Chapter 67: Chapter 67

[Translator - Night][Proofreader - Gun]

Chapter 67: Hades’ Retreat

Ampellion swung his sword down from a distance.

The sword aura stretched out, aiming right between my eyes.

The momentum of his strike from afar is far more menacing than before.

But now, I can handle it.

Dodging to the side, I scattered lightning as a countermeasure.

When Ampellion extended his hand, the lightning got sucked toward him, making him pause briefly.

[You’ve gotten stronger.]

Raising his sword again, he suddenly step[ed forward.

Ampellion’s figure expanded in an instant.

This level of attack is manageable.

I accelerated to evade and summon the Flames Chariot to charge at him.

Meanwhile, I took potshots with Thunder God as a bonus.

Ampellion, now engulfed in flames, growled lowly.

[You’re becoming a nuisance.]

He grabbed the Flame Chariot with his hands and crushed it.

Though its large size prevents it from vanishing immediately, its presence diminished significantly.

Ampellion then tapped his body with his sword, absorbing the flames into the blade.

As expected, it’s not very effective.

His attacks are straightforward, making them relatively easy to avoid.

The synergy between my acceleration and danger detection is phenomenal, so even as Ampellion swings his sword wildly, I still have room to maneuver.

The problem is, my attacks aren’t working either.

Even with the added divine power of the Blessing of Harmony, he barely takes any damage.

[Rise, O dead souls.]

Ampellion, who had been fending off my attacks, extended his hand toward the sky.

White specters began to rise from the ground.

Some even rose near me, but Hephaestus’ Armor automatically emitted a navy aura that devoured them.

These minor attacks are completely handled by the armor.

While I’m suppressing the specters, Ampellion closed the distance step by step.

As the gap narrowed, it became increasingly difficult to dodge his sword auras.

[Hermes’ power, is it? You’re as fast as a rat.]

If I keep creating distance, I can dodge them for now…

But simply evading won’t solve anything.

I need to land a decisive blow while I still have energy.

Although I’ve been trying other attacks to conserve SP, nothing has worked, so there’s no other choice.

I decide to use Soul Energy Emission.

“Focus enhancement. Soul Energy Emission.”

Expanding Yeoui in one swift motion, I activated Focus Enhancement for the projection.

Yeoui surged and elongated, glowing pure white.

[SP decreases by 3,200.]

What?

3,200 SP?

That’s way too much!

A quarter of my total SP is gone in one move…

Ugh, I have to make this count.

As Ampellion swung his massive sword, I aimed for the gap between his strikes and closed the distance.

When I charged at him, Ampellion, about to swing again, suddenly froze.

[No… This is Lord Heracles’…!]

Heracles?

I don’t know what he means, but I won’t miss this opening.

Yeoui cut diagonally across Ampellion’s massive torso.

The sword slices through him like tofu, without the slightest resistance.

Ampellion’s upper body fell to the ground with a thud, while his lower body completely disappeared.

[Kraaaaahhh!!]

A scream shakes the battlefield.

Ampellion’s upper body collapsed, unable to move, emitting only a harrowing wail.

The sound is so gut-wrenching that it made me flinch.

Is Soul Energy Emission really this powerful?

Now’s my chance to finish this.

As I prepared to strike again, Ampellion’s body was suddenly enveloped in a crimson protective barrier.

Yeoui was repelled the moment it made contact with the shield.

“Kim Jiho, Awakened One.”

A familiar voice echoed from within the blood-red barrier.

The barrier dissipated, revealing Hades.

The ever-smirking god now wore a stern expression, unlike any I’d seen before.

“You even used Soul Energy Emission. Truly, you’re a troublesome person.”

“Hades!”

“I cannot let Ampellion perish here. I concede. I will retreat.”

“Retreat?”

What?

Hades, who had been so insistent on destroying Earth, is retreating?

[Lord of Death, where do you think you’re running off to? Kim Jiho, Awakened One, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Attack Hades! I will replenish your SP as much as you need.]

Suddenly, a light poured down from the sky.

It surrounded the Lord of Death, forming a cage-like prison of radiant beams.

Each ray carried immense divine power, gradually tightening around him.

But Hades paid no attention to it.

Instead, he cradles Ampellion’s upper body and looks at me with his signature sly smile.

[Ku ku ku. Kim Jiho, Awakened One, the next time we meet, I shall give you a proper escape skill. Consider this a demonstration. Observe as I evade Athena’s divine power. Chaos Hole.]

With a snap of Hades’ fingers, the space around him and Ampellion began to distort.

Suddenly, the desolate wasteland turned pitch black.

The Lich, wielding a massive scythe in the sky, was also pulled into the blackened area.

Then, Hades’ group vanished into the darkness.

The radiant beams of divine power, which had been closing in, were halted by the darkened space.

