Chapter 269

Chapter 269
## Chapter 269

—

**Commencement of Battle**

An open challenge to my life.

It was a blunt ultimatum: unless I debased myself by crawling through the dirt between his legs, he intended to slaughter me the second the clock started. Perhaps he felt some kinship because we both hailed from Adrium, as he spoke with the air of a man being exceptionally charitable. It was the kind of moment where one was supposedly meant to weep with appreciation for Aaron’s vast, oceanic mercy.

“I take it the reality of your demise hasn’t settled in yet. Or are you under the delusion that standing still like a statue will keep you breathing?”

“Ha! Aaron-nim, surely the boy isn’t that dense.”

“He has the face of a frail academic; does he even know how to hold a blade?”

“I bet he soils himself before the signal even drops!”

Aaron and the circle of Paladins flanking him shared a collective laugh at my expense. To any observer, I was the definition of easy prey—isolated and marked for death. I was the consensus favorite to be the very first casualty of the match.

…I imagine every one of the other 999 contestants shared that assessment. And here he was, offering to spare me from that fate!

“I have a bit of a forecast of my own,” I remarked, giving a casual shrug.

Aaron tilted his head, eyeing me with flickers of genuine curiosity.

“A forecast? You think you’ve found a calling as a seer in your final moments?”

“Before we leave this 11th floor, I’m taking your left arm.”

“……?”

“By the 12th, the right one goes. On the 13th, I’ll take your left leg, followed by the right on the 14th. As for the 15th floor…… well, I’ll decide what’s left of you once we arrive.”

“What kind of gibberish is this lunatic spouting?”

*Sreung.*
*Sreureung!*

The Paladins didn’t hesitate, unsheathing their steel and leveling the points at me. It was actually a relief; they weren’t entirely brainless. They seemed to have grasped my intent perfectly.

From the 11th through the 15th levels of the Tower of the War God, the tournament operated under a consistent set of parameters. The herd would be thinned by 10% at every interval, meaning by the time the 15th floor loomed, barely half the original roster would be standing. It was an open question whether these armored escorts could actually keep Aaron intact that far.

‘Has his mind snapped?’

The smugness on Aaron’s face curdled into a dark grimace. I hadn’t just threatened to kill him; I had promised to systematically dismantle him limb by limb as we climbed. No one takes that kind of talk lightly—especially when it comes from the man everyone has labeled the weakest link. Had I lost my survival instinct, or had the sheer terror pushed me into a state of psychosis?

“Very well. I’ll make sure your death is every bit as messy as your fantasy.”

Aaron forced a smirk back onto his face, regaining his cool. They say a cornered rodent will snap at a predator, and that’s clearly how he viewed me. It was a pity about the translated Mirror of Life and Death, but that was a phantom prize that would vanish the moment his heart stopped anyway. In the end, only the one who reached the summit of the Tower of the War God would claim the ultimate prize.

《60 seconds remain until the ‘Equal Struggle’ begins.》

*Tick, tock, tick, tock.*

The phantom sound of a ticking clock seemed to echo in my ears.

“The gods say you have one minute of life left.”

Aaron shrugged and turned away, though he didn’t go far. He and his retinue remained close, their intent radiating like heat. Their eyes were predatory. It was clear that the moment the barrier dropped, thirty Paladins fueled by bloodlust would swarm me.

‘Time for a final check.’

I looked down at my gear and allowed myself a small smile. I had actually pulled it off.

‘Unbreakable Conviction!’

This was the Unique-grade relic that once belonged to Wilhelm. Through an exhaustive process of infinite refreshing, I had hunted down every last component and hammered it into existence.

【**Unbreakable Conviction (Unique Grade)**】
Boots reserved exclusively for those with an unwavering and honorable spirit.
Requirement: 10,000 Honor
Passive: ‘Steps of Conviction (Lv.13)’ triggers during movement.
Active: ‘Divine Shield (Lv.13)’ generates during a ‘Stationary State.’
Agility increases based on Honor (1 point per 2,000).
Current Honor: 45,480
Agility Bonus: +22

A soft whistle escaped me. The description was lean, but the utility was staggering. Because I shared an ‘Honor’ pool with Randolph—a value that represented the weight of one’s soul—the stats were through the roof.

‘It’s a masterpiece.’

Only those who have walked a truly honorable path could unlock this kind of power. Between Randolph and me, we had survived enough trials to push our Honor to a level most wouldn’t dream of. A raw Agility boost of 22 was massive on its own.

However, the true genius of Unbreakable Conviction lay in the interplay between ‘Steps of Conviction’ and ‘Divine Shield.’

‘The union of motion and stillness. Controlled correctly, the synergy is terrifying.’

