Chapter 50
Fwwwr-!
Pitch-black venom fell on top of the angels’ palace; a white building with a unique design that was devoid of stairs, becoming of a structure made for angels who moved like birds with the wings on their back.
Sssrr…
That palace began to turn black and melt down starting from its roof which resembled a soft ice-cream.
“It’s a dragon’s breath!”
“D-dodge!”
“Hiik?! What is that?!”
Countless frightened angels dashed out from the palace they resided in.
Chiii…
Chii-…
But the number of angels that survived was truly very few—the Oblivion Dragon King, who had made an appearance without advance warning and abruptly began spouting its 100% lethality rate breath, was a natural disaster itself. The vast majority of the angels, who had either failed to realize the situation, or didn’t have enough time to escape even if they did, shared the fate of the palace.
The scale of damage or casualties weren’t calculated, as this was no different to a bolt out of the blues to the angels, who had distanced themselves with the matters of the festival aside from safekeeping the rewards of the massacre event.
“Chaooo~!”
The young Oblivion Dragon King admired its own handiwork and let loose a roar of delight. The race and age of those of other races were unimportant to a dragon. Woman, child, elderly, infant… no exception was made. Had it intended on making a differentiation, then it wouldn’t have spat out a venomous breath capable of large-scale killing from the start.
“Stop! You demon!”
A mob of angels came rushing over, all of them possessing a Level over 999, and their Skills were also all a set of SS-rank and S-rank Skills—Statuses that couldn’t even be imagined on the ground world, where even a single A-rank Skill would inspire trembling awe.
Explanation: That’s because they’re part of the higher education curriculum, after all!
Miss Trainee Teacher so answered in a refreshing manner. When looking at it in terms of maths, it was only natural to know how to do calculus and statistics.
“That so? The higher curriculum sure is easy.”
I swung sideways Holy Sword 2 which was enveloped in a whirlwind of black and white.
Boom! Crack! Slash! Crash!
An area the size of a skiing grounds was obliterated, and the angels who were within range were reduced to fistfuls of dust. It was a miraculous harmony of Dark Energy and Divinity which penetrated their divine protection. Before this, angels were no different to humans.
If the higher education curriculum was about wiping out the angels, then I would have already come close to graduating.
Troubled: The higher education curriculum isn’t a schooling program that’s about killing everyone. It’s a deep study on clearly understanding and judging the concept of good and evil…
It was a difficult subject to understand for me—the angels were first in attacking me. Was there any room for ‘good’ in this? Even if 99 of them were said to be kind, I would merely retaliate against those who attacked me, regardless of whomever they were.
“Kuugh!”
“Aarggh?!”
The angels were vulnerable to the whirlwind I had formed. Their limbs would be severed upon making even the slightest of contact with it, and they would drop out of the sky screaming in pain. The likes of this rabble of angels, who had always depended on their god-mode cheat, were no match for me, someone who had grown stronger while firmly enduring the tyranny of his 1st Playthrough companions.
It was far smoother than the time with the great temple.
Now this was the power of friendship!
No one could stop the combination of the Oblivion Dragon King and me, both having become empowered after receiving Saintess H’s blessing.
“Stop! You bastards!”
“Unirrrrrr~!”
The shout of an angel along with the neighing of a horse sounded out; a youth riding a ‘winged white horse’ called a unicorn caught up to our flying speed, and stabbed at the dragon king’s scales with his sharp spear. (TL/N: Pretty sure this is supposed to be Pegasus, but author apparently doesn’t know so)
Puk!
“Chaooo-?!”
Crimson blood flowed out between the scales of the Oblivion Dragon King, who hadn’t received any damage that could be called damage until now.
Even I couldn’t help being surprised at that moment.
▷Race: Grand Angel
▷Level: 999+
▷Job: Knight(Loyalty→Fortitude↑)
▷Skills: Divinity(SSS) Spearmanship(SSS) Fortitude(SSS) Piercing(SS) Horsemanship(SS)…
▷Condition: Wary, Combative Spirit
Just where had a delectable SSS-rank angel like this been and what had he been doing to have only made a leisurely appearance now?
“Unirrrr!”
The unicorn the youth was riding was also like him. This horse which had a horn on its forehead and a pair of wings on its back was extremely famous as a holy creature, and a rather strong power was contained in its horn. Letting only heroes and beauties ride itself, its flight ability was also first rate.
Fwip-fwip!
The Oblivion Dragon King brandished its tail about to strike down the unicorn that was flying around it like a mosquito, but it was with ease that the unicorn dodged those attacks which would spell danger even a single landed. And not only that…
Pzzt-pzzt-!
A line of light similar to lightning, shot out from the unicorn’s horn, grazed past the scales of the dragon king—the sturdy jet-black scales were destroyed row after row and the flesh underneath was mercilessly torn out. This was equivalent to a scratch compared to the size of the Oblivion Dragon King, but even this level of injury couldn’t be ignored if it continued to pile bit by bit.
