Chapter 263. The Strongest Reinforcement (1)

Hurry up over there. Were going to start moving soon too.

How far has the squad assigned to the mobs gotten? We cant move on to the next section until theyre finished.

Its been about an hour, so we should be hearing something soon.

We just received word from the rear that the combat rations and spare parts are ready. Most of the mana stones from the monster corpses have also been collected. Were approaching the final stages now.

While the vanguard led by Jinhyuk played a critical role, the rear had its own responsibilities.

It was their job to take care of all the miscellaneous tasks so the vanguard could focus on blazing the trail.

Suddenly, someone noticed something strange.

What? Whos coming?

One of the players at the front, gathering mana stones, tilted their head in confusion.

Familiar figures from the Gandara team appeared in the distance.

Theyre from Gandara Why have those guys come all the way here?

Thats odd. They should be busy tackling their own route right now Somethings not right.

There was a silent competition between the first and second attack squads over who would reach the Witch of Sorrow first.

The elite of Gandara, who were the main force, had no reason to come this way.

Moreover, approaching the rear without any sort of contact was beyond common sense.

Instinct writhed.

Something was terribly wrong.

There was a certainty that they werent approaching with good intentions.

Shhhing!

All sorts of weapons readied themselves for an unexpected event.

Damn it. Those bastards have drawn their weapons.

Are they out of their mind! Alert the rankers at once!

But before anyone could scream

One of the female players from the Gandara Guild, an assassin named Sagitta, optimized for large-scale battles, had already closed in.

Her shoulders were bared, and her circular blade flew out like lightning. There wasnt even time to react.

Buzzzz!

The blade flew towards a bearers neck.

An eerie coldness brushed against the skin.

However, what followed wasnt the gruesome sound of flesh being sliced and bones being cut.

Clang!

A sharp metallic sound filled the air.

Sagitta clicked her tongue, surprised at the futility of her surprise attack.

But an even more astonishing event had just begun.

To think that my esteemed task would amount to babysitting humans Even if its a direct order from Elise, this is truly vexing.

Belus revealed his sharp fangs. Behind him, numerous vampires began to unsheathe their rapiers one after the other.

Watch your mouth. That person is now the leader of the Decarsus family. I wont forgive any disrespect towards our lord, Ophelia frowned sharply.

Ha! Since when has a human become the head of a great family? And since when did you swear loyalty to that human?

Its nothing more than repaying the person who saved my life. And you, do you not accept Jinhyuk, whom our lord follows?

What, what? Whos following whom?

The mighty previous Ataraxia family head has become so soft. Laughing sheepishly like a teenager. Quite amusing.

You Decarsus vermin dare to insult him! Ill nail a cross to your thick skull!

Oh dear. Attaraxia always resorts to insults when words fail. Always so vulgar

While the two vampires bickered, players from both formations stood with mouths agape, lost for words.

Is this really happening Vampires?

Why are those creatures defending humans?

The Gandara Guild couldnt hide their confusion. Olympus was equally shocked.

Whats going on here?

Are they going to help us?

If the Olympus Guild, mostly composed of bearers and miners, were to truly fight, they wouldnt last more than thirty minutes before crumbling.

But the intervention of the vampires completely changed the tide.

Wipe them all out.

Bl-Block them!

Belus cold voice and Sagittas desperate shout intersected.

Boom Boom Boom!

Giant explosions roared, and horrific screams echoed through the air.

Members of the Ataraxia bloodline began to slaughter the dealers, having broken through the tank formation.

They were overwhelming.

Even the advantage of numbers seemed to fade in comparison.

Krink!

Blades and rapiers clashed chaotically.

There were very few rankers capable of even attempting to fight Belus or Ophelia. Ordinary players needed at least a group of five to challenge a single bloodline member.

Instead of gaining the upper hand, they were gradually pushed back.

Kugh!

Sagitta let out a heavy groan.

She hadnt expected them to anticipate this, let alone call for such powerful reinforcements.

But of course, she thought.

Nirashas words were right, to always prepare for the unforeseen. Simply increase the safety measures to cover any new variables.

Hmm. You seem to handle the situation without much fuss. Perhaps you have more tricks up your sleeve?

You think our target is just here?

Olympus rear wasnt their only responsibility.

Up ahead was a team dedicated to dealing with small monsters, and even further back was a team overseeing the byproducts and supplies.

Three in total.

In other words, there were three locations to defend.

The front line dealing with mobs is probably well-equipped, but it doesnt matter. We sent a matching monster, too. And the most vulnerable rear isnt even worth mentioning.

Sagittas lips curved up in a smile.

She had modestly described it as a matching force, but in fact, she had sent an overwhelming monster.

