Chapter 376 |
The Chalice of the Antichrist.
It was the medium that allowed ‘Guntapheyr’s’ avatar to ascend to the 20th floor, and additionally, as a symbolic object, it supported the spiritual aspect of the Order.
‘As expected, it was stored in this room.’
Jinhyuk’s lips curled into a smile.
No matter how much one had forged a contract of subjugation with Guntapheyr, sloth was sloth.
The inherent bone-deep laziness wasn’t going anywhere.
‘No matter how much they pretend and put on a show, certain things, like where they store their valuables, tend to be predictable.’
He had already known that the chalice would be in this room.
Just one thing. If there was a problem…
“Ouch.”
Teresa, reaching out for the relic, recoiled in surprise.
She was enveloped in the ‘Blessing of the Stars’, but it was to no avail.
The deadly miasma showed no mercy to those not under the protection of Guntapheyr.
“It’s like a grape beyond a complete fence. If Teresa can’t acquire it, it is just as out of reach for me.”
Cheon Yuseong clicked his tongue.
He didn’t forget to add another comment.
“Unless someone has a sharp method up their sleeve, that is.”
“Cough! Cough! Looks like it’s my turn.”
Jinhyuk cracked his joints and stepped forward.
[The artifact ‘Chalice of the Antichrist’ is currently afflicted with the curse ‘The Winter Rain of the Demon Realm’.]
It was a curse that corresponded to an 11-star rated barrier.
Naturally, neither Teresa nor Cheon Yuseong could dare to approach it.
But.
‘If one knows the method to dispel it, it’s simple.’
Most curses are countered with holy power or healing spells.
For good reason.
Opposite attributes have always guaranteed extreme effectiveness.
‘That’s the most common and biggest mistake.’
Jinhyuk once again gathered his magic.
There were three particularly strong concentrations of toxicity.
And the chalice originally had the property of being made from wood by a carpenter.
With two clues, the right answer could be deduced.
Whooosh!
‘The Flame of the Beginning’ and ‘Annihilation of All Poisons’ activated simultaneously.
Heating the wood frame of the chalice to create cracks and injecting a new type of poison to encourage the toxins to run even more wildly.
Crack! Criiick… Crack!
A shriek, like that of a beast, echoed from the Chalice of the Antichrist.
Then, at that moment.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The miasma surrounding the chalice scattered in an instant.
[The miasma has been completely purified!]
Good.
One of the reasons for coming here had been accomplished.
Outside, Tarachan and the Black Hill Tribe must be buying time.
Now, only one more task remained to be completed.
***
Boom! Boom!
“Kill them all! The gods desire the death of the inferior races!”
“Drive out those stupid humans once and for all. This land belongs to us, orcs!”
With loud noise, numerous devotees and orcs interwove in a single spot.
A blood battle, unpredictable even an inch ahead.
The battle, which had been going on for hours, was reaching its climax.
The devotees, overwhelming in number, surged like a tide, but the orcs countered with their individual superior combat strength.
Especially Tarachan, who was so valorous that he was pushing back even against five Death Knights.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
A gust of sword winds swept across the land, and the Death Knights crumbled to pieces.
“The disgrace of being beaten by mere orcs…”
Pelamon, the commander in charge of the Order’s troops, gritted his teeth.
The frontline was relentlessly pressed back.
Though livid, he realized his own level was far inadequate.
At least, until the High Priest arrived personally…
That’s when it happened.
“Stupid creatures!”
From the center of the temple, an unimaginable gray mist surged upward.
Fwoosh!
It wasn’t flame.
It didn’t cause the skin of whoever it touched to burn.
However, it held the despairing power to slow down time for whoever it contacted.
“Ugh… Ugh… What?”
“Screeech!”
Slowed down movement.
The hand swinging the glaive. The sense responding to the enemy’s assault.
Everything felt different.
Time seemed to be stretched, nearly tripling.
Thud! Thud! Thump!
Sluggish movement was fatal.
“Aaargh!”
“Kwooo!”
The orcs began to collapse instantaneously.
All orcs within a 10-meter radius of Sloth were dominated in time, and surrendered their lives without recourse to the devotees.
“Such an absurd ability…”
“Screeech. What a monster.”
The elite orc guards gasped.
Having never directly confronted the Order of Wraiths, they did not know just how powerful their High Priest Sloth was.
Or rather…
Even if the enemy was strong, they believed Tarachan could overcome him.
But now, witnessing the unfolding scene, who could predict Tarachan’s victory?
It was an alien ability that crushed common sense and broke the morale of the proud orcs.
“Vermins… Ignorant of their own limit. You’ll regret ever stepping foot in our land.”
Sloth grasped his staff.
[The Seven Deadly Sins ‘Sloth’ activates its unique ability ‘Laziness Steps’.]
Within the distorted space.
Merely walking forward acted as the ultimate defense and simultaneously as an attack.
“Die… Die… Die!”
The spear wielded by an elite orc guardian slowed midair.
“Stupid fool.”
Sloth infused magic into his staff with annoyance.
Swoosh!
The approaching spear turned to dust in mid-flight.
Moreover, thanks to the second effect of ‘Laziness Steps,’ ‘Contagion’, the orc who attacked turned to stone on the spot.
