Chapter 136
[Danger!]
[An unknown individual has invaded the Arena!]
[All restrictions placed on the Arena are being lifted.]
[The Escape Sequence is being activated.]
[The Escape Device is operating……]
Alarms rang loudly from the sky above, as if announcing that this was an emergency situation.
It seemed this System Window wasn't just for Otherworlders, as Gaians could also be seen looking up in panic.
Flash-! Flash-!
At the same time, they vanished one by one in an instant, as if using Teleportation to go somewhere.
That was probably the Escape Device the system mentioned.
[So they even prepared something like this…]
I felt a sense of wonder as I watched the people disappearing one by one.
It was absurd enough that an intruder had suddenly entered, but to think such a supernatural safety measure was even ready.
At the same time, some kind of change occurred in my body as well.
As if I were taking off the sandbags I had been wearing, my heavy body instantly became light.
Since it wasn't a situation for peaceful sparring, it seemed the restrictions placed on my body had been completely lifted.
Flash-!
At the same time, even my spear returned to my hand.
I gripped the spear and looked ahead. The Dust Cloud slowly cleared, revealing the appearance of the Demon beyond it.
"A truly unpleasant aura can be felt here…"
It was a body made of flesh, muscles writhing for Transformation.
I frowned at the rather grotesque body, unlike the Demons I had encountered so far.
"This Demon looks like absolute shit."
Couldn't it have looked pretty like Andras? At least I'd feel a bit better when facing it.
Regardless, I couldn't let my guard down. Given the rumors I'd heard so far and the oppressive presence I was feeling right now, it was clear this was a powerful individual.
I thought to myself.
[Rather, this is an opportunity.]
Seeing that the Escape Device had been activated, I would likely return soon as well. It wasn't certain, but even if I died, I might be able to preserve my life with the Arena Ability.
In a way, it was a good opportunity to safely check the Opponent's Skill.
Fortunately, there was no need to rush in first. The opponent launched an attack first.
Sssshk!
Beled's arm, made of red skin, surged straight toward me.
Recognizing the attack, I immediately raised my spear and blocked the bastard's arm.
CRASH!
A rather massive weight crushed down on my body. It was a strike powerful enough to make swearing rise in my throat. My toes were pushed back for a moment, but I managed to block it somehow.
"Hoh."
Seeing that, the bastard tilted his head as if intrigued.
"To dare block my Attack… How amusing. Very well, try blocking this one too."
Right after, another attack flew in.
Red awls filled my vision and charged toward my body.
"Damn it."
I prepared to block the attack even while letting out some swearing.
I coated the ink-black spear with sword aura and cut down the fleshy spike attacks just like that.
If the attack itself were light, I could have somehow blocked them all, but each spike attack was so heavy that even that wasn't easy.
In the end, I had no choice but to allow a few Spike Attacks to pierce straight through my body,
Stab-! Squelch-!
Blood flowed from my side and leg along with a chilling sound.
However, that didn't mean I intended to just let my skin be completely pierced through.
My abilities came not only from my limbs, but also from my blood.
Crack, cra-crack!
I immediately hardened the blood seeping out of my body to form a Barrier.
The Spike Attacks that had been advancing through my flesh had no choice but to stop shortly after.
I took a step back and thought.
[This isn't easy…]
He freely uses Transformation and Enhance on his body.
This alone was quite annoying, but even the power behind it wasn't on the light side.
to the point where I felt a slight sense of intimidation.
What was even more surprising was that the bastard's Attack didn't end there.
"How annoying."
The bastard frowned.
Without even giving me a moment to properly catch my breath, he began preparing his next attack.
His right arm rose high into the sky.
"I intended to finish this after moderately crippling you. But a mere fly is annoyingly enduring before me. If being crushed is your wish, I shall specially show you my true power."
Squirm, squirm…
His body began its Transformation once again. Even larger, even wider.
Right after, a hammer made of bone and flesh covered half the sky above the Arena.
Seeing that, I unconsciously let out an exclamation of awe.
"…Wow."
Even so, isn't that way too overpowered?
Then again, he'd have to be at least that strong to carry out the Extermination of a king in just two days.
[Can I even block that?]
I didn't know. But I couldn't just stay like this for now.
If I stayed still, I would literally be crushed. The only fortunate thing was that the surrounding Spectators had already mostly returned.
At a glance, there were only a few people left in the Arena. Even they were continuously using Teleportation one or two at a time.
So I just needed to hold out a little longer, though I didn't know if it was possible.
RUMBLE!
Right after, the hammer that the bastard created fell toward me.
"Heup!"
I gathered as much mana as I could and wrapped a Barrier in front of me.
…However, I never ended up blocking that Attack, because before that, someone stood up and cleaved the Attack in half in front of my eyes.
Slaaash-!
Along with a crisp severing sound, the fleshy hammer was completely cut away.
It was a vain obliteration, despite its massive size.
I quickly checked to see who exactly had blocked that Strike.
And I couldn't help but be immediately surprised.
"This absolute motherfucker…"
Because that someone was Hanbyeol, who had been pinned under me and subjected to a Ground Technique just moments ago, the expression I caught a glimpse of was overflowing with rage.
The expression I caught a glimpse of was overflowing with rage.
"Huh?"
I couldn't help but be a bit flustered.
*
Shin Hanbyeol was currently feeling some rather unpleasant emotions.