“Fighting like a weak insect.”
Riding atop the dragon king’s head, I let out a snort.
‘Let’s show an example to that angel and unicorn who fight in a despicable manner, underhandedly hitting and running persistently.’
Oblivion Dragon King Noebius wasn’t alone, and I was going to teach these bugs properly what a complementary relation and what ‘the right man for the right job’ was.
I gave an order to Saintess H with a motion of my chin.
“Yes, Master. Ahh~?”
Saintess H, who had been holding onto the dragon king’s horn so as to now fall off, began to sing a song with a beautiful melody.
Sss…
The Oblivion Dragon King’s injuries were healed within an instant. The stabbing wound made by the SSS-rank angel’s spear, the scratch inflicted by the unicorn’s lightning, and the various minor injuries made by the numerous other angels cleanly disappeared.
It wasn’t like there was no loss at all, just that…
Oblivion Dragon King: Level 9000→Level 8999
Saintess H: Level 2000→Level 2001
… the damage was insignificant like this. And even this didn’t feel like a loss, since each time Oblivion Dragon King Noebius lost a Level from being healed, Saintess H’s Level would rise from doing the healing. It was just like a Hero party that never became weak.
“Chaoooo!”
Under Saintess H’s support, the dragon king didn’t retreat nor become tired. Even the meagre loss in Level was being recovered by slaughtering the angels, and the bugs had also noticed this fact—that things looked hopeless at this rate.
“Bastards-!”
“Unirrrrrr~!”
Having given up making small and persistent attacks, the SSS-rank angel and unicorn overtook us in flight, and then aimed to attack the Oblivion Dragon King’s head; their first target was the eyes. It was obvious how they intended to steal the dragon king’s vision, and furthermore pierce through the eye sockets to deal a direct blow to the brain.
It was my turn to act from here on.
“By the power of friendship.”
I didn’t pursue after the angel and unicorn who fought in a cowardly manner using guerilla tactics, as I knew they would come over on their own at some point. In addition, as much as I had been waiting, the attack I had prepared for them was just as solid.
Paang-!
Having waited for the right moment while massacring the angels who flitted about like insects, I leaped forward in a straight line.
“What…?!”
“Unirr~?!”
The SSS-rank angel and unicorn were frightened out of their wits; it seemed they had believed I would continue to fight standing on top of the Oblivion Dragon King’s head like a general; however, my specialty wasn’t carrying out lukewarm ranged attacks—it was fighting a bloody battle from close up in person! And my hobby was to gift herniated disks of the neck and waist.
I first began with the unicorn.
Thwack.
“Unirrr~?!”
I launched a kick with all my might at the joint of the unicorn’s wings. It was a pity I didn’t know about its body structure, as it was a horse and not human. Had I known, I would have let it lived the life of a horse that was eternally incapable of straightening its back.
“Bastard! Attacking a holy creature…!”
The SSS-rank angel stabbed his spear towards me as he became enraged. I was unable to dodge his swift attack, as I had paused for a moment in midair due to kicking the unicorn.
Puk!
Just as planned.
The moment the spear stabbed my side, I grasped hold the grip of the SSS-rank angel’s splendid-looking spear with my left hand.
“It hurt a little?”
I flashed a grin towards the SSS-rank angel.
“Thi-this guy…?”
Cutting skull in return for a rib!
One for you! And one for me!
This was the tactic I most preferred when facing opponents who fought despicably with their thin bodies.
Puk!
I stabbed Holy Sword 2 into the SSS-rank angel’s shoulder.
“Kuh-!”
“Oh?”
But I couldn’t help but to wear a pleased smile, as the body part I had been aiming for wasn’t his shoulder; it was his nice-looking head. The SSS-rank angel’s judgement was swift, however; after kicking off and leaping up from the saddle of the unicorn, which would find it difficult to continue flying due to the damage done to its wing joint, he even boldly gave up the spear caught in my hand and flew into the air.
“Chaooo-!”
“Unirr~?!”
Snap!
The unicorn, abandoned by its master, was strenuously trying to run away before ending up disappearing into Oblivion Dragon King Noebius’ maw.
“How could you have done something so horrible…!”
“It makes me sad if you talk like that after having picked a fight first.”
The brief conversation of distinguishing right and wrong came to an end with that.
Specks of light began to gather in the empty hands of the SSS-rank angel who had retreated in flight, forming a bow in his left and an arrow in his right.
Kiii—
The SSS-rank angel immediately pulled on the bowstring, his target of course me.
“Oops!”
But my attack was faster.
Holy Sword 2, which was sent shooting over as my hand slipped, flew in a straight line under the added momentum of the whirlwind of Dark Energy and Divinity that suffused it.
Puk!
And cleanly made its mark in the lower belly of the SSS-rank angel.
“Kauugh?!”
