Chapter 337: Liberation (2)

Chapter 337: Liberation (2)

Screech!

Hyacinth's body gradually crumbled with a chilling sound of flesh tearing.

"Ah..."

There was no pain.

The blow was too severe for him to even feel such a thing.

Boom!

As his body hit the ground, the fight appeared to have reached its end.

"......"

Ellis gazed emotionlessly at Hyacinth.

With this, the third clan leader necessary for her revenge had disappeared.

Following Hyacinth's death, another wind blew across the battlefield.

Kaboom!

A single punch from Thor exploded the bodies of the approaching monsters like fireworks.

"Kraaah!"

"Squeak!"

One hit.

The destructive power was unsophisticated and raw.

Thor, his entire body drenched in blood, flexed his joints as if excited for the first time in a while.

"Guess they're from the demon world, not bad. But you picked the wrong opponent."

It wasn't that he grew tired as the fight went on.

On the contrary, his body seemed to loosen up, and his momentum grew increasingly ferocious.

And with that savageness...

...even the fearless monsters whined and wagged their tails in fear.

"Let's stop gloating over killing the small fry and end this quickly. The others are already finished."

Loki casually tapped on Thor's shoulder.

"Hmm, it seems the battle has ended quicker than expected. I suppose there are levels to the clan leaders after all."

"Right. If we could persuade Kang Jinhyuk, we could bring Jin Jo with him as well. It would be a great deal."

The two deities were convinced that they had to recruit Jinhyuk.

They had made enemies with vampires and other major forces since arriving here, but the allure of Jinhyuk was so extraordinary that such matters seemed trivial in comparison.

'Maybe he could make it possible.'

'To strike the Greeks a significant blow.'

A small flame kindled in the eyes of the two deities.

***

Whoosh...

...Clang clang clang!

A flurry of sword strikes crossed paths.

Nietzsche—or rather, Hesymodium—swung his arms like a madman.

But as each second ticked by, the tide of the battle shifted noticeably.

It was inevitable.

Even if the conditions of the fight had been equal, he was lower in the hierarchy.

Let alone fighting with just a half-manifestation using a human body, he stood no chance at all.

"Berial! You fool. You've thrown away your entire domain for this trivial matter? You will regret it, I'm sure of it!"

He had sought a way to break the seals using the Min, seeking the freedom of unfettered manifestation.

For Hesymodium, Berial's significant sacrifices were utterly incomprehensible.

"It's my choice whether I sell the castle or surrender my treasures. If you're so bothered, why don't you burn everything you own too?"

"Ugh!"

Hesymodium clenched his teeth until they were at the brink of breaking.

It was only a matter of time before he would be overcome.

Since his soul was infused with the body, if his corporeal frame collapsed, even as a Demon Lord, there was no doubt he would suffer greatly.

Eventually...

[Hesymodium deactivates 'Partial Manifestation'!]

[The creatures of the demon world retreat to their own realms!]

Only one path remained open for survival.

Hesymodium and his entourage of higher nobles vanished into the demon world.

"Well, that thing at least understands its place," remarked Berial, shrugging his shoulders.

"Thanks. You've made things simpler for me."

"Enough with the thanks. Keep your promise. This has truly cost me a lot this time."

"I'll try. At least I'll try."

Now, only Nietzsche remained, standing alone where Hesymodium had left, his face slack with shock, unable to comprehend what had just occurred.

Seeing the defeat of a being they revered as a deity, it was natural for him to be flustered.

Then, at that moment.

Ding!

['Nihilism' unique ability copying successful.]

[Nihilism - Green Grade]

Difficulty of Acquisition: SS

Description: Allows the caster to seal the unique abilities and skills of enemies in the vicinity. However, high comprehension and delicate control are required to use Nihilism, and using it in conjunction with other skills can cause fatal damage to the body.]

Unexpectedly green grade—good!

Jinhyuk's lips curled up in satisfaction.

'I've acquired this as well.'

He had defeated Nietzsche with his abilities and skills sealed, and he had forced the Demon Lord to abandon his Apostle.

It hadn't been an easy task to meet both conditions, but he had managed to attain his goal.

'To freely combine skills like Nietzsche, it will take time.'

He hadn't used this ability very often in the past, never making it a mainstay due to its significant drawbacks.

Of course, there's no rush.

Skills can be slowly mastered over time.

More importantly...

It was time to extract the last bit of value from the abandoned attack dog.

Jinhyuk stepped toward Nietzsche.

"Ugh..."

Nietzsche trembled at the sight of Jinhyuk.

There was no longer any will to resist, his confident demeanor had completely vanished.

"I have a few questions. If you answer them readily, I won't take your life."

"W-What would you like to know?"

"First, let's correct that tone of yours."

"Aaaah!"

When the Primordial Flame manifested, Nietzsche felt agonizing pain radiate from his shoulder.

"If you still think you're in charge of the Min, that's a big misunderstanding. Got it?"

