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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Mod7
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“Pephais!”
“[Understood.]”
KWA-BOOM!
The fuse, attached to a strand of spider silk, snaked its way towards Raystember’s eye and detonated.
With the Archdemon’s massive form obscuring most of Lee Seok-hyun’s vision, his options for attack were limited. Only the eyes and mouth were visible targets.
Thankfully, Raystember’s rage had made him careless, leaving these vulnerable points exposed. If he’d bothered to protect them, Lee Seok-hyun would have had no way to attack.
‘Assuming he’s not using his full power, my chances of winning are… thirty percent, at best.’
Forcing a Main Skill into overdrive while simultaneously trying to maintain control came at a cost.
Raystember’s erratic movements, the chaotic bursts of uncontrolled power—it was clear he was wasting energy, his attacks lacking focus. He seemed to be operating at a similar level to Garan, perhaps slightly stronger.
But this was purely in terms of raw power. His current state, more beast than demon, ironically made him easier to predict, his movements less refined.
“Lee… Seok… hyun!”
Lee Seok-hyun dodged the Archdemon’s wildly flailing arm, a massive limb that seemed to stretch endlessly, and darted into the space beneath Raystember’s torso.
[Weakness Designation activated. Targeting both eyes.]
[Flash of Insight activated. Maximum knockback.]
He struck with pinpoint accuracy, aiming for the designated weak points.
–Screech.
Despite using Flash of Insight at maximum power, the knockback effect was minimal. Raystember’s sheer size and strength absorbed the impact, his head snapping back only slightly.
There was no time to dwell on the attack’s underwhelming effect.
–Whirrrrrr.
Lee Seok-hyun retreated, dodging another attack, then used a combination of spider silk and explosions to create a diversion, obscuring Raystember’s vision.
With each movement, his wounds reopened, the bleeding worsening, his mind growing hazy. He was grateful for the Cooler; without it, Infinite Track would have overloaded his system, the accelerated healing exacerbating the blood loss, pushing him towards the brink of death.
‘I’m already past my limit.’
–Whirrrrrr.
Infinite Track continued to pump life into his battered body, but it was a losing battle. He felt like a damaged car, its engine screaming, fueled by a steady stream of gasoline, about to explode at any moment.
Yet, he pressed on, relentlessly attacking Raystember.
He had no other choice.
This was his only way out.
“Lee Seok-hyuuuuuun!”
“You’re starting to sound like a broken record. Reminds me of that troll from the entrance exam.”
He spoke, forcing the words past his gritted teeth, anchoring himself to the present. He used memories of his victories in Final Destiny to push back against the encroaching darkness of his past.
He attacked and retreated, weaving through Raystember’s attacks.
If the Archdemon had been in his right mind, Lee Seok-hyun would have been disemboweled already. But Raystember’s power was uncontrolled, his movements erratic.
‘He’s taking damage too.’
Lee Seok-hyun realized that Raystember was mirroring his injuries. The damage he inflicted, though minimal, was being reflected back on the Archdemon, a strange, twisted form of empathy. A child’s scraped knee and an adult’s scraped knee might look the same, but the impact, the pain, the consequences – they were all relative. Yet, here, in this dreamscape, the damage was absolute, equal, and shared. A hole punched through Lee Seok-hyun’s side was mirrored by a gaping wound in Raystember’s torso.
“What kind of bullshit game mechanic is this?”
Even with Lee Seok-hyun’s relentless attacks, he could only chip away at about three percent of Raystember’s health. He had to bring them both to the brink, equalizing their health, before he could deliver a finishing blow.
He was trapped in a game designed to push him to his limits, a challenge that would have driven any sane gamer to rage quit.
*–You know… I’m really worthless. I’m so sorry…
–…But you still love me, right? Even though I’m like this…*
*–Tomorrow… tomorrow I’ll be better… We can be happy then, Seok-hyun…
He lost focus for a moment, and the fractured memories flooded his mind, sharp shards of glass piercing his thoughts. Raystember, sensing the hesitation, charged, his movements relentless, his only goal to crush Lee Seok-hyun beneath his heel.
