Chapter 639

Chapter 639

“Eh?” Siegfried was flustered after reading the message that popped up in front of his eyes. How did he acquire a skill when he did not even level up? Was this even possible to begin?

“My disciple.”

“Yes, Master?”

“The skills I have created have already been absorbed into your subconsciousness. Your body will need to be strong enough for you to use a few of them, but that is not the case for some of those skills.”

“What does that mean, Master...?”

“I thought you said you realized something?”

“...!”

“You have attained enlightenment, so the skill you've thought of will naturally occur to you.”

“Ah!” Siegfried exclaimed. He finally understood what Deus was trying to say.

Simply put, there were skills that required the user to reach a certain level to acquire, while there were skills that required the user to attain enlightenment to acquire. In other words, the Debuff Master’s skill tree did not rely only on leveling up, as the user could also acquire skills through attaining enlightenment.

As expected, there was a reason why a Hidden Class was a Hidden Class.

Of course, the skill would have to exist in the Debuff Master's skill tree for Siegfried to acquire them through enlightenment. Otherwise, he wouldn't acquire the skill that he wanted to acquire, no matter how many times he was enlightened.

“I did not do anything. You thought about things yourself and was enlightened to it, which awakened the skill slumbering in your subconsciousness.”

“I understand what you mean, Master.”

“Keke! It’s good to see you starting to become a proper human being. You were worse than an animal when I first started teaching you!”

“M-Master...? T-That is a bit...” Siegfried retorted meekly while sweating profusely.

“Oh? If you weren’t worse than an animal then were you human? You barely were on the same level as an animal after receiving my teachings, and now you’re barely acting like a human being.”

“Erm... T-That is...”

Siegfried was speechless at Deus’ brutal facts, as he knew just how bad he was before meeting Deus.

Was there a point in bringing up his past and talking about it? Saying that he was worse than an animal was already putting it in a nice way, as he was nothing more than a piece of trash back then.

“I apologize for being worse than an animal... Sniff...” Siegfried muttered, sulking and sniffling after being forced to admit—no, the bitter truth.

“Still, you've become almost a human being after what you’ve achieved today,” Deus said with a warm gentle smile. Then, he added, “So hurry up and become a proper human being, my disciple.”

“Yes, Master! I will strive to become a human being!”

One thing to point out was that the meaning behind "human being" in Deus and Siegfried's eyes was equivalent to a Master—someone who had overcome the Level 299 wall.

In other words, those who had yet to surpass that wall were not a human being in Deus' eyes. Was this a privilege only those invincible could enjoy?

“I will be going now, Master.”

“Sure, go and destroy Sieghart’s descendant.”

“Yes, Master!” Siegfried replied confidently and left for the Espadrille Province.

***

On that same evening, Siegfried went to find Duke Decimato.

“I am at your service, Your Majesty,” Duke Decimato bowed and greeted him.

“I have heard that your efforts were immensely helpful in our retreat yesterday.”

“Not at all,” Decimato shook his head and replied. Then, he explained, “It was all thanks to Your Majesty’s wise tactics. I am merely Your Majesty’s pawn, moving according to each and every one of Your Majesty’s commands.”

“You are too humble.”

“I was just stating the facts.”

“Haha!”

Siegfried could not help but love Duke Decimato.

To be honest, the duke was far too good for the Proatine Kingdom that it was akin to a pig wearing pearl necklaces. After all, Duke Decimato was a Great Wizard capable of easily becoming a duke in any powerful kingdom out there.

In fact, he would be guaranteed the title of at least a count or a viscount if he went to the Marchioni Empire right now. He'd also definitely rise up the ranks at a very fast rate.

Despite all that, Duke Decimato had decided to stay in the Proatine Kingdom and do his duties as one of Siegfried’s subjects.

“I always feel bad for not giving you the treatment you deserve, Duke Decimato.”

