by Park Saenal
“Wave.” Grid released a sword technique the moment Blackening and Quick Movements ended. Black waves of energy poured out in all directions, destroying the black magicians, the trees, and the rocks. Grid cleared the surrounding area and finally glimpsed the Vatican.
“Irene!! Lord…!”
‘Please be safe.’
Grid summoned Overgeared Corn and rushed forward aggressively.
***
Damian’s shield and armor endured the fists that were striking it continuously, but the symbols of the pope—the silver armor and large shield—were being crushed. Hill’s fists, that flew at a rate of 12 times per second, were definitely fast and powerful. Pope Damian was almost like a cockroach with his defense magic, buff magic, and healing magic. He had yet to die despite Hill hitting him with his attack of 12 fists per second for a few minutes.
“Persistent bastard!” Hill gritted his teeth. Damian still had skills to use, but inwardly, he wasn’t feeling very good about this. Honestly, Damian was frustrated.
‘Is it a skill?’
It was difficult to see the fists that Hill was wielding as a basic attack. Whenever he swung his fists, he entered a super-armored state which resisted CC. Hill punched 12 times per second, then there was a one-second gap.
‘No matter how I think about it, it seems like a skill.’
Damian raised his shield the moment the punches came flying. As he took two steps back to offset the shockwave delivered through the shield, he was convinced Hill’s attack was a skill.
‘The moment it activates, super-armor is triggered. The skill will hit 12 times, then there is a cooldown of one second…!’
It could be called a fraudulent skill. Damian speculated that Hill had the greatest attack strength amongst Yatan’s Servants.
‘There is only one attack pattern, and it is very simple but…’
It wasn’t a form of attack that Damian could cope with. 12 fists were swung per second unconditionally, and they weren’t easy to defend or fight back against as the timing to counterattack was only a one-second gap. Unfortunately for Pope Damian, he didn’t have a skill which dealt powerful damage in one blow. He lacked attack power in exchange for a perfect balance and a large number of wide-area skills. So, it was impossible for Damian to knock down Hill during the one-second gap.
‘The situation is bad. This can’t continue.’
Damian couldn’t be tied up by Hill forever. If he couldn’t defeat Hill, then it was better for him to help his allies or kill the black magicians. However, who could deal with Hill except for him? Rebecca’s Daughters and the Red Knights were engaged in battle with the other Yatan’s Servants.
‘If I can’t tie up Hill, my allies will be slaughtered…’
In the end, would he have to keep fighting Hill? Despite being unable to hurt Hill, would Damian have to keep defending while watching his allies repel the enemies?
‘No! It isn’t a situation where I can rely on anyone else!’
Damian couldn’t ignore that the Overgeared forces protecting Queen Irene and Prince Lord were exhausted. Unlike the Red Knights, the Overgeared troops had fought the enemies from the beginning and reached their limits. They were in great danger while Damian was still tying up Hill, which meant Irene and Lord could die. In the end, Damian had to choose. He had to deal with HIll alone, but it didn’t necessarily have to take a long time.
‘I will try it.’
Damian recalled the combat method that Grid had shown during the National Competition. He had hit harder in return for every hit received. That’s right. Damian planned to fight back instead of defending against Hill’s 12 punches.
‘My attack power is weaker, but I have to try.’
He would be hit by Hill, then he would strike back. Damian adopted this new combat style straight away, swinging his shield instead of blocking the flying fists with spells or his shield.
“Puhahat! Stupid fool!” Hill laughed when he read Damian’s intentions. Damian could only swing his sword 2–3 times per second, while Hill could punch 12 times per second.
“Two or three hits in comparison to 12 hits…? What does that mean? Puhahahat!”
Damian was using a heal? It was futile though as Hill had been hiding a hidden card!
“Strike harder! Adadadada!”
Hill had an attack power buff. His fists suddenly turned red, and he started to deal twice the damage to Damian. Damian’s healing skills couldn’t keep up. “Kuk…!”
“Teacher Damian!”
“Your Holiness!”
