Chapter 252. Ataraxia, The Pureblood Empress (Part 2)
“Ugh…”
Amulam was frozen in place.
Merely facing her caused his whole body to shrink and his eyes to feel as if they were burning away.
This heat.
This magic power.
…It’s completely different.
‘I thought she couldn’t use her unique Divine Chant due to the contract with the player.’
It was a misconception.
Just like he said, such a penalty is not enough to hold her back.
Is this truly the might of Ataraxia’s strongest bloodline?
‘Despite all the time that has passed, the gap hasn’t closed at all…’
Despair stained Amulam’s thoughts.
Then.
Whoosh!
A short spear of flame formed in Alice’s palm.
The blade, surrounded by terrifying fire, pointed forward.
[Alice has activated ‘Tersis’.]
“Take this.”
No need for a propulsion mechanism.
The spear that sliced through the air headed straight for Amulam’s head.
A barrier of blood formed instantly, but it couldn’t block the spear for even a second.
The shields shattered like glass.
Crack!
Such was its destructive power, Amulam’s head was ripped right off his neck.
However, Amulam did not die.
The vampire’s tenacious vitality craved immortality, even in a situation where instant death was expected.
His neck and even his head regrew perfectly as he gasped for breath.
“Hah…hah…hah…”
Too much magical power had been spent on regeneration.
And Alice was already preparing a second spear for another attack.
‘Damn it.’
No matter the clan head, sustaining multiple hits from that attack would be dangerous.
Even when five clan heads and their kin had attacked her using her unique Divine Chant, they couldn’t easily gain the upper hand.
This was too much.
Amulam coldly accepted the reality.
Of course, that didn’t mean he was ready to die quietly.
‘Balmung…!’
Yes. If he could only get his hands on that demonic sword that even a dragon had succumbed to…
He might stand a chance against Alice.
‘…That’s what he must be thinking.’
Kang Jinhyuk noticed Amulam’s gaze shifting towards Balmung.
In fact, that was the only viable strategy left for Amulam.
‘Alice will fight while her subordinates try to retrieve Balmung for her… Hmm.’
The problem was.
The corpse poison (시독) spread around Balmung was unimaginably toxic.
“Grrrrr…”
“Cough! Cough.”
Indeed, the hounds sent by Decasus trying to approach Balmung collapsed, vomiting blood.
If even the vampires, who had strong resistance, couldn’t withstand it, ordinary players would dissolve into a puddle of blood in seconds.
Then…
Kang Jinhyuk pulled out items he had previously purchased from his spatial inventory.
Mist trees from the Peshan Mountains.
500g of ointment from the Melmormang Sanatorium.
Mist trees are usually used for high-quality decorations, and Melmormang ointment is known as a top-grade moisturizing cream.
At first glance, these two items seemed utterly unrelated.
However, when mixed appropriately, they could create an antidote with resistance to poisons.
‘Was it 3.25:1.758, perhaps?’
He couldn’t remember the exact ratio after such a long time…
It didn’t matter.
Even if he couldn’t remember the numbers, his body did.
[You have acquired 5mg of ‘Unidentified Liquid’!]
Success.
Since this concoction wasn’t known even in the Tower, the system substituted it with ‘unidentified’ as a descriptor.
He applied the thick, odorless liquid all over his body, and the piercing smell disappeared as if by magic.
On top of that.
[The unique ability ‘Thousand Poisons’ is activated.]
Along with dealing with poisons, Thousand Poisons increased his understanding of them, completing his preparations.
‘Now, all I have to do is wait.’
Specifically, wait for him to use ‘that skill’.
Kang Jinhyuk calmly watched the battle between the two.
Boom!
Bam! Bam!
Dozens of spells crossed and blood-made abilities clashed.
Indeed, the battle between two absolutes was on a completely different level.
Each attack could have matched the strength of a boss monster, fired indiscriminately.
One minute, two minutes, three minutes… Time passed.
After several minutes of fierce fighting…
[Amulam has summoned ‘Blood Hound’.]
The hellish hounds made of blood appeared.
