Chapter 181

“Swine.”

In a space devoid of air, I uttered words he couldn’t possibly hear.

Then, I clenched my fist.

Crunch.

The life bar shattered, and the item flew into my inventory.

A rare accessory: Earrings of Nightmare.

“Ah, this drop rate is truly shit…”

The curse slipped out involuntarily, but this was normal for Revenge’s drop rate. No matter how mythical the rank, these weren’t raid bosses. You couldn’t expect to score big items from just one or two kills.

“Well, it is difficult at the elite level. We’d need to take down some boss-level ones…”

My brow furrowed at the telepathic voice.

“Sigh… It had to be you. Couldn’t that blood-sucking guy come instead?”

On this satellite where sound couldn’t travel due to the lack of atmosphere, I was surprised when someone responded to my words as if it were obvious. Their entire body was wrapped in bandages.

The sensual curves visible through the bandages revealed their gender, but nothing else about them could be discerned.

“That’s exactly what I’m saying—I didn’t want to meet you,” I replied nonchalantly, though inwardly I was annoyed.

Why does it have to be this guy…?

Despite being classified as a Mythical Rank monster, they weren’t considered Transcendent beings. They merely possessed mythological elements without corresponding abilities.

If one had to express their level numerically, these creatures would fall around 19.5.

Of course, things change once you reach higher ranks.

Once you enter the realm of elite monsters, they’re worthy of being called Transcendents. These beings include liches wielding ultimate magic and death knights brandishing the power of Gumgang.

Still, barely scraping by.

Indeed. Even at an elite rank, these creatures were merely borderline Transcendents. While technically transcendent, they represented the lowest tier—more products of external forces than true ascendants.

And in that sense…

“You want me dead again, don’t you?”

Only mythic boss-level monsters could truly be considered Transcendents.

Amidst the mummy’s bandages, steam erupted during its cackling laughter. Of course, it wasn’t physical moisture but a manifestation of countless souls—a dance of death comprising tens of thousands of spirits!

“Ah, seriously… this is irritating. Hyperion! Fight on your own.”

I was flabbergasted by Hyperion’s response, gripping my sword tightly as I shook him vigorously.

“We only fight four hours a day! What nonsense is this? In the past, you were always whining about not having enough battles.”

“Oh, hurry up!”

As I watched the giant of darkness struggle to rise with his feeble reply, I turned my gaze towards the bandaged monster before us.

In Revenge, the only unconquered Heavenly Yuan, there exist four boss monsters led by the Special Boss, Mangling Dragon Repli.

The Grand Death Knight and Shinlight…

Arc Rich with his luminous eyes,

Elder Vampire Dracolia,

And Undead Pharaoh Hatshepsut:

These four, often called the “Four Heavenly Kings,” were Transcendents who had reached a completely otherworldly level—matured to level 20, or perhaps even 21. Each one alone… was an immensely powerful adversary not to be underestimated.

Feeling the spiritual energy surging around me, I slung Hyperion over my back. Though it lacked the power of Count Amplification, unfortunately, when facing the Undead Pharaoh, one had to rely on physical strength rather than weapons.

Ooooooh---!

Tens of thousands of translucent soldiers poured forth—a ghost army! The very sight sent chills down the spines of nearby players—their greatest fear come true!

Thwack! Boom!

I tore through the ghostly army with a single shoulder bash, dispersing them like ragdolls. However, the Undead Pharaoh was a Mythical Rank monster—a formidable opponent for my combat style, which relied heavily on physical prowess.

A vampire would be much better.

The Elder Vampires’ abilities—blood flow manipulation and psychic interference—barely affected me, making them seem so easy that I sometimes doubted they were truly Transcendents. It wasn’t just talk; I could toy with them before killing them if I wanted!

It was absurd how such a difference existed between two beings of the same transcendent status, but elemental affinities didn’t discriminate based on power level.

Bam! Bam! Krrrk!

My battle against the Undead Pharaoh followed a simple pattern: I charged at him like a bullet, while he raised his ghost army to block my path and relentlessly attacked me.

I stretched out my hand and tore apart the charging incorporeal entity. It was a simple yet inefficient method. Even at this moment, the Undead Pharaoh continued to unleash waves of ghostly soldiers.

