The Player Who Eats Steel - Episode 70
70fury.
==========================
At the center of Bukaksan Mountain’s main sanctuary, there was a circular space with an area of 19,410²..
It was a place called 'Saint's Park', and all kinds of plants were growing like a park. It was not the result of landscaping; it was something that bloomed naturally due to the vitality emitted by the ‘sacred object.’.
This was the space with the highest concentration of divine power in Korea..
And in the center was a huge white altar..
It was an installable object that greatly enhanced the effect of sacred magic..
The saint, Emilia Müller, stood there, preparing to cast ‘Holy Field’..
The face that had frowned had disappeared, and now his eyes were somewhat closed..
Meanwhile…….
"As long as we're here, there's nothing that can threaten her life..”
Peter Clarke, leader of the Wight Tree Guard, spoke with confidence..
Those were confident, grounded words rather than arrogance..
"Yes, I guess so. I also have no doubt.”
Woo Seong-moon, who was standing next to him, nodded and looked towards the white altar..
Currently, 11 knights, excluding leader Peter, were guarding the saint's surroundings..
12 paladins of grade B or higher, they were the most elite paladins called ‘high guards’.
“For sure… … If this skill is linked by 12 Paladins, it will be safe even if a nuclear bomb explodes.."
They cast it in a circular formation and boast absolute defensive power that can block any attack, so assassinating a saint is considered virtually impossible..
But Woo Seong-moon shook his head, wondering what was going on..
"But, Peter… … Nothing will ever touch the walls of your beliefs anyway. because… … This place we have provided will not allow any outside intrusion..”
This time, Woo Seong-moon showed confidence..
I had no idea that someone could attack this place in the first place. It was a natural decision. Not only was it a secret that the saint came to this land, but the Great Sanctuary of Bukaksan Mountain itself was a hidden place..
"Additionally, a grade A magic shield and a total of 15 abnormal wave detectors are installed..”
Naturally, even the internal defenses were perfect..
“Haha— It's a shield that nothing can penetrate, where not even a rat can enter.……."
They were two leaders who subtly showed off each other's skills by giving and receiving..
but.......
‘Tsk, their noses will be a little crushed today.…….'
Lee Hyun-wook clicked his tongue inwardly..
Although he was over a hundred meters away from those two men, he could hear their conversation..
This was due to the 50-fold increase in sensation through ‘hugin’ – increased hearing..
'Well, this is an unavoidable problem.…….'
It wasn't that they were unprepared or let down their guard..
‘Inside… … That's because there is a flaw in the corner you believe in the most..’
Lee Hyun-wook looked at the 12 high-ranking paladins through Hugin's gaze..
‘There is one of them, the Death Knight, who will later be called that..’
A villain who will become the vanguard of the army of death commanded by a necromancer and trample the world... … He was none other than one of the ‘High Guards’, hiding his black heart in white armor..
Lee Hyun-wook knew that he would set off a huge bomb here..
But that didn't mean the bomb could be removed early..
'You can't point out this guy as a traitor without any evidence..’
The saint said she trusted Lee Hyeon-wook and entrusted him with the search mission, but if she pursued it recklessly, there was a high possibility that it would be in vain. Especially since everyone thinks her saintly condition is abnormal.…….
‘Therefore, this incident must be brought to light in order to completely uncover it so that it does not repeat itself in the future..’
Lee Hyun-wook was planning to hold his breath for that time..
“……By the way, what on earth is this person named Lee Hyun-wook?”
At that time, Hyunwook Lee's name was mentioned in Peter's mouth..
"How much mana is there to be able to use Hugin like that?……."
“Well, I can't tell you the details, but he is one of the new talents who will lead this country..”
Then, through Hugin, I saw Lee Hyun-wook squinting with an expression full of doubt..
"To be honest, I'm just a little puzzled. What kind of achievements can an F-rank player achieve to become so strong? … So, among my subordinates, there are even rumors of manipulation..”
