Chapter 31

Chapter 30: The Corrupted Corridor's Master (4)

"How can a mere human...?"

Belus muttered in disbelief.

It was only natural.

The attack just now was aimed at wiping out the humans in one blow, sparing no mana.

However.

Just how.

Could this guy block it so easily?

Jinhyuk shrugged.

"The skills and fire attributes you use are mutually exclusive."

Moreover, due to the gap in stats and adaptive abilities, the level difference had actually reversed.

Given this situation...

He lacked confidence.

Confidence in winning.

"The moment Ellis was sealed, your chances of winning disappeared."

"Indeed, it seems difficult to win with magic."

Belus dispersed the mana he had gathered.

"But if there is a mutual exclusivity as you say... it should be difficult to withstand close-range attacks with magic, right?"

A dark sword appeared in his right hand.

A rapier, favored by vampires.

Furthermore.

[Belus activates Lv9 'Dark Combat Aura'!]

A black aura began to seep from the blade.

It was a sword aura.

A fairly pure one at that.

"Nothing beats this for dealing with pests who run around like flies from a distance."

He wasn't wrong.

The risk for a magic user increases dramatically the moment the distance closes.

Moreover, with twelve of them attacking simultaneously, it was a solid strategy.

That's right.

It's the orthodox approach.

Orthodox, but...

Who said I'm only strong against magic?

[Unique Ability 'Grave of Swords' activated!]

In the silent stillness, the talent of a legendary swordmaster from a bygone era seeped into Jinhyuk's body.

Everything changed.

What he saw and felt.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

His heart beat fiercely.

From the subtle movements of his muscles.

To the flow of mana.

The world beyond the mask looked completely different from before.

'So, the title of Swordmaster wasn't given lightly, it seems.'

The corners of Jinhyuk's mouth turned upward.

***

'...What is it?'

Belus tilted his head.

Just now, something changed.

It's hard to describe exactly what, but the atmosphere had completely shifted.

Shiver.

His hand trembled faintly.

Could it be.

'Is he afraid?'

Me?

Belus clenched his teeth so hard they might crack.

"Don't... be ridiculous."

To be afraid of a single human.

It's impossible, and it shouldn't happen.

Most importantly, he needed to break the hexagram restraining Ellis right now. There was no time to waste.

Belus gripped his sword.

"No matter how much you struggle, you won't be able to withstand my sword aura."

The black aura burned brightly.

A sword aura renowned for its extreme cutting power.

"I'll attack all at once."

"Remember, don't miss."

"We need to cut off at least one limb. That's the only way to vent our frustration."

The vampires formed a包围圈 around Jinhyuk.

Front, back, left, and right.

Not even an ant could escape.

However, Jinhyuk remained in place, making no move to respond.

He merely scanned his enemies with a nonchalant expression.

"Sword aura, huh? Is that all you believe in?"

"Don't show off. No matter how skilled you are, you can't escape from here."

True, it might sound like boasting.

The situation was clearly in their favor.

Then.

He would show them.

With actions, not words.

Jinhyuk infused his dagger with mana.

Then.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

A blinding light flickered.

"This, this can't be..."

Belus's eyes bulged.

It was on a different level from the sword aura merely covering the blade.

A blue aura, nearly a meter high, completely enveloped the dagger.

No doubt about it.

This is.

"An Aura Blade?"

"To infuse a sword with energy, it should at least be this level, shouldn't it?"

Jinhyuk extended his dagger forward.

A sharpness that could slice through the air itself.

Overwhelming power directed at the vampires.

Thwack!

His figure vanished in that instant.

"Wh-Where did he go?"

"Where? Where is he?"

"Damn it, don't try to follow him with your eyes, use your mana to detect him!"

Belus shouted, but it was too late.

"Kraaaah!"

Red blood spurted from the shoulder of the vampire on the side.

His arm was cleanly severed, and even with a vampire's excellent recovery, it would take time.

'One down.'

Jinhyuk's eyes locked onto the next target.

Starting with the weakest.

And ending with the strongest.

No matter how confident he was in victory, he wouldn't let his guard down.

Swish!

The dagger drew a circle.

"Keh!"

A hole appeared in the vampire's thigh, and a short scream escaped his lips.

Another one down.

[Stop immediately...!]

Ellis seemed to be shouting something, but it was hard to hear.

He had already tucked Brahman's ring deep into his pocket before the fight began.

"Don't act on your own! Maintain formation! Don't fall for the enemy's tricks!"

Belus raised his voice.

"Keh!"

"Tch!"

Finally, the vampires adjusted their stance.

Filling the gaps left by the injured, reinforcing the sides.

"Attack!"

Ten rapiers were launched at Jinhyuk.

The moment the swords clashed.

Boom!

The rapiers shattered into dozens of pieces.

The blades were completely destroyed.

As expected, a sword aura couldn't withstand a sword blade.

'It doesn't matter. Even if I lose half, I just need to land one successful attack.'

Sacrifice was inevitable.

Belus knew this better than anyone.

Whoosh!

Whoosh!

But the rapiers only sliced through the air.

They couldn't even catch Jinhyuk's shadow.

30 seconds... 1 minute.

The longer it went on, the more Belus's face turned ashen.

'Even if they throw their lives away, they can't even match him.'

Meanwhile, their numbers were dwindling one by one.

