Chapter 6. The Beginning of the Capital's Destruction (3)
Chapter 6. The Beginning of the Capital's Destruction (3)
"What kind of crazy talk is that?"
"Is a slave allowed to talk back?"
"Wouldn't anyone react this way if they were told to kill Mar Subius out of the blue?"
"Is that so? Fine then. Darhan. I'm making a request. The target is Mar Subius."
"For a difficulty level like that, at least 100,000 gold—"
"The price is your life, Darhan."
"...I have no choice, then."
Darhan pulled a dagger from his chest with his reattached arm.
"I accept. The target is Mar Subius."
"You should have listened sooner. Anyway."
Sura looked at Roland.
"Roland. It's about time for things to kick off, right?"
Roland nodded.
"Right. There will probably be a commotion at the execution grounds soon."
It was then.
Kwagwagwagwang!
A roar that made heaven and earth tremble echoed from the direction of the square.
"It's begun."
"It seems Zarin is doing well."
The capital of the vast Salas Continent, Marsas.
People wearing black robes walked boldly toward the walls of that massive capital.
The man in the lead, hearing the explosion from afar, his eyes gleamed.
"Everything for Garuan Mafras-nim."
One of the absolute powerhouses of the continent.
Mar Subius appeared.
The execution ground became a shambles.
Among the many people gathered in the square, nearly a third had been turned into a bloody pulp, and the rest were not in their right minds either.
Amidst the countless screams, a man enjoyed it all.
Zarin Savas strolled along, humming a tune, having already retrieved his weapon.
"We begin now. Gather the countless souls crowded in this execution ground and offer them to the advent of Garuan Mafras-nim."
"Understood!"
People in black robes who had been hiding in various places jumped out and began chanting mysterious spells.
Those who could have stopped them had long since been turned into pulp, so no one could interfere.
Zarin drew the greatsword he carried on his back.
In the distance, he could see the guards rushing over after hearing the commotion.
"Everyone, proceed with the ritual without worry. I'll handle things here."
Before even hearing an answer, Zarin began running toward the guards.
Kyaaaaaaaak!
Run away!
Screams echoed incessantly.
The bewildered expressions and the desperate looks of the NPCs.
Thinking that this situation felt incredibly real, Sura's face hardened.
'It's like when the Magyo or the Wicked Factions used to invade.'
In the past.
The Jeongsa War and the Jeongma War had left indelible scars across the entire Central Plains.
They killed not only martial artists but also commoners.
The government was too afraid of them to step forward easily.
It was a situation that had to be resolved solely by martial artists.
Among them, the one who shone the brightest was Sura, Yeom Ga-hyeon.
"Arrogant bastards."
He had sworn never to see such a sight again.
That oath did not change even after crossing time, space, and dimensions.
Sura drew his sword while running.
Lunance's sword shone brilliantly as it caught the sunlight.
The square that had been the execution ground gradually came into view.
He saw a man slaughtering the guards who had rushed over after hearing the noise and explosions.
It was the man Roland had pointed out earlier.
It was the moment that man's greatsword was about to slash the neck of another guard.
Chaeng!
Sura's sword blocked Zarin's blade.
"...Who are you?"
"Me?"
Sura grinned.
"The guy who's going to kill you today?"
Against the backdrop of the Tusu's joyful screams, Sura and Zarin clashed.
As soon as their swords separated, Sura used Chivalry.
The result of the conviction he had shown Lunance manifested on Sura's blade.
'Stronger. Based on the conviction that I am the strongest!'
A heart that was arrogant yet not arrogant.
He was not a man of bluster and pride, but a powerhouse of the highest caliber across dimensions.
Using Sura's momentum as nourishment, the Chivalry gathered on the sword shone brilliantly.
A power of such magnitude that it could be called Sword Force, transcending the Sword Qi he had seen in the Murim, manifested.
"Impressive."
Pure admiration.
Zarin Savas recognized the opponent before him as a powerhouse.
However, that didn't mean Zarin was weak.
"Heup!"
A dark energy also gathered on his greatsword.
A power obtained by offering his soul to Garuan Mafras.
A black flame that possessed a destructive power stronger than any Archdevil and would burn everything to ashes!
The energies, which were like the convictions of the two men, collided in an instant.
Kwaaaaaaaaang!
The storm generated by the impact of their clash enveloped the square.
'I've already raised my level enough.'
His current level was 23, reached by applying all the experience points he had accumulated so far.
Over the past few days, Sura had guided General Sallin in Mopran and built up his proficiency by sparring with Darhan on the way here.
As a result, his proficiency in two-handed weapons reached a staggering 78 out of 100.
He had also diligently increased the resulting attack power and speed.
