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[Translator - Helga ]
[Proofreader - Starfall ]
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Chapter: 21
Wooooong—!
Cheon Woo-jin held an activated mana bomb in his hand and concentrated his energy into his arm. After focusing his vision to ensure precise aim, he hurled the bomb toward the Lich King's camp.
Fwoooooosh—!
The mana bomb shot off into the distance. Immediately, Woo-jin ducked and covered his ears.
Rumble rumble rumble!
A massive tremor erupted, followed by a deafening explosion from the Lich King's camp.
KABOOOOOM!
With a thunderous roar, a radiant burst of multi-colored magical light erupted into the sky, devouring the encroaching darkness.
‘That worked even better than expected.’
Although it had cost a fortune to make, the results more than justified the expense.
Woo-jin’s blood alone possessed tremendous magical energy—and within it, conflicting forces coexisted in harmony. These energies were infused into mana stones, engineered to trigger chain explosions.
‘Shame. If it were easier to source the materials, I’d make as many as possible, no matter the cost.’
Even creating the mana sensors was expensive, but stabilizing his blood once it was injected into the mana stones required ice crystals—and to cause chain reactions, phoenix ash. Both were incredibly rare and difficult to obtain.
The result? A special mana bomb forged from immense wealth, rare materials, and the blood of a great lineage—an unnatural secret weapon that completely annihilated the testing ground.
Once the aftershock of the explosion settled, Cheon Woo-jin slowly stood.
‘Good. That hit perfectly.’
He had targeted the cluster of orcs with pinpoint precision, maximizing the bomb's destructive power.
Then, from behind, a sinister presence crept in.
Grrrrrrrr...
As the stunned orcs lay immobilized, ghouls began to emerge.
Covered in dark energy, the ghouls charged forward, emitting a terrifying roar. Woo-jin raised his Goblin Sword, ready to unleash sword energy. But just then, the Seven-Star Sacred Sword on his back began to tremble.
Wooooooong...!
Sensing the intense vibrations from the Seven-Star Sacred Sword, Woo-jin paused, as if a realization had dawned on him. He sheathed the Goblin Sword and drew the blunt-edged Seven-Star Sacred Sword.
Zzzzzzing!
Astonishingly, the sword responded to the ghouls' corrupt energy. The constellations etched along its blade began to glow, neutralizing the unholy power.
‘So this is the true ability of the "Blade of Evil's Banishment.”
Woo-jin infused his energy into the Seven-Star Sacred Sword.
Wooooong!
As his energy merged with the sword, it blazed even brighter. A transparent aura layered itself over the blade like sword energy, radiating a mystic force that repelled all unclean energy.
With the Seven-Star Sacred Sword in hand, Cheon Woo-jin unleashed the Cheon Family Sword Art.
Cheon Family Sword Art – Gale Slash: High Wind!
Tshhhhhhhhh!
A radiant multi-colored brilliance engulfed the blade, slashing through the ghouls in a single motion.
Screeeeeeech!
The ghouls, once spewing malevolent energy, were instantly sliced apart and disintegrated into ash under the brilliance.
Only then did Woo-jin truly understand the sword’s nature.
“So this is how you’re meant to be used.”
It wasn’t that the blade was blunt—it simply never needed to cut conventionally. With this method, even monsters made of half-spirits could be struck down.
As a ghoul charged at him, Woo-jin swung the Seven-Star Sacred Sword.
Shhhhhhhh!
With each slash, the ghouls turned to ash and scattered.
Without hesitation, Woo-jin charged through the ghouls and orcs, making his way toward the Lich King's camp.
Fwoooosh—!
Upon arrival, a devastating scene spread out before him—the result of the mana bomb infused with his blood and a blend of high-density mana stones and conflicting forces.
Charred orc corpses, severed limbs, the ruins of broken barracks—complete devastation.
He had anticipated destructive power, but not to this extreme.
‘This went smoother than expected. I need to locate the Lich King before the Orcs regroup.’
Still holding the Seven-Star Sacred Sword, Woo-jin scanned for the most intense unholy energy. The sword began to vibrate again, pointing him deeper into the enemy’s camp.
