Episode 69.
When the central pillar broke down, the third floor collapsed and fell to the second floor. Although it wasn’t wholly the result of Jung Si-woo’s work, it was a spectacular sight as the third, fourth, and fifth floors poured down to the second floor.
“Ahhhhhhhhhh, Hyeong-nim!”
“Yes, come this way!”
While Jung Si-woo settled on the second floor, Yong Se-ha, who was unable to continue the battle, returned to his mini-size and went back to Jung Si-woo’s arms.
[Keuwaaaaaa!]
[Kileug, kilaaaaa!]
“Huh!”
After taking Yong Se-ha, Jung Si-woo swung his hammer and hit only the building’s bits that fell overhead, sending them at the elite monsters. Lightning was flying from all over the place, but there were so many things to use as a shield that Jung Si-woo didn’t suffer much damage. That was also thanks to his lightning resistance.
[Kyagg!]
[Kyahaaaa!]
[Kuleuuuu!]
Meanwhile, heavy and sharp pieces of the building hit the second floor, finishing off the monsters left there. The numbers reached the thousands.
[Raised by two levels.]
“Hyeong-nim, so many monsters are dead.”
“They think that I killed them. Look at the mana flying around.”
Jung Si-woo deeply felt that he should study architecture after seeing the misery he created. In the process of mixing and falling with the building, two elite monsters were also killed, and Jung Si-woo recovered their bodies by racing through the temple that seemed to be near the end.
[The rate of destruction: 97%]
Of course, the second floor didn’t last long either under the weight of the debris, as the unstable floor split and eventually collapsed!
[Kiaaaaaaaaaa!]
[Kyag! Kyaaaaaag!]
Elite monsters, who were seriously injured by falling and being beaten up, shouted with annoyance and anger at the collapse that happened again as soon as they got within range of Jung Si-woo. Of course, Jung Si-woo answered with a kind smile and a shrapnel smash, killing one more.
[The rate of destruction: 98%]
[The temple’s structure is becoming loose, and the absorption rate of the thunder gods rifle grows faster. Time Remaining – 1:28]
[Time remaining for the descent – 4:22]
At this point, Jung Si-woo’s initial purpose had almost been achieved. Now, the temple would completely collapse even if he left it alone. It was a perfect plan if he held on for another minute and a half, then ran to earth with the rifle fully strengthened. But of course, Jung Si-woo wanted to fight against the thunder god.
“Hyeong-nim, it’s falling apart! It’s falling!”
“I know!”
As the second floor collapsed, Jung Si-woo eventually fell to the basement floor, where he had first arrived. He safely landed on the ground, but one more elite died in the process, and the others hit the ground in a moribund state. In the first place, they already consumed a lot of energy by attacking Jung Si-woo, but they fell from the third floor to the first basement floor, hitting each other and being smacked around countless times by the debris in the building.
[Crawaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!]
“Oh, I’m dizzy.”
Jung Si-woo instinctively realized that he was on the verge of moving on to the next level because his body’s mana was full. Through his experience, 99% of the time in games, you could level-up even when you killed a slime in the fields at that point!
“Oppa!?”
Jung Si-woo glanced around in response to Soo Ah-rin’s voice, realizing that the place where he landed was very close to the underground warehouse. Of course, it was a vacant area that nobody would call a basement anymore! Indeed, even the underground warehouse wasn’t safe when the entire temple was collapsing. Fortunately, Soo Ah-rin wasn’t injured as the altar was the most sturdy place, but the second, third, fourth, and fifth floors collapsed, and the debris was pouring down, allowing Jung Si-woo to see the altar and Soo Ah-rin with his naked eyes.
“Se-ha, protect Ah-rin.”
“Yes, Hyeong-nim!”
Jung Si-woo told Yong Se-ha to fly over to protect Soo Ah-rin, fearing that the surviving monsters would harm her. Then, he stood up against them. He didn’t care about the regular monsters; he just needed to deal with the two elites.