Other things hadn't built up proficiency properly, but his attack power alone was enough to face most opponents without any issues.
Above all, his health, endurance, and mana were sufficient at his current level.
Furthermore, the Chivalry skills he had raised last time at the request of the Tusu.
His Chivalry skill had now reached the Middle stage, surpassing the Beginner stage.
The report to the god was immediately delivered to Lunance through the necklace.
Therefore, his Chivalry was now stronger than in the past.
"Thunder (Lei)."
Lightning gathered on Lunance's sword.
One of Sura's Simsang Worlds.
Moving beyond the ten forms of hell Sura had created, it was a new world he had purely imagined and brought into existence.
The 11th Hell. Inundation Hell (Inundation Hell).
In this world, all power overflows and inundates.
And from that overflowing world, Sura drew out the power he considered the strongest.
Following the energy of Chivalry, one power of the Inundation Hell was guided.
In the past.
The technique that had earned him another alias in the Central Plains Murim: Thunder Power Divine Sword (Thunder Power Divine Sword).
A world created starting from the basic forms of the Sura Sword Technique appeared on this land.
Sura's sword pointed toward the sky and soon fell to the ground with the speed of lightning.
Kwagwagwagwagwang!
A power like that of a Thunder God who commands the lightning of the heavens.
At this moment. The world was inundated with Thunder Power.
The power of Thunder Power enveloped Zarin Savas.
Amidst the various admirations from the Tusu, Zarin Savas could not easily move his body due to paralysis.
"Incredible Chivalry... indeed. Ugh... Which god is it?"
"It's Runans Abervich-nim."
"Ha! So you were a follower of that damn Lord of Madness! Fine! I'll show you what true madness is!"
The black flames that enveloped his greatsword began to burn his entire body, moving beyond the blade.
Then, Lunance's voice was heard.
[Ar ro gant.]
"Lunance-nim."
[Champion. Show them what true madness is. I shall share my power with you.]
It was then. The locked option of Lunance's necklace was released.
[Necklace for Lunance's 'Beloved Champion']
A necklace Lunance made for her first champion.
The string is Lunance's hair, and the necklace is the crystallization of Lunance's power.
Defense 30 Weight 13 Price ????
[The blessing of Runans Abervich is bestowed upon the champion, Sura!]
Along with the system notification, power began to surge through Sura's entire body.
"...! This is."
[Go wild to your heart's content! I am behind you!]
Sura smiled.
He had already been stained by Lunance's madness.
Amidst the popcorn-munching admiration of the Tusu, the battle between Sura and Zarin Savas reached its climax.
The 11th form, just like Thunder Power Under Heaven.
Usually, one would use a different number in such cases, but Sura didn't bother to differentiate the numbers since they were forms coming from the same Simsang World anyway.
It was too troublesome to have to assign a different number every time he drew out a new power.
Following the lightning, the power of thunder was drawn from the Inundation Hell and surged.
Kwang! Kwang! Kwang!
Thunder roared every time their swords collided.
[Khahahahahaha! This is fun! My champion! Crush that lackey of Garuan!]
Lunance laughed maniacally.
What a fun sight this was!
For Lunance, who had lived for an almost dizzying amount of time since the beginning of creation, such a sight was a rare occurrence.
To see that idiot Garuan's lackey being toyed with like that!
Lunance found her newly acquired champion absolutely adorable.
"Kuaaaa...! You... you crazy bastard! What is this divine swordsmanship! Did you receive it from Lunance?"
Zarin Savas looked pathetic.
His entire body was charred black, and he was not in one piece, having been slashed in various places by Sura's sword.
Even so, the black embers had not yet died out, forcing his body to hold on.
"Even Lunance-nim couldn't defeat me. You fool."
"Wha... what...?"
Zarin Savas found it hard to believe the man's words, but on the other hand, it made sense.
It was overwhelming.
Zarin had faced countless opponents until now, but the opponent before him was different.
It literally felt like they were on a different dimension.
Zarin Savas had lived as a powerhouse of the world, but at this moment, he felt as if he were facing a celestial being from a dimension above.
"What... what on earth is this? Are you some kind of Talian from the legends?"
Talian was the default name of the protagonist in Ancient Book 7.
He was a protagonist who finally reached the realm of a demigod at the end of the story.
"Talian, huh. I'd like to fight him once."
Sura also knew about Talian.
The protagonist of the Median Continent in Ancient Book 7.
He was the protagonist of the 7th installment, which was released as a PC console version before virtual reality appeared, and Sura knew him well because he had played it.
Seeing the Tusu's words, a bit of anticipation arose, but he didn't want to ruin his mood with spoilers, so he didn't think about it further.
"It has nothing to do with you. Since you're about to die."
