Chapter 465
The ones who got caught up in Jinhyuk’s sudden provocation were none other than his three comrades.
Chun Yoosung, Teresa, and Chuhon Sayoung each flung themselves in different directions.
Kukukuku!
A vortex beyond imagination engulfed the very spot they had just been standing in.
That was close.
If they had been even a second late, they might’ve ended up like tomatoes in a blender.
It seemed the Olympian goddesses had already fled the scene.
Now, Jinhyuk was completely alone in the heart of enemy territory.
“Could you, for once, give a warning before pulling something like that? Please?!”
“I-I almost died. For real this time.”
“Fufu. As expected, Kang Gongja has quite the fiery personality. Is this the influence of that old geezer, the Dark Emperor?”
Complaints came from all sides.
But right now, there was no time to listen.
“Yoosung.”
“You loan shark bastard. What are you trying to make me do this time?!”
Ow. My ears.
Seriously, why hasn’t this guy mellowed out over time?
By now, he should’ve gotten used to this.
‘But there’s no choice. If I want to fulfill the copy condition, I need to handle him carefully.’
Chun Yoosung’s life and Behemoth’s unique ability.
If you weigh the two on a scale, which one is heavier?
Well, there’s no point even saying it out loud.
Besides, that zombie-like guy doesn’t seem like he’d die easily anyway.
“It’s nothing too difficult. Just take care of those spellcasters over there. If they work in sync with Behemoth, it’s going to be a pain.”
Guntafer’s elite magic corps, Cal Drant.
They boasted terrifying firepower, but only when they had frontline troops holding the line.
Now that Behemoth was rampaging uncontrollably…
Even just the three of them should be able to find an opening.
Especially since Teresa, who now wielded White Flame, one of the strongest holy spears, was here.
“Hmm. So if we handle those guys, that means Kang Gongja plans to deal with that monster alone?”
“I’ve got a plan. My odds are about fifty-fifty.”
“That’s not bad. Fine. We’ll handle this side, then. Chun Gongja, come on, don’t pout. It ruins your handsome face.”
“Master! You might not realize it, but that bastard only knows how to make others work while he reaps all the benefits! Honestly, we might be better off ditching him and joining Guntafer instead!”
“Yoosung, that’s a bit much—wait, actually, it’s not a bad deal, now that I think about it.”
This was on the verge of turning into a mutiny.
He couldn’t let that happen.
Fwoosh!
Jinhyuk abruptly hurled an Ice Sculpting spear toward the enemies.
“Kraaargh!”
A Cal Drant soldier clutched his shoulder, now pierced with a gaping hole.
“You cowards! Attacking us by surprise!”
“Kill the humans!”
Taking this as a signal for battle, the remaining enemies immediately began chanting their spells.
[Dark Magic ‘Draika Paintos’ is activated!]
All conventional spellcasting requirements were skipped.
Practically an incantation, the dark magic manifested instantly, forming a massive tidal wave.
“Kiiiiiek!”
“Gaaaaagh!”
A black wave filled with resentment and agony.
A grand spell that affected not just physical beings but even the mind.
There was no time to think.
If they wanted to survive, they had to act immediately.
“Gather behind me!”
Teresa activated Holy Sign.
Brilliant golden light pierced through the clouds and descended to the ground.
“I swear I’ll kill him! I’ll kill him no matter what!”
“Oh dear. Looks like Chun Gongja lost again.”
Chun Yoosung and Chuhon Sayoung were now forced to fight.
Good.
This meant Behemoth was now isolated.
“You’re sending away your lackeys when you need all the help you can get against an ancient species?”
“It’s inefficient. There’s no need for a horde to hunt down a single beast. Besides, I already managed to cut off one of its horns on my own.”
“…You really must have a death wish. To underestimate an ancient species like this.”
“I fought Kraken before, and it wasn’t a big deal. Honestly, all these so-called ‘ancient species’ sound impressive, but in reality? They’re just oversized sacks of meat. Kraken was nothing but a chewy octopus.”
Jinhyuk twirled his spear slightly.
Unshaken, exuding confidence.
The key was to draw Behemoth completely into his trap.
“Kraaaah!”
[Behemoth has activated the unique ability ‘Devouring Growth’!]
Finally, it took the bait!
⁕ ⁕ ⁕
Devouring Growth.
This was Behemoth’s true ability.
In its passive state, it stored the power of everything it consumed, but when activated like now, its properties changed slightly.
Hooouuup!
Behemoth took a deep breath.
Air was sucked in at once, causing her chest to expand dramatically.
Transforming matter through Breath.
The magic particles dissolved in the atmosphere were reconstructed inside its body, morphing into something entirely new.
The white glow forming in her mouth was as blinding as staring directly into the sun.
“Kraaaah!”
Kwakakakakaka!
Her mouth opened wide, releasing a beam of light compressed to the extreme.
[Unique Ability ‘Nihilism’ is activated!]
A power that negates the opponent’s abilities.
Immediately, fractures formed in the light beam.
Kwakakakaka!
But that was all.
Even the power of nothingness dulled in the face of a monster comparable to the divine.
At best, it could buy a few seconds and shift the trajectory slightly.