It was a great crisis! The Rebecca members and royalty turned pale when they saw Pope Damian start to be pushed. In particular, Lord was filled with deep frustration. “I…! I wish I was an adult!”
Then he would’ve easily saved his mother from the crisis and would’ve helped Damian. When would he become an adult? Lord clenched his small fists and tears filled his eyes.
“Pagma’s Swordsmanship.” A man dropped in through the broken ceiling of the banquet hall.
His target, Hill, scoffed, “Who is this bastard? Do you want to taste my fist too?”
Hill entered the super-armored state and aimed one, two, three… twelve fists at the man. His fists, which couldn’t be followed by eyes, aimed at the man’s face, chest, and sides. It happened in just one second.
In that one second, the man…
“Link.”
He cut Hill 30 times per second in a much stronger manner!
Chapter 870
Chapter 870
During the time when he had been waiting for Sticks to recover his mana, when he couldn’t teleport straight to the Vatican, when he faced the barrier surrounding the Vatican, and when his ankles were caught by successive enemies… Grid had inwardly believed that there was no need to fret.
He had believed that Irene and Lord were safe. After all, Damian and Isabel were in the Vatican. Grid knew they would watch over his wife and son, and so he calmed his heart. Yes, Damian and Isabel were a great help to Grid just by existing. If it wasn’t for them, Grid could never be so calm. It might’ve taken him more time to get to the Vatican due to nervousness and a blurred judgment.
“Fortunately, I made it on time.” Grid landed on the ground after exchanging attacks with Yatan’s Seventh Servant Hill, then he saw Irene and Lord. Although they were both mentally and physically exhausted, they were mostly unharmed. There were no injuries on their bodies.
“It is lucky. It is really lucky…” Relieved, a bright smile appeared on Grid’s face. It was an excellent smile. The first people to see Grid were so pure that they misinterpreted him as an angel.
“Your Majesty!”
“Father!”
Irene’s and Lord’s eyes turned red as they welcomed Grid. The husband and father who had just appeared in a desperate crisis seemed like the world’s greatest hero to them. They weren’t mistaken. The Grid before them was indeed a hero of heroes.
[You have discovered a strong person of this era!]
[You have discovered a strong person of this era!]
[You have discovered a strong…]
The purple-red aura around Grid thickened rapidly. Rebecca’s Daughters, Yatan’s Servants, 2nd Imperial Prince Dulandal, and the solo number knights all provoked the Hero King’s fighting energy.
“Everybody…” Grid looked at the young knights while the fighting energy surrounded him. The knights were so injured that it was hard to find any part of them that was unscathed. Yet they were still surrounded around Irene and Lord, even as the swords in their hands trembled. Grid noticed how they had received all types of injuries and had been hit by many curses in their fierce battle to protect their masters.
“Thank you. I really thank you,” he said to Kasim, Chucksley, and the young knights. Irene and Lord were safe because they had fought with all their strength. Grid thanked them before looking at Hill who was getting up. Hill’s health gauge had fallen to 9/10th after being hit by Pagma’s Swordsmanship, Link. On the o
ther hand, Grid lost 9,600 health, and his health gauge was less than 9/10th.
Damian confirmed their health statuses and shouted, “Grid, even you will find it hard to face him!”
In the process of dealing with Hill, Damian estimated that Hill had an approximate health of 50 million. Furthermore, his attack power was at least 1.6 times higher than Damian’s while his defense was only slightly lower than Damian’s. Grid’s attack power and defense might be two times higher than Damian’s, but it wouldn’t make a big difference to Hill. Basically, Grid was at a disadvantage in facing Hill.
“He is a monster who can use his skill without any restrictions! You should avoid a frontal fight!”
Hill’s skill of 12 punches per second could be used continuously while Pagma’s Swordsmanship had a long cooldown time. Hence, Damian judged that no player could win in a one-on-one match against Hill, including Grid. Grid listened closely to Damian’s words.
“He is strong. He has high defense and attack power.”
