......'
She'd been skeptical at first, but seeing that water dragon speak up sealed her conviction.
"Dad! Has anyone talked to you?"
"You're doing it too? Already had two come at me."
Yeo Sun-woo had a Transcendent intervene as well.
He possessed far greater talent than Yeo Min-jia legendary-grade Shadow Dragon King.
From a Transcendent's perspective, he was fruit ripe for the picking.
"Absolutely not."
Yeo Min-ji shook her head, her face set hard.
"I know. I'll ignore them."
He'd gotten the message from Jeong Hoon too.
We need to close all the dungeons that opened simultaneously. Closing them will prevent monster respawns.
They knew dungeons had popped up all over.
But without intel, they couldn't move recklessly.
I contacted Min-ji. Broadcasting soonuse it as a guide to shut yours down.
"Got it."
At that, Yeo Sun-woo and Yeo Min-ji held position and tuned into the broadcast first.
They couldn't help but be impressed.
Even on screen, the ominous monster went down with ridiculously simple moves.
Plus, the video hit NewTube in under an hour, already racking up over 20 million views.
"How does Hoon pull off responses like this?"
As reality merged and chaos reigned, Jeong Hoon alone stayed cool-headed.
He'd even handed them the solution.
"......Looks like we've got ourselves a heavenly host."
Vow Origin.
It shimmered in the heart of the desert.
Where are we?
'Nothing but sand around here.'
The heat was intense.
But with New World now real and his built-up abilities transferred over, Jeong Hoon didn't break a sweat.
He'd even purged his accumulated fatigue with holy power.
'Who knew banking all that in VR would pay off like this.'
He could really feel how playing in virtual reality sped up his body's adaptation.
If it were just memories alone, adjusting would've been a real pain.
Jeong Hoon eyed the portal ahead.
A massive one, dwarfing anything he'd seen before.
The mana pouring out stood every hair on his body on end.
Lv.??? ???
A dungeon with unknown level and name.
"Heading in."
Jeong Hoon accepted, and the portal sucked him through.
Darkness flashed before his eyes, and he rematerialized before a colossal gate.
The gate was pitch-black, studded with sharp iron spikes.
Huge torches blazed before it, and a lone knight guarded the entrance.
Lv.400 Hell's Gatekeeper
Gatekeeper.
The knight tasked with defending the gate.
"Who goes there."
Glacial blue eyes gleamed from the knight's helmet, fixed on Jeong Hoon.
"Me? Here to take down the lord of this castle."
Jeong Hoon flashed a grin as he answered.
The gatekeeper drew his sword, eyes blazing with fury.
"Insolent fool. A mere human thinks he can take our lord?"
Its jet-black blade pointed at Jeong Hoon.
Blue aura gave way to swirling black.
Master, be careful. That's no pushover.
'Level 400...... Tough bastard.'
"It's fine. I can handle it."
Jeong Hoon drew Leviathan and gripped it.
"What a joke. A measly level 293 challenging me?"
The gatekeeper scoffed, then vanished.
Jeong Hoon swung Leviathan wide.
Clang!
A sharp metallic ring echoed.
The gatekeeper had blocked at his throat.
Its eyes trembled faintly through the visor.
"Too bad. Was hoping to end it in one."
"What in the...?"
The gatekeeper had no choice but to panic.
Just level 293.
Yet that strike had been too fast to read, aimed straight for the neck.
If he hadn't dropped footwork to parry......
His head would be rolling right now.
'Tough customer.'
No wonder it made it here to the lord's castle.
Guard the gate with your life, no matter who comes.
The lord's command was absolute.
He wouldn't let it pass.
Not on his life.
Clang!
Jeong Hoon swung Leviathan again.
This one targeted the waist.
Still, the gatekeeper whipped its sword down, deflecting.
Another sharp clash rang out.
Black Field activates.
All ability scores corrected by 1.5x.
Monsters invading the Black Field have all ability scores reduced by 10.
Then Black Field triggered.
The ground blackened as the gatekeeper entered Jeong Hoon's Black Field range.
It glanced down in bewilderment, then swung its sword.
Hell's Gatekeeper uses 'Blood Demon Realm.'
Blood Demon Realm.
Air turned crimson as it activated.
The stuff seared his lungs.
Resisting poison.
The sting meant poison in the air.
Debuff for anyone in its domain.
Hell's Gatekeeper uses 'Heavenly Dragon Breaker Sword.'
Domain up, skill right after.
Heavenly Dragon Breaker Sword.
Its black blade slammed the ground.
Boom!
Earth quaked as draconic mana erupted, engulfing Jeong Hoon.
Form 1: Stance activates.
Jeong Hoon triggered Stance, slashing left and right fast.
The dragon split and shot past him.
Boom!
