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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Hestia]
[Proofreader - Kaya]
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Chapter 30
Just as I considered using Lee Eunwoo—
The Snow Ghost Standard-Bearer turned its horse towards me.
Neigh!
The black horse stomped its hooves, shaking off icicles from its frozen body.
I drew the 'White Lotus Refined Steel Sword' from my inventory and glared at it.
Even Lee Eunwoo couldn't hit a moving target in this blizzard.
Sure, he could fire buckshot or grenades and wipe out this entire area, but that would also catch me in the blast.
I had to fire the signal flare after pinning him down in one place.
"I could have had this easy!"
Countless notifications of traits and titles activating popped up in the corner of my vision.
Clatter-Clatter-Clatter!
The Snow Ghost Standard-Bearer charged towards me, holding a flag in one hand and a frost-covered sword in the other.
It was a B+ Rank monster.
It had been A-Rank before I weakened it by clearing the blizzard.
A head-on confrontation wouldn't be a wise choice.
It raised its sword towards me.
Whoosh!
Just before the sword could cleave me in two from head to groin...
I skillfully shot a Flame Arrow behind it.
【Descent from the Crimson Flames】
I transformed my body into flames and emerged from within the arrow.
Boom! An explosion echoed, and a wave of dizziness swept over me as my body felt momentarily compressed before snapping back to normal.
The disorientation typical of short-range teleportation couldn't overcome my killing intent towards the enemy in front of me.
A smile involuntarily crept onto my lips.
I thrust my sword, held in a reverse grip, with all my might.
"Ha!"
【Radiant Sword】
Whoosh!
The red-hot sword slashed down at the Snow Ghost Standard-Bearer's neck.
Clang!
And then, with a sound that shouldn't have been possible, it bounced off.
Huh?
I was utterly bewildered.
What's so hard?
I just used Radiant Sword.
That's an S-Rank skill!
I slipped in mid-air and fell towards its left side, the side holding the flag.
"Ugh!"
I rolled across the snow, breaking my fall.
Swish.
The Snow Ghost Standard-Bearer looked down at me with its blue, flame-filled eyes.
I felt cold sweat trickle down my back and freeze.
I used 'Appraisal' to check the armor it was wearing.
【??? (Legendary)】
Damn it.
I couldn't see it clearly because of the short glance, but it was a Legendary-grade artifact.
No wonder even 'Radiant Sword' couldn't pierce it with my current skill level.
"---, ---!"
The Standard-Bearer let out an incomprehensible roar of rage and raised its flag.
Swoosh!
Mana surged, attempting to conjure another blizzard in the area.
A bone-chilling cold, enough to make my fingertips feel like they were about to fall off, emanated from the flag.
The fact that it deliberately raised it meant there must be an activation condition.
It was clear that I couldn't let it touch the ground.
"Damn it!"
I once again channeled mana into the Praetorian's Articulated Ring in reverse.
I poured in all the mana I had accumulated from burning ghosts and ants, holding nothing back.
【Wide-Area Incineration】
Fwhoooosh!
I narrowed the range significantly this time.
Instead of kilometers, I limited the flames to a 10-meter radius around me.
【Domain Expansion: Snowfield】
At the same time, it slammed the tip of the flag into the ground.
Thud!
A brutal chill swept in.
It was a coldness that seemed to steal and shatter all heat.
Swoosh!
Tears froze on my face, making it difficult to keep my eyes open.
'Wide-Area Incineration' and 'Snowfield' clashed for dominance over the space.
The erasing flames and the stealing cold overlapped, creating the sound of shattering and twisting.
Crack. Crackle!
Mana drained from me like water poured into a bottomless jar.
My heart ached as if it were being torn apart.
"Constellation!"
【"I know!"】
【Your Constellation 'Sunny' answers your call.】
【Bearing 25% of your mana consumption.】
【Bearing 30% of your mana consumption.】
【Bearing 35% of your mana consumption.】
The halo above my head buzzed like an overloaded machine.
A hot beam of light flowed into me from the top of my head to the tip of my tailbone.
【Your Constellation 'Sunny' is now bearing 40% of your mana consumption!】
My heart, which felt like it was about to burst out of my throat, settled back into my chest.
The flames and the cold continued to clash.
Crack!
It was the sound of the Praetorian's Articulated Ring cracking.
