Ch. 36
Salvation (Death) (2)
'This wasn't part of the plan.'
Divine Construct.
That's a concept from the Sorcery Killing Technique. It's something that any sorcerer can create upon surpassing their innate sorcery and reaching a certain level of mastery. Such 'Divine Construct' exponentially boosts a sorcerer's abilities.
And, if one can train and master this Divine Construct well enough, the technique that is considered the pinnacle for any sorcerer in the Sorcery Killing Technique, known as 'Divine Construct Release', can be used.
However, even though Kim Dojun was well aware of this setting, he hadn't foreseen this situation at all.
'When I captured Gatura of Salvation in Sorcery Killing Technique, he never used a Divine Construct, did he? Don't tell me I'm remembering wrong?'
Kim Dojun thought that but soon shook his head.
'No, I'm certain. Gatura of Salvation never used a Divine Construct, nor did he use Divine Construct Release.'
It was the same for the vengeful spirit and the greedy one, who appear as bosses in Sorcery Killing Technique.
Malignant spirits only began using Divine Constructs from the fifth boss onward; the preceding bosses only relied heavily on their individual special abilities, not the artifact itself.
'Then why is this happening?'
Kim Dojun pondered.
"Ah."
Before he realized it, a gasp slipped out of him.
He wasn't completely sure, but there was a guess coming to mind.
'Level design.'
Fundamentally, games have something called 'level design' for the players.
It's an intentional placement of monsters by the developers to help the player adapt easily—like constructing a set of stairs to help players progress step by step.
Obviously, if a player who just started the game were told to defeat the Demon King right away, it would be impossible, so they let you start by hunting monsters like slimes instead.
Of course, even beyond that style, level design exists in many forms.
Sometimes, the enemies are set as overwhelmingly powerful according to the lore, and then the protagonist is given absurd abilities to balance the level design.
Or, otherwise—
'No matter how strong the boss is, there's also the method of weakening it to match the player's level.'
Upon realizing that much, Kim Dojun frowned unconsciously and clicked his tongue.
'I should have thought of this.'
This was obviously a world inside a game, but it was unquestionably reality.
In short, there was absolutely no level design in place for the player's convenience here—none made by developers.
'In other words...'
The malignant spirits in this world could be stronger than the ones Kim Dojun fought while playing Sorcery Killing Technique.
'Still, it doesn't change the abilities of the bosses I saw in Sorcery Killing Technique.'
In fact, although Kim Dojun couldn't use sorcery himself, the reason he was able to overpower Gatura of Salvation was not only because of his overwhelming physical specs, but primarily because he had information.
'Gatura of Salvation uses illusions.'
The sorcery that Gatura of Salvation employs are three in total: 'Paradise' (極樂), 'Hell' (奈落), and 'Pleasure' (樂).
'Pleasure' (樂) is a type of sorcery that initiates at the same time a hand seal is formed and casts an illusion on the opponent.
'Paradise' (極樂) takes a little more time, requiring both hand seals and sorcery formation, casting an illusion on the target along with three random debuffs.
And the 'Hell' (奈落) that Gatura of Salvation would use as his ultimate move in the Sorcery Killing Technique game traps the victim inside an illusion for a fixed time upon being caught, without any means of breaking free, and inflicts continuous damage until they escape the illusion.
Because Kim Dojun knew all of those sorceries, he could overpower Gatura.
While 'Pleasure' (樂) does have a fast casting time, as long as he had the spiritual tool in his hand, no matter what kind of sorcery was used, Kim Dojun couldn't be affected.
For 'Paradise' and 'Hell', Kim Dojun could also possibly get caught in the spell.
'But if you beat them up before the sorcery is triggered, that's all it takes.'
In the game Sorcery Killing Technique, a sorcery formation would appear under Gatura's feet when using 'Paradise' or 'Hell', so you could realize it, but—since the player's attack couldn't disrupt the sorcery, you were forced to be hit by it.
But now, by relentlessly thrashing Gatura of Salvation, Kim Dojun could seal away the sorcery itself.
In short, as long as Gatura of Salvation acted within the scope of what he knew, Kim Dojun could easily overpower him.
"...."
He glanced around.
Countless eyeballs were still staring at him.
Except for the places where the eyeballs were, every other area was painted pitch-black, creating a grotesque space.
Amidst it all—
[So, just how long will it take before you wish for salvation?]
"!"
Kim Dojun looked at Gatura of Salvation, who appeared a certain distance away behind him.
His appearance was unchanged.
One arm had already flown off somewhere, and his entire body was covered in minor wounds.
Bang!
Kim Dojun immediately charged at Gatura of Salvation.
He didn't know what effect Gatura's Divine Construct Release would have, but he knew how to escape from the Divine Construct Release of a sorcerer or malignant spirit.
'As soon as concentration of the sorcerer who activated Divine Construct Release is broken, the effect is lifted.'
With that in mind, Kim Dojun charged with the intent of taking down Gatura before he could do anything.
But at that moment, Gatura had already formed a hand seal.
[Crush to death.]
He murmured.
CRAAACK!
Kim Dojun's body was crushed like a tin can.