Finally, the moment he had been waiting for arrived.
Now!
Using ‘Sword Demon Sovereign Guard’, Kang Jinhyuk kicked off the ground and leaped forward.
Towards…
Where Balmung lay.
“Huh?”
“What’s he…?”
Amulam was completely focused on Alice, but not all the vampires shared his attention.
The hounds had caught a scent.
They sensed Kang Jinhyuk dashing towards Balmung.
“He’s aiming for Balmung?”
“How foolish! Even we can’t approach that place easily.”
Their scoffs soon turned into anticipation of a human succumbing and collapsing.
However.
Thud. Thud. Thud…
The effortless way Kang Jinhyuk advanced forward, something instinctively felt off to them.
“The poison… it’s not affecting him?”
“How is that possible!”
It was unbelievable.
But there was no time to be shocked.
“Stop him!”
“Don’t let him get any deeper!”
At this level, they could still endure; however, if he passed through the deepest part where the poison peaked, they’d have no choice but to hand over Balmung to him.
The vampires launched themselves at him simultaneously.
‘So, they’re not just going to let me go.’
Kang Jinhyuk glanced back.
Vampires with crimson blades were already swinging at him.
Just then.
Crash!
Someone intervened.
It was Velus, Alice’s right-hand man, and Ophelia from Decasus.
“Leave the small fries to us.”
“…Consider this my repayment.”
Each vampire spat out a sentence.
With that, they instantly knocked back the Decasus kin that had rushed at them.
“Ophelia! You treacherous wretch!”
“Going to be a dog for Ataraxia now?”
Angry shouts filled the air, but Ophelia didn’t even flinch, as if she didn’t want to be discarded like a disposable pawn anymore.
Initially, she thought vampires were nothing more than loathsome leeches, but having them as allies felt quite reassuring now.
“Thanks.”
Kang Jinhyuk nodded briefly.
Without looking back, he surged forward again toward where Balmung was.
Throb! Throb!
With each step, the poison’s intensity grew stronger.
Even with the ointment and Thousand Poisons wrapped around him, it was hard to see in the depths of the poison.
“Cough…”
Blood dripped from his lips.
Despite running countless simulations and considering all possibilities, reality was harsher than expected.
Indeed…
A sacred relic of the blue rank was just that.
Kang Jinhyuk forced his screaming muscles to move as he stepped forward again.
Instinct screamed at him.
He needed to get out of here now.
Even a moment longer in this hell would mean death.
But Kang Jinhyuk suppressed his instincts.
If he gave in to fear or gave up now, all his efforts would be in vain.
Especially since Alice was still fighting.
‘Believing I would succeed.’
He couldn’t let that hope down.
He could only last a few more seconds.
‘Any longer, and it would be over.’
His sense of direction was gone, but memories moved his fingertips.
His vision blurred.
Relying on his subconscious, Kang Jinhyuk reached out his hand.
He didn’t grasp the sword.
His fingertips merely sliced through the empty air.
“Grr…ugh.”
A metallic taste tinged his mouth.
Once more, once more again.
Don’t give up. It’s not over yet.
With all his might, he reached out his hand.
Balmung had to be nearby.
But again, he failed.
Staggering.
Kang Jinhyuk’s body slumped to the left.
But just then.
The handle of the sword touched the tips of his falling fingers.
Then.
Whoom!
The player’s magic power resonated with the long dormant power of the sacred relic.
[The Dragon-slaying Sword ‘Balmung’ awakens!]
Balmung writhed as it sought a new master.
Simultaneously, the corpse poison spread around dissipated like a lie.
‘It’s a success…’
Feeling his mind clear, Kang Jinhyuk gripped Balmung even tighter.
Now, if he could infuse it with his magic power and earn its recognition, the ownership of the sacred relic would be determined.
Yes, everything would end perfectly with that.
Until he heard that voice beside him.
He had thought that.
“Thanks for moving as planned. Because of you, I can finally put an end to this tiresome fight.”
Thump!
Decasus’s fist struck Kang Jinhyuk’s chest.
