Chapter 464
Aside from the domain of the Demon God, the most heavily fortified place in the Demon Realm was none other than the stronghold where Guntafer resided.
Hundreds of thousands of troops and thousands of high-ranking demons.
On top of that, large-class demonic beasts and even ancient species.
It was practically an entire floor’s worth of military strength.
Moreover, now that they had detected the enemy’s strategy to infiltrate through the drainage system…
Could they even lose if they wanted to?
Guntafer was convinced this battle would end today.
But then—
“The one attacking the walls is Gabriel. He’s leading about three thousand Seraphim, equivalent to a royal guard, in an assault on the fortress’s flank!”
“Urgent report! A large force of angels… has crossed Eden’s borders and is heading straight for this location!”
Messengers kept appearing one after another.
Eden was supposed to be unable to wage war externally due to the ongoing internal conflict between Uriel and Gabriel.
But the reality was entirely different from expectations.
‘Three thousand Seraphim from the front lines… that’s no trivial force.’
Especially when they were being led personally by one of the Archangels, Gabriel.
Ultimately, this unexpected ambush forced them to redistribute their forces.
Crunch…
Guntafer clenched his teeth so hard it felt like they might break.
He had never imagined they would have such deep ties with Eden as well.
‘Just what are you, really?’
A mere human, yet he manipulated the deities of the Tower at will.
And as if that weren’t enough, he stirred up even greater tension than the war between Demon Kings and their factions.
His opponent was undoubtedly human.
But why?
Why did he feel more troublesome than any enemy he had faced before?
“What… should we do? Should we lift the siege and return for now…?”
“No. If I return to the fortress, I might lose Berial.”
That would be the worst possible outcome, precisely what his enemy wanted.
The ultimate goal of this battle was to behead Berial.
In that case…
“You go back to the fortress and assess the situation. If things become untenable, activate the sacred relic underground.”
“Huh? By sacred relic, you don’t mean…?”
The demon delivering the report stiffened immediately.
There was only one sacred relic within the fortress.
‘The Defeated One’s Seal.’
There was a time when there weren’t just ten Demon Kings—there were eleven.
A traitor who attempted to surrender the entire Demon Realm to Eden.
Though the rebellion was discovered early and ultimately failed, the traitorous Demon King was sealed away, encased within a massive crystal.
Containing all the magic power of their past existence.
That was the sacred relic, The Defeated One’s Seal.
“If… if we activate that, we have no idea how many of our own will die. More than half of the demons in the fortress could be wiped out. And even I…”
“Pelrod.”
Guntafer spoke in a low voice.
A small, but clear voice.
“You… called for me, my lord?”
The demon named Pelrod flinched, his body stiffening.
“I specifically said if the situation becomes untenable. In other words, as long as you handle the nuisances, you won’t have to resort to such measures.”
If Kang Jinhyuk was eliminated, that would be the end of it.
There would be no need to activate the relic at all.
“Besides, I don’t like chess pieces that refuse to move according to my will. No, I’d say they infuriate me so much that I can’t even contain my anger. Do you understand what I mean?”
There was still a chance to live if he obeyed.
But refusal meant immediate execution.
“…I will follow your command.”
Pelrod bowed his head.
Even if it meant countless allies, himself included, might perish.
Even if it meant the fortress could be obliterated entirely.
Guntafer wouldn’t so much as blink.
⁕ ⁕ ⁕
Kukukukuku!
A deafening roar shook the ground.
The battlefield had descended into chaos due to the Seraphim’s surprise attack.
The holy flames incinerated entire squads of demons stationed on the fortress walls.
‘So, she succeeded in persuading him after all.’
Jinhyuk smiled in satisfaction.
He had been certain that Alice would manage to sway Gabriel.
And in the end, she had exceeded even his expectations.
“Damn it! We need to stop those wretched angels first—”
“No! We have to kill Kang Jinhyuk and the others first!”
“But if we don’t stop Gabriel, the fortress walls could fall!”
Look at them. The Behemoth had the expression of someone who had just swallowed a mouthful of bile.
The demons directly involved in the battle were utterly pale, unable to decide their next move.
This was what it meant to upend the board.
While they were still floundering in confusion, Jinhyuk activated Memory of the World.
Immediately, a list of stored skills unfolded before him.
‘The one I need right now is…’
Three books emerged from the archive.
[The unique ability ‘Golden Apple’ is fusing with the skills ‘Era of Ruin (AA)’ and ‘False Faith (B)’.]
The core was the Golden Apple.
The supplementary skills were ones he had plundered from Guntafer’s carriage.
‘If I had other skills, I could refine the fusion even further, but… this combination isn’t bad.’
Both Era of Ruin and False Faith possessed the power to erode divine authority.
That would at least partially help disrupt the Golden Apple’s effects.
Jinhyuk watched as the skills fused into one.
And at last…
Ding!
[You have successfully fused the unique ability ‘Golden Apple of the Heretic’!]
[Golden Apple of the Heretic]
Acquisition Difficulty: Unmeasurable
Description: This ability was originally usable only by those who passed the trials of the Greek pantheon. However, the Golden Apple of the Heretic distorts the original rules while still allowing its power to be used. (Note: Due to the Chaos Effect, the outcome may differ from the original ability.)
