Chapter 209

"I was right!"

Han Tae-Seong was convinced.

It was this damn martial artist who had killed their Guild Master.

At the same time, he realized that he was no match for Jeong-Hoon in his current state.

<'Guide of the Fallen Star' says that if you pay the price, it can grant you Ultimate Power immediately.>

Ultimate Power.

He would need that power to stand a chance.

"Price...?"

But to gain that power, he had to pay a price.

<'Guide of the Fallen Star' says to offer your soul as a price.>

His soul?!

Han Tae-Seong's eyes widened.

The others reacted similarly.

They made a contract to receive power, and now it was asking for their souls?

<'Guide of the Fallen Star' makes another offer. If you succeed in your revenge, it will return the soul you offered as a price.>

'If I succeed in my revenge...?'

Han Tae-Seong nodded.

"It's all or nothing, then. Fine."

He then signaled to Ahn Chang-Soo next to him.

Ahn Chang-Soo, quick to understand, also nodded.

"Yes. If we all attack together, we should be able to do something."

Even Sword King Sa Jae-Hyeok couldn't handle this many people.

So this guy wouldn't be much different.

If they added Ultimate Power to that, revenge might not be impossible.

<'Guide of the Fallen Star' says it's an excellent choice. It then says it will begin the Devil's Deal.>

With this, they gained power in exchange for their souls.

* * *

Jeong-Hoon released the drawn bowstring.

Fwoosh!

The arrow shot out and accurately struck Han Tae-Seong's head, who was at the forefront.

[Heavenly Strike activated.]

A rain of arrows poured down from the sky, engulfing them.

"H-Hoon!"

"Brother! Those aren't monsters, they're humans!"

He knew.

That's why he had to eliminate them.

Jeong-Hoon drew and released the bowstring once again.

'Arrow of the Storm.'

The Arrow of the Storm shot towards Han Tae-Seong again.

[Arrow of the Storm has been nullified.]

However, the Arrow of the Storm vanished before it could even reach him.

[Heavenly Strike canceled.]

The downpour of arrows also disappeared.

The corners of Jeong-Hoon's lips twitched.

'Did he gain power by paying the price?'

Sa Jae-Hyeok had also gained Ultimate Power by offering his soul to a Transcendent.

They would be no different.

'It must be the same bastard.'

The Transcendent who had actively intervened in the previous wager with Baal, the one who had contracted with Sa Jae-Hyeok.

The reason it was able to intervene was that Baal had turned a blind eye to its involvement.

'Ha, what a bastard.'

A twisted smile crept onto Jeong-Hoon's lips.

That Transcendent was trying to hinder him under the guise of revenge.

Since Baal couldn't directly intervene in the dungeon, it was trying to accurately gauge Jeong-Hoon's level during this time.

That information would be helpful in choosing the dungeons for their wager.

'So you're going to play it this way?'

Jeong-Hoon had clearly set conditions.

Do not directly intervene in the dungeons.

And ensure that the Transcendents do not interfere.

Yet, there was a reason why that Transcendent could still act like this.

'It could just argue that the condition only applies to the dungeons it designates.'

He had been shortsighted.

He never thought that Transcendent would use its subordinates like this.

They didn't simply gain power through contracts.

They had to pay a price in exchange for the contract.

If Jeong-Hoon wiped out these Myth members here, a penalty would be imposed, and the Transcendent would be stripped of its position and annihilated.

That's why Transcendents didn't hand out contracts recklessly.

Especially Apostle-grade Transcendents had to be even more careful in choosing their contractors.

'But it must have no choice.'

It must have been Baal's order.

'Then this means I can eliminate that Transcendent bastard.'

Jeong-Hoon drew Anima's bowstring once again.

Anima was now fully enhanced.

