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Chapter 235: High Priest (3)
The High Priest.
He was truly an enigmatic figure.
First, there was his language.
His Korean was incredibly fluent.
As if he were a native speaker.
"Did you learn Korean somewhere? You're quite fluent."
—Heh heh. I studied diligently once upon a time.
The High Priest said, twirling the sword in his hand.
Kim Minwoo tensed his body.
A palpable tension filled the air.
'Just how strong is this guy...?'
He didn't know for sure.
But he could make an educated guess.
Lucas, the head of the Griff family.
A promising mage ranked within the top 200 in the world, a true master.
Even Lucas, on the verge of death, had called out to the High Priest, showing deep reliance. It was safe to assume that the High Priest was far stronger than Lucas.
'One of the world's top rankers.'
That was the absolute minimum estimate.
And the High Priest was directly connected to Hadronox.
'He must have received a sweet deal on experience doubling...'
He summoned his legion.
Vulcan, Merhen, Cedric.
Now there were three, not two.
And he added one more.
"Lee Seoyoon."
"Huh? Yes."
"Come here. And help your master."
Lee Seoyoon approached with a dazed expression.
A creator's command was absolute to a Summoned Being. There was no way to refuse.
"Prepare for battle."
—A fight? Excellent!
Vulcan, who had maintained his human form, bulged in size. His expensive suit, worth tens of millions of won, ripped apart, and muscles erupted from all over his body. Transformed into a massive Balrog with blazing flames, he swung his whip with full force.
Swish!
With a chilling whoosh, the fiery whip was about to strike the High Priest's robe.
Halt.
The whip stopped abruptly, as if blocked by an invisible wall.
Sizzle!
Something was burning.
Upon closer inspection, it was a white spider web.
Vulcan gritted his teeth.
—You, you're one of Hadronox's minions!
—Oh, you still remember him! He remembers you too. You were the heroes who resisted until the very end. And he always lamented your fate, wandering aimlessly for so long, bound by the curse of the wicked dead.
—Hmph! You're as honey-tongued as your cunning master!
Vulcan exerted force into his arm.
The spider web, weakened by the flames, snapped. He spun his body and swung his whip once more.
This time, the whip coiled around the High Priest's raised arm.
Thwack!
A sound like striking solid metal echoed, mixed with a dull thud.
—That stings a bit.
Saying so, the High Priest pulled his arm forcefully. Vulcan's massive body was dragged forward.
Merhen extended her hand.
Dozens of giant hands made of water erupted from the ground.
Some grabbed Vulcan's body as he was pulled forward, while others coiled around the High Priest like snakes. Finally regaining his footing, Vulcan strained his arm.
'What kind of strength is this...?'
Yet the whip wrapped around his arm didn't budge.
Crack!
Crack!
Meanwhile.
A chilling sound, like bones shattering, echoed from the water hands constricting the High Priest. It was enough pressure to crush an ordinary human's body a hundred times over. Yet, not a single groan of pain escaped the High Priest's lips.
—That's... somewhat refreshing.
—Then how about this?
Dozens of lightning bolts struck the High Priest's body.
Crackle!
Electricity coursed through the water encasing him.
—Haha. This tickles.
His nonchalance made Merhen frown.
She had used Overdrive and even stacked five spells.
'But he's unharmed?'
She couldn't even imagine the level of his physical durability.
At that moment.
Black particles coalesced beside the High Priest. Lee Seoyoon, appearing next to him, thrust her dagger.
[Shadow Dispersion (SS) deactivated!]
[Master of Assassination (S) activated!]
The dagger aimed precisely at the High Priest's temple.
Clang!
The dagger's blade dulled.
Lee Seoyoon was shocked.
'Crazy!'
This was a Unique-rank weapon given to her by Kim Minwoo. Yet, it had become blunt against the temple, a weak point of the human body, not even against solid bone.
The High Priest turned his head sharply.
A chill ran down Lee Seoyoon's spine as she met his vacant gaze.
Cedric and Kim Minwoo charged forward.
Sword and spear swung towards the restrained High Priest.
Clang! Clang!
The High Priest's robe, taking the blows head-on, slid off. Beneath it was an old man with snow-white hair.
'Who is he?'
His face seemed Asian.
She tried to recall the faces of world-ranked players.
None of them matched.
—...But even those heroes have fallen far from their former glory.
The High Priest, who had been calmly enduring the attacks, spread his arms. First, Merhen's magic that bound him shattered. Then, he yanked the arm entangled with the whip, pulling Vulcan towards him.
Flash!
A blinding light erupted.
