Chapter 57: Overwhelming Inaction (3)
TL: Hanguk
-Rumble-rumble-rumble!
Even with the appearance of Crimson Lord Luciella, the earthquake did not stop.
I wondered if we were really going to fight like this, and then new tentacles sprouted from the ground like a heat haze.
Only then did the earthquake stop, but how should I put it?
An environment was created that made it difficult to approach her easily.
The devastated area around the Court had transformed into a forest of tentacles.
‘Is this some kind of territory-type skill?’
The surroundings had become entirely Luciella’s domain.
[Shall I clean up the trash first?]
Her extraordinary presence alone was enough to kill our fighting spirit, but then she suddenly pointed to the sky with her finger.
Then, a red aura surged from Luciella’s fingertip into the sky.
Soon after, red light began to pour down like rain.
“Lia ssi!”
“Yes!”
At my call, Willia unfolded Divine Shield high in the sky to measure the power of the attack.
-Pop!
The Divine Shield was torn apart without lasting even a second, and I shouted out as I saw it.
“Intermediate Shield didn’t last even a second! Don’t try to block it, just avoid it!”
“What? Y-Yes!”
Even though I wasn’t the raid leader, everyone obediently followed my urgent shout.
And then.
Where the red light fell, a crater about five meters in diameter was formed.
The problem was that this terrifying attack didn’t end with just one strike.
-Kwakwakwakwakwa-bang!
An assault that crushed everything around.
That indiscriminate attack caused the Court building to collapse helplessly.
“H-How do you beat that?”
The survivors turned pale and stared blankly.
Those who did not follow my instructions and tried to block it with a shield were crushed to death as their shields turned into a pressing machine, and those who did follow but lacked the ability to dodge were torn apart on the spot.
It looked like at least twenty people were taken out by that single attack.
A similar number had died from the tentacle attack just before Luciella appeared, and some had died early on, so by now, the number of dead had exceeded fifty out of the 130 raid members.
‘Kang Yi-sol did say this was a battle for the fate of Seoul…’
He probably didn’t expect it to be this bad either.
Honestly, this level of force exceeded even my expectations.
If we fail to subjugate this monster, Seoul might truly collapse.
“That’s impossible.”
“Run!”
Thanks to that, people swallowed by fear started to retreat.
“W-Wait!”
Before Kang Yi-sol could stop them, people began to flee the scene.
Honestly, I think it’s a miracle they held out this long.
Some came here out of conviction, others for the reward, but in front of death, everything was equal.
In the end, if you die, it’s all for nothing, isn’t it?
“.......”
Before I knew it, only about twenty people remained standing.
Among those who fled were many of the subordinates of Kang Yi-sol, Yoon Si-ah, and Kim Hyun-soo.
On the other hand, those who remained were only the leaders of each hunting team or those with comparable responsibility and status.
[Hahahahaha!]
Luciella let out a loud mocking laugh, seemingly amused by the situation.
But I didn’t care much.
“As long as the rest of you can keep her attention focused, that’s enough.”
“Huh?”
“Then I think we’ve got a chance.”
“.......”
Rather, I was relieved that at least this many had stayed.
Those who had been in shock now blinked with confused expressions at my calm demeanor.
“From now on, I’ll be the main tanker and dealer.”
I hate taking risks.
Of course, my own life is the most precious to me.
But I understand there are moments when you can’t avoid it, or must not.
And I believe that moment is now.
“D-Do we really have a chance?”
“Of course.”
A chance?
Of course we do.
If I didn’t think we had a chance, charging in wouldn’t be courage, it’d be recklessness.
“Those with ranged attack abilities, support with Lia ssi to keep her in check or look for an opening to strike. The rest of you protect the ranged dealers.”
“Are you saying you’ll fight in close combat alone?”
“Yes.”
The chance I’m talking about.
Is Willia and me, ourselves.
“Lia ssi. Explosion.”
“Yes!”
At my command, Willia launched the Explosion skill toward Luciella without hesitation.
Luciela grimaced sharply, perhaps recalling the unpleasant memory of being hit by that skill before.
The moment I saw Luciella raise her tentacles like a wall to block the Explosion skill, I immediately took a drawing stance.
Then, after signaling the raid members with my eyes, I used the Blink skill.
-Kwaaaang!
At the very moment Luciella was distracted by the Explosion skill.
I used Blink for the first time to move behind her back, and simultaneously activated the Flash Slash skill.
‘Flash Slash.’
Among the skills I possess, it’s the fastest and most lethal.
Startled, Luciella turned her head, but by then, my sword was already slicing through her waist.
[Hahaha!]
Luciella laughed loudly.
I was certain I had cut her waist, but there was no sensation in my hands.
-Flap. Flap.
At that moment, a swarm of bats filled my vision, and when I came to, Luciella had already moved about ten meters away from me.
“I thought she was just a tentacle monster, maybe a cousin of an anemone, but she’s actually a vampire?”
[You are an interesting fellow.]
I was unsure when I heard the title Crimson Lord, but it looks like she’s a vampire-type.
Just then, tentacles flew in from all directions.
I didn’t take any action.
-Kwaaaang!
