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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Hestia]
[Proofreader - Kaya]
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Chapter 54: Arhan Bestows Opportunities Free of Charge (3)
Finding the Steel Specter's core with the S-rank trait [Eyes of the Martial God] wasn't difficult at all.
Crash—
The Steel Specters that swarmed in droves crumbled with just a few gestures.
【Eh. I was looking forward to it, but this is boring.】
Fafnir's grumbling pierced the minds of the Arhan raid team.
Song Myeongseok's expression was distorted with anger.
It was the first time since obtaining the Heavenly Bone trait that he had been humiliated to his face.
'Damn it!!'
His hand on the sword hilt trembled.
A subtle tremor.
It was masked by the sound of the collapsing Steel Specters, but Yoojin didn't miss it.
'Khehehe. He must be pissed.'
〔But Contractor, isn't this unfair?〕
'What nonsense are you spouting now?'
〔That small human's achievement is only 2 Stars at best. On the other hand, your warrior is at the beginning of 4 Stars.〕
'It's not like we agreed to a fair fight.'
He's a incompetent constellation, alright.
They had stepped into a game set up by Arhan, so why was he looking for fairness?
Now then...
Let's make him a little more miserable.
"Minyeong, use Synchronization on Fafnir."
[Synchronization]
An ability to share senses with a designated target.
Kang Minyeong gasped.
"Oppa, I can feel it."
"It's a bit weird to speak without context."
"Ah, sorry."
Kang Minyeong smiled sheepishly and controlled her crossbow with telekinesis.
"Is it okay to increase the number of synchronized targets?"
"I practiced, and I can withstand up to three now."
Whoosh—
The moment she pulled the trigger, the taut string propelled the arrow with force.
The sharp tip pierced through the scrap metal and struck the core.
"Yay! Oppa, I did it!"
The Arhan raid team was aghast.
"Did you see that? She took down what even the Team Leader couldn't..."
"Is that even possible with a single blow?"
"Lower your voice, the Team Leader will hear you."
Song Myeongseok, seemingly unable to maintain his composure any longer, had a look of pure fury on his face.
Yes.
It's good to express yourself honestly, isn't it?
Yoojin smirked and gave his next order.
"Minho, spread your energy widely across the shield."
"Like this?"
"Imagine crushing the Steel Specter's entire body."
[Mobile Fortress]
[Force Strike]
Kang Minho pressed the inside of his shield against his shoulder and clashed with the two forces.
The shockwave generated from the epicenter violently shook the Steel Specter's insides.
"Kee, ee, ee."
The Steel Specter collapsed.
Smoke seeped from its entire body, and then the metal pieces that formed it scattered across the ground.
"Hyung! I did it too!"
"Manage your stamina and mana. Don't get so worked up."
The piles of scrap metal were all Steel Specters.
To be precise, they were incomplete beings formed from the lingering attachments of extinguished souls dwelling within the metal.
However, they were still formidable opponents, as they fully utilized the Steel Specter's core traits, [Super Regeneration] and [Magic Core].
"What should I do, Bro?"
"Go get some popcorn. We have nothing to do."
"Yes..."
Where did this fire-attribute main attacker think he was going?
Maybe if he were a lightning-type, it would be different.
But he wasn't a good match against an opponent that stored its core within a hard lump of metal.
His [Space] ability was useless too.
〔But you're also just sitting back and doing nothing.〕
'Fafnir is working hard, isn't he?'
Yoojin joked.
He couldn't use Corpse Explosion, nor could he create undead.
Bone Spear?
He needed to know where the core was to pierce it.
'There's no need to waste energy doing useless things.'
〔Tsk tsk. How can you be so lacking in spirit when you're my Contractor?〕
'I'm being realistic.'
And besides...
It's not like he was completely idle.
[Using Giant's Strength.]
[Using Punishing Spike.]
[Using Unholy Blessing.]
Punishing Spike was applied to everyone.
Giant's Strength, which consumed vitality, was cast on his teammates.
And Unholy Blessing, which acted as a buff for the undead, was used on Fafnir.
"My strength...!"
"Tell me if you lose too much health. I'll replenish it."
The penalty for the immense increase in strength was health consumption.
But with Life Drain, he could cover it as much as he needed.
[Using Bone Control.]
Yoojin took out the bone he had prepared beforehand and stretched it out.
Since it had been compressed outside, its durability didn't decrease significantly even when extended over two meters.
'It's not like I can just play around.'
A Steel Specter rose from beneath his feet.
Yoojin, incorporating the essence of Verdian spear techniques, deflected the clinging pieces of metal. Even if he couldn't destroy them, his skill bought him time.
Fafnir stabbed the core of a Steel Specter that was in the middle of assembling.
