Chapter 253: Ataraxia, The Pure-Blood Empress (3)
[Dragon Slayer Sword, Balmung – Dark Blue]
-Acquisition Difficulty: Immeasurable
-Attack Power: 35,500
-Weight: 37kg
-Durability: 58,000 / 160,000
-Effects:
- Ignores defenses below the level of a holy relic.
- Inflicts 20% additional damage to deities and doubles the attack power against dragonkin. (Continuous effect: 3 minutes, duration may increase with proficiency.)
- Enhances the physical abilities of those recognized by Balmung by 10%, and increases the speed of wound recovery.
-Special Active Effect ‘Reenactment of Myth’ can be used. ‘Reenactment of Myth’ allows the replication of Siegfried’s battle that slew Fafnir. (Requires a significant understanding of Balmung.)
The dark blue status window shone more brilliantly than any item display Kang Jinhyuk had seen before.
A whopping 35,500 in attack power.
It was incomparable to the Twin Dragon Swords or the Fang he currently possessed.
The Fang, even upgraded to a blue grade, only had an attack power of 5570.
That’s more than six times the difference…
A sigh escaped Jinhyuk’s lips.
“This is insane.”
While the Fang emphasized attack speed and lightness, a sixfold difference in attack power was utterly “preposterous.”
Even the Flame Sword obtained from Armor Breaker and Antrad paled before Balmung.
More importantly, the effect of doubling the attack power against dragonkin would be indispensable for ascending the upper floors of the tower.
“Finally, I have it in my hands.”
Jinhyuk gripped Balmung.
Whoom!
Balmung hummed with a pleasant resonance.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
His heart raced.
This magic.
This sensation.
Yes, this was it.
The overwhelming euphoria that a supreme relic could provide.
A smirk formed on Jinhyuk’s lips.
As he did, the blade pointed forward.
[Unique Ability ‘Star’s Blessing’ is activated!]
[Unique Ability ‘Mandala’ is activated!]
White light and golden mist started to shimmer along the blade.
It was time to bring down the curtain on this grand act.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The clashing blood explosions neutralized each other.
Though their power varied, their understanding of blood explosions was nearly identical.
“This, this is absurd.”
Amulam’s face grew increasingly ashen.
He couldn’t believe a human was using blood explosions.
Nor could he accept that someone could use them at such a high level.
Moreover…
Flash!
As Balmung’s blade flashed, Amulam was sent flying several meters.
No shield or defense could withstand the Dragon Slayer Sword.
Avoiding it was the only fitting response in such a situation.
His unique regenerative ability had long since faded in effectiveness.
Blood flowed more abundantly from his wounds.
“How can you groan already? I’m just starting to warm up.”
Jinhyuk grinned.
Having acquired the new relic, he felt as light as if he could soar.
“Ugh…! You arrogant fool! If it weren’t for Balmung…”
“Well, I won’t deny it. Definitely an item boost there.”
Though the Tower of Trials believed player experience and skill were paramount…
When it came to the ‘dark blue’ grade, even an ordinary person could potentially combat a boss monster.
“Should’ve equipped yourself with something fancy too, don’t you think?”
“What? What did you say?”
“Being a head of the family, you must have plenty stashed away in your treasure vault. If you had brought even a few of those, it wouldn’t have come to this.”
Relying solely on a vampire’s physical abilities by coming unarmed had led to this outcome.
“If I had been fully armed…”
“Yes, yes, I too have a sword that can sever galaxies in my shoe cabinet at home, and a wailing transparent dragon in the bathroom.”
“Ugh… Aaargh!”
Enraged, Amulam screamed.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Everything in front turned red and then, a massive explosion erupted.
He indiscriminately began to unleash blood explosions, not even considering an escape route.
Obviously, Jinhyuk wouldn’t be outdone by such desperate attacks.
‘Demon Sword King’s Step’ and ‘Shallow Breathing’ created fast and light movements.
Tssk.
…Pop!
Skimming the ground, he suddenly appeared behind Amulam.
‘Shadow Extreme Kill’ allowed him to seize the back in an instant.
Clang!
Amulam reflexively swung his claws, but Jinhyuk had already vanished.
Moving rapidly between shadows, Jinhyuk continually pierced Amulam’s weaknesses.
“Ugh!”
Amulam gritted his teeth.
Ever since his arrival, things had continually gone awry.
But now, surviving this worst-case scenario was paramount.
Considering the challenges he faced, having Alice there, displaying her unique holy powers, only made it seem like he was begging to be killed.
Having lived for ages, he’d always ruled from the highest echelons.
He couldn’t just die here.
Amulam’s gaze shifted towards the back.
An escape route.
It was still visible.
If he could just delay them for a moment, escaping alone was possible.
Indeed, very possible.
“Pretending to be frenzied, that should make them think I wouldn’t run.”
His contemplation was brief.
“Tear them apart!”
Amulam gathered all his remaining magic power.
“Grr! Bark! Bark!”
