Thanks to La Bella’s grace, Chi-Woo’s merits were numericized, and he was able to open a fostering list. Recalling how he had gained a new skill when he raised Core of Balance’s rank, Chi-Woo used his merits to do it again.
<Fostering Information>
[User Choi Chi-Woo’s accumulated merits: 576,837]
[Using 53,292 (576,837 -> 523,542)]
[Inherent ability ‘Core of Balance’ increases in rank (E -> D)]
It was as Chi-Woo expected. Like how an ability he desperately needed appeared the last time he increased his rank, another ability that would help him overcome this crisis came to him.
<Inherent Ability (10)>
10. [Breakthrough F] - ability that allows the user to go beyond their current boundaries of power. It’s a form of awakening ability that activates when the user is in an extreme crisis and receives a shock from the outside that forcibly pushes him closer to his full potential. At the current rank, the user can use 1.5 times his current power and exert greater strength according to the rank of this ability and his potential. However, the user must be careful when using this ability because it can have a negative effect on one’s body and mind, and at worst, may even diminish their potential. Thus, the user must avoid upgrading this ability if possible.
Although the description of ‘Breakthrough’ clearly stated he must not abuse its power, such things didn’t catch Chi-Woo’s eyes. As Philip said, he was given this opening thanks to everyone risking their lives. It was now time for him to repay them, and Chi-Woo immediately used Breakthrough. Thud!
“Kuh!” As soon as Chi-Woo activated the ability, he felt a terrible pain inside his body. It felt as if an iron mace was shredding his muscles and internal organs, crushing his heart to a pulp and breaking his bones and guts. Chi-Woo gritted his teeth. He needed to endure it. His companions had endured much greater pain than this. Moreover, this was nothing compared to the pain he had endured in the spring pool inside the Evalya volcano’s cave. Gradually, he felt himself heat up. His breaths were hot, and his skin was so heated that visible steam was rising from his body.
Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump, thump!
Moreover, his heart was thumping like mad, seemingly three or more times every second.
“Cough!” He suddenly threw up a spurt of bright red blood. But Chi-Woo didn’t show his concern for it. He didn’t even have time to wipe his mouth as he felt a strong burst of energy shooting up from the bottom of his feet. It was such an astounding amount of energy that he couldn’t control it, and Chi-Wo expelled exorcism mana according to his instincts.
Hwaaaaa! His entire body was glowing.
“W-What!?” It was such a brilliant display that Zepar quickly backed away from trying to pierce through Chi-Woo. The radiance soon covered Chi-Woo until he became a being of light.
“…” Zepar was speechless. Everything had its limit, but it didn’t seem to be the case this time. He didn’t know how this happened, but it did. There was no need to think further about what he should do. Zepar quickly turned around and flew to where the altar was. Whatever happened to the experiment, he should at least secure Evelyn’s body and run away.
Regardless of how Zepar acted, however, Chi-Woo quietly raised his hand, ignoring the blood streaming down from his nostrils.
‘This is what it means to be drunk with power…’ Chi-Woo thought. Power was overflowing from inside him. It made him feel like he could do anything right now if he set his mind to it. Chi-Woo raised his head and looked at the great demon, who was moving farther away from him to the altar. With his hand stretched, he took a single step.
“!” Zepar was hurriedly flying away when he jolted from the cluster of bright lights rushing at him. Chi-Woo had shortened the distance between them with that one step. His white, incandescent hand snatched Zepar as easily as catching a laundry flying away from the wind.
“Ahhhhh!” As soon as Chi-Woo touched Zepar, his soul form was canceled, and he returned to the darkness he was. Just like that, the great demon was flicked away and slammed hard into the wall. He shuddered while falling uselessly. Before he dropped to the floor, Chi-Woo chased after him with his fist aiming forward.
Bam! Crunch! Chi-Woo struck Zepar and even broke through the floor, pinning the great demon down.
“Urrgh!” Zepar struggled for breath.
“Huff…huff…” Even while he was dizzy, Zepar peeked his eyes open. He was losing his senses, and he couldn’t tell up from down. At first, he had thought Chi-Woo was simply La Bella’s follower, but that couldn’t be. This overwhelming power that even a great demon would consider godly shouldn’t be permitted to a mere mortal. It was a display that should only come from an immortal.
“If it isn’t my imagination, how could an outer god…no.” Zepar stopped himself. Gods from other worlds shouldn’t be able to easily intervene in matters on Liber after its World had collapsed. Of course, a god in the top ranks could do so, but that wasn’t the level of power Zepar was feeling from Chi-Woo. At the same time, Chi-Woo was clearly not a god native to Liber.
“Then…perhaps?” While staring at the cluster of light stomping toward him, a memory came to Zepar: regarding the only immortal who could ignore the laws of the universe. After Zepar became a great demon, he learned more about the vast infinite space across the worlds. He heard a few things about the genesis and the end of times that he had laughed off as a silly joke. It had sounded ridiculous then, but he was now witnessing an existence that ignored all rules of a karmic, conditioned existence.
* * *
“…No.”
At the same time, Chi-Hyun was staring blankly into the sky. “Please…Chi-Woo…you can’t…” He shook his head pleadingly as he looked at the bright light spreading across the dome. Meanwhile, Bael, the first ranking demon in the Demon Empire, other great demons in the top ten ranks, the Abyss’ two masters, and even the mysterious creatures belonging to the Sernitas were all looking up at the phenomenon happening in the sky. As if they all had reached an agreement beforehand, they were all gazing at the exact same spot.
* * *
“Kieeeeeeh!” Zepar’s body was full of holes left by beams of light. Chi-Woo reached out with both hands and clutched Zepar on both sides.
