Chapter 118: Star, The Grand General (3)

Everything unfolded in mere seconds. A dark blood-red shape dropped down on the ground and spread a mana wave mixed with extremely hot wind, blocking the Grand General’s greatsword!

Swoosh, swish, whoosh!

The tens of square meters of snowfield instantly melted down, revealing the earth that the snow had hidden. Countless embers danced along with the flurries of snow. In the center of the howling and scorching wind, Chang-Sun and the Grand General had a standoff.

The [Yuchang Sword] and [Tiamat’s Snaggletooth], which had already revealed their true forms, fiercely shook in Chang-Sun’s hands. These divine and demonic swords usually weren’t on good terms, but they had come to an agreement to take out this arrogant monster.

Woosh, woosh, swish…!

Mixed with the Eon Fire, the divine and demonic energy swayed profusely, and the Grand General summoned more snow wind to counterattack. The battle between their energies resembled décalcomania but with contrasting colors. Chang-Sun used the swaying red Eon Fire, and the Grand General was using the howling white snow wind.

“You…” the Grand General slowly said, feeling Chang-Sun’s power through his greatsword.

He had gone up against many humans, but he had never met someone with this kind of energy. Moreover, Chang-Sun strangely irritated him even though it was their first time meeting.

“Who are you?” the Grand General asked in anger.

“Me?” Chang-Sun chuckled, curling up one end of his mouth. “Well, who do you think I am?”

Some could think Chang-Sun was playing with the Grand General. However, Chang-Sun’s smile made the lightbulb in his head turn on. He finally understood why Chang-Sun annoyed him now that he had found out who Chang-Sun was.

“It was you.” The Grand General’s eyes blazed up in anger like will o' the wisp. “It was you who killed our king!”

Our king…!

Our king…!

The Grand General’s shout echoed across the battlefield. Despite being in the middle of ferocious fights, everyone turned their heads to see what was going on.

“…!”

“…!”

Woo Hye-Bin had been staring at Chang-Sun’s broad back when it happened. Cha Ye-Eun, Seo Jeong-Gwon, and the other team leaders were still in the sky. Shin Geum-Gyu and Shin Eun-Seo were shouting in joy when Chang-Sun appeared. The White Tiger Clan members, volunteer Players, and Yetis were still locked in battle. However, when the echo reached everyone’s ears, they all reached the same conclusion.

‘He’s the one who killed the Winter King!’

The Tyrant Lee Chang-Sun was the one who ultimately caused the Yetis and Highoffs to fight each other.

“U-unbelievable!” someone shouted on behalf of everyone in the area.

Who was Lee Chang-Sun? Even though he was called the Tyrant and the genius of the century, he was still just a rookie who hadn’t even worked as a Player for a year yet. However, he didn’t just cross ‘Yeti Hill,’ which even Rankers found difficult to move around in, but also killed the Winter King?

As far as everyone knew, the Winter King was locked up in the Winter Palace since the Highoffs had taken him hostage. If Chang-Sun still managed to kill him despite all of those factors standing in his way, then it meant he had also dealt with the Highoff remnants! No one could tell how Chang-Sun had done it, but it evidenced that he was just as powerful or had even surpassed rankers.

Someone wanted to yell that Chang-Sun was lying, but they couldn’t. Even now, he was holding his own against the Grand General, who was strong enough to fight Iron Witch Cha Ye-Eun in single combat. Moreover, although people weren’t sure what the swords he was holding in each hand were, they were certainly relics. To top it all off, a scorching flame twirled around him, which the cold weather of ‘Yeti Hill’ couldn’t do anything against. All of those served as proof that Chang-Sun hadn’t just been lucky to do what he had done in the [Phantom Maze Circle].

‘I completed [Reinforced Skeleton], so I guess it doesn’t matter if I show my ability now,’?

Chang-Sun thought.

Up until now, Chang-Sun had only revealed abilities that looked glamorous to the public, but he hadn’t revealed his real ‘ability.’ He only ever used it when exterminating his enemies. He rarely used the [Yuchang Sword] and [Tiamat’s Snaggletooth] in public, too. He wanted to become famous, but he hid his real ability because he didn’t want to attract ‘flies’ and run into trouble before he could level up.

However, it was different now. His mana, body, attributes, traits, weapons, skill tree… His foundations had all been fortified, so the only thing left to do now was to gradually build solid ‘towers.’ Hence, revealing his hidden talent was no longer a problem. Unless he encountered the ‘Duke-Class’ or ‘King-Class’ High rankers, no one could beat him in single combat.

Ding!

Just then, a Dungeon Message popped up, almost as if it had been waiting for Chang-Sun.

[The Dungeon Ranking has been updated!]

[Dungeon Ranking]

First Place: Lee Chang-Sun (Update!)

