Chapter 228

Chapter 229. The Strongest Shield and the Strongest Spear (5)

Ruquer’s Survival Rule, Eighth: Do not hold back your trump card.

The first strike was Tusk, fired by Baeklin’s Mana Arrow. That was my trump card. The only technique capable of completely piercing through the 92 layers of defense of the Iron Blood Divine Technique.

I made sure to “imprint” it clearly on that bear-like Hyperion. I made him conscious of Baeklin’s Mana Arrow, and he remained wary of it throughout.

Moreover, by discovering the “tail,” the weakness of the Iron Blood Divine Technique, I planted a second sense of caution in him.

I deliberately prolonged the battle. Only then would the moment I desired arrive.

When the bear’s caution reached its peak.

When his mental strength, on the other hand, was at its limit.

I endured and endured for that moment.

‘If it weren’t for Six Hundred and the Death Pact, I wouldn’t have been able to use this strategy.’

Six Hundred isn’t participating in the battle, but his mere presence exerts pressure on the bear.

Also, without the artifact “Death Pact,” which allows wearers to share damage, I wouldn’t have been able to hold out until this very moment. The moment when the bear finally resolves to make a “sacrifice”!

I knew it the moment he deliberately “disassembled” the Iron Blood Divine Technique. It was a temptation. Since he removed the shield of the Iron Blood Divine Technique, I urged him to attack more aggressively.

A style completely different from the initial pursuit of perfect victory.

‘Well, of course. If someone bearing the title of Kwonhwang’s successor were to suffer serious injuries against an opponent much weaker than themselves, their pride would be shattered.’

A martial artist’s pride is more important than life. But when real life is at stake, even that pride can be set aside for a moment.

In any case, I moved as the bear desired. I aggressively closed in, aiming for his heart. The bear also aimed for my heart.

At a glance, it seemed like a reckless attack meant to kill us both, but no.

At the moment of collision, the bear unexpectedly twisted his body with Jin-gak (辰角), and I followed suit, but I couldn’t hit his heart.

Instead, I pierced his lung. The bear’s fist cleanly pierced my heart.

“Did… did I get him?”

Idiot, as if that would work.

Ruquer’s Survival Rule, Ninth: The more trump cards, the better.

Der Freischut (Marksman of Mana Arrows)

The Demon Bow Amaranth descends upon the world.

* * *

Just before Keter and Hyperion collided, each aiming for the other’s heart, the Marksman of Mana Arrows stepped forward in place of Keter.

Hyperion didn’t notice. Partly because Keter’s stealth technique was momentarily capable of deceiving even a Transcendent Being, but also because Hyperion’s mental strength had been eroded.

The result—

Hyperion pierced the heart of the Marksman of Mana Arrows, mistaking it for Keter.

[You’ve fallen for it.]

Amaranth, with his heart pierced, smiles coldly. Hyperion sensed something was wrong, but it was too late.

Tear.

Amaranth grabs Hyperion’s arm. The curse of corruption begins to spread through his arm.

“You’re still pulling these tricks!”

Hyperion roars, and Ain surges from his body. Simultaneously, blue sparks burst from his body. He reactivates the Iron Blood Divine Technique he had disassembled.

But the speed at which the “layers” form is significantly slower. It’s not just because Hyperion is exhausted, but also because the corrupting power of Amaranth is melting away the defenses.

Keter, who used the Marksman of Mana Arrows as a decoy to take Hyperion’s back, took a deep breath.

‘There’s no more opportunity.’

His body has already surpassed its limits.

The damage dispersion from the Death Pact, the Aura and Mana squeezed out by sucking even his soul dry—now, only one strike remains.

Clearly, Hyperion was superior to Keter in almost every aspect.

The power of Ain. A martial prowess that could be called emperor-like without exaggeration. Even Keter, who had experienced reincarnation, couldn’t defeat this, even with a miracle.

‘But I don’t need to always be stronger than Hyperion.’

Just for one moment. I only need to be stronger in that moment.

The rest is sacrificed to create that moment.

‘What I have over you—mental strength.’

No matter how strong the spear or the shield, in the end, it’s a human who wields them.

‘There’s no reason to foolishly face the strongest spear or break the strongest shield.’

I target the “core” that wields the spear and shield.

But damn it, Hyperion was seven times stronger than Keter had anticipated.

‘Even if I shoot Tusk with Baeklin, I can’t kill him.’

Amaranth is holding Hyperion back. The power of corruption is suppressing the Iron Blood Divine Technique.

Yet, Keter is certain. Even if he plunges Baeklin’s Tusk in now, he can inflict serious injuries, but not a fatal wound.

Of course, inflicting serious injuries is already a tremendous achievement. The world will sing praises.

‘I’m not satisfied with mere praise.’

I will bring him down. Everyone will acknowledge that Keter, the Archer of Sephira, defeated Kwonhwang Hyperion.

‘A new technique is needed.’

Tusk is powerful. With its double-strike mechanism, it can pierce through any hard object.

But at close range, Tusk’s power drastically decreases. Human strength can’t keep up with the force of elasticity.

Keter reflected on his life as if watching a flashback. And he found the answer.

Not from his past life as a Transcendent Being, stained with blood and battle—but from the short present life of less than half a year in the House of Sephira, from the new “history” he created.

The blacksmith Vulkanus.

The dull-witted Taragon.

And, the crossbow.

Whooosh!

Aura takes shape around Keter’s right wrist. It was a crossbow.

