Debuff Master

Chapter 784

Acheron’s massive five thousand HP bars stared back at Siegfried.

[Alert: 23 minutes and 44 seconds remaining!]

[Alert: 23 minutes and 43 seconds remaining!]

He only had twenty-three minutes remaining.

With five thousand HP bars to deplete, Siegfried would run out of time before he could defeat Acheron. It didn't matter even if he unleashed all of his debuffs and his most powerful attacks.

In other words, he lacked the firepower to deplete five thousand HP bars.

“I’ll help you.” Deus stepped forward. “You can't handle this alone.”

“That would be great! Thank you!”

Siegfried’s face lit up with relief at the offer. There was finally a glimmer of hope for clearing the quest, "Pursuit and Annihilation."

“Go ahead and get started.”

“Yes, sir!”

Following Deus’ suggestion, Siegfried placed down all of his debuff fields, one after another, focusing them around the True Fated Censer.

Rumble!

Then, he activated his skill, Touch of Death, and imbued it into his weapon, the +15 Vanquisher’s Grasp.

“Oh? That’s quite a strong power you got there. After getting hit with that thing, I reckon most of your enemies won't be able to leave even their bones behind," Deus commended.

“It is my most powerful technique,” Siegfried replied with pride.

“It’s a very good technique,” Deus said with a smile.

Perhaps it was because he was the one who'd make this skill later on, but he seemed particularly pleased with Touch of Death.

“Well then... I guess I should give it my all, too,” Deus muttered nonchalantly before channeling his ultimate technique.

Wooong!

Ten glowing rings of aura formed around his right arm. They were aura blades conjured with his energy.

“On the count of three, hit it,” Deus said, glancing at Siegfried.

“Yes, sir!”

“One... Two... Three!”

As soon as the word left Deus’ mouth.

Swoosh!

Siegfried hurled his +15 Vanquisher’s Grasp imbued with Touch of Death at Acheron.

Wooong!

Deus’ ten aura rings followed, coiling around the airborne weapon as it sped through the air. It was a devastating combination. Siegfried’s ultimate attack and Deus’ unparalleled destructive force were combined into a single attack.

The +15 Vanquisher’s Grasp, containing both of their mightiest attacks, flew like a nuclear missile toward Acheron, who was within the True Fated Censer.

KABOOM!

The +15 Vanquisher’s Grasp struck Acheron and detonated, unleashing an extremely overwhelming force.

FLASH!

A blinding light erupted, washing out everything in sight.

When Siegfried blinked, he found himself in an unfamiliar place.

[Inner World: Domain of Willpower]

A message revealing his new location popped up in front of his eyes.

“Again?” Siegfried sighed in frustration.

Acheron, now clad in a pristine white robe, approached Siegfried and addressed him calmly, “Siegfried van Proa...”

***

“What the hell?” Siegfried grimaced and scowled at the sight of Acheron, who was now facing him within the Inner World: Domain of Willpower.

“Hey, why the hell are you still alive?” Siegfried grumbled.

“I am, for now,” Acheron replied. Then, he continued, “But before I disappear, there is something I wanted to tell you.”

“And what is that?”

“Thank you.”

“Eh? What?” Siegfried furrowed his brows, utterly bewildered by the sudden gratitude. Then, he asked, just to make sure, “What nonsense are you spouting?”

“I...” Acheron trailed off. Then, he sounded regretful as he continued, “I have lived far longer than anyone could imagine. Much longer than the world knows.”

“And?”

“In that endless span of time, I've been losing my mind, and I was eventually driven to madness.”

“Uh-huh.”

"I succumbed to the delusion that I could destroy this world and become the creator that will build a new one from scratch,” Acheron said with a bitter smile. Then, he added, “Looking back, you were right. I was nothing but a madman, consumed by my desire to become a god.”

“So you’ve only come to your senses now that you’re about to die?”

“Something like that. My death should have come much sooner, long before I committed so many atrocities. If only someone had stopped me back then—”

“No point crying over spilled milk. But don't you think it's a bit too late to start regretting things now?” Siegfried said curtly.

“I know. I just... wanted to thank you for stopping me.”

“Well, I don’t want your thanks. Just go to hell already.”

“I will.”

“Then get moving. Quit stalling.”

“But before I go, there is something else I must tell you.”

“Again? What is it this time?”

“As I have told you many times before, I am not the only Executor of Destiny. Someone else will rise to threaten this world.”

“And who might that be?”

“Look up there,” Acheron said, pointing at the sky. Then, he added, “The Wrath of Heaven is coming.”

“The Wrath of... Heaven?”

“The angels with blackened wings will descend to judge this world.”

“Why would angels bother to judge this world...?”

“Good luck.”

With those parting words, Acheron turned his back on Siegfried.

“Hey, what did you mean by that?”

“Just as you stopped me, I hope you will save this world from the angel's judgement.”

Acheron's figure grew fainter and fainter.

Clearly, this was the last time Siegfried would ever see Acheron.

“Hey!” Siegfried shouted, hoping to squeeze more information out of him.

No matter how fast he ran, the distance between them only widened.

“Argh!” Siegfried groaned in frustration, staring at Acheron vanishing in the distance. Then, he pouted and said, "Since you decided to say something, you should have told me everything before dropping dead or something. Damn it...”

Siegfried's grumbling didn't last long.

Swoosh...!

The scenery before him peeled away.

***

“Kyuuu!

“Hey, are you awake?”

“Are you alright?”

Siegfried found himself surrounded by Hamchi, Deus, and Inzaghi upon returning from the Inner World: Domain of Willpower.

“Yeah, I did not really get hurt or anything, so I am fine,” Siegfried replied as he slowly got up.

