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HELHEIM SCANS
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Chapter 79
"Soul Shackle Magic? Just hearing the name, I can't quite tell what it means..."
At the junior's question, another senior mage continued the explanation.
"It's simple. It's a defensive magic that shackles one's soul to prevent instant death for a certain period. Necromancers dream of immortality, after all."
In other words, since Leon couldn't remain intact against the poison, he used Soul Shackle Magic to prevent instant death, while Luna would heal his deteriorating body.
This meant that until the Soul Shackle Magic was lifted, Leon wouldn't die from the poison.
"However, while using that magic, an enormous amount of mana is consumed. And it does nothing to reduce injuries or pain. Plus, it won't protect against high-level magic beyond the caster's circle."
In other words, Leon was enduring the excruciating pain of the poison with an expression that betrayed nothing.
"Do not approach within ten meters of the absolute barrier."
"If I go in and assist, we can safely take that thing down."
Osberg was about to join the battle with his sword, but Luna shook her head.
"Right now, no one except Leon can withstand the inside of that barrier. Your body might endure it, but since you're completely unprepared, there's a risk of lasting side effects."
The subjugation team hadn't anticipated that the Kraken would have such a trick up its sleeve, so they hadn't prepared for it.
"So just wait."
With those words, Luna strode confidently toward the barrier.
Osberg, with a grim expression, asked,
"Just what are you?"
"What do you mean?"
"To this old man’s eyes, you hardly seem human."
At Osberg’s stern voice, Luna let out a bitter smile.
"Just a fallen kin."
Like Leon, Luna was not a normal existence in the eyes of others.
And for good reason—neutralizing such a deadly poison in an instant wasn't something even the Saintess of the Holy Kingdom could easily achieve.
"Hah. The more I see those two, the less I understand what they are."
* * *
As we prepared for the Kraken's subjugation, I was deep in thought about countering its final desperate measures.
By using Heart of the Machine God, I could create a neutralizing agent or even something to withstand the Kraken’s attacks.
A high-circle necromancer wouldn’t even need to take the attacks directly.
The same applied to the Sword Hall and the Martial Hall.
But coldly analyzing the situation, at my current level, none of those methods were feasible.
What I had was overwhelming fuel—and experience.
Even reaching Sword Master was something I could manage, but beyond that, I too needed more time.
So, my conclusion was to push the limits of what I currently had.
I would use 6th-circle Soul Shackle Magic to prevent instant death.
Soul Shackle Magic was originally meant to prevent momentary death, and since it required an enormous amount of necromantic mana, this way of using it was practically insane.
But I had an abundance of necromantic mana.
It wasn’t a problem at all.
Even if there was a limit to my output, meaning I couldn't burn all my mana at once, maintaining it continuously wouldn't be an issue.
And my shattered body—Luna would heal it in real-time.
With her grotesque healing ability, even if half my body were torn apart by the Kraken’s tentacles, she could regenerate me almost instantly.
She literally had the power to save someone as long as they weren’t outright dead.
When I first revealed this plan to Luna, she was vehemently opposed to it.
"Are you insane?! Who’s going to endure all that pain for you? Your ancestors?!"
As Luna said, the pain from my poisoned and deteriorating body would be unimaginable.
If the pain was too intense, fighting would be impossible.
So, I used all the materials that Misha, the head maid, had brought to create two elixirs.
One was an anesthetic to suppress pain.
The other was a toxin that hyperactivated my body.
Both were substances guaranteed to wreck the body, but for me, they were the best possible elixirs.
Pop!!
The cork popped off, and both potions poured into my mouth simultaneously.
Clang!!
Without hesitation, I tossed the empty potion bottles aside and let out a chilling laugh.
The excruciating pain disappeared in an instant.
"Ahaha… Hahahahaha!!"
As I laughed freely, the Kraken's massive eyes twisted in an eerie manner.
What?
Isn’t this fun?
The fact that it was finally time to rip apart that damn octopus made me happier than the pain.
"Alright, let’s go again."
At my menacing aura, the Kraken hesitated for a moment but then, with the fury of a parent who had lost its child, charged at me.
At the same time, a fake Aura Blade—a pseudo sword energy—flared atop my sword.
The Kraken was burning its very life force to draw out more power.
On the other hand, I was still too weak to fight it head-on.
So, I chose to strengthen myself, even if it meant breaking my own body.
By doping my already aura-enhanced body, I pushed it even further.
BOOM!!!
A massive tentacle came crashing down, creating a sonic boom.
I was struck and sent flying, yet I wore a satisfied expression.
My crushed body healed in an instant.
The durability of my reinforced physique was also satisfactory.
But there was no guarantee that Soul Shackle Magic or Luna’s healing could last forever.
The Kraken visibly wavered as it witnessed my rapid regeneration.
But it soon lunged at me again.
Getting hit once was enough—there was no need for a second time.
