Chapter 110 ….
[……Even the aura he gives off now feels completely different from before. What kind of trick did he just pull?]
The Destroyer was visibly tense for the first time at the sight of him.
He felt it instinctively.
That human is dangerous now. He’s no longer the insignificant worm from before.
‘Does this even make sense?’
Without making some kind of contract with the Abyss like me…
Or had he been hiding his true power all along? If so, why?
Unable to comprehend the sudden change, the Destroyer cautiously kept his distance.
There was only one reason Dohyeon could suddenly transform like this.
[Using Madness.]
[For 90 seconds, health decreases by 1% per second, and all stats and speed increase proportionally to current health.]
The newly acquired buff skill, Madness.
Depending on how it’s used, it could be a suicide skill or a top-tier, transcendent non-rare skill—a demon’s gift.
Kkuku, the guy once called the God of Berserkers, had no particular timing for activating ‘Madness.’
‘They said the most efficient moment is now.’
When health drops to 20%.
The 90-second duration can be used to its fullest at the absolute limit.
Once Kkuku activated Madness, he showed an entirely different presence from before.
Among allies, it was joked that before turning on Madness he was like a domestic chicken, and only after activating it did he become a fighting rooster.
‘Ah, now I understand why you did that.’
Back then, I’d just laughed it off, but now I understood.
The moment he activated Madness, he could feel power surging through his body.
[Health decreases by 1% per second.]
Even that continued to amplify over time.
Watching his health steadily drop, Dohyeon shouted briefly:
“Jihad!”
–Roger!
Then, Jihad, who had been hiding and observing the entire time, sprang out like a spring and activated his skill.
[Guardian ‘Jihad Black’ summons undead.]
[Summons 2 Forest Red Goblin Undead, 1 Forest Blue Goblin Undead, 3 Orc Undead.]
Shuuuuu- shuuu-
Darkness writhed across the ground as the undead emerged.
Jihad didn’t stop there.
[Guardian ‘Jihad Black’ uses Legion Control.]
[Up to seven units can be formed in a single legion.]
[Form a legion.]
[3 Orc Undead, 2 Forest Red Goblin Undead, and 1 Forest Blue Goblin Undead designated as 1 legion.]
[All undead in the legion are considered a single entity.]
[If over 50% of the legion’s undead are classified as lower-tier city monsters, mana consumption is reduced.]
The perfect skill to allow Jihad, who had struggled with mana shortages, to control all six of them.
Shuuu-
Once Legion Control activated, the units moved in perfect unison and took their positions.
Now they could truly be called a legion—it felt reassuring.
‘I waited for this moment.’
Using Madness under optimal conditions, exhausting all mana, luring the enemy into overconfidence, and managing health properly—every effort had paid off.
[Destroyer Gaimon’s health is below 20%.]
[Trait ‘Corrupted Paladin’ activates.]
[Destroyer Gaimon will now use Corrupted Paladin skills at the cost of his health.]
Now they could fight on equal footing.
In fact, Dohyeon had gained the advantage. Smiling subtly, he swung the Celestial Blade.
[Uses ‘Envelop in Darkness’ on the Celestial Blade.]
[Uses ‘Envelop in Darkness’ on self.]
[Uses ‘Envelop in Darkness’ on Orc Undead.]
[Effect applies to all undead designated in the legion.]
Shuuuu!
The undead, drenched in darkness, roared.
Their appearance alone was threatening.
Among them, Dohyeon, with black and red energy swirling dangerously around him, stepped forward.
–Riza!
Even Eliza peeked out from his pocket.
Patting her head with a grin, Dohyeon said:
“Now this feels a bit fair.”
[How arrogant…!]
1 vs 9.
No matter how you looked at it, it wasn’t fair—but what did it matter?
After all, heroes who defeat Demon Lords always rely on overwhelming numbers.
If that guy rules Brion with such absurd stats, a balance like this is only natural.
[Fine… I’ll make you regret mocking me.]
Gritting his teeth, the Destroyer reached out.
Darkness took form, but it wasn’t the Abyssal claws from before—it was a sword.
The same shape as the cherished sword Taksinel wielded.
Finally, Destroyer Gaimon was at full strength.
It wouldn’t be easy. Yet in the face of this tension, Dohyeon smiled.
“Alright, then. Let’s go for round two.”
The moment of the final battle had arrived.
How should one even describe this scene?
Shuuu!
Kwang! Bang!
Six darkness-drenched undead hurled themselves from all directions, clashing with the swords of the Destroyer and Dohyeon.
Each impact sent shockwaves across the floor, cracking the ground.
Shuuu!
If they lingered in contact for even a moment, the undead would inevitably interfere.
[Kyaaa! Filthy worms!!]
Angry, the Destroyer tried to drive the undead away—but Dohyeon intervened.
His speed was clearly different from before.
Now, he could match the movements of Destroyer Gaimon almost exactly, leaving him no room for carelessness.
But that wasn’t all.
Puk! Shick-
If struck by that strangely darkened sword, for reasons unknown, it pierced even the sturdy Abyssal armor, dealing damage.
Not just to Dohyeon, but also to the undead attacks!
Even if the undead weren’t as threatening as Dohyeon, their attacks were still a serious nuisance.