No one knew when or how they were taken down.

It felt like fighting a ghost.

Thud!

Another one fell.

There were no more vampires standing beside him.

"Damn it."

Now... he didn't know what to do.

Belus felt a cold aura approaching from behind.

And that was.

The last scene he remembered.

***

The fight was over.

So anticlimactically.

No, the word "anticlimactic" only applies to Jinhyuk, the one involved.

Those who had watched the entire process were frozen in shock, unable to move a finger.

"Miss Teresa..."

Song Cheon-hwa stammered.

What exactly did he just see?

Is this reality?

To wipe out the bloodline of the True Ancestor, which even the raid team couldn't touch, all by himself.

No ranker could do such a thing.

Gulp!

A dry swallow passed through Song Cheon-hwa's throat.

"Do you know who that man is?"

"..."

Teresa didn't answer.

Instead, she glanced at Jinhyuk.

Wearing a mask.

It means he doesn't want to reveal his identity to others.

"We met by chance and came together. He just told me to trust him, and didn't give me any other details... so I don't know much."

"I see... Ah!"

Song Cheon-hwa, who had reluctantly nodded, let out a gasp.

He had seen Jinhyuk, wearing a mask, about to do something.

"Wait! Just a moment!"

Song Cheon-hwa rushed to Jinhyuk.

"Why?"

Jinhyuk, who had been standing in front of the relic, turned around.

"I... I'm Song Cheon-hwa, the raid leader of this attack team."

"I have a general idea."

The leader of a failed raid.

A commander more feared than the enemy due to incompetence.

If it were me, I'd be too embarrassed to show my face.

What nerve does he have to speak?

...Never mind.

A person like this probably doesn't even know what they did wrong.

"Take the injured and leave the ruins. They need hydration and simple nutrition as their stamina is severely depleted."

Jinhyuk waved his hand as if annoyed.

But.

Song Cheon-hwa didn't seem to want to leave, looking troubled.

"Before that, I have something to say about the relic."

Don't tell me.

He's claiming the rights to the relic here?

Wow.

This guy is even more impressive than I thought.

"Do you know that the ownership of all items obtained from this raid belongs to our Bohai Guild..."

Jinhyuk cut off Song Cheon-hwa mid-sentence.

"Saved your life, and now you want the relic too?"

What a novel way to bark.

So novel that I'm almost looking forward to what he'll say next.

Song Cheon-hwa, feeling the sting, quickly added.

"In exchange, we will provide you with other compensation. Money or coins, we'll make sure you're not shortchanged."

"Compensation, huh..."

This isn't going to work.

I didn't plan to go this far.

But if he insists, there's nothing I can do.

"There's no need. Just take it. Go on."

Jinhyuk took a step to the side.

"Really, are you sure it's okay?"

"Of course. Just don't regret it. Whatever the outcome."

"Really?"

"Just a thought."

Jinhyuk shrugged.

Song Cheon-hwa felt uneasy but shook his head.

Since Jinhyuk was offering the relic, there was no reason to refuse.

A wooden fragment lying on a flat rock.

It was 'Merlin's Staff'.

One of the seven broken pieces, but its value remained intact.

'If used as a magic material, its potential is limitless.'

Greed clouded Song Cheon-hwa's eyes.

If he took this, it would help redeem the raid team's failure.

But the moment he touched the fragment.

A burning sensation, like being scalded by fire, shot through his hand.

Song Cheon-hwa pulled back in shock.

But what startled him more than the red, inflamed skin was.

The inverted cross-shaped mark on his palm.

"What... what is this?"

What...?

"A curse."

The relic could only be obtained by destroying Ellis.

But since Ellis was sealed and not dead, touching the relic naturally invoked a curse.

"A curse! You mean... I'll... die?"

"No, it won't affect your life. Just... "

"Just?"

Alopecia.

"All the hair on your body will fall out completely."

In other words, he would have to live a smooth, hairless life forever.

"Th-That can't be."

Song Cheon-hwa touched his hair with a trembling hand.

Oh.

It was falling out in clumps, and it looked like it wouldn't take a few hours.

That's why I said.

You'll regret it.

Well, it's too late to say that now.

"No... noooooo!"

Song Cheon-hwa screamed and ran off, probably to find a mirror. It would be better for his mental health not to look.

***

"...You're quite mischievous."

Teresa smiled with a complex expression.

"He tried to take what wasn't his, so he got what he deserved."

"But now, won't Jinhyuk have to give up the relic too?"

No.

That's not the case.

'I know how to touch the relic without being cursed.'

'Blessing of the Stars'.

If I can master divine power, I can withstand this level of curse.

"Before answering Teresa's question, can I ask one thing?"

"Of course."

"Would you admit that you owe your life to me?"

"..."

Teresa stared into Jinhyuk's eyes.

If Jinhyuk hadn't been there...

No one in the raid team would have made it out alive.

"Yes. Thank you. I owe my life to you."

Teresa nodded.

[Condition met.]

[Successfully copied unique ability 'Blessing of the Stars (SS)'!]

[The copied skill will be stored in 'Memory of the World'.]

[Blessing of the Stars]

Acquisition difficulty: SS

Description: Allows the use of divine power, exclusive to holy knights, and grants a second life unless it's an instant kill. (240-hour cooldown)

With this...

The final objective in the ruins has been achieved.