Second Place: Woo Yeong-Geun (220,000 Points)

…

[The Player ‘Lee Chang-Sun’ has left an everlasting impression on all the Players in the Dungeon.]

[Fame increased.]

[150,000 Karma has been accumulated.]

…

[All the monsters in the Dungeon will remember the Player ‘Lee Chang-Sun.’]

[The monsters are becoming more hostile.]

[200,000 Karma has been accumulated.]

…

[The Celestial ‘A Good Season to Hunt’ is happy to see your superhero landing but worries other Celestials would become more interested in you, so she observes the surrounding warily.]

[The Celestial ‘World-Encircling Serpent’ clicks his tongue and says it is a wonder how you’ve managed to hide your skills until now.]

[The Celestial ‘Twilight-Piercing Owl’ warmly tells you a hero is always an object of envy and jealousy.]

[The Celestial ‘Abyss-Chasing Great Devil’ is silently observing you.]

[The Celestial ‘Calamity Tiger’ is viciously bursting into laughter.]

“The D-Dungeon Ranking…!”

“Unbelievable!”

“… What in the world had he done while we were stuck in here?”

The Players’ jaws dropped when they read the Dungeon Message. Chang-Sun’s name was now at the top of the Dungeon Ranking. Considering Yeong-Geun became second place by visiting ‘Yeti Hill’ multiple times, Chang-Sun’s points didn’t make any sense. However, something shocked them all even more than that.

[The Celestial ‘Geminus’ is trying to observe the talent of the Player ‘Lee Chang-Sun’!]

“…!”

.

“…!”

“…!”

No one dared to speak this time, causing suffocating silence to fill the Dungeon. Much to their disbelief, the presence of one of the ‘Gemini’ had appeared. It had already been dozens of years since Dungeons had begun showing up on Earth, so Players were now vaguely aware of the Celestials’ hierarchy, which was divided according to divine class. Based on their knowledge, the Zodiacs were one of the great Celestials whose divine classes were incomparably higher than other Guardians.

The Zodiacs were the , the most supreme and transcended stars, so they rarely made an appearance in the Saha World. However, a Celestial made a that he was interested in Chang-Sun!

[The Celestial ‘A Good Season to Hunt’ scowls at the ‘Geminus,’ another unwelcome guest who showed up just to covet her apostle candidate.]

[The Celestial ‘World-Encircling Serpent’ warns her to be careful since it will hurt quite a lot if the ‘Geminus’ slaps her.]

[The Celestial ‘A Good Season to Hunt’ yells that if the ‘Geminus’ really does so, she will tattle on her mother.]

𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

[The Celestial ‘World-Encircling Serpent’ shakes his head and sarcastically mutters why would she ask for her mother’s help on such an occasion.]

[The Celestial ‘Calamity Tiger’ frowns because a star he could not easily defy has shown up.]

“I guess you are favored by those damned stars in the sky?” The Grand General narrowed his eyes.

Chang-Sun was sensing a change in the Grand General. Up until now, he had a murderous desire to eradicate humans since they killed the Winter King, but his eyes were now burning with a pure desire for combat.

The Grand General spoke, “Then I will ask you, human. Are you the king of humans?”

“King?” Chang-Sun repeated, wondering what he meant.

Chang-Sun’s response aggravated the Grand General’s will to fight even more, so he angrily shouted, “Yes! I’m asking if you are the king of humans. You, humans, killed my king. Hence, it is only natural that I kill your king in return. However, if my liege was slain by another king, then his death will never be meaningless! So answer! Are you the king of humans?”

The Grand General’s eyes shone with madness.

After dwelling on the word ‘king’ for a moment, Chang-Sun chuckled. “I don’t want such a cheesy title.”

“You are no different from other humans, then. Die!” the Grand General yelled.

Woosh!

Rumble―!

[The Named Monster ‘Winter King’s Grand General’ has activated the Skill ‘Tundra’!]

When the Grand General violently swung his greatsword, the snowstorm’s size increased threefold and, like a rushing avalanche, gradually overpowered the Eon Fire. It looked like the overwhelming snowstorm was going to extinguish the Jigwi’s Eon Fire any minute now and Chang-Sun was about to be buried in an avalanche, but he wasn’t affected one bit.

[The State ‘Fierce Tiger’ has been activated, manifesting the Additional Skill ‘Fierce Tiger Dispatch’!]

Boom―!

Using [Tiger Kill] and [Tiger Walk] with more power than ever, Chang-Sun swiftly darted forward, causing a thunderous sound to reverberate. It was as if a cannon had been fired.

The Grand General, who was in Chang-Sun’s way, got pushed back. The fact that Chang-Sun hadn’t shown his full power yet surprised the Grand General, whose raging snowstorm and power Chang-Sun respectively passed through and transcended. However, what shocked the Grand General more was Chang-Sun’s incoming sword attacks.