"Yes, it's not unreasonable to think so... … If you see this man in action, you will quickly recognize it. Lee Hyun-wook, that young blood saved this land twice..”
Peter nodded at Woo Seong-moon’s repeated defense..
“If Director Woo says so, then it is correct. But at least we won't see him in action today. As long as we have the shield in our hands, there will be no room for him to function..”
He had a firm belief that no problems would arise today..
‘Well, could it possibly be today?…….'
At that time, a voice came out of the ear microphone he was wearing..
-10In minutes, the Seoul cleanup operation begins..
The casting of ‘Holy Field’ was scheduled to begin soon..
"ruler! Everything moves to the correct position!”
Here in 'Saint's Park', only the Wight Tree Guard, the saint's personal guard, remains. No matter how ally they were, she did not allow outsiders to approach the saint..
Therefore, Lee Hyun-wook also had to move to another location with Woo Seong-moon..
However, Lee Hyun-wook's gaze was still reflected on the black crow in the sky, looking down on the surroundings of Saint Park—Saint. The first explosion will start right there …….
‘waiting. And move one step ahead.’
***
“5The Holy Field cast will begin in a minute! Everyone raise your swords and shields!”
A B-rank paladin named Carlos Belfort shouted so..
He was vice-captain of the Wight Tree Guard..
“WTG, we never let down our guard! Be on your toes for the next 30 minutes.!”
Following his loud shouts, 12 High Guards, 30 Paladins, and 10 Priests moved. As such, there were as many as 52 divine players guarding this place. It was an unbelievable sight, with dozens of Paladins gathered in one place, wondering if there would be one in one party..
After confirming that all members were in their correct positions, Carlos looked at the leader, Peter Clark..
"Peter! Everyone is in position, waiting for the next command..”
Peter nodded at his words and pulled down the shield from behind his back..
Then he looked around at the knights of the Wight Tree Guard and slowly opened his mouth..
"From now on… … Cast.”
With a short command, the 12 high guards surrounding the saint grabbed their shields and knelt on one knee..
Then, white light rose from the center of their shields and tangled together.…….
Oooh——
A halo of white light formed into a huge dome and covered the entire area..
- The 'Barrier of Faith' was formed by linking all sacred powers of twelve high-ranking paladins..
* caution! If you leave the point, the area becomes 'invalid' and cannot be recovered..
"—We don't move for the next 30 minutes.!"
The Barrier of Faith was a top defense skill that could only be used when 12 Paladins of B grade or higher worked together. However, in order to maintain the skill, one could never deviate from a certain position or point..
In other words, all High Guards, the most elite paladins, are virtually incapable of combat.,
But enough to endure that, it was the skill that could keep the saintess safest..
“Peter, if I need to go to the bathroom, as the manager, you can take care of it for a while.?”
Carlos said playfully, looking at Peter..
"Carlos, I wish important moments like this had some weight..”
The two men looked at each other and smiled..
Peter was thinking that they were comrades who had been together for a whopping seven years, and that they trusted each other enough to know each other's intentions just by looking into each other's eyes, but Carlos's intentions were actually quite different..
‘Peter… … That's not your place. This is where I should be.’
Carlos thought so with a playful smile on his face..
He hated Peter. It was the result of growing envy and jealousy that had been secretly harbored for a very long time..
He awakened faster than anyone else in this position and joined this organization before anyone else..
And I thought to myself that I had devoted myself more to the organization than anyone else. however…….
'Why on earth should I be treated worse than you??’
The top spot was never his. Peter, who was favored by Nicholas, the leader of the squadron, and Saint Emilia, was always one step ahead of him. Actually, my level is higher…….
‘It is absurd that the best Holy Knights are determined not by skill but by fate..’
Misguided jealousy slowly grew into an evil fire in his heart..
And one day four years ago, she met a man by chance and that spark spread into a fire.,
‘Gordon Price... … my new guide…….'
The man recognized Carlos's true feelings and made a shockingly secret proposal..
Trap and eliminate squad leader Nicholas Steele... … Carlos complied with the request..
