Solo Max-Level Newbie - Chapter 394: Tangled Web (2)

*Rumble!*

Lightning and sparks surged.

As various forms of magical energy concentrated in one place, the entire labyrinth trembled.

“We’ve waited long enough.”

“Yes, it’s finally time for the counterattack.”

“Let’s send them all to Valhalla.”

The warriors of Ragnarok bared their teeth.

For years, their territories had been ravaged, their comrades and subordinates slaughtered. Now, it was their turn to repay that anguish a hundredfold.

“W-What is this…?”

Sherry stammered, visibly shaken.

She never expected Ragnarok to intervene at this moment. After all, they had been reduced to hiding on the outskirts of the 41st floor just to survive.

“…….”

The shock was no less profound for *Theseus*, the leader of Olympus’s vanguard.

“Captain Theseus!”

“Giants on our flanks!”

“T-Thor and Loki are here as well! How should we respond?”

The panicked soldiers shouted, their voices trembling.

It had been reasonable to assume that 30 elite soldiers would be enough to handle Jinhyuk and his allies. Even if they failed, buying time for reinforcements was always an option.

But facing this many enemies had never been part of the plan.

Theseus clenched his fist quietly.

*”They calculated our arrival down to the last detail…”*

From the moment they entered the labyrinth, Jinhyuk had anticipated everything—Lü Bu, Theseus, and even the reinforcements. Calling upon Heimdall at this precise moment was no coincidence.

“You like operating with small vanguards, don’t you?” Jinhyuk shrugged. “All I had to do was toss out some bait juicy enough, and you’d come running. To be honest, it was almost too easy.”

“You trapped us in your snare,” Theseus muttered, his jaw tightening.

They were utterly cornered.

However—

*Srrng!*

“Don’t let your alliance with those cowards go to your head. Remember, it was us who swept them off the frontlines in the first place.”

“Oh, so you’re saying you’re fine taking on everyone here by yourself?”

Theseus narrowed his eyes. “Unfortunately for you, I’m not the only monster in this room.”

*BOOM!*

A deafening shockwave rippled through the air, accompanied by the ominous hum of energy.

*Crackle! Sizzle!*

With a surge of blue sparks, *Thor*, the Norse God of Thunder, appeared.

He raised *Mjolnir*, his famed hammer, high into the air.

“You!”

“The Greek brat… It’s been a while!”

*CRAAAAASH!*

Mjolnir and Theseus’s blade collided.

The resulting shockwave created a sonic boom, collapsing the ground beneath Theseus.

A massive cloud of dirt and debris shot skyward, marking the battle’s true beginning.

With that, the giants roared into motion.

*Boom! Boom! Boom!*

“Raaaaagh!”

“Graaaaah!”

Enormous clubs swung down, tearing through the air.

“Argh!”

“Take cover!”

Even heavily armored warriors were crushed to a pulp under the giants’ devastating strength. No amount of armor could withstand the raw power of creatures over ten meters tall.

“Crush them all!”

“Let’s chop them into pieces!”

Ax-wielding warriors sprinted forward like madmen, finishing off the soldiers who tried to flee under the giants’ protection.

The battlefield quickly transformed into a sea of blood, filled with the sound of agonized screams and despairing cries.

In response to this overwhelming assault, Theseus made his final move.

“Asthmorilis! I authorize the release of the sacred beasts!”

“I’ve been waiting for this.”

A burly man with a thick beard blew a sharp whistle.

*Wooooong!*

A pocket of subspace tore open, releasing a gentle breeze.

*Whinnnnny!*

The sound of horses neighing echoed.

Moments later, dazzling white *Pegasi* emerged, weaving through the giants’ clubs as they charged toward Theseus.

These sacred beasts, not only highly mobile but also capable of aerial combat, were Olympus’s pride and joy.

Mounted on a Pegasus, Theseus easily evaded Thor and dove into the fray among the giants.

“Running away?”

“I don’t have time to deal with a brainless brute like you right now. I’ll deal with you later.”

Theseus aimed for a fire giant’s neck, dodging a swinging arm with finesse.

*Slash!*

With a clean motion, he decapitated the giant.

“Graaaaah!”

The lumbering giants, despite their strength, couldn’t catch the nimble Pegasi.

One by one, the giants fell, blood spurting like waterfalls with each strike.

“Shoot them down with arrows!”

“These pests think they own the skies!”

“They have no honor as warriors!”

With the gap in mobility, the giants and their allies could only suffer helplessly. The tide of battle seemed to be shifting in Olympus’s favor.

But then—

[The unique ability *Triple Magic* has been activated!]

Countless magic circles appeared above Jinhyuk’s head.

Each hexagram contained a different elemental force.

“I was going to just sit back and watch, but pulling out something that broken? You’re leaving me no choice.”

Jinhyuk, who had sheathed his blade, focused his magical energy into both hands.

Unlike the aura of his Heavenly Demon Divine Art, a different kind of energy began to rise.

“Magic won’t work on Pegasi. Did you really think it would?”

“It’d be insulting to call this just ‘magic’…”

What Jinhyuk prepared was far from ordinary.

*Boom-boom-boom-boom!*

Blasts of fire and ice rained down on the Pegasi from above.

With precise targeting calculations, the hit rate soared to 80%.

“Arghhh!”

“Ughhh… Gahhh!”

The results were devastating.

Before their screams could fully subside, charred Pegasi plummeted to the ground.

Only a handful of the strongest warriors, including Theseus, managed to survive the bombardment.