Mythic-rank monsters usually drop items, I thought, but killing these damn ghosts is literally just wasting time.

“Hahaha! You fool! Dance eternally before me!” The Undead Pharaoh taunted as it endlessly spewed curses and legions upon me. I silently endured everything while closing in on it.

Woom.

I circulated my inner force. As it swirled through my body, I transcended reality, guided by fixed principles and logic.

Fizzle.

Electricity crackled along my nerves.

Whoosh!

As my muscles heated up, every aspect of their performance—strength, speed, all output—exploded exponentially. An incredible power, transcending that of a living organism, now resided in my flesh.

Shiiing!

The cold air circulating through my veins screamed as it cooled down my body, which had already reached temperatures of several thousand degrees Celsius. It was ancient history by now when I’d gained the ability to use water attributes in combat, surpassing mere ice elemental powers.

Speed is everything.

While bio-energy enhanced my physical strength significantly, its simplicity made it too easy for opponents to discern and counter—a major drawback.

That’s why forms exist.

They’re techniques for better controlling one’s powerful physique or unique evolutionary paths to acquire extraordinary abilities. However, no such evolution could… match the sheer strangeness of my effects.

Stepping Methods.

At its core, martial arts is ultimately a form of supernatural ability, with some techniques bordering on sorcery.

The Seven Stars Stealth Step, which conceals one’s presence from the physical world in seven paces.

The Thunder God Step, which transforms the body into lightning for an instant with mere walking.

Steps like Change Shape and Position, which accelerate beyond the laws of physics, evading even the reflexes of superhumans.

I have combined all this knowledge, stripped away what was unnecessary, and sometimes modified it to create my own unique martial art. It cannot yet be called complete, as it has too many shortcomings.

Nevertheless, there is a clear advantage here:

Ultimate speed.

A late bloomer.

Sub-light.

Boom!

Everything in the world compresses. In an instant, I’ve reached my destination, skipping over all the steps in between.

The Undead Pharaoh stared blankly at his arm piercing through my chest. Despite being an incorporeal entity, he couldn’t pass through a body capable of manipulating dimensions.

Thwack!

The bandages were shredded to pieces. My mouth gaped open.

Cough.

Dead blood poured out. Before it could even touch the ground, it was reabsorbed through my skin, but only a portion of its life force could be recovered from the dead blood.

‘Ah, there’s no avoiding this damage.’

I had modified the existing martial arts technique, pushing its performance beyond its original limits. It was crucial not to remove this aspect; in other words, it made possible by omitting the step that transformed the physical body into an astral form.

‘It allows me to simply bypass the laws of physics… but the weakness has become too great.’

The flesh is the castle wall of the soul.

By shedding my physical body, I’ve transcended even the laws of physics, but in exchange, I’m vulnerable to simple spells. My mana barrier can easily be breached now. The weakness has vanished, replaced by tremendous power, but of course, there’s a penalty: I must endure this insane speed, akin to that of light, with only my ethereal form.

My weight is…

I close my eyes and check my weight. It’s down by five kilograms. At least my muscles and bones haven’t been stripped away as they were when I first created this Form, but restoring this will still require quite a substantial meal.

At that moment, an unwelcome voice echoes in my mind. As I steer the whale around, I spot a knight clad in black armor standing in the distance.

The Grand Death Knight, Shinlight.

Elder vampires. Dracolias.

“Haah… Damn it all.”

I sighed as I watched two boss-level monsters approach with murderous intent.

This isn’t going to end well…

That was the inevitable conclusion. Even having reached a transcendent realm, it was impossible to slaughter the Heavenly Yuan’s monsters. These creatures were beings who had set foot in the domain of mythology.

When facing off against Mangling Dragon Repli alone, victory wasn’t guaranteed. With countless subordinates at its command, there was no hope for success.

No wonder that over ten years, I’d barely managed to defeat the Four Kings seven times, let alone the Mangling Dragon Repli itself.

“Let’s… Let’s meet again next time.”

Whoosh!

I tore up the Instantaneous Teleportation Scroll, returning to the Palace of Light.

“Your Majesty.”