【You're pretty good.】
"I've been practicing steadily."
Except for Lee Seongmin, who was sitting back, Yoojin and his party were doing well.
"What trick did they use?"
"There's no way they can see the core's location."
On the other hand, the Arhan raid team was struggling against the constantly regenerating Steel Specters.
Three martial artists.
Two mages.
One priest.
It was a well-balanced team, but it was difficult for them to exert their full strength in this chaotic battlefield.
"H-Help me!"
The priest Hunter's scream.
He didn't have the physical ability or the skills to fend off the Steel Specters like Yoojin.
Enemies spawned without regard for front or back lines.
As an unwanted melee ensued, he backpedaled with a flustered look.
The mage Hunters were in a similar situation.
[Ice Bolt]
[Wind Cutter]
They focused on keeping the Steel Specters in check with simple magic spells, but without knowing the location of the core, they only wasted their mana.
"We're struggling here too!"
"Just run away or hold on for a bit!"
The martial artist Hunters gritted their teeth and drove back the Steel Specters.
They had no way to locate the core like Fafnir.
Nor could they imitate Kang Minho's method of inflicting uniform damage to the entire body of the Steel Specter.
All they could do was endure against the constantly regenerating Steel Specters.
Only Song Myeongseok was putting up a good fight.
"RAAAAAAGH!!!"
[Light Splitting Sword (分光劍)]
[Dual Blades]
The two swords in his hands created countless trails of light in the air.
The more he pushed himself...
The closer he got to his limit...
The Heavenly Bone drew out the potential of his inherent physical abilities.
'To think I would suffer such humiliation!'
Consumed by rage, Song Myeongseok swung his swords, oblivious to the pain of his muscles tearing.
The Steel Specter was cut into dozens of pieces.
It tried to regenerate immediately, but the core was destroyed by the ensuing flurry of sword strikes.
'I'll kill you, I'll kill you!'
A sight befitting the title of Arhan's Supernova.
Moreover...
Thanks to his senses heightened to the extreme, he began to faintly sense the flow of mana within the Steel Specter's shell.
'This... feeling?'
The superhuman who would achieve the eighth rank in the future.
Fueled by anger, he began to unlock that potential.
The moment he felt the exhilaration, the sense that he would enter a new realm if he swung his sword a little more...
【What? You're still fighting?】
Crackle—
Fafnir tore the Steel Specter apart, bringing an end to Song Myeongseok's frenzied sword dance.
The sword, swung unconsciously, was caught in a large hand and couldn't advance.
The enlightenment that had flickered in Song Myeongseok's mind vanished without a trace.
"Ah."
【No need to thank me. I have to help the weak.】
"You... &*%#$@!!!"
A torrent of expletives.
For the first time in front of Yoojin and his party, Song Myeongseok's true feelings surfaced.
【Why are you cursing even after I helped you?】
Seeing Fafnir's bewildered expression, Yoojin chuckled.
＊ ＊ ＊
The Steel Specters kept appearing endlessly. After destroying what seemed like hundreds of them, they finally stopped.
"Huff... huff..."
"Ugh... retch..."
The Arhan raid team was at their limit, gasping for breath and vomiting undigested food.
Song Myeongseok was no exception.
The momentary enlightenment had vanished.
And now that the battle was over, the price of his excessive exertion was taking its toll.
"Gah... ugh... gah..."
"The future of Arhan, huh? I've seen your skills."
One corner of Yoojin's lips curled upwards, forming a grotesque arc.
"It was so pathetic, it made me want to die."
"Y-You bastard..."
"Catch your breath. You might choke to death if you don't."
Killing Song Myeongseok here would be easy.
With a flick of his finger, his magic armament could move and pierce the heart or throat of the helpless man.
〔But why don't you do it?〕
'There's still a lot to squeeze out of Arhan Guild.'
The joint raid on the remaining two Gates.
If the Arhan Guild Hunters were wiped out, he might lose the [Toy Factory] and the [Twisted Pit].
'Even if it's not that, there will be plenty of opportunities.'
Would they stay still after their show of force proved futile?
The moment Arhan Guild decided they couldn't recruit Yoojin, they would try to ruin him by any means necessary.
'The Vice President is quite good at that sort of thing.'
〔The one who lured your warrior into a trap?〕
'Their next ace has been humiliated, so they'll react in some way.'
Khehehe.
No matter what tricks Arhan Guild tried to pull, they were all within Yoojin's grasp.
For information from the shadows, he had the expert, Madame.
And he had established a connection with Seongcheon Corporation to keep an eye on the outside world.
'No matter what method they use, it will ultimately benefit me.'
I should write them a thank you note.