Mastering these boots required surgical precision. The Divine Shield only flickered into existence the exact millisecond you ceased movement. It demanded a level of battlefield foresight that could anticipate every incoming strike. And the movement buff?

‘Movement speed up by 130%.’

It was a passive that rendered most active speed buffs redundant. I could move like a gale and shatter the opposition before they could blink. By alternating between high-speed lunges and sudden stops to trigger the shield, I could turn their own momentum against them.

‘But the boots are just the beginning.’

The Golden Rule Shop had provided much more than just footwear materials.

【**Supreme Wisdom Sword (Mythic Grade)**】
【**Lu-Maria (Mythic Grade)**】
【**White Dragon’s Talisman (Mythic Grade) 2-Set**】
【**Demonic Dragon’s Talisman (Mythic Grade) 2-Set**】
【**Natural Catastrophe Talisman (Hidden Combination)**】

I had finalized the growth-centered Supreme Wisdom Sword and the composite blade Lu-Maria. Furthermore, my Primordial Armor was now slotted with six high-tier talismans, including a devastating Hidden Combination variant born from the Hidden Talisman Cube. I was as ready as I would ever be.

‘Status.’

I pulled up my final numbers.

《**Stats**》
Class: None
Strength: 150 (100+50)
Agility: 142 (100+42)
Stamina: 30 (10+20)
Intelligence: 80 (40+40)
Mana: 140 (100+40)
Remaining Points: 0

A total stat sum of 542. It was more than sufficient. I had maximized every possible avenue of growth. Just as I closed the menu—

《3 seconds until the ‘Equal Struggle’ begins.》
《2 seconds until the ‘Equal Struggle’ begins.》
《1 second until the ‘Equal Struggle’ begins.》
《The ‘Equal Struggle’ has commenced!》

…Right then. Let’s get to work. Time to show them just how unequal this “Equal Struggle” really is.

“For the Holy Mother!”
“By the Divine Blade!”

The Paladins didn’t wait. Layered in defensive wards and holy enchantments, they closed in like a tightening noose. I remained centered, my hands gripping the Supreme Wisdom Sword and Lu-Maria.

‘Amateurish.’

They weren’t using a real tactical formation; they were just a mob rushing a target. Even a predator doesn’t get sloppy when hunting small prey. I planted my right foot and lunged.

“Wh-What?”
“How can he move that fast……!”

The Paladins’ rhythm shattered instantly. They tried to adjust their guard, but I was already inside their reach. With an Agility stat north of 140 bolstered by the 130% boost from my boots, their defensive line might as well have been made of wet parchment.

*Hup!*

The lead Paladin brought his heavy greatsword down with a desperate roar. The sheer mass of the weapon should have been enough to crush anything in its path. Instead, I met the blade head-on with a direct parry.

*Kwaang!*

“Guh!”

The sheer force of the impact sent the man’s arms flying upward. He was stubborn enough to keep his grip on the hilt, but that proved to be his undoing—

*Jwaaaaak!*

“Aaaargh!”

It was over in a heartbeat. Both his arms were violently wrenched from his shoulders as if they were made of clay.

《110% ‘Additional Strike’ activated.》

The Celestial Whale Talisman had done its job. It granted a variable damage proc that could amplify Strength by up to 150%. A 110% bonus was more than enough to physically deconstruct a Paladin’s body.

“Sir Alken!”
“Slay the heretic!”

So, I’m a heretic now? Not even a standard enemy, but a monster.

*Shweeeek!*

‘Halt.’

《Stationary State detected. ‘Divine Shield (Lv.13)’ activated.》

*Jwaaaaak!*

An arrow streaking toward my throat hit an invisible barrier. It slowed down until it looked like it was moving through thick tar, then simply dropped.

*Fwhiriririk!*

A moment later, the projectile was incinerated by white-hot holy fire. There was no mistaking the nature of that defense.

“A Divine Shield?”
“That’s impossible! Is he a High Priest in disguise?”

Divine Shield was the signature of the high-ranking clergy—a miracle granted only to those of impeccable virtue and status. The elite of the Goddess Cult were the only ones supposed to wield it. They couldn’t wrap their heads around a Level 4 nobody manifesting such power.

“It’s a trick! Don’t let the demon’s illusions cloud your judgment!”
“It’s a visual deception! Stay focused!”
“O Great Goddesses!”

They belonged to the Goddess Cult, the dominant faith of Pangaea that revered the twin deities Rhea and Fina. They chanted their prayers, trying to shake off the confusion.

*Fwoo— fwoooo—*

A soft chime filled the air. The Bell of Blessing began to toll over the Paladins. These buffs were cumulative; the more they stacked, the more invincible they became. They believed their faith would be their salvation.

‘Wