Chapter 46: Heracles Pt. 7
Jeong In-Chang grunted, "Ugh."
"I have a potion ready!" shouted Lee Jun-Kyeong.
“I…I’m fine!” Jeong In-Chang shook his head a little too quickly in response. However, Lee Jun-Kyeong didn’t mind as he could see that the swordsman really didn’t need the potion. He wondered if it was a result of the special training and the sponsorship he had been gifted.
They were successful in pushing around Catalyon without any significant injuries. Its fur and skin had been burnt in several places, and a red-green ooze was dripping from the wounds that the greatsword had inflicted on it.
– Rawwrrrrr!
Similar to earlier, it let out a huge roar. Following that, the Catalyon immediately stopped moving and began howling at the sky.
Awoooooo!
The sky shook, and the mana, the power which held the gate together, had begun to shift. It began to move toward the lion, flocking toward it in streaks like lightning. The overwhelming density of mana had turned tangible, starting to look like threads.
“Back up!”
Lee Jun-Kyeong stepped back with his round shield and Muspel’s Spear crossed before him.
Finally, it had begun. The bosses of the different High-Grade Gates were varied, but most of them had the characteristic of being able to shift to something stronger. It was the next evolution of a boss, which the Hunters called a phase. It was even sometimes called the shift.
The higher the grade of the gate, the more surplus mana it had. The boss who guarded the gate would absorb it and evolve one step further. Therefore, the basic Hunter strategy circled around trying to end the raid before the boss’ phase change. Obviously, the higher the gate grade, the faster you would have to do so.
However, Lee Jun-Kyeong and Jeong In-Chang were different.
"It’s starting."
They had deliberately induced a phase change in the boss of the A-Grade Gate, and Catalyon was now evolving, becoming more powerful and more cunning.
Lee Jun-Kyeong looked around.
He could tell that the other Hunters were feeling uneasy by the minute changes in their mana. These were the same people who ogled them and were treating them like clowns providing entertainment. None of them could have imagined this happening.
‘They probably thought we would take the normal route and quickly defeat the boss first before we faced Demetrios.’
Other than a few of them, most of them most likely couldn’t have even guessed that they would induce a change in the boss’ phase on purpose. That was how dangerous a phase change was.
– Keugahhhh!
It was an insane move.
Catalyon was rapidly absorbing the mana of the gate, and its brown mane and fur suddenly turned red. In addition, its teeth and stature had grown to a size that fit the term overwhelming. That wasn’t the end of its transformation.
“Grrrr.”
“Growl.”
The Catalyon lions began to flock after noticing the change. These lions gradually became ferocious, starting to radiate an intense mana.
It was Demonic Mana.
This was a type of degenerated mana that boasted an overwhelming destructive force far greater than the regular type of mana. Still, it was a type of mana that was difficult for Hunters to manipulate due to its lack of stability, so only monsters could use it.
The lions and Catalyon themselves exuded demonic mana, surrounding Lee Jun-Kyeong and Jeong In-Chang.
"That’s probably okay, right? Did we really do the right thing?" Jeong In-Chang asked cautiously after he had successfully pushed Catalyon away. He could feel the emanating mana.
"Yes."
Lee Jun-Kyeong's answer was decisive and concise.
Right at that moment, someone else had appeared.
Kuang!
All of the main characters had gathered together.
"It looks like you’ve done something interesting?"
As if he had fallen from the sky, Demetrios appeared, and a large trench formed behind him.
And, there was even Odysseus, who was less tense than he had thought.
"I said, let's go together!"
Everyone that Lee Jun-Kyeong had accounted for had gathered in one place.
"To think it’s a phase change…”
Demetrios had taken his eyes off of Lee Jun-Kyeong for a moment and looked towards Catalyon.
“Looks like you’re making things fun even up till the end,” he said, showing his teeth in satisfaction.
Then…
“Growl!”
Unable to control the demonic mana, a Catalyon lion broke into the battlefield. Demetrios had appeared suddenly, so it thought that he was the enemy. The frenzied lion immediately charged toward him…
Crack!
…only to be caught between Demetrios’ hands and be torn in half, falling to the floor.
‘What a monster…’ There were two monsters here: the lion, Catalyon, who had finally finished its phase change and the giant, Demetrios. Lee Jun-Kyeong and Jeong In-Chang would have to deal with two monsters at the same time.