[The State ‘Fierce Tiger’ has been changed into the State ‘Jackal Tiger,’ activating the Additional Skill ‘Jackal Tiger Hacks’!]

Swish, swish, swoosh―!

Boom, boom, boom!

The [Yuchang Sword] and [Tiamat’s Snaggletooth] bombarded the Grand General with attacks. The [Yuchang Sword] created an explosion by emitting shining divine energy and striking the Grand General, pushing the Grand General backward. At the same time, [Tiamat’s Snaggletooth] released its demonic energy and aimed for the Grand General’s weak spots, leaving deep wounds all over him even though he was wearing armor.

Reminding everyone of the phrase ‘hacked to death,’ Chang-Sun launched a barrage of attacks against the Grand General. However, that didn’t mean the Grand General was losing. Although he was using a greatsword, he moved fast and controlled the raging snowstorm, sending shivers down everyone’s spine.

[The Celestial ‘A Good Season to Hunt’ clenches her fight as she watches the interesting fight.]

[The Celestial ‘Twilight-Piercing Owl’ silently watches you.]

“It doesn’t make sense…!”

“He’s just as powerful as the Iron Witch?”

Remembering how Ye-Eun barely kept up with the Grand General during their fights, the Players’ jaws dropped, and they clenched their sweat-soaked fists. Although they wondered why Chang-Sun could fight like that, they hoped he could defeat the Grand General.

Chang-Sun’s fight with the Grand General made people’s hearts pound and their blood boil. Taking no account of his safety, he focused on attacking alone, which seemed to put him in a precarious position. Even so, his every attack was superb enough to make everyone’s mouths dry.

“Give him hell!”

“Win using any means necessary, Tyrant!”

“Yeah! Crush him like the Tyrant that you are!”

The volunteer Players energetically cheered for Chang-Sun.

Paah!

At that moment, the Grand General shoved Chang-Sun again and leaped high. His Snow Pterosaur, which had been in the sky, glided down in his direction.

“Huh? Huuh?”

“That bastard is trying to ride the Snow Pterosaur again!”

“Don’t lose him! Tyrant!”

The Players screamed, worrying he’d escape to the sky again just like he did during his fight against Ye-Eun. It would be difficult to kill him once he had taken to the skies. However, as soon as the Grand General got on the Snow Pterosaurs, Chang-Sun said, “Gyeo-Ul.”

Someone jumped out from the Grand General’s shadow.

[The Player ‘Baek Gyeo-Ul’ has activated the Skill ‘Shadow Steps’ and attempts to land a hit!]

Swish!

Gyeo-Ul’s black helmet contrasted with the Grand General. He swung his long spear fiercely, cutting off one of the Snow Pterosaur’s wings.

Slash!

Kiyeeeh―!

“This is…!”

The Grand General was in great shock as his Snow Pterosaur plummeted to the ground while bleeding like a fountain. He had never thought his favorite Snow Pterosaur could ever get hurt. However, he soon regained composure. Kicking off the saddle, he jumped high again.

“… You leave me no choice,” the Grand General muttered.

Boom!

The Grand General’s kick simultaneously shattered his Snow Pterosaur’s backbones and saddle, killing it. The Grand General didn’t seem to care at all, though. The death of his favorite Snow Pterosaur was a pity since they were a great duo, but there was a bunch of Snow Pterosaurs in the sky. He could just use any of the deceased guards’ Snow Pterosaurs as a replacement. Hence, he didn’t need to have any lingering feelings.

Tap!

After locating an unmounted Snow Pterosaur, the Grand General skillfully stood on its saddle and pulled its reins with his left hand. He then searched for Chang-Sun.

“Where are you?!” The Grand General shouted, unaware of one thing. Unlike him, who could only fight in the air if he had a Snow Pterosaur, Chang-Sun could fly on his own and use the Concealment Skill.

Swoosh!

[The Skill ‘Concealment’ has been deactivated.]

Distorting the air, Chang-Sun showed up right behind the Grand General. The Grand General flinched and tried to turn toward him, but Chang-Sun had already cranked the Eon Fire to the maximum and unleashed it.

[The State ‘Coyote Tiger’ has been changed into the State ‘Cruel Tiger,’ activating the Additional Skill ‘Cruel Tiger’s Venomous Fang’!]

Slash!

Chang-Sun embedded his sword into the left part of the Grand General’s neck and swiftly swung it diagonally. Like a volcano erupting, the Jigwi’s Eon Fire lit up and burst out from the Grand General’s long wound shortly after, engulfing him in a flash. A firestorm rose like a pillar of flames at the same time, spreading over the ground and the sky.

Woosh, woosh, woosh!

Rumble, rumble―!

[A firestorm rages!]