“How… How could magic of this magnitude…? Even Pegasi couldn’t withstand it?”

Though they weren’t the original Pegasus ridden by Perseus, these Pegasi were still sacred beasts, descendants of that lineage.

They were known to withstand even the destructive magic of demon liches. Yet here they were, obliterated.

*Crackle, crackle!*

Despite the devastation wrought by Jinhyuk’s magic, *Theseus* had overlooked a critical fact:

Among the players, there was one whose magic prowess far surpassed even that of hundreds of liches.

“Having resistance only means you endure better than others—it doesn’t make you immune.”

Blue mana surged in Jinhyuk’s left hand.

*Sizzle…*

Red flames ignited in his right.

*Fwoosh!*

Snowflakes formed through *Glacial Shaping* danced amidst the flames created by *Dragon’s Breath*, intertwining in a beautiful yet lethal display.

“Relay this to Zeus: conquering Yggdrasil is impossible.”

Between the two opposing forces of magic, a beam of light from *Daylight* pierced through the air, splitting the battlefield.

—

That single ray of light changed everything.

“Damn it. Damn it. Damn it…!”

Sherry muttered a string of curses.

The situation had spiraled completely out of control.

Her only option now was to concede failure and escape.

But could she escape so easily?

*”If I fail this mission, I’ll die regardless.”*

Nyarlathotep was not one to tolerate failure, especially when it concerned something he had invested considerable effort into.

Even if she somehow survived, maintaining her ties with the higher-ups would be impossible.

Sherry’s gaze locked onto Jinhyuk.

*Grind.*

If only that detestable human weren’t here…

If only he had been someone easier to manipulate, she could have secured the *Sun’s Spring Water* by balancing the carrot and the stick.

*”I’ll find a way… to reverse this.”*

If she could stay hidden and strike just as Jinhyuk found the *Sun’s Spring Water*, there might still be a chance.

But—

“Ah, sorry, but I can’t let that happen. My contractor specifically asked me to get rid of you.”

A chilling voice came from behind Sherry.

“…!? Who’s there?”

Sherry leaped to the side in alarm.

She had hidden herself far from the battlefield, yet she hadn’t sensed a single presence until the voice spoke.

*Flutter, flutter!*

Dozens of bats gathered, coalescing into the form of a person.

No, not just a person—a *vampire*.

“You…!”

Sherry’s face darkened.

It was *Alice von Ataraxia*.

Aside from the entities of the 50th floor, this was the last opponent Sherry wanted to face.

“Hoho. You know of me?”

“Of course. You’re the progenitor of Ataraxia—a figure once feared even by the upper ranks of gods and great factions.”

“…Hmm? What else?”

“Among the progenitors, you were said to be the strongest of all.”

“Go on.”

“…Excuse me?”

“I said go on. Quickly. I’ve got about three hours to hear all the details about how strong, beautiful, and amazing I am, so be thorough.”

Alice grinned, practically bouncing in place like a child.

“Are you mocking me right now?”

“No, I’m serious. Hearing you praise me feels like honey dripping into my ears. Keep going.”

“…Fine! Even if it’s you, you’re not what you used to be. I won’t go down so easily.”

Sherry steadied herself, gripping her daggers as she assumed a combat stance.

“You really want to fight? This could’ve ended peacefully if you’d just handed over the daggers.”

[The unique ability *Blood Lord* has been activated!]

“Well, if you insist on drinking punishment, I’ll serve it to you. Watch closely and see if I’ve lost my touch.”

Scarlet droplets rose from the ground, gathering into an ominous storm.

—

*Rumble!*

Amid the raging chaos, Jinhyuk strolled leisurely.

The battle was as good as over.

All that remained was to tie up the loose ends.

*”Alice will handle Sherry. Taking down Theseus would be ideal, but that might be too difficult.”*

Mounted on a Pegasus, Theseus could likely escape with his own life.

But it didn’t matter.

*”Even if he escapes to call for Olympus reinforcements, by the time they arrive, it’ll all be over.”*

All they would find would be an empty fortress.

*Step.*

Jinhyuk’s footsteps came to a halt.

Before him, Chun Yoosung and Lü Bu were locked in a fierce duel.

*BOOM! BOOM!*

It was like two whirlpools colliding, their clash creating a storm of destruction.

“Incredible. Honestly, you’re the only one I know who could fight that well while wearing a skirt.”

“Do you have a death wish?”

Chun Yoosung glared daggers at Jinhyuk mid-battle.

He didn’t say it out loud, but it was clear he was embarrassed.

“Hey, don’t threaten the guy trying to help you. Anyway, the other side is mostly wrapped up. Think you can handle this on your own?”

As things stood, Chun Yoosung was surrounded by Lü Bu and his subordinates. Without intervention, he would eventually be worn down.

*BOOM!*

“Die!”

Lü Bu pressed his assault even harder.

Even Chun Yoosung struggled to parry the strikes from Lü Bu’s Sky Piercing Halberd atop his Red Hare. The projectiles and arrows flying between strikes didn’t make it any easier.

“…Tch!”

Grinding his teeth, Chun Yoosung reluctantly admitted the truth to himself. His pride was wounded, but stubbornness wouldn’t help him survive.

“Help me.”

At last, he asked for assistance.

“Of course. How could I refuse a request from the great Sword Saint? But…”

Jinhyuk spread his hand wide.

“The Sky Piercing Halberd and the rest of the loot are mine. You’re cool with that, right?”

There was no room for negotiation.

If Chun Yoosung disagreed, he could face death instead.