Yoojin organized his thoughts and then had his party withdraw from the hill of scrap metal.
"You guys get out of here too if you don't want to die."
"Gasp... gasp... Don't... order me around..."
"If the Gate raid was already over, wouldn't the exit have appeared?"
Song Myeongseok's eyes twitched.
Rumble—
As soon as he finished speaking, the ground shook.
The Arhan raid team Hunters desperately moved their exhausted bodies.
When all six of them had descended...
The shaking pieces of iron gathered together, transforming into a six-meter tall giant.
[Scrap Metal Specter]
Blue sparks flickered amidst the scrap metal.
The culprit that had devastated the northern part of Chungju City before his regression had appeared.
'The ability to manipulate metal and increase its forces.'
Reinforcing bars supporting buildings.
Vehicles.
And anything else containing metal, abundant in a modern city.
Right now, it was just a 2 Star Gate Boss.
But right after the Break, the Scrap Metal Specter had absorbed the rebar from nearby structures, gaining power beyond its rank and causing significant damage.
"Cough... hack..."
"Stop making those pathetic noises and rest quietly."
After giving Song Myeongseok a warning, Yoojin faced the Scrap Metal Specter.
A monster large enough to close a 10-meter gap in an instant.
〔If everything has gone according to your expectations so far, you must have already thought about how this will unfold, right?〕
'Of course.'
It wasn't the first time he had used his knowledge of the future to his advantage.
A red sphere emerged from his pocket.
He tossed the oval-shaped object, like an egg, into the air. The blood, compressed to its limit, spread in all directions.
[Using Golem Creation.]
The application of creation wasn't limited to just making golems.
It could also distort the laws of physics to store a golem or return it to its original form.
「Please give me your command.」
"Grow a bit bigger. And take down that pile of scrap metal."
「Order confirmed.」
[Blood Flow Conversion]
The blood composing the golem's body spread wider, increasing the Blood Golem's height to 5.5 meters.
【Ooh. Does it get stronger when it gets bigger?】
"It's like a balloon muscle, forcibly increasing its output."
It was only suitable for drawing attention, like now.
Its strength and durability were lower than before it enlarged its body.
【In other words, it's for show.】
"There's a need for that, you know."
Yoojin glanced at the Arhan raid team, who had just finished evacuating.
Their eyes were wide open.
They couldn't take their eyes off the excessively enlarged Blood Golem.
"They're friends I'll be working with for a while. I need to make a good impression."
【I think they've received a memorable impression, in one way or another.】
"Right?"
Even though the Scrap Metal Specter possessed abilities beyond common sense for a 2 Star Boss monster...
The Blood Golem had been upgraded to the level of a low-level 4 Star by absorbing the troll's blood.
Even with the penalty from excessively enlarging its body...
"It's enough."
Thump- Thump—
The metal giant and the blood-red monster began their clash of strength.
Smoke billowed.
Since the blood composing the Blood Golem was mixed with toxins, it gradually chipped away at the Scrap Metal Specter's iron body.
Unless it had no openings for the blood to seep into...
The Scrap Metal Specter, which was no better than a rag, struggled to shake off the golem's grip.
【Should I help?】
"No, the Blood Golem is enough."
Bang! Bang!
The two monsters, the size of two-story buildings, engaged in a primal brawl.
An hour later, the Blood Golem trampled the fallen Scrap Metal Specter and beat its chest in victory.
"What a pushover."
The collapsed Scrap Metal Specter didn't drop a single mana stone.
All that remained was a grotesque pile of scrap metal.
[Scrap Metal Imbued with Lingering Attachment]
Rank: Magic
Category: Miscellaneous
Imbued with the resentment and lingering attachment of perished souls.
*Weight - 23.5t
"After all that trouble... this is the reward?!"
Song Myeongseok raged, and Yoojin's head tilted from side to side.
"Distribution of loot is based on contribution. Remember?"
"This scrap metal... I wouldn't take it even if you gave it to me. You can have it all."
"It's 23 tons. You have to help me move it."
Yoojin drove the wedge in further.
Song Myeongseok's eyes were filled with humiliation.
〔Khahahaha! You're really provoking that small human.〕
'I'm doing this because I really need it.'
〔What?〕
'There's so much you can do with metal imbued with resentment.'
A material more precious than gold to a Necromancer.
How useful this metal was...
This foolish guy in front of him would never know.
'He has no idea how hard it was to get tons of scrap metal imbued with lingering attachment in my past life.'
A mountain of metal piled up high.
How much could he strengthen his undead army with this?!
The reward of the [Iron Tomb] was greater than two Unique rank artifacts combined.
Yoojin clenched his fists, feeling his blood boil with excitement.
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Hestia
[Proofreader - Kaya]
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