Before Arumbe launched tens of thousands of fireballs, Minhyuk had a bitter conversation with Alexander. He said, “How long can you hold on?”

“Two minutes at the very least and three minutes at most,” Alexander replied.

Alexander had shown Minhyuk the excellent skill during their competition in the Infinite Battlefield. That was why Minhyuk knew he could hold on for a few minutes even if he left the entrance to the fortress. On top of that, Alexander intended to use all of his powers to deal with the fragments once Minhyuk left.

Minhyuk said, “I’m sorry, Alexander.”

“It’s fine.” Alexander shook his head.

He knew why Minhyuk was apologizing. It was because the man was pushing him out so that he could protect Brod. But that was not all. His “I’m sorry.” had an entirely different meaning. But that was fine. Arumbe was someone that they had to kill right here and now.

“I’ll do my best.”

They needed to stop Arumbe, but they also could not forget to stop the from reaching Helenia’s arms. Minhyuk analyzed the current situation with a clear and rational mind. He and Alexander were already very exhausted. It would not be strange for them to be forced to logout at any given moment. The Swords of the Gods were also in chaos, not to mention Brod, who was still lying on the ground. And the same was true for Nerva.

But even if they killed Arumbe, Minhyuk knew they would still be in danger. That was why Minhyuk planned to detonate the bomb that Bichor had installed inside the fortress.

“Then, I’m leaving him to you,” Minhyuk said. He was referring to Brod. What Minhyuk wanted Alexander to do was to protect Brod if ever he was in a place where the aftermath of the bomb’s explosion could reach him.

Of course, Minhyuk would not miss this opportunity. He took the Single Target EXP Increase Potion. No one had reached Level 650 yet. A rough estimate said it would take at least half a year for someone to reach that level. Not only would he be the first to reach it, but he was also in a situation where he could obtain the Food God’s new power if he could complete his plans.

However, the truth was that Minhyuk, who was running toward Arumbe with his Absolute Defense, was afraid.

The future waiting for the players was where Helenia destroyed Athenae.

The players would grow rapidly to kill Helenia, who failed to descend with her full powers.

The Sword of Frenzy stabbed Arumbe’s heart. And because he could accurately and successfully hit a vital point, the effects of the skill were triggered. Twelve additional attacks with 500% more damage that has an 80% chance of ignoring an enemy’s defense ran rampant in Arumbe’s body.

“Keuaaaaaaaack!” Arumbe screamed. The gruesome sound resonated all over the world.

The tens of thousands of Fire Balls slowly disappeared from the air. Seeing this, Arumbe grew furious. He was angry that a human, which he assumed he need not be wary of, successfully landed an attack on him.

“Bastard!” Arumbe shouted as he tried to attack Minhyuk with his magic, just as he was about to pull out his sword.

But Minhyuk moved a step faster. Right now, Minhyuk had the power of Transcendence coursing through his veins. At this very moment, neither Brod nor Nerva was his match. Perhaps he even possessed the power to cut down Helenia.

Minhyuk flew past Arumbe. And the skill that he used? The Sword of Carnage. With the power of Transcendence amplifying its effects, this skill, which could cut the enemy dozens of times in just a split second, exerted a greater power.

Screams were ripped out of Arumbe’s mouth as the countless sword lights attacked him non-stop.

“Keuaaaaaaaaack!”

As the attacks landed on Arumbe’s body, a very unusual force allowed him to automatically send a magical attack toward his enemy, which came at Minhyuk.

A powerful lightning bolt fell from the sky and devoured Minhyuk.

Although the attack created a massive explosion, it did not inflict any damage on Minhyuk. When Arumbe, the genius mage, and swordsman, saw this, he could not help but be dumbfounded.

Arumbe had only heard about this human as a god who loved to eat. He was the emperor who went against the Luvien Empire, and the Battle God favored him. To him, it was just He believed that this human was nothing compared to him, who would trample and put the gods under his feet, and Helenia, who would destroy everything that she would hold in her palms. That was why he did not even pay attention to him.

