Chapter 677

Thump…!

Teresa’s face, robbed of its Divinity, became doll-like.

Her skin turned pale.

Her green eyes took on a reddish hue.

[The Paladin’s Divinity is being corrupted by the influence of the Dark attribute.]

[‘Corruption’ is progressing rapidly.]

Rumble!

“Ah…”

Teresa’s sense of self wavered.

“Contractor!”

Alice cried out in a sharp voice.

He knew.

But it was still alright.

Teresa’s corruption was foreseen. From the beginning, wasn’t the reason he induced her corruption to create the ultimate weapon capable of wielding both Divinity and the Dark attribute?

Aside from the speed being faster than desired, it was still within controllable territory.

[Unique Ability ‘Sanctuary of the Sun’ is being implemented to its maximum!]

[The influence of ‘Blessing of the Stars’ and ‘Mandala’ is being maximized!]

It wasn’t comparable to the system, but it would still provide some level of support.

The light not taken by the lamp barely sustained Teresa’s reason.

If this was the case, he had taken emergency measures…

Right then.

“Heh…!”

Teresa’s personality changed.

This was the first time he was seeing the corrupted version of her with almost no Divinity left.

Jinhyuk anxiously waited for Teresa’s reaction.

Until now, the corrupted version of Teresa had shown a fairly friendly attitude. Perhaps even now, with her original personality almost gone, she might show the same reaction…

“Wow. I’m finally completely free? How long has it been?”

A smile as red and flamboyant as blood.

Teresa leisurely cracked her knuckles and pulled out the sword stuck in the ground.

“As you can see, the situation isn’t very good. Sorry, but you’re going to have to help us.”

“Hmph. You need my help? If you want to survive?”

“If we want to survive, everyone needs to work together.”

“Well? Shouldn’t a guy who doesn’t understand a woman’s heart just die now?”

What came out of Teresa’s mouth was different from what he expected.

“Or… maybe cutting off all your limbs and keeping you by my side wouldn’t be so bad. Yes. That would be better. I have a feeling that killing you would make the innocent one too sad. If it’s this much of a compromise, she’ll be able to accept it.”

He didn’t know where she was coming up with such novel nonsense.

‘Seriously…’

…Before he could even finish the thought, Teresa started swinging the strangely changed holy sword around.

It was obvious to anyone that she was completely serious.

That mad, corrupted saintess would really turn him into her own pet.

In a situation where he was already struggling to deal with the enemies, the worst variable had appeared.

He had no choice but to suppress her.

Jinhyuk took a stance.

“Damn it! Hurry up and deal with it. I can’t handle it alone!”

Chun Yoosung shouted.

Having to face Degoria Balrog alone, he couldn’t help but feel impatient.

Well, even for a Sword Saint, a Balrog that the returnees had been saving wouldn’t be easy to deal with.

But what could he do?

He was just as desperate.

“Hey, don’t rush and wait calmly. What if someone gets hurt from being hasty? These things, yeah, it’s important to have a sincere conversation and resolve old feelings.”

Corruption wasn’t child’s play.

It wasn’t something that could be solved with moderation.

Of course.

His biggest goal was to see that slick Sword Saint sweating profusely.

From above.

To below.

Boooom!

A black meteorite fell.

[Degoria activates ‘Abyssal Iron Hammer’!]

“Keuk!”

Chun Yoosung received the brutal iron hammer from below.

An attack with an unbelievable weight collided with ‘Ryuwha’.

The ground cracked like a turtle’s shell, and the stalemate between the one trying to crush and the one trying to resist continued.

‘Wow. He’s blocking that.’

His clothes were torn to shreds, and his arm muscles were exposed.

Jinhyuk openly exclaimed, amazed that his bones hadn’t broken.

“Good… words… when… hurry… solve.”

Chun Yoosung glared at Jinhyuk with bloodshot eyes.

A murderous aura more terrifying than Teresa’s flooded through his body.

“Yes.”

Jinhyuk nodded his head vigorously at the speed of Mach.

—

At the same time.

Another side also realized the anomaly.

“That idiot Pink is doing it again.”

Alice looked in the direction where black energy was seeping out.

She thought something unusual would happen when the Balrog absorbed the Divinity, and as expected, her ominous predictions never failed.

The original goal of attracting Clemence’s attention was important, but right now, protecting the contractor was the priority.

Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!

Alice opened a path through the undead forces by scattering red skewers.

But right then.

Crack…!

The ground turned into frost.

As a harsh blizzard raged, a coldness that was hard to endure even with Mana penetrated to the bone.

Someone was there.

Not a normal monster, but a returnee who had gone through all sorts of hardships.

Thud. Thud.

A muscular old man in his 70s walked through the blizzard.

‘Corpse Sculptor’ Bingoff.

The warrior born in the frozen zone on the 5th floor of the Tower of Trials confronted Alice.

“It’s an honor. I never thought I’d get the chance to face the head of Ataraxia as a hunter. It seems like today is the luckiest day of my life.”

Bingoff caressed the ax blade.

His eyes, filled with madness, gleamed.

“It’s amazing that you say the day you die is the luckiest. I’ll make you regret saying that.”

Alice gave Bingoff a cold look at his provocation.

As if to say that the threats of a mere mortal were not even worth listening to.

