Chapter 88: Growth (7)
After that, things proceeded quite smoothly.
Having lost one of its ans of defense, the Death Knight began to be whittled away to the point of helplessness.
I do not know what kind of situation would have unfolded if I had remained down, but…….
"If I cannot even endure this much, how can I save the world?"
Fortunately, such a thing did not happen.
I had been tempered by my usual extre training and the pain from the penalties I experienced when using my previous talents.
Because I was hardened by those two factors, I eventually succeeded in standing up again.
Well, looking at my battered appearance, it was hard to tell which one of us was the Death Knight, but it was fine.
Anyway, my remaining role now was rely to provide support.
"It looks like it is about ti to wrap this up."
Matching my support, Kim Su-hyeok’s attacks continued to land, and as a result.
Before I knew it, the Death Knight was staggering, unable to steady its own body.
Although blue light still emanated from its hollow eyes and a chilling aura surged around it…….
"That must be its final struggle."
It could not hold out for long in that state anyway.
And Kim Su-hyeok seed to have noticed that fact as well.
"Yu-seong. Can you help
one last ti?"
Kim Su-hyeok asked for help to deliver the final blow.
His voice was thick with deep apology.
I was the one who suggested coming here in the first place, so I wondered why he felt so sorry…….
Well, for starters, my answer was already decided.
"That goes without saying. I just need to create an opening, right?"
"Yeah. Please."
Because the only option that existed for
was to help him.
As I just ntioned, I was the one who brought Kim Su-hyeok here.
If that was the case, I had to take responsibility until the very end.
"Then I am going right now."
Leaving those words behind, I imdiately charged toward the creature.
Then, it also turned its gaze toward
as I rushed in.
It was a chilling sight, but the feeling itself was not bad.
"Because it ans he recognizes
properly."
Even if it is a monster, it is not entirely devoid of intelligence.
It ans it can distinguish between a threatening enemy and an enemy not worth dealing with.
So, what did it an that the creature turned its gaze toward ?
It ant it recognized
as a sufficiently threatening enemy.
"You have done enough, so just die already!"
In that case, the situation was actually easy.
It was a perfect situation to create the opening Kim Su-hyeok wanted.
Instead of parrying, I carried out a straightforward attack, clashing head-on.
CLANG!!!
"Urgh!!"
As my attack and the creature's attack collided, a clear sound echoed throughout the surroundings.
Of course, there was a price to pay.
My strength had been lacking even when I was deflecting blows, so how would it be head-on?
My body was imdiately slamd into the ground and thrown back.
But.
"Bingo."
Thanks to
putting in all my strength, the Death Knight was also pushed back slightly.
The montary opening Kim Su-hyeok wanted had been created.
As soon as I saw the Death Knight in that state, I imdiately shouted.
"Kim Su-hyeok!!"
"Got it!"
Kim Su-hyeok imdiately reacted to my shout and charged in.
However, it felt a bit uncertain at this rate.
He is a brilliant fellow, but he is not yet fully matured.
Therefore, I managed to steady my body, kneeling and sitting with my head slightly lowered.
"…Thank you. I will definitely live up to your expectations."
"Don't ntion it."
Kim Su-hyeok caught onto my intention, expressed his gratitude, and leaped after stepping on my back.
I really have to hand it to him for his quick wits when it cos to combat.
It felt a bit heavier than I expected in the middle of it, but that was not particularly important.
It would be stranger if I did not feel any weight during the leap.
Thus, I focused on Kim Su-hyeok’s figure rather than having stray thoughts.
"It is flawless."
The posture of Kim Su-hyeok as he jumped was incredibly stable.
The way he swung down the sword he held tightly with both hands for a certain strike was the very image of a hero.
It was to the point where I thought, ‘If I were a girl, wouldn't I fall for that sight?’
"In that case……."
Since the hero is working hard, shouldn't I move as well?
I would feel like I was just getting a free ride if I stayed still like this.
Having reached that conclusion, I imdiately put it into action.
"Hmph!"
If Kim Su-hyeok’s attack targets the upper body, I target the lower body.
And I tid the attack perfectly.
If that happened, the Death Knight would eventually have to choose to defend only one spot.
But that choice would ultimately.
BOOM!!!!
Be a choice that brings death either way.
The creature chose to block Kim Su-hyeok’s attack, but it failed to block it completely in the end.
And it crumbled helplessly against my attack that ca from below.
GROOOOAR…….
Having its lower half collapse, the creature ended up allowing Kim Su-hyeok’s follow-up strike.
As a result, Kim Su-hyeok’s sword was pierced accurately near the Death Knight’s heart.
Normally, a Death Knight would not die just because a sword was stuck near its heart, but…….
"It is only at the level of a B-Rank Gate boss after all."
In short, it ant it did not have an immortal body.
At any rate, the movents of the Death Knight, which had allowed the strike, began to gradually cease.
After so ti had passed.
Sssshhh-.
The Death Knight’s body completely stopped moving, and soon after, it turned into a handful of dust.
It did not move again or undergo so transcendental resurrection.
The system notification echoing in my head also spoke of the Death Knight’s death.
That was right.
This long and arduous battle had finally co to an end.
"Yu, Yu-seong."
"Yeah. We won."
I answered Kim Su-hyeok, who called my na in a trembling voice as if he could not believe we had won even after the victory.
Well, it was only natural that it felt unbelievable.
Two re first-year cadets had taken down a Death Knight, a B-Rank Gate boss.
By normal common sense, it was sothing incomprehensible.
"It would have been impossible if not for Kim Su-hyeok."
I truly believed it was possible only because it was Kim Su-hyeok.
It is a bit of a sorry thing to say, but it would have been absolutely impossible with any of the other kids.
It was a fight that relied entirely on the protagonist's abilities to that extent.