####
Kim Dojun's body was mangled, and an immense amount of blood spewed out—
Thud.
—his body crashed to the ground.
A strong stench of blood wafted from his contorted body.
But in the next moment.
Gatura of Salvation looked away from Kim Dojun's corpse and gazed forward.
There, he could see Kim Dojun—who had unmistakably died a moment ago.
Kim Dojun stared at his own dead self with a bewildered expression.
Gatura of Salvation smiled.
"Unified Death Creation" (一切唯死造)
The ability of Gatura's Divine Construct, and at the same time, his ultimate move. The sorcery created a world where he could do anything.
Within this world, he becomes god.
An omnipotent god.
No matter how omnipotent this god was, however, even here, he could not truly kill anyone.
Although Gatura could create a world completely identical to reality, it was still an illusion.
Even if everything could be felt and seen, this place was an illusion.
Death here was nearly identical to real death, but not quite the real thing.
But, on the contrary, Gatura of Salvation liked this Divine Construct of his even more.
Even if he couldn't kill his opponent—
'The pain remains all the same.'
Smiling deeply, Gatura of Salvation looked at Kim Dojun.
He watched Kim Dojun fumble over his own body in utter confusion.
At the same time, the slight grimace showed that he unmistakably remembered the pain of his previous death, and that made Gatura smile.
'How many times will it take?'
Gatura of Salvation had seen countless sorcerers and broken countless more through this Divine Construct.
No matter how much they denied salvation, it was always only temporary.
Those sorcerers who experienced death dozens or even hundreds of times here would eventually kneel before Gatura, begging for salvation.
The only escape from suffering.
That was why, once again, Gatura of Salvation raised his hand and formed a hand seal.
Wondering how long it would take before Kim Dojun, just like previous sorcerers, would kneel, weep, and beg for salvation before him.
[Strangle to Death.]
He began weaving the hand seal.
Crrrrk!
As soon as Gatura of Salvation finished the hand seal, Kim Dojun's neck was strangled, his throat crushed, and he died.
[Death by Falling.]
Crash!
Kim Dojun's body fell from the sky, staining the pitch darkness—so black not even shadows remained—with a blood-red flower as he died.
[Death by Thunder.]
A bolt of lightning struck down from above, killing him.
[Death by Freezing.]
His body began to freeze slowly from his feet upwards, meeting a slow death.
[Death by Burning.]
He died burning.
He died.
He died.
He died.
He died.
He died.
He died.
Strangled, body crushed, burned, frozen. Shot, bled out, struck by lightning, electrocuted, drowned, exploded, heart paralyzed, diseased, aged.
He died.
Continuously.
Ceaselessly.
Gatura of Salvation kept killing Kim Dojun.
Eagerly anticipating when his mind would finally break.
Expecting when he would eventually kneel before him.
Longing to hear Kim Dojun desperately plead for salvation.
He killed. And killed. And killed. And killed.
Like that.
When the number of deaths surpassed ten,
When the death count exceeded a hundred,
When the number of deaths reached hundreds—
The smile on Gatura of Salvation's lips slowly started to fade.
What replaced it was a new thought.
'How long... is he going to endure?'
Such a question.
Up until now, most sorcerers would break after dozens of deaths.
The ones with the greatest tenacity would last around a hundred.
The S-rank sorcerer he faced during his previous descent lasted about 180 deaths before begging for salvation.
But Kim Dojun, in front of him now?
'... He's already easily surpassed hundreds. But—'
Even now, every time Gatura of Salvation finished a hand seal, Kim Dojun kept dying.
Even at this very moment, over and over.
But despite dying continuously—
"...."
'-He's still... unscathed?'
Kim Dojun was exactly the same.
He did not ask Gatura for salvation.
He just stood there, accepting the endless deaths Gatura inflicted.
Gatura's expression stiffened.
With it, the deaths grew even more savage.
Burned alive then frozen to death.
Struck by lightning while aged.
Strangled and impaled by a spear.
All his body pulverized, then killed by falling.
The violence was undeniably worse than before.
Every kind of death Gatura could imagine was enacted through Kim Dojun.
But even that did not last long.
'...'
Even when Gatura's imagination reached its limits, Kim Dojun still stared back at him without the slightest change.
'Grit—!'
From that point, Gatura unconsciously clenched his teeth and only further increased the brutality of Kim Dojun's deaths.
The speed at which he formed hand seals accelerated.
The death sentences spilling from his mouth kept up with the tempo.
Gatura of Salvation focused solely on killing Kim Dojun in front of him.
Once he had recreated so many deaths that he could no longer even keep count—
Gatura could see it.
Kim Dojun, still standing in place, looking back at him.
And then.
[Wha...t?]
The instant Gatura of Salvation, unable to believe his eyes, opened his mouth—
Kim Dojun—
"So, are you done now?"
—twisted his lips into a smirk and spoke.
-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=
It was established in the beginning that Dojun is a genius of hard work.
What I get from that is that he can take a bit of beating.
Especially since he worked extremely hard to get to Rank 1 with his F-rank skill.
Also, this is the first time Dojun suffers a beating, albeit an illussion, it should still hurt.
Him being unfazed by death shows how resilient he is...
【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】