Chapter 223
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 223
Chapter Title: Demise of the Incarnations
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Jeong Hoon released the bowstring he had drawn.
Pew-shooook!
The ultimate arrow shot forward, embedding precisely into the chest of the Japanese man to Kaneda Shun's right.
"Kuhk!"
The struck Japanese man toppled over.
"Hiroshi!"
His comrade cried out urgently.
But the man called Hiroshi vomited blood and breathed his last.
His heart had been pierced clean through.
You have slain a Transcendent's Incarnation.
Due to the contractor's death, you gain 40,000,000 EXP from the Transcendent.
As expected of Demon King-grade?
Unlike Apostles, these gave EXP freely and generously.
'This is nice.'
Jeong Hoon's lips curved up slightly.
"What...? How in one shot?"
"No way... Our bodies are supposed to be protected right now, aren't they?"
Unlike Apostles, Incarnations contracted to higher-grade Transcendents received divine protection.
Under protection, various buffs applied constantly, and physical stats surged dramatically.
No matter how strong the guy was, dying to a single arrow didn't make sense.
"Damn it..."
Kaneda Shun bit his lip.
Player Information
-Nickname: Hoon
-Level: 367
-Job: Fist Technique Master (4th Advancement)
He belatedly checked the guy's level.
367, having completed 4th Advancement.
'He reached 367 in that short time?'
A miscalculation.
He hadn't expected the bastard not only to finish 4th but climb to mid-to-late 300s.
Catch him. If you do, I'll upgrade your reward.
Reward upgrade.
Kaneda Shun drew his sword.
Then he deployed 'Curtain of Light.'
Thanks to this punk, he was still a regular Royal Guard, not a Hidden Class.
This time, he'd kill the guy and claim the Hidden Class reward.
"I'll enhance you."
Iwase Haruto then activated his ability.
He was a Hidden Class, 'Enhanced Scout.'
Not just focused on scouting.
As a Hidden Class, it also had buffing capabilities.
'Curtain of Light' is enhanced.
With the enhancement buff applied, the light of the curtain enveloping Kaneda Shun shone even brighter.
That wasn't all.
Every Japanese person present had their abilities boosted by one level.
I'll lend you power.
The Transcendent intervened again.
That power was a debuff on Jeong Hoon.
Dispel is used.
But Jeong Hoon used Dispel to instantly cleanse all debuffs on himself.
He sneered at the sky.
"You're not the only one who can dispel."
What!?
A shocked voice echoed.
Of course.
Even if not 100, it was a debuff directly applied by a Demon King-grade Transcendent.
A mere human like Jeong Hoon shouldn't be able to dispel it.
Yet Dispel worked thanks to his newly acquired passive skill.
'As expected.'
Realm Ascension truly enabled him to rival Transcendents.
Though the debuff he'd cast on them was dispelled, making Dispel land was a significant achievement.
Bang!
Then his mother's support fire followed.
"Kuk!"
The Japanese man holding a dagger staggered in place.
Even with a direct headshot, his head didn't explodejust reeled from the impact.
His body was enhanced as an Incarnation, and Kaneda Shun's Curtain of Light enveloped them all.
Curtain of Light was an AoE skill, not single-target.
But the light curtain around the man's body vanished in an instant.
'Genesis Shot.'
Genesis Shot had erased the Curtain of Light.
Seizing the opening, Jeong Hoon drew and released his bowstring.
The arrow struck the man's throat dead-on.
"Kuhk!"
He clutched the wound and collapsed.
You have slain a Transcendent's Incarnation.
Due to the contractor's death, you gain 40,000,000 EXP from the Transcendent.
Two down in a flash.
"Damn it!"
Kaneda Shun signaled backward.
A barrage of magic rained down on Jeong Hoon.
Barrier of Light is used.
Jeong Hoon deployed Barrier of Light.
Now upgraded to Legendary grade.
The barrier blocked all the magic unscathed.
"B-Barrier of Light...?"
Kaneda Shun's eyes trembled.
Barrier of Light was a higher skill than Curtain of Light.
How could a Martial Artist deploy Barrier of Light?
It even gleamed with an extraordinary lusternot ordinary grade.
Bang!
Then gunfire rang out again.
Thud!
Kaneda Shun staggered from the ringing pain in his head.
Curtain of Light is destroyed.
His deployed Curtain of Light vanished instantly.
Genesis Shot had fired again.
Jeong Hoon's eyes widened at the sight.
'How...?'
As far as he knew, Mother's Genesis Shot was limited to once per day.
Yet it had fired consecutively.
'Something happened with Mother.'
Mother had grown too.
Genesis Shot must have evolved.
Jeong Hoon drew and released again.
The arrow flew toward Kaneda Shun.
"Damn!"
Kaneda Shun hurriedly deployed Holy Armor.
He'd used it once before against Jeong Hoon.
It poured all divine power except 1 into absolute defense invincibility.
It also tallied damage over 3 minutes, converted it swiftly to divine power, and auto-triggered the 'Counter' buff.
But it was useless against stronger foes, leading to helpless defeat.
Not this time.
Catch him no matter what!
Kaneda Shun's Holy Armor shone brilliantly.