“Kyuuu! You got me worried for a second, owner punk!”

“Worried? Pfft!” Siegfried smirked and reached out to pat Hamchi’s head. Then, he asked, “What happened to Acheron?”

“Over there,” Deus said, pointing to where the True Fated Censer was located.

The censer was utterly destroyed and...

“He’s dead,” Siegfried muttered after spotting Acheron’s remains.

The body was grotesque; it did not resemble a human corpse in the slightest. It looked more like a shattered mannequin than a human body.

It was an unnatural and unsettling sight.

Ding!

At that moment, a string of messages popped up in front of Siegfried’s eyes.

[Alert: You have cleared the Quest – Pursuit and Annihilation!]

Then, the Soul Fragments of Apocalius floated into his inventory.

[Alert: You have acquired the Void Soul!]

[Alert: You have acquired the Almighty Soul!]

[Alert: You have acquired the Ignite Soul!]

[Alert: You have acquired the Requiem Soul!]

Siegfried successfully recovered all four Soul Fragments of Apocalius stolen by Acheron.

But that was not all...

Wooong...!

A radiant green light shone, and a golden book materialized in Siegfried's hands.

[Alert: You have obtained the Emerald Tablet!]

The Emerald Tablet, a tome containing the ultimate secrets of alchemy and the key to the mysteries of immortality, now belonged to Siegfried.

“Oh! This is awesome!” Siegfried exclaimed, eyes sparkling with joy as he examined the Emerald Tablet.

The alchemical knowledge it contained had incredible potential for advancing the Proatine Kingdom. Turning stone into gold, for instance, could propel their economy to greater heights nobody had ever seen before.

But the system prompts were still going...

Ding!

[Alert: Congratulations!]

[Alert: You have completed one of the main scenarios in Brave New World, the Cult of Chaos!]

[Alert: As a reward for completing the Cult of Chaos scenario, you have received the buff, I Am the Protagonist!]

Siegfried checked the buff’s description, and his face twisted in disbelief.

[I Am the Protagonist!]

[A special buff awarded to players who have completed a main game scenario.]

[Type: Title]

[Rating: Epic]

[Effects:

[Greater Trials: The titleholder will be forced to endure greater hardships, endlessly drawn into incidents and calamities!]

[Greater Fortune: The titleholder will experience extraordinary and unparalleled luck!]

“W-What is this nonsense...?” Siegfried muttered in disbelief. He couldn't help but feel dumbfounded upon learning that a title would bring both pain and luck equally. It felt as if he were being administered a poison with the antidote at the same time.

“Is it all over now?” Deus asked, breaking the silence.

“Yes, there is nothing else left to do here,” Siegfried replied with a nod.

“Then let’s get out of here,” Deus said. Then, while walking away, he audibly grumbled under his breath, “Tsk... I expected something entertaining, but this was just... disappointing.”

“Hahaha...” Siegfried chuckled softly and followed after him.

***

Siegfried reunited with his companions thanks to Inzaghi’s help.

The battlefield was scorched with flames, and there was molten lava flowing everywhere, which was a clear sign that an intense battle had taken place.

The expedition team looked extremely exhausted.

“Ughh...”

“I’m... dying here...”

Both Betelgeuse and Daode Tainzun were sprawled out on the ground, groaning in pain, even though both of them were Grandmasters. Of course, it went without saying that the others were in a horrible condition as well.

“Hey, welcome back.”

“Hyung-nim...”

“Oppa...”

“Y-You’re back?”

“I’m dead tired...”

Cheon Woo-Jin, Seung-Gu, Yong Seol-Hwa, Gosran, and Daytona were on the ground, unable to move.

And then...

“Eeh?! W-What the hell is that?!” Siegfried shrieked with his eyes widened in shock.

He was staring at the remains of a red dragon with its tongue rolled out. Somehow, this group of battered warriors managed to take down a Red Dragon that seemed to be over three thousand to four thousand years old.

Above each of their heads was the title "Dragon Slayer;" it shone brightly, serving as undeniable proof of their victory against the mighty creature.

“Did you.... Actually, do it?” Cheon Woo-Jin asked.

“I sure did,” Siegfried proudly replied, pulling out the Soul Fragments of Apocalius from his inventory and showing them to him.

“Well done... Huff... Huff...” Cheon Woo-Jin muttered before passing out.

“Thank you for all your hard work,” Siegfried said with genuine gratitude. Then, he bowed deeply to his comrades. He knew that without their help in holding back the dragon, he wouldn't have been able to defeat Acheron in time.

Then, he turned to Deus and Inzaghi.

“Thank you both for everything,” he said sincerely.

Deus grinned and replied, “No need to thank me. It wasn’t even that tough.”

Inzaghi smiled gently and added, “It was truly an honor. As someone from the past, it brings me great joy to have contributed to protecting the future.”

In Siegfried's eyes, these two were the real heroes of this adventure, as only a true hero would jump into such a dangerous mission without expecting anything in return.

Suddenly, Deus turned to Siegfried and asked, “By the way... You...”

“Yes, sir?”

“Who taught you?” @@novelbin@@

“Huh?”

Deus’ sudden unexpected question caught Siegfried off guard.

“W-Why do you ask, sir?”

“You just seem... familiar.”

“Haha... Hahaha...”

"And those techniques you use...” Deus said, narrowing his eyes. Then, he grimaced and spat, “They’re downright dirty. Utterly despicable.”

“W-What...?”

“Seriously, who came up with them? I’ve never seen anyone fight as underhandedly as you. Are you a coward or something?”

It was then—

“P-Pffft—”

Siegfried had to muster superhuman restraint and self-control not to laugh. He had to bite his lips as hard as he could to keep his laughter from bursting out.