Chapter 1282

Chapter 1282

In the Special Players Management Team office, Team Leader Park could be seen with a grave expression as he muttered, “One scream...”

The monitor in front of him was displaying the scene of Minhyuk activating the Ten Thousand Li Sword amidst the blazing flames surrounding him. The Ten Thousand Li Sword was the final form of the Heart Sword.

It had surpassed the previous generation Sword Gods’ walls several times. However, just as Philip had shouted to Minhyuk earlier, the gods’ power could not reach him. This was because he possessed the power of

The Absolute

.

Philip existed yet also did not exist simultaneously. He appeared only when he had to create the Eight Pillar Disaster. The word "appeared" was actually not accurate for him. After all, he usually only received information from Athenae and developed skills in his world.

Team Leader Park turned to look at Deputy Team Leader Lee Minhwa. He said, “I understand what you’re worried about now. Even Helenia and Obren could only get one groan out of him.”

The reason why Team Leader Park’s expression was so solemn was the fact that something special would unfold here.

“If he can make him groan not only three times but four times, then...”

If that happened, his favor with Philip—hailed as the Absolute Martial God—would reach the maximum, and he could request anything from the man.

“That’s impossible.”

“That’s right. It should be impossible.”

Common sense dictated that it was impossible for Minhyuk to execute something like that and request anything from Philip. No matter how hard Team Leader Park thought, the answer was: it was impossible.

Team Leader Park began to murmur the rewards of the impossible task, “He will be able to learn the swordsmanship of the Absolute Martial God and The Creator. And that swordsmanship can be said to have the power of the Eight Pillar Disaster.”

While murmuring like that, he suddenly caught sight of a family tree on Lee Minhwa’s desk.

“What’s this?”

“Ah. That’s Player Minhyuk’s family tree.”

“Family tree?” Team Leader Park asked as he scanned the contents of the family tree.

‘Sister - Hegemon King Ellie. Uncle - Overlord Raldo. Uncle - Previous Generation Battle God. Grandmother - God of Cooking. Grandfather - Rundalk.’

“...”

As it turned out, Minhyuk was indeed calling them with these titles. They also affectionately responded with endearments like,

‘dear nephew,’

‘my grandchild,’

‘my dear Minhyuk,’

and so on.

Lee Minhwa smiled happily as she began to chatter away. “I made it for fun! Nonetheless, while writing them down, I found something special.”

“What is it?”

“When Minhyuk formed a relationship with his hyungs, noonas, uncles, grandmas, and grandpas, they were all at a higher level than him. I discovered a pattern. He would form a relationship with someone like that once every six months.”

Team Leader Park nodded. It was a family tree made for fun, but a chill ran down his spine when he realized what Lee Minhwa said.

“How long has it been since Rundalk became his grandfather...?”

“Let’s see... Huh?” Lee Minhwa’s eyes grew wide. “Today is exactly the sixth month since he became Minhyuk’s grandfather...”

“...”

The two looked at each other.

“O-ohohohohoho! No way. They’re just coincidences, right?”

“Hahahaha. Right! That’s right.”

“...”

“...”

‘No way...’

***

Shwaaaaa!

“Keuhaaaaaaaaaak!”

For Minhyuk’s Eight Pillar Disaster to improve, he had to make Philip groan. Obren and Helenia had made him groan once. However, the sound that he made was not a groan. It differed from a “kghhk” or a “hmmmph” one spat out when flustered or panicked. Nevertheless, it was still considered as a groan.

When Philip saw the blood spurting out of his chest, he could not help but feel flustered. How was he able to reach him when he was that far away?

‘Did he send it flying?’

No. He could tell that it was not a power that could fly. Minhyuk had just triggered the skill when it cut him down. This meant that it was a force that could ignore space. What he could not understand was...

[The Absolute has been triggered.]

[The Absolute nullifies and cancels all of the gods’ attacks.]

[Warning.]

[This is a force that cannot be stopped or nullified.]

There were three kinds of skills in the world. The first were self-created skills. The second were skills created by the God of Skills and distributed by the gods or spread worldwide. The third was the skills that Philip created.

As the Absolute Martial God, Philip knew many of the world's skills. Although it took him a moment, he could still recognize what kind of skill Minhyuk used.

“Wait...”

When Minhyuk requested an AOE Digest to be created, Philip instantly realized that Minhyuk was a leader with many vassals under his rule.

Philip had led the man here so that he could use his abilities to create a better Disaster if he could make him groan. Alas, the results would be completely different from what Philip had expected.

“The one... who reached... the end... of the Heart Sword...”

The world had witnessed the lives of five generations of the Sword God so far. Philip had also heard the story of Varen, the one who was said to be the greatest out of the five generations of the Sword God. However, no matter how great he was, he failed to complete the Heart Sword. None of them had ever completed it, let alone reached the end of the Heart Sword.