“Heh heh heh! The great True Ancestor seems to be very angry. Don’t be so harsh. Can’t you grant an old man’s last wish?”

[Bingoff activates Unique Ability ‘Heart Freezing’!]

His skin froze.

His breath froze.

Everything he saw froze white. Terribly white.

“What good is even a superior pureblood if they’re frozen?”

In the face of extreme low temperatures, even a drop of blood was just a liquid.

The sculptor, who froze living beings alive and displayed them, was thinking of making even the True Ancestor part of his collection.

Alice still looked at Bingoff with a face that showed no emotion.

As if to say that the threats of a mere mortal were not even worth listening to.

“First, I need to change that expression.”

[Heart Freezing ‘Early Frost’ is activated!]

As the moisture froze, sharp ice formed.

Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack!

The extreme cold was one thing, but the unbelievable attack range that turned everything around him into ice was especially threatening.

Crack!

Alice’s body was swallowed by a white mist.

Of course, the True Ancestor’s body was far superior to that of an ordinary resident. Although it was affected by the extreme cold, it wasn’t enough to completely subdue her.

Bingoff’s movements became even faster.

“You won’t be defeated by this much, will you?”

[Heart Freezing ‘Hard Frost’ and ‘Sunset Frost’ are activated!]

Knife-like winds blew from the left and right.

The mist became even thicker.

The temperature continued to drop.

He thoroughly thwarted the condensation of Alice’s Mana and calculated her escape route and range of movement to corner her.

Bingoff, who pursued the perfect hunt, did not overlook even the smallest possibilities.

How long had it been?

Bingoff, who had accumulated an excessive amount of cold, drove in the wedge.

Rumble!

The tip of the ax blade shone dazzlingly white.

[Unique Holy Spear ‘Midnight Dawn’ is activated!]

Crackle! Crackle…!

White lines followed the frozen ground.

The maximization of Bingoff’s power was not destruction or defense.

Sealing the strongest single entity was his greatest weapon.

Absolute zero.

In the realm where even time froze, all the conditions for sealing the True Ancestor were met. A circular ice pillar reached the sky.

“Hoo.”

Bingoff wiped the sweat from his forehead.

It was a seal that he had poured everything he could into.

“Originally… I would have kept you locked up in here forever and admired your beauty. It’s a pity. This time, there’s something more important at stake than my personal taste.”

Bingoff’s muscles swelled as if they would burst.

If he was hit by the ax while completely sealed, an instant kill would be activated.

Even the True Ancestor, whose whole body was frozen, would not be able to escape that fate.

This was the end.

Bingoff took a stance to swing the ax greatly with both hands.

Right then.

He had the illusion that Alice’s eyes inside the ice seemed to move faintly.

That couldn’t be.

She should not even be aware that she was sealed inside.

But.

Whoooom…

Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack!

A streak of light soared from Alice’s body, which he thought was completely frozen.

The congealed blood melted and was dyed redder than ever.

[Unique Holy Spear ‘Apocalypse of Revelation’ is activated!]

“Insignificant ice.”

Arrogant and flawless Mana.

The pureblood who despised all things looked down on the hunter of the snowfield.

“A pureblood is called a pureblood because they never lose their light under any circumstances.”

—

Kraaash!

The clash of swords.

Terrifying shockwaves spread one after another.

Teresa, who had received the Serpent Sword head-on, licked her lips.

[Teresa activates ‘Abyssal Embrace’!]

In that instant.

A sticky and languid sensation penetrated to his heart.

A mental restraint technique.

Jinhyuk’s body temporarily stiffened. Not missing that moment, Teresa, who had drawn up her Aura, swung her sword.

Whoosh!

With a terrifying sonic boom, the black holy sword drew a trajectory of death.

Clang!

The sword stopped right next to Jinhyuk’s right arm.

It was a precarious moment.

The timing of the restraint and attack was too perfect. However, he had also taken out an additional insurance policy.

“I will not tolerate anyone laying a hand on my Lord.”

Wolyoung, who was in the shadows, intervened.

“Isn’t our pretty boy a little too obsessed with his Lord? That’s why our innocent one is jealous. There are rivals everywhere.”

“…Keep your nonsense to a minimum.”

Teresa sneered, and Wolyoung’s face twisted even more coldly.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Immediately, swords clashed.

Although he was inferior in skill, Wolyoung’s relentless attack, willing to risk his life, made the situation unpredictable.

‘Good.’

Jinhyuk, who was watching the two fight mindlessly, nodded quietly.

He was able to raise Wolyoung’s combat sense and grasp the combat patterns and tendencies of the corrupted Teresa.

More than anything.

Crack!

As Teresa rampaged, another monster fighting on the opposite side awakened.

[Alice’s emotions are greatly agitated!]

“How dare you touch someone!”

Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack!

Alice’s Mana surged greatly.

The amplitude of the Blood Lord became deeper than before.

As expected.

The little queen who reacted more sensitively than anyone else to anything related to Teresa. The pureblood True Ancestor blew Bingoff away with one blow and began to approach this side.

‘Let’s see.’

‘What would be a good way to pour oil on a burning house?’

Jinhyuk scratched his chin with his finger.

‘Oh!’

A good idea came to mind just in time.

A way to stop Teresa’s corruption while further boosting Alice’s power.