“Grrr!”
The ‘Blood Hounds’ made of blood charged towards Jinhyuk and Alice.
At the same moment.
Amulam moved towards the back.
All it took was one second.
For a head of a family, one second was enough time to escape from this place.
However.
“As cowardly as ever, it seems.”
A cold voice from above didn’t permit him to flee.
Dozens of red spikes descended from the sky.
“How…?”
“Wondering how I got past your hounds? Is that what you’re curious about?”
Alice shrugged as if it was no big deal.
“Didn’t I tell you? What you can do, I can do too.”
Amulam’s Blood Hounds were being torn apart by another set of Blood Hounds.
Alice had unleashed the Blood Hounds bred by the Ataraxia family.
“Yelp! Yelp!”
“It seems my dogs are a bit larger.”
That erased his only chance.
[Alice activates ‘Vladimir’s Spear’!]
Thump! Crunch!
“Arrrgh!”
Amulam screamed in pain as his limbs were impaled.
But even as he tried to transform into a bat, the wounds only glowed red without changing.
In that moment.
Boom!
Jinhyuk accelerated with Balmung in hand.
The greatsword cast a dazzling light as it surged towards Amulam’s heart.
“How… Such insignificant creatures… I—!”
And those were the last words left by the head of the Decasus family in this world.
[Level Up!]
[Level Up!]
[Level Up…]
[…Level Up!]
[You have acquired ‘Decasus’ Seal’.]
[All deities and major forces of the upper levels will become aware of this incident in a few hours!]
[‘Veteran Corporation’ grows rapidly from a mid-small force to a medium force!]
With a flood of messages…
One of the great absolute rulers of the upper floors of the tower was extinguished.
Flames soared up, turning a lavishly adorned chair into ashes.
“…How could this be.”
The people sitting around the table couldn’t help but utter their disbelief.
The burning chair meant that its owner had perished.
“Could it be that the head of Decasus has failed?”
The only woman with long black hair at the table spoke up.
Abigail von Levistia.
She led one of the great families, the Levistia family.
“Amulam is dead, so it must be considered a failure. Damn it! How can a head of the family lose his life in the middle floors, what a disgrace!”
“Given the constraints, he left all his relics here, so it was tough to exert his full strength. It was a big gamble just to send a head of a family to the lower floors.”
“No matter, it’s inconceivable that anyone below could inflict such injuries on a head of the family…”
The other heads murmured their agreement.
The atmosphere turned heavy.
Despite the great price paid, they gained nothing and lost one of their strongest.
“…”
Even Excension, who had followed in Alice’s footsteps to lead the Ataraxia family, remained silent.
Just then.
“Didn’t I warn you? There is someone who could harm the heads. I told you to be careful.”
A goblin who had been warming himself by the fireplace stood up.
All eyes turned to him.
A transcendent being of the tower, not to be lightly treated even by the heads.
Hastings, the senior administrator.
“Is it that Kang Jinhyuk you speak of?”
Excension asked.
“Yes, the very person who pulled Alice from the corridor and formed a pact with her.”
“You’re overestimating him. I know Kang Jinhyuk is extraordinary, but he’s not capable of killing a head. If anyone, it would be Alice.”
“Hmm. I think you’re underestimating him. Think about it. Alice has always been, and still is, an unpredictable variable.”
Even during her prime, she had been subdued and sealed by the heads.
Surely, with her current powers reduced, there were methods to subdue her if they so chose. However…
“Kang Jinhyuk is different.”
It wasn’t merely about combat power.
The ability to enforce a paradigm of victory within given conditions.
The capacity to turn even disadvantages into advantages.
That was the greatest reason they should fear Jinhyuk.
“Left unchecked, it’s possible that he could eventually bring about the demise of the heads here. With time, the likelihood only increases.”
The death of the heads.
That unthinkable possibility flowed too easily into the conversation.
“Are you saying… we could fall to a single human?”
“Enough!”
The heads were about to protest, but Excension quickly silenced their complaints.
“It doesn’t seem like you’re just trying to irk us. It sounds like you have something specific in mind.”
“Indeed, the new head of Ataraxia understands well. In fact, I have a proposal. Since your methods have failed, let’s try mine. It will require some time and effort, but it will be worth it.”
Hastings began to outline his plan slowly.
As the discussion progressed, the expressions of the heads shifted dramatically.
Such a shocking plan that they had no choice but to listen intently, swallowing dryly.
“…that’s it.”
Finally, Hastings concluded.
“Indeed…”
“That might actually catch two birds with one stone.”
“I agree. If it allows us to devour those who dared to bare their teeth at us, I’m all in.”
All nodded in agreement.
Except for one.
Excension alone held back.
“The plan is commendable. But why, as a guardian of the tower’s balance, are you helping us?”
Administrators were supposed to maintain neutrality, managing the tower to ensure its continued existence.
Then…
“I am, in fact, preserving the tower’s balance more fervently than ever before.”
Hastings smiled enigmatically.