“Not at all. Your Majesty saved my life and introduced me to the very person who helped me become a Great Wizard. Your Majesty’s grace is as vast as the ocean to me, so why would you say something like that?”

“Still...”

“I will forever stay as Your Majesty’s loyal subject.”

“Hahaha! I would be grateful if you did that!”

The rebels had easily conquered the city, as it was left unguarded, but the coalition forces completely emptied it beforehand.

Therefore, Count Arial was forced to keep the soul fragment under control while continuously performing miracles to provide food and water to his people.

“I’m not going to grant you a quick and easy death, you vicious bastard. I will destroy your kingdom and execute your family before your very eyes before I kill you...!” Count Arial swore under his breath.

Ironically, the rage he held toward Siegfried proved helpful in keeping the soul fragment under control, and this allowed him to mobilize with his army from the Paraffin Territory.

Time was of the essence now, as the coalition forces’ morale had hit rock bottom while the rebel forces’ morale was as high as it could get. The rebels neither tired nor died, so Count Arial knew this was the perfect opportunity to finish the coalition off.

As scary as it sounded, Count Arial’s armies could wage war three hundred sixty-five days in a year without ceasing as long as he could keep the soul fragment in check.

The rebel army was more like an undead army at this point.

“Move out, my soldiers! Your enemies are tired and afraid of us! Go and establish my holy kingdom!”

“To God be the glory!”

The rebel army led by Count Arial left the gates of the Paraffin Territory and headed to the Marmont Territory, where the coalition forces were hiding.

A few hours later, the rebel forces arrived in front of the Marmont Territory, and they stopped just shy of cannon-firing range.

“Lift up your eyes and look, my people!” Count Arial exclaimed and waved his hand at the Marmont Territory.

Krwaaaang!

The walls that spanned more than two kilometers came crumbling down at a single wave of his hand.

“Oh!”

“God is with us!”

“He is omnipotent!”

The rebels were in a frenzy after witnessing Count Arial destroy the walls with a single wave of his hand. Their morale surged crazily, reaching new peaks.

“Go forth and punish those blasphemous fools who dared to go against God!” Count Arial pointed at the exposed city and raised his voice.

Waaaaaaaah!

The rebels, armed with Super Armor, charged at the Marmont Territory with reckless abandon.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The coalition forces fired their cannons at the waves of rebels, and both sides clashed in melee combat.

“Do not be afraid, for I am with you!”

“I am always with you!”

“Arise, my soldiers! Death has no grasp over you!”

Count Arial multiplied into dozens of copies and started providing support for the rebels just like the battle prior.

“Phew... Let’s go.”

“Let’s go! Kyuuu!”

Siegfried let out a sigh once the battle started and headed straight toward the rebel forces with Hamchi. He activated the second stage of Overclocking to buff himself with Super Armor and transformed his +13 Vanquisher’s Grasp into a shield.

Bam! Bam! Bam!

He charged forward like a train off the rails and bulldozed past the rebels.

“Where are you going, foolish one?”

One of Count Arial’s copies teleported and blocked Siegfried’s path.

The two of them were now standing face to face, merely meters apart.

“Have you come to die?” Count Arial asked.

“Do you really think so?” Siegfried asked with a shrug.

“What are you planning, foolish one? Are you perhaps trying to act like a hero? Or is this your idea of committing suicide? You can struggle all you want, but nothing is going to work against me.”

“Really?”

“I am God, and only divine punishment awaits those who go against God.”

“You’re a god? Pfft! Y-Yeah, sure, you can be God if you want to,” Siegfried replied, barely managing to stop himself from bursting into laughter. Then, he flashed a smug smirk and added, “If you’re God, then I’m about to drag a god down his high seat and plunge him into sewage.”

“What nonsense is—”

It was then.

“Alright! Time to dive in shit water!” Siegfried exclaimed.

Zhwooom!

A blue wave burst out of Siegfried and swept across the entire battlefield.