Chapter 366: God’s Ox Bone Soup

Chapter 366: God’s Ox Bone Soup

(The Only One Acknowledged by the Sword Saint)

Unique Title

Title Effects:

• Ellie’s Swordsmanship’s cooldown and MP consumption will decrease by 10%.

• Physical and Magical Defense will decrease by 5%.

(The One who Exceeded God’s Expectations)

Unique Title

Title Effects:

• You have acquired the Sword of Absolute Death, a sword skill made from the combination of Sword of Frenzy, Heaven Tearing Sword, and Sword of Tempest.

• A 3% increase in all stats.

• Ellie’s Swordsmanship’s cooldown and MP consumption will decrease by 20%.

“Oh my god...”

Minhyuk was very thrilled. He received numerous benefits, even though all he did was concentrate on his task and move repeatedly, as if he was in a trance. Thanks to these two title effects, the high MP consumption of his skills had been reduced by 30%. And there was also the fact that he could combine his three newly acquired Half Pinnacle skills and use it in one go, thanks to the effects of the title ‘The One who Exceeded God’s Expectations’.

Simply put, the skill that he acquired from the title’s effect was a skill that combined all of the advantages of the three Half Pinnacle skills.

Minhyuk’s breath was taken away after he checked the description. He thought, ‘This is really crazy...’

The skill was beyond anyone’s imagination. In fact, the Half Pinnacle Swordsmanship that Minhyuk had just learned was already far superior to any swordsmanship that currently existed. However, the Sword of Absolute Death was far beyond his Half Pinnacle Swordsmanship.

‘Pinnacle?’

That was right. Just one look and Minhyuk could tell that this single skill had reached the Pinnacle.

Then, Conir approached Minhyuk and said, “It’s time for you to go out now.”

Minhyuk nodded in understanding. The two of them had made a promise earlier. Conir had promised that he would tell Minhyuk about his own story, his past, and the story of his younger self, once Minhyuk learned and awakened his own Pinnacle. So, Conir started to tell his story.

***

Aide Ruth felt his heart clench at the sight of Ellie. Her skin was growing darker, and even her face had started to turn black.

‘Your Majesty, forgive me for not being able to protect you...’

He wanted to take her place and die for her instead. Ruth had been Ellie’s aide and assistant ever since she was born. She might be a woman but she loved to wield the sword more than anybody else. She shined so brightly that anyone could see her brilliance. The late Emperor feared that she would also grow and become a tyrant like him, with the way she liked the sword. Thankfully, she did not.

One day, Ruth asked Ellie, ‘Why do you wield your sword?’

‘Aide Ruth, I want to gain the power to protect my people when I grow up!’

‘Hoho? So, you’re wielding your sword to protect your people?’

‘That’s right! I’m also going to protect Aide Ruth. Hehe!’

At that moment, Ruth made a vow. He would also protect her with his own life. However, even though he made a vow like that, Ruth could not do anything for her right now, but watch her die. It might not be his fault but nevertheless, he blamed himself more than anybody else.

Then, at that moment...

“Aide, Minhyuk has arrived.”

“Let him in.”

Minhyuk was one of the few people that Ellie cared for, and loved. Ruth was also very grateful to him. For the longest time, Ellie was like a person that had lost her own personality and soul. She was only the ‘Empress’. However, Minhyuk made her smile once again, and showed her that she could also be someone’s ‘noona’, and not just an Empress.

Minhyuk always had a bright and cheerful expression whenever he was with Ellie, while Ellie always had a smile on her face whenever she saw him. But right now, Minhyuk was unusually grave as he entered the room and looked at Ellie. Although he was silent, his breathing was heavy and labored. It was obvious that he was holding himself back.

Minhyuk did not think that Ellie was just artificial intelligence. For Minhyuk, who had shut himself and turned away from the rest of the world for a long time, Ellie was his dearly beloved friend. That was why she was a very precious existence to him.

Ruth bowed silently to Minhyuk and went outside to leave them for a moment. Not long after, Ruth came back with the box containing the Deep Sea Beef which he handed over to Minhyuk.

“Her Majesty told me to give this to you once you awakened to Pinnacle. This is Deep Sea Beef. It came from a legendary cow that only dwells deep under the sea.”

“...”

Minhyuk silently accepted the box that Ruth handed over to him. Then, he looked down on the box and asked, “How’s her current condition?”

“...It’s very bad.”

“Can I check it myself?”

“Yes. Go ahead.”

