Chapter 273
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 273
Chapter Title: Savior
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What... what the hell is that...?
James Marcus uttered in a daze.
Even after all those regressions, this was the first time hed seen a power like that from him.
Its mutual destruction.
At that moment, Jeong Hoon provided the answer.
S-self-destruct?
Yeah. If things keep going like this, he dies.
Dies...?
No time to explain. Use that time to leave a last will instead.
Last will...
James Marcus bit his lip.
Damn bastard.
He wasnt going to let them win easily until the very end.
We cant stop that...
Alessandro muttered blankly.
The amount of energy gathering in his chest was no joke.
Darkan intended to blow away everything here, including them.
Damn it! No way out?!
The entrance and exit were all sealed.
Because Darkan was still alive and well.
Of course, Jeong Hoon had no intention of just taking it lying down.
Michael, start.
Yes!
At Jeong Hoons command, Michael summoned all the ghosts, including Siegfried.
He ordered them to attack Darkan, who was gathering energy, and they all moved.
Seven Deadly Sins, can you eat now?
Of course!
Then go eat.
Okay!
The Seven Deadly Sins began to move as well.
The ghosts, including Siegfried, started attacking Darkan.
But every attack was absorbed, only increasing the energy mass.
Kuahaha! You all die here! Come with me!
Darkan sneered down at Jeong Hoon.
Really?
Jeong Hoon tilted his head and pointed at something with his finger.
It was the tip of Darkans tail.
Naturally, Darkans gaze, focused on gathering energy, shifted to his tail.
And there, the Seven Deadly Sins had hopped over and settled on it.
W-what?!
Darkan freaked out.
When did it get this close?
He hadnt noticed.
Hed been too focused on absorbing all the ghosts attacks.
Were those attacks just a smokescreen?
Absorbing stats.
The Seven Deadly Sins began absorbing his stats.
All energy is absorbed due to Gluttony.
The Seven Deadly Sins possessed three sins.
Sloth, Gluttony, Wrath.
Among them, Gluttony activated, rapidly sucking up the energy hed been building.
No! No!
Darkan screamed.
He needed to gather energy for self-destruction, but it was draining away at a rapid pace.
To make matters worse, only 30 seconds remained until the enhanced Death Judgment activated.
30 seconds.
29 seconds.
28 seconds.
Time ticked down rapidly.
Farewell.
Jeong Hoon smiled and waved.
Uwaaaak! You fucking son of a bitch!
3 seconds.
2 seconds.
1 second.
Finally, the countdown hit zero.
Death activates on Transcendent Dragon Darkan.
As the enhanced Death Judgment triggered, blood poured from Darkans eyes, nose, mouth, and earsall his orificesas he collapsed.
Boom!
The ground shook once as Darkan fell.
Absorbing stats.
Regardless, the Seven Deadly Sins was too busy absorbing his stats.
James Marcus stared in disbelief.
I-its... over?
Yeah.
No way. That monster went down this easily...
Watching the scene, Jeong Hoon fiddled with Leviathan in his inventory.
If they lusted after the rewards, hed draw this sword without mercy.
But he didnt need to draw it.
Hoon, well just head out...
Take the rewards here.
They had some conscience left, stepping back and yielding the rewards.
Even so, Jeong Hoon pondered for a moment.
Should he just let them go?
Or kill them here and end the grudge?
Either way, Im going back soon. And theyll face the third annihilation, whether as food or fodder.
The third annihilation would boast insane difficulty too.
It might not even compare to the second.
In the first, hed taken down two apostle-level transcendents comparable to demon lords.
The second was the lord-level Transcendent Dragon Darkan.
Just from that, you could feel how much the difficulty had ramped up.
So the third would likely feature something even beyond that.
Doomed either way. No reason for me to bother.
Having decided, Jeong Hoon stopped reaching for Leviathan.
With the lord-level transcendent dead, it was time for rewards.
The method was simple.
Two portals opened at the exit: one as proof of stopping the second annihilation, and one to the rewards.
He just needed to use the reward portal.
Of course, you have to prove your worth to claim them.
The unknown power hed gained in the parallel world.
The process to obtain it was just like this.
After eliminating two apostle-level transcendents near demon lord strength, Jeong Hoon had entered the reward portal alone.
Beyond it waited another apostle-level transcendent, which hed hunted down with great difficulty to claim that power.
It was a temple.
The unknown power came from a temple hed never seen before in his life.
Similar to the Temple of Fate hed visited once, but far older and more dilapidated.
Hed obtained it deep within that half-ruined temple, where only traces remained.
What reward would he get for stopping the second annihilation this time?