[Dragon Anima Bone Bow (+20)]

- Type: Bow

- Grade: Legendary

- Attack Power: ? (Adjusted according to the wearer's level) (2.5x applied)

- Critical Hit Rate: 25 ~ 30%

- Damage reduction due to level difference is decreased. (Legendary exclusive)

- Remaining Durability: 100%

- Special Ability (1): Infinitely generates Mana Arrows. (Mana Arrow damage increased by 30%)

- Special Ability (2): Upon hitting the target with an arrow, applies a random debuff with a low probability (Debuff probability slightly increased)

- Special Ability (3): 'Passive: Black Flame' is activated with a random probability (10%)

- Special Ability (4): 'Passive: Dragon Void' is activated with a random probability (12%)

- Remaining Enhancements: 0 (Reached maximum enhancement)

By reaching full enhancement, all options were greatly increased.

It was in an ideal state to wipe out all those guys.

'This is why fully enhanced Legendary is broken.'

Of course, he couldn't be satisfied with this grade.

Some enemies required him to wear Celestial grade or higher equipment to even damage them.

With equipment below that grade, they would be invincible, and their health wouldn't decrease.

Such despicable people existed, so he had to upgrade his equipment.

Jeong-Hoon released the drawn bowstring.

The arrow shot into the fog.

'Extreme Archer: Soul.'

Even though his vision was obscured, the arrow must have dealt damage to them.

However, the arrow vanished before it could hit them once again.

"Kekeke, you fool. Did you think we would fall for such a simple arrow?"

Han Tae-Seong, who had been shot in the head, sneered, completely unharmed.

'Is it invincibility?'

There were various types of power one could receive from a Transcendent.

Among them was invincibility.

It didn't strengthen one's power, but it made the body able to withstand any attack.

'And there must be someone with the power of nullification.'

Nullification.

The ability to nullify an opponent's attack.

Those many people had gained power by paying the price.

However, there was a weakness in their power.

Just like Sa Jae-Hyeok, they couldn't maintain that power for long.

Moreover, Sa Jae-Hyeok was a level above them.

Since those who were not even at his level had received such powerful abilities, the duration would be much shorter.

As proof, their faces were filled with impatience.

Jeong-Hoon drew and released the bowstring once again.

Fwoosh!

The arrow shot out.

As before, the arrow vanished before it could hit them.

Nevertheless, Jeong-Hoon didn't stop and continued to shoot arrows.

In response, the Myth members also began to cast magic.

[Celestial Aura activated.]

Celestial Aura enveloped Jeong-Hoon's body.

An aura of starlight emanated from him, wrapping him in a gentle embrace.

[Attack power and defense increased by 20%.]

[Attack power and defense of targets within range decreased by 10%.]

With Celestial Aura,

[Adamantine activated.]

He used the special ability of the fully enhanced Mukho.

Thanks to this, Jeong-Hoon didn't take much damage from the pouring magic.

[Using Advanced Healing.]

He quickly recovered his lost health with healing.

On the other hand, their faces were filled with shock.

"Crazy! The arrows aren't disappearing!"

"Uaagh!"

The arrows that had been disappearing suddenly started hitting them.

Even those who were enduring with invincibility couldn't withstand the damage of the arrows and collapsed on the spot.

'Alright.'

[Avatar's Adversary Lv.2]

- Type: Title

- Grade: Unique

- Nullifies the power of Avatars with a low probability.

- Nullification is limited to powers granted by Transcendents.

- The title effect is limited to Apostle-grade Transcendents.

It was because of this title.

"How...?"

Han Tae-Seong, unaware of the title's effect, muttered blankly with an arrow through his chest.

Jeong-Hoon approached him as he lay on the ground.

"Why did you make a contract with a Transcendent?"

"...To avenge our Guild Master."

"What did he do for you?"

Why go this far?

Sa Jae-Hyeok was a man full of ambition.

He was also trash who could abandon even his close aides for the sake of Myth.

In fact, before his return, those who were loyal to Myth were betrayed by Sa Jae-Hyeok and annihilated.

That's why he couldn't understand why these people were going this far for Sa Jae-Hyeok.

"Cough! What's wrong with being loyal to our lord...?"

"You fool."

"You can call me a fool. Kill me."

"...You had good people around you."

Jeong-Hoon ended their lives one by one with Leviathan.

[You have slain an Avatar of a Transcendent.]

[Due to the contractor's death, you gain 10,000,000 experience points from the Transcendent.]

