Chapter 66: The Intangible Realm

The aggro that had been on me shifted to the giant.

Perhaps it was so enraged by having its head stepped on by a 30m giant, or perhaps the impact was significant, but the aggro completely shifted.

Well, I’d probably be angry too if I took a hit like that.

–Never engage in a direct confrontation, fight by hitting and running.

–Understood, Progenitor.

Due to my lack of proficiency in the Taming skill, the giant’s power I could draw out was only around the initial S-rank level.

Furthermore, with Nidhogg being three times the giant’s size, it was physically outmatched.

One solid hit could be fatal. So, the best strategy was to focus on evasion and mix in just enough attacks to keep the aggro from shifting.

“Estelle, how much of your power has returned? Is a single-strike buff possible?”

A buff that greatly increased the power of the next attack.

It was incredibly effective against large, heavily armored opponents like the dragon before them.

One well-placed shot could kill it.

“Based on my current state, I have enough divine power to use a single strike once and maintain Celestial Blessing for about a minute.”

A single strike would have been more than enough, but being able to receive Celestial Blessing, which enhanced desired stats or all combat-related stats, made the situation much better than he’d thought.

“Liera, can you enchant my right fist with penetration, wind, and focus?”

“Possible. For about 5 seconds.”

A triple-stacked enchantment on top of that.

“Seung-ah, can you buy some time with the giant using your awakening? Just draw aggro once when it seems really dangerous. It’s incredibly risky… but you’re the only one who can do it.”

Among everyone except him, Seung-ah was in the best condition, and her skills were perfectly suited for hit-and-run tactics.

Her Awakening skill, in particular, allowed her to temporarily reach a higher realm for one minute.

Since Seung-ah was currently at the peak A-rank level, using Awakening meant she could exert S-rank power. If she assisted the giant with her various skills, it would be very effective for buying time, but he couldn’t force her.

Asking her to buy time against a level 299 monster was an unreasonable request, even by his standards.

If she refused, it couldn’t be helped.

He would have to give up on killing it, accept the casualties, and draw aggro himself while waiting for support.

“If I do this, it will be a great help to Yu-won, right? And only I can do it.”

Seung-ah’s eyes were filled with determination.

It seemed she had already made up her mind, but she wanted confirmation. So, he nodded and said to her,

“Yes. Only you.”

Hearing that, she smiled and said,

“Alright. I’ll do it.”

Then, emanating an ink-black aura, Seung-ah, whose mastery had risen a level, went to support the giant.

The giant, which had almost been unsummoned by Nidhogg’s strike, managed to escape the attack with Seung-ah’s timely assistance and took a moment to recover.

To ensure Seung-ah didn’t buy time in vain, he also asked Ha-yeon.

“Ha-yeon, can you stop that thing with Demonic Heavenly Reign?”

Demonic Heavenly Reign, the symbol of the Heavenly Demon, capable of temporarily controlling an opponent’s every move.

Even though she’d taken the elixir, she hadn’t recovered much. Could she stop that monster?

“What do you take the Heavenly Demon for? Of course, I can. For about 0.5 seconds…”

Ha-yeon spoke as if embarrassed, but for her to be able to stop that creature for 0.5 seconds in her current state was incredible.

She wasn’t a master who had reached the Supernal Realm with the Heavenly Demon Divine Art for nothing.

“Alright. Then, when I shout ‘Now!’, please do it. Liera, enchant then, and Estelle, use your single strike.”

“Got it.”

“Okay.”

After receiving their replies, he immediately spoke to Estelle.

“Celestial Blessing. Intelligence.”

Estelle used the buff immediately without needing a verbal response.

[Intelligence greatly increased for 1 minute.]

His mind cleared, becoming several times sharper than before.

‘Lightning God Transformation.’

He then used Lightning God Transformation.

Thanks to his significantly increased strength and stamina, it was much more bearable, even though he was forcing it at a lower realm.

He could probably last for at least three minutes.

Of course, he wasn’t using this for attack.

His greatly enhanced intelligence from Estelle’s buff, his transcendent mental strength reaching 104, and the Ink Lightning imbued in his body from Lightning God Transformation stimulated his brain to its absolute limit.

