TOP 46

Chapter 46

Finishing Blow

“Hmm?”

Paladin 88, who was busy slicing through the limbs of the New Cherry Guild hunters, suddenly felt a strange sensation and looked around.

“Could it be… that the laborers got the better of me?”

It wasn’t hard to figure out the source of the unease.

Im Gaho, who had insisted on killing the laborers instead of reforming them, had failed.

“Tsk. What a fool.”

Paladin 88 had intended to draw the New Cherry Guild into the Goddess’s fold, but clearly, some people were simply inept.

Still, Im Gaho was a devotee—of the Goddess Gaia.

“Having killed a devotee, you’ll have to atone for your sins.”

These fools weren’t worthy of the Goddess’s grace.

So, Paladin 88 threw the Saint Hammer he held in his hands.

Whoooosh—Fwoom—

He was certain this single blow would crush the lifelines of the laborers.

But—

Ka-ang!

“?”

One of them wasn’t just dodging—it struck the sacred hammer with an Aura Thread!

A laborer who was a 5-star hunter?

Paladin 88 was dumbfounded.

“Ah, that explains why Im Gaho got defeated.”

He soon understood but wasn’t pleased.

If he had known, he wouldn’t have sent them to die.

He should have reformed them to make them loyal to the Goddess.

What a waste.

But the past was past.

Those laborers had to die.

Killing a devotee was a grave sin.

Paladin 88 reached out to retrieve the Saint Hammer.

Clink!

The Goddess’s immense power pulsed through his hand.

With this power, he could strike the laborers again—

“No.”

A better idea came to mind.

He looked around.

The prospective devotees groaned, their limbs severed.

It would be better to let them, once reborn as true devotees of the Goddess, carry out this glorious task.

To punish those who dared kill the Goddess’s servants.

Fortunately, the laborers were too terrified to act.

There was plenty of time.

“Ugh.”

Paladin 88 gathered the New Cherry Guild hunters into one place.

There wasn’t much resistance.

Any defiance was easily suppressed by cutting off another limb, restoring silence.

Facing the assembled prospective devotees:

“Judgment.”

He used his skill.

Those without faith in the Goddess would suffer, and those who followed her would be blessed.

“Ugh, ughaaah!”

“Arghhh—!”

“Ahhh! Aaaaaaah!!!”

Could the cries of the damned in hell sound any worse?

Nine hunters screamed in agony.

Paladin 88 silently prayed.

May they be freed from this hell, and reach the blessed world he inhabited.

Then, one hunter’s severed limb began to regenerate.

“Oh!”

Paladin 88 shouted joyfully.

“Brother! Welcome.”

“Ugh… aaaah…!”

“This is the Goddess’s grace.”

The risen hunter planted his two newly restored legs on the floor.

His expression radiated pure ecstasy.

“I offer everything to Goddess Gaia. She is the driving force of my life, my light.”

“Excellent, brother. I grant you the honor of punishing these heretics.”

“Thank you. With pleasure.”

The hunter, who had the least resistance to the Gaia faith, was the first to succumb to Judgment.

Judgment inflicts immense pain on those who resist Gaia and grants great blessing to those who accept her.

This excruciating suffering could be ended with a simple change of heart.

One by one, the others followed.

“Goddess!”

“Please forgive my foolish past…”

They submitted to Judgment.

Their bodies were restored, and they became fanatical devotees.

And—

‘Damn.’

All of them drew their weapons, ready to kill Yujin and Yoon Jiho.

[The user’s soul has been imprinted with the “Mana Loan” skill.]

Acquiring the Mana Loan skill, I realized immediately:

‘Using this skill doesn’t instantly restore mana.’

It would take time to recover three months’ worth of mana.

Normally, it would have been instantaneous, but:

• Mana Overload increased recovery tenfold.

• Mana Overload also removed any cap on my maximum mana.

• The skill synergized with Mana Overload, tripling its effect.

‘All thanks to my unique traits.’

Anyway, it would take time before the Mana Loan was complete.

Then—

Whoooosh—Fwoom—

Paladin 88 threw his light hammer.

The target: me.

‘Damn. He’s drawn aggro.’

I wished he’d ignore me until I recovered.

Thinking that, I parried the hammer.

Ka-ang!

I activated Mana Loan immediately.

Shwhaaak—!

Mana surged instantly.

‘About 10,000 per second…’

With roughly 800,000 mana to recover, it would take 80 seconds.

At least the temporary reprieve meant:

“Brother, he doesn’t seem to care about us for now.”

Paladin 88’s aggro had momentarily shifted.

It only bought us a little time.

“Let’s use this chance to escape…”

Bang!

“Eek!”

Escape was impossible.