And when Nicholas was trapped, an unfamiliar system message appeared before his eyes..
- (!) Quest has arrived.
It was a 'hidden quest' message with strange content, but Carlos accepted it..
therefore.......
[Hidden Quest]
- Deep darkness blooming from pale light.......
1) The Death of Emilia Müller (in progress))
* Reward: Hidden Attribute Advancement (Death Knight)
He was currently performing the ‘Villain Quest’.
It was also a very difficult quest called the death of a saint..
‘I never regret starting a new path.’
As he was thinking that, white light spread from both hands of the saint..
Wooooow——!
- A Holy Field will be deployed in the area.. (1%)
Finally, the first step in the Seoul cleanup operation was taken..
At the same time, it was the moment when the first bullet in the operation to assassinate the saint was loaded..
“ruler! Holy Field has begun! For the next 30 minutes, everyone stay focused.!”
Holy Field's casting time is 31 minutes on average, but if Emilia's condition is good, it can be shortened to 28 minutes..
And it was around the 15th minute that she became completely immersed in the phenomenon and lost awareness.…….
‘At that point, you won't be able to stop casting the skill.…….'
Carlos waited for that exact spot..
He unconsciously suppressed his increasingly heavy breathing and glanced sideways at the saint..
A sickly but beautiful blonde woman—
Soon, her head would be cut off and a fountain of blood would gush out..
Time passed like that.......
- A Holy Field will be deployed in the area.. (50%)
When half of the skill was completed, a huge white ring was created above Emilia's head..
yes——
This meant that we had now reached a stage where the development of ‘Holy Field’ could not be stopped..
‘Now I'm completely defenseless.’
That means it's finally time.
He let out the hot breath he had been holding and slowly stood up..
Gradually—
"uh? Vice-captain... … What are you doing now??”
The paladin on his right asked in astonishment..
"Vice-captain, if you move any further, your 'area' will be damaged.!”
"Walter, I know that better than you do. What do you think of me??”
“yes? Then why are you doing that?……."
Let him take a step—
Phage support———!
One of the twelve parts that make up the Wall of Faith was crushed like glass..
- barrier of faith (11/12)
Blah blah blah.......
The remaining 11 could still be maintained, but just having one major rescue was a fatal flaw. All of the Wight Tree Guard looked at Carlos in astonishment at the scene..
- Due to excessive use of sacred power, sacred power is greatly reduced for 60 minutes.. (-50%)
"Pfft—”
Tongue!
He threw down his shield and walked forward, leaving the circle..
“……Carlos, what are you doing??”
Peter's embarrassed voice hit me in the back of the head..
“Peter, actually I was given a quest a few years ago.……."
“what?”
"So, sorry, but I think I'm going to have to kill that white whore.……."
"What is that, why?……."
However, he could not directly kill a saint or a fellow paladin. It was because of the ‘sacred oath’.
In other words, it was necessary to lend another hand.
He took out a dagger from his chest..
[Item information]
- Name: Unknown
- Effect: Unknown
This was an item handed over from the ‘Shadow Baron’ and was an important key to this operation..
Chow—bad——!
He slit his own wrist with a dagger, rupturing an artery and causing blood to pour out like a fountain.,
larynx——
He raised his arm and the blood splattered everywhere..
"Pfft, Peter Clark, listen carefully… … This is a failure of your own making.!”
"Damn it, Carlos! What on earth are you talking about?!”
In the face of an incomprehensible situation, deep embarrassment blooms on Peter's face..
"I've always thought that an incompetent bastard like you doesn't deserve to sit there..”
"......."
"For the sake of the Wight Tree Guard and if you wanted to protect the life of that white whore, you should have kept a close watch and managed it thoroughly, even if it was a friend you trusted... … I would do that if it were me..”
He said that and applied a 'heal' to the wound on his wrist..
Meanwhile, the large amount of bloodstains scattered everywhere moved on their own and coalesced into one..
And it bubbled up, and the next moment, it rose into the air as if evaporating..