Grid lost 800 health every time he was hit by Hill’s fist. If all 12 punches hit him, he would lose 9,600 health. Additionally, Hill could unleash the 12 punches every second. Hill’s attack power was threatening even when taking into consideration the healing power of Doran’s Ring, the blood-sucking ability of Elfin Stone’s Ring, Tiramet’s Power, and the health restoration and shield creation of the First King Title.
‘This guy is on a different level from Dark Bus.’
Grid had experience with shattering Yatan’s Servants several times in the past few years, so he could compare the current Yatan’s Servants with the previous ones in a more objective manner than anyone else. This meant he was forced to evaluate Hill highly.
‘I would’ve been defeated if we had met at the time of the National Competition.’
Yes, Hill was really strong. It wasn’t unusual that a skilled player like Damian was driven to the defensive.
“Item Combination.”
It was why Grid revealed his power right at the beginning.
[Belial’s Staff and the Lightning Sword Born from Enlightenment and Strong Desires will be combined!]
Grid made a judgment. If he activated things like the flames emission, the illusions, the red lightning bolt, the black flames, and so on, it would be counted as using magic. This meant a shield that absorbed 5,000 health would be created. The combination of the sword and staff was the only means to resist Hill’s overwhelming attack power.
“A spear?” From Hill’s perspective, an unidentified enemy had suddenly appeared. Hill slightly shrank back at the sight of the black-haired man with a beautiful crown on his head. The swordsman who could swing a sword faster than Hill’s fists abandoned the sword and armed himself with a spear.
In spite of that, Hill’s confusion only lasted for a moment. He quickly scoffed inwardly, ‘He must be trying to maximize his strength because it is hard to deal me a big blow no matter how hard he swings the sword.’
It was stupid. Didn’t the enemy know it was useless regardless of whether it was a big blow or many blows? Among Yatan’s Servants, Hill was the strongest physically. While swinging his fist, he shouted, “You can’t be just quick or strong! In order to win against me, you need a powerful attack that can penetrate my defense faster than I move! Kuhahahat!”
Hill jumped forward energetically. His face, chest, and rounded belly seemed ridiculous at first, but no one could laugh at him. Everyone shrank back at the presence of the powerful man who had already dominated Pope Damian.
“Danger!” Lord’s worried voice echoed through the banquet hall at the sight of his father in a crisis.
“…!” Hearing the distant scream of a boy, Agnus got up from where he was fighting outside the banquet hall with Lich Mumud. He had to defeat the enemy in front of him to protect the woman and child! Silvenas’ fists struck the jaws of the shaking Agnus. Agnus spat out blood, and his chest was exposed without any defenses. Silvenas’ sword cut at his chest.
“Kuk…!”
“What are you—? Why do you care about other people when you are dying? Why protect the enemy in the first place? Are you crazy?”
Yatan’s Servants were wicked people. The people who aimed at the destruction of the world and the fall of humanity ultimately couldn’t be good. From a general point of view, Yatan’s Servants were crazy. Yet even they thought that Agnus was a madman. Grasping the wound on his chest, Agnus giggled, “Is it possible to maintain my mind in a world with crazy people like you? Huh~? Kik…! Kilkik!”
Agnus himself admitted that he was crazy. He had gone insane the night his lover experienced that terrible pain.
“Mumud!” Agnus cried out to Lich Mumud, who was running out of mana. “Save the queen and the prince!”
“…?” Lich Mumud hesitated. It was a reaction that showed he hadn’t expected his master to give an order to protect others.
Agnus urged him with bloody eyes, “Get out of here quickly!”
“…”
The highest level undead lich was able to ‘think.’ They had emotions and will. However, duty was more important than personal feelings and will. From the day he had been dominated by Agnus until today, Lich Mumud had completed many undesired missions. He had harmed countless people under his master’s commands, causing Mumud to feel like he was in hell. This time was an exception. His master’s command coincided with his will.
Clack… Clack clack… Lich Mumud stepped toward the banquet hall, wielding his magic power. Silvenas tried to stop him.