Crunch! With a chilling sound, a significant portion of Zepar’s darkness fell off. Chi-Woo didn’t stop there. He gripped Zepar tightly and hurled him around. Zepar’s shrieks rang throughout the pathways.
—Crazy bastard.
Philip smiled bitterly.
—Who cares about the snap-back move now?...Having a lot of power is the best…
It was an astonishing sight. Even though Zepar wasn’t in his best condition, it was still incredulous that a great demon in the upper 10s ranks would be getting pounded without being able to resist. Chi-Woo had pushed beyond human limits already, and part of his original self was being revealed.
—As I thought…
Philip confirmed his hypothesis and tried to distance himself from the fight as much as possible. The current Chi-Woo was too dangerous to even be close to.
“I can’t…believe it…” Zepar whimpered in a dying voice. “I cant…I can’t…” He murmured as he stared blankly at the light before him. “The heaven’s…”
Crunch! Before Zepar could finish his sentence, he was stomped out of existence. The light finally faltered and dwindled until it subsided entirely. The radiance that had filled the whole cavity disappeared in an instant, and Chi-Woo collapsed to the ground.
“Haaa!” Shaaa! Blood poured down like rain. Chi-Woo felt numb.
‘Just now…’ Despite the dizziness, Chi-Woo couldn’t suppress his fear. He was conscious when he grabbed Zepar and threw him, but he didn’t remember much after that. All he knew was that he had a violent impulse to destroy until he unconsciously thought things were becoming too dangerous. His power had automatically cut off then. It felt like he had barely managed to stop himself before crossing a line he should never cross. No, it seemed as if somebody else had forcefully intervened and stopped it from happening.
Chi-Woo heaved for a while, and his body shuddered. It was cold. His body had cooled completely to the point that he was feeling chills now. He felt as if his insides were empty.
‘Still...’ Chi-Woo looked up. There was still faint darkness lingering in the air, but it was gradually disappearing. Despite his urge to crush it with his club and mana, he stopped himself. He didn’t know why, but he had a great foreboding feeling that it would be dangerous for him to use any more power. That was how dire his state was.
‘It hurts…’ It felt as if his whole body would break this instance. Chi-Woo carefully got to his feet and looked around. Jin-Cheon, Apoline, and Hawa were all severely injured, but not life-threateningly so. Although Ru Amuh’s soul had been pulled out, that would be taken care of naturally since the body and soul were attracted to one’s neok. But just in case, Chi-Woo called out.
“Hey…bag…?”
“Ppyu!” Steam Bun quickly rushed forward at Chi-Woo’s call and presented him with Shadia’s special medicine. Chi-Woo shook his head. His physical condition wasn’t something that could be fixed with medicine.
“Not me…but the others first…” Steam Bun hovered around Chi-Woo for a while, but slipped away in the end. There was only one other person to take care of now.
“Ugh…” Chi-Woo groaned as he staggered forward. He took each step slowly and stopped when he reached the front of the altar. Onorables Evelyn lay there like a corpse. Drip. A drop of blood landed on her face.
“Ah…” Chi-Woo tried to wipe it away, but ended up falling to his knees. His legs had given away after barely enduring the strain of walking up here. It was then Evelyn’s eyelids trembled, and she opened her eyes.
“...Blood?” She wiped the blood off her cheeks and darted her eyes around. Her gaze finally met Chi-Woo’s. Evelyn opened her mouth slightly and closed it again.
“Oh my, this is really troubling…” In a daze, Evelyn covered her chest and said, “I can’t believe I am naked.”
“…”
“What should I do now?”
“…”
“Are you going to take responsibility?” she joked. Chi-Woo snorted. Relief washed over him when he heard her voice, and all strength drained from his body. He was only prevented from toppling to the ground thanks to Evelyn catching him before he did. Their positions had reversed. Chi-Woo was looking up at her while Evelyn watched him from above. Evelyn’s pupils shook. She swiped Chi-Woo’s face carefully, her palm becoming soaked with blood. Chi-Woo had taken care of his companions first, but Evelyn could clearly see that the one most injured was Chi-Woo.
“Thank you,” Evelyn said. “I thought if it was you…you’d come.”
Chi-Woo closed his eyes at her whisper and let out the breath he had been holding. He thought he was going to die. Finally, the long battle was over.
* * *
In the meantime, the battle between Noel and Astarte was reaching a standstill. Astarte stared at the brilliantly shining woman before her. Noticeably, the demon’s eyes were no longer unfocused. Her dazed gaze recovered its light and became clearer. The restraint that had tied her down had weakened considerably, and she was able to regain herself. What in the world happened?
“Accept your judgment!”
Astarte glanced behind her and stroked her neck, but when she saw a shining hammer suddenly fall from above, she had to quickly move back. She wanted to tell her opponent to calm down first, but more lights were flying her way, and she needed to quickly shoot flames to counter them.
“Lay down punishment!”
Her opponent didn’t seem to have any intention to calm down. After hesitating a bit, Astarte made her decision. It was impossible that Zepar, the embodiment of greed, would cancel his contract with her out of goodwill. Thus, the fact that she had recovered her mind signified that Zepar was so critically injured that he was close to becoming extinguished.
Zepar was a great demon strong enough to defeat even Astarte, and whoever had triumphed over Zepar must be here as well.
Bang!
Thus, Astarte made the snap decision to escape through the ceiling. She was in no state to fight after getting her mind back so suddenly. Dealing with this human woman was an ordeal itself, and Astarte certainly didn’t want to fight the one who beat Zepar. Noel looked up as Astarte disappeared, showing no intention to chase after the demon.
“…” The light Noel radiated dimmed. She toppled forward and collapsed. She had also reached her limit.
‘Young master…’ Her last thought was hoping Chi-Woo had safely escaped before she lost consciousness, and her body stopped moving.