"Don't make me laugh!"
Zarin Savas's black flames flickered once more.
Zarin Savas's black flames suddenly expanded and swirled around the area.
Objects touched by the black flames began to slowly disintegrate.
[Hmm. It contains the authority of destruction. Champion. Be careful.]
Sura, taking Lunance's warning to heart, infused Chivalry into his sword.
An infinitely deep conviction. A strong conviction that would burn anything away!
As if responding, Chivalry flickered on Lunance's sword.
The proficiency in two-handed weapons and Chivalry he had built up so far shone through.
Above all, Lunance was behind Sura now.
As a result.
Sura's power began to awaken to a new possibility.
[Drown in madness, my champion.]
The authority of madness.
It was an authority so threatening it could wear down one's mind, but Sura controlled it even as he drowned in this madness.
Simultaneously with the control, he began to manipulate it.
A red flame, distinct from everything else, rose from Sura's sword.
Not a simple flame, but an authority.
The authority of true madness!
Beyond Demon - Lunatic (Beyond Demon - Lunatic).
The worst and most heinous existence. The authority of a madman who surpassed demons.
Lunance's true authority, which would plunge everything into madness and destroy the opponent, descended upon this land.
"Kuaaaaaaaaaak!"
What was this?
What on earth was that?
That madness, which felt like it would drive one insane just by looking at it, what was it?
Zarin Savas had heard of such power in the past.
The natural enemy of Garuan Mafras. The Throne of Madness, Runans Abervich.
He had read about her power of madness through ancient books.
He knew that there was a power that could drive one insane just by existing, just by recognizing her existence.
Even so. Even though he knew that fact.
Zarin Savas was busy just trying to protect his mind with the power of Garuan Mafras.
"O Garuan Mafras-isiyeo!"
The black flames wrapped around him more intensely.
The authority of destruction that would burn everything.
But even that authority of destruction began to waver before true madness.
Sura approached Zarin, who could not properly steady himself, and swung his sword.
Fortunately, Zarin, who was still conscious, blocked it.
But Sura's attack didn't end there.
His sword strikes followed in an instant.
Head. Arm. Leg. Chest. Head. Leg. Arm. Waist.
His attacks surged toward Zarin from all directions.
"Huaaaaap!"
Zarin, barely parrying the sword strikes, panted heavily as he looked at the opponent before him.
As if he had heard the Tusu's mockery, Zarin entered Phase 3.
Leaving the Tusu's confusion behind, Sura looked at the opponent before him.
Zarin's body, which was originally 2 meters tall, had transformed into a giant monster reaching 5 meters.
Two horns sprouted from his forehead, and a pair of wings grew from his back.
The greatsword he held also grew larger, changing to a size and length befitting that massive frame.
[Grrr... I didn't think I'd have to pull out even this form.]
Zarin Savas spoke in a deep, thick voice.
Watching that, Sura actually scoffed.
"It's as if a puppy is puffing itself up because it's scared. You idiot."
Hearing those words, Zarin's face turned red.
[Youuuuuuuu!]
Zarin Savas swung his massive greatsword.
Sura quickly blocked the greatsword with his sword, but was blown far away by the force.
Kwang!
A loud sound echoed as he crashed into a distant building.
[Champion. Do you have a way?]
Lunance asked Sura, who was standing up, in an intrigued voice.
It was a voice that didn't contain a single shred of worry.
"Whether there's a way or not, the important thing is that I have to kill that guy."
[Ho.]
"In that Asura's path, in that hellscape, I emerged victorious even when there was no way."
The Murim.
A hellscape where Asuras obsessed with the sword roamed.
In that place, Sura reached the pinnacle and brought everyone to their knees.
Sura stepped out from the buried wall and stood tall.
"I am."
"The World's Best."
[Khahahahahaha! Fun! Indeed! You are The World's Best! I, Runans Abervich, proclaim it!]
Leaving behind Lunance, who was driven mad with joy by this situation, Sura raised his sword and walked toward Zarin.
Zarin did not wait for him.
[Huaaaaap!]
Zarin's greatsword came in with a violent horizontal slash.
Watching that, Sura stared blankly for a moment.
And then he perfectly parried it.
The Tusu's admiration did not stop.
Despite his massive size, Zarin swung his sword with incredible speed.
Sura parried and deflected all of these sword strikes.
[What! What do you mean!]
Sura responded to Zarin's cry of despair.
"This?"
"The third stage. Between Cheonji and Gaebyeok, this is Cheonji. Absolute Defense."
Sura slightly curled the corners of his mouth.
"I proclaim that from now on, your attacks will not work."
Absolute arrogance.
And the realization of that momentum could no longer be seen as mere arrogance.