‘Please! Hurry!’

[Currently in the process of declaring a sanctuary. It is at 42%...]

An area in which the Saintess was the center of the world—Sanctuary Declaration was a field spell earned by Ruby at level 300. Needless to say, the power was excellent because it exerted the power to invalidate all laws that the Saintess didn’t allow.

However, it wasn’t efficient. It was impossible to use until level 380 was achieved. It took an hour to build a sanctuary. During that time, Ruby was in a state of ‘inaction’ in place. There were even major restrictions on the use of the skill. During the construction of the sanctuary, only one skill could be used every three minutes and even that was limited to basic magic. The biggest problem was that mana and divine power was consumed in real time during Sanctuary Declaration. The consumption was so great that her recovery of resources couldn’t keep up until level 380.

However, now there was room. It was because she had raised the skill level ahead of the great human and demon war. Ruby boldly invested the skill enhancement rights that she had gained from destroying the souls of great demons several times. She decisively used what she had saved.

She wanted to help the guild. It was based on the judgment that she should use as many means as possible to neutralize hell. Based on her brother’s attitude, the Overgeared Guild was bound to carry out a major hell expedition one day. In order to prepare for that day, Ruby had raised the level of her sanctuary in advance.

This greatly reduced the time it took to use Sanctuary Declaration. Additionally, there was now the help of Transcendent God’s Holy Sword.

25 minutes. Theoretically, it was possible to complete it in 25 minutes, but that time seemed very far away.

Ruby’s heart was torn every time she saw a wound appearing on Kraugel’s body. Did he read her nervous heart?

-You are doing well enough. Thanks to you, the penalties have been reduced and I can hold on.

-Please continue to use Holy Enchant. I’ll take care of my health myself.

Kraugel sent her a whisper. He was composed despite his ragged clothes.

***

Boleron was strong. He wasn’t appointed as corps commander, but he was among the top of Barbatos’ household members. Boleron boasted that he was one level higher than Krucha, the deputy commander who used to provoke Leraje without understanding the subject or who showed greed for the throne Hell Gao had vacated. His physical ability and combat skills weren’t excellent. His innate power was only strong enough to run counter to reason. This was enough.

The power to seize and control the target’s weapons—it was the source of victory that always helped Boleron have a ‘favorable fight.’ In fact, Boleron had the most distinguished service among Barbatos’ household members. Of course, the power wasn’t omnipotent. Boleron was unable to lead the forces because he was unable to distinguish between allies and the enemies and he had to operate within a certain range of conditions. He couldn’t be an army commander. It was hard for him to build up his strength because he couldn't’ reach a high rank. Ironically, it was a case of inherent limitations due to his strong power.

Still, Boleron was always full of confidence. He was invincible as long as he had the power to control weapons. He was proud that he was the most outstanding among Barbatos’ subordinates. However—

‘This isn’t working.’

Boleron was having a strange experience. He couldn’t dominate this weak human’s sword. It was something that shouldn’t have happened. After an unexpected accident where he lost his vision, he became confused. The pride that he had embraced was shaken. Of course, he didn’t show it outwardly. If he couldn’t handle one human being simply because his power wouldn’t work, he would lose face as the household member of Barbatos, the 8th great demon.

‘There is no need to feel urgent. I lost my vision and can’t control his weapon, but I am still stronger than him. It is a lot more outstanding.’

While Boleron’s physical ability and combat ability weren’t all that powerful when compared to the other household members’, he still would naturally overwhelm humans. He might’ve lost his vision, but he could still see the path and intentions of human beings through his ‘senses.’

‘He would’ve thought he sealed the sniping by sealing my vision.’

It was a foolish judgment. Boleron focused his senses. He felt that his eyes, already cut three times, were rapidly regenerating. In order to cut his eyes, the human would soon approach again. Then Boleron would kill him.

‘Now!’ The coordinates designated by Boleron were passed to Barbatos, who was sitting on the throne deep in his realm. There was a sniper attack on the ‘location where Kraugel was moving’ that Boleron had predicted. Boleron wielded the Black Tide Fists. It was the ultimate martial arts technique to hit all points within a specific range by linking dozens of rays of demonic energy with his two fists.

However, there was no sensation of hitting something. There was no small groan or a bloody smell. Just as his blurred vision was being restored, there was a flash and his world darkened again.

“You!” Boleron could no longer hide his emotions. He roared like a beast as he swung his fists and feet in the direction of the sword a moment ago. The waves of demonic energy stretched out like a storm and crushed the environment around him.

Once again, it didn’t hurt Kraugel. It was natural. Kraugel had been fighting Mir for more than a year. He might’ve been defeated every time, but he took the defeats as nourishment to train his super sensitivity and swordsmanship to the limit. A demon’s senses—it was merely a low level ability that couldn’t touch Kraugel’s super sensitivity.

“The present day Sword Saint has no honor and no self-respect! If you are the real Sword Saint, don’t run away and fight me!” Boleron was vaguely aware of Kraugel’s identity from the moment he was unable to steal the sword and now he was convinced. He condensed the demonic energy he had spread out into dozens of rays to a single point and prepared for the bombardment. He was going to shoot the moment that Sword Saint bastard opened his mouth to answer.

“......”

Kraugel naturally didn’t respond. Kraugel was wary of the growing sphere of demonic energy that pressed this space and quietly checked his condition.

‘I need to cut back on my movement further.’