It was to temporarily reach the 9th star of the Ink Lightning Divine Art, the realm remaining in his memories.

A distant realm he had only reached after becoming a Supernal Realm expert.

He forced himself to draw out that realm, which he had named the Formless Realm because one moved at such super-speed that even one’s own form couldn’t be seen.

This choice was possible because he had briefly experienced that realm with his entire body through Ymir’s trial not long ago.

He knew the price he would pay for this, but he pushed forward.

His overloaded brain throbbed as if it would explode, and blood gushed from his nose.

He felt like he would lose consciousness at any moment, but Unwavering and Unyielding forcefully kept his mind from breaking.

The body of a Primordial Giant, a being a step above even other transcendent species, was leading this reckless challenge to success.

Thus, just before Seung-ah’s awakening ended, he, at the cost of his own life, was able to glimpse the Formless Realm for an extremely brief moment.

“Now!”

Sensing his power, Nidhogg might try to focus all its strength on defense to prepare for this attack.

He signaled Ha-yeon and received Liera’s enchantment.

Heavenly Demon Divine Art – Demonic Heavenly Reign

A single stomp momentarily halted the movement of the monster, larger than a building.

[The power of the next strike is greatly increased.]

[Penetration enchanted.]

[Iron Wall enchanted.]

[Wind enchanted.]

Messages appeared, and an immense power temporarily filled his right hand. And just before the effect of Demonic Heavenly Reign ended, he became lightning.

Ink Lightning Divine Art – Gale Lightning Flash 

He threw his body, shattering all the limits imposed on humans.

His entire body was breaking. His brain was burning. It didn’t matter. As long as his fist could reach, that was enough.

The distance between him and Nidhogg vanished.

His fist… reached its head. That was the end.

The head of that ferocious, colossal monster, which would have been difficult to defeat even if everyone here attacked together, was pierced, and its brain exploded in a single strike.

At the same time, it was the end for him too.

His brain malfunctioned. Every bone in his body shattered.

Every muscle tore. His body, forced to move at a speed momentarily transcending perception, couldn’t withstand it and was dying.

He thought someone was approaching and catching his body, but he couldn’t see.

He couldn’t hear. He had lost his sight and hearing. His sense of smell and touch were also fading.

Estelle had also used all her power, so she wouldn’t be able to heal him.

His death was already certain. The same thing that had come for him at the end of his four previous lives was coming for him again.

His entire body ceased its biological functions, his heart began to stop, and his consciousness faded.

***

“Yu-won! Are you awake?”

“Yu-won!”

“Oppa!”

“Honey!”

Different names, but all calling for him. His consciousness returned with those noisy sounds.

When he woke up again, his body was completely normal, and he felt even more refreshed than before the raid.

‘Just as planned.’

He had done it, trusting the necklace around his neck, Eternal Protection, and it had worked out as planned.

Once a month, when taking fatal damage, it granted 5 seconds of invulnerability and healed all damage taken. An exceptional special effect.

He hadn’t forgotten about it and had thought this was his chance to try it. Since his current mastery was at the Supernal Realm, drawing out the power of his Transcendent Realm days would 100% kill him.

But what if he could prevent that death with this item? He’d only thought of this after meeting the principal, and he was satisfied to have confirmed it himself.

Of course, losing consciousness was an unexpected accident.

He’d thought the mental damage would also heal quickly since all damage was supposed to be healed, but his consciousness had faded before that happened.

‘I can’t use this recklessly.’

He’d dealt with one opponent with this technique, but what if there were no allies nearby and enemy reinforcements arrived? There was a significant risk of being killed before he regained consciousness.

He’d have to think of it as a once-a-month ultimate move, usable only when reliable allies were present and he was certain the situation would end after killing one target.

It was a technique he couldn’t use properly even in his Transcendent Realm days, as it left his body aching for a week after a single use.

But thanks to the healing from Eternal Protection, combined with the recovery from leveling up, there were no aftereffects.

He felt incredibly refreshed.

After confirming his body was completely normal, he opened his eyes to find his companions, unlike his refreshed self, all tearfully hugging him.

‘Huh…?’

Why were they all like this?