Chapter 550. Fool's End

Translator: Boko

The western airships.

Several of their wyverns had died at the hands of the Death Eagles. They only had 80 wyverns left. However, they didn't have a problem pulling the fifteen airships.

"We need to get to the center of the battlefield. Could you please help us out?" Saladin asked.

"Let's go!" Sephiro nodded his head, and Waryong flew forward.

Kyaaahk!

Waryong flew through the air and inhaled. Then, it spewed flames at its enemies, forging a path.

The wyverns shot their Poison Breath from beside the red wyvern.

The Empire's troops scattered, avoiding the flames and the poison. Then, the airships flew towards the vacated area.

Kang Oh stood atop the figurehead at the end of the ship, and assessed the battlefield. The wyverns and the airships that flew from the east caught his eye.

'I'm glad they made it here in one piece.'

The airships proved to be an effective bunker for their troops. The mages and archers unleashed long-range attacks from the deck of the ships.

The wyverns began to fight the Death Eagles in the sky. As soon as Black Wolf and the Death Eagles returned, Jegal ordered him to join the battle in the middle.

Bart and Helena were an impressive sight.

Bart stood on the head of a Rock Giant. An Ice Giant and a Fire Giant stood at its sides.

Whenever they swung their fists, the Empire's soldiers let out agonizing cries. They would kill at least four or five with each swing, and ten at most.

The enemy soldiers took substantial damage from the fire or the ice fragments too.

Helena's magic needed no introduction. She truly was the Witch of Annihilation.

However, their enemies were not to be underestimated.

'Sand soldiers?'

The invincible soldiers, which reformed themselves no matter how many times they were cut down, were sweeping through the battlefield.

Plus...

'Dukeram!' His eyes focused on Dukeram, who was holding a golden scepter from atop his Pegasus.

"Descend!" Ould yelled.

"Yes, sir!"

The sailors disabled the devices which regulated the gas output, and the airships slowly began to drop.

However, Kang Oh leapt off of the ship before it landed.

Both the Dragon's Heart and the stars tightly packed within his belt glowed brightly.

Devil Trigger!

His transformation was instantaneous.

A dark red winged demon charged at Dukeram.

'Let's go!'

He planned to usurp Dukeram's rank, as well as test his new belt.

However, Dukeram had no intention of fighting Kang Oh right now.

"Stop him!" Dukeram yelled.

"You dare!?"

"What insolence!"

The two sand generals leapt at Kang Oh. They swung their glittering sand scimitars at him, which let out a menacing sound.

Sharp Attack!

However, Kang Oh's ability to fly, or Tasha's for that matter, was too great for them. He flew through the air and dodged both of their blades.

Then, he went straight for Dukeram.

"Huahp!"

His jet-black blade was aimed straight for Dukeram's neck.

Dukeram slightly furrowed his brow and swung Max Cain upwards.

Clang!

Ubist was pushed upwards.

Kang Oh turned his body in the air, and thrust Blood.

Transcendent Blade!

He swung his sword with unparalleled speed!

However, Dukeram's Tarsonis Armor blocked his attack. Its 'Absolute Defense', which nullified an attack, would always activate on his enemy's first strike.

Clang!

Blood bounced off his armor.

Then, Max Cain flashed.

Supersonic Speed Strike!

Kang Oh's reaction time was ridiculous. He tilted Ubist and shielded his body.

Clang!

He successfully blocked it. However, the force behind Dukeram's blade was too much to handle, so he was pushed back.

Tasha quickly flapped his wings, ensuring that he didn't lose balance.

"You bastard!"

"How insolent!"

The sand generals charged from behind, while the invincible soldiers gathered around him. Dukeram's Pegasus flew into the air.

'I'll see you later.'

He planned on fighting Kang Oh when he was weakened; when his skills, abilities, or item effects were on cooldown. Kang Oh wouldn't be able to face his sand soldiers or the Empire's elites without using any of them.

Dukeram had definitely lost to Kang Oh one versus one.

However, he would never lose on a battlefield.

He nor the Empire!

* * *

Kang Oh knew exactly what Dukeram was planning. It seemed like he wanted to fight him after Kang Oh had used some of his most important skills or item effects.

'Will it really go as you planned?' Kang Oh thought of his new belt and grinned.

Dukeram's plan wouldn't go as he wanted so long as he had this belt.

At the same time, fighting the sand generals or their soldiers was a waste of time. After all, no matter how many times he killed them, they would come back!