Final Destiny, a game that treated its players with casual cruelty, was now mocking him, forcing him to relive his most painful memories.
“You’ll die anyway! Why fight?! This is your destiny! Accept it!”
Raystember, frustrated by Lee Seok-hyun’s persistent resistance, sprouted two more arms from his back, tearing through flesh and bone.
The new limbs reached out, ripping chunks from nearby buildings, hurling them at Lee Seok-hyun. It wasn’t a targeted attack, but a barrage of destruction, designed to eliminate any escape routes.
Lee Seok-hyun used his spider silk, now imbued with elasticity thanks to the third leg of the Spider title, to swing through the debris, creating distance between himself and the enraged Archdemon.
“…What destiny?”
Lee Seok-hyun noticed something odd. While he was taking damage, Raystember was mirroring those injuries. Yet, despite the accumulating wounds, the Archdemon’s movements were growing increasingly erratic, his attacks less precise.
‘He’s weakening at the same rate I am. So, his damage output is directly tied to my condition?’
This meant that the closer Lee Seok-hyun was to death, the weaker Raystember became.
“Lee Seok-hyuuuuuun!”
“You’re really starting to sound like a stalker. I’m flattered.”
–Whoosh… BOOM!
He leaped high into the air, then slammed both feet down on the spot where Raystember had been standing moments before, a devastating stomp attack.
This wasn’t typical Archdemon behavior. They weren’t known for using physical attacks. Their methods were usually far more subtle, more insidious. But Raystember’s tactics had become predictable, almost simplistic.
‘So, where’s the core? Where’s the heart of this nightmare?’
To find what he valued most amidst this chaotic jumble of memories… It was an absurd request.
Yet, it was his only option. He had to find it.
–“You’re abandoning me too? Leaving me to die alone? You said you loved me!”
–“…Get a grip. What are you even talking about? Just… come down from there. Please.”
–“I want to live inside your head forever.”
Memories flickered, ghost-like apparitions haunting the edges of his mind. A love that blossomed in the darkest of times, twisted and corrupted. The image of his parents, their lifeless bodies embracing him, their cold skin a stark contrast to the warmth of his tears. He remembered the moment he realized they were gone, the hollow ache in his chest, the emptiness in his eyes.
“I… will… survive…”
He pushed himself to his feet, refusing to yield. He knew what awaited him if he faltered, if he gave up. He’d seen the fruits of despair, tasted its bitter harvest. He would not succumb.
“Lee Seok-hyun! Lee Seok-hyun! Where are you?! Show yourself!”
“Down… here.”
As Raystember roared, the spider silk tethering him snapped, the safety net gone.
–Thud.
He fell, his body plummeting, the sound echoing like someone falling from a skyscraper. He’d heard that sound before, a grim reminder of a love twisted into betrayal. A bittersweet memory, a first love turned to ash, the metallic tang of blood lingering on his tongue.
“Embrace your destiny, Lee Seok-hyun! You must die! You must die in this dream!”
Raystember, consumed by dark mana, his form shifting and distorting, was no longer recognizable.
But one thing remained constant: the gaping wound in his chest, the blood flowing freely from his heart, marking the path to victory.
[Infinite Track compels you to move.]
Despite the fatal wound, his body moved, driven by an indomitable will.
Even on the brink of death, he had to keep moving, to complete his mission.
–Thump.
Blood surged, choking him, silencing him. He could no longer scream, could no longer voice his fear.
“Lee… Seok… hyun…”
Raystember was dying.
His form, once monstrous and imposing, was crumbling like a sandcastle, yet he continued his relentless pursuit, his eyes fixed on Lee Seok-hyun.
If only he hadn’t thrown him aside…
“…”
He searched his memories, sifting through the fragmented shards of his past.
If Raystember could use his memories against him, then he could use them to his advantage. He had to find the one memory, the single fragment, that held the key to escaping this nightmare.
[I found it, Master.]
Pephais, silent until now, had been preparing.
The spirit had been gathering its power, focusing its energy, readying the one weapon that could turn the tide.
[Verifying user…]
[Designated user Lee Seok-hyun confirmed.]
[Deploying Manaplate Armor.]
The Sunflower bloomed.
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