“The vassal of someone good at eating is the one who has reached the end of the Heart Sword...?” Philip mumbled as he looked at the sky in astonishment.

The first question that came to mind when he realized this fact was,

‘Why the hell?’

Anyone who had reached the end of the Heart Sword had the potential to become the Pillar of the Sword someday. So, why...

“Why is such a talent serving this man?”

Philip had made another mistake. He had been trying to show respect and consideration to Minhyuk. Alas, he unknowingly expressed what he was truly feeling. After a brief moment, he finally regained his calm.

‘Maybe the Sword God is odd and likes to eat?’

At this moment, Philip recalled what Minhyuk had done in the Land of the Leaders. The people there greeted him happily, babbling around him like baby birds waiting to be fed. It seemed like his dishes were indeed that delicious. With just a single dish, he had likely been able to obtain the odd Sword God as his vassal.

‘That’s right. I’m sure that’s the case.’

He was confident that Minhyuk only had the Sword God by his side.

“I’m pretty sure that’s all you got.” Philip grinned. Unbeknownst to him, Minhyuk still had much more from where that came from.

Whenever Minhyuk visited the Land of the Leaders, he always kept his Sword of Aeon in his inventory. It was mainly because he did not want to upset them with the greatest sword’s passive skill. Now, he was taking the sword out. The moment the sword appeared, it resonated and paralyzed all of the weapons and armor of the five hundred million Pillar Soldiers in the field.

Minhyuk ran towards the imposing five hundred million troops.

“What... why?”

Why was he moving that fast? Philip doubted his eyes, not believing that a chef could move that fast. Suddenly, he saw a vast firestorm appear and devour the soldiers that blocked Minhyuk’s path.

Rumble!

Clang!

Minhyuk ignored the burning soldiers. He immediately leaped to the sky and held onto the floating chain above.

“I will make you groan a second time.”

“Hahaha! You could only rip a groan out of my mouth because your attack was very unexpected!”

Minhyuk grinned, saying, “When I checked the test details, I found out that when you said vassals, it also included my foreigner subordinates.”

At this moment, Philip realized the man before him was a king. To be exact, a human emperor.

‘No. Why is someone who eats the most...’

the thought flashed in Philip’s head. Then, he shouted, “I have never groaned twice in my life...!”

“Spark of White Flames.”

“Heoooook?!”

It was not a groan but a sound of surprise. The same sound one would make when they were so startled that they choked on their breath. And this sound could also be considered as a kind of groan.

Philip’s mouth dropped open when he heard Minhyuk’s words.

‘No, that’s not true! He’s lying, right?’

That should be impossible. Helenia couldn't be his subordinate. Philip had met her in person and knew her nature and attitude. She was someone who was unrestrained and someone who could not be under anyone’s control. For someone to control her...

“Heokkkk?!”

[You have groaned a total of three times.]

At this moment, Philip noticed something. According to Minhyuk, there was a clause that included foreigners, which basically meant that it also included his foreign subordinates. So, how did he truly get his hand on this power?

“You... no way...” A strange premonition appeared in Philip’s heart.

At the end of it all, Helenia was a mage. As a great mage, she possessed an outstanding mana heart. Even at the event of her death, she was with the morbid idea that she would still be dominating the world as long as her mana heart was left behind. Anyone who possessed Helenia’s mana heart would inherit her power and will.

As if to prove what he was thinking, the Spark of White Flames appeared in Philip’s sight.

[Spark of White Flames.]

[The Spark of White Flames will burn for one second and inflict 170% additional damage.]

It was much weaker and less impressive than Helenia’s version. Regardless, the Spark of White Flames could devour everyone in a single area. In other words, the six hundred million troops in the sky and the ground rose in flames. Philip was not spared either.

His assumptions had now become a reality.

“You killed Helenia... And one of your subordinates... inherited her power...?”

This was the truth. Ali had inherited Helenia’s mana heart and eventually became known as the White Mage. Although it was a subpar version of the Eight Pillar Disaster, he still possessed the Spark of White Flames. Minhyuk used a subpar version of that power in this place.

“

That

Helenia...?”

At that moment, a scene flashed in Philip’s head. It was in the Land of the Leaders where The Teacher Beradon, Jack-of-All-Trades Rocado, and the hundreds of Pillar Candidates jumped up and circled Minhyuk like a flock of baby birds waiting for him to feed them.

A chill ran down Philip’s spine as he thought,

‘Is his ability the ability to make allies through his cooking?’

He felt like all of the puzzle pieces had been put together. Realizing that he had the power to make allies through his cooking, his desire to obtain Digest and AOE Digest finally made sense.

Minhyuk wanted an AOE Digest because he could cook for various people and use it to seduce them to his side. This scenario was possible, especially for someone who carried the name Pillar of the Gourmands.

“That’s surprising! You can seduce and attract your enemies to your side and make them your allies through your cooking!”