"My Heavenly Dragon Breaker Sword......?"
It cleaved too easily, and the gatekeeper's eyes shook violently.
Jeong Hoon exploited the gap, slamming Stance into its armor.
Boom!
The impact staggered it beyond expectation.
Jeong Hoon's lips curled up.
Mark plantedon to the next form.
Form 2: Erosion activates.
Erosion targeted the neck again.
Boom!
Hell's Gatekeeper uses 'Protective Astral Qi.'
Astral qi bloomed from the gatekeeper, repelling Leviathan.
'Not bad.'
Erosion right after marking.
And it shrugged it off with astral qi like it was nothing.
Whoosh
Counter incoming like it was waiting, strikes fiercer than before.
For level 400, a real pain.
Hell's Gatekeeper uses 'Meteor Chain Assault.'
Like Jeong Hoon's StanceMeteor Chain Assault.
Reason for the sharpened strikes.
Clang! Clang!
But Meteor Chain Assault didn't faze Jeong Hoon.
"You rat bastard."
Even after unleashing it, Jeong Hoon blocked perfectlythe gatekeeper's face twisted.
Jeong Hoon parried while grinning.
"Let's wrap this up."
He'd spammed Annihilation Sword repeatedly, and Unyielding Will had hit legendary grade.
Now he could probably learn that sword art.
The one he'd failed pre-regression.
One of James Marcus's one-strike kills.
'Thousand Sword Stormfire'
Motions rougher than Annihilation Sword.
Stance, Erosion, Annihilationblasting the gatekeeper relentlessly.
"This much won't cut it!"
The gatekeeper roared back, parrying.
A normal level 400 would've died ages ago, but its swordplay was unreal.
And then.
Martial Artist exclusive skill, 'Unyielding Will' activates.
You have learned skill, 'Ten Sword Stormfire (Unique).'
Success, even if imperfect.
'Got it. The skill I could never pick up.'
That was when.
Celestial's unique ability activates
Skills auto-grow based on weapon proficiencies.
'Ten Sword Stormfire (Unique)' evolves to 'Hundred Sword Stormfire (Unique).'
Ten Sword Stormfire jumped straight to Hundred in a flash.
Jeong Hoon's eyes quivered.
'Crazy...... Hundred Sword Stormfire.'
This meant Thousand was within reach soon.
Jeong Hoon triggered Stance and swung.
Clang! Clang!
"I'm not falling for the same trick twice!"
"Is that so?"
Jeong Hoon grinned and unleashed the new skill.
Celestial Aura activates.
Celestial Aura he'd been saving.
Stellar aura bloomed around him, wrapping him warmly.
Attack and defense increase by 20.
Hell's Gatekeeper's attack and defense reduced by 10.
Celestial Aura amped his momentum sharper.
On top of that.
Hundred Sword Stormfire activates.
Cast condition: swing sword set number of times.
Just met via Annihilation Sword.
Countless sword ki burst from Leviathan, hovering in the air.
"What......?!"
Hell's Gatekeeper recoiled in shock.
"Here goes."
Form 3: Annihilation activates.
Jeong Hoon thrust at the chest with Annihilation.
Faster motionit couldn't react.
Leviathan's tip pierced the armor.
"Guh!"
Hovering sword ki swirled, swarming the gatekeeperits body ignited where they struck.
"Uwaaagh! Aaaagh!"
It screamed in agony.
But the sword ki tormented on, and soon the gatekeeper collapsed.
"It's over."
Jeong Hoon approached the fallen foe, piercing its throat with Leviathan to end the fight.
Acquired Gate Key.
Gate entry now possible.
Acquired 25,000,000 experience.
Level increased.
All stats 1.
Bonus stat 1 awarded.
First on Earth to defeat 'Hell's Gatekeeper.' Acquired 'Gatekeeper's Will.'
Rewards poured in.
25 million experience.
Bumping Jeong Hoon to level 294.
Whoa...... That was a grind.
'If the doormans this bad, how nuts is the inside......'
As Mukho and Anima warned, fights ahead wouldn't be easy.
"Probably."
Jeong Hoon checked the Gatekeeper's Will reward.
Curious what it'd be.
Gatekeeper's Will
-Type: Consumable
-Grade: Legendary
-The will of Hell's Gatekeeper Karnos.
-Usable only on divine beast items containing power.
-Use partially restores lost power.
'Oh.'
Jeong Hoon let out a short whistle.
Who'd have thought this guy was a humanoid divine beast.
Explains the power for level 400.
'What I've got nowFenrir and the headpiece?'
Jeong Hoon toyed with the ornament on his head.
This will could partially restore it.
But Fenrir had lost power too, not at full strength yet.
Only one will.
Meaning only one could be restored.
'Hmm......'
Jeong Hoon pondered briefly, then decided.