"…"
Lee Jun-Kyeong made eye contact with Jeong In-Chang. They had deliberately created this situation, so they had also prepared a protocol to follow according to what happened.
As they acted according to plan, Demetrios’ bewildered voice drifted over to them, "Wow, what?"
“Are they running away?”
Lee Jun-Kyeong and Jeong In-Chang were leaving the battlefield at full speed.
***
Although it was simple, it was a strategy that most wouldn’t easily think of. For example, a sane person would never have thought of leaving the battlefield after forcing a phase-changed boss and a rival Hunter to face one another. Doing that was guaranteed to make the public mock you for being an idiot who knew nothing of pride nor honor.
Lee Jun-Kyeong said mysteriously, "Fame is both invisible and intangible."
"Don't speak so philosophically while you’re running away!” Jeong In-Chang retorted.
Crash!
Following that, as the huge Catalyon was barreling through the forest, an enraged Demetrios chased after them at a speed comparable to the boss.
“These bastards.”
His rage was white hot. He had been expecting an exciting duel between him and the duo. To think they would prepare the location and then run away. Demetrios was as angry as he was flabbergasted.
As the two wild beasts were rushing toward them from behind, Jeong In-Chang asked, breathing hard, “What should we do?”
Their legs had been moving this entire time. If it weren’t for the forest that was being destroyed by Catalyon’s massive body, the two beasts would eventually catch up, and they would have to fight. There was still a little distance remaining, but it was difficult to tell how long they had left before the boss and the giant overtook them.
Lee Jun-Kyeong responded, “We need to buy some more time.”
The reason why Catalyon hadn’t attacked Demetrios was simple. Jeong In-Chang and Lee Jun-Kyeong were the ones who had attacked it up until this point. The giant lion’s mind hadn’t been completely eroded by the demonic mana yet, so it still had its wits. But, as demonic mana was a powerful degenerating force, it would erode its spirit as time went by.
Therefore…
Lee Jun-Kyeong emphasized, “We just have to delay it for a little while longer.”
"So, I’m asking you how!” cried Jeong In-Chang.
In response, Lee Jun-Kyeong suddenly changed directions. They had been heading to the middle of the mountain, but soon they turned around and ran near the boss zone again.
Boom! Boom!
The sound of the mountain falling apart as the forest crumbled echoed throughout the gate, amplified by the roars of Catalyon and Demetrios.
“Where are we going?!” Jeong In-Chang asked in bewilderment. But he soon found his answer.
“The…These bastards…!”
“You crazy punks!”
Lee Jun-Kyeong had turned towards the spectators who had been watching them for entertainment.
“D…Damn it! Dodge them!”
He had aimed for the place where these remaining Hunters were hiding.
Crash!
At the exact place these spectators had been holed up, Catalyon smashed its forepaw down explosively.
***
“Are they insane?!”
Inebu and Numek had been watching the battlefield through the Eyes of Osiris. The two Hunters belonging to the Nile were equally perplexed by the situation.
Especially…
Numek suddenly asked, "Wait, you know how to swear?”
Inebu blushed. Usually, he acted like a gentleman and never said anything crass. But even with his carefully curated demeanor, the current situation was beyond common sense.
“Is that really what you’re focusing on right now?!”
Inebu swung his gigantic halberd and swept through a horde of Catalyon lions that ran madly at him. The red, glowing halberd bisected the gathered Catalyon lions.
Inebu stated testily, "These crazy children."
Numek remarked teasingly, "I’m going to have to mark down the day today. To think I’d hear this many curses from Inebu."
"You're also insane..." Inebu continued muttering while swinging his weapon at the Catalyon lions.
They had expected that Jeong In-Chang and Lee Jun-Kyeong were going to provoke the boss until it reached its second phase. However, they had no inkling that they would lead it to the spectators. It was completely unexpected and incredibly violent.
“Ahhh! Damn it! Die! Fucking die!
Both of them as well as the other Hunters were incredibly shocked and horrified. All of them were forced to begin fighting. They hadn’t thought they would be in any more conflicts, so they were unable to respond appropriately to the sudden situation. And, the more pressing issue was that…
– Growl!!