Dukeram didn't want to fight him right now, and it would be a waste of time to try following him too.

The sand soldiers were standing near their emperor, as if taunting him to come and attack them!

If that's the case, then...

'I should go after the captains instead.'

If he went after them, then Dukeram would come and find him on his own two feet.

They made up most of the Imperial Army's strength, and there was also no one besides Dukeram that would be able to stop him.

Then, he'd use the belt's special ability to take Dukeram's head!

'Man, what a perfect plan.'

Kang Oh deflected the sand general's scimitar and then leapt over him.

Then, he ran as fast as he could.

Dukeram, who watched Kang Oh's form get blurrier and blurrier, pointed at a different area.

"Don't follow him. Take care of them!" Dukeram pointed at Bart's Giants.

"As you command!"

"As you wish!"

The sand generals and their troops charged at Bart's Giants.

Dukeram turned his Pegasus towards Kang Oh.

'Kang Oh must be aiming for the captains.'

Even so, Dukeram had no intention of chasing after him. That was exactly what Kang Oh wanted, after all.

Plus, the Empire's captains weren't as weak as Kang Oh believed them to be.

Dukeram planned on killing the strongest members of the Alliance while Kang Oh was busy fighting his captains.

His first target was Helena.

Her magic was too dangerous on a battlefield of this scale. Thus, he needed to eliminate her first.

Countless sand soldiers followed after Dukeram.

* * *

Kang Oh deactivated Devil Trigger and charged through the battlefield. He didn't want to stand out too much.

Then, his ears rung from the sound of a stupid bear's roar.

"Uwoooh!"

It was the captain of the Brown Bear Squad, Ridgeley!

He was trampling on a man.

It was the body of Sionel, the leader of the Fierce Tiger Squad. The man who was called the Young Tiger!

"I won!" Ridgeley opened his arms and yelled.

"C-Commander!"

"Commander Sionel... lost!?"

"Get a grip. We have to avenge him!"

The Fierce Tiger Squad unleashed their anger onto the Brown Bear Squad, fighting even harder than ever before.

'You're my first target.'

Kang Oh turned his body, and rushed at Ridgeley. At the same time, he pulled out Blood and used Demon's Descent.

Tasha's hatred towards humanity would help her unleash her full power on the battlefield!

A pale beauty in a red dress and fluttering red hair appeared.

"Kill everyone with the Brown Bear insignia."

"Just them?"

"You can kill the ones with the roaring lion and star marks too."

The roaring lion was the Empire Guild's insignia, while the star was the symbol of the Arabas Empire.

"We'll see."

"Don't kill our allies. There are a ton of enemies for you to kill," Kang Oh said firmly. He didn't want her to get any ideas.

"...Fine."

Tasha gathered a ton of red energy in her hands, and then shot it into the sky.

A short while later...

Ornate blood spears fell from the sky.

What an ostentatious display.

"What is that!?"

"It's a witch."

The Brown Bear Squad and the Imperial Army responded immediately.

Meanwhile, Kang Oh sliced through anyone in his way, and swung Sarahoff at any nearby members of the Brown Bear Squad.

Then, one of them swung their spear shaft at him with both hands.

Swish!

Kang Oh sliced through the spear shaft with Sarahoff, and then thrust his sword into their heart.

"Keok!"

Red shards of light fell from their body.

Kang Oh pulled Sarahoff downwards.

Slash!

They fell flat on their face.

"Chimney!"

"How dare you do that to him!?"

Three members of the Brown Bear Squad rushed at him like angry bears.

What idiots. To think they'd charge straight into the mouth of a tiger.

Mad Wind's Sword!

He ferociously swung his twin demon swords.

It only took 10 seconds for him to kill all three of them.

Only then did the Brown Bear Squad understand that he wasn't to be taken lightly. They didn't rush at him and just watched him.

"K-Kang Oh!"

"Damn it. It's the Predator."

It was a brief standoff. Tasha unleashed a Fresh Blood Wave at them, as if saying, 'I'm here too!'.

The undulating blood red energy came straight for them.

Then...

Glittering white energy cleaved the Fresh Blood Wave in two! Ridgeley could be seen beyond the two halves of the blast.

"Good of you to come!"

He had a bone to pick with Kang Oh.

Ridgeley could still remember how badly he'd lost to him in the Great Forest. He hadn't stopped resenting Kang Oh for the humiliation he'd given him.

He sure was confident.