Before Minhyuk came here, he stopped by the Athenae Temple and personally visited Saintess Loyna to get the scroll ‘God’s Eye’,an item that could only be received by Athenae Religion’s benefactor. God’s Eye was a scroll that could ignore the difference between the level and power of two people and reveal the other person’s illness and method of treatment.

[Both the body and the mind are being devoured by a powerful force. It’s still in its infancy stage, but is about to reach the middle stages. Once it reaches the late stages, the person will lose all her skills and stats and slowly succumb to eternal rest.

Method of Treatment: There’s no known treatment.]

Minhyuk’s heart sank after seeing the method of treatment and the words ‘eternal rest’.

‘There’s no known treatment...?’

Minhyuk could not understand why there was no known treatment. In the end, the patient and silent Ruth burst into tears.

Meanwhile, the live broadcast finally started, and the commentary also began.

[Contrary to his looks, it seems like Player Locke loves cats and dogs.]

[Love, Happiness and Hope... Just by hearing those names, we can already tell that they must be cute.]

[Although we can’t see that well since it’s dark inside the Athenae game, perhaps they’re a special breed like a giant poodle, or a giant golden retriever?]

Then, Carden, the Abnormal State Master moved.

Abnormal State Masters were literally a class under the field of debuffs, with abilities that could give ‘abnormal states’ to their opponents. It was a rare class that only existed in China, with less than one hundred holders. Carden was the person that ranked first in the Abnormal State Master Rankings. He was a player that utilized his class the best among the other players of the same class. The only drawback of his skill was the fact that it took a long time to cast.

Locke was currently unaware that the Chinese players were there, so Carden was able to safely finish his casting and send out his abnormal state debuff.

[The Paralyzed One’s Shrieks]

[The paralyzed person will not be able to move for five minutes and could only speak. If the caster dies within five minutes, the state will be released.]

“Huh? Huuuuuuuuh? Huh?!”

The abilities of the person that ranked number one in the Abnormal State Master Rankings were amazing. He was able to subject the High Ranker Locke to an abnormal state. In fact, Locke’s low Magical Defense also played a role in this.

Then, one of the mage players pounced on Locke and made him fly in the air. The Chinese players, including Rajan, approached Locke.

“Kekekekekeke.”

“My goodness. What’s this? One of Korea’s top rankers sleeps in a dog house? What?”

“Y... you...!”

Locke looked around and saw at least a thousand troops in the area. Their numbers were truly plentiful.

‘How were they able to get to Atlas safely?’

Then, Rajan drew his blade.

Shiiiiing—

“Don’t worry, I will kill you and the pups that you care about.”

“...”

Locke looked at him wide-eyed.

[So, Player Locke is going to die, huh?]

[His death will be in vain.]

But then, Locke smirked and said, “Was it you? Were you the one that placed an abnormal state on me?”

Carden, the Abnormal State Master nodded in answer to Locke’s question. Then, Locke asked, “Hey, have you seen Rocket Monsters?”

“Of course, I’ve seen it! That’s a masterpiece... Cough! What bullshit are you talking about?!”

Rocket Monster was an animation series that aired in Japan. In this animation, the people would throw small balls and catch the monsters called ‘RocketMon’.

Rajan was a huge Rocket Monster fan. After all, it was a show that instilled hopes and dreams in its viewers!!! And among all of the RocketMons, Rajan liked ‘Ppikachu’ the best.

As Rajan tried to hurriedly swing his sword, Locke shouted, “Love, Happiness, Hope!!! Body smashhhhhh!!!”

“...?”

“...?”

[Uhmm... I think Player Locke is still dreaming.]

[Is he drunk?]

Just when the commentators were questioning Locke’s sanity, and the Chinese players were giggling at Locke...

Thump, thump, thump—

In a split second, really, just a few seconds after Locke’s words fell, the whole ground shook. Under the darkness of the night, something that they could not see was approaching fast. Then, a loud bang reverberated in the area.

Baaaaaaaaaang—

A giant creature suddenly ‘Body Smash’ed Carden, the Abnormal State Master. The most surprising part was the fact that Carden was instantly forced to log out.

“...?”

“...?”

“...?”

“...?”

“...?”

The creature that showed up was a five meter tall, shockingly cool, demonic beast, with three heads. It was Cerberus.

The commentators were all in disbelief at the sight.

[That’s... that’s Love, Happiness and Hope...?]

[Which part of that figure screams Love, Happiness and Hope...?]

[...OMG?]