Solo Max-Level Newbie - Chapter 336: Liberation (1)
“Betrayal… You say I betrayed you?”
Nietzsche muttered in disbelief.
The two had a bad history with Jinhyuk.
There was no way they could ever be on the same side.
Therefore…
For Nietzsche, the current situation was utterly bewildering.
“I’m sorry. I had to side with the stronger one to survive. I thought that would be this guy.”
“Don’t be too upset. We’ve always acted according to our interests from the beginning.”
Melena, who had been with Jinhyuk for a long time, and Tristan, who had joined later, shrugged indifferently.
Even without the Brand of the Reaper…
They were well aware of which side had the upper hand in a messy fight.
Whether it was the leader of the demons…
Or the pure-blooded progenitors…
It didn’t matter.
The last one standing was already decided.
“How dare… You little wretches dare stab me in the back? Have you forgotten how terrifying I can be? I could make both of you rot alive.”
“Hmm. It’s a bit funny for someone who was trying to run away with their tail between their legs to say something like that, don’t you think?”
Jinhyuk cut in, mocking Nietzsche’s feeble threat.
“You…!”
“Ah, calm down. Getting all red in the face now will just raise your blood pressure. If you’re going to die anyway, wouldn’t it be better to die by my sword? You wouldn’t want the great leader of the demons to go out because of hypertension, right?”
Jinhyuk smirked with a sly grin.
Nietzsche’s face twisted even more maliciously.
“How arrogant! Do you really think you can defeat me?”
“Yeah, I do. I was actually planning to show you exactly what a senior attack looks like.”
Nietzsche’s mana was being used to its limits to maintain the Darkness.
At this level, even with his abilities sealed by Nihilism, he could still manage to put up a fight.
But there was just one thing.
To achieve the conditions for copying, there was an obstacle to overcome.
‘I need to detach the demon king that’s clinging to that bastard…’
The 7th rank in the Demon World hierarchy, Hecymodium.
One of the ten demon kings in the Demon World was currently supporting Nietzsche.
If he refused to abandon Nietzsche and continued to help, things could get messy.
In that case…
‘I’ll have to make him realize that abandoning Nietzsche is better than supporting him.’
Jinhyuk provoked him even more.
“I’ve always wondered why someone who made a contract with such a low-ranking, mediocre demon king could be so confident. I heard something about it, but wasn’t Hecymodium ranked last among the ten demon kings? Or maybe… Wasn’t he demoted to a mere demon because he was too pathetic…?”
Then, at that moment…
[The god of the Demon World is greatly enraged!]
[The special ability ‘Partial Manifestation’ has been activated!]
Rumble, rumble, rumble, rumble!
“Graaa… Grrrraaah! Aaaargh!”
Nietzsche’s eyes rolled back, showing only the whites.
Blood foamed from his mouth, and thick veins bulged and throbbed under his skin.
His whole body trembled like a leaf.
Nietzsche was no longer Nietzsche.
Inside his body now resided the soul of the demon king.
To be precise, it was not a full embodiment of his true form, but more like possession through a medium.
The painful screams that continued for so long suddenly stopped, as if cut off.
“Ugh… I never liked the insides of a human shell.”
Hecymodium examined his hands and feet with a lifeless gaze.
But only for a moment.
“Since you’ve dared to displease me, you won’t die easily.”
Red liquid dripped from his long-grown nails.
Needless to say, he was a monster no one could defeat, even in the best condition.
Of course…
Jinhyuk had already considered this.
“Beriel. I know you’re watching. Why don’t you make your presence known already?”
Jinhyuk quietly spoke.
Then…
[Hmm. Yes. Well, I am watching. Things got quite interesting, so I just went to grab some wine from my private stash for a moment.]
As if he had been waiting, a response appeared.
Really, this guy was having a good time.
While others were gambling with their lives on the line.
Rumble, rumble, rumble, rumble!
Jinhyuk looked at Hecymodium, who was emanating a black aura from his entire body.
It was really an incredibly brutish and ignorant form of demonic energy.
[If this continues, you’ll die.]
“Yeah, I suppose.”
Even if it was through Nietzsche’s body, the opponent was still a demon king.
With his abilities sealed, a mere wave of his hand could mean instant death.
“So, I need a reliable sponsor to protect me, don’t I?”
Jinhyuk glanced up into the air.
[Oh. You’re saying I should help you? Why should I do that?]
Why?
That’s because…
“If you’re stronger than Hecymodium, there’s no reason to avoid this fight. Oh, of course, if you’re lower in rank… you might not want to fight.”
[So, if I don’t help, it means I’m a coward and the weakest of all in the Demon World, huh?]
Hmm…
That wasn’t exactly what he said.
But the intent seemed to have gotten across.
“I’ve come to appreciate the job of the Black Apostle again while fighting that guy today. I’m even thinking that the third class change doesn’t necessarily have to be into a Barrier Mage; another path might not be so bad.”
[You… want to become my… apostle? Is… is that true?]
“Yeah. It’s not entirely out of the question.”
[Really? Would you swear to that?]
“Are you doubting me?”