[Keuwaaaaaaaaa!]
However, the most healthy of the remaining elite monster was the more powerful electric armored eel. He should’ve caught the most dangerous monster first, but he thought he’d be wasting time if he stuck to the strongest monster for too long, so it seemed like this is what happened when he prioritized killing other monsters.
“Hmph.”
[Keuloooooo!]
He roared as if threatening Jung Si-woo; the atmosphere vibrated, and it discharged an overwhelming power. It seemed that his anger had risen to the tip of his head. He had eventually helped Jung Si-woo destroy the temple himself!
[Time remaining for the descent – 3:03]
“I’ll just have to kill him in three minutes.”
Jung Si-woo murmured and clenched his two hammers. His physical strength and mana hadn’t only been almost completely restored but also strengthened by the successive level-ups. On the other hand, the power of the electric armor eel was used up. He was definitely going to win this match!
“Uh… I’m a little nervous all of a sudden, but why?”
At the very moment when Jung Si-woo muttered to himself, the walls of the temple exploded, and the scenery of the outside world was revealed. In the dark clouded weather, the sky full of thunderstorms was rumbling and crying with anger.
[The rate of destruction: 99%]
[The temple is almost destroyed, and the rifle of the thunder god is absorbing all the mana in the temple. Time remaining for the descent – 35 seconds]
[All the monsters in the temple are weakened. The thunder god accelerates the intensity at the risk of losing power. Time remaining for the descent – 17 seconds]
“No, wait, wait, wait, wait.”
This didn’t happen because he bragged that he was winning this match, did it? Of course not, but what the hell was this pathetic feeling? What’s more, the chance of catching that electric armor eel in 17 seconds…
[Crawaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!]
“Ah, that’s a stretch.”
The eel’s body was wrapped in a dark blue light that was discharging intermittently, and more importantly, the mana of the monsters who survived the great collapse of the temple was being sucked into it, starting with the elite monsters nearest it. Every time it absorbed one, the wounds on the eel’s body were healing. It was vivid for Jung Si-woo that its mana was turning into something more densely evil. Dreary and creepy mana, similar to the power of God that was felt at the altar.
“You’ve been trying to descend into him in the first place. You’re a fool…!”
Jung Si-woo was angrily grinding his teeth, but there was nothing he could do in this situation. Given the amount of lightning it emitted, it was unlikely that the situation would be interesting even if he attacked it. He felt like he knew why the villains in the cartoon left the scene of Hero’s transformation intact.
[Khaahahah! Mine, I will get it back!]
“It can talk too!? Did the thunder god…no, what?”
But the moment its eyes shone blue, it began to move unbelievably quick even though the descent wasn’t completely finished yet. He thought it would attack Jung Si-woo, but its direction of the rush was different. It was rushing toward the rifle of the thunder god, shining blue on the altar, pulling all the mana of the temple!
“You son of a… that’s mine!”
[It’s mine!]
Jung Si-woo hurriedly threw his hammer at him and triggered the Cruel Charge. The giant’s roar, activated by mana, hit the head of the electric armored eel and stopped its rush for a second, but it was only for a second.
“Hoo.”
[Kua!?]
And in that one second, Jung Si-woo completely outpaced him, and his huge front paw blocked the monster.
“It’s mine, kid.”
Should he give up watching the elite monster’s descent? Jung Si-woo thought so but giving up before he even tried wasn’t suitable for Jung Si-woo’s character. Moreover, it was such a waste to give up and run away now. Crucially, his energy wasn’t so overwhelming for an elite monster because of the loss of strength from the descent. Jung Si-woo’s intuition was speaking. He’s very strong, but that doesn’t mean he can’t overcome it.
[This…greedy bug…!]
The entire body of the electric armor eel trembled, and a massive amount of lightning soared into the air. A thunderstorm-filled sky struck it with a huge lightning bolt as if in response. The eel’s body became huge, and its scales swelled to, covering its entire body.
