Level 4 Human in a Ruined World - Chapter 300
Chapter 300: Den of Evil (5)
Myth.
A piece of cosmic, higher-tier equipment that could only be crafted by those who wrote their own myths with their own hands.
Even from the unique effects of the only Myth equipment Yeongwoo has encountered so far, the “Bastard,” it was clear how extraordinary Myth equipment was in the universe.
The “Bastard” could weaken the power of a transcendent being and, when fighting against a higher-tier opponent, even granted the user combat power adjustments.
Thus, the “Bastard” was not a weapon meant to be used in civil wars on small planets like Earth.
‘It should originally be a sword that wreaks havoc among the higher beings in the universe.’
Myth equipment was just that.
That was why it was given only to beings who proved their worth by becoming myths themselves, and ordinary beings won’t even see the shadow of a Myth in their lifetime.
However, Jeong Yeongwoo07, a provincial lord from the frontier of the developing universe, was different.
‘If I succeed in defeating the Devourer this time… I’ll get my second Myth.’
If he couldn’t write a Myth himself, he just had to take one that was already written.
Moreover, the opportunity to encounter a Myth this time was essentially a series of events Yeongwoo himself had caused by breaking expectations.
If he hadn’t unified the Korean Peninsula, if he hadn’t coveted planetary ownership, and if he hadn’t approved the autonomy of the orcs in Australia, this moment wouldn’t have come.
‘The universe, no, my fate is pushing me forward…!’
His original heart, now transformed into a talisman, seemed to beat faster.
And perhaps, it really was something like that.
「Heart of Jeong Yeongwoo07」 – Epic Talisman
【Destiny Roll】
【Troublemaker】
【Material for Ascension】
【Destiny Roll】
|Every time you reach a turning point in destiny, the probability of the lowest outcome increases by a threefold multiplier.
“Master Bang! Did you think I was joking? Hurry up and get your brothers to safety!”
Whoosh!
As Yeongwoo yelled while laying down the “Bastard,” Bantubangtong, who had been staring at the lever, clenched his teeth.
‘This is madness.’
The Devourer, the very being that had the most influence in driving his brothers out of their home planet, had now been encountered again after being chased to another planet.
The fury welled up inside him as he realized this.
But what could he do?
– If you truly succeed in appeasing the souls of our brothers, that will be fortunate, but if you fail, our cooperation ends here.
Bantubangtong began evacuating the orc brothers as far away from the dimensional portal as possible while saying this. Yeongwoo shrugged.
“If I fail, won’t everyone here die anyway? So it’s only natural that we’re done if I fail.”
Then he picked up a yellow flag that had fallen on the ground and planted it 10 meters in front of the dimensional portal.
Thud!
‘Anyway, Mara’s forces have already infiltrated Earth. So, I was bound to meet them sooner or later.’
Moreover, if he couldn’t even defeat one of Mara’s minions despite being equipped with the “Bastard” and all sorts of legendary and epic equipment, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that this planet had no future.
No matter who the competitors were, the planet’s ultimate ruler would inevitably be Mara.
“Master Bang, don’t worry too much. I’m essentially the strongest on this planet…”
As Yeongwoo tried to reassure Bantubangtong, who was evacuating his brothers, his words were cut off by his opponent.
– As I said before, the Devourer is not a foe you can defeat with sheer strength alone.
“…What do you mean?”
– The Devourer is a being of the void. It sucks away the life and will of everything. The equipment you’re wearing won’t be able to withstand that.
Yeongwoo frowned as he interpreted this to mean that the Devourer’s method of draining life ignored the damage reduction rates of any equipment.
“Wait, does that even make sense? Shouldn’t the Devourer then be the strongest in the universe? How did you survive in front of it, Master Bang?”
In response to Yeongwoo’s question, Bantubangtong, who had been looking at the dimensional portal, took a few steps back.
– I am one of the four lords of the Redfoot tribe, Bantubangtong. The history of the Redfoot tribe, accumulated over countless ages, is engraved in my soul. But without a new sanctuary, if I die, then essentially…
The entire history of the Redfoot orcs would be lost.
Bantubangtong added that his bravery came from the tribe’s history, which was imprinted on his soul through the Lord’s Ascension Ceremony.
For the Redfoot orcs, a Lord was like a living history book.
That was why all Redfoots showed respect to their Lord, and the Lord also…
‘If they carry the entire history of their race, then it’s only natural that their pride is tremendous.’
Perhaps this was the reason behind Bantubangtong’s unique rhetoric.
“So, you’re saying that because you are such an important figure, your will to live had to be strong, and that’s why you were able to survive in front of the Devourer.”
“Indeed. Mere attachment to life is not enough to stand before the Devourer. Only those with a noble purpose, driven by a grand mission…”
Just as Bantubangtong was about to start another speech from the heart, the large portal ahead rippled.
“Huh.”
“Oh…!”
Finally, the artifact carriers crossed dimensions and entered Earth.
Boom!
The massive Redfoot orcs, carrying huge coffins, set foot on Earth’s soil, and Bantubangtong hurriedly approached the lever.
Then…
Clank!
He tried to pull the lever all the way up, but…
Click!
As expected, the lever did not work.
The Devourer had already entered within a certain distance, a variable anticipated by the 50% danger threshold of the dimensional portal.
Shhh…
Then, near the portal, a pale mist rose, and the Redfoot orcs, who had just stepped into Earth, collapsed with half their bodies still stuck in the portal.
Thud, thud.
“My God.”
Seeing the large bodies of the orcs falling helplessly, Yeongwoo realized that Bantubangtong’s earlier words were not nonsense at all.
Even the brave brothers who did not fear death couldn’t withstand the power of the Devourer.
