Chapter 176. The Second Coming (3) (1/2)
[Your Status Window]
[3. Physical Level]Strength: Intermediate (Intermediate)Endurance: Intermediate (Low)Agility: Intermediate (Intermediate)Stamina: Intermediate (Intermediate)Mana: High (High)Luck: Intermediate (Intermediate)
Remaining Ability Points: 1
[4. Abilities]
1. Innate Abilities (2)—Future Vision (Grade Unknown)—Nine Eyes (Grade Unknown)
Future Vision. An upgradeable ability that manifests the realm Seol Jihu had reached in the future— or more precisely, in the world of his dreams.
No, rather than ‘manifesting’, it was more correct to say ‘borrowing’.
With Future Vision activated, his past experiences and techniques would get engraved in his mind. However, they would disappear the moment the skill ended.
Since the skill did not raise his physical stats directly, the range of manifestation was strictly based on Seol Jihu’s ‘current’ self.
Naturally, the range of power he had manifested now was far greater than that in the past. There was no need to even mention the Tutorial, and when Future Vision activated during the Ramman Village mission, he had only been a Level 2.
But the current Seol Jihu was different.
Ever since he entered Paradise, with the exception of times when he had no choice, he never once skipped training.
In the Neutral Zone, he fully utilized the increased effects of training. At the Huge Stone Rocky Mountain, he surpassed his limit through arduous training and perseverance.
And with Seo Yuhui feeding him all sorts of precious medicine and him using his Ability Points to raise his Mana stat to ‘High (High)’…
The current Seol Jihu’s physical stats surpassed that of a Level 5 High Ranker and were now on par with most Level 6s.
Moreover, when Future Vision activated against the mid-ranked Nest, Seol Jihu revealed martial prowess that was at least that of a level 7.
But similar to how High Rankers were separated into True and False High Rankers, not all Unique Rankers were the same.
There were those who climbed up a comparatively easy path paved by their organization’s full support of experience points and contribution points. However, there were also those who crawled up from the bottom through nothing but effort and hard work.
As the ‘dream’ Seol Jihu had entered Paradise as a Red Mark, he was a Unique Ranker who belonged in the latter category.
And so, no one knew the level of martial prowess the current Seol Jihu could unleash.
The first ones who detected this change were those around Seol Jihu. Although they were on the verge of losing consciousness from the heavy injuries they sustained, they could feel the powerful energy even in their half-unconscious state.
Like river water bursting through the dam and flooding over, a truly terrifying amount of energy surged out.
The fortress wall rumbled as though hit by an earthquake, and pieces of broken rocks vibrated while slowly rising into the air.
This strange scene appeared as if gravity had reversed.
As these series of changes were unfolding, Seol Jihu’s body repeatedly went back and forth between gold and red. From his skin, hot vapor rose up like an overheated steam engine.
Suddenly, the vibrations stopped.
The pieces of rocks that were flying up all fell to the ground.
Silence and stillness abruptly descended, like a period of rest between the foreshock and the mainshock.
Chohong shuddered, feeling an indescribable pressure of something huge surging up from the ground.
Although she had lost consciousness, she opened her eyes from the powerful sensation stimulating her body and immediately made a confused face.
With great difficulty, she stared at the youth who was standing at the center of this phenomenon.
“Sssp….”
Taking in a deep breath, Seol Jihu slowly tilted his head. Caught up in his own energy, his hair stood up and fluttered in the wind. Finally, as if he could no longer restrain the power seething inside him, he clenched his fists and raised them into the air.
Seol Jihu. He was a man who was not chosen by the Seven Gods.
Seol Jihu. He was a man who participated in battles against the Seven Armies nine times, and survived nine times.
Seol Jihu. He was the only Earthling who, in collaboration with the Federation, exterminated Abhorrent Charity (Caritas).
There were more than a few titles decorating him. However, the Federation, humankind, and Parasites all recognized him under one name.
Golden light blended together with blood-red light and erupted out of the eyes glaring at the sky. At the same time, his clenched teeth spread open.