A sword strike too fast to be seen.
Vulcan's chest was pierced clean through.
[Vulcan has been recalled!]
—Even the Balrog who endlessly resisted against hundreds of thousands...
Slice!
Cedric's head flew off.
—And the knight who commanded dragons...
Swish.
The High Priest, who had vanished in an instant, reappeared behind Merhen.
In a flash, Merhen's head was also severed.
—And even the Archmage, hailed as the master of magic... all of you have become pathetic.
Drip.
Drip.
Black blood dripped from his sword.
Kim Minwoo blinked.
'Shit.'
What kind of difficulty level was this?
He couldn't even see the old man's movements.
That's how fast he was.
He couldn't even begin to guess his level.
'He's the strongest being I've ever faced.'
The Demon Lords he'd seen before?
He was certain they wouldn't last five moves against this old monster.
"...Just who are you?"
—Haha. Don't look at me like that, young man. Do I seem that monstrous?
"Aren't you a monster?"
—Hmm... Such distinctions are meaningless. That's not what's important.
The High Priest smiled gently.
—I wish to have a conversation with you. Will you listen?
"..."
Kim Minwoo hesitated for a moment.
He could resummon his recalled legion commanders anytime. But even if he did, he wasn't sure if they could win.
No, to be honest, they couldn't win. This wasn't about strategy or tactics; their basic stats were leagues apart. You could only attempt combo attacks or other strategies when there was a reasonable gap, but right now, there was no hope.
'The only silver lining is that Guidance of Fate's cooldown is over...'
He looked at the High Priest.
"What do you want to talk about?"
—The Outer Gods have regained their glory. The world will change drastically. It's not some distant future. It's coming soon.
"So?"
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—Think about it. Earth is just an insignificant planet. Who can truly protect it? Its destruction is inevitable. We are building an ark to prepare for that.
"An ark?"
—Indeed. A space that can guarantee safety.
"And to build that, you've been selling drugs and sacrificing people here?"
The High Priest's expression turned serious.
—There's a saying about choosing the right side. That's what I did. I chose the right side and have been working towards it ever since. There have been sacrifices, but it's far better than everyone dying, wouldn't you agree?
"So, you're saying you're a good person at heart?"
—Honestly, I'm not. I'm just good at making calculations.
A smile appeared on his face.
—I've gained an immeasurable lifespan and tremendous power. My growth has been faster than anyone else's, and I've reached this position. Fortunately, this old man is quite trusted. At the very least, I can ensure humanity's survival.
"...Just how long have you been preparing for this?"
—For a very long time. We've been preparing since before Awakened even existed. Over a hundred years, I'd say. We've been around since then, working in the shadows.
He was inwardly surprised.
The Shadow and the High Priest in the game were vastly different from what he was hearing now.
'In the game, they were just a group of lunatics...'
But not anymore.
They were connected to the Outer Gods and their Apostle, Hadronox. A new figure, the High Priest, had appeared, claiming to have led the Shadow for a long time. And all the terrible things they had done were supposedly for the noble cause of saving humanity?
'Should I believe this or not?'
This wasn't just a simple change in the story; it was a complete upheaval.
'Well... the very existence of Outer Gods is an upheaval in itself.'
The sixth stage, along with the Outer Gods, was introduced after the game's update. With such powerful beings entering the story, it wasn't entirely unbelievable that such drastic changes had occurred.
"Let's say that's true. So what?"
—Let me give you some advice. Don't be swayed by that loser.
"Loser?"
—The Death Lord. I'm talking about him. He dared to defy the Outer Gods out of mere vengeance, and the result was his destruction.
The High Priest sneered.
—All he left behind were insignificant arrangements. Binding those heroes for countless eons, trapping them... that was the work of that insidious being. Am I wrong?
"...You seem to know a lot."
—One tends to overhear things when they live a long life. In any case, be careful. Do you think he gave you that power out of goodwill? Absolutely not. I've heard many stories.
The High Priest spoke meaningfully and then glanced at his watch.
—Time is both infinite and finite. So, I must end this now.
With that, the High Priest raised his sword. A question arose in his mind.
'What's this?'
If he was going to kill him right now, why bother with all this talk?
There was no time to ponder.
He immediately used his skill.
[Guidance of Fate (SSS) activated!]
[Park Siwoo selected!]
[Current Affinity: 85]
[Future time point: 85]
[Possession level of 85 applied!]
[Your body temporarily transcends the boundaries of the material plane!]
The approaching High Priest's energy felt like needles pricking his skin.
At that moment.
A voice entered his mind.