I shot forward, kicking off the ground with explosive force, tightening my grip on my sword.
In the end, this brutal battle was a matter of time.
Who would fall first?
Who would deplete their opponent first?
Fortunately, I had several advantages—
I possessed a cursed sword.
I had experience fighting this creature before.
And I had a vast reservoir of energy to sustain this fight.
The problem was that my current swordsmanship wasn’t refined enough to kill it completely.
I had to break past my limits and reach Sword Mastery right now.
That would come at a great cost.
"I wanted to reach completion first before breaking through…"
I pointed my sword at the Kraken.
At the same time, the cursed sword’s crimson flame-like pseudo sword energy flickered violently.
[Nameless Sword Technique]
[Rotation]
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Night]
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In an instant, I closed the distance to the Kraken and swung my sword in a circular motion.
Slash!!!
Slash!!!
Like a massive sphere spinning on its own, the sword aura spread outward, leaving a huge scar on the creature’s tentacle.
Since its defense had weakened, the attack was definitely effective, but gaining any greater advantage seemed difficult.
This isn’t enough.
As the Kraken’s counterattack rushed in, I narrowly dodged, barely grazing past the strike.
My sword flashed once more, leaving behind a crimson afterimage.
Then how about this?
I quickly pointed the tip of my sword downward before lifting it up, channeling necromantic mana into my thumb.
Then, I ran my hand over the blade of my cursed sword.
[Rune Inscription]
[Kallis]
A strange, glowing symbol etched itself onto the blade’s surface, resonating with both the sword aura and the aura blade.
It was probably different from actual runes.
The symbols I was using were ones I had created himself, embedding everything I had accumulated as a necromancer and naming them "runes" out of convenience.
Sensing something unusual, the Kraken hurriedly tried to distance itself, but by then, my foot had already struck the ground.
Swish!!
In an instant, my sword accelerated at an incredible speed and slashed once again.
Of course, the Kraken was a formidable entity in its own right.
It swung all its tentacles at me, blocking every possible path of approach.
By any objective measure, there was no space to evade.
But to my eyes, a minute gap was visible.
No opponent was perfect.
And the moment that gap was revealed, I strung them together into a single opening and charged through.
Shaaack!!!
I slipped through the deadly tentacle tips at speeds faster than sound could follow.
In response, the Kraken desperately condensed its venom into a liquid and spewed it out.
Getting hit by that is not an option.
The Kraken was blocking even the only path I had left.
Dodging further while closing in was no longer possible.
In that case…
I had no choice but to fight power with power.
[Nameless Sword]
[Revolution]
At the same time, several sword auras formed in the shape of rotating orbs, circling around the Kraken and cutting into its body.
The resulting force tore through the ground nearby, leaving the landscape cracked and upturned.
"Tsk!"
My body periodically stiffened as the poison seeped into me, but each time, Luna’s healing magic flew in to counteract it.
When I turned my head, I saw Luna with her eyes closed, failing to hide her frustration.
The rest of the subjugation squad had similar expressions.
Shock.
Disbelief.
Not that it mattered at this moment.
The Kraken’s regeneration was stronger than I had expected.
But that only meant it was being pushed into a corner.
At the same time, my own side’s lack of firepower was becoming clear.
The pseudo-sword auras I was using were only imitations of true aura blades.
As the battle dragged on, the Kraken’s body continued to suffer immense wounds, healing only to be injured again.
Likewise, my own flesh was repeatedly torn apart by poison and attacks, only to regenerate time and time again.
And yet, neither I nor the Kraken backed down, both fighting as if intent on ripping the other apart.
Then, at that moment—
The Kraken’s massive body suddenly swayed violently.
The signal had arrived.
That meant the Kraken had reached its absolute limit.
In this war of attrition, the one who ran out of endurance first was the Kraken.
Of course, it was aware of this too.
That’s why it made a desperate move.
The creature shoved me away with a massive tentacle and then gathered all of its appendages into a single point.
A high-temperature beam.
I had blocked this attack once before.
But this time, it was impossible.
The Kraken knew that as well—this time, it was aiming to incinerate me completely.
And if the firepower had increased, half-hearted measures wouldn’t work.
After some thought, I dissipated the pseudo-sword aura stored in Elekstra.
The Kraken let out a deafening roar, thinking I had given up.
Shortly after, a blinding light began to flicker at the tips of its converged tentacles.
I raised my sword skyward, positioning the hilt against his chest.
If an Expert isn’t enough… I’ll just have to become a Master.
Thump… Thump… Thump…
The aura swirling around him forcibly bloomed.
"Elder!!"
At his call, Sword Saint Osberg, who had been gripping his sword, ready to move at a moment’s notice, widened his eyes.
"When I give the signal, cut down that magic with a single strike."
If his strength wasn’t enough, he would just have to borrow it.
Though the distance between Osberg and the Kraken was vast, sending out a single slash of aura shouldn’t be too difficult.
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
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