“Where are you going?” Agnus blocked Silvenas’ way. Silvenas turned her sword on the guy who would die soon and had no more mana.
“You crazy guy!” Silvenas’ sword pierced Agnus’ abdomen. She thought that Agnus would die like this because he had already lost his immortality.
“Kik…! Kikikik!” Strangely, Agnus didn’t die, yet the abdomen pierced by Silvenas’ sword didn’t heal. Agnus’ body was clearly in tatters. No health could be felt from him. So how was he still alive? Silvenas took a step back out of confusion and belatedly realized that Agnus was on the boundary between life and death right now.
“Lich Transformation? You even consumed your soul for the sake of protecting others?!”
“Kik…! Kikikik!”
Death knights and demons appeared around Agnus, who recovered some of his magic power after becoming a lich. Silvenas felt a threat to her life.
***
‘What is this…?!!’ Yatan’s Third Servant Aliburn was astonished by the man who had suddenly entered the battlefield. It was because he knew the identity of the man with the purple-red aura.
‘Hero King!’
The legend of Sword Saint and Hero King Muller having sealed several great demons was famous. The Hero King, Demon Slayer, and Rebecca’s Daughters were the greatest enemies for the Yatan Church and the great demons. The Hero King was now showing up at this timing…? Did Rebecca intervene?
‘…No, this is the best chance!’ A smile appeared on Aliburn’s face as he stopped shrinking back. Hill was Dark Bus’ successor and the teacher of former Yatan’s Servants. Unlike the previous servants who had been killed due to being vulnerable in close combat, Hill was someone who specialized in individual combat power. It was impossible to defeat him in a one-on-one match.
‘Hill was specifically chosen by Amoract. He has a secret weapon that can destroy the Hero King.’
Aliburn’s expectations soared into the sky. He saw this as a genius opportunity God Yatan created. It was a chance to wipe out the Rebecca Church and the Hero King at the same time!
“Take this punch!” The shining Hill aimed 12 punches toward the Hero King. The 25th great demon, Dantalian, had given ‘Fighting Knowledge’ to Hill. When it evolved, Hill gained the power to break the sky. Just like the pope, Aliburn judged that the Hero King would soon be forced on the defensive and forced to his knees. However, the result was different from Aliburn’s expectations.
“What?” Aliburn’s eyes sho
ok as he watched the battle. Every time the Hero King swung his spear, lightning and flames struck. Hill was turned to rags while the Hero King was surrounded by shields on all sides. The two of them exchanged attacks, but Hill was the only one damaged while the Hero King’s body was still intact.
“What is this?”
Wasn’t this above the legendary Muller? Alburn’s face paled.
“Linked Kill Wave Pinnacle!”
A myth, myth, and myth…
The myth rated Belial’s Staff and Enlightenment Sword, which were combined using a god’s blessing, far exceeded the category of a legend. This was the moment when the Yatan Church’s Hill was sentenced to death.
[You have killed Yatan’s Seventh Servant, Hill.]
[Dantalian’s Knowledge Fragment has been obtained.]
[Your level has risen.]
[Your level has risen.]
Chapter 871
‘This is a great demon’s ability?’
Four years after becoming Pagma’s Descendant, none of Grid’s skills had reached the master level. It was extremely difficult to raise skill levels, which meant that the value of the Dantalian’s Knowledge Fragment was unreasonably high. This wasn’t even all of the knowledge.
Despite the two levels he gained from killing Hill, Grid had been disappointed when only one old booklet dropped. Then his thoughts changed after reading the description of the booklet. Rather than disappointed, he was now satisfied, and his admiration for it was far beyond his satisfaction.
‘Is there something like a blacksmith’s knowledge fragment? In any case, this knowledge would be a great help to Regas.’
Grid didn’t think about how much it could be sold for and the people it could be sold to. He had no intention of taking anything from his colleagues. Right now, he wasn’t frantic about immediate gains. It wasn’t because he had become a pushover who easily gave things to others. Instead, it was because he was certain that the stronger his colleagues and friends became, the more they could be of great help to him and his precious ones.