An apple that was both the Golden Apple and yet not.
‘Chaos Effect… meaning even the user might be caught up in unpredictable consequences.’
The effects were slightly different from when he had climbed the Tower before.
Still, this much was within the range of expectation.
Now then, the next step…
Kwakjik!
Jinhyuk clenched the apple in his hand.
The densely packed flesh crushed beneath his grip, its juice seeping into his palm.
[The unique ability ‘Golden Apple of the Heretic’ is activated!]
Wuuuuuung!
Golden mist rose from his fingertips.
Every divine entity hailed by countless worshippers possessed a sacred relic that forged their myth.
Weapons like Zeus’s Astrapē, Thor’s Mjolnir, and Michael’s Longinus—supreme armaments befitting their stature.
And naturally.
The three goddesses present here also wielded sacred relics that solidified their rank.
[‘Athena’s Spear’ has been replicated.]
An unstoppable surge of exhilaration coursed through his veins.
This feeling.
This sensation.
Snatching up something others had devoted their entire existence to achieving and casually copying it—it was nothing short of thrilling.
“That is…?”
“No way.”
“Impossible!”
The three goddesses, who had been observing quietly, gasped in unison.
A familiar aura of magic.
Yet, intertwined with an undeniable sense of wrongness.
That spear—was not the true original.
It couldn’t be, because Athena herself was still holding Athena’s Spear in her own hand.
In other words, what Jinhyuk wielded was merely an imitation.
A counterfeit—a mere replica.
And yet…
“This is absurd….”
The magic imbued in that spear was not something they could dismiss so easily.
⁕ ⁕ ⁕
A fraction of a beat later, Behemoth realized something was amiss.
While distracted by responding to the angelic ambush, an even greater chaos was unfolding.
“You… how did…?”
“How does a mere human wield the power of the divine?”
Jinhyuk finished Behemoth’s sentence for him.
“Don’t be so shocked.”
There’s no need to panic just yet.
After all, there would be plenty more surprises to come.
For example, the moment his own abilities were activated through Jinhyuk’s hand.
‘Man, this is making me drool.’
Jinhyuk’s gaze was already locked onto Behemoth’s status window.
A buffet where the strongest gathered all in one place.
If he didn’t make the most of this opportunity to copy abilities, he might not sleep soundly for the next year.
[Character Information]
Name: Behemoth
Level: ???
Unique Ability: Devouring Growth (Passive)
Skills: ‘Gigantification’ Lv??, ‘Instant Acceleration’ Lv??, ‘Mass Manipulation’ Lv??, ‘Storm Stride’ Lv??, ‘Roar of Terror’ Lv??
Details: One of the mythical ancient species alongside Kraken and Leviathan. Its true form is said to be large enough to blot out the sky, and any land it treads upon turns into a desolate wasteland.
Copy Condition: A power that strengthens by consuming everything. Behemoth’s Devouring Growth possesses near-infinite potential. At the same time, Behemoth takes immense pride in this ability. To copy it, you must consume more matter than she does. However, if you achieve an upset victory, the copied ability’s proficiency will instantly reach its maximum.
[To balance overwhelming disparity, adjustments will be made.]
[You will be able to receive assistance from those affiliated with Veteran Corporation.]
A competitive eating contest against Behemoth…
The copy condition was definitely tricky.
But with a few key factors and balance adjustments in play, it wasn’t entirely impossible.
‘The real problem is luring her into a consumption battle…’
Jinhyuk didn’t ponder for long.
There was only one correct answer.
At that moment, he tightened his grip around Athena’s Spear.
Slowly, his stance shifted.
To most, it seemed as though he was simply preparing for combat.
But that was a mistake.
Buuuuuung!
Without any preparatory motion, the spear vanished like a bolt of lightning.
The weapon streaked in a straight trajectory, aimed directly at Behemoth’s face.
It was as if space itself had folded—within half a breath, the spear had already reached its target.
This wasn’t simply a matter of speed.
Yet—
“Kuh!”
Behemoth instinctively swung her massive sword.
Kwaaaaang!
A deafening explosion erupted as waves of magic scattered in all directions.
Chak!
Jinhyuk swiftly caught the spear as it arced back toward him.
“As expected of an ancient species. I threw that with the intent to kill in one strike.”
It wasn’t quite at the level of Athena’s own spear throw.
It would take a little more time to get used to this newly copied ability.
“You insolent human! Who do you think you’re trying to kill?!”
Behemoth roared, gripping her sword with both hands.
Kukukuku!
Then came Storm Stride.
Multiple tornadoes erupted, swallowing entire buildings whole.
“Kuaaagh!”
“You insane bastard! Do you have any idea what you’re doing?!”
The demons caught in the storm screamed in terror.
This was why it was so easy to provoke brute-strength meatheads.
A little agitation, and they immediately took the bait.
‘Of course, when someone this strong falls for a trap, calling it a “trap” almost feels wrong.’
This tornado was leagues beyond the one he had seen before.
The countless wind blades within the storm shredded everything indiscriminately.
‘Let’s do this.’
Now, the real game begins.
