Chapter 161 - Episode 22. Climbing the Branch (3)
Chapter 161: Episode 22. Climbing the Branch (3)
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“Do not worry. Go on ahead.”
Jaehwan gave a bitter smile at Karlton’s reassuring voice.
It had been two whole years since they last met.
There was much he wanted to ask and much he wanted to say. Yet even without exchanging many words, Jaehwan could tell how Karlton had spent that time.
Each time Karlton’s Silver Holy Spear repeatedly stabbed through the air, it carried the weight of those years.
Jaehwan knew. Only someone who had stubbornly repeated the same training could possess a Stab like that.
Whether in Chaos or the Abyss, it seemed Karlton’s stubborn nature had not gone anywhere.
“Understood.”
Trusting Karlton, Jaehwan ran ahead. Karlton’s 「Silver Restraint」 relentlessly latched onto the Clockmakers pursuing him at high speed.
Only one Clockmaker shook off Karlton’s restraints and rushed at Jaehwan. It was 12 o’clock of the Blind Clockmakers.
Karlton’s urgent voice reached him.
“Be careful, Fortress Lord-nim!”
12 o’clock drew a translucent curved sword from their back and sent a slash straight at Jaehwan.
The instant Dokbul collided with the curved sword, Jaehwan understood. The 12 o’clock before him was a powerhouse on the level of the Seven Stars. They seemed a step below the God of the Deep Sea Russell, whom Jaehwan had faced recently, but there was no doubt about it.
“Are you one of the Seven Stars too?”
“I have no interest in such trifling honor.”
“I see.”
Jaehwan remembered what Cheongheo had said just before he entered the Abyss.
“Be careful, brat. The Abyss is vast. There are more unknown powerhouses than known ones. The term ‘Abyss powerhouse’ did not arise for nothing.”
An Abyss powerhouse.
For the first time in a while, Jaehwan remembered a face he missed. The first person he met after coming to 《Chaos》 had mistaken him for one too.
Perhaps sensing Jaehwan’s focus waver, 12 o’clock’s expression hardened.
“Are you looking down on me?”
At that moment, a magic circle in the shape of an analog clock spread beneath their feet.
Sanctuary Manifestation.
「Nightmare of Noon」.
The clock within the circle pointed to exactly 11:50.
Then the second hand began to move.
This appeared to be the Clockmaker’s Sanctuary.
[Evade your opponent’s attacks for ten minutes.]
[Your remaining time decreases each time you take damage from an attack.]
[Your remaining time increases each time you damage your opponent.]
[You will suffer a critical injury when your remaining time is exhausted.]
Jaehwan was genuinely surprised.
So a Sanctuary could be applied in a way like this.
Blades flew in from every direction, grazing Jaehwan’s shoulder and shin. More than ten seconds of his remaining time vanished in an instant. As the opponent’s attacks found their rhythm and quickened, small wounds began to cover Jaehwan’s body.
[Your remaining time has decreased by one minute.]
[Your remaining time has decreased by one minute.]
12 o’clock was a powerhouse who wielded an incredible swift sword.
Before he knew it, his remaining time had fallen below five minutes.
If it all ran out like this, Jaehwan would suffer a critical injury, and the advantage would pass to 12 o’clock.
Certain of their upper hand, 12 o’clock looked relaxed.
“You have no chance in a battle of speed. Try using the technique that defeated Russell.”
They even had the leisure to offer strategic advice.
Jaehwan smiled bitterly.
“Gods of the Abyss really like meddling with their enemies.”
“You complain even after I tell you how to survive?”
The Seven Star-level powerhouses of the Abyss all had similar attitudes. Perhaps it came from their deep confidence in their own Worldviews.
Jaehwan took the stance for Stab.
As 12 o’clock said, if he was outmatched in speed, the only answer was to settle it with one powerful strike. Dragging this out would only favor 12 o’clock.
After confirming the fiercely condensed World Force in Dokbul, 12 o’clock gave a hand signal. In sync with Jaehwan’s Stab, 10 o’clock and 11 o’clock, who had escaped Karlton’s restraints, charged in at the same time.
Kwoooong!
World Force shot from Dokbul and tore through the air toward the Clockmakers.
「Path of the Wave」 was a secret technique that concentrated World Force into a narrow area.
The enemies appeared to have already analyzed Jaehwan’s battle with Russell. They gathered World Force over exactly the impact area of 「Path of the Wave」, taking Jaehwan’s attack as efficiently as possible.
10 o’clock and 11 o’clock were both hurled back by the powerful impact, but thanks to them, 12 o’clock took no damage at all.
In less than the time it took to blink, 12 o’clock’s shadow stood before Jaehwan.
Did they believe he could not use an attack of that strength twice in succession? 12 o’clock’s curved sword descended straight toward Jaehwan’s crown.
Then Dokbul moved again.
Kwoooong!
Startled, 12 o’clock barely deflected the second Stab.
“Y-”
A third strike followed immediately.
Kwoooong!
Unable to withstand the impact, 12 o’clock was flung back. 10 o’clock and 11 o’clock, their entire bodies in tatters, shielded 12 o’clock. After barely catching their breath, 12 o’clock vomited a mouthful of silver blood.
10 o’clock spoke in a tense voice.
“Something is wrong. We were not told he was this strong.”
12 o’clock frowned and glared at Jaehwan.
“Did you obtain some kind of fortuitous encounter? I heard you could not use that technique more than twice.”
Without answering, Jaehwan took the stance for Stab again. 12 o’clock’s expression stiffened.
Dokbul spat fire once more. With help from 11 o’clock and 10 o’clock, 12 o’clock dispersed the impact and blocked the Stab.
Realizing something, 12 o’clock muttered quietly.
“That is not the technique from before.”