Philip’s voice rang from the fortress and reached Minhyuk’s ears. At that moment, he saw the man’s gaze change. Gone were the innocent and childlike look in his eyes when he was eating food. It had now turned cold and sharp.

Philip knew that look. It was the look of an apex predator, as noble as Evil God Obren and as majestic as Great Mage Helenia.

***

Denial.

Most people would say that others could not do it because they believed that they could not do it.

Jealousy.

They would often be jealous because they did not have what others had.

Condemnation and criticism.

They would condemn and criticize others because they had more than what they had.

Minhyuk had always been at the center of these kinds of emotions. He had always been subject to their denial, jealousy, and criticism. He had always been taking everything from one ear and then out to the other. After all, he was the Supreme, and it was only natural for him to take in everything that had been said about him passively.

The world often scrutinized those who stood above everyone else. They had often looked at those who went ahead of them with jealousy and criticism instead of praise and admiration.

That was why he had accepted everything meekly. No. He was forced to accept it graciously. After all, it was he who became the Pillar of the Gourmands and not them. Minhyuk had learned that much.

“You just ate, but you gained countless vassals and subordinates! Amazing! That’s amazing!”

Philip denied Minhyuk’s entire being and experience. When Minhyuk looked at him, he thought,

‘Why me?’

Why should he accept it? Why did he have to be understanding? He did not know why he had to meekly accept everything when he did not even provoke them. Why did he have to receive their jealousy, criticism, and unfair treatment?

“Transcendence.”

Rumble!

Heaven and earth trembled as Minhyuk ran forward with two swords in his hands.

“That Transcendence, who does it belong to?!”

His Intangible Sword cut down all of the enemies that blocked his path.

“O-oooh! How about that power that can ignore others’ defenses?!”

Minhyuk, who heard Philip’s annoying words, gritted his teeth as he continued to move forward.

Obren had attacked Philip once, and so did Helenia.

Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!

And Minhyuk? He could also reach him and land an attack. When Philip continued to deny him and say that his powers were borrowed from others, the Supreme Overlord’s Technique that he had saved with his skill was released.

[Double Skill.]

As the power that doubles the strength of his already triggered skill was activated, Minhyuk stomped on the body of the Pillar Soldier and ran toward Philip.

“A power that doubles the strength of your skills? What kind of subordinate owns this?!”

Minhyuk, amidst a rain of swords, jumped on the shoulders of the soldiers and continued on his way to Philip. In just a blink, he had appeared in Philip’s vicinity. Then, at that moment, an overwhelming force weighed down on Minhyuk.

[The Absolute.]

[The Absolute nullifies and cancels all of the gods’ attacks.]

Despite the haze created by Philip’s The Absolute, Minhyuk continued forward. He leaped toward the delighted Philip, who was standing on the walls of the fortress.

“Whose power is it this time?! Can it ignore the power of The Absolute again?!”

Minhyuk’s voice was drowned out by Philip’s excited one as he whispered, “Overlapping Pleasure.”

Gulp.

“Calamity.”

[Calamity has leveled up.]

[Calamity has leveled up.]

[Calamity has leveled up.]

[Double Skill.]

[Calamity’s power has doubled!]

In the face of such power, the jubilant expression on Philip’s face turned stiff. He hurriedly created a shield to protect himself. This was a shield that had never been pierced before.

Calamity was originally a power that would release thousands of swords covered in flames. Today, it manifested differently. Four thousand swords covered in fire spread out from behind the rising Minhyuk and turned into wings.

[Calamity has taken a step closer to becoming a true Eight Pillar Disaster!]

BANG!

Calamity finally collided with Philip’s shield. The shield, which had never been pierced before, was helpless against its power. It got easily torn apart and failed to protect Philip. Philip tried to raise his sword and deflect the attack, but his power was torn apart. This was because Calamity could always land a successful attack upon Minhyuk’s enemies.

Philip grinned and asked, “Whose power is this?”

Minhyuk had successfully cut him up close like Obren and Helenia did. However, he believed that Minhyuk had borrowed the power of his vassals to do so. That was why Philip denied, criticized, and condemned him. At the same time, he also felt jealous of him.

𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

Unfortunately, Minhyuk no longer wanted to accept others’ denial, criticisms, and jealousy passively.

“This is my power. This is my strength and not anybody else’s! So, shut the f*ck up and stop blabbering about whose power is this or that!”

Philip’s mouth dropped open. Only at this moment did he genuinely feel that this was the man’s own strength. Despite his speculations, the man before him did not give in and backed down.

Looking at the power that could rival the Pillar Disaster that he created, Philip said sincerely, “You’re pretty cool. You are more than qualified.“

[Philip admits his mistake.]

“I will make sure to adjust well and supplement your own Pillar Disaster.”

[Philip will increase the level of the Pillar Disaster that you will receive from him by a few levels.]

[He vows to do his best to create the Pillar Disaster that suits you best.]