Whatever his plan, the paladin blocked all our attempts.

‘What is he doing?’

So, I just observed him.

I couldn’t run anyway.

Fighting would have to wait until my mana recovered.

All I could do was watch.

“…!!”

What I saw was shocking.

The creation of Gaia fanatics.

Breaking one’s mind through torture.

‘I knew about the Judgment skill… but seeing it is shocking.’

Those in agony were instantly healed, their faces filled with joy.

They revered those who caused their pain.

The sheer grotesque intensity inspired a strange fear.

And:

“I grant you the honor of punishing these heretics.”

“Thank you. With pleasure.”

“…So that’s how it works.”

From their conversation, it was clear: he planned to let the newly devout hunters kill us.

“I won’t submit to such monsters.”

Yoon Jiho gritted his teeth, drawing his sword.

But it seemed reckless.

He was at best a 4-star hunter, facing eight 5-star fanatics.

‘…Damn.’

All except Shin Chaeri had become fanatics, weapons raised at us.

‘Can I even do this?’

Facing eight 5-star hunters without using One Punch.

Even one-on-one would be tough—eight was insane.

But we had no choice.

“Heretics! I will not forgive you!”

“I will offer your necks to the Goddess!”

The fanatic hunters charged.

“Jiho.”

“Yes, brother.”

“Doesn’t your trait give you a boost in critical situations?”

“No.”

“A hero of justice, yet no hero cliché bonuses, huh.”

I lightly adjusted my grip on the Everfrost Sword.

And we clashed.

Zshhh—!

Clang-Clang! Krrrak!

We parried, deflected, and dodged with insane speed.

“Don’t get surrounded!”

In multi-opponent combat, mobility was key.

It was easier said than done.

Yoon Jiho struggled to move properly, trapped among 5-star hunters.

As the fanatics lunged:

‘Frill, Golem!’

I unleashed hidden powers.

Ice Storm!

Boom! Crack!

The golem crushed a hunter immediately, and Frill used an ice AoE.

Whoooosh—

The ice storm restricted the fanatics’ movement.

The 5-star Mithril Golem wreaked havoc.

Boom! Boom! Kaang!

I did the same, wielding the Everfrost Sword wrapped in Aura Thread, striking everywhere.

Momentum shifted in our favor.

We used everything—Yoon Jiho as bait, hidden powers Frill and Mithril Golem.

Frill absorbed ice, gaining 4-star combat power, and Mithril Golem provided energy backup.

Without them, there was no way to turn the tide.

‘Good. If this goes as planned…’

Neutralize the fanatics and land a One Punch on Paladin 88.

But as always, life doesn’t go as planned.

“Saint Recovery.”

Paladin 88 spoke quietly.

Fwaaaah!

A blinding light healed the fanatic hunters.

‘Damn. Cheat much?’

Gaia’s sacred magic was absurdly overpowered.

All the momentum we gained…

…was gone.

Hopeless.

And to make matters worse:

“Oh my, brothers, please step back.”

Paladin 88 approached with calm authority.

“You underestimated mere laborers. My apologies.”

“So you’ll spare them?”

“Sadly, no. Unless you hadn’t killed our brother Im Gaho. Devotee murder is a grave sin.”

I tried bluffing faith in Gaia, but it was pointless.

“Thus, I’ll personally punish these heretics.”

“…”

“Consider it an honor.”

Paladin 88 stood before us, sword in one hand, glowing hammer in the other.

“…Alone?”

“We can’t risk our brothers dying, can we?”

He smiled cheerfully.

Then:

“Arghh! Brother! Run!”

Yoon Jiho charged to draw Paladin 88’s aggro.

Bang!

“Tsk. There’s an order to things.”

He was knocked away, but:

“Seems your ally tried to buy time… useless.”

The paladin chuckled.

“Had some skill, but a pity.”

He ignited his Aura Blade, a tightly bound crystal of mana.

A 7-star Paladin who could adjust the blade’s length.

I stared him down.

And said:

“Come at me, bastard.”

“Ha! Haha! Mouthy, huh? As you wish.”

The Aura Blade charged with lethal speed.

It wasn’t easy to react.

But paradoxically, I thought:

‘Life doesn’t tell me to die!!’

I clenched my mind to hide a grin.

Why?

‘One Punch!’

[‘Divine Power: One Punch’ skill activated.]

[Mana 782,614 consumed.]

The boss had come to me, and I had my ultimate close-to-instant-kill move ready.

Goooosh—

“!? Insane—”

Paladin 88 twisted in horror as he sensed the massive mana.

“It’s too late, punk!”

The One Punch skill was unleashed.

A finishing blow of absolute destruction.

THWAKKK—KRAAAAKKK-BOOOOM!!!!