Still.
For Jinhyuk, even that tiny moment was enough to flip everything.
Kagagak!
Using two daggers, he deflected the incoming beam.
The scorching light grazed past his hair, streaking into the sky before vanishing.
Kwang!
That was the moment Behemoth moved.
A colossal sword, far too large for its delicate frame, slashed across.
Buuuung!
Every step it took shook the ground.
And as it swung, its blade cleaved through the air like a raging storm.
“……!”
Both Crimson Lotus and Barnard gleamed with distinct auras.
The blades, reinforced by Rapid Sword, emitted an icy brilliance that sliced through the storm itself.
Kakakakang!
Sword clashed against sword.
Their opening exchange wasn’t mere swordsmanship.
It was pure, unfiltered killing intent—each strike meant solely to claim the opponent’s life.
Every slash was a killing blow.
Kwaang!
Jinhyuk’s body melted into the tornado.
“You think you can run?!”
Behemoth thrust her massive sword into the swirling winds.
A crude, brutish stab, powerful enough to pierce through steel.
At first glance.
[Mass Alteration]
[Acceleration…!]
That was, until the additional skills activated.
Mass shifted, acceleration stacked.
Paaang!
The greatsword, now surpassing the speed of sound, became a bullet.
A projectile that pierced through everything in its trajectory, making defense impossible in a straight-line assault.
If it hit, Jinhyuk would gain a new hole in his body.
But—
“…You dodged?”
Even the strongest bullet was meaningless if it didn’t hit.
[Mass Alteration.]
[Acceleration!]
Once more.
[Mass Alteration]
[Acceleration!!]
And again. And again.
The sword grew lighter, and acceleration stacked upon acceleration.
Even Behemoth himself was losing control.
Yet the outcome remained unchanged.
“He dodged even that?”
Her sword stopped mid-air, directionless.
Dozens of slashes had been executed within a single minute.
Yet, not a single drop of blood spilled from Jinhyuk’s body.
Flawless timing.
Optimal distribution of magic and skills.
Unmatched proficiency with dual daggers.
“…….”
Behemoth’s confident expression wavered for the first time.
“I thought… without the Crown of Supremacy, he was nothing.”
She had believed the Demon Realm struggled against him solely because of that artifact.
A miscalculation.
Even without the Crown, her opponent had already far surpassed human limits.
“You done stabbing? I was just starting to enjoy dodging.”
Jinhyuk shrugged.
Completely relaxed.
Even if Behemoth repeated the same attack a hundred times, it would be nothing more than entertainment.
“Tch! Fine. Looks like I was the one underestimating you.”
Wuuuuung!
Behemoth waved her hand lightly in the air.
A dimensional inventory materialized.
But it wasn’t an ordinary one.
Urrrrruuuuu…!
A massive number of Magic Stones poured out.
For an ability that strengthened through consumption, these stones were the perfect fuel.
Once devoured, sahe would reach a whole new level of power.
“So, the more you eat, the stronger you get?”
“That’s right.”
“Interesting ability. But with that tiny body, how much can you really eat?”
At that remark—
Behemoth’s eyebrow twitched.
“You dare… look down on my Devouring Growth?”
“I wouldn’t say look down… but how much can you really eat? Back in the day, I was a mukbang BJ, you know. I probably eat more than you.”
Behemoth.
An ancient species with an insatiable hunger to devour the world.
Even she took immense pride in his appetite.
Yet, of all things.
Jinhyuk chose to provoke her over this?
“Oh? If you’re that confident, then let’s have a match. Let’s see who can eat more Magic Stones.”
Perfect.
He had been waiting for those very words.
“Fine. I’m game.”
Jinhyuk nodded.
With that—
A purple energy spread across the battlefield.
[By mutual agreement, Devouring Growth’s second effect is activated.]
[All abilities, except those related to eating, are temporarily sealed.]
[The total amount of consumed Magic Stones will determine the final attack power.]
[Remaining Time: 1h 29m 59s.]
System messages flooded in.
From now on, everything would change.
It was no longer about skills, techniques, or personal prowess.
The winner would be decided purely by the number of Magic Stones devoured.
To complete his copy condition, Jinhyuk needed this exact scenario.
“Kahahaha! What an idiot! I can’t believe someone in the Tower of Trials would be stupid enough to challenge me in my specialty!”
Jinhyuk’s usual tricks had been annoying, but this?
This was easy.
Behemoth grabbed a handful of Magic Stones.
Crunch!
Crack!
Like a grinder at work.
The Magic Stones were instantly crushed and swallowed.
Seven stones disappeared in under three seconds.
Simultaneously—
Wuuuuung!
A glowing purple orb formed above Behemoth’s head.
His ability activated, converting the devoured Magic Stones into pure energy.
“Already over a hundred stones?”
Jinhyuk watched the numbers rise.
If he went solo, there was no way to beat this gluttonous ancient species.
No human could match Behemoth in a straight-up eating contest.
However.
There was a loophole.
According to the system messages—
He could receive help from the Veteran Corporation.
“Alright, guys. Time to come out.”
Jinhyuk opened his dimensional storage.