Jeong Hoon stepped through the portal.
James Marcus couldnt tear his eyes from Darkan.
In his repeated regressions, the Transcendent Dragon Darkan had always been the one to crush him.
No matter how much power he built to challenge him, he always died by Darkans hand.
And now, that Darkan lay cold and dead before him.
James, I think I get why you sent Hoon.
Those words snapped him back to reality.
James turned his head, and Louis Verdant patted his shoulder.
Louis, Im not dreaming, right?
Of course not.
Haha... To actually stop the second annihilation, something Id longed for...
All thanks to Hoon. More precisely, his summon did the heavy lifting.
His fellow Korean countryman.
The thought flashed by of teaching Jeong Hoon, who was from the same country as Yu-chan, the Taming skill.
Whod have thought hed master even that.
Louis, was my method right?
When hed met Jeong Hoon after regressing to the parallel world, guilt outweighed joy.
Hed done unforgivable things to make him grow.
I think it was right.
Why?
Hoons righteous. Way more than us.
...
But he holds grudges like a champ. Anyone who crosses him doesnt end well.
Thats true.
Right? If youd explained and sent him back, he wouldnt have turned that vicious and grown this strong.
Really?
Then, an unfamiliar voice came from the side.
James and Louis turned.
There stood the necromancer Michael, who commanded ghosts, glaring at them.
You?
Hoons summon?
Michael nodded.
Yeah. Michael, right hand of the Master.
I see. So whats your point?
Dont justify it. I heard everything. You betrayed your worlds Master.
...
And you call killing him the right choice? You crazy bastards. If I were Master, Id have killed you a hundred, a thousand times over.
...
I dont know why Master let it slide, but trash like you deserve hell. Ill pray it happens for sure.
James and Louis had no words against Michaels murderous tone.
A temple?
Beyond the portal stretched the exact same temple landscape as when hed stopped the first annihilation.
Will I learn about the unknown power?
The power that had regressed him to the parallel world.
Normally, someone should guard it to block access to the reward, but the temple was empty.
Jeong Hoon moved forward.
In the center of the temple was a staircase leading underground.
The unknown power had been down those stairs.
Nothing here.
But the underground chamber at the bottom of the stairs was empty.
Jeong Hoon frowned.
Hed assumed stopping the second annihilation meant a fitting reward awaited.
Trouble.
The ultimate power.
Challenging it required even more strength.
Going in now would be a gamble.
With the Seven Deadly Sins, it wasnt impossible, but to secure it reliably, he needed to grow stronger first.
So why was there no reward?
Maybe it was hidden?
Jeong Hoon searched every corner of the underground.
And found another staircase.
Theres another staircase here?
Jeong Hoon tilted his head.
Before his regression, after stopping the first annihilation and claiming the reward, thered been no second staircase.
The temples looked very similar, but this one was different.
Theres gotta be a reward.
He couldnt solve the mystery, but it was a relief.
Jeong Hoon hurried down the new stairs.
At the bottom stood a statue of a goddess.
A question mark blinked above the goddess statues head.
A rainbow-colored one, signifying a secret quest.
Bingo.
Jeong Hoons lips curved up.
Secret Quest: Savior
-Restriction: One who has stopped the second annihilation
-Reward: ???
-Description: A trial is given to the one who stopped the second annihilation. Upon passing the trial, you can obtain immense rewards.
Ah, so thats how you claim it.
For the first annihilation, hed fought solo against an apostle-level transcendent to claim the unknown power.
But this time, no guardian protected the temple for the second.
The method differed.
Jeong Hoon accepted the quest immediately.
No matter the trial, hed succeed and seize the immense reward.
And twist this damned fate.
The trial begins.
Trial.
With that message, the goddess statue vibrated and slowly moved.
Human, to think youd defeat Darkan and reach this far.
A voice echoed in Jeong Hoons mind.
Clear and pure-toned.
Who are you?
Why? Curious about me?
Since youre giving the trial, figured Id know the name.
Heh, too bad. I only answer one question. Using it on my name okay?
No. Change of question.
Just a formality.
He didnt care who it was.
Fine? Then ask what you want.
The reward. What do I get if I endure this trial?
Hmm, thinking of rewards already? Before even knowing the trial?
Usually, one asks about the trial.
But Jeong Hoon asked about the reward first.
Does higher difficulty mean better rewards?
...Hoo, worthy of slaying Darkan indeed. Quite arrogant.
Jeong Hoons lips curved up.
So its possible.
Yes. Arrogant human, what reward do you desire?
The desired reward.
If he could choose, there was only one.