Chapter 378: Eighty-Sixth Floor, Shrine of the Forgotten Gods (4)

The divine energy coursing into me was overwhelming, far beyond anything I had ever experienced.

To be honest, I was taken aback. I continuously earned divine energy through those I had saved, but never had it arrived in such abundance.

In truth, knowing that there were eyes on me, I had a general sense of its origin.

The Community of the Dead and the people of Earth.

I had only learned this recently. Although I hadn’t known that the fallen climbers were still watching, the fact that the people of Earth were able to witness me stood out to me even more. Ha Hee-Jeong had mentioned she had found out during her previous life, when she obtained a portal skill and returned to Earth.

At present, I was the only one who possessed such a skill, likely due to the butterfly effect she had caused.

Regardless, she hadn’t told me for a while for a simple reason. She feared that knowing I was being watched would make me hesitant, self-conscious even.

Eventually, the right moment to bring it up never came.

It is understandable.

If I had known from the beginning, I would never have become the person I am now. My choices would have been completely different.

It was one thing to imagine strangers watching, but if I had known that my family or old friends could be witnessing everything I did, I would have hesitated with every kill.

Although I hadn’t done anything deserving of reproach, I had still flinched when I heard about it.

Now, my mindset had shifted, and I had come into my own. Back then, however, I was still in the process of refining myself. There was no doubt my actions would have been different.

That no longer matters, though.

All I could do now was be grateful and accept the divine power surging into me.

Most likely, my revival through Seorden’s Bracelet had contributed significantly.

As I stood there, immersed in the torrent of divinity, a strange and visceral thrill stirred within me.

The atmosphere had shifted. Even the Endless Furnace, along with Ha Hee-Jeong and Gehenna, would have easily sensed the change.

I let my stray thoughts go and directed the uncontained divinity toward Gehenna.

There was no need to explain; she already knew the plan. We had rehearsed what to do within the training room.

Ha Hee-Jeong and Gehenna’s synergy was impeccable. While my primary reason for summoning them had been to momentarily divert Endless Furnace’s attention before landing a decisive blow, it hadn’t been the only reason.

With Endless Furnace weakened, now is the opportune moment.

In that tense, breathless stillness, Gehenna made the first move. The divine energy I had imbued within her erupted in a torrent.

Thunderfire rippled through the surrounding air. Though Endless Furnace also controlled flames and was stronger than I, Gehenna’s flames were infused with my divinity. It wouldn’t be overpowered so easily.

Besides, I was engaging Endless Furnace directly, so it wouldn’t devolve into a mere contest of brute strength.

I turned to Ha Hee-Jeong. “Hee-Jeong.”

“Yes?”

“Your safety comes first. Don’t push yourself.”

She nodded, but that didn’t settle the unease in me.

I met her gaze and held it. “I mean it. Don’t get hurt. No matter what.”

“Alright.” She hesitated before adding, “You too... Don’t get hurt.”

“I’ll do my best.”

I shifted my focus to Gehenna. “Let’s go.”

“Okay.”

With an explosive burst, Gehenna released the divine energy, and Ha Hee-Jeong caught and guided it. Thunderfire rippled across the darkened ground.

At that instant, I kicked off the ground.

Even if they hadn’t fully recovered, Endless Furnace remained a god. Giving them breathing room would be dangerous.

My fingertips stung, prompting me to return the horn to my mimic for the time being. It was undoubtedly a formidable weapon, but the strain it placed on me was considerable.

Soulbound was designed for two-handed use, and I had no affinity for spears. Therefore, it made more sense to continue to use the axe.

I can always retrieve the horn again if the moment calls for it.

Gehenna followed my terrifying pace. Even with the wind spirit at my side, the gusts cutting across my cheek were sharp and unrelenting.

Endless Furnace reacted instantly. Their silver blade glinted into a point as waves of searing flames surged outward, ready to consume everything in their path.

I deflected the burst of energy flying toward me, only to be met the next second by fire that roared from all sides.

Ha Hee-Jeong wasn’t standing idle, however. Thunderfire intercepted the flames.