…they were facing a Catalyon that had absorbed demonic mana, transforming it into an even bigger monster. Finally, the boss had become fully eroded by the demonic mana and began rampaging around everything around it.
“Good! Good!”
Furthermore, Demetrios, who had become just as crazy as the boss and began to clash with Catalyon. The battlefield became a complete melee. The hunters had to get rid of the Catalyon lions that had been eroded by the demonic mana and escape from the range of the boss.
"Where did the punks go?”
Inebu scanned the battlefield, trying to find the people responsible for this chaos, the Underdog and his companions.
"…"
And eventually, he spit out the swears that he had been holding back, "Hey, you motherfuckers!"
The situation had been completely reversed. Lee Jun-Kyeong and his companion had become the spectators watching the Hunters who had become the clowns.
“These fuckers,” Ineba cursed in Egyptian.
Whether or not the rest understood it, Inebu was swearing vigorously.
“I think I’m falling for you,” remarked Numek as she fought the Catalyon lions alongside him.
With each swing of her staff, a large stream of water would sweep away a monster. While the situation flustered Inebu, Numek was different. She relished the unexpected situation. As the two of them were confident that they would not suffer any damage in this situation, the battlefield began to shift in an unpredictable direction.
***
"Although we have time to breathe right now, we don’t have a lot of it,” Lee Jun-Kyeong said to Jeong In-Chang, biting at the jerky in his hand. They were at the peak of Catalyon Mountain, where they had first exchanged blows with Catalyon, and were observing everyone fighting in the boss zone.
"Slowly, Demetrios will eventually come to his senses, and Catalyon will head this way again."
Bosses had an attachment to their boss zones. Although it had left the boss zone for a while and made a mess, it would come back here eventually, even though its mind was eroded.
Gulp. Gulp.
However, Jeong In-Chang was too busy swallowing a potion to answer. It looked like he was drinking it in advance, anticipating that he would be injured in a short while.
– How regretful.
Hyeon-Mu interjected with something seemingly incomprehensible as it eyed Jeong In-Chang.
'This is good.'
The direction of the battle was going the way Lee Jun-Kyeong wanted. They would be able to recover the stamina they had spent while facing Catalyon, and the crazed boss and Demetrios would have to face them when they returned, having spent all of their stamina.
'Let's go crazy for once.’
It was a desperate measure made to deal with Demetrios, who had an overwhelming power difference, but he still had one trump card left.
“What are you doing?” Jeong In-Chang asked after finally finishing the potion. Lee Jun-Kyeonghad suddenly pulled out Muspel’s Spear, and in his other hand was a bottle of red liquid.
"It is a secret weapon."
"A secret weapon?"
Lee Jun-Kyeong smiled slyly and began pouring the red liquid in the bottle onto Muspel's Spear. The red liquid flowed along the engravings of the pre-processed Muspel’s Spear, and gradually it began to emit an eerie red glow.
Crackle.
It wasn’t the usual red color that came from its flames. It was something unknown and mysterious.
Jeong In-Chang commented, "It looks dangerous."
It looked sinister and menacing, and it was the trump card that Lee Jun-Kyeong had prepared for dealing with Demetrios, no, Heracles.
'I don't have many chances.'
Park Yu-Jin had processed the ore Lee Jun-Kyeong had obtained in a satisfactory manner. In fact, the resulting power would be more effective than he had initially anticipated. However, in proportion to the overwhelmingly increased effectiveness, there was an increased disadvantage. It had a fewer number of times it could be used.
He would have to take this opportunity into his own hands. Before his secret weapon was exhausted, he would have to wound Demetrios fatally.
[Muspel's Spear is temporarily strengthened.]
However, there was another side effect…
[The dragon bloodstone has absorbed the smelted ore.]
…that even Lee Jun-Kyeong had not expected.
Blaze!
Finally, Muspel's spear emitted a blazing red light and the main characters to this play had arrived.
Boom, boom, boom, boom!!!
“Hahahaha! Where do you keep running away to?”
Heracles…
– Growl!!!
…and the red lion.
1. The word ??, or crazy/insane, is one of those pseudo swear words in Korea, something that isn’t actually an offensive word, like a slur, but is still something you would refrain from saying around polite company/your grandparents. So for a gentleman, it’s akin to NC-17.
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