Level 7 Highlander, Awakening Skill — Berserk.
HUAAAAAAA!
Like the roar of an injured beast, a chilling howl resounded throughout the battlefield.
The Demon of the Battlefield, who once rampaged through all battlefields without discrimination, made his second coming at Arden Valley.
**
The war ended as humanity’s defeat.
Mary Rhine, who laid collapsed on the ground after having her ankles crushed, could only think this to be the case.
Never mind anyone in a battle; she couldn’t spot even a single sign of resistance inside the fortress.
The Nosferatus were stirring up dust as if the fortress was their home, and the army of corpses had climbed up their mothers’ bodies and was wandering around the area.
Murder and human-consumption were all that remained.
And so, Mary Rhine cried.
Because that was the only thing she could do.
The group of Nosferatus surrounding her snickered as they listened to her wails.
It was then. A flash of light brushed past Mary Rhine’s tear-stained sight.
When the light intensified in an instant and radiated a blinding golden light, her eyes widened and headed up.
Almost simultaneously, dozens of sharp slashes, leaving behind trails of golden light, tore through the air at high-speed.
The Level 7 Highlander, Secret Art — Sword Qi Wave.
Like a torrential rain, blades of sword qi swept through the group.
The startled Nosferatus did their best to protect their bodies from the sudden ambush, but the sword blades tore their arms apart and cleaved their bodies.
Soon, when their wounded area began to burn black, two of them instantly turned to ash and fell to the ground.
The ones with better intuition had escaped the range of the attack as soon as their defense gave in, but even they were heavily injured.
It was then that they were able to spot the enemy descending on the fortress wall.
Boom!
As soon as he landed, a crater formed on the ground.
“Kiaaaaa!”
The Nosferatu standing at the front bared its fangs and rushed forward.
Seol Jihu slightly tilted his torso forward and charged in without reserve.
Thwack!
The flying Nosferatu flinched. The enemy had rushed up to its face before it noticed.
Setting aside the fact that it could not capture the enemy’s instantaneous movement, a splitting pain was flooding into its head. Right, the spear-wielding youth had just headbutted it. As if to prove this, a stream of blood trickled down both of their foreheads.
From its blurry vision, the blinking Nosferatu saw a crimson-eyed warrior smiling eerily. And what it saw next was a hand soaring up from the bottom like a hook.
Fingers slathered in mana penetrated its solar plexus and dug inside it deeply.
When the Nosferatu took a sharp breath and opened its mouth, Seol Jihu used more strength and clenched his hand.
Crack! Crack!
When the sound of something being pulled and torn apart eerily rang out, a scream hanging onto the throat of the Nosferatu turned into croaks.
“Kik… kik….”
The Nosferatu’s expression distorted and its body swayed. Soon, when Seol Jihu pulled out his hand, a lump of flesh came out with it.
Seol Jihu beheaded the monster, whose eyes had rolled backward, before kicking its stomach hard.
The Nosferatu’s body detached from its head while drawing a parabola in the air. After bouncing and rolling on the ground a couple of times, it stopped in front of another member of its kind with a splash.
The gazes of the nearby Nosferatus all moved toward the body bleeding out and gushing out its internal organs.
When they raised their heads, Seol Jihu, who received over a dozen gazes, shrugged his shoulders and beckoned with his finger. It was almost as if he was asking, ‘Why aren’t you coming?’
The eyebrows of the spectating Nosferatus perked up. They exchanged glances before walking forward.
Seol Jihu dropped the lump of flesh in his hand.
In the next moment, half of the Nosferatus leaped into the air, and the remaining half charged forward. Seol Jihu spun his spear once before lowering his center of gravity and darting forward in a sliding motion.
Having closed the distance with a single leap, one of the airborne Nosferatus slashed its claw down at Seol Jihu.
Dodging the attack by slightly tilting his head to the side, Seol Jihu stabbed his spear at one of the Nosferatus when a claw suddenly popped out from the side.
Kyagagak!