That was because Willia once again used the Explosion skill to blow away the surrounding tentacles.
Just as I expected from Willia’s response.
So I ignored the tentacles and charged at Crimson Lord Luciella using the Leap skill.
The distance between us closed in an instant.
[Foolish.]
But in response to my movement, she snapped her fingers.
As a result, the air in front of me exploded, pushing me back.
I felt blood surge up from within, but I swallowed it down and swung my sword infused with Sword Aura.
[Are you clinging so desperately because I look like a magic type?]
-Kyaaang!
Then Luciella, perhaps trying to match my tempo, extended her claws and blocked my sword with her bare hands.
-Kkigigik!
What followed was a contest of strength.
She looked confident in close combat as well, but when I didn’t get pushed back easily, Luciella looked genuinely surprised.
Of course, that reaction didn’t last long.
-Bang!
[Annoying!]
Willia must have used Target Point on Luciella, as a Water Shot (Magic Bullet + Water) curved widely through the air and came crashing down toward her head.
However, the attack was blocked as Luciella’s wings spread out like an umbrella.
Water Shot, with its high penetration power, can pierce through Intermediate Shields without much difficulty.
But it was blocked by those normally spread wings.
That means her wings possess a defensive strength comparable to Advanced Shield.
'Crazy.'
Ridiculously solid.
For a moment, my expression twisted, but I quickly regained composure and thrust my sword again.
This time, it was Swift Thrust.
A powerful piercing skill.
-Kang!
But absurdly enough, Luciella brushed off my attack with a casual swat, as if driving away a fly.
Maybe we can compete in raw strength and speed, but her physical durability seems to be on a whole different level.
[It does not look like you have a chance of winning?]
Luciella sneered.
And rightly so.
I already knew she wasn’t using her full power yet.
Even so, I remained unfazed.
‘Because the goal of this battle is to draw out her patterns, one by one, like this.’
My strength lies in rapid growth that enables “preemption”.
But for that to work, there’s one essential prerequisite.
That is the ability to grow faster than others.
I believe that comes from my sense for analyzing enemy combat patterns and my exceptional adaptability.
I may not be smart, but when it comes to fights where my life is on the line, my mind stays unusually cool and my body reacts keenly.
That’s why I was pouring out all these different attacks, to draw out her patterns.
-Clack!
I drew my secondary sword.
Instead of Zerka’s Sword (Mighty Slash), which is another main weapon, Cruder’s Sword (Splitting Sword) was in the sub-weapon slot.
‘Splitting Sword.’
As I drew the sub-weapon, I immediately activated its inherent skill, and then Sword Aura split into four directions, up, down, left, and right, and closed in on Luciella, pressing to engulf her.
-Bang!
She quickly flapped her wings and retreated backward.
-Kwaaang!
Because of that, the Splitting Sword struck empty air, creating a small explosion.
It was proof that Luciella’s wings weren’t just for defense but truly meant for flight.
-Kwaang! Kwaang!
[Persistent pests!]
As Luciella widened the distance, ranged attacks, including Willia’s, poured in relentlessly.
In response, Luciella spread her wings even wider, and red energy radiated outward, deflecting all incoming attacks.
“Ugh!”
The energy emitted by Luciella soon enveloped me as well.
At the same time, I felt my insides twist and I couldn’t breathe for a moment.
“Heal!”
Willia cast Heal on me from a distance, and my condition quickly recovered, but I couldn’t help but show a shocked expression as I looked at Luciella.
Not only did she have a variety of combat patterns, but every single one of them was powerful.
[Let’s stop playing now.]
Then.
Luciela spoke with a bored expression.
And her presence began to change.
Crimson energy started flowing from every part of her body, and when a passing leaf touched her aura, it crumbled into dust.
[Kiaaaaaa!]
Suddenly, Luciella let out a roar like a scream.
[All stats decrease by 20% due to the roar of Elder Crimson Lord Luciella.]
[Monsters in the vicinity begin to gather due to the roar of Elder Crimson Lord Luciella.]
Messages flashed up one after another.
Upon reading them, my expression stiffened.
[Mental Fortification skill has been granted.]
[Stat reductions from the roar have been nullified.]
Fortunately, the debuff was immediately offset by Willia’s Mental Fortification skill.
But that’s not the real problem.
[Fall into despair.]
-Kiaaaa!
-Kkuaaaak!
From all directions came the thunderous sound of countless monsters charging toward us.
Another characteristic of Elder Monsters.
The ability to control lower-tier monsters.
“The soldiers will back us up! Just focus on the Elder subjugation!”
This is exactly what the soldiers were here for.
When it comes to regular monsters, soldiers can handle them well enough with their personal firearms.
Kang Yi-sol shouted that to me as he gave orders to the soldiers who had been on standby.
-Ta-ta-ta-ta-tang!
At the same time, gunfire echoed loudly.
But unlike what Kang Yi-sol said, I knew we didn’t have much time.
All the bridges connecting the north and south of the Han River had been destroyed, so the size of the army we brought was smaller than expected.
Destroying the bridges was a decision Luciella herself made.
Which means she also knows that we’re at a disadvantage.
‘Don’t panic.’