It was due to the excessive mana being channeled through it in reverse.
But I managed to endure its attack until the very end.
'Wide-Area Incineration' and 'Snowfield' both dissipated simultaneously, leaving behind only a turbulent steam.
"Phew... Ha."
I took a deep breath and raised my head.
My vision was blurry due to the ice forming on my eyelashes, but I could clearly see that the sinister energy in the Snow Ghost Standard-Bearer's eyes had weakened considerably.
I got to my feet and reached out through the steam.
Grab!
With my left hand, I grabbed the flag it was holding.
At the same time, I swung my right hand and shot three Flame Arrows into the air.
These arrows, also enhanced with Incineration Ray, should be able to pierce through the blizzard.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The three arrows exploded spectacularly.
Coordinate calculation using three axes.
Lee Eunwoo, a top-tier Gunner, should be able to understand.
Of course, he might aim for me, so I made some adjustments for my own safety.
"-----!"
The Standard-Bearer roared again and raised the sword in its other hand.
Instead of taking a defensive stance, I held onto the flag it had planted in the ground firmly.
It also didn't let go of the flag in its left hand.
It sneered at me.
The frost-covered sword descended menacingly.
It was sharp enough to easily decapitate me in one strike.
But I was the one who wanted to sneer at it.
I had pinned it down in this spot.
And Lee Eunwoo had definitely seen the coordinates.
The moment its sword began to fall—
BOOM!
A tremendous energy blast swept past me.
The Standard-Bearer's left arm and shoulder were blown away.
Even Legendary-grade armor couldn't withstand the bullet from a marksman with the Mythic Title 'God of Machines.'
The Snow Ghost Standard-Bearer's arm and the side of its armor were shattered.
The Spirit Core within the ribcage was clearly visible.
The rider staggered, as if about to fall off the horse.
I didn't miss that moment.
【Incineration Ray】
Ziiiiing—!
A sharp ray of heat pierced through the Snow Ghost Standard-Bearer's side, striking its Spirit Core.
Fizzle!
The small, blue-flamed orb shattered like a punctured balloon.
The monster's Spirit Core was also the core of this Gate.
The moment it was destroyed, this space would cease to exist.
As expected, an Aitel notification appeared before my eyes.
Ding.
【'Finale Story: Winter Vanguard' has ended.】
【'Winter Vanguard's Standard (Legendary → Heroic)' acquired. The standard declares territory and inspires allied forces.】
【*Due to incompatibility with the current owner, the artifact's performance is partially restricted. To restore its full potential, purify the artifact or change your attribute.】
I didn’t feel bad despite the mention of its weakened state.
It was common for high-grade artifacts to be specialized for specific individuals, so this often happened when using monster drops.
It wasn't a big deal, as it could be resolved with a few purifications, as the Aitel notification suggested.
From what I experienced earlier, it seemed to be a territory control type artifact, and it even had a buff for allied forces.
I welcomed it wholeheartedly.
The first function, the ability to claim territory, was incredibly useful regardless of time, place, or person. The second, buffing allied forces, would undoubtedly prove valuable once I reclaimed my former position.
However, a question lingered in my mind.
As far as I remembered, this was a Rank 4 Gate.
Rank 4 wasn't that high.
It wasn't a place where monsters like this, clad in Legendary armor and wielding a Legendary standard, should appear.
Perhaps my presence, along with Lee Baejeong and Lee Eunwoo, had somehow increased the difficulty, or maybe I had unknowingly stumbled into a double Gate.
Tsssss!
Mana flowed in from the Snow Ghost Standard-Bearer's Spirit Core.
I felt a sense of fullness, as if I had finished a hearty meal.
"Wow..."
An involuntary exclamation escaped my lips.
It was an ecstatic feeling of fulfillment, making me want to lie down and fall asleep right there.
Unfortunately, the minus sign didn't disappear immediately, and I didn't become a full B-Rank.
Well, from now on, I needed more balanced growth to level up anyway.
Even though I didn't know the exact numbers, my Mana stat was probably higher than all my other stats combined at this point.
It seemed like it wasn't good for an Esper, who needed to grow as an all-rounder, to focus too much on mana.
It was clear that my mana had increased substantially, but unfortunately, I didn't have the time to check my status window and see the exact figures. It was frustrating, to say the least.
