Chapter 196: Union (7)

Thud. A monster in the form of a mountain goat took a step. Just that made the ground shake, as if an earthquake had occurred. The sheer mass alone produced overwhelming destructive power. How strong must its body be to maintain that mass?

-This is a special gift for you.

With a confident voice, Hitler continued speaking.

Ink dripped from the sky. The ink falling in the blood-red sky began to darken the crimson hue. Soon, it enveloped the black mountain goat.

-Look.

Hitler’s tone was different from before. He looked at me with interest. I could feel his gaze. The ink enveloped the mountain goat, boosting its power.

If it had been manageable until now, the monster before us might be difficult to handle.

[Kuooohhhhh────────!!!]

It screamed. Even that act alone carried tremendous power, blocking our way.

The black mountain goat was a power bestowed upon Adolf Hitler by the Black Sun. It worshiped the Black Sun. The leader of the Nazi Empire was more of a high priest than a leader, and that black goat was a servant of the Black Sun.

What Hitler did was simple. He summoned a toy of the Black Sun that existed in the outer cosmos into this world. It’s something we couldn’t handle at our level. Only a transcendent could fight it.

“How are we supposed to win against that…”

“Retreat. We can’t win against that.”

“What will you do?”

While others were panicking or planning a retreat, Ershil asked me, as if I could win.

“Even I find it difficult.”

“Really?”

“…Well, I’ll have to try my best.”

It would be good to capture it if possible, but even for me, it’s hard.

“…It’s probably because of the Lion King. They took him hostage.”

Ershil sighed as she looked at the mountain goat. What was she talking about? It seemed Melanie inside her was spreading nonsense.

‘The Lion King must have escaped.’

The Lion King had escaped. Adolf Hitler bragging like that meant something had gone wrong. Hitler was not the type to get excited.

History showed that the high priest of the Black Sun rarely exhibited emotional disturbance. The leader of the empire, who survived turning the entire world against him, embodied this trait.

Finding an event that could excite a being almost identical to the Black Sun’s avatar was challenging. Thus, the sudden disappearance of the Lion King must be significant. He possessed that level of capability.

-Hahaha! My nemesis, Masked Man! How do you like my gift?

I thought that, but Hitler was watching me intently, his emotions unhidden.

…Why was he like that?

I was puzzled. Hitler’s obsession with me was strange. Even though I killed Heinrich Himmler, the leader of the Schutzstaffel, attracted the Emperor’s attention with diversion tactics, killed the officers shattered by the Emperor, and provoked Hitler by killing them in front of him.

‘…It’s understandable to be obsessed.’

I took a deep breath. I could not release the black flame here. My current identity was the Masked Man. Therefore,

[Special Stat Struggle recognizes the opponent as a struggle target.]

I used a different power.

Whoosh! The shadow stretched out. It cannot end like this. The Masked Man’s power is the golden flame. However, the power of faith and 「Spirit Flames(S)」 that created the golden flame do not exist.

Therefore, it was replaced with another power.

Conceptual Stat Alchemy. The power of alchemy turned the black flame into a golden flame. The power that denied everything changed.

‘This is absolutely impossible originally.’

This was impossible. The Energy of Defying Heaven was a power that denied everything.

However, the Energy of Defying Heaven, while subordinated to the black flame radiance, embraced other properties. Furthermore, with Conceptual Stat Energy of Defying Heaven reaching 100, I could change the properties of the Energy of Defying Heaven.

Flames erupted. They were golden flames in the blood-red sky, over the withered land. Golden flames confronting the black mountain goat.

[The will of the world is watching you.]

I looked at the black mountain goat, a toy of the Black Sun. However, that toy was by no means an easy opponent. It was something that was hard to guarantee killing even if we combined our powers.

[Title, Savior is activated.]

A white light descended, imbuing me with strength in everything.

-…That power?

Adolf Hitler’s voice calmed down. He seemed instinctively aware that this power was extraordinary.

I looked straight ahead. The black mountain goat was approaching me.

“Are you going to do it?”

“I have to.”

But the odds are still low. So, I looked at Ershil.

“The Lion King probably escaped.”

“…How do you know?”

“The Lion King is that kind of person. Rather than being kidnapped by the Nazi Empire, it’s more likely he was discovered by them while dozing off, got into a scuffle with them, and got lost.”

“That really changes his image?”

“That’s who he is.”

That was the Lion King.

“First, find the Lion King’s whereabouts. He will bring you to safety.”

“And you?”

A woman who had meddled with me since our first meeting spoke to me.

“I have to fight.”

“That being was made by grinding down the Nazi sorcerers. E-even Adolf Hitler summoned a terrifying extraterrestrial being to strengthen it!”

“So?”

“That, it’s like a walking apostle.”

“You’ve never seen a real apostle. If it were an apostle, we’d all be dead already.”

“What?”

Luis looked at me blankly.

“That’s not an apostle. It’s a more manageable opponent than you think.”

Of course, that’s from my perspective. Everyone here, except for Ershil, was at the lower rank.

But I was a bit different. The intensity of my battles, the number of talents, and skills were different. Even at the lower rank, I could fight and kill the highest rank.

That was me.