I forced myself to stay calm.
For now, I would only focus on the target in front of me.
[Get lost.]
Luciela flapped her wings at me.
Invisible blades flew toward me, and I suffered deep wounds to my shoulder and waist.
“Ugh. Swift Thrust.”
Even while injured, I trusted Willia would heal me, so I clenched my teeth and stabbed forward with my sword.
Perhaps she didn’t expect me to counterattack even after taking a hit, a long cut appeared on Luciella’s cheek.
A wound from which blood dripped down.
But as if she were a troll, the wound quickly healed.
Still, maybe the mere fact that she got hit irritated her?
[You bastard.]
Luciella’s gaze turned deadly, and a barrage of attacks came flooding in.
Strikes that felt like being hit by a vehicle crushed my ribs.
Poisonous fog, like a chemical attack multiplied dozens of times in intensity, shredded my respiratory system.
A massive blood-red spear flew in and tore through my left shoulder.
And the red rain, which had taken dozens of lives earlier, focused solely on me and shredded my entire body like minced meat.
“Heal!”
Even so, I endured again and again through Willia’s recovery skills, aiming for that one single opportunity.
“Heal!”
“Heal!”
“Heal!”
At this point, Luciella’s expression began to slowly change.
No matter how powerful her attacks were, I desperately protected my head and regenerated my body, and the level of regeneration was beyond that of an ordinary Heal.
These were wounds that would require at least Advanced Recovery to mend, and Advanced Recovery isn’t a skill you can just use casually.
[What, what? What the hell.]
Seeing Luciella look flustered for the first time, I smirked and raised the corners of my mouth.
"Did you think I charged in without a plan?”
The secret of my recovery lay in the ring Willia was wearing.
[Ring of Recovery Transfer / Special]
-Transfers the effects of healing potions the wearer consumes to another party member.
-Limited to 10 uses
In other words, by wearing this ring, the effects of the recovery potions Willia drank were being transferred to me.
The acquisition method for this item was as follows:
[First Dungeon Clear Reward]
-Premium to Special Grade Item Draw Ticket
The draw tickets I’d been collecting from clearing dungeons again and again.
I judged that the time had finally come to use them before the raid.
So I used them all, and among them, I managed to pull just one: the Ring of Recovery Transfer.
Thanks to that, I was able to survive through countless brushes with death and still keep my composure.
[So that bitch is the problem. You're only able to hold out because of her.]
Luciela’s gaze shot toward Willia.
But it’s useless.
“I’ve finished learning your patterns.”
[What?]
Because from now on, she won’t have the chance to pay attention to Willia.
I looked at Luciella with a cold gaze and activated the skill I had been saving all this time.
‘Frenzy.’
[Frenzy / Premium Skill / Active]
-Increases all stats by 50% for 1 minute.
-Frenzy skill cannot be stacked.
-After the skill ends, all stats are reduced by 50% for 30 minutes as a penalty.
-Mana Cost: 5
A red aura, similar to Luciella’s, surged violently across my entire body.
And the world began to appear slow.
“Die.”
With those final words, I charged at Luciella.
A completely different speed and destructive power from before.
Every time I took a step, Luciella’s expression hardened.
***
Kang Yi-sol considered himself something of an elite.
A former national judo representative, medalist at both the World Championships and Asian Games, and someone who had consistently prepared for the police entrance exam in anticipation of early retirement.
As a result, he became a police officer, just as he had hoped.
Even though the world fell into catastrophe and he faced crisis.
How is it now?
He has risen even higher, becoming the head of a presidential agency.
Because of that, Kang Yi-sol was confident in everything and thought of himself as an elite.
Until he witnessed the inaction of one man today.
-Shwaaak! Shak! Srrkk!
[Kruuk! You bastard!]
An Elder Monster who had appeared with overwhelming force.
The monster that had broken the will of countless hunting teams in a single strike and driven people to flee was now being ravaged by Seo **, who radiated streams of red energy.
At first, when Seo ** clung desperately to the Elder Monster, barely holding on, it was such a pitiful sight one could hardly bear to watch. But in a single moment, the tide of battle was reversed.
-Tatatak! Tak! Tak!
That terrifying Elder Monster couldn’t keep up with Seo **’s speed.
Using the Stepping Stone skill to create walls and ceilings, Seo ** moved in a complex and erratic pattern like a squash ball, slashing the Elder Monster to pieces.
[Damn it!]
Whenever the Elder Monster attempted teleportation, Seo ** would also teleport and launch an attack right after.
More than once, the Elder Monster was thrown into danger because it misjudged Seo **’s position immediately after teleporting.
An attack that left onlookers breathless.
[Aaaargh!]
The Elder Monster had its own recovery ability, but the rate of healing could no longer keep up with the speed of the injuries being inflicted.
At this rate, they might actually win.
At this rate…
[Kiaaaaargh!]
And as if answering Kang Yi-sol’s cheer and hope, the Elder Monster let out a desperate scream.
Exactly one minute after Seo ** had changed his combat style.
[Congratulations. You are the first to successfully subjugate a Lord-rank Elder Monster.]
The long-awaited message appeared before their eyes.
*****
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