“Kim Jiho, Awakened One, I congratulate you on your victory. Until next time. We’ll meet again soon…”

So… is this a real victory?

I feel dazed.

All I did was use Soul Energy Emission to slice Ampellion in half, and now Hades has fled.

Does this mean the planet’s restoration was a success?

Earth’s liberation?

A happy ending?

Wow!

[Ah... how unfortunate. Hades should have been subdued when he was in his demigod form. If we had suppressed him with soul emission here, he would have been sealed for hundreds of years.]

Amidst the light, Athena's voice was heard.

Her tone was heavy with regret.

“What exactly is soul emission, for it to be so powerful?”

[It’s the most potent force capable of nullifying a god's immortality. Especially if you strike a god's avatar with soul emission, it greatly impacts their true form. That’s why Hades fled so quickly.]

“Ah, I see…”

I thought it was just a way to burn away the enemy’s SP, but I guess it has other effects too.

I don’t have much SP left, but Athena probably would’ve provided me with plenty of resources if I fought Hades again.

It’s a bit disappointing we couldn’t capture him.

But when you think about it, considering I’m somewhat tied to the forces of chaos, maybe letting him escape unharmed is for the best.

Anyway, it’s a victory, right?

“So, does that mean the Lords of Chaos won’t come to Earth anymore?”

[That’s right… They will no longer descend. The angel will explain the details further.]

Then Athena’s light quickly ascended to the sky.

Does she have something urgent to attend to?

But more importantly… oh wow!

Are we really winning like this?

I was gearing up for a proper fight with Ampellion, but it ended so anticlimactically—it feels like finishing without cleaning up after yourself.

Still, a win is a win!

[Brave Earthlings.]

The angel briefly glanced at me before slowly descending toward the Earthling forces.

Her wings of light spread widely in all directions, and grass began to grow on the desolate land.

The awakened Earthlings, who were startled by the sudden change, quickly sensed the victorious atmosphere and looked overjoyed.

[You have won. Though the extraordinary efforts of one individual played a major role, this outcome would not have been possible without the struggles of all of you.]

To be honest, I did most of the work.

But the angel is kind enough to package it well for the Earthlings.

“Did we really win?”

“Why? That Death Knight earlier was insane.”

“What did Hunter Kim Jiho even do?”

“Eh, who cares? They said we won! I thought we’d lose for sure…!”

“Wow! We won!!”

As the angel confirmed the victory, everyone burst into jubilation.

They jump around, hugging each other and crying—it’s chaos, but in a good way.

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

[This world will soon close and regenerate. You can no longer remain here, so return now. In a little while, you will be forcibly recalled.]

“Understood!”

One by one, people begin to return at the angel’s command.

Once we return, we won’t be able to come back here?

Wow, all we did was fight endlessly.

Come to think of it, if we’d held out until the orc forces and the dragon arrived, we probably would’ve seen a scene where the angel and the dragon joined forces to subdue the enemy…

But nope, it all ended with soul emission.

“Well, I’m fine with that.”

It feels anticlimactic, but hey, getting an easy win is great.

Otherwise, we’d have been locked in a grueling battle with an ever-strengthening undead army, risking our lives in a showdown with the Lord of Death.

If we’d lost or the Lord of Death fled like this after all that, it would’ve been infuriating.

“Jiho!”

“Jiho!”

It was Lee Jinseong running toward me.

Following him were Kang Shia and many others.

Most of them were part of the apostle commander units back in the day.

“What the heck did you do?”

“Well, I became a B-rank and used a new skill, right? But after one hit, they suddenly retreated.”

“B-rank? Whoa! You’re already B-rank?”

“You’re already B-rank?”

“Captain, you’re already B-rank…”

“With this, you’re officially the strongest on Earth.”

They’re all astonished.

Among them, there were intelligence personnel staring at me with wide eyes.

“Whatever it takes, we must naturalize him.”

“Even if the Lords of Chaos won’t descend anymore, B and C-rank dungeons will still be a headache. He’s an invaluable asset for the U.S.”

“Did you record the footage?”

“Yes. We’ll use it to secure a blank check from Congress.”

They’re whispering, thinking I can’t hear them, but thanks to my physical enhancements, I can hear everything.

Wow.

Should I move to the U.S. for money?

Now that the apocalypse is over, I should enjoy life a bit.

B-rank dungeons will be a piece of cake.

I’ll just sweep through danger zones and get paid handsomely.

Hahaha.

“Oh. The forced return message popped up. Hey, let’s drink like crazy when we get back to Earth.”

“Okay. See you on Earth.”

Lee Jinseong waves and vanishes into light.

One by one, the others around me disappear as well.

“Jiho, are you going to meet Lady Diana before you leave?”

“Oh. Right, I should.”

That’s right.

I need to meet Diana.

I almost forgot because we won so suddenly.

“Oh, I got the forced return message too. I’ll see you on Earth then.”

