Chapter 557

A world dyed entirely in white.

Only one sword gleamed amidst the snowstorm.

“…….”

“……!”

The guardians who had tried to chase after Jinhyuk abruptly halted.

They instinctively felt it.

That this space they were in was no ordinary place.

And that if they ignored it to pursue the other intruders… they would face irreversible consequences.

“A mental domain forged through a Unique Holy Spear, huh.”

“…He’s strong. No openings.”

The two guardians turned their attention to Chun Yoosung.

They had resolved to give up the chase and fight him with all their strength.

Ssshhk!

As mana condensed, heat began to radiate from their bodies when it touched the blizzard.

To endure like this within a domain constructed by a Unique Holy Spear… only those of extreme discipline could manage it.

These guardians were clearly formidable foes.

Chun Yoosung gripped his sword with both hands.

Opposing forces clashed head-on.

One of the guardians in front opened his mouth.

“It’s been a long time since a warrior like you came here. Before we fight, I’d like to hear your name.”

“Chun Yoosung. I’m a player.”

A calm and concise introduction.

That was enough.

Now it was the man’s turn to reveal his true name.

“My name is Leonidas.”

Defeated by Zeus…

His myth stripped away.

Once hailed as the king of Sparta and a hero, it had all turned to dust.

But Zeus made him an offer.

Seven thousand years.

If he guarded Tartarus for that long, all the lands and myths he lost would be returned.

And so, no matter what happened, he had to protect this place.

Even if his honor was stained and pride lost.

Because he had a reason worth enduring it all.

His spear and shield aimed forward.

A fierce aura began melting away the surrounding snowfall.

Srrng.

The other guardian drew his sword.

“My name is Hannibal.”

He too lost everything at the hands of Olympus’s gods in the Tower.

Though defeated, he walked the path of a fallen nation. Betrayed by those who followed him, he had to drink poison and died a miserable death.

But not once did he regret the path he walked or the history he built.

“If you came this far, there must be a reason.”

“But no matter what that reason is, we cannot open the way.”

Indisputable heroes who carved history and myth.

Their spear and sword surged with different-colored auras.

…Mana surged into overdrive.

What poured forth began taking distinct forms.

It’s coming.

[Unique Holy Spear….]

[Unique Holy Spear….]

Two Unique Holy Spears.

As if answering their masters’ call, the relics that had shared countless battlefields trembled violently.

And at the moment mana reached its limit—

[‘Wall of Thermopylae’ has activated.]

[‘Incarnation of Carthage’ has activated!]

Leonidas, who stood against an invasion of over two million under Xerxes with only 300 elite warriors.

And Hannibal, who crossed the Alps—once thought impossible—and pierced the heart of Rome.

Both of them.

Their Unique Holy Spears recreated past legends as large-scale military-type domains.

Foreign worlds intruded into the pure white realm.

Through crimson ravines, Spartan warriors formed ranks.

“Ooooooh!”

“Uwaaaaah!”

All were veteran heroes who had fought beside Leonidas.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

On another side, Hannibal’s army appeared, led by elephants.

[Due to the effects of Unique Holy Spears, the boundaries of the mental domain blur.]

[All buffs are removed.]

[Three domains are clashing into one!]

The sky trembled.

Fragments fell from a cracked sky.

But despite the overwhelming armies, Chun Yoosung’s spirit remained unshaken.

He kept his eyes firmly on his opponents.

No matter how the surroundings changed, he had not.

BOOM!

Chun Yoosung, who had stomped into position, turned into a gust of wind.

The scenery changed in a flash.

A violent splash of blood followed his blade.

“Gyahhh!”

“Aaaagh!”

…He was blazingly fast and sharp.

Shields shattered, and helmets were cleaved.

Even Leonidas’s elite, famed for their ironclad formation, couldn’t withstand Chun Yoosung.

Yet, true to their name, they didn’t panic or break formation.

They had seen countless chaotic battles.

One person should be manageable.

KAKAKAKAANG!

Precise attacks flew in.

Spears and swords aimed for every inch of Chun Yoosung.

But he parried every strike from all directions and pushed in even deeper.

His goal was one.

Leonidas.

“Hoh.”

Leonidas gazed at Chun Yoosung with interest.

A silent killing intent like that of a predator.

Not even the Immortals under Xerxes had exuded such pressure.

The same went for the famed heroes of Olympus.

Which is why—

“Interesting.”

A long-dormant fighting spirit stirred within.

Leonidas readied his shield at an angle and prepared for combat.

KRAKAKAKABOOM!

CLANG!

Sword and spear clashed, unleashing a chaotic battle invisible to the eye.

From neck to heart… from heart to stomach.

In pure swordsmanship, Chun Yoosung held the upper hand, but Leonidas’s shield techniques more than covered his gaps.

Perfect blocks, deflections—and sharp counters with the spear that threatened his life with each strike.

“…Hmph!?”

Of course, Leonidas also had several brushes with death within mere moments.

