Chapter 304: The Anguish Of War

War is the moment when anyone desires peace, but no longer holds the option of rationality, thus resorting to violence. But nobody realizes that violence only serves to bring about greater bloodshed, and as this goes on, a river of blood, and a mountain of bones is our future. Although many want to stop, their sorrow, it’s been deeply unattended, and so the result is the continuation of this bloody fate

“Finally! My long last battle, and to the Knight of War no doubt. I would’ve liked it if it was the Demon King. Oh well the four of us can go on to kill him once we’re done with his lackeys– Guaaargh!”

Kyo Min Soo leaped through the ground and delivered a punch directly smashing through Gabriel’s jaw

“You got some massive balls there bucko. How about you try and beat me first? In the eyes of the King, you’re nothing,” With the help of his first strike, he manages to bring down this menace to the ground, and before they can land he ravages Gabriel’s wings

“I like to see you try,”

Gabriel suddenly shines, and it catches Kyo off guard, just as his fast and heavy dropkick sends Kyo flying. The Knight of War felt the rough embrace of the ground whereas the Virtue of Diligence miraculously remained afloat. It finally occurred, the sequence that starts with a flash, and this was a sign for the nightmares of demons to arise

[System: Due to having the audience of both sides at war, a certain skill requirement of player Kyo Min-soo is triggered!!!

Single combat: Select a representative to embody your army’s strength and lock him/her in a duel against the enemy envoy. Upon activation of the skill will trigger the following; Champion Warfare, Unmatched prowess, and Relentless chase. Once a representative dies the losing side will surrender and if the Knight of Conquest is present they’re enslaved

Ceasefire: Once Single combat is activated the War of both sides shall subside and no one is capable of interfering

Champion Warfare: The representatives shall gain an increase in their stats by 20% when they lead an army of a thousand soldiers (Max stack 10)

Unmatched prowess: The representatives are endowed with the blessing of War making them incapable of status affliction within the duration

Relentless chase: The representatives are granted access to any of their skills without cost and trigger of backlash only for the duration of Single combat]

Right from the get-go Kyo Min Soo wasted no time in activating his primary skill, Single Combat to lock him and his foe. His armor suddenly changes in contrast to his form, the helmet now shaped in the head of a hound surrounded by flames. Suddenly dozens of chains spiraled from the crater Kyo Min Soo landed on, and Gabriel avoided them in quick response

“Why are you looking at those chains where you should’ve been looking at the bigger picture!”

Kyo Min Soo had now brought his psychological warfare into the mix and confused Gabriel with his intention. The chains were mere decoys for him to get close, and now in such proximity, he hurls a new batch of chains. This led to Gabriel being momentarily bound giving rise to Kyo Min Soo dishing out one of his signature moves

“Hellborne Asunder!!!” He raises his right hand upwards with his claws pointing at Gabriel sending forth a splitting fiery laceration

“You call this an attack?”

Gabriel’s stinging words alerted Kyo Min Soo of what he truly meant and quickly he followed his instinct to escape. His attack made contact but under the veil of smoke, his foe yawned, his attack had no effect when faced with his spear. Just the sight of his weapon made him understand the severity of his fight, a spear was a weapon he feared, the very weapon that resulted in his countless loss

’For a blade, it takes ten thousand, a dagger a thousand, and a spear a hundred days for one to master. I had my duel with the boss, and there were times I almost won, but of all the weapons he used that thing… if it weren’t for a practice match, I would’ve died multiple times, the range, control, and mastery is something to be feared-’

“What’s gotten into you? Did seeing my spear send shivers down your spine? I guess your kind never once forgot,” Kyo bent his entire body to his rear and dodged Gabriel’s forward thrust before Kyo kicked his spear to divert his onslaught

“So that’s the spear…”

Although Kyo Min Soo had his trauma with the spear, the demon shared the same experience, of an ancient battle. A millennium ago, it was written that there existed an angel that single-handedly killed countless demons. None had known its features, all the records spoke of a radiant flash, and after that, a trail of corpses was found

“So you know? Then allow me to introduce myself. I am Gabriel of Diligence, also known by the name, Radiant Flash,”

Upon stating such a title with a sweet and carefree tone he suddenly disappears from his sight leaving Kyo Min Soo wondering. Although he manages to escape another close call he can’t ignore the truth, if not for his instincts he would’ve been dead. Then out of the blue, a radiant flash traveled in circles, and every trail it left was reduced to ashes except for one

“This is gonna be fun! Just how long? How durable? And most of all how will you die? I’m getting excited just thinking about it!!!”

“Two-Headed Dog; Orthrus!” Gabriel’s offense suddenly came to a stop upon meeting a greater force that outmatches his current speed

“You’re getting a little cocky for nothing. A few clean hits ain’t shit. Let’s see how you keep that title from being smeared,”

Kyo placed his right foot forward and launched himself recklessly at Gabriel with a fully powered punch. His foe on the other hand escaped to the air, just as he expected to occur and that led to the confirmation of his assumption. The flaw in Gabriel’s virtue he fully understood upon their clash and his next move would confirm his doubts

[Systems: The player, Kyo Min Soo has activated the skill called [Vengeful Blades]!!!

Status: For the skill to be fulfilled you must select an area where it lies both a weapon and what once was its previous wielder

Outcome: The area you’ve targeted gave rise to the scornful souls who died in battle, their souls now possessed their weapons]

“Vengeful Blades!!!” Kyo’s palm became the blade’s guide and so as he pointed at Gabriel he suddenly closed his palm

“Where did these blades come from? Damn it, he got me! I need to get out of here before I-”

“Chain of Restriction!”

At best this skill was a means of binding his foe, and for it to work he needed dozens, but Kyo only summoned one. Although its effect lessens the chains traveled further than what they intended to be and snagged Gabriel’s ankle. It wasn’t long for this chain to fall apart but before it could Kyo tugged with his all disrupting his foe from ever escaping

“Consider this as payback from before,” Kyo’s measly sealed Gabriel’s fate of escaping and before he knew it he got skewered by dozens of blades

“I knew it! Her hunch was right on the money. The weakness of your Virtue… the moment you get disrupted it weakens,” He leaps through the ground, and this time Gabriel is indeed superior in terms of speed but his fist makes an impact

’I can’t believe all that Skanks’s words are true, just a simple disruption would hardly make a difference. So she requests that If I tried to catch him off guard I’ll have to hurl everything to reach the desired outcome. So that virtue is stackable and it weakens for each disruption or injury dealt to the user. I have to say I would’ve been dead if I didn’t know that,’

These two were once again plunging into certain doom but the difference between their first was that of Heaven and Hell. The first was Gabriel being struck by Kyo’s blade and in a state of shock upon receiving a devastating blow. This allowed Kyo Min Soo to finally pluck away his foe’s mobility by completely tearing his wings apart as he writhes in pain

“I heard you angels can’t easily recover your wings. You can lose an eye or a limb, but never the wings. Because that’s the specialty of you chicken-winged fuckers!”

Gabriel smirks and replies.

“You’re not wrong, but sadly that’s not the case for me. My death isn’t confirmed when I lose my wings. It’s whether I surrender,”

His spear slashed through the blades and skewered his entire body and before they met the ground he kicked Kyo aside. Their distance gave him ample time to patch his wounds and prepare for their inevitable encounter. Having ravaged Gabriel’s wings earned Kyo an advantage as these two now stand on equal terms with no assurance in hand

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep