Chapter 213
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 213
Chapter Title: Clearing the Red Portals
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First up was the red portal located near the palace.
As Jeong Hoon approached the portal, monsters poured out of it all at once.
Thats why I cant get close.
The number of monsters surging out upon approach was beyond counting.
Fenrir.
Jeong Hoon summoned Fenrir.
He also called forth Michael at the same time.
Yes.
Master Youre too much.
Unlike Fenrir, who responded politely, Michaels eyes brimmed with resentment.
Whats your problem.
Why was this guy acting up again?
Curious about what had gotten under his skin, Jeong Hoon tilted his head and asked.
No How long has it been since you last summoned me? I thought I was going to suffocate to death!
So I called you now.
Couldnt you summon me more often?
No time for chit-chat. From now on, hunt down every monster on the surface.
All those guys?
Michael gaped at the monsters pouring out, his jaw dropping.
There were just too damn many.
When he asked with a bewildered expression, Jeong Hoon nodded.
Got a problem?
Theres, uh, too many.
We have to do it. Get started.
Jeong Hoon issued the order to the pair and slipped right into the red portal.
Wow.
Michael stared at the portal where Jeong Hoon had vanished, his eyes full of grievance.
Fenrir, who had been watching the scene intently, muttered a word.
Guess Ill have to tell it like it is.
Tell what?
Michaels head snapped toward Fenrir.
That you were glaring at the portal Master entered for a good while.
Dont talk nonsense.
Its not nonsenseits a fact.
Fenrir scoffed.
Michaels face crumpled.
I didnt do that. And you know youre being awfully cheeky?
Me? Youre calling a divine beast like me cheeky?
Divine beast my ass. If youre Masters subordinate, act like it.
Arent you one too?
Oh? Forgot Im your senior?
.
If youre the junior, act like it. Got it? Junior?
Fenrir furrowed his brow at the words.
Why did he have to call this worthless human his senior?
He wanted to argue right then, but the monsters prevented it.
Fenrirs eyes changed.
Giant Wolf Fenrir uses Prey Gaze.
Prey Gaze.
Movement speed reduced by 20.
Fear status applied.
All stats decreased by 10.
The scary part of this ability was that it had no limit on targets.
In other words, every one of those countless monsters was debuffed.
Good job, junior. Thats the bare minimum if you want to call yourself my underling out there.
Michael teased Fenrir just enough to rile him up, then summoned his spirits and began the hunt.
At that moment, Jeong Hoon, who had entered the red portal, was relentlessly slaughtering monsters.
Slash.
He cleaved a Giant Lizardman with Leviathan.
Boom boom boom!
With their numbers so overwhelming, he even deployed Magic Missile.
Crackle.
He followed up with Lightning Bolt on the monsters that showed no sign of thinning, adding area damage.
Impressive You hardly ever use magic normally.
Thats how many there are.
Anima was right.
With numbers like these, he needed to pull out every skill he had.
Plus, the longer the subjugation took, the more trouble it would cause those outside.
No choice if we want to clear them fast.
Hed need to find another hidden theme soon and learn some magic.
Magic Missile topped out at 20 shots, and while he had Lightning Bolt, it still felt lacking for area damage.
He needed to snag some of the spells Alessandro used so effectively.
Having those would make progressing the next episode much smoother.
Form 1: Basic Stance activated.
Activating Basic Stance, he mercilessly slashed at them.
Kekgek!
The Giant Lizardman, its limbs severed, screamed and rolled across the ground.
After cutting down Giant Lizardmen for a while, the Giant Lizardman Shaman finally revealed itself.
That one was this dungeons boss.
It was busy producing Giant Lizardmen.
More precisely, there were several portals beside it.
It focused on maintaining those portals, and Giant Lizardmen emerged from them on their own.
Jeong Hoon raised Anima and drew the bowstring.
Arrow of the Storm.
Releasing the drawn string, the Arrow of the Storm shot toward the Giant Lizardman Shaman.
The arrow pierced its head cleanly.
Kek!
The creature let out a death screech and perished on the spot.
Its head exploded, brains splattering the ground.
Boss monster eliminated.
Giant Lizardmen vanish simultaneously.
With the boss monster eliminated, the red portal could no longer be maintained.
Kek!
Kreeek!
Giant Lizardmen still emerging from the portal screamed as they dissolved, and the portals themselves vanished in an instant.
Jeong Hoon exited through the newly formed portal nearby.
Outside, Fenrir and Michael were diligently hunting monsters.
Theyre doing well.
Jeong Hoon grinned and entered the nearest red portal.
At that moment, Lagan returned to the palace leading his knights.
Kaiserk V sat on the throne, his face etched with deep worry.
Your Majesty, this humble knight has completed his mission and returned.
Good. Whats the situation outside?
It was a meaningless question.
The Merhen Kingdom, crumbling overnight.
Will the kingdoms history end in my reign?
It had been a prosperous and strong nation, but it would go down in records as one that fell in an instant.