“The Emperor! Your Majesty!”

“My goodness…”

The people who discovered my presence were stirred but didn’t cause a commotion. It was common knowledge that I frequently used return spells, and they understood well that I did not appreciate citizens making a fuss when they found me.

They merely bowed their heads in respect. I nodded and took out some food from my inventory to eat.

Pop!

Changing clothes as part of changing equipment was a natural process. Once I had somewhat regained my human form, I headed towards the training grounds.

“Hail!” The soldiers guarding the training grounds saluted me as I entered. Since this training ground was attached to the Gigas Experience Center, its scale and facilities were on par with modern ones.

As I entered, my eyes fell upon Hayes and Edward in the center of the training grounds, both gasping for breath.

“Haa… haa… I win this time, right?”

“Pardon? What are you talking about? You’re just diverting all your nutrients from your brain to your chest!”

“What’s that supposed to mean? You’ve got some nerve— Hey! Jaeyeon!”

Hayes spotted me and quickly rushed over, enveloping me in a bear hug. I chuckled at her imposing bulk.

“Your skills have come along way.”

“Well, it’s mostly due to inner force absorption. My training regimen is designed around maximizing that ability.”

Despite ten years having passed, Hayes hadn’t aged a day. In fact, she seemed more vibrant than ever. The spiritual energy residing within her abdomen, coupled with its potent inner strength, imbued her with such vitality that one might suspect she was undergoing a second youth.

At that moment, Flower approached from a corner of the training grounds. She wiped my body with a damp cloth while shooting a glance at Hayes.

“Hayes, someone’s here.”

“Oh boy. Flower, you’re so formal.”

Flower and Hayes chuckled as they conversed. Their once awkward relationship had blossomed into friendship. Considering they’d been interacting for a decade, it would have been stranger if their bond hadn’t grown.

“Have you returned, Your Highness?”

“Yes, Edward. I see your Taeguk Sword has improved significantly.”

“Thank you! I’ve been practicing diligently every day!”

The enthusiastic Edward was a complete transformation from his state ten years ago. He now stood tall, with shimmering blonde hair and flawless porcelain skin. His soft features were so beautiful, it seemed as though they had been carved by a master craftsman.

He truly is a picture-perfect heartthrob, I mused.

The young man’s dazzling beauty, coupled with his status as the emperor’s apprentice and one of the empire’s top three warriors, had made his name resound throughout the entire continent. Thanks to numerous appearances on “broadcasts” alongside his sister Harmony, there were undoubtedly many women who lost sleep over him.

”…Your weight has decreased.”

“Oh, I’ve been hanging out with those Four Kings.”

My complexion had clearly worsened, but Edward clenched his fists at my nonchalant response.

“I-I want to go too! Please let me fight alongside you!”

“My heart goes out to you, but if you come along like this, you’ll die.”

Though Edward was considered one of the top three powerhouses in the Human Empire, his combat strength still fell short. With his current inability to even handle a single elder skeleton, he’d only be deadweight on this mission.

“Then… what should I do? Would mastering Tai Chi Swordsmanship help?”

I couldn’t help but chuckle at Edward’s suggestion.

“You’ve barely scratched the surface of your training. What’s with this ‘Tai Chi Swordsmanship’ talk?”

The Taeguk Sword technique created by Jang Sam-bong had long since evolved into countless variations, rendering the original obsolete. Naturally, the version I taught Edward was the simplest and easiest to memorize:

‘Taeguk Three Swords.’

Even this abridged form consisted of merely three moves, yet here he was, still struggling to master it. And now he spoke of ‘Tai Chi Swordsmanship’? It was laughable.

Well, he’ll probably become a legend someday, right?

The special boss Edward was the blueprint for the Mythical class—a guaranteed myth in the making. One day, when he truly reached Mythical rank, maybe he’d even help me out in battle.

“Your Highness.”

At that moment, the training hall door swung open, revealing a man inside. He stood tall with jet-black hair, but his face looked far too young for his imposing frame.

A youthful appearance, I mused, chuckling at my own observation.

And why not? For this wasn’t just an illusion of youth; he was genuinely very young—no, incredibly so. Yes, that strapping fellow standing there…was only ten years old.