He loads Baeklin, fitted with Tusk, onto the bowstring. What pulls the bowstring isn’t his fingers, but his “shoulder.”

Grrrrr.

Keter, having pulled his shoulder to its limit, whispers the name of the technique he just created.

“Big Bang.”

Sephira’s Celestial Infinity Technique, First Form: Big Bang.

Kwaaaaaaang!

Keter’s fist strikes the center of Hyperion’s back. It wasn’t a human punch. A punch infused with the essence of archery—”elasticity.”

Keter’s fist becomes an arrow, striking the Iron Blood Divine Technique. Just that alone shattered 30 layers of defense—

Thudaaaaaang!

Baeklin, mounted on his forearm, delivers a second strike, breaking the Iron Blood Divine Technique.

Baeklin, with Tusk applied, possesses the same, if not greater, power as when fired from a distance.

Where Keter’s fist opened a “path,” Tusk plunges in.

Not a double strike, but a triple strike!

Before the impact of the first strike fades, Tusk completely shatters the Iron Blood Divine Technique.

Paaaaaang!

Hyperion felt his Iron Blood Divine Technique break. And it didn’t end there. The power was still more than enough.

Death.

That single word flashed through Hyperion’s mind.

But Hyperion could accept it.

‘Impressive, Keter. I thought you’d only focus on the tail of the Iron Blood Divine Technique. So even now, I was unconsciously thinking only of protecting the tail. But who would have thought you’d try to break the Iron Blood Divine Technique head-on.’

Sharp pain spreads throughout his body. Skin tougher than steel, tendons more resilient than an ogre’s, bones as solid as orichalcum—yet Keter’s Big Bang was unstoppable.

Sssss.

Hyperion smiled.

‘You have the right to defeat me, Keter.’

Thud!

Keter’s Baeklin finally pierces Hyperion’s body.

A hole forms in Hyperion’s body. A hole the size of a grown man’s fist. You can see right through it.

It didn’t directly hit the heart, but it passed right below it. Even a fool could tell it was a fatal wound leading to death.

‘But if I accept death like this… even in death, my master would scold me.’

Sssss.

[What?!]

Amaranth is shocked. Hyperion cuts off the arm Amaranth was holding and escapes. Then, he turns and attacks Keter.

Keter, in awe of Hyperion’s refusal to give up until the end, prepares to block or dodge, but—

Crack!

Even the great Keter couldn’t block or dodge Hyperion’s attack this time.

An entirely unexpected attack. A spinning kick strikes Keter’s neck.

“Guh, at least… it should be a draw… to preserve Kwonhwang’s dignity.”

Hyperion, spitting out a mouthful of blood, collapses.

Keter, hit by Kwonhwang’s spinning kick, has his neck broken. Only the damage dispersion from the “Death Pact” keeps his head attached to his body; otherwise, it would have been severed.

“I’m… not far behind.”

Crack.

As the artifact Death Pact breaks, Keter, with his neck broken, collapses alongside Hyperion.

* * *

A cold wind blows.

On the desolate land, scarred by battle, something cautiously reveals itself.

A grotesque lifeform resembling a mix of a dog and a bird.

A bipedal fish.

A spider with a human face…

Monsters from the Demon Realm.

Each one at least a 3-star knight, they had been lying in wait, holding their breath, waiting for the battle between Hyperion and Keter to end.

Slowly.

The creatures hiding in the darkness have no sense of camaraderie. They don’t travel in groups.

But faced with the unprecedented strong foes Hyperion and Keter, they cooperate, all moving closer to them together.

Kiiiii…?

Tick, tack!

Their “expressions” change as they communicate in a bizarre language.

Hyperion and Keter are no longer fearsome opponents. They have become desirable “prey.”

Whoosh!

The human-faced spider leaps first, flying toward Keter. Its teeth spread wide, ready to swallow his head whole—

“Hostile lifeforms, eliminated.”

Sssss.

The human-faced spider, as large and tough as a boulder, is sliced apart like paper.

The blue-haired, blue-eyed boy Decameron raises the Aura Sword formed from his hand.

Kiiieeeeek!

The bisected human-faced spider doesn’t die. Rapid regeneration occurs from the severed parts, turning it into two human-faced spiders. Truly, the life force of a Demon Realm monster.

Thud!

Unlike their fear of Hyperion and Keter, Decameron seems to think the human-faced spider is worth a try, as it charges at him. The other monsters do the same, rushing in.

Decameron isn’t a martial artist. He has no reason to cling to a “sword.” Stretching out both hands, Decameron casually shouts.

“Flame Cannon.”

Boom!

Blue fireballs shoot from his hands, burning the human-faced spider alive.

The eyes of the Demon Realm monsters turn to another target. They realize Decameron is only protecting Keter.

Which means, Hyperion is fair game.

Kiiik!

A creature resembling a bizarre mix of a dog and a bird flies up, trying to snatch Hyperion—

[That’s mine.]

Thud!

A Mana Arrow pierces the creature’s body. Amaranth, engulfed in black flames, stands before Hyperion.

[Hey, tin can. Protect that guy. He’s mine too.]

“Keter is not an object, so you cannot have him.”

[Heh heh, if a corpse isn’t an object, what is? Well, after dealing with these guys, I’ll take care of you too. Until then…]

Sssss.

Amaranth scatters both hands. Dozens of Mana Arrows shoot out, binding the feet of the Demon Realm monsters closing in from all sides.

[A temporary alliance.]