—I've seen it before, but it's truly a fascinating ability!
'He's moving?'
A new realm beyond the material plane.
He had used this on Lucas before. He couldn't even stand properly within this realm of the Heart Sword.
But the High Priest was different.
He was gliding towards him swiftly, like a fish swimming through water. A gentle smile graced his aged face.
—"But it's not enough. You will die here today, young man."
His thin sword swung.
Kim Minwoo parried with his own.
Clang!
Space itself trembled.
The immense force pushed his body back. It seemed the High Priest's terrifying stats applied even beyond the material plane. Mana gathered on the High Priest's sword. Thousands, no, tens of thousands of stabbing attacks rained down like a torrential downpour.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
He swung the Shadow Sword frantically. Blood splattered all over him.
'Just avoid fatal blows.'
One step.
Another step.
He closed the distance between them.
The High Priest, looking slightly surprised, let out a hearty laugh.
—"Such courageous eyes!"
He approached.
They exchanged sword strikes.
The High Priest aimed for the heart, and Kim Minwoo aimed for the neck. Unfortunately, the High Priest was slightly faster.
The High Priest tilted his head, seemingly amused as Kim Minwoo didn't even try to dodge at the last moment.
Pierce!
The sharp blade pierced through the center of his heart. It vibrated intensely, as if to completely shatter it.
A fatal blow.
[Caution!]
[You have received a fatal injury!]
[The effect of 'Indomitable Spirit' has been activated!]
[Your soul is resisting the death of your body!]
[Soul Points are decreasing!]
[Soul Points (66/70)]
Just as the first message appeared.
[The special effect of the item 'Dragon and Witch's Gem' has been activated!]
[The wearer's health is rapidly recovering!]
The Dragon and Witch's Gem.
An Ancient+ rank necklace.
One of its special effects was...
'Resurrection.'
When health dropped near 0%, it would restore close to 30% health, once only.
His pierced heart began to mend rapidly. Immediately after, the Shadow Sword slashed at the High Priest's neck with full force.
Slice!
The severed head spun in the air.
Its eyes narrowed slightly, as if in surprise.
Then the head plummeted to the ground. The headless body followed suit.
He watched as it collapsed powerlessly.
'Is he dead?'
Items with resurrection options were extremely rare. Practically non-existent on Earth. If the High Priest had such an item like him, it would be the end.
'Well, then I guess I'll just die.'
If a monster like that came at him with a resurrection item, there was no way he could win.
"Cough!"
Blood spurted out.
The High Priest's sword was still embedded in his heart.
Then, the High Priest's mouth on the floor twitched.
—I clearly shattered your heart, yet you resurrected... You possess many fascinating abilities, young man.
"...Do you have something like that too?"
—I do not. Fortunately for you. But, you know what?
In a fading voice, he said,
—Let me tell you a secret. This isn't my true body.
"...Then?"
—It's a clone. Of sorts.
The High Priest replied with a playful smile, then his gaze shifted to Lee Seoyoon.
—My apologies, young lady, but I'm afraid I can't fulfill my promise right now. As you can see, my head is gone. Let's meet again next time.
Then his head and body melted away.
[You have defeated one of the clones of 'Pelshen,' the High Priest of Hadronox!]
[Level increased by 10!]
Wait a minute.
That was just a clone?
He collapsed to the ground and hurriedly gulped down a potion from his inventory.
He drank the Highest Rank Healing Potion like water and pulled the sword out of his heart in one swift motion.
"Ugh!"
The Pure Blood's regenerative ability, the Highest Rank Healing Potion, and the death delay effect.
'I think I'll live.'
For now, he had survived.
Then his eyes met Lee Seoyoon's.
"..."
"..."
An awkward silence followed.
'That damn old man!'
Lee Seoyoon gritted her teeth.
He had suddenly brought up their private conversation about servitude in front of Kim Minwoo.
Wasn't that the same as trying to screw her over?
While she was silent due to feeling inwardly exposed, Kim Minwoo's silence stemmed from a different reason.
He had too much to think about.
The High Priest's overwhelming strength, the concept of the ark, his true intentions...
'...This is giving me a headache. Should I stop investigating the Shadow for now?'
He wanted to grab Hadronox by the tail, but provoking the High Priest would be troublesome. He was far stronger than anticipated.
'I'm still too weak. Compared to these true monsters...'
And there was one more thing he had to address.
Kim Minwoo's gaze turned to Lee Seoyoon.
"The High Priest said something interesting just now."
Under his questioning gaze, Lee Seoyoon squeezed her eyes shut.
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