Minhyuk slashed the staggering Arumbe.

“Keuaaaaaaaack!”

The genius Arumbe, who did not allow anyone to land a successful attack on him, was screaming constantly from Minhyuk’s non-stop attacks.

And with that, Minhyuk’s Absolute Defense was lifted.

The look in Arumbe’s eyes changed when he saw the invincible force surrounding Minhyuk’s body disappear. He stretched out his hands and spread his thin and slender fingers. At the same time, dozens of bloody red Disses fell from the sky. They were much stronger and more prominent than the Disses that Ali usually cast, falling straight toward Minhyuk.

“Keuhahahahahahaha! Ahahahahahaha! Impudent bastard!”

The power that allowed the man in front of Arumbe to use an unknown barrier was a fantastic power he had never seen or heard. However, Arumbe was confident that once that power was gone, this man in front of him would be no match against him.

But even though Minhyuk was constantly stabbed by the Disses falling from the sky, he did not falter. He continued to walk toward the staggering and stumbling Arumbe.

A Diss shot through Minhyuk’s chest. However, he continued with a blank look on his face.

“...?”

Arumbe could not understand why his magic was not doing much damage to the man in front of him.

With the current state that Minhyuk was in, perhaps it would be safe to say that he was every bit of an opponent to both Helenia and Arumbe.

Minhyuk had consumed countless excellent elixirs, medicines, and ingredients that increased his magical defensive power to a level that was beyond anyone’s imagination. Such magical defensive power would triple with the equipment of the Transcendental’s Armor and quadruple with the Black Dragon Armor.

To top it off, Minhyuk could recover some of his HP, which had already fallen below 20%, by attacking Arumbe. Unlike the fragments turned shards, Arumbe was a living and breathing person. Because of that, he was able to trigger his Slaughterer’s Absorption.

Arumbe swung his arm like crazy as he tried to bomb Minhyuk with his magical attacks. However, Minhyuk just continued to press forward. Of course, the magical damage that Minhyuk was receiving was instantly reduced. However, he still suffered greatly from the non-stop attacks that came his way. If Arumbe had not been a living and breathing person, he would have been forced to log out a long time ago.

“Don’t– Don’t come here…!” Arumbe shouted, fear coloring his eyes.

Arumbe knew fear. He had felt it when he faced Helenia and Brod. But what he was feeling this time was a completely unfamiliar feeling. It was a feeling that was far worse than fear. It was his instincts screaming at him to run so he could survive.

Three Hellfires fell and devoured Minhyuk all at once. Minhyuk simply walked out of the Hellfires and grabbed Arumbe by the collar. Then, he said, “Calamity.”

“...!” Arumbe’s eyes grew wide.

Calamity was a skill that Minhyuk had used once earlier. But he was using it again now? This was only possible because Minhyuk had used his Save skill to store Calamity. Why? Because Minhyuk had judged earlier that it was necessary to use Calamity, a skill with terrible penalties, twice.

Of course, Calamity was a power that could be dispelled. But even if someone successfully used Dispel on it, they could not erase everything. Only some of the swords from this attack would disappear, and the rest would remain.

A burning sword fell from the sky and slammed straight into Arumbe, who was being held by the collar.

“Keuaaaaaaaaack!”

Minhyuk finally let go of Arumbe’s collar and increased the distance between them using Like the Wind as Arumbe screamed his lungs out.

Around a hundred large and sturdy shields appeared to protect Arumbe. But the fiery swords slammed into the shields and broke them one after another.

A blazing flame erupted and devoured the surrounding area. Ali, who Minhyuk had thrown inside the fortress earlier, quickly ran before Brod and cast a barrier that protected him and the man.

Minhyuk breathed a sigh of relief. With Ali’s barrier, Brod would be protected.However, Minhyuk’s expression grew twisted when he saw Arumbe.

Even after receiving Calamity directly, Arumbe did not die and was still alive and well. Of course, he looked utterly horrendous. His entire body was charred black, with some places cracking and oozing blood.