【'Eternal Cold Steel Dagger (Rare)' has been dropped as a clear reward for the 'Finale Story: Winter Vanguard.'】
As expected, the clear reward was ordinary.
It was a good dagger, but it was still just a dagger.
【The Eternal Cold Steel Dagger is cool and sharp, with strong resistance to heat-related debuffs.】
"Huh?"
That's what I thought until I saw the artifact's description.
Resistant to heat-related debuffs?
My 'Radiant Sword' was a skill that heated the blade, giving it a cutting power like a lightsaber from the movies, but it also drastically reduced the weapon's lifespan.
I could already feel the White Lotus Refined Steel Sword losing its luster and wearing down, so even though it was just a dagger, having resistance to heat would make a big difference.
I happily stored the dagger in my inventory.
Flicker. Flicker!
The Gate was slowly disappearing.
The snowy field of the Gate and the space of the residential support complex flickered in and out of view.
I had to escape as soon as I got out.
I had sent a text message to Ryu Haneul about the situation earlier, but I wasn't sure if he had seen it.
Tension crept back in, making my fingertips tingle.
It seemed that Lee Baejeong, that bastard, had figured out that I was Baekya.
If I hadn't gained the people's support, he would have killed me right there.
He was skilled in information warfare and psychological manipulation.
Inside the Gate, he seemed a bit clueless, but once he could utilize the power of the authorities outside, he would become a monster.
All my and Wolha's cards would be frozen, countless CCTVs would track us, and we would be framed with numerous false charges.
My constellation spoke to me.
Her relaxed voice echoed in my ears.
【"Didn't I tell you to kill them all earlier?"】
I replied firmly.
"I won't do that."
【"What if you end up dying because you're being lenient?"】
"I am 'The Sun' Baekya. If I abuse my power in front of people and resort to murder and cover-ups, then I'm truly dead. And... at least for today, it seems like he's on our side."
But risks weren't the only thing that remained.
When I fired those Flame Arrows earlier, I had deliberately sent the coordinates of my own position, not the Snow Ghost Standard-Bearer's.
If Lee Eunwoo had intended to kill me under the pretense of targeting the Snow Ghost, he would have shot exactly at the coordinates. But if he still wanted to keep me alive, he would have missed slightly.
Lee Eunwoo's bullet hit the Snow Ghost's shoulder, not me.
Ryu Haneul said he was a moderate.
It seemed it wasn't my time to die yet.
* * *
"We're alive! We're alive!"
"Ilha did it!"
"Not Ilha, it was Lee Eunwoo!"
"But Ilha went in and gave him the coordinates!"
The blizzard subsided.
The snowfield gradually disappeared.
People cheered at the top of their lungs.
The Awakened Support Agency agents also breathed sighs of relief.
But Lee Eunwoo and Lee Baejeong's faces were filled with tension, knowing the real challenge was yet to come.
Lee Baejeong, his bright yellowish-green bob swaying, walked towards Lee Eunwoo.
Step.
The distance of ten steps between them shrank to two, and they were now standing on the road instead of the snowy field.
In the afternoon, the sight of people hugging and cheering in the residential complex was heartwarming.
Lee Baejeong asked, his voice as smooth and dangerous as a venomous snake—
"Earlier. You could have killed him, couldn't you?"
Lee Eunwoo, for once, reacted in a way that showed his feelings.
A smirk appeared on his handsome face.
"I guess the wind must have shaken the tip of my barrel."
Given his reputation as a supreme marksman who even wielded guidance spells, it was an obvious lie.
Lee Baejeong shrugged it off dismissively.
"Let's go with that. There's no point in fighting amongst ourselves now."
"Now?"
"The sun is about to rise again, isn't it?"
"I'm afraid of Baekya."
"Excuse me?"
Lee Eunwoo looked down at Lee Baejeong.
With an Awakened-only cigarette in his mouth.
"Why that look? He's someone to be feared, rationally speaking. If we act solely based on righteousness without fearing him, it will only lead to inefficient sacrifices."
"What are you trying to say?"
"But you don't seem to fear Baekya, you seem to dislike him. Just like before."
"...."
Lee Baejeong didn't answer.
He turned away and picked up his smartphone.
He gave an order without hesitation.
"Hong Ilha has murdered civilians. Execute him immediately according to the special law."
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Hestia
[Proofreader - Kaya]
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