Kaiserk V was drowning in self-recrimination for failing to protect Merhen Kingdom, so no words from Lagan could penetrate his mind.
With Hoons help, we successfully subjugated the monsters.
But Lagans next words snapped him to attention.
What did you just say?!
Yes. We were able to subjugate the monsters with Hoons assistance.
Hoon is here!
Kaiserk V shot up from his seat.
Yes. Had Hoon not come the situation would have been utterly hopeless.
They had held on somehow, but they were reaching their limit.
If Jeong Hoon hadnt helped in time, the worst case might have been failing to return to the palace.
Heh Unbelievable.
The savior who had once saved Merhen Kingdom.
Kaiserk V had bestowed upon him a treasure of Merhen.
He had thought hed never see him again after he left, yet here he was, appearing in this dire crisis.
He truly is our savior.
Of course, Merhen Kingdom wouldnt revive just because Jeong Hoon appeared.
But the fact that he showed up to save a Merhen Kingdom in peril was gratitude enough.
Hoon is currently moving to eliminate the red portals in Merhen Kingdom.
By himself?!
Yes.
Kaiserk V couldnt help but be shocked.
Red portals blanketed the land.
Those damned portals were what was destroying Merhen Kingdom.
They couldnt approach to close them without monsters pouring out, forced to watch helplesslyand now Jeong Hoon was stepping up personally.
Th-then we should support him!
With the situation as it is I had no choice but to return first.
Nonsense!
No matter the losses, they couldnt send a savior into the jaws of death alone.
Your Majesty, you neednt worry too much. Didnt Hoon save our kingdom single-handedly before?
True, but.
Hoon will pull it off this time too.
Back then, Lagan had tried to follow him to close the red portals.
But his eyes had said it all.
Dont get in the way.
Youll just be a hindrance.
It would be a lie to say his pride wasnt bruised, but since he couldnt even close one portal himself, he had no choice but to stand down.
It was then.
Your Majesty!
Two watchmen who had been monitoring from the walls returned.
What is it?
The red portals are disappearing rapidly.
What?!
Boss monster eliminated.
Evil Spirit Golems vanish simultaneously.
He had eliminated an Lv.235 Evil Spirit Golem, closing another red portal.
That makes 32.
There were 32 red portals in the capital.
Of course, there were far more outside the capital, but this completed the quest for now.
Good work.
Thanks to Fenrir and Michaels efforts, the surrounding damage wasnt too severe.
Jeong Hoon sent the two back and hurried to the palace.
The palace was filled with familiar faces.
Hoon!
Success!
Wooo!
Amid the cheers from the palace folk, Jeong Hoon headed to Kaiserk V.
Hoon! Welcome!
Kaiserk V descended from the throne and rushed to Jeong Hoon.
He began checking if Jeong Hoon was injured anywhere.
No injuries, so rest easy.
Really? You cleared all those portalshow could you not be hurt!
Im fine. I can heal myself.
Jeong Hoon had now reached Celestial grade.
He could replenish mana using natures mana, making prolonged battles easier.
Before regression, injuries forced breaks, but now with holy power, that was no longer necessary.
I see. Thank you for helping our kingdom again.
As Kaiserk Vs eyes reddened, an exclamation mark blinked above his head.
Quest completed.
10,000,000 EXP acquired.
Next quest available.
A question mark blinked above Kaiserk Vs head again.
Episode Quest: Saving Merhen Kingdom (1)
-Restriction: Merhen Kingdom Search (2) quest completed
-Reward: ??
-Description: Save Merhen Kingdom from its desperate crisis.
Saving Merhen Kingdom.
This was the final episode quest.
Jeong Hoon accepted the quest and spoke.
Do you remember the treasure I received before?
How could I forget?
Guardian of Merhen. Having received that treasure, its only right to help when the kingdom is in danger, isnt it?
You.
Jeong Hoons words brought tears to the eyes of everyone present, including Kaiserk V.
Ive removed all the red portals in the capital. But its not fully over.
Indeed So many in the capital means even more elsewheredefinitely not fewer.
I see.
Still, thanks to you, Hoon, we should be fine for a while. Truly grateful.
No. We need to wipe them out completely.
What an annoyingly vague quest.
No clear guidance.
Meaning he had to stabilize Merhen Kingdom on his own.
Final episode quests were always this unhelpful.
Huh? Is that possible?
Well find out.
Jeong Hoon grinned.
In truth, he knew the answer.
He hadnt done the Merhen Kingdom episode himself, but hed researched clear methods while doing others.
The time limit had expired, preventing completion, and leader James Marcus had been quite regretful.
Damn If only wed known sooner.
Fortuitous encounter?
No.
Synergy.
A collection you could register after clearing certain episodes.
This collection merged with the monster collection, triggering synergy effects under specific conditions.
The Merhen Kingdom episode was on the collection list, but it closed early, leaving it incomplete, so no one got the final stage synergy.
Clearing it here should unlock the final stage synergy effect.