I walked slowly. Although I had a lot of power, I couldn’t use all of it. Such a being could not be defeated with mere tricks.

Even though I couldn’t use what I gained from the Tower of Dreams.

Thud!

The black mountain goat moved. I leaped with all my strength.

[Title, Savior starts to imbue you with power.]

White power descended upon my body, a power that antagonized evil. If I were to fight an otherworldly being, this title would grant me strength.

Even among titles, it exerted tremendous efficacy. I stretched out my arm.

The black mountain goat reached out its hand towards me, slowly, as if to catch a fly. I did not dodge.

「Surtr's Might (S)」.

The giant power symbolizing great destruction imbued my arm, adding the golden flame to it.

Boom──!!

Our fists collided. The ground flipped over. Accompanied by a tremendous crashing sound, the goat was slightly pushed back.

-What?

I heard a bewildered voice. Quickly, I created a foothold in mid-air and climbed up its arm.

Thud!

In an instant, I broke through and strengthened my arm. As the special stat of Dragon reacted, black scales rose on my skin. I wrapped shadows around it. The struggle was added.

I summoned the Shadow Knight. The power felt from the Shadow Knight was now slightly below upper rank.

It had become quite useful now.

Swoosh.

The Shadow Knight imbued my arm.

‘Eternal Heaven.’

-Yes, I am ready.

Eternal Heaven appeared in mid-air.

Although I want to use 「Surtr’s Might (S)」, it is still a bit overwhelming. It is not an ability that can be used consecutively.

Swoosh.

I drew a sword from the subspace. It was the Sword of Spring.

The power of life surged through the sword. The scent of lush greenery touched the tip of my nose.

‘I want to refine the magic with the Conceptual Stat Alchemy once more here…’

Doing so would risk exposing me as Veritas.

The Nazi Empire was currently watching me. Because all my identities were recognized as threats to the Nazi Empire.

I refined the power of life into Nyeom. The green sword energy left a wound on the black mountain goat’s arm.

‘Shallow.’

This was not all my strength. It was an opponent that required me to pour all my power, but I cannot pour all my power. However, the fortunate point was…

Squeak.

I heard the sound of something being pulled to the limit.

─────!!

Something pierced my arm at lightning speed. A spear of light, several times larger than my body, penetrated the black mountain goat’s arm. Luis gritted his teeth and raised his rapier, charging towards the goat.

-Kuoooh!

At the same time, the wounds I left began to heal.

‘At least an hour…’

Naturally, I assessed the situation. Fighting for even 10 minutes was tough, but to beat this thing, I would have to struggle for about an hour.

‘It’s a pity but…’

I looked at Ershil.

It was right to fight appropriately and then retreat after killing Luis and Roxanne.

‘It’s like getting hit once.’

I looked at Hitler.

“Hmm, Union.”

White fur reminiscent of a lion’s mane. A being in full plate mail without a single gap stroked its chin.

“Just because they are upper rank fighters doesn’t mean only upper rank would come…”

His gaze reached the mountain goat.

Even he could not take the mountain goat lightly. The members of the Union were pushing it back.

He did not disregard them. The number of upper rank fighters was extremely low. Even if you searched through the UK, you could hardly find ten upper rank fighters.

However, while he acknowledged their greatness, if asked whether a group of just seven could push back that mountain goat, he would shake his head.

Moreover, one being specialized in illusion magic.

Given that the rampaging monster tainted by magic did not respond to illusion magic, the situation was even more grim.

However, the Union was pushing back the black mountain goat.

It was due to a single being.

The Masked Man.

“He is more impressive than I thought.”

“But is it okay to just watch?”

“No, it’s time to help. I was watching because the French guys seemed suspicious…”

The Lion King stopped there and laughed sadly.

Humanity could not trust each other. Although the Union declared they would annihilate the Nazi Empire, the Lion King did not trust the Union much.

He knew their power was great. If they truly wanted to deal with the Nazi Empire, they could annihilate the Nazis.

But as always, humanity was foolish.

He hoped humanity would genuinely unite, but knew they could never truly unite.

Swoosh.

A golden sword was drawn.

“Still, if we capture that, the damn mustache guy will be delighted to death.”

“By the way, doesn’t that sword resemble Sir Gawain’s sword?”

“Ah, the Sword of the Sun? It certainly looks similar.”

With those words, the power of light spread around.

Excalibur.

There were many weapons in this world that could be compared to it. Without going far, many weapons owned by gods boasted far superior performance.

However, the true significance of Excalibur was that it was created on this star.

Gods had limitations. The weapons they possessed were the same. This restriction, whether they accepted the power of magic or not, was a fair restriction.

Therefore.

Everyone coveted this weapon. Even without extraordinary power, it harbored the strength to kill gods.

No being capable of breaking the restriction, said to be created by the primordial creator god, existed.

Therefore, the Lion King could be evaluated as one of humanity’s greatest powers.

And it was also a weapon evaluated as Ex-grade by Lee Seo-ha.

“Then let’s go help. Make the Union owe us, and give Adolf Hitler a hard time. Do Koreans say it’s like killing two birds with one stone?”

“Do Koreans eat pigeons?”

“Well, it’s still better than the French guys.”

“That’s true.”

Two beings moved to kill the black mountain goat.