He activated Ghost Shadow Step and dashed forward with lightning speed.
The deeper he went, the more intense the corruption became. A typical hunter would have lost their mind the moment they stepped foot here.
But Woo-jin, born with the Heavenly Martial Physique, possessed immense mental fortitude. And with the Seven-Star Sacred Sword in hand, the corruption couldn’t even touch him.
At the mist-shrouded center of the camp, he finally came face-to-face with the Lich King, Harmens.
RUMBLE!
Harmens was a massive lich, cloaked in pure darkness.
Though liches were known to appear as boss monsters in undead dungeons, this one was on a different level.
【So it was you... The one who caused that explosion through unnatural means.】
He was no ordinary undead—this was a high-tier lich with full sentience.
A guardian-class monster protecting a level 9 labyrinth.
Atop Harmens’ skull sat a dazzling crown encrusted with vibrant gems. Despite its beauty, it radiated a sinister aura.
This was the very crown—the mission’s objective.
‘So I need to steal that to clear the mission.’
Though the mana bomb wiped out the orcs, Harmens himself seemed barely affected.
Blue soulfire flared in his eye sockets. He spoke in a chilling voice.
【You will pay dearly for interrupting me.】
He raised his skeletal hands, and tendrils of dark magic surged outward. The scattered orc corpses and black ashes began to reform and merge.
Grrrrrrr...!
Dark, twisted monsters began to take shape—bodies oozing foul fluid and radiating pure malice.
[Class: Nameless Sword has detected hostile presence.]
[Dark Blood Chimeras created by a wicked necromancer have revealed their hostility.]
These weren’t ordinary chimeras—they were dark-magic-enhanced versions.
Grrrrr!
A pack of Dark Blood Chimeras, radiating black energy, closed in on Woo-jin.
Forged from orc corpses, each stood over three meters tall, wielding massive battle axes made of congealed blood.
RAAAAAARGH!
【Rip him apart! Extract his soul and turn him into an undead, to suffer forever in agony!】
At the Lich King's command, the Dark Blood Chimeras charged.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Each of their steps made the earth quake with their overwhelming strength.
Yet Cheon Woo-jin showed no fear.
Gripping the Seven-Star Sacred Sword, he gathered his energy.
Woooooong!
Once more, brilliant multi-colored light radiated from the blade, scattering the dark magic around him.
At the same time, Woo-jin activated Hundred Thunder Divine Arts.
CRACKLE!
The blade’s brilliance merged with arcs of lightning.
‘It’s working.’
He hurled the lightning, now infused with the Seven Stars’ power, straight at the charging Dark Blood Chimeras.
CRAAAACKLE!
Multi-colored lightning tore through their massive forms.
SCREEEECH!
The charging Dark Blood Chimeras came to a screeching halt the moment Cheon Woo-jin’s lightning, born from the Hundred Thunder Divine Arts, struck them. Their monstrous howls tore through the air as black smoke billowed from their bodies in agony.
Crackle!
The lightning, infused with the power of the Seven-Star Sacred Sword, completely incinerated the dark energy radiating from the Chimeras.
Without pausing, Woo-jin swapped to the Goblin Sword.
Tsssssshh!
The blade surged with sword energy, the edge elongating as if stretching upward like a growing fang. He unleashed the Cheon Family Sword Art once more—this time a heavier strike.
Cheon Family Sword Art – Heavy Blade Form: Iron Boulder
The Heavy Blade Form carried a weighty force, like a crushing mountain.
BOOOOM!
The moment it hit, the Chimeras—each one the equivalent of a boss-level monster—could no longer hold their form. They collapsed into black smoke and scattered.
Dozens of Dark Blood Chimeras were obliterated in a single blow.
Witnessing this, the Lich King Harmens raised both arms once again.
【Foolish wretch! Struggle all you want—it is meaningless before the King of Death!】
Wooooooong—!
A sinister energy erupted from the crown on Harmens' head. Thousands of wailing specters gathered around his outstretched arms, letting out horrific shrieks.
Screeeeech!
Kiaaaaah!
Raaaagh!
The air turned hellish as the unholy chorus of countless spirits enveloped his body. Any ordinary human would’ve spat blood and collapsed instantly under the mental onslaught.