Ridgeley had, like Kang Oh, become a Master, acquired top of the line equipment with the support of his guild, and had reached the max level of 500.

He was also energized from killing someone as strong as Sionel, and was fueled by his resentment for Kang Oh!

It didn't seem like he'd lose at all.

"Die!" Ridgeley charged like a warthog, and swung his halberd downwards. His halberd was surrounded by fierce energy.

The silhouette of a wicked demon appeared behind him.

"Fool," Kang Oh said.

Ridgeley wasn't better than him in any way. Kang Oh was a higher level, his equipment was better, he was more skilled and had more combat experience, and was higher ranked than him too!

So why was he so confident that he'd win? No matter how he thought about it, he couldn't think of him as anything but a fool.

Kang Oh smoothly swung Sarahoff.

It was the same Master Slash he'd used to cut through the sea!

The energy surrounding Ridgeley's halberd was like a child's toy. It was cut apart, and Ridgeley's halberd flew through the air.

"What?" Ridgeley was shocked.

That had been his secret move.

Demon King Spear!

This strike, which contained the power of the Demon King, could destroy anything! It was a completely arrogant move.

Even so, to think that the Demon King Spear would be blocked so easily! Ridgeley couldn't believe what he was seeing.

"No way!"

Ridgeley was a fool till the very end.

He was all bark and no bite.

Ring of Frost!

Demon Sword Sarahoff released chilling energy, which engulfed Ridgeley.

It was instantaneous. He was completely frozen solid.

Kang Oh's twin demon swords and his armor released gray energy.

Dragon's Fury!

A raging gray whirlwind surrounded him, sweeping through the frozen statue that was Ridgeley.

Pieces of ice flew everywhere. Shards of light came out of every part of Ridgeley's body.

However, Ridgeley didn't die.

Bear God's Protection!

This skill quickly restored his depleted HP, safeguarding him from death.

Then, the Brown Bear Squad threw themselves at Kang Oh.

"Save the Captain!"

"Go away, you monster!"

Kang Oh smirked. They weren't the Brown Bear Squad; they were the Idiot Squad.

To think they would walk into their own graves!

Whir.

Sarahoff glowed with golden light, and darkness surrounded Ubist.

Tempest Tiger + Abyss Predator!

Black and gold mixed together, creating a giant flood of energy!

Boom!

The Brown Bear Squad was swept away. Not a single one of them survived the blast.

However, Ridgeley pierced through the destructive blast. If nothing else, his body was indeed Master rank.

"Shit! You bastard!" Ridgeley cursed, and swung his halberd at Kang Oh's neck.

Behead!

This was one of Ridgeley's favorite skills. He had used it to decapitate several of his foes.

'If he dodges or blocks it, then I'll use Soul Steal right after!'

Soul Steal!

It was a Warrior secret move.

This attack was impossible to dodge or block.

In exchange, it could only be used as a follow up attack.

Ridgeley had killed countless people with this Behead/Soul Steal combo. It would do the same to Kang Oh!

Kang Oh raised Ubist.

'He fell for it!'

Ridgeley let out a battle cry and put everything he had into his halberd.

However...!

Kang Oh tilted his sword, and Ridgeley's halberd slid across his blade.

Sword Parry!

"Hey, you bast..." Ridgeley couldn't help but curse once he lost balance.

To think he'd use Sword Parry at a time like this!

He belatedly used Soul Steal. However, he was unable to finish cursing or use the technique in time.

Transcendent Blade!

In the blink of an eye, Kang Oh's jet-black blade cut through Ridgeley's neck.

Ridgeley's head flew through the air, as his body slammed into the ground!

Countless shards of light fell from his severed head.

"You're a fool to the bitter end."

Did he really think he'd fall for his Behead/Soul Steal combo?

None of Ridgeley's new tactics would work on him, so why would a combo that he'd used thousands of times before work on him?

Ridgeley wasn't even close to fighting Kang Oh.

He was foolish, reckless, and simple, but there were times that Ridgeley's style, that of pure destructive power, would be advantageous to him in a fight.

However, that style would never work against an opponent that was stronger than him.

'Hmm, I wonder if Eric, Taker, or Tainos will come out.'

He needed to fight someone even stronger.

"Let's go, Tasha!"

"Got it."

Tasha, who choked a soldier with both her hands, beamed and followed him.

The Brown Bear Squad didn't dare follow him.

Kang Oh had shown them his overwhelming power!

He was a true monster.