Crack.
It took less than three seconds for an elite orc guard to become a statue.
In such a manner, no matter how numerous the enemy, it was meaningless.
Finally…
“Everyone, step back. I will handle this.”
Tarachan moved.
“Screeech! Chieftain! No, it’s dangerous to fight such a monster!”
“If our chieftain falls, the entire tribe will be at risk. Leave this place to us, and escape during the mayhem.”
The orcs dissuaded Tarachan.
Losing the tribe’s cornerstone Tarachan was more painful than thousands of orcs’ deaths.
“We can’t retreat now. If we give up here, we’ll never beat those guys again!”
He felt a fear seeping into his bones.
This trauma, if not overcome, would forever gnaw at the brains of the Black Hill Tribe like a persistent maggot.
Whoooosh!
A green aura surged along the glaive.
… To penetrate that accursed aura.
To thrust the blade into the heart.
Boom!
With that single thought, Tarachan lunged forward.
[Tarachan activates the Lv22 skill ‘The Liberated One’.]
A skill affording immunity to all status conditions.
Tarachan resisted Sloth’s power, leaping high into the air.
“Kwooo!”
From above.
… Downwards!
The glaive descended vertically.
The power and speed were sufficient.
But.
It was merely that.
“Ho, even the chieftain. Somewhat decent. Better than the others, at least.”
The glaive quivered, stopped midair.
“Kuh… Uggh… Agh!”
“It’s futile, you won’t be able to move. That’s the thing. To cut off your enemy’s head… It’s done like this.”
Sloth’s fingers sliced through the air.
No, he tried to.
“Our friend’s life is in danger, you might want to reconsider.”
A new voice intervened in the chaotic battlefield.
***
At the entrance of the temple, Jinhyuk smiled brightly.
“You are…”
Sloth’s eyes narrowed.
“Kang Jinhyuk. I wanted to greet you a bit earlier, but there was so much to do.”
“Kang Jinhyuk… Ah, you’re that guy.”
Sloth’s attention shifted from Tarachan to Jinhyuk.
“You know me?”
“Of course, how could I not know of the human that’s been grinding ‘His’ teeth. You also snatched away the Holy Maiden, causing all devotees of our Order to be well aware of you.”
Simply put, he was a celebrity.
“What an honor. I’ve even become the idol of fanatics. Isn’t that right? After all, they say I’m famous.”
“If not an idol, then a rabid fan mistakenly speaking.”
“Cheon Yuseong… Even so, it’s too direct to say what’s on your mind like that…”
Cheon Yuseong and Teresa chimed in.
“Hmm. So you brought a few of your weak friends along. So, what will you three do? Surely, you don’t think you can win against me?”
“I have no intention of going one-on-one against you. Your ability is quite troublesome.”
‘The Laziness Steps’ was itself an impeccable unique ability.
There wasn’t no way to break it, but within the temple of the Order of Wraiths, it was invincible.
Yes, the strongest ability.
Just one thing.
Unless there was a way to seal that ability from the very beginning.
Jinhyuk took out a familiar object from his pocket.
“Perhaps you recognize this? I rather liked it, so I picked it up.”
The Chalice of the Antichrist.
The most important relic sustaining the Order of Wraiths was now openly revealed.
“……!!!”
Sloth almost bit his tongue in shock.
The overwhelming lethargy and annoyance dissipated completely at the sight unfolding before his eyes.
It couldn’t be, when he emerged from the temple.
All for the sake of acquiring the chalice.
“Answer me! How, exactly how… did you know this sacred artifact of our Order was here!”
The information only known to the Order’s followers was beyond comprehension; how could a mere player know?
Not to mention holding the chalice, protected by Guntapheyr’s miasma, so unscathed was unbelievable.
‘Even the Holy Maiden wouldn’t dare attempt this.’
If one of the archangels from ‘Eden’ had intervened, maybe. But simply with holy power, it was an impossible feat.
“I get that you’re curious. But isn’t there something more pressing right now?”
As if to accentuate his point, Jinhyuk raised the chalice to head height.
Then.
Thud!
The chalice began to freefall.
“No, stop!”
Sloth’s scream, fortunately, did not last long.
Just before hitting the floor, Jinhyuk caught the chalice safely using an ice sculpture.
“Oops. It’s heavier than it looks.”
“Gasp. Huff. Huff…”
“High Priest… Our sacred artifact…!”
“The wicked heretic dares… What is this blasphemy!”
“Hold, stop it!”
“Screaaaaaam! Demon God!”
As the devotees were engrossed in battle with the orcs, they wailed.
Tears and snot streamed down, their limbs trembling uncontrollably; watching them, one might feel their peripheral nerves shrivel and burn.
‘Thrilling.’
Indeed, trampling on what others value most was always the most exhilarating.
Humming to himself, Jinhyuk twirled a finger through the loop of the chalice.
“Hey, you angelic fellow! The relic is old and fragile. If you keep spinning it like that, it might just…”
Crack.
A red gem embedded in the chalice shattered from the shock.
“Ah… My bad.”
That wasn’t the intention, but unfortunately, it had suffered some slight damage.