But Woo-jin showed no sign of hesitation. With a composed expression, he charged straight at Harmens.
The Lich King couldn’t believe his eyes. Even paladins couldn’t maintain sanity inside the Requiem of Wraiths, yet Woo-jin advanced unfazed.
【How!? Even a holy knight would lose their mind under the Requiem of Wraiths!】
Wooooooong—!
The stronger the wailing became, the more radiant the Seven-Star Sacred Sword shone in Woo-jin's hand. The sword, infused with the starlight meant to purify all that is evil, revealed its true potential.
As a growth-type artifact, it responded to overwhelming dark energy by unleashing even greater brilliance.
Wooooooong!
Through the chorus of death, the Seven-Star Sacred Sword released a blinding multi-colored glow.
【That sword…!】
Realizing something had gone terribly wrong, Harmens instinctively acted.
Shraaagh!
The dark energy surrounding his body morphed into black blades and flew toward Woo-jin.
But Woo-jin swung the Seven-Star Sacred Sword in response.
Shhhh—!
The moment the dark blades touched the sword’s radiant light, they dissolved into black smoke and vanished.
Only then did Harmens grasp that Woo-jin’s power was not holy magic—it was something altogether different.
【You insolent wretch!】
The jewels embedded in his crown began to glow intensely.
The spirits surrounding Harmens responded, lunging toward Woo-jin.
Screeeech!
Raaaagh!
Aaaaagh!
Unlike before, these spirits now had physical form—empowered by the crown.
Thousands of wailing specters with corporeal strength flew in to tear Woo-jin apart.
BOOM BOOM BOOM!
Amid the vortex of howling spirits, Woo-jin remained calm.
With the Seven-Star Sacred Sword in one hand and the Goblin Sword in the other, he raised both weapons high.
Crackle!
Lightning surged from the Seven-Star Sacred Sword; sword energy erupted from the Goblin Sword.
He unleashed both forces at once.
BOOM BOOM BOOM!
A storm of lightning and sword energy swept through the vortex of spirits.
RUMBLE!
Like a waterfall crashing down, the dual forces annihilated the spirits, erasing them without a trace.
Ssssshhhh!
The spirits, reduced to half-phantoms, turned to mist and vanished.
The backlash reached Harmens, who had hastily drawn upon the crown’s power.
【Grrgh…!】
The ominous energy from the crown flared out of control, spiraling wildly as Harmens staggered backward, shrouded in dark mana.
Woo-jin seized the opening.
Tsssssshh!
He poured every ounce of energy into the Goblin Sword, causing the sword energy to extend as though the blade itself were growing longer.
Aiming the elongated sword directly at Harmens, he thrust.
The extended sword aura pierced through the black mist surrounding the Lich King.
SHRAAAK!
The blade sliced through the darkness and struck Harmens' body.
Woo-jin immediately injected internal energy into the sword aura.
Woooooong!
It was an advanced technique—replicating Resonant Penetration through internal energy.
Rrrrrrrumble!
The vibrations from the sword energy spread through Harmens' entire body.
As a lich, physical attacks meant little. But internal energy, transmitted via sword aura, penetrated deep within—making even a lich vulnerable to its force.
【You lowly human!】
In life, Harmens had been a master sorcerer. In undeath, he became a Lich King feared as a continental calamity. Never before had he suffered such humiliation.
RUMBLE!
With a roar, Harmens released the full force of his dark mana. Dozens of shadowy limbs extended from his body, each forming different arcane seals.
Wooooooong!
The countless hands formed magic circles, layering atop one another, merging over the crown on his head.
RUMMMBLE!
As the crown and the overlapping magic circles resonated, bizarre lights and eerie howls burst forth.
This was the reason Harmens had abandoned his humanity and embraced lichdom.
His ultimate dark magic was about to be unleashed before Cheon Woo-jin.
But then—
Something dropped in front of Harmens.
Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.
A rhythmic electronic sound, foreign to this dimension, echoed beneath Harmens’ feet.
【You…!】
Before he could finish, a massive explosion erupted, shaking the entire plain.
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[Translator - Helga ]
[Proofreader - Starfall ]
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