Chapter 80 – Rescue Operation (4)

[Historical Alteration continues to complete the 5-Star Promotion.]

[Remaining achievement is consumed. Current number of remaining achievement possessed: 2 > 1]

Now, with the Historical Alteration proceeding almost automatically.

Mr. Duren entrusted Lee Hanseong within him to observe the changes from the Promotion, while he focused solely on the Fungus Demon King, concentrating on the Cross Slash and Qi Circulation.

An Unwavering concentration that didn’t waver even with his own Promotion.

―Zhucheon Star Track.

Lee Hanseong, having grasped the effect of the newly Blooming Fourth Awakening Skill 《Zhucheon Star Track》, activated Zhucheon Star Track immediately on behalf of Duren.

Celestial orbit means the act of a celestial body orbiting once along its trajectory, but in Inner Family Qi Art, it refers to Internal Energy circulating once within the body.

Star Track is the trajectory of a star, akin to the laws of the heavens.

In other words, Zhucheon Star Track is the Small Heavenly Cycle that only operated within the Martial Artist’s inner microcosm expanding to the macrocosm and manifesting as a new law.

―The core of Zhucheon Star Track is repetition.

To be precise, the more a specific action is repeated, the more additional buffs are added to that action.

And this is retroactively applied to all actions prior to the activation of Zhucheon Star Track.

Swoosh!

The Cross Slash unleashed by Duren leaves a gigantic cross-shaped Sword Mark in the air, incomparable to before.

Crack.

The Fungus Demon King is quartered by the cross-shaped Sword Mark that spread with the center of the mushroom as the intersection.

It was as if he had unleashed Single Flash twice.

No, in fact, each of Duren’s Slashes now possessed power equivalent to Single Flash.

“……!”

It was a change that occurred as the 60 years of history of only repeating Slashes was applied directly to Zhucheon Star Track.

Originally, it was an attack that could have endangered even Sir Belkain, who was within the Fungus Demon King, but thanks to the added Blessing of Judgment, the damage was inflicted only on the Fungus Demon King.

But this alone was not enough to defeat the Fungus Demon King.

Poohwahahak―!

Spores spewed out from the quartered cross-section, connecting the severed parts and regenerating.

If he had unleashed Single Flash to cut the Fungus Demon King, it would have been troublesome.

Even if he replenished an infinite amount of Starlight with Eightfold Annihilation, using Awakening Skills in succession would consume more than he recovered.

But the power contained in the Cross Slash that Duren unleashed now was not his alone.

―The Power of Starlight melted into the heavens and earth has been added to the Sword Qi?

It was the result of Internal Energy, which had only been refined within the body, expanding to the external macrocosm.

Unlike before, when only the Starlight of Pheidippides’ Holy Light Body within him was converted into Internal Energy, even the Starlight spread throughout the entire universe was being converted into Internal Energy.

Naturally, the accumulated Internal Energy also increased overwhelmingly.

However, since there was a limit to the amount of energy Duren’s body could contain, the Internal Energy began to undergo qualitative changes instead of quantitative changes.

Whoo-oong.

As the Internal Energy was compressed and condensed to the point where it emitted Starlight on its own.

[Meeting the conditions, the Rare Skill <Inner Family Qi Art> evolves into the Unique Skill <Gang Qi Art>.]

Gang Qi began to flow within his body.

And this triggered a chain reaction of changes in other Rare Skills based on Inner Family Qi Art.

[Meeting the conditions, the Rare Skill <Cross Slash> evolves into the Unique Skill <Cross Gang Qi>.]

[Meeting the conditions, the Rare Skill <Unwavering> evolves into the Unique Skill <Samadhi State>.]

[Meeting the conditions, the Rare Skill <Acupoint Strike> evolves into the Unique Skill <Sword Qi Acupoint Strike>.]

The Sword Qi contained in the Cross Slash became Sword Flux, imprinting the shape of a cross on the Gang Qi itself.

The Gang Qi flowing within his body became a flow that protected not only his body but also his mind, elevating the spirit of Unwavering to another level.

And in that state, his mind, which had become so serene, skillfully manipulated the Sword Qi shot into the air, leading to the realm of Sword Qi Acupoint Strike.

Swish swish swish swish swish swish swish swish swish!

Duren’s barrage continues.

With just one swing, Cross Gang Qi is fired.

The air is covered with Cross Gang Qi from the continuous swings of his sword.

The increased efficiency of Internal Energy manipulation as all of his Skills became Unique Skills or higher was a bonus.

‘Because he lacked talent, he progressed by enhancing existing Skills rather than learning new ones.’

The two Unique Skill Slots obtained at 5-Star were filled in an instant.

Slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash!

The Fungus Demon King, who had been constantly regenerating, is shattered into pieces by the grid of Gang Qi created by overlapping crosses.

―Still…! Not enough!

Even so, the Fungus Demon King was still alive.

At Lee Hanseong’s warning, pointing out that fact, Duren shook his head.