“Okay, see you on Earth.”

Kang Shia also returned, leaving the surroundings quiet.

The once-crowded Earthlings and undead army are gone, leaving only serene silence.

The green grass continued to grow lushly.

“Time to claim my reward.”

I acceleratd, running toward the World Tree.

At first, I felt dazed and confused, but the more I ran, the more exhilarating it became.

I won!

I actually won!

I managed to overcome the angelic transformation, and Earth is safe too.

Sure, the emergence of dungeons is a bit concerning, but the resources like mana stones they produce could advance new technologies.

Ironically, the existence of dungeons will probably solidify my position even further.

Cheers to that.

Feeling good, I ran toward the World Tree.

However, as I stood before it, a sense of vastness and desolation overwhelmed me.

The tree was impossibly large, and not even a single ant could be seen around it.

Where exactly is Diana?

Tap, tap.

As I kept looking around, a breeze blew past, and something lightly tapped my shoulder.

When I looked to my shoulder, I saw a wind spirit in the form of a young girl, shyly touching me.

“Are you Diana’s spirit?”

The wind spirit nodded and gestured for me to follow.

I followed the spirit toward the massive trunk of the World Tree.

When the spirit tapped the trunk gently, part of it transformed into a door-shaped opening.

The spirit gestured for me to go inside.

So, I’m supposed to enter the tree?

Curious, I opened the door.

Creaaak.

Inside, there was a soft, ambient glow and an enormous bed.

The bed was adorned with pristine white linens and fluffy-looking blankets.

And there, sitting against the pillows with a smile, was Diana.

Her smile carried a subtle seductiveness.

The gentle glow emanating from her body made me involuntarily swallow hard. Sёarᴄh the NôvelFire.nёt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

“You’ve come, Jiho.”

“Yes, Diana.”

Diana was covered with a blanket up to her chest, but she was otherwise bare.

The atmosphere was… intimate, to say the least.

“I knew you would bring victory to Kevrian, as a member of Kevrian, I felt I must repay you properly today, so I invited you to my humble room.”

Her voice was rich and sultry, and her gaze was filled with allure.

Exhale.

Though my heart pounded, a part of my mind remained ice-cold.

If I were still a C-rank, I might have leaped into her arms without hesitation.

But after being betrayed by Olympus and Loki, I’d grown cautious.

Suddenly, I recalled Elprian’s final message:

‘Olympus… Hermes utterly destroyed me… This is my last remaining thought… My final legacy has been entrusted to Diana. Please find her… And when you do, examine the seal once more.’

Elprian’s final legacy was left to Diana.

But this situation felt far removed from such matters.

Clearly, this was an attempt to seduce me.

“Jiho…”

Diana began to rise from the bed.

As the blanket slid off her, her bare skin was slowly revealed.

Gulp.

Wait a second.

Her figure was… flawless.

It felt like the cold rationality in my mind was starting to dissolve.

[The "Clear Mind" skill has been activated.]

Ah… No.

Calm down.

First, I need to check the seal.

“Inventory.”

Opening my inventory, I pulled out Elprian’s seal.

The moment I held it, green light began to fill the room.

The light coalesced around Diana.

The alluring expression on Diana’s face vanished as her exposed body was covered by the green glow.

[This energy… Elprian’s…! How could she leave behind so much power even now!?]

Suddenly, a golden apparition appeared above Diana’s head.

The ghostly figure frowned, and its breathtaking beauty left me speechless.

Wow.

I’ve never seen anyone so stunning.

She was even more beautiful than Diana or Aurelia.

The thought struck me: “There’s no way a more beautiful woman could exist.”

Who on Earth is she?

[You… How can you be so dense, even when it’s all laid out for you? Fool!]

Instead of explaining, the ghost scolded me, then disappeared.

Though I had no idea why she was so angry, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of regret as she vanished.

“A-ah!”

Diana suddenly let out a cry and covered herself with the blanket.

Right.

That’s the normal reaction.

But for some reason, the words, “How can you be so dense?” echoed in my mind.

“Are you okay, Diana?”

“Ah… Jiho… I… I’m fine. I can’t believe my memories were all distorted… That I forgot Elprian…”

She slumped to the floor, stunned, mumbling to herself.

The green light that had surrounded her now lined the walls, forming a protective barrier.

I stood there awkwardly, unsure of what to say, as a few minutes passed.

Suddenly, Diana’s expression grew resolute, and she sprang to her feet.

The blanket fell to the ground.

Her radiant body was fully exposed once more.

“If we don’t act now… Jiho, you’ll be in grave danger.”

“Uh… Diana?”

“Jiho, let’s continue what we started earlier. It’s a necessary step.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“That! I mean…”

Diana seemed frustrated as she shouted:

“Oh, come on! I mean sex! We need to have sex!”

[Translator - Night]

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