In a voice full of disbelief, 12 o’clock continued.
“That Stab should not have this much power.”
12 o’clock’s judgment was correct.
What Jaehwan had used was not 「Path of the Wave」, but 「World Stab」.
“That used to be true.”
The three Clockmakers rushed at Jaehwan together. At the same time, Dokbul began to spin. One turn, two turns, three turns. After spinning ten times in an instant, Dokbul shot forward.
「World Stab」, Tenfold.
12 o’clock flinched at the ten waves of Stabs flying in. Still, it was an attack within their expectations.
It was not a technique on the same level as the one that defeated Russell. They had grasped its power and speed, so all they needed to do was exploit an opening and ambush him.
「World Stab」, Twentyfold.
“Argh!”
10 o’clock and 11 o’clock, shredded by the Stabs, collapsed as silver blood scattered through the air.
Holes had opened across 12 o’clock’s body as well, but this was their chance. There was no way a technique like this could be used more than twenty times.
「World Stab」, Thirtyfold.
12 o’clock’s eyes widened. Their curved sword blocked the Stabs with all its strength. 12 o’clock was confident in their speed as well.
Faster. Stronger.
As the cracking sounds continued without pause, 12 o’clock crossed the line between life and death several times.
The exhilaration of fighting an enemy on equal footing. In that time, 12 o’clock was growing stronger too.
At last, when Jaehwan’s Stabs slowed, 12 o’clock sensed victory.
That was the limit of his Stabs. There was no way he could unleash more than this.
「World Stab」, Fiftyfold.
With a sharp rushing sound, 12 o’clock’s entire body was pierced through. Tenfold had inflicted light wounds, then another fivefold caused severe wounds. An additional fivefold dealt critical damage.
With their lower body completely in tatters, 12 o’clock fell to their knees against their will.
“Are you a monster...?”
It was impossible. None of the Seven Stars they knew could unleash attacks of such caliber one after another.
“How can you possess such power without even using Sanctuary Manifestation...?”
Jaehwan slowly walked toward the fallen 12 o’clock.
In truth, as 12 o’clock said, such power could not be produced without Sanctuary Manifestation.
Sanctuary Manifestation was a technique that completely turned a fixed zone into one’s own domain. It consumed an enormous amount of World Force, making it difficult to use carelessly.
“Do not tell me...”
That was why Jaehwan had thought about it.
Did he really need to manifest his entire Sanctuary just to use Stab?
Seeing the power of a Sanctuary flowing over Dokbul, 12 o’clock’s eyes widened.
Local Sanctuary Manifestation.
This was the technique Jaehwan had devised over the past three days to face the powerhouses of the Abyss.
Dokbul’s blade severed 12 o’clock’s Link.
Having suffered a massive blow to their Link, 12 o’clock screamed and collapsed.
“Move.”
The crowd, having watched a Seven Star-level powerhouse fall so helplessly before them, staggered back.
After confirming that Karlton was following him, Jaehwan began running again.
Perhaps because they were nearing the upper part of the Branch, high-ranking divinities of the Alliance began to appear from time to time. Yet after witnessing Jaehwan’s fight, none dared to rush him easily.
After defeating several more gods, he finally saw the end of the stairs.
“I am sorry, but you cannot go any farther.”
Someone stood in Jaehwan’s way.
The man was as old as Manri Shintong. An elder in a dignified long robe, his graying hair tied up above his head.
Like a martial artist introducing himself, the old man spoke.
“My name is Shiyu. Have you heard of me?”
Jaehwan shook his head. Still, the instant he saw Shiyu, something deep in his chest seemed to sink.
“It has been a long time since I was active. It is no surprise you do not recognize me.”
[The God of Flames ‘Ignis’ narrows their eyes.]
[The Dragon God ‘Droyan’ looks intrigued.]
The presence of powerhouses came in many forms. Some made one’s body hair stand on end, while others seemed to press down deep inside the chest.
A gentle, yet heavy presence.
Jaehwan realized that the old man before him was a god stronger than the God of the Deep Sea Russell or the Clockmakers.
Gods lingering near the stairs let out sighs.
“Good heavens. He joined the fight?”
Those currently climbing the stairs were all high rankers even among the upper floors of the Metaverse. Yet the instant they saw the old man’s face, they began backing away.
[The God of Mortality ‘Thanatos’ complains that such a boring old man is still alive.]
[Some gods are shocked by the appearance of the ‘God of Aging’.]
[Few gods are wary of the ‘God of Aging’!]
Perhaps having heard the gods’ messages, Shiyu smiled kindly.
“My Companions seem quite fond of you.”
[The God of Mortality ‘Thanatos’ glares, asking who the hell is your Companion.]
[The God of Flames ‘Ignis’ warns that this is no place for one of the Seven Heavens to interfere.]
Only after seeing Ignis’s message did Jaehwan realize who the old man was.
The Seven Heavens.
One of the seven heavens of the Abyss, said to stand above the Seven Stars.
A supreme powerhouse like that had come here personally to stop Jaehwan.
“I do not wish to bring down a young star with my own hands. Please turn back here.”
“Why are you stopping me?”
“You have made far too many enemies in a short time. Do you truly not know why the renowned powerhouses of the Abyss do not climb the Metaverse?”
“Because they are lazy.”
“What an impudent young man. How did you incur the wrath of ‘Time’? Even if you survive here, you will no longer be able to live freely in the 《Abyss》. Fighting the Seven Divine Thrones in the 《Abyss》 is as foolish as a living creature fighting against aging.”
It was not difficult to understand the old man’s words.
The strongest person in the Metaverse was the Leader. And the god backing that Leader was Chronos, the God of Time and master of the Fifth Site.
In other words, this old man had been sent by Chronos to stop Jaehwan.
Footnotes:
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