“No, it’s enough.”

His gaze was directed towards Priest Beatus, who was standing on the opposite side.

Thanks to the exquisite power control that enabled Sword Qi Acupoint Strike, the movements of his allies were not hindered at all by the Cross Gang Qi that swept through the area.

Whoo-oong― Thud!

Priest Beatus’s mace, which had dug in without missing the moment when the Fungus Demon King was shattered, bounced Sir Belkain’s body away.

Swoosh.

Duren softly received Sir Belkain, who had bounced towards him, with Flowing Swordsmanship and glanced at Dice.

Dice trembled slightly at the gaze, as if asking if his question had been answered.

It felt like an excitement close to joy.

“So this is what Mr. Duren was trying to show me. Thank you.”

Dice’s appearance, speaking in a serious tone instead of his usual frivolous tone, was new.

He took a step forward with a relieved expression, as if he had shaken off something that had been binding him.

Towards the Fungus Demon King, who was regenerating again.

Thud.

“I will also show you my own answer. Please watch.”

Gooooo!

Dice’s aura, who had closed and opened his eyes once, was sharpened like a sharp blade.

“The beginning is Quick.”

Flash.

Something flashed at the same time as Dice’s words.

Squeak― Rumble.

The Fungus Demon King’s torso was once again shattered into numerous cube fragments, and the sound of thunder belatedly followed.

Dice’s position had changed.

Dice, who had been located at three o’clock relative to the Fungus Demon King, had somehow appeared at nine o’clock.

Patzitzitzitz!

Around Dice’s body, the Aura of Thunder was wrapped around him like a protective charm, flashing from time to time.

It was Dice’s Fourth Awakening Skill 《Gale Thunderbolt》.

The last resort that could be used without burden once it became 5-Star Rank through Blessing.

Duren knew Dice’s Awakening Skill well because they had been together for the past few months.

The First Awakening Skill 《Instant》 is Perception acceleration that accelerates the perceived time by dozens of times.

The Second Awakening Skill 《Instant Step》 is a footwork that seeks relative speed by digging into the gaps of the opponent grasped by Instant.

The Third Awakening Skill 《Thousand Cuts》 is a continuous Slash unleashed in a state of super-acceleration, moving at a constant speed temporarily in a world slowed down by Instant.

And Dice in the Gale Thunderbolt state, wrapped in the Aura of Thunder, could maintain the super-accelerated state of Thousand Cuts at all times.

But just as Duren’s Cross Gang Qi net was useless, Thousand Cuts could not kill the Fungus Demon King either.

Pajijijik.

At least the Aura of Thunder remained on the wounds, causing sparks to fly for a while and delaying regeneration, but that wouldn’t last long either.

“What is he trying to do…?”

Perhaps Dice knew that fact as well, as he immediately followed up with the next attack without stopping at just one.

“Quickness leads to change.”

Patzitzitzitz.

The Aura of Thunder wrapped in Gale Thunderbolt flickered here and there, creating several afterimages.

Rumble!

It became ten streaks of lightning and struck the Fungus Demon King again.

Each streak of lightning was combined with the Swordsmanship of the Pilgrim Knights.

“Tenfold Lightning Sword Art.”

The Flash Lightning combined with Sir Jeremy’s Light Swordsmanship was dazzling.

The Dark Lightning combined with Sir Clark’s Dark Swordsmanship dug in stealthily.

Behind the Scattered Lightning combined with Sir Allen’s Wall Swordsmanship, which spread widely.

The Striking Lightning combined with Sir Narun’s Thunder Swordsmanship was fired intensely.

The Wind Lightning combined with Sir Gabian’s Wind Swordsmanship was swift.

The Flame Lightning combined with Sir Eugene’s Flame Swordsmanship was hot.

The Illusion Lightning combined with Sir Arsein’s Illusion Swordsmanship was dizzying.

The Force Lightning combined with Sir Hector’s Force Swordsmanship was sharp.

The Heavy Lightning combined with Sir Millia’s Heavy Swordsmanship was heavy.

The Permeating Lightning combined with Duren’s Flowing Swordsmanship permeated softly.

Rumble!

Each of the mysteries was at a level that was not inferior even when compared to the Swordsmanship of the Pilgrim Knights.

It wasn’t just imitation before, but what he was unfolding now was different again.

Swordsmanship that had become more perfect, as if shedding a layer.

“I see. He knew how to do it, but he deliberately didn’t unfold it perfectly.”

Duren tried to hide his surprise as he watched the level of the Swordsmanship Dice had learned all become completed to the level of the existing Quick Swordsmanship.

He had felt that Dice was suppressing something every time they sparred, but he never imagined that he would be this talented.

More than a dozen Unique Swordsmanship that even a 5-Star, no, a 6-Star Vessel could not fully contain were being woven together into one.

Rumble!

The ten streaks of lightning are poured down ten times, a hundred times, a thousand times, creating a huge flow.