What in the world was this strength?
– Prepare all for a spear-throwing attack! Smallfoot, support from the rear!
In the meantime, Bantubangtong, who had distanced himself from the portal, saw the signs of the Devourer’s arrival and ordered his brothers to prepare for a fire support attack.
And finally…
Thud!
From the inside of the dimensional portal, connected to the home of the Redfoot orcs, a hand wrapped in dark scales emerged.
“…Oh.”
Yeongwoo noticed that the hand alone was at least 3 meters long.
Shhhh!
At that moment, the Devourer’s mist surged all the way to Yeongwoo’s feet.
“……!”
It was at that moment that a strange pain, which even his Berserker Talisman couldn’t ward off, wrapped around his entire body.
It felt like his insides were being tightly compressed, as if he had severe indigestion, and the sensation started digging into not only his body but also his mind.
‘What the… What the hell is this?!’
As Yeongwoo’s eyes widened in shock at the pain he had never felt before, the rest of the Devourer’s body emerged from the portal.
Crash!
Another enormous hand crushed the bodies of fallen comrades near the portal as it landed on the ground.
From behind Yeongwoo, Master Bang’s voice, filled with anger, rang out.
– Little Foot! Retreat! As long as you are still alive, there is hope! We must plan for another day!
Although Master Bang had faced a similar situation on his home planet, the best option he could think of was still retreat.
He believed that if they could take the relic and Little Foot and leave Darwin, there might be another opportunity in the future.
After all, Little Foot’s prowess was far greater than any other comrade he had ever seen.
“……!”
However, Little Foot, Jeong Yeongwoo 07, didn’t move even as the Devourer’s massive shadow loomed over him.
“Is this… a Void being?”
Instead of stepping towards Master Bang’s voice, he lifted his head and stared at the Devourer, which was rising just five meters in front of him.
Rumble…
The Devourer, emanating a terrifyingly dense aura, had a nightmarish appearance.
Its massive body looked like a heap of flesh, supported by four arms covered in black scales.
The four hands, which replaced its feet, had long, sturdy-looking fingers.
And just like the lower part, the upper part of its body…
―……
…had four arms raised toward the sky, forming a shape reminiscent of a crown.
In total, it had eight arms, divided into upper and lower sets.
The creature had no discernible face or head, just a body that appeared to be a mass of flesh.
“You look like… a dog’s di*k.”
Barely able to open his mouth, Yeongwoo muttered these words before gazing at the portal behind the Devourer.
Swoosh.
The numbers displayed at the top of the portal became clear.
[79/15,000]
Out of the 15,000 comrades that could be rescued, 79 had been saved.
That meant…
“Damn, I put in 100 million and only got 2.37 million back?”
Out of the 97.63 million Karma, including the national treasury, only 2.37 million had been recovered.
“Shit.”
As rage boiled inside him at this realization, the strange pain that had been constricting his body suddenly vanished.
Swish!
“Huh…?”
It was just a brief moment, but there was no way the cunning Little Foot would miss such a detail.
“What was that?”
As the Devourer’s influence began to envelop him once again, Yeongwoo unconsciously shouted,
“One hundred million…!”
And surprisingly,
Swish.
His body returned to normal, and energy surged through him.
“What… what is this?”
Yeongwoo looked at the bastard sword in his hand with a puzzled expression.
Swoosh.
His arm, which hadn’t budged earlier, easily lifted the sword now.
As Master Bang had said, it wasn’t just his attachment to life that had freed him from the Devourer’s grip.
It was a higher sense of purpose, a noble mission.
Even the Devourer, who had been spewing mist until now, was startled and moved swiftly for the first time since arriving on Earth.
Swoosh!
One of its four hands, which had been planted on the ground, swung out.
Swoosh!
The Devourer’s arm sliced through the mist like a whip, and the thousands of orcs watching from afar squeezed their eyes shut, bracing for the horrific scene that would follow.
But what actually happened was…
“Haah! Three hundred million!”
Little Foot, Jeong Yeongwoo 07, shouted the figure “three hundred million” as he swung his sword.
Swish!
The sword, slashing diagonally through the air, effortlessly severed the incoming arm of the Devourer, causing its body to tilt as it lost one of its supports.
‘Is this actually working?’
Yeongwoo blinked rapidly as he looked at the Devourer.
―……
Although the Devourer had no face or mouth, everyone present could feel its surprise.
Swoosh!
Suddenly, the creature emitted an unprecedented surge of energy, surrounding the entire area in a thick mist.
“…Kehh!”
As the Devourer’s influence grew even stronger, Yeongwoo responded with an even stronger incantation.
“Four hundred and fifty million!”
This amount could be extracted daily from all 15,000 rescued comrades.
450 million Karma.
However, it seemed insufficient to overcome the Devourer’s maximum output, as his body remained frozen.
Crunch!
Meanwhile, the Devourer began to spread its four upper arms that had been clumped together.
‘Uh, uh? Why isn’t it working this time?’
Yeongwoo stared at the creature’s upper arms as they started to form a bizarre silhouette within the mist.
If this continued, he would have to take the full brunt of the Devourer’s attack while standing still.
But no other incantations came to mind, so he thought of the relics of the Redfoot Orcs, which he had yet to open.
“The… the myth! I haven’t seen the new myth yet!”
At that moment, the grip on his feet finally loosened.
Swoosh.
“Huh…!”
In this miraculous moment that even shocked himself, Yeongwoo instinctively took a step forward.
Thud!
Then, like a shooting star, he dashed forward and thrust his sword.
Swoosh!
“Get this cursed body out of my way! I can’t see my money because of you!”
His comet-like strike pierced through the Devourer’s body in an instant.
———