Chapter 354
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 354
Chapter Title: Desperate Crisis
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It was a desperate crisis.
Hey! Get out of there quick!
Tenebris shouted urgently.
'You little shit, if I could escape, I would've done it already.'
Even after pulling out all the buffs, he never imagined he'd be overpowered in raw strength.
Jeong Hoon accelerated his mind, searching for a way to turn the tide.
"Rolling your eyes is visible even from here."
Escannon smirked.
Jeong Hoon's lips twisted upward in response to that sinister grin.
"Aren't you anxious that the situation might flip on you?"
"What?"
"I'll admit it. No matter what I do, crushing you with forceprotected as you areis impossible."
"Ha, who's protecting who here?"
Escannon shot back irritably.
A human shielded by a Named One and Abaddon.
When the bastard first entered this place, he'd felt anxious, deluded into thinking he'd been abandoned.
But he hadn't given up, lashed out desperately, and in the end, was chosen.
If he hadn't been chosen, he'd have met his end at the hands of the human before him.
"You're the idiot. Do you think I'm the one being protected?"
"Bullshit. If you're not under protection, how do you explain that power?"
Escannon hadn't entirely dismissed the suspicion himself, but he'd let it go once the bastard blinded him.
"Heh, even if I told you, a moron like you wouldn't get it."
"What?"
It was then.
'Overlord's Fury' has been activated.
Titan's second skill.
Overlord's Fury.
As the skill activated, the Titan embedded in the ground began to glow red.
Once the sword turned crimson, the surrounding air shifted.
"Got careless, huh?"
Before he knew it, Titan was planted in the ground right beside him.
When Escannon had grabbed him by the collar, he'd pretended to struggle free while stabbing Titan into the earth.
Overlord Descent was already in effect.
Then, activating Overlord's Fury forcibly nullified all abilities within the Overlord Domain.
Escannon's deployed domain vanished as a result, severing Logos's intervention.
At the same time, the Chalice of the Void and Retribution Scroll, which couldn't be used simultaneously, began to shine once more.
'So divine artifacts can only be used when abilities aren't active, huh?'
Jeong Hoon smirked and pulled out the Chalice of the Void.
You have selected Clone.
A clone connected to the main body will be created.
"Struggling to the bitter end, eh!"
Escannon tightened his grip, trying to lift Jeong Hoon up.
But Jeong Hoon didn't budge an inch.
Panic colored Escannon's face.
"What's wrong? Powers fading and freaking out?"
"You... what the hell did you do!"
"Even if I told you, would a dumbass like you understand?"
"Gah!"
Jeong Hoon drove his fist into Escannon's gut.
The unimaginable impact burst blood vessels in Escannon's eyes. He released his grip and staggered backward.
Whoa... that really scared me.
Only after confirming Jeong Hoon had broken free did Tenebris exhale in relief.
'If the trigger's active, just smash it to pieces.'
It had been close to a gamble.
When Escannon deployed his domain, Logos's power manifestedmaybe the Third Ruin wasn't preset that way from the start.
So shattering the domain might dispel Logos's power too.
'It hit the mark perfectly.'
The gamble paid off big.
Jeong Hoon yanked Titan from the ground and leaped forward, swinging the blade once more.
Clang!
Even in agony, Escannon raised his sword to block.
But unlike before, he was pushed back, his body sliding across the ground.
The hero truly was a hero.
Even overpowered, his stance didn't falter in the slightest.
Jeong Hoon admired him sincerely.
"You're impressive."
"Is that mockery?"
"Not taking praise as praise? You're pretty twisted yourself."
"Shut up!"
Screeech
From the clash, Escannon scraped his sword sideways, aiming for Jeong Hoon's waist.
Thud!
But Jeong Hoon struck his solar plexus a beat faster with a kick.
"Guack!"
Even as a Transcendent, vital points didn't vanish.
The pain, leagues beyond the gut punch, dropped him to one knee.
Jeong Hoon followed with a kick to his face.
"Guhk!"
He then swung Titan down toward Escannon's gut.
Clang!
Escannon desperately swung his sword to deflect it.
But ten phantom arms assaulted him, and he couldn't defend, taking the hits.
"Kuaaaagh!"
Even with Asura active, the phantom arms hadn't attacked Escannon before.
It was to lure complacency, holding back to ensure a decisive finish.
No need to hold back now.
Forced bleeding erupted, blood gushing from his body in surges.
"Time to end this."
He had to cut off his breathing before he redeployed his domain.
At that, Escannonlips stained with bloodslowly curled his mouth upward.
"You're a real entertaining human. Pushing me this far."
"Hm?"
Jeong Hoon frowned at his leisure.
Something else left?
"I'll return everything you've done to me."
In that instant, Jeong Hoon groaned and staggered.
Hey! You okay?!
Tenebris, who'd been watching casually, jumped in alarm.
'I'm fine.'
Jeong Hoon raised a hand to reassure him.
Despite his words, heat surged up, and he vomited blood.
You sure you're fine?!
'Yeah. Didn't expect Reflection.'
Jeong Hoon hurriedly healed his body with holy power.