The heat distorted my view, but I ignored it.

I have long since stopped relying on vision to fight.

The distance between us closed quickly.

With air resistance nullified by the wind spirit, my momentum built rapidly. Large movements only opened unnecessary gaps.

I swung the axe in a tight arc from left to right, and the silver blade moved to deflect it.

Ignoring that, I held firm, locking the blades together. Half a beat later, Gehenna reached Endless Furnace’s flank and drove her sword toward them.

Her thunderfire-infused crimson blade flashed violently. Endless Furnace twisted, narrowly avoiding the strike.

The chill of their silver sword as it batted my axe away was bone-deep.

Gehenna turned her head just as their sword cut through the open air. Loose strands of her hair scattered across the battlefield.

I gave chase and raised my axe.

Clang!

A string of blows followed, and Endless Furnace’s divine energy surged without pause.

The only reason I could afford to ignore it was thanks to Ha Hee-Jeong. The raging thunderfire shielded us while simultaneously pressing Endless Furnace back.

“

Haaa.

”

No definitive opportunity had appeared, but one thing had changed. I now had room to breathe. At this pace, the battle wasn’t guaranteed to end in our favor, but we also wouldn’t hopelessly lose.

The wound carved into Endless Furnace’s chest had clearly slowed them. Moreover, with my axe still wound still on their shoulder, their swordsmanship had grown sluggish.

Perhaps they sensed my thoughts. Because just as that certainty formed, their presence shifted.

“You insolent beings!”

In a heartbeat, they roared and raised their blade, but they weren’t aiming toward me. Perhaps intending to eliminate the nuisance first, the silver afterimage turned toward Gehenna.

I could have chosen to strike them instead, but my axe instinctively followed the arc of their blade.

Clang—!

I was half a beat too slow. Though I managed to intercept the strike, I couldn’t fully redirect it. The silver blade dug deep into Gehenna’s shoulder.

“Kugh!”

She bit back her cry, swallowing the pain. If I hadn’t interfered, the strike would have pierced her heart.

Endless Furnace’s flow of divinity no longer appeared natural, and strangely, they didn’t launch a second strike. Gehenna swung her sword, but it cleaved through the air alone.

Their attack had been a feint.

They vanished before my eyes, and I instinctively kicked off the ground. Lightning flared with divine energy as I leapt through space toward Ha Hee-Jeong.

A chilling gleam of silver appeared before me.

Clang!

I knocked the blade aside with my axe, pulled Ha Hee-Jeong into my arms, and retreated as Endless Furnace’s flames came crashing in from all directions.

Swinging my axe brutally, I scattered the divine fire.

For the first time, I was truly enraged. “You son of a bitch.”

***

Ha Hee-Jeong, still half-dazed, recalled what had just occurred.

Endless Furnace’s blade had been unmistakably aimed at Gehenna. She could tell that if it landed, Gehenna would die, and she was just about to scream internally.

Then the axe flashed, and the sword drove into Gehenna’s shoulder. The Endless Furnace vanished almost immediately after.

A creeping sense of dread washed over her as the surrounding divine energy shifted. The density in the air changed while an invisible pressure bore down on her.

Despite what her mind told her, her body refused to move.

In the next instant, a flash of silver filled her vision. She instinctively squeezed her eyes shut, but just as she did, a golden light flared.

A dull metallic clang followed.

In less than a tenth of a second, she found herself in a new position, wrapped in Kwon Su-Hyeok’s arms, swept away to safety. She could feel his hand gripping her forearm tightly.

It was a firm and protective grasp, but trembling ever so slightly. From that hand alone, she could feel his worry and fury.

At that moment, she realized something. His energy had shifted again.

A question surfaced in her mind.

How-how is this even possible?

“You son of a bitch,” Kwon Su-Hyeok spat under his breath as he charged forward without so much as a backward glance.

To her, his rapid sprint somehow looked slow. She felt a strange sense of calm. Watching the solid line of his back, memories stirred.

On the ninth floor, she had sent waves of flame toward a pack of oncoming wild hounds.