The blood gathered together like a ball, and the space around it began to distort.…….
Wooooow——
—The portal opened..
Soon, someone walked out from inside..
Jeopuk- Jeobuk—
A very tall monster wearing a plain gray mask and purple robes.…….
"He, the Shadow Baron—!”
Peter recognized the identity of the stranger..
A red player with an unknown characteristic of moving around in all kinds of unusual ways, he was impossible to track because he used a movement skill that was unknown to the world..
'Opening a portal with blood, what nonsense?……."
But just now, it seemed like he was showing off a new mobility technique..
And that was by communicating with the vice-captain they trusted the most, Carlos Belfort.…….
And from the opened portal, monsters started pouring out..
“……She is a saint! There is a saint over there!”
"Oh, sickly beauty! It's totally my style. Why not play with it before I kill it??”
"Ugh—look at those confused faces.!”
As many as 70 people… … The players looked lawless at first glance, and it was obvious that they were a group plotting to summon a demon..
and.......
Jeopuk- Jeobuk—
70About 80 gunmen split left and right, and someone appeared between them..
A long-haired man in a black coat and black shirt,
"Oh, the Sword Saint Assassin……."
Sword Saint Assassin Okita Kaito, his last appearance.
His cold and sharp gaze was focused solely on the saint, Emilia Müller..
His pupils gradually widened, like a wild beast that had already decided to hunt..
‘If you face that person one-on-one, you won't be able to survive..’
Peter trembled unconsciously as he felt a deep sense of death coming from him..
It was an instinct of being preyed upon that I had never felt before when encountering someone..
“Director Woo, are you looking at the situation here? shit! Please come quickly!”
- yes! I'm on my way now!
however.......
"No, when those things come in, it gets so crazy that it becomes no fun..”
The Shadow Baron said and spread his arms..
Then his shadow began to rotate like the second hand of a clock..
Tsutsutsutsu——
The next moment, it divided into five lines and crawled like a snake along the floor, squeezing its way into the five passages that lead to this 'Saint's Park'..
- caution! A 'shadow trap' appears in the area..
The floors and walls of those five passages were stained black with his shadow..
The moment government agents running from inside the building step on the shadows.,
Shoo shoo shu shu——
“Ugh! What is this?!”
Dozens of shadows leapt from the floor and walls—hands gripped the agents' ankles..
“Ugh! This, this— won’t come off.!”
"Damn it, try a magic attack on the floor.!”
It was a strange spell that could not be easily escaped no matter how high the level was..
Just like that, the reinforcements' feet were tied up right in front of them..
A loud laugh came from inside the Shadow Baron's mask..
"Now, Geomseong, you only have 5 minutes. Time for me to grab the leashes of the guard dogs.”
Okita Kaito nodded at his words and placed his hand on the hilt of the sword on his belt..
Following his movements, about seventy assailants drew their weapons at once..
"Wight Tree Guard—stop them at all costs and fill the space.!”
11Excluding the high guards, 40 wight tree guards stood in front of the assailants..
"—Do not spare your life! You can survive the remaining 15 minutes.!”
A combination of paladin and priest, that's a whopping 40 people..
Even if attack power was excluded, defense power alone would have been at the highest level..
If I created a shield line, I would be able to hold out somehow..
but…….
- caution! The curse of ‘Grigory Azazel’ spreads! Holy power in the area is suppressed.!
The bodies of the Paladins and Priests couldn't help but cringe when they saw such a message before their eyes..
Wee wee wee——
One of the gunmen was holding up a bracelet.,
A black light was coming out from there..
It was a fallen angel's Noble Phantasm, an anti-holy power item..
When it unleashed its power, the sacred power of the paladins and priests decreased significantly..
As this is a sanctuary, the power will fade quickly, but the effect was applied for an instant..
"Ugh—!”
"Hey, strength... … falls out……."
"The sanctuary blesses us, but it will only be for a moment! Hang in there— ugh—"
Okita Kaito rushed towards them who retreated even further..