"Wh-Whatever you want to know, I... will answer."

His attitude became much more submissive.

That's when a conversation can comfortably take place.

"The Royal Blood's Crown."

A weighty name slipped from Jinhyuk's mouth.

"That's..."

"Why? Don't feel like answering? Shouldn't you have spoken sooner? Maybe you still require more... convincing?"

Flame surged fiercer than before.

"Wait! Just a moment! I don't mind telling you. I can tell you how to find the crown, but obtaining it is out of my hands. That's why I was holding back."

"Acquisition is my concern. Just tell me what you know."

Urged by Jinhyuk, Nietzsche, with some hesitation, started talking.

"Ascion's sigil, one of the Clan Heads—that's the key to finding the crown."

So Ascion held the key...

And speaking of him...

"Where's Ascion hiding that he isn't joining the battle?"

Ascion was nowhere to be seen.

It's not like he was preparing for a counterattack.

The battle was over.

"I don't know either."

That cunning man, had he caught wind of something?

Jinhyuk grimaced sullenly.

He thought he had tied up all the loose ends.

Yet, the most critical piece for Ellis's revenge had slipped away.

Holding the key to the Royal Blood's Crown, at that.

"Having found out everything you wanted, may I now go?"

"Of course, you're free to leave. I did say I wouldn't touch you."

However...

He hadn't said anything about preventing anyone else from taking action.

Jinhyuk stepped back.

Swoosh.

Melena and Tristan stepped forward as though they'd been waiting, their long whip and sharp sword ready for action.

"You- what's this about?"

"Clean up is always necessary."

"We mustn't leave any loose ends—that's the principle you taught us."

Leaving him alive was too dangerous.

As long as he had ties with the Demon Lord, he could always stab them in the back.

"No... please, no..."

Nietzsche pleaded, reaching out with his hand, but Melena and Tristan had made up their minds.

Thud!

Slash!

The sword and whip moved in unison, and the leader of the Min Association finally met his end.

Now, the big issues were settled.

But just then...

Crack!

A sound like the splitting of heaven and earth resonated.

[The Gate is liberated!]

[Shub-Niggurath manifests outside the Tower.]

Everything turned a bloody shade.

***

The primordial beings.

Merely facing them could shatter an opponent's mind; they are the ultimate residents of the Tower of Trials.

And now, one of the strongest among them, 'Shub-Niggurath,' began its manifestation.

"Kiiiiee..."

Pulsating! Throbbing, throbbing!

Even hundreds of kilometers away, the magnitude of its presence was beyond imagination.

Simply opening the Gate let out a painful surge of magic.

"How disastrous."

Berial swallowed dryly.

Even as a Demon Lord, he was no match for the residences of the 50th floor.

Initially, they were the ones defeated and pushed down from the tower's higher levels to become its residents.

"I thought we had time left. The association said that if we conquered this place before the gate was opened... what now?"

Ascion, had he tampered with something?

Or was it a supreme administrator like Hasting?

Perhaps someone else had intervened.

But finding the cause now was meaningless.

This wasn't about preparation; it was about response.

They had to devise the best strategy they could muster.

By now, the tasks Jinhyuk had entrusted to Younghwa and Taemin should have been completed.

Just perfect timing if luck was on their side... perhaps...

Damn it. But was it even possible?

The preparations were not completely ready.

As Jinhyuk was mulling over his thoughts...

"Kang Jinhyuk."

Loki, who had quietly approached him, called out Jinhyuk's name.

"Ah, I owe you for much. I'd like to thank you, but the timing couldn't be worse."

"Indeed. This is the worst possible time to acknowledge our expert assistance. Therefore..."

Loki cautiously continued.

"I know you've grown fond of this world, but now that it has emerged, there's no chance."

A disaster that not even the gods could handle.

An absolute being against which a player like him stood no chance.

Just as one willingly accepts a natural disaster, submission was the only option.

"Come with us. There are plenty of places to live in the tower even without this world. I'll provide you with everything from Valhalla and our mythologies to enjoy. Let's give up here."

This...was an act of consideration.

To ease the guilty conscience of he who has no choice but to make the choice.

'Maybe that's the right decision. After all, Shub-Niggurath, once satisfied with its curiosity, will return to where it came from.'

However...

He didn't want to give up.

Not because of some grand purpose like saving everyone or protecting humanity.

Simply because...

"If I run scared from just this level of difficulty, I'll never be able to sleep soundly again."

"Just this level? You don't seem to understand what you're facing... that thing is from the Tower's..."

"I know."

Jinhyuk knew more about the primordial beings than anyone else here.

He had fought them.

Lost to them.

And finally saw the top of the Tower.

"There's still something I can try. The odds are slim, but if it's me... it's possible."

All of his powers had returned.

['World's Memory' is read.]

Beyond the infinite bookshelves.

Jinhyuk prepared for his final battle.