Sshick-
If he tried to focus on the undead, Dohyeon got in the way.
If he ignored Dohyeon to attack him, the undead would sneak in, clinging to him like a shadow.
Puk!
[Mark has disappeared.]
[Kyaaa!]
That was the moment for a rear attack.
A brief window to deal a powerful strike.
“Ah…”
“My goodness. That party… was necromancers?”
“Hah… not just one person. You hid your true strength until the very end…”
Priests watching the brutal battle before them were stunned.
They had assumed it was over.
None would have imagined such hidden strength at the moment everyone gave up.
Moreover, those undead were no ordinary minions.
“They’ve retained their original forms in undeath…”
“What is that darkness about?”
Their power was unlike anything one would expect from mere orcs and goblins.
It was likely linked to that darkness.
For a moment, one might suspect the Abyss—but the aura felt distinctly different.
It was closer to that of a dark-element mage.
“I’ve heard some apostles wield multiple paths of power… but this one is completely unfathomable.”
“Like a mage, an assassin, a madman, yet a composed swordsman.”
“What kind of magic is this…?”
“Anyway, that’s not important right now.”
No one could fully understand the phenomenon, but Dohyeon’s true identity wasn’t what mattered.
What mattered was his unyielding resolve.
That hope was now truly hope itself.
“May the Blessing of Courage be with you…”
“May the Blessing of Protection be with you…”
“May the Blessing of Swiftness be with you…”
To that hope, they gave buffs once more.
The first buffs were wearing off, and after giving new ones, even a little, their movements became noticeably faster.
‘No concessions at all. They were this strong?’
Gamilion swallowed hard.
The once faltering heir was gone, now pushing relentlessly.
Even the number of effective hits increased. At a glance, it seemed Dohyeon had the advantage.
But Gamilion knew.
‘…Dangerous. He’s approaching self-destruction.’
Dohyeon wasn’t holding back.
He hadn’t received fatal damage yet, but was essentially killing himself.
The buffs that made him strong were doing exactly that.
He clung to life, but barely.
‘One strike, and it’s over.’
Dohyeon wasn’t avoiding hits because he was stronger—he avoided them because any hit would kill him.
Using undead, hiding behind pillars… whatever it took.
Meanwhile, the Destroyer?
He was also using health to fight, but compared to Dohyeon, he had room to spare.
It was a battle with no retreat.
‘…I really don’t know who will win.’
Gamilion abandoned trying to predict the outcome.
It was a merciless fight with no retreat on either side.
So he prayed, unanticipated.
Prayed that Dohyeon would win this life-shaking battle.
Not just Gamilion—everyone prayed.
“To think that the fate of Brion would be entrusted to a single outsider…”
“He’s no longer an outsider. He is our hero of Brion. What outsider would sacrifice themselves like this? Let us all pray for our hero.”
“Please… may the goddess of victory favor the hero…”
Acknowledging Dohyeon completely, they closed their eyes.
All they could do now was pray sincerely.
Kill him. I must kill him.
He has to die.
Taking blows from Dohyeon’s relentless assault, Destroyer Gaimon felt the murderous intent boiling deep inside.
‘How dare… how dare that outsider stand against me?’
He couldn’t endure the thought.
Who was he?
Second-in-command of the Lyre Paladin Order, extending influence to the empire; a contractor of Abyssal power.
Without Lebed, no one here could possibly match him.
And yet, what was this guy?
The worm-like creature now soaked in blood like a madman, wrapped in darkness, changed everything.
He began keeping up with Gaimon’s speed. He was leaving wounds.
And with time, he only grew stronger.
Now he was truly threatening.
If it were only him, fine. But with those bizarre undead joining in, Gaimon felt himself gradually pushed back.
‘Damn it…!’
He grew impatient.
Not because of Dohyeon.
Instinctively, he knew he would win if the fight continued. Just one strike, and Dohyeon would die.
That prediction came true.
[Danger! Health is 1%.]
[Health no longer decreases from Madness.]
Having pushed Madness to its limit, Dohyeon was now at the edge of death, one wrong move away from annihilation.
He was performing a death-defying acrobatic dance atop a cliff.
Dropping him from the cliff would be easy.
‘If that monster appears…’
The problem was time.
Time favored them, not him.
He had to kill Dohyeon quickly, but Dohyeon was evading like a ghost.
Taking time to secure a proper kill would bring Lebed.
‘Damn it… if only my power were intact…’
For a moment, he thought this and froze.
He stopped defending, lowered his head, and remained still.
It wasn’t despair or confusion.
Only rage.
He couldn’t stand the thought of feeling this way against a mere outsider. His pride was unbearably wounded.
Crack!
Shuuu!?
He grabbed and snapped the wrist of an attacking Orc Undead, grinding his teeth.
His gaze wasn’t on Dohyeon or the undead.
Thump… thump.
His heart.
Specifically, the half-broken hourglass embedded in it.
Looking at it, he roared—and a silent wave of darkness swept through the entire hall.
[Destroyer Gaimon’s health is below 10%.]
[Entering Phase 3.]
The hourglass he had stumbled upon ten years ago…
It was the demonic clock that turned him into the Destroyer he was now.