All the Fungus Demon King could do, trapped within that flow of lightning, was to endure with his Regeneration.

But the Fungus Demon King’s Regeneration could not be infinite either.

“Ultimate Technique. Ten Thousand Swords Thunderfall.”

Kugugugugugu―!

The Starlight spores that had accumulated in the place where the Fungus Demon King had been completely evaporated.

A surging river of lightning swept through the Hall of the Commanding Fungus Demon.

The great power that distinguished between friend and foe, having received the Blessing of Judgment, even erased the Territory Lords who had been turned into hosts that the other Pilgrim Knights were fighting.

It was a power reminiscent of the Purple Twilight Annihilation Light that the Great Evil King had unleashed at the end.

‘No, is it not quite at that level?’

Both had surpassed the level of Myth Skills, but it was not as much as Purple Twilight Annihilation Light.

If it had been Purple Twilight Annihilation Light, it would have prevented the Fungus Demon King from resurrecting by using hosts in other places as a medium.

“Did we get him?”

―No, as long as the 6-Star hosts outside the Domain remain, the Fungus Demon King will continue to resurrect.

But this was only because Dice’s Grade was still lacking.

It is by no means that Dice’s talent is lacking.

The talent of Ten Thousand Swords that overlooks the realm of Authority beyond legends and myths.

‘If history had flowed differently, he might have been able to aim for the Sun Constellation.’

The talent of Dice that they had seen so far was just a Fragment.

But then, as if trying to prevent his true talent from Blooming, noise began to appear around Dice.

Jijijijijik―!

[Error!]

[This is a record that violates Causality!]

[Restricting changes to the record.]

[The potential of the 4-Star… jik, 5-Star Spirit Dice Ten’s Authority [Ten Thousand Thunder Sword] is sealed.]

Click― Clunk!

Something changed with the sound of gears forcibly meshing together.

Dice’s Grade, which was originally 4-Star excluding the Blessing, had somehow become 5-Star.

The power of the Ten Thousand Swords Thunderfall that had spread around him had also been reduced to the level of a Myth Skill, that is, a Fifth Awakening Skill.

More like Hundred Swords Thunderfall.

“Did you see? Even in the face of talent that even the heavens do not allow, can you still believe in effort?”

Dice asked Duren with a bitter expression, as if he had noticed that his talent had been forcibly restricted.

Genius, even those called Promising Candidates on Earth, pale in comparison to Dice’s talent.

Talent that exceeds the norm evokes fear, beyond admiration and jealousy.

Perhaps Dice was treated like a Monster when he revealed his talent as a child.

“Certainly, your talent is beyond my imagination. I understand why you tried to hide your talent.”

“Ah….”

Dice’s eyes darkened at Duren’s answer.

But Duren’s words were not over yet.

“But that doesn’t mean I can’t believe in my efforts. Haven’t I already shown you? Even if I’m slower than you, I won’t stop and keep moving forward.”

“Mr. Duren…!”

Dice’s eyes widened at Duren’s attitude, who regarded Dice’s talent as just one of his individualities.

At that moment, the Pilgrim Knights, who had been bewildered by the sudden disappearance of their opponent, grasped the situation and rushed towards Dice.

“Dice! That just now…!”

“You’re a real Genius, aren’t you? I was originally going to bring you in as the youngest, but you could fill the Commander’s vacant seat!”

“You put our Swordsmanship into the lightning just now, right?”

They praised Dice, feeling fear and envy towards his talent.

The slightest bit of anxiety that remained on Dice’s face completely disappeared at the sight of them rather hoping that he would become the new Pilgrim Knight Commander.

Drrrrr…

Meanwhile, Priest Beatus turned his head at the vibration felt from afar.

Even though the main body of the Fungus Demon King had been killed once, a flood of spores was rushing in without fail.

After all, Ten Thousand Swords Thunderfall had failed to prevent the resurrection.

“The Fungus Demon King seems to have resurrected after all. Let’s go back now.”

“Yes.”

Paaat!

Hanna linked Blessing to Shrinking Earth, returning everyone to the Temporary Sanctuary.

The Rescue Operation itself was over with this.

* * *

“With this, I have kept my promise to save everyone.”

“I am truly grateful.”

Sir Clark expressed his gratitude when Hanna spoke after seeing Sir Belkain, who had been healed last, wake up.

But it was still too early to be happy.

The Pilgrim Knight Order ultimately had the duty to defeat the Fungus Demon King.

“What are you going to do now?”

“First, I plan to go to the Holy Land when the path opens. I realized that our strength is insufficient, so I will request support.”

“Then, let’s go with you. We have to reopen the Pilgrimage Path leading to the Holy Land anyway, right?”

“That’s what I was hoping for.”

After saving Sir Belkain and waiting for a month for the spores that had filled the area to disappear from the Temporary Sanctuary.

After another month to reopen the Pilgrimage Path, Hanna and her party were finally able to arrive at the Holy Land Lumen.

It was the moment when the long Rescue Operation truly ended.