What should she call this feeling…
It was ambiguous to express it merely as anger. That was far too one-dimensional and lukewarm a word. She needed a more specific expression.
Then how should she explain this feeling?
The feeling of rolling the Character Gacha and hitting the hard pity six times in a row?
The feeling of the racehorse you bet money on running in first place at the racetrack, only for a terrorist attack to suddenly occur?
The feeling of finally winning a prize after entering a raffle dozens of times, only for someone to throw shit on it before you could even enjoy it?
Whatever it was, it couldn't help but feel incredibly unfair and absolutely shitty.
Hanbyeol is feeling exactly those kinds of emotions right now.
"…Do you know how much time I poured into it just to have this battle?"
She had run hundreds of battles in the Arena. Hundreds of times!
She had painstakingly ignored the Viewers' comments saying they were sick of the Arena and wanted to go Hunting.
The experience points she had missed out on over the past few weeks were substantial, and she had endured the worry of her ranking being overtaken while holding back tears.
She, whose job was literally the game, had taken on a massive amount of risk.
The reason, of course, was to get matched in Hand-to-hand Combat with Yor.
It was a truly trivial reason, but to Hanbyeol, it was that important and valuable.
That was why she had been overjoyed when she finally won the match.
She had wanted to enjoy it for as long as possible.
But of all times, right when she had won, some Demon bastard showed up and stole her precious moment!
She felt wronged, sad, angry, and furious.
To her, right now, it didn't matter if the Opponent in front of her was the Demon who destroyed the Kingdom or a Monarch who made thousands tremble in fear.
She only had the desire to feed the Opponent a solid hit.
Therefore, with eyes blazing fiercely, she charged toward the opponent.
"Die!"
Deep blue Sword Aura blazed from her two curved swords.
Naturally, Beled didn't just stand still. Just as he had done to Yor, he fired numerous Spike Attacks to attack her.
Slash! Snik!
However, the Spike Attacks couldn't even reach her and were cut away like sheets of paper.
The same went for Beled's other Attacks.
Walls of flesh blocking her Charge, elongated fists, fleshy blades, and numerous other Attacks flew at her, but they couldn't properly stop her.
They inflicted some wounds or knocked her down briefly, but that was it.
It was woefully insufficient to stop her, who had already lowered her synchronization rate.
Thump, thump.
As she gradually approached the bastard, Hanbyeol's heart strangely began to pound.
Hanbyeol thought it was because of her rage.
Meanwhile, Yor, who was watching this, couldn't help but feel a bit puzzled.
[…What is this?]
It was definitely an attack that even he had found difficult to properly block.
Yet Hanbyeol, who was weaker than him, was blocking that entire barrage of attacks while charging forward.
It made no sense.
[Does she have some kind of Awakening System or something…?]
He wondered if Shin Hanbyeol had undergone a Great Awakening due to her anger… but looking closely, he realized it wasn't even that.
It seemed a bit more power was behind her movements because she was angry, but that was all.
She hadn't gotten particularly faster, nor had her mana explosively increased.
In this incomprehensible situation, Yor blankly watched the scene.
Eventually, Hanbyeol's footsteps reached Beled's Close Proximity.
"!"
Just as Hanbyeol's sword was about to be swung toward Beled…
[Activating Emergency Escape!]
Flash-!
The figures of Yor and Hanbyeol, who had been in the Arena, disappeared.
With the last two Personnel having disappeared, only a heated silence was left in the Arena.
"…Huu."
Suddenly left alone, Beled quietly let out a sigh.
*
Flash-!
Along with a brief floating sensation, my vision shifted.
I closed and opened my eyes once, and instead of the Arena, a cozy Cave appeared before me.
I had used Teleportation from that chaotic Place to my house.
As soon as I returned, I immediately slapped my forehead.
[Good grief…]
Should I consider it a relief that I returned safely, or a waste?
It seemed like a good opportunity to land a hit, but I couldn't quite understand how Hanbyeol had managed to reach that point.
I looked around wondering if Hanbyeol might know, but unfortunately, she was nowhere to be seen.
Come to think of it, she had traveled separately from the City today. She handed me a ticket in advance last time, mentioning she had a schedule tonight.
Because of that, the place she returned to was bound to be different.
[Of all times to go separately.]
When I have a mountain of questions.
I let out a sigh, "Huu," and stood up from my spot.
Looking outside suddenly, I saw the sun was still floating high in the sky.
Since some Demon had invaded in the early broad daylight, it was still daytime even after the Emergency Return.
Suddenly, I had a chunk of free time in my day.
Perhaps because of that, a decent alternative suddenly popped into my head.
[…Should I just go see Barbatos right now?]
I hadn't visited her in a while, and since she was also a Demon, she might know something.
I immediately put my thought into action.
I ran non-stop for several hours toward the Deepest Part of The Depths and entered the Altar where she was.
As soon as I entered, she welcomed me gladly.
"You scoundrel! Why are you so late this time!"
"Well, the distance here is so far that just coming once is tough… No, more importantly, I have something to ask you."
I calmed her down appropriately and asked.
"Do you happen to know Beled?"
"…Huh?"
At the sudden question, her head tilted for a moment.
But only for a moment, as Barbatos formed a smirk on her lips.
It was a smile that felt somewhat like a sneer.
"Beled, you say. Hah, why are you looking for that swindler-like fellow?"
"Swindler?"
I tilted my head for a moment.