"Well, it might have been different if I had accumulated plenty of points."
I thought it might have been possible even with the other kids if I had not spent the massive sum of 110,000 points.
My talent has high peaks and low valleys depending on the conditions.
If I had many points, this battle would have been much easier.
Of course, I did not regret spending the points before coming here.
"Because I obtained a permanent ans of reinforcent."
Borrowing a talent literally disappears when the ti is up, but what you buy remains forever, doesn't it?
Considering the future, it was definitely a gain, not a loss.
Besides, the important thing is that we won anyway, right? That is all that matters.
"Right… as long as we won, it is fine."
As I recalled the fact that we were victorious, I felt the strength draining from my entire body.
Was it because the tension had been released?
Eventually, unable to steady my weakened body, I lay flat on the ground. Kim Su-hyeok rushed over in surprise at the sight, but…….
"I am fine. It is just that my strength is spent."
"Is that true?"
"Why would I lie about sothing like this? It is all over now anyway."
I calmly settled him down.
I felt like I just wanted to fall asleep like this, but I did not.
We still had sothing left to do.
The most important thing, at that.
'The reward.'
I wondered why I had gone through all this trouble if the results were not worth it.
It was because of the reward.
Just then, as if it had read my mind, a voice spoke.
[Challenger. You have proven yourself.]
A neutral voice declared that the proof was successful.
That was all the neutral voice said.
Of course, that was not really the end.
[The Hidden Piece ‘Temple Sheltering the Last Legacy’ has been cleared!]
[Calculating contribution...]
[Player Kim Su-hyeok’s contribution is assessed at 50%.]
[Player Choi Yu-seong’s contribution is assessed at 50%.]
[Rewards corresponding to the contribution are being distributed.]
[You have significantly influenced the future and acquired 15,000 Influence Points.]
Subsequently, the system voice spoke, promising rewards.
But this…….
'It won't be different from the reward I know, will it?'
In the original work, Kim Su-hyeok ca here alone.
What did that an?
It ant that only Kim Su-hyeok’s contribution existed.
But now…….
'The contribution is split because I intervened.'
I started to feel unnecessarily anxious.
What if the reward changed?
What if all the trouble I had gone through so far was for nothing?
It felt as if cold sweat were dripping down my back.
"Hey, Su-hyeok. By any chance……."
"Yu-seong! Look at this!!"
"Hu, huh?"
Just as I was about to carefully speak to Kim Su-hyeok, unable to control my anxious heart.
An urgent shout ca from him.
When I turned my head at that voice, I saw Kim Su-hyeok’s face looking incredibly surprised after seeing the reward.
'Dammit. I am saved.'
It was the reward that was originally intended, thank goodness.
I finally breathed a sigh of relief and looked at the reward.
[Guardian's Sword that Failed to Protect]
Grade: S-
Category: Sword
Information: This is a sword favored by a tragic guardian who intended to protect sothing but ultimately failed. Although the owner of the sword died, the feelings he harbored did not disappear and were imbued into the blade.
Ability 1: [Steadfast Faith] is activated only when there is a target to be protected.
Steadfast Faith: Significantly increases one random stat of the user.
Ability 2: If the target to be protected is injured, [Unbreakable Faith] is activated.
Unbreakable Faith: Partially calls upon and absorbs the stats of the target to be protected. The absorbed stats disappear after a certain period.
Ability 3: If the target to be protected dies, [Guardian's Revenge] is activated.
Guardian's Revenge: All stats significantly increase only when facing the one who killed the target to be protected.
The target to be protected is limited to those whom the user has subconsciously decided must be protected.
'It really is amazing, even looking at it again.'
It was an ability I had read about once in the novel, but it was terrifying even seeing it again.
Even though a minus was attached to its grade, it felt as if it were saying there was a reason the 'S' was there.
Of course, all the usable abilities had conditions attached to them, but…….
'For Kim Su-hyeok, they are practically not even conditions.'
What is Kim Su-hyeok’s goal?
Is it not justice?
To him, there were countless targets to be protected.
It ant that even a simple owner of a neighborhood stationary store could be a target to be protected for Kim Su-hyeok.
"It is a sword that suits you well. Don't you think?"
"But it is such an undeserved weapon for ……."
"Do not talk nonsense. It was a fair reward for your effort. You are not thinking of selling it, are you?"
"Ab, absolutely not!"
Kim Su-hyeok shouted that while embracing the sword.
Man. He was going to love it that much, yet he said things he did not an.
'By the way, I am a bit jealous.'
It was a weapon that did not really suit
since I did not have many targets to protect anyway, but I was still a bit envious.
Just looking at the sword’s third ability proves it.
Even with the condition of death attached, that ability was no different from my Blood Wish Sword’s ability.
And it was a Blood Wish Sword without penalties.
It was only natural to be envious when sothing similar yet better appeared.
'Well, it is not like I am going to take it away.'
As I said, that sword is the weapon that suits Kim Su-hyeok best.
Since Kim Su-hyeok’s abilities increased significantly after obtaining it, he obviously had to be the one to have it.
I thought so as I slowly stood up from my spot.
"The Gate must have opened again by now, so let us head back."
Strength had returned to my exhausted body to so extent.
Now that we have obtained everything we needed, all that was left was to go back, wasn't it?
Therefore, without any lingering regrets, I stood up and was about to walk to leave the Gate.
Yes, I 'was about to' move.
Until a notification sounded right after, reminding
of a fact I had forgotten.
[Distributing rewards.]
"…Wait?"
I had completely forgotten about it because I was so focused on Kim Su-hyeok’s reward.
The fact that the calculated contribution was half for Kim Su-hyeok and half for .
In short…….
"…Wait, what?"
A new reward that did not originally exist.
It has now co into my possession.
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