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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Kiteretsu]
[Proofreader - Kyros]
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Chapter 160
“!”
A white skeleton draped in a pitch-black cloth stood there.
Holding an old sword in its hand, it emitted a chilling red glow from its eyes in the faint darkness. The sight was nothing short of eerie.
Perhaps because it had suddenly barged into the temple, it stopped in its tracks and turned its head. The moment their gazes met, cold sweat began trickling down their back.
Though there was not a single strand of hair or a scrap of flesh left on its body, they knew exactly what this skeleton was.
Riorg Ribella.
A skeleton that once served as the bodyguard of the necromancer of the Myriad Demonic Hall, known to be at Level 7 of the Holy Order.
Though only for a brief moment, it had once clashed on equal footing with the Hero Gailgron, leaving a deep impression.
‘Gallan… was it?’
It was a name they had only heard in passing, but it remained vividly in their memory.
With the Lord’s Blessing, they had entered the temple with the confidence to overcome any foe, but now, in this moment, that conviction was wavering.
This was not an opponent to take lightly.
They watched with tense eyes, yet the skeleton, as if uninterested, simply shifted its gaze forward.
Before it knelt a Holy Knight, resting on one knee.
He was not wearing ceremonial armor. Instead, he wielded a massive axe and shield. Clad in full armor with a helmet, he was like a fortress in human form.
By contrast, the figure standing before him was a lone skeleton gripping an old, worn sword.
“……”
The Holy Knight rose to his feet, assuming a stance.
He raised his shield and drew his axe, exuding a solemn air.
Unlike the priests and Holy Knights they had encountered within the temple thus far—who had all seemed driven mad by mental corruption—this man was different.
Were it not for the black aura emanating from his axe and shield, one might have believed he was resisting the corruption with sheer strength of will.
Sssss—
Gallan was the first to move.
He stepped forward with a natural motion, wielding a sword devoid of any distinguishing features.
Yet, the moment his foot touched the ground, the distance he covered was far greater than a single step.
As if folding space itself, he suddenly appeared beside the Holy Knight, slashing his sword.
It looked as if he had disappeared for an instant before reappearing.
The Holy Knight, however, reacted without the slightest hesitation, as though he had already experienced such movements multiple times before.
Extending his shield, he blocked the strike with pinpoint accuracy while simultaneously swinging his axe toward Gallan’s flank.
Swaaang!
His attack and defense were executed in perfect unison, almost flawless.
Unfortunately, against Gallan, such efforts were futile.
Clang!
Gallan was far faster.
The moment his strike was blocked, he twisted his wrist, deflecting the axe with ease.
And he did not stop there.
Wuuuuung!
The blade, now enveloped in a violet aura, emitted a sharp pressure as it slashed forward.
Where others would strike once, Gallan struck twice, thrice.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Ian observed the entire exchange with wide eyes.
Though merely watching, he was learning much.
He was adjusting to Gallan’s speed.
This was all thanks to the Lord’s Blessing. His drastically enhanced physical abilities, including his dynamic vision, allowed him to perceive every movement.
Thus, he realized—the Holy Knight had not hidden behind his shield without reason.
If he recklessly went on the offensive, the fight would end in an instant.
That was why, despite appearing passive, he focused entirely on defense.
But that strategy only worked because Gallan was holding back.
‘He’s toying with him.’
It feels like discovering a sturdy toy. The Holy Knight himself might think he barely managed to block it.
However, from a distance, it was clear that Gallan had multiple opportunities.
No, in every moment, those opportunities continued to appear. He was deliberately ignoring them.
Clang!
He could have deflected the axe and severed that arm. If he had slid his blade along the axe’s handle, he could have cut off the fingers.
‘There’s no way he didn’t see what I’m seeing.’
He was merely striking the shield and parrying the axe.
He wasn’t even targeting the lower body. Perhaps it was to prolong his enjoyment.
Thanks to that, Ian not only had the chance to observe Gallan’s battle but also to take a look inside the temple.
‘There it is.’
Beyond the space where the two clashed, a staircase stood. However, it was far from normal.
The hundreds of steps forming the incline were made of different materials.
Parts of columns were present. In some places, a single brick was left behind.
There were even pieces of knights’ armor and the corpses of priests.
At the top of these steps lay a platinum sword.
The harmony of white and gold was striking. It was so beautiful that it was hard to believe it was a magic weapon.
Ian didn’t know its capabilities, but despite already possessing a Holy Sword, he suddenly wanted it.
It was an entrancing feeling, as if he were captivated by a breathtaking beauty.
As if aware of being watched, the platinum sword began gathering magical energy.
Wuuuung.
A blue ring formed around the sword, instantly sending out a powerful wave.
Perhaps because he was so close, he felt compelled to ascend.
He wanted to grasp it. He wanted to claim it.
Ian let out a quiet laugh.
‘This is dangerous.’