[You have slain an Avatar of a Transcendent.]

[Due to the contractor's death, you gain 10,000,000 experience points from the Transcendent.]

The messages popped up repeatedly.

<Penalty points have accumulated and exceeded the limit.>

<Therefore, 'Guide of the Fallen Star' is stripped of its Transcendent position.>

<'Guide of the Fallen Star' will be annihilated shortly.>

It was time to pay the price.

<'Guide of the Fallen Star' says it curses you. It says you will never die peacefully.>

However, the Transcendent seemed to have already accepted its annihilation, cursing Jeong-Hoon instead of panicking.

"I understand, so just disappear."

Jeong-Hoon sneered at it.

* * *

Meanwhile.

Jang Dae-Hwi, who had been watching the broadcast, couldn't stop admiring while editing the video.

"Wow... damn, a grade higher than Legendary!"

A grade higher than Legendary was revealed.

And it was through Jeong-Hoon.

'Celestial grade.'

It was unfamiliar because it was a grade he had never seen before, but he soon realized that it was the grade following Legendary.

The reason was the Celestial Enhancement Stone that Jeong-Hoon found later.

[Celestial Enhancement Stone]

- An Enhancement Stone with celestial power imbued in it.

- Can be used to upgrade equipment of Legendary (fully enhanced) grade or lower, and the success rate is as follows:

He clearly saw it.

It said it could upgrade equipment of Legendary grade or lower.

Didn't that mean it was the grade following Legendary?

"When this video is uploaded... it will definitely cause a huge stir."

Jang Dae-Hwi continued editing the video with that conviction.

* * *

[Okay! We'll hurry to that dungeon!]

"I'll send you the Highest Grade Pickaxe by mail, so use that to mine."

[Okay!]

Before uploading the video, he contacted Yeo Min-Ji and instructed her to head to the dungeon with his mother.

Ho-Yeong was short on snipers, so his mother was actively helping them.

'With this, I've definitely prevented my mother's death.'

He had corrected one of the things he regretted the most.

That alone made him feel like all his efforts had been rewarded.

Jeong-Hoon smiled brightly and took out the Celestial Enhancement Stone.

"Now, shall I get to work?"

It was time to upgrade his fully enhanced Legendary equipment.

[Heh, you'll upgrade me first this time, right?]

'Don't be ridiculous! Didn't we do you first last time? Of course, I have to go first.'

As expected, Mukho and Anima started arguing about who would go first.

Jeong-Hoon tilted his head.

"Are you sure?"

At his question, Mukho and Anima responded in puzzled voices.

[What do you mean, are we sure?]

'What does that mean?'

Jeong-Hoon showed them the Celestial Enhancement Stone once again.

"Look at the success rate. It's 50%, right?"

The success rate was 50%.

If successful, it would be upgraded to Celestial grade, but if it failed, there would be a problem.

[If it fails, there's a 99% chance it will be destroyed...?]

'Uh... um...'

Mukho and Anima were speechless with shock.

The destruction of the equipment meant the same as annihilation.

"Who wants to go first?"

Jeong-Hoon asked them again.

[I'll yield! Let's do Anima first!]

'You damn bastard? You go first. Didn't we do you first last time?'

[That's why I'm saying I'll yield this time! It's a chance to become stronger, and I'm giving it up?]

'I'm already strong. It's only right that you, who are insignificant, get the chance.'

They started pushing each other away, not wanting to be destroyed.

"Neither of you will go first. What I'm going to upgrade is this."

Fortunately, the item Jeong-Hoon was going to upgrade was the 'Headpiece Imbued with the Spirit of the Divine Beast'.

[Are you sure...? If it's destroyed, it'll disappear?]

'Even with a 50% chance, you have to be careful...'

Mukho and Anima expressed their concern while also feeling relieved.

It was a fully enhanced Legendary equipment.

Such equipment could disappear in an instant and turn to dust.

"It's okay. I have a way."

Before his return, Jeong-Hoon had upgraded four pieces of equipment to Celestial grade.

So he was confident that he could succeed in this upgrade.