Ch—ah—ah—!
A single sword swung at the same time as the sword was thrown—8 heads fell in that short movement.,
"No, that's ridiculous.……."
No matter how I looked at it, it was a scene that was hard to understand..
Peter Clark's face turned pale..
He turned his head and looked at Emilia. She seemed to have no idea that this was happening, as she closed her eyes and continued to unfold 'Holy Fields'..
‘Damn it, if you touch her now you'll take fatal damage from mana reflux..’
Holy Field, as it was a massive purification spell, the penalty was significant..
Peter wasn't sure if she would survive if he was forced to stop midway..
"Do we have no choice but to move?……."
"Captain! If you remove the barrier of faith now, your divine power will drop significantly.!”
After casting Barrier of Faith, your sacred power is reduced by 50% for 1 hour..
Subsequently, he would also be exposed to the power of that fallen angel's Noble Phantasm..
‘Yes, it would be suicidal to face that crazy monster in a helpless state..’
Peter looked at the sword-wielding ghost that was approaching, cutting down the paladins..
but…….
“……Even if it means giving up your life, you have to buy time somehow..”
The moment Peter tried to stand up,—
"Paladins, stand your ground..”
A calm voice that did not suit this urgent situation was heard from somewhere..
Everyone turned their heads towards him..
In the gap in the 'wall of faith' that was broken by Carlos' departure, a seal began to appear there..
ssssss——
The hiding spell was lifted and someone's appearance was revealed..
"Everything, you—!”
Lee Hyun-wook, a man called the savior of Seoul suddenly appeared before my eyes..
"Here, I will fill the empty space..”
As he said that, he walked into the seat where Carlos should have been sitting and stood tall..
“how on earth do you……."
The Korean government's troops, who were coming to support them, were caught in the shadow baron's 'shadow trap' and were struggling..
"I was watching with Hugin, but I saw a sign and came right away. So I didn't get caught in the trap..”
He said that and turned to face Okita Kaito..
Peter looked at that and shook his head..
“But you can't do it alone! That person is the Sword Saint Assassin, Kaito Okita.!”
"yes, i know.”
Lee Hyun-wook nodded and pulled out a sword from behind his back..
“……Even if I can't beat that guy, I can stop him and take his time..”
As soon as Peter heard those words, he shook his head..
“What nonsense is that... … Aren't you a Control player? never……."
"Peter, you must not let down your defenses of faith. You're so slow you won't be able to catch that guy..”
That was correct..
The moment the barrier of faith is lifted, if they rush in and target the saint,.......
'……Yeah, you'll never catch it..’
So, as he said, if only he could endure crossing swords with Okita Kaito.,
The best thing to do was to block the ‘breaks’ while maintaining the wall of faith..
however…….
“……Ugh, what is it? There's only one left now.?”
“Hey—I think that guy over there is trying to close the hole by himself.?”
The 40 wight tree guards who were the last hope have already been eliminated very easily..
Because of Grigori Azazel's curse, he was unable to exert any power..
If the priests had used purification magic, they could have removed the curse at once, but there was no way they could. This was because the swordsmen rushed in and were the first to cut off the heads of the priests..
Just like that, dozens of assailants approached Lee Hyun-wook through a crack in the wall of belief..
"kill it—!”
As soon as someone shouted, they rushed in..
However, Lee Hyun-wook did not take a single step back and slowly raised both arms.,
Ssssssssssssssssss——
Black smoke rose from both his arms..
And then, two huge metal boxes came out of it and flew into the sky..
Wooooow——
The quiet but engineering sound of the engine, the black steel surface, the magic circuit embroidered on it, and the 'air drop device (prototype)' stood tall above Hyunwook Lee's head..
“What is that?……."
For a moment, the footsteps of the charging assailants had no choice but to gradually slow down..
Tongue—
At that time, the lower part of the airdrop device opened and,
Sh—sh—sh—sh—sh——!
From there, 110 iron balls shot out all at once, as if they were fired from a shotgun..
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