Back then, Kwon Su-Hyeok had stared at her fire, clearly impressed. She had seen it in his eyes—he thought it was incredible.

That made me proud.

Now, the situation was reversed. It was she who thought Kwon Su-Hyeok was remarkable.

He had long since surpassed her, but this was the first time he had saved her in a moment of true desperation.

Still, this wasn’t the time to act sentimental. The harsh clang of metal rang out across the battlefield.

A violent clash.

Ha Hee-Jeong quickly moved to Gehenna’s side.

“From here on, I’ll support you.”

Despite her wound, Gehenna appeared stable. Regardless, she would have to step back from the front line.

It wasn’t a serious problem, as that had been part of the plan all along. The two would fight in close quarters until Gehenna retreated.

Clenching her teeth through the pain, Gehenna nodded. “Sounds good.”

Meanwhile, Kwon Su-Hyeok was locked in a fierce clash with Endless Furnace. Even his opponent was faltering due to the shift in his presence.

Kwon Su-Hyeok knew exactly why.

Savior.

It was a skill that responded to one’s will to protect another. That didn’t mean he wasn’t surprised.

I have never received this much strength before.

It was because of Ha Hee-Jeong.

At first glance, it would seem strange that he drew more strength from defending her than from protecting all of Earth. In truth, there was nothing weird about it.

The death of one person was mourned as a tragedy. The deaths of hundreds of thousands become statistics. There was a profound difference between understanding something in theory and enduring it in reality.

There was also the matter of his feelings toward Ha Hee-Jeong, which was a truth he couldn’t easily dismiss.

Even if he wasn’t consciously aware of it, Kwon Su-Hyeok had leaned on her ever since entering the tower. After every floor, they had discussed his development, the direction of his growth, and the trials to come.

She had remained by his side throughout the time he changed the most.

Ha Hee-Jeong had been closest to him during his most pivotal transformation. This surge of strength and this refusal to yield were his instinctive response to someone hurting her.

I feel light.

His physical condition was at its peak. With the Savior skill layered on top of that, Kwon Su-Hyeok felt a remarkable clarity even amidst the chaos, a lightness that bordered on exhilaration.

The skill played its role, but there was something more.

He had broken through a wall. Once such a wall was crossed, it could be crossed again.

Even if Endless Furnace was a god, they were already grievously wounded. Kwon Su-Hyeok pressed his advantage without hesitation.

While there were always exceptions, most battles were decided more quickly and more simply than one would expect. Sometimes, it comes down to a single exchange.

He relentlessly targeted Endless Furnace’s injured shoulder, every strike aimed toward the killing blow. His axe collided with their sword. Endless Furnace, guarding their wound, shifted their weight to the right.

Kwon Su-Hyeok responded quickly, sharply and powerfully twisting his wrist. Trying to redirect the strike, the Furnace instinctively followed the turn. Their weapons spun together in a tight, clockwise arc.

Usually, he would have been pushed back. However, considering he was at the height of his power and Endless Furnace’s balance had been slightly compromised, the outcome shifted.

A narrow window opened. Without pause, Kwon Su-Hyeok surged forward. He gripped his axe tightly and drove it into the gap.

Its momentum carried it upward in a clean diagonal arc.

Crack!

Surging divine energy pierced through Endless Furnace’s left flank, then carved across their ruptured chest, heading all the way to their injured right shoulder.

A moment later, Soulbound passed through blood and flesh brimming with searing divinity and met open air. The souls sealed within the weapon cried out in triumph.

For the first time, Kwon Su-Hyeok heard the voice of Soulbound.

***

「Invisible message: Godslayer! Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has slain the fifth-class god ‘Endless Furnace.’」

「Invisible message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has accomplished an unbelievable feat. All stats increased by 15.」

「Invisible message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok will absorb the divinity possessed by the fifth-class god ‘Endless Furnace.’」

「Invisible message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok offered all his divinity to the altar. His divinity has been purified and tripled.」

「Invisible message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has obtained ‘Qualification.’」