The eyes of the SSS-rank angel, who had been pulling on the bowstring in a graceful manner, turned wide, and belatedly lowered his head to look at Holy Sword 2.
Pzzt-!
Our powers of Divinity(SSS) were neutralized immediately after colliding, but the power of my Dark Energy(SSS) rapidly destroyed the angel’s body as it invaded.
I didn’t go as far as confirming the angel’s death—it was fine as long as the EXP came in.
“You have worked hard, Master.”
Saintess H welcomed me with a bright smile as I dropped down and returned to Noebius’ head.
“The situation?”
It seemed there wasn’t a need to even check. The white palace which the angels resided in had already been turned a deep black from the Oblivion Dragon King’s fury, and the situation around the palace wasn’t much different either. Even so, however, I asked Saintess H this question.
“986 angels remain alive.”
Saintess H reported an accurate number without hesitation. Like how a Hero could see the Status of others, a Saintess who possessed the special power called resurrection could perceive the number of those deceased and those who survived in the area. She was like a life detector, perhaps.
“Hah! There are still 986 angels alive amid this poison-filled ruins?”
“That is indeed so.”
“Keep checking. Until their number turns zero.”
“Yes, Master.”
A Saintess’ special ability… it was optimized as a detector for not leaving behind future troubles.
Perplexed: Student Kang Han Soo? A Saintess’ special ability is meant to find survivors without losing hope, and to perceive the number of deceased that can be resurrected. It’s not an ability that was given to wipe out others without exception!
‘Tsk-tsk. Miss Trainee Teacher doesn’t know well I see. You can’t make progress if you remain trapped by bias and not develop the various possibilities of an ability.’
Ears Perked: This is also self-development, is that what you’re saying? Mm…
Leaving Miss Trainee Teacher who had fallen into contemplation to her own devices, I took a look around the area of the angels’ home.
“The main event reward wouldn’t have melted as well, would it…?”
I had no plan to massacre the angels, to begin with.
“Chaoooo!”
That was merely the wish of my dear companion. My goal had always been to monopolize the ‘Hero Festival’s top reward’ without sharing it with another two.
“If it’s the reward you’re looking for, then it’s over there, Master.”
Saintess H pointed in a direction with a finger.
I focused my gaze to where she was pointing at with bleary eyes.
“Sure enough…”
Near the heart of the once-white palace that was melted down by the dragon king’s venom, there was something buried in the ruins which hadn’t been destroyed like it was a bomb shelter.
“Chaooo.”
Flap.
The Oblivion Dragon King, which had been admiring its own horrifying work in satisfaction, discovered it immediately after hearing Saintess H’s and my conversation, that something which jutted out like a sprouting plant from the middle of the city filled with venom and poisonous gas.
Thump-!
Noebius landed before that object. It looked like a rectangular vault, and as it was big enough to allow the entry of thousands of people, it was confusing as to whether it was a treasure storehouse or a bomb shelter.
Perhaps it was both?
Creaak—
Creak—
After taking hold of the object with both forelimbs, the Oblivion Dragon King began to break it. The scene was just like a Komodo dragon cracking a walnut. It had seemed as if it would be crushed easily at first, but a repelling force was being exerted outwards from inside the object at some point.
Creak, Creaak-
A repetition of compression and expansion. It seemed there was clearly something special inside.
“Chaooo~”
The dragon king seemed to be enjoying this situation. Even though the object would be simply destroyed if it pressed down on it using its entire body or bit with its maw, it was slowly pressing it using its forelimbs only.
Kugugugu.
And now the dragon king had outright dug the object out of the ruins and was rolling it about left and right.
As I quietly watched this scene with crossed arms, Saintess H whispered to me by the side.
“Master. The life responses of the 986 survivors are concentrated inside that thing.”
“That so? Noebius.”
The Oblivion Dragon King ceased played around roughly at once.
Unless he was an idiot, the person in charge inside the object would have immediately realized the meaning of us stopping our attack.
Thunk.
A moment later, a group of angels hesitantly walked out in series from the rectangular box that had countless scratches and distortions from the dragon’s claws.
I asked a question to the man at their lead first.
“You’re the angels’ representative?”
Although my interest had already fallen by half its original level from the moment a fair-complexioned man appeared like he was the leader, but it wasn’t to the extent of not leaving leeway for talk.
The angel replied calmly.
“Indeed I am, Hero of chaos. My name is…”
“Rep A. Speak of the main subject only.”
I was disinclined to listen to a pathetic talk of begging for mercy.
I was the victim, the other side the perpetrator. I was going to make this clear first.
“I’m the victim. Got that?”
“What unreasonabl-… I, I understand!”
I was very much surprised at being attacked by violent angels. Even now, my heart began to pound at recalling that moment.
I was justly demanding compensation for emotional distress!
Doubt: Student Kang Han Soo being hurt…?
‘Why? Am I not allowed to be hurt?’