[The thunder god, Laia, descends to the elite monster ‘Thunder Serpent.’]
[Risk is raised to ‘very high.’]
“Tsk-.”
Jung Si-woo grabbed the front paw with both hands and aimed at the serpent as it opened its mouth and fired a huge lightning sphere. It wasn’t only so fast that it was hard to avoid, but even if it were avoided, it would fly away and destroy the altar. Eventually, Jung Si-woo had no choice but to take it using the Stone Skin.
[You’ve been struck by a powerful thunderbolt. Lightning resistance didn’t fully work, resulting in mild paralysis.]
He ground his teeth…
[How dare you.]
A slight paralysis could be un-done somehow by shouting. He was soon hit by the second wave of lightning that flew in, but he took another step and swung the hammer up as hard as he could in a diagonal line. He moved fast and attacked fast, but the serpent couldn’t move while he was attacking, so the hammer hit him on his wide jaw, forcing him to shut his mouth.
[Kahak!]
“You’re freaking hard.”
Perhaps God was focused on strengthening his mana and power. Even though the attack went in right, there wasn’t a scratch on his scales. However, Jung Si-woo’s smiled when he saw that.
“It hurts, doesn’t it?”
[Keuaaaaaaaa!]
Jung Si-woo’s arms felt numb from the impact. The rebound had been huge. But it was less than the monster that had been beaten. No matter how hard its armor was, it wouldn’t be able to deal with the shock that went inside its body! And as long as the shock was delivered, Jung Si-woo was able to beat him!
“I’ll beat you up and make you a prisoner!”
[Let’s see how long you can stand on your feet in front of the power of God!]
The thunder serpent wrapped lightning around its entire body and rushed straight toward Jung Si-woo. It was like a blue meteor hitting the ground; the mana and physical strength felt in it was more powerful than any other monster Jung Si-woo faced. But it was inevitable. If he avoided it, it would reach the altar, so he had to stop it. Jung Si-woo had to do it on his own.
“Ha.”
The speed was so fast that it was hard to hit with the giant hammer. He reduced the size of the hammer while activating Cruel Charge and threw it towards the serpent. It looked like a train and a human running into each other.
[Die, you trash!]
“You’re the one who’s dying, eel!”
However, just before the collision, Jung Si-woo’s full-body expanded, adding overwhelming power. It was a skill he gained by transferring to the destroyer class. No matter how much Jung Si-woo tried, he couldn’t have stopped it without his secret weapon.
[With so little power…!]
“Hooooooooo!”
There was a roar that rang through the heavens and earth. The hammer and the monster’s head covered in scales, man and God, mana, and mana, collided. An overwhelming amount of shock was delivered to both.
“Turn it off!”
Jung Si-woo clenched his teeth and held on despite the intense pain that seemed like it would break his arms. An angry yell burst out inside the temple.
“Kkeueueueueueueue!”
[…!?]
Was it a miracle? The Thunder serpent momentarily flinched at the momentum he gave off. He didn’t seem to understand why he stopped either, but it was none of Jung Si-woo’s business. Jung Si-woo, who took that opportunity, belted out another shout and pushed the hammer forward. The hammer was containing force not allowed for humanity.
“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!”
[Kuh, you, how did you…!]
The thunder serpent began to be pushed back. It must be thanks to his great skills, Jung Si-woo vaguely thought. But it was different. Surprisingly, the God’s eyes contained a small amount of fear.
[You, don’t tell me…!]
At that very moment, a dazzling light burst out from behind the two conflicting beings. Sensing it, the thunder serpent forgot what he was thinking about and screamed.
[No!]
[The awakening of the thunder god’s rifle is complete. The first seal is released.]
[The rate of destruction: 100%. The power of the thunder god is weakened.]
It was the moment when Jung Si-woo’s victory became definitive.