Escannon charged, pressing the attack.
Clang! Clang!
Their swords clashed repeatedly.
The near-dead Escannon had used Reflection to heal perfectly.
And unlike before, he wasn't being overpowered.
It wasn't mere Reflectionhe'd absorbed the incoming damage to amplify his own power.
How the hell was that thing low-tier?
Tenebris stared at Escannon with confused eyes.
To him, Escannon wielded upper-tier Celestial might.
'No clue.'
Jeong Hoon struggled to block the attacks, hunting for an opening.
But his stance was flawless, no gaps easy to find.
'Ha... he's disgustingly strong.'
Overlord Domain enveloped the area with Overlord's Fury.
Overlord Descent put him in Overlord Mode, skyrocketing his presence.
The 6th Martial Artist awakening boosted it further.
Plus title effects stacked on top.
Yet he couldn't overwhelm Escannon.
'Guess I gotta lean on divine artifacts.'
Jeong Hoon commanded his pre-made clone.
Using Retribution Scroll.
Select the target's ability.
You have selected Reflection Conversion.
Sealing the bastard's ability via Retribution Scroll.
His amplified power vanished, reverting his strength to before.
"You bastard!"
Escannon's face twisted viciously.
"What? You can use your artifacts too."
Jeong Hoon grinned and swung Titan.
Clang!
Jeong Hoon resumed his pressure.
Karma Seal count has reached maximum.
One of Retribution Scroll's abilities.
Each attempt to use a sealed ability stacks the Karma Seal count.
He'd repeatedly tried sealed Wu Wol, and now Reflection Conversion pushed it to max.
Heavenly Retribution will be inflicted on the target.
Determine the form of retribution.
1. Wrath
2. Chastisement
Wrath or Chastisement.
Jeong Hoon decided while swinging his sword.
You have chosen Chastisement.
Directly chastise the target.
All master stats enhanced by the count.
All ability cooldowns zeroed; activation conditions removed.
Applies only during chastisement; reverts after.
'Whoa, this is straight-up broken.'
Stat boost aside, zero cooldowns and no conditions.
"Hup!"
With explosive stat enhancement, Escannon was utterly overwhelmed.
"Damn it......"
Escannon cursed, retreating.
Jeong Hoon planted Titan in the ground.
"Gonna keep struggling?"
At Jeong Hoon's question, Escannon smirked.
"Heh, you idiot."
His domain shattered, overflowing power gone.
So he'd endured until he could redeploy.
'This time, I'll really finish him.'
Complacency broke the domain last timeno mistakes now!
Escannon raised his sword, then slammed it down.
But contrary to his plan, nothing happened.
"What, what the......"
Escannon poured power into his sword againsame result.
It wouldn't respond, like it was broken.
"You... you're a real moron. Think I'd fall for the same trick twice?"
Jeong Hoon mocked him.
He pointed to the clone beside him, Retribution Scroll in its hand.
"N-No way......?"
Escannon's eyes shook violently.
Jeong Hoon nodded, confirming his guess.
"Right. When you tried deploying your domain, I sealed it so you couldn't."
"You son of a bitch!"
"Still got fight left?"
Jeong Hoon stepped with Heavenly Demon Supremacy Step, instantly closing in.
"Shut up!"
Escannon yanked his embedded sword, swinging at Jeong Hoon.
Thwack!
"Guhk!"
But Jeong Hoon landed a fist in his gut a beat faster.
Unlike before, pure white energy rippled from his fist.
'God-Slaying Chain Strike.'
Martial Artist 6th's core skilla finisher with tricky activation.
But Chastisement Mode erased the conditions.
'First Strike.'
Chain Lock.
Escannon's waist bent; his body froze stiff.
Jeong Hoon chained the second.
Earth Flame.
An uppercut to Escannon's jaw.
"Kk!"
Escannon's body floated up.
Jeong Hoon silently smashed his fist down.
Third Strike.
Spirit Strike.
The strike summoned a massive phantom fist, smashing Escannon from above.
"......!"
The sheer damage silenced even his scream.
He wanted to thrash, but stun lingered; power locked in his body like a sealed shackle.
Fourth Strike.
Smashing Strike.
Jeong Hoon pummeled him relentlessly.
Each blow drained Escannon's life force rapidly.
The lost vitality burned away, erasing recovery chances.
"S-Stop......"
This would really kill him.
Escannon weakly raised a hand.
Jeong Hoon's fist paused.
"Stop what?"
"I... I surrender....... I'll give you everything... so stop."
"Ha, fuck off."
Jeong Hoon clenched his fist in irritation.
A traitor to humanity, enthroned among the Celestials, unleashing destruction without hesitation.
Watching him beg for life before death made him want to puke.
Better to keep his pride until the end.
In the end, this bastard was no different.
"You wanted the throne... fine. Go sit."
"......"
"Need power? I'll help with all I've got......"
Jeong Hoon glared murderously and spat one last line.
"Fuck off, you piece of shit."
No more words worth exchanging.
Jeong Hoon crushed his skull with the final fifth strike: Annihilation Strike.