[Give me a reason to believe you! You’ve teased me so many times before, acting like you’d do it!]
“This time, I’ll put up collateral. What do you think about that guy over there?”
Jinhyuk’s finger pointed at Chun Yoosung.
[His swordsmanship is decent, and he has no mercy in his attacks. He seems to fit well with our side.]
Beriel nodded.
He seemed quite fond of Chun Yoosung.
Good.
He’s hooked.
“Right? As you can see, he’s got some potential. If he were to change classes to become a Black Apostle, he’d make a great demon, wouldn’t he? And if I join in, it would be perfect, wouldn’t it?”
By offering Chun Yoosung as a bargaining chip, Jinhyuk aimed to win Beriel’s favor.
[Well, that’s true, but…]
“Oh, look! That guy’s coming. Hurry. There’s no time! If I die, becoming an apostle or whatever will all be meaningless!”
Jinhyuk urgently pointed at Hecymodium.
The demon king seemed ready to leap at any moment, with only seconds to spare.
Eventually…
[Damn it. Fine, I’ll help you. But don’t forget your promise later.]
Beriel finally stepped in.
Suddenly.
A chilling and spine-tingling cold filled the air.
Crackle!
With a brilliant spark, a silver-haired man tore through the space and appeared.
Boom!
The red-stained nails were blocked midair.
No, rather, Hecymodium, who had launched the attack, stumbled back, unable to withstand the shock.
“Be… Beriel?”
Hecymodium’s pupils rapidly contracted.
This wasn’t a mere partial manifestation through possession.
The true body had descended directly.
And this wasn’t just any demon king; it was a supreme deity-level demon king who moved directly.
“I’ve just sacrificed 100,000 pyeong of forest and three castles from my domain.”
The choice had been forced.
Since he had already made an irreversible investment…
“This human is my apostle. So, back off.”
One could either fight until one of them was destroyed…
Or tuck their tail and retreat.
***
“Damn it.”
Hyacinth bit her fangs hard enough to crack them.
She had thought that Nietzsche and the other demons would at least serve their purpose.
“Those fools are of no help at all.”
Especially with the sudden appearance of the Northern European deities and the demon kings, the situation had turned completely against them.
But the biggest problem was…
The enemy she was facing was far more troublesome than expected.
Boom! Boom!
A storm made of lightning kept raging, but Alice closed the distance without flinching.
Certainly, she was far from her prime.
But why was it?
She felt even more overwhelming now than she did back then.
[Hyacinth activates ‘Infinity Lightning’!]
Blue lightning crackled around the spear she was holding.
At the same time, she unleashed a thrust so fast it was nearly invisible.
Bang!
With a sonic boom, the spear’s tip disappeared.
But…
Clang!
Like lightning, Alice drew her rapier from her waist and deflected the spear’s trajectory.
The misdirected spear stuck into the ground harmlessly.
Hyacinth’s eyebrows furrowed sharply.
“…When did you start using a rapier?”
“I learned it recently.”
“Recently? Don’t tell me… from that human?”
“…”
Alice neither confirmed nor denied it.
“I thought it was impossible, but it turns out to be true.”
The high and mighty head of Ataraxia.
Learning something from a mere human.
It was a story no one would believe if they heard it.
She had changed her belief of never using a weapon under any circumstances.
“What is that guy to you, that you would go this far? It’s not just about the rapier. You know, don’t you? Even for you, facing the beings of the 50th floor makes it hard to guarantee your survival.”
Therefore…
She had to ask.
What exactly did Kang Jinhyuk mean to Alice?
And was he someone worth risking so much for?
Alice’s crimson lips slowly parted.
“The one who gave me a reason to live again.”
The precious person who gave her new hope when she had given up everything and was waiting to die.
The person who ended her long nightmare and gave her a reason to live anew.
“It doesn’t matter what comes on the 50th floor.”
Even if she were to die… it wouldn’t matter.
Even if she turned into a handful of ashes and vanished, that would be fine.
As long as she could be with him until the very end…
That would be enough.
‘Ataraxia Style.’
The rapier drew seven circles.
The circles gradually chipped away, transforming into intricate patterns.
“A red… rose?”
Hyacinth stared blankly at the roses forming in the air.
One by one.
The roses, blooming and scattering through the air, created a breathtaking sight.
[‘Blood Rose’ is activated!]
This was the first original technique Alice had ever created herself.
A new wave symbolizing Ataraxia.
“Did you think you could face me with some hastily put-together technique?”
Hyacinth swung her spear in response.
The spear split into dozens of shadows.
No matter how impressive it looked, every technique required a foundation of experience and years.
It wasn’t something that could be perfected overnight!
Sword and spear.
The techniques created by both weapons thrust forward.
And…
At the moment when the two techniques collided…
Crack!
Hyacinth’s spearhead shattered into pieces.
“Ah…”
A short sigh escaped, filled with both emptiness and despair.
The realm of overwhelming talent that required neither effort nor experience.
The strongest head of all the houses.
The Progenitor, Alice von Ataraxia.
She had forgotten over time.
Just how utterly monstrous that being was.