It had been 10 minutes since Boleron appeared. Kraugel hadn’t used any combat skills in the meantime. He invested his health, mana, and sword energy into speeding up his movement and buying time. However, the Transcendent God’s Holy Sword that was constantly sucking at his mana and the hell penalty meant his resources were being consumed faster than expected. It was necessary to reserve more power and hold out until support arrived, but it didn’t seem easy.

Then he saw a massive air strike pouring down from the sky.

“Keuk...!”

Hundreds of bullets poured down like raindrops, scorching the area. Each bullet that touched the ground caused a powerful explosion, creating a sea of flames. There was a rapid lack of oxygen and a poisonous fog spread thickly. It was poison with severe acidity. Every time he breathed, his organs melted and an internal injury occurred. It was a physical status condition that couldn’t be resisted. It was vicious enough to make Kraugel groan.

“You were hiding here!” The bullets were still falling and the ground was collapsing. Nevertheless, Boleron’s sensitive hearing didn’t miss Kraugel’s groan. He fired his condensed demonic energy and pierced a hole straight through Kraugel’s abdomen.

“Hahat! Kuahahahat!” Boleron’s body flowed like wax dripping. He wasn’t unharmed from the bombardment of the sky and the subsequent flames. Yet hearing him laugh loudly, he seemed to feel more joy than pain.

“This hide and seek is over!”

Boleron pushed off from the ground and flew forward. He chased after the scent of Kraugel’s blood and moved the shortest distance. He broke through the flames that burned flesh and melted bones and the poison that caused him to vomit up blood as he narrowed the distance to Kraugel.

He had a notion because he saw Kraugel running away throughout the entire battle. It was the notion that the present day Sword Saint was nothing more than a rat. He was insignificant and weak compared to Boleron. As long as Kraugel’s feet were tied up for a while, he could approach and deliver the kill...

Boleron had this ‘delusion.’ Thus, he asked Barbatos to do the bombardment at the sacrifice of his bones and flesh and used this bombardment to get close to Kraugel. It was a fatal mistake. The reason why Kraugel avoided a direct confrontation with Boleron was his role to ‘protect Ruby.’ He was only holding on during the Boleron raid until support arrived, not avoiding Boleron out of fear. Rather, Kraugel had been suppressing the urge to kill Boleron.

[Barbatos’ Sniping]

[Difficulty: SSS

The 8th ranked great demon, Barbatos, has targeted you.

Barbatos’ sniping won’t stop as long as Boleron is alive.

Defeat Boleron to survive.

Quest Clear Conditions: Death of Boleron.

Quest Clear Reward: Barbatos’ Vision (4)

Quest Failure: Level -5.]

The quest that popped up at the same time that Boleron appeared was constantly stimulating Kraugel’s hunter temperament. From the very beginning, the prey was Boleron, not Kraugel.

“I understood it at the end of my admiration.”

[Poetry that Praises the Sword has been recited.]

From the time he witnessed the bombardment from the sky, Kraugel had been aware of Boleron’s psychology and intentions. Kraugel saw through the fact that Boleron was prepared to sacrifice himself to kill Kraugel.

“I have become one after understanding.”

Thus, he pulled Boleron deeper. Although most of the bombardment could be avoided by deploying Thunderbolt, he didn’t do so. He even received the ray of demonic energy that Boleron fired at him. He also told Ruby not to use heals, but instead to keep using Holy Enchant.

“I became a sword.”

Boleron’s horns hit Kraugel in the face. However, Kraugel was fine while two epic rated swords in his inventory were destroyed. Boleron’s nails pierced Kraugel’s damaged abdomen. However, it was the sword in Kraugel’s inventory that was damaged, not Kraugel.

All of Boleron’s actions caused a series of storms of demonic energy, creating pressure that seemed to crush Kraugel. Still, it didn’t have much of an effect. Kraugel might be bleeding from his eyes and ears, but he didn’t kneel down. Before he knew it, Kraugel lost all his spare weapons. Thanks to this, time was on his side. The ground he was stepping on started to turn golden.

[Your party member ‘Ruby’ has completed the sanctuary.]

[The effect of Sanctuary has released all currently applied reductions. It is a temporary effect that is only maintained within the sanctuary. The ‘full immunity’ state will last for the next 10 seconds.]

[After 10 seconds, the full immunity state is removed and the ‘incomplete immunity’ state will be entered. Incomplete immunity reduces all weakening effects by 50%.]

“A divine flood!”

[Your party member ‘Ruby’ has given you a buff.]

[The power of the divine attribute buffs has increased and all stats are significantly increased.]

“Space Sword.”

Hell.

[The effect of Poetry that Praises the Sword has increased the power of Space Sword by 14 times!]

"......!"

It split apart. In the center of the crack, Boleron’s body was severed. Several palaces in Barbatos’ castle on the other side of hell were also cut like tofu. It was an eternal wound in hell and a disgrace. Garion, the god of earth, didn’t watch hell.

[It is a remarkable achievement!]

[You have destroyed part of hell!]

[The title ‘Cut Hell in Half’ has been earned as a reward for the achievement!]

[Barbatos’ Vision (4) has been acquired as a reward for clearing the quest ‘Barbatos’ Sniping.’]

[You have defeated the enemy along with the Saintess. The legend of the distant past, ‘the Sword Saint and Saintess,’ has been reproduced and all stats have increased by 5%.]