The ‘Soul-Chasing Sword,’ which had reached its peak, made it impossible to predict the sword’s trajectory.

Slish!

The number of wounds on his body grew with each passing second.

Blood dripped. Breathing became ragged.

Meanwhile—

‘It’s been a long time since Leonidas struggled like this.’

Hannibal, watching from a short distance, joined the fray.

Troops waiting on the flanks began to move.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Led by elephants, his forces unleashed terrifying shockwaves.

Hannibal, riding the largest elephant at the front, raised his sword high.

Wooooong!

Red aura blazed along his blade.

1 meter… 2 meters… then 3.

The massive aura blade grew skyward with explosive force.

[Hannibal activates special skill ‘Black Charge’!]

The acceleration and destruction born of the elephant’s massive weight—

From above…

…to below.

The sword struck down.

KAAANG!

Sword clashed with sword, unleashing dozens of shockwaves across the battlefield.

The explosions and gales stung the eardrums.

And yet he endured.

Chun Yoosung’s eyes gleamed coldly.

“You even blocked that…?”

Hannibal’s breath caught in disbelief.

It had been a decisive ambush targeting Chun Yoosung’s blind spot while he was focused on Leonidas.

Yet the attack was so easily deflected.

Chun Yoosung adjusted his stance once more.

“You two are undeniably strong.”

But—

“I’ve fought far more terrifying monsters than either of you.”

Stronger walls than any being in the Tower.

Not a single day had been wasted trying to overcome those walls.

Always clashing against his limits to fulfill a single wish.

If he were to stop here—

If he were to be held back by mere guardians, not even gods—

“Then I’ll never surpass that bastard!”

[Unique Holy Spear – White Night One-Heaven Sword….]

With blessed talent—

[Form 8.]

And extreme effort.

A single secret technique was born.

One that didn’t rely on anyone else.

That imitated no one.

A technique that belonged to him alone.

[‘Sun and Moon Snow, Forgotten Radiance’]

A blinding white sword strike swept across the battlefield.

⁕⁕⁕

While Chun Yoosung kept the guardians occupied, Jinhyuk ventured deeper into Tartarus.

As they entered further, the air shifted dramatically.

Hot and humid.

Sweat quickly formed on his forehead.

And the scenery completely changed.

“This is creepy.”

Teresa wrinkled her brow as she glanced at a nearby ornament.

Statues twisted in agony beneath heavy iron blocks.

It looked like a scene straight out of a torture chamber.

“They’re not going to move… right?”

Andrea glanced around nervously, her expression uneasy.

The statues looked far too lifelike.

Hmm….

“Yeah, they definitely move.”

“Eh?”

“R-really?”

Teresa and Andrea widened their eyes in shock.

Jinhyuk quickly reassured them.

“Yeah. But not right now.”

“Uh… why not?”

“Because the master of this place is interested in us.”

If it were hostile, the Titans would’ve attacked the moment they entered.

With the seals weakened, they could easily run amok within Tartarus.

And yet it was eerily quiet.

It meant one thing—

They were waiting.

Waiting for the one who dared defy Olympus to come to them.

“So let’s hurry before the master gets too impatient.”

Humming a tune, Jinhyuk took the lead.

Being this deep in Tartarus brought back some nostalgic memories.

How far had they walked?

The statues gradually grew in size until they were replaced by towering giants over ten meters tall.

…From here on was their domain.

Jinhyuk subtly reached for his dagger.

Sensing the oppressive mana, the rest of the group also tensed up.

At the same time, a massive chamber appeared.

FWOOSH!

All the torches lit up at once.

Bathed in green light, dozens of Titans revealed themselves.

“Kukuku…”

“I thought only those damn gods would come here. This is unexpected.”

“Interesting. Very interesting.”

Born with tremendous magic and overwhelming power—

The Titans, born predators, stared at Jinhyuk and the others like insects.

To be exact, slightly more amusing insects that managed to catch their attention.

However—

Their interest didn’t last long.

“Where’s Kronos? I didn’t come all this way to chat with a bunch of flunkies.”

At that single sentence from Jinhyuk, the laughter vanished.

“What did you just say?”

“Flunkies? Did you just call us flunkies?”

“Do you have a death wish?!”

One of the Titans raised its fist.

Intent on turning him into a pulpy smear with a single strike.

FWOOOOOM!

The fist sliced through the air and came crashing down.

But in that moment—

[Unique Holy Spear – Phase 2 has activated!]

[‘Right Arm of Tombgrave’ has activated!]

Two abilities triggered simultaneously.

Fist met fist at a single point.

BOOOOM!

Anyone watching would expect an obvious outcome.

Like a battle between a gorilla and an ant—the stat gap was insurmountable.

But—

The result shattered the Titans’ expectations.

“GRAAAAH!”

The Titan, hundreds of times larger than Jinhyuk, was sent flying and slammed into the opposite wall.

Rubble crumbled from the shattered stone.

“Let me ask again. Where’s Kronos?”