As he walked forward to finish the twitching Arumbe, he was greeted with a notification.

“Ugh!”

A Diss shot out from within the fortress and pierced through Minhyuk’s chest. Minhyuk groaned louder when his HP fell below 20% with just that one attack. The damage was ridiculous to the point that it overshadowed the armor effect of the Transcendental’s Armor.

Minhyuk’s face grew even uglier when he saw Ali’s barrier disappear without a trace. He gritted his teeth as he pulled out a switch from his inventory.

“Minhyuk!” Alexander shouted. His entire body was covered in blood as he ran inside the fortress.

Minhyuk grabbed Arumbe by the collar and started to run toward the fortress. He was no hero. All he wanted was to protect those who were precious to him. He wanted to protect the world of Athenae, the world that gave new hope to someone like him who was dying from his eating addiction. The very same world that shone a bright light on his world, which was filled with gloom and darkness.

“Uwooooooh!” Minhyuk shouted. He turned to look at Brod as he continued to run to the fortress.

If all their plans worked out, then he would also be able to save Brod. However, not everything would go as planned. Such was a human’s life.

“Ke– Kekekekeke!” Arumbe cackled despite being held by the collar. Then, without missing a gap, he triggered an Explosion. He risked it even though he would receive damage, too.

Minhyuk, swept away by the explosion, was sent flying far away. As for the switch in his hands? It was also sent flying in another direction. Then, Arumbe targeted Alexander, who was running toward Brod. Alexander was also on the verge of being forced to log out.

A Diss shot out and pierced through Alexander’s chest in just a split second.

“Urk!” Alexander groaned. His pupils were shaking as he looked toward Minhyuk. Not long after, he turned gray and disappeared from everyone’s sight. At the same time, the remaining 2,000 shards began to pour inside the fortress like a river flowing from a collapsed dam. They all rushed toward Helenia.

Minhyuk, still lying on the floor, looked for the switch. The switch fell near the fallen Brod. Brod, gasping for breath, used the last bit of his strength to reach for the switch.

“Brod! This is an order! Do not touch that switch!”

If the bomb exploded immediately, even Brod would not be spared. And Minhyuk? He would be able to survive. After all, he could use Let’s Have a Meal’s barrier and get away with it. But it was different for Brod. Brod was one of Minhyuk’s most beloved and precious vassals. The man was a complete fool when it came to Minhyuk. And if he pushed that switch, he would die.

Brod’s hands were almost at the switch.

Arumbe, who had fallen on the ground, laughed maniacally when he saw his shards almost reaching Helenia’s transparent wall.

“Ke– Kekekekekekkeke! Keuhahahahahahaha!”

But then, someone appeared and kicked Minhyuk away.

“Kghhk!” Minhyuk groaned. The kick sent him flying out of the fortress.

As for the one who kicked him? Well, he also did not know why he did that. Why did he protect the emperor of the Beyond the Heavens Empire?

The man was bleeding all over his body. However, it was much worse with his missing left arm. His wound had reopened, and blood flowed non-stop from what was left of his left arm. However, he continued to move forward and arrived one step faster than Brod to the switch.

He knelt and stared at Brod for quite some time. Brod looked at the man before him with confusion and doubt. But without any expression on his face, Nerva grabbed Brod by the collar and threw him out of the fortress.

“Ugh!”

Nerva quickly picked up the switch that fell on the ground. Then, he turned to look at Brod, who was still staring at him from outside the fortress. Honestly, he did not even know why he was doing this.

A powerful force soared from Nerva’s body and destroyed the entrance to the fortress.

As the rubble fell and slowly closed off the entrance, Nerva saw Brod’s expression. Nerva could sense the question, in Brod’s expression aside from the confusion.

At that moment, Nerva recalled the words of his most precious, hardworking, and beloved vassal, Rālszd.

–

Nerva stared at Brod until the rubble blocked the entrance, and his figure disappeared. However, a bright smile was plastered on Nerva’s face, a smile that had now been completely hidden from everyone else’s view.