Even with the Lord’s Blessing, the sheer intensity of this impulse was astonishing.
However, the nameless magic weapon was not the priority right now. Now that a skeletal knight named Gallan had appeared, his priorities had shifted.
Riorg Ribella.
That old man was nowhere to be seen within the temple.
It was unlikely that Gallan had come alone. With such skill, he would have a strong sense of self and could certainly act independently.
However, a skeleton was a different matter. The fact that it had been summoned not just inside the temple but from the outside as well meant that a necromancer had to be present somewhere.
‘Then why isn’t he here? Why is he absent?’
Given how little he knew about him, he might have been mistaken.
But Riorg Ribella wasn’t the type to hide and wait for the right moment.
Even last time, he had shown himself without hesitation.
When facing the Hero Gailgron, he had withdrawn leisurely.
That confidence likely stemmed from his certainty in his own power.
“Hmm.”
Conversely, his absence now meant there had to be a reason.
If the Necromancer of the Ten Thousand Demons Battlefield were here, there would be no chance of victory.
However, if for some reason he was tied up elsewhere, the only opponents Ian had to face now were the skeletal knight before him and the minions emerging from the darkness.
Fixing his gaze on the skeletal knight toying with the Holy Knight, Ian retrieved a pill and swallowed it immediately.
As it went down his throat, he could feel various unknown substances spreading through him.
For a brief moment, he worried that the Lord’s Blessing might negate not just the side effects but also the effects of the pill, but fortunately, that wasn’t the case.
“Phew.”
With the blessing and the pill’s effects combining, he felt slightly dizzy.
But it was a good feeling.
A surge of exhilaration. The fear of losing is pushed aside, replaced by a sense of challenge. He channels his mana upward.
[Flame Realm (炎界), Solar Manifestation (太陽發現)]
A tiny flame flickers to life and rapidly detonates in succession.
Puff! Puff! Boom!
The surging flames do not scatter but instead circulate in place, forming a massive sphere that radiates light and heat.
Whoooom!
It was only the second time using this technique in real combat, but it was by far the most successful.
Once deployed, it could be utilized in various ways. After all, there were no allies in this space.
[Flame Realm (炎界), Crimson Arrow Volley (赤城鏃投捨)]
Flames writhe within the sphere, which hovers like a miniature sun inside the temple, unleashing a barrage of fiery arrowheads in all directions. Their targets—skeletons.
The skeletons, crawling out from the darkness and stepping in through the entrance, hastily raised their shields as the incoming projectiles rained down.
Papapapapak!
The moment the arrowheads embedded into shields or the ground, they exploded.
Though small, the blasts packed enough power to shatter shields and pulverize bones.
Amidst the erupting flames, Ian closed the distance to Gallan. In that brief moment, the Holy Knight had already reached his limit.
His shield was too battered to function properly, and his armor was in tatters. It had all happened in an instant.
‘I don’t want to, but…’
It seemed he had to assist the half-conscious Holy Knight. Judging by his condition, he wouldn’t be of much help, but at the very least, he could take a strike in his place.
Ian reached the skeleton. Gallan, mid-swing toward the Holy Knight, hesitated and turned toward him.
The hollow sockets of his deeply sunken eyes burned with a fierce glow.
His gaze alone seemed to tighten around Ian’s throat. Yet, no matter how overwhelming and savage the pressure was, he couldn’t stop now.
If this was enough to make him falter, he would have run long ago. That’s why he gripped his sword and swung it with all his might.
[Bane of Evil: Fifth Form—Punishment: Execution]
He never entertained the thought of settling this with swordplay.
A head-on clash would lead to certain defeat. That’s why he had to go all out from the start.
Thanks to the Lord’s Blessing, his mana consumption was minimal, and the fatigue accumulating in his body was being instantly alleviated, making his condition the best it had ever been.
Siiing!
His blade, engulfed in searing flames, accelerated explosively, carving a crimson arc through the air.
Clang!
Though this technique boasted enough cutting power to slice through even the toughest demonic bones and hides in a single stroke, Gallan managed to block it by raising his rusted, worn-down sword.
However, the sheer force contained within the sacred sword exceeded expectations, sending Gallan skidding backward.
—You.
As Ian prepared to pursue, Gallan, having landed smoothly, lifted his head and opened his jaw.
A deep, resonant voice emanated from his skeletal mouth. The intensity of his gaze and the force of his presence made Ian tense, but he did not retreat.
[Bane of Evil: Fifth Form—Punishment: Wheel of Execution]
Fwoooosh!
Flames surged from the tip of his sword, rapidly forming a massive fiery wheel—only for three violet slashes to cut through the air.
Flash!
The wheel shattered the instant it was completed.
Gallan stood with his sword extended, staring at Ian. As if to confirm that the words he had just spoken were no mistake, he spoke again.
—Your face. Your voice. Your presence. I remember them.
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Kiteretsu]
[Proofreader - Kyros]
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