She had sent the Apostle of Wrath, the most furious and relentless of the seven apostles, along with Gavain and the Mines. No matter how skilled the opponent, it was impossible to block everything.

However

Belus expression remained unchanged upon hearing this.

I would honestly love to see that damned creature take a hit from you guys, but its futile. The human brat is annoying, but hes no fool.

What?

Hes already read everything from above you.

The prepared cards werent limited to one hand.

With a stature of three meters and skin tinged with a touch of red

His blood-red eyes and the aura emanating from his body were clear signs of danger.

[Apostle of Wrath Rephels]

One of the seven apostles created by the Witch of Sorrow.

Among them, the Apostle of Wrath stood out the most.

Even if the intruders defeated the other six apostles, the last one was created with the singular purpose of protecting the ruins.

Crunch!

Snap!

Kahahaha! More! Bring me more, you filthy humans! Struggle more, thrash around more!

Every swing from Rephels greatsword brought a storm of blood.

Armor was shredded whole, and torsos went flying.

His power was overwhelming.

Rephels did not stop for even a moment, just moving forward, cutting down everything that got in his way.

Ugh

What kind of monster is this

Even the main attack squad of Olympus Guild, which had seen its fair share of battles, couldnt put up a fight and was easily dismantled.

Their attacks didnt phase the opponent at all, whereas the enemys light swings swept away the tanks, leaving them in despair.

Half of their numbers had vanished in an instant, the rest soon to follow.

There was no way to contend with a disaster-like monster.

But then,

Someone appeared, blocking Rephels path.

Hmm. I tried to make it here quickly, but I seem to be slightly late. You guys can rest a bit. Ill take it from here.

Kekeke Kahahaha! An old geezer dares to face me?

Rephels burst into a maniacal laughter.

If it had been a group like before, maybe, but just one person?

At this point, it was simply ludicrous.

Hmm. You seem quite strong. I havent been in the tower much, but I know that a talking monster isnt ordinary.

Youve only been in the tower a few times?

Only a couple, yes.

That means youre one of those poor wretches who couldnt join any of the seven great guilds or whatever theyre called?

Heh. It seems so. Well, thats not incorrect. Im not particularly affiliated with any place.

Its absurd. You dont know your limits and come to face me. It seems like you know how to wield some ki, but that wont do you any good against me. For the crime of obstructing me with your pathetic tricks, you shall pay with death.

[Apostle of Wrath activates its unique ability, Armor of Grudge.]

Fzzzt!

A black armor enveloped the entire body.

The Apostle of Wrath was deemed incomparable not just because of his tremendous offensive power but also because piercing through this armor seemed an unimaginably difficult task.

-To pierce the armor of grudge, one must excel in a skill or unique ability beyond level 35.

A level 35 F-rank attack skill was necessary over a level 1 SSS-rank power.

While there were players who possessed the former, finding someone with the latter skill level was impossible.

Such was logical non-residents didnt have the time to achieve that level of prowess.

But there was one man who could.

A man who dedicated his life to the martial arts even before the tower appeared.

He was known as a

Martial artist. [Yu Cheonyeong activates level 41 (10-star) Jintae Cheonghwarangsimbeop!]

Kukukukuku!

The entire corridor shook violently.

Dust spread from the ground around Yu Cheonyeong formed a pattern.

Lets see How much these creatures of the tower can truly withstand. Ill have a firsthand go.

For Yu Cheonyeong, who had practiced the Jintae Cheonghwarangsimbeop to its extremities, raising his skill level within a short period was no difficult task.

Thus, the flow of ki had completely changed.

At the same time, an obstacle appeared in front of Gawain and the Mines.

And you are?

Gawains eyes narrowed.

Sitting in front of the supplies was the holy woman who saved Amsterdam, Theresa.

Of all things, a holy knight showed up.

Divine power was a tricky counter to the Mines abilities, located on the complete opposite end of the spectrum.

However, that was all.

A smirk appeared across Gawains face.

Divine power, while problematic, is overly ambitious if you think that alone can stop us all. You dont really believe we are ignorant of how to counter that power, do you?

Weaknesses can be compensated.

The Mines had already formulated countermeasures for this threat.

But Gawains tone suddenly trailed off mid-sentence.

This feeling Could it be?

It wasnt divine power.

A completely different, ominous and heavy energy began to rise.

Hmm

A strange moan escaped Theresas lips.

Dont worry. I wont use the divine power you expect. Unlike that innocent girl, I prefer to tear my enemies apart directly.

Although it was Theresas body, the being before them was definitely not Theresa.

Split personality?

Gawains face lost its smile.