Right where his heart was.
In an instant, all blood flow to the heart stopped.
“Cough!”
The delayed reaction was expected.
Amulam grabbed Balmung.
The glowing greatsword traced a smooth curve.
“Ohhh! So this is Balmung. Indeed, the ideal sword I imagined. Hahaha! With this, I can win. Yes, indeed.”
“Human!”
Alice rushed toward Kang Jinhyuk.
But Amulam was quicker.
“Don’t move, Alice. Or this human dies.”
Balmung dug into Kang Jinhyuk’s skin.
Just a bit more strength in his fingers, and his throat would be sliced open.
The situation had completely reversed.
“How…?”
Kang Jinhyuk’s voice was strained.
“My kin failed to approach Balmung, but I knew you’d be different. I was certain you’d find a way. All that remained was to endure while the Blood Hounds were summoned and I’d use teleportation to reach you once you got Balmung. What a perfect plan, wasn’t it?”
The plan had many variables, but everything had flowed exactly as planned.
Look.
Hadn’t he caught two rabbits at once?
“The fight has ended with my victory, but it’s a pity to kill you like this. The formula you used to break through the corpse poison, and even replicating the giant’s right arm. Quite impressive for a mere player. Indeed, there was no kin among mine who matched you.”
It would be a lie to say he wasn’t tempted.
“You think I’ll serve under you?”
“Haha. Of course not. But that thought will soon disappear.”
There was no intention to have a subordinate without restrictions.
Amulam scratched his own wrist.
“That, that is!”
“You know what this is, it seems. Then you also know how futile resistance is.”
A droplet of red blood formed and then fell onto Kang Jinhyuk’s lips.
The Oath of Kinship.
A lord’s power that imprints directly on the mind, those who drink the blood vow eternal loyalty.
“…”
Kang Jinhyuk’s pupils dilated.
His face, void of any emotion, looked no different from a corpse awaiting orders.
“Well done.”
Seeing that the mind control had taken hold, Amulam pointed towards Alice, still fighting in the distance.
“Now, kill Alice with your own hands.”
The execution of a traitor.
That would fulfill all his goals here.
But then.
Pain!
The sharp pain from his back was… something Amulam had never anticipated.
An act that broke all conventions left even a being who had lived for eons bewildered.
“It’s always good to have kin. No matter how hard I hit earlier, I couldn’t make an impact, but now, it feels just right, doesn’t it?”
Kang Jinhyuk grinned.
His eyes, which had seemed void, were back to normal as if nothing had happened.
Rather, thanks to the lord’s blood, all past wounds and fatigue had healed.
“I… broke free from your mind control? Impossible, how!”
“Sorry, but I’ve faced more troublesome things than this.”
He had faced enemies that were essentially incarnations of resentment.
If it came to mental attacks, he had experienced them to the deepest extent.
Compared to those, this was nothing.
“If you had infused your blood with maximum magic power to activate the Oath of Kinship, perhaps it could have been different. But your complacency in victory was your downfall.”
Pretending to be weak and clueless was part of the act, nearly draining him completely.
But that’s all over now.
Alice approached from the front, and Kang Jinhyuk closed in from behind.
“Ugh! Even so, as long as I have Balmung, I can wipe you out in an instant.”
“Sorry, but Balmung hasn’t chosen its master yet.”
“What nonsense is that? Can’t you see Balmung right here?”
How could he know?
Since Siegfried’s death, no one had truly wielded Balmung.
“That guy. It doesn’t really get along with negative energies.”
In other words.
You’d need abilities like ‘Star’s Blessing’ or ‘Mandala’ to be compatible.
A warm aura caused Balmung to bounce out of Amulam’s hand.
[The sacred relic ‘Balmung’ has chosen its master!]
The greatsword in his right hand roared wildly.
[The unique ability ‘Blood Explosion’ is activated!]
Decasus’s lord’s unique ability signaled its commencement in his left hand.
“Once more, the fight is over. You will die, and the rest of the lords will regret betraying Alice.”
I will make sure of that.