With Iwase Haruto's enhancement buff and the Transcendent's added intervention, Holy Armor jumped to Legendary grade instantly.
He has Counter toobe careful!
Counter?
That meant high risk of backlash.
Kaneda Shun's lips curved up.
"I'll break the barrier. You guys handle the rest, right?"
"Okay."
"Leave it to us."
Ten supports in the rear.
They'd come this far for the sweet reward.
No backing down for the prize.
Bang!
Then gunfire echoed again.
Thud!
Impact hit Kaneda Shun's head once more.
But his lips were smiling.
Damage during Holy Armor activation accumulated to be returned.
Holy Armor disappears.
Yet like Curtain of Light, Holy Armor vanished instantly.
"Damn!"
Kaneda Shun's face paled.
Pew-shooook!
Then the shot arrow pierced his abdomen.
Kaneda Shun's waist bent double.
"Shun!"
Iwase Haruto cried urgently.
"Kuhk!"
Kaneda Shun glared with bloodshot eyes at the arrow's origin.
Jeong Hoon was drawing his bow again, expressionless.
'Fuck! Help me already!'
Kaneda Shun rolled his eyes skyward, screaming inwardly.
Impossible... How does Genesis power...?
But the Transcendent wasn't helpingjust muttering in dismay.
Pew-shooook!
This time, an arrow embedded in Kaneda Shun's shoulder.
In that instant, a hail of arrows poured from the sky.
"Dodge!"
Iwase Haruto and the ten Japanese dodged, worrying for him.
Thanks to that, Kaneda Shun took the full arrow rain.
Soon, his body was riddledno spot unscathed.
'Impossible... I got this strong... Why, how...'
Even as consciousness faded, Kaneda Shun glared at Jeong Hoon.
Why couldn't he, even with contract, touch this uncontracted guy's toes?
What was missing?
'If not for that bastard, my life would've been smooth sailing.'
Kaneda Shun closed his eyes in resentment.
The rest was over in a flash.
Jeong Hoon drew his bow, sniping Iwase Haruto first, then the remaining Japanese one by one.
You have slain a Transcendent's Incarnation.
Due to the contractor's death, you gain 40,000,000 EXP from the Transcendent.
You have slain a Transcendent's Incarnation.
Due to the contractor's death, you gain 40,000,000 EXP from the Transcendent.
Level up!
All stats 1.
Bonus stat 1.
Title Adversary of Incarnations grows to Lv. 3.
Jeong Hoon finally lowered his Anima.
Penalty points have accumulated beyond the limit.
Accordingly, 'Mandora' is demoted to Apostle-grade.
Time to pay the price.
Normally, fourteen dead contractors wouldn't demote.
But it had intervened in reality repeatedly.
If contractors succeeded, maybe rewards despite intervention.
But with Jeong Hoon's victory, its plan failed.
Struggle all you want. Heh heh. You'll die eventually.
"You talk big for someone losing power and dropping to Apostle-grade."
Jeong Hoon didn't hide his disappointment.
He'd hoped for annihilation, but mere demotion?
How could he not be let down?
Reading his face, Mandora raged.
I'll definitely kill you!
"Yeah. Try your best, unable to intervene for a while."
Demotion wasn't all.
It meant losing position, plus a temporary no-intervention penalty.
This damn...
Mandora's words cut off.
You have demoted a Demon King-grade Transcendent.
Title One Who Transcends Humanity grows to Lv. 2.
Randomly steal one possession from 'Mandora.'
Unlike Apostles, demoting Demon King-grade allowed stealing one random item.
'Box of the Seven Deadly Sins' acquired.
'Oh?!'
Jeong Hoon's eyes widened slightly.
Box of the Seven Deadly Sins.
Never seen one, but he knew it randomly dropped one of the Seven Deadly Sins.
'Exciting. Wonder what'll come out.'
Jeong Hoon grinned at the inventory item.
Then Yeo Min-ji grumbled sourly beside him.
"Was I just wallpaper?"
Only then did Jeong Hoon recall her, smiling awkwardly.
"No, they chickened out on melee."
"They couldn't. You shredded them with arrowshow could melee happen?"
She had no counter.
When they first appeared, Yeo Min-ji tensed into stance.
But he suddenly started sniping, dropping them one by one.
Her tension turned embarrassing as she just watched it end.
"Still, thanks. Your help lured them out easy."
Without Hoyoung, he wouldn't have caught their Korea crossing so fast.
She deserved credit for the smooth flow.
"...Last part felt anticlimactic though."
"Count on you next time too."
"No worries."
Yeo Min-ji nodded.
Then Mother returned from her ambush spot.
"Son! You okay?!"
"Yes. Thanks to you."
Jeong Hoon smiled brightly.
"Good."
"But Mother... how many Genesis Shots was that?"
Nearly ten, from once-a-day Genesis Shot.
"Skill upgradednow up to ten per day."
"Insane..."
Sealing power with ten Genesis Shots.
'Mandora was shocked too.'
It knew Genesis power.
Mother's job wasn't just a simple Hidden Class.
He'd look into Genesis Sniper later.
"Glad I helped."
Mother smiled brightly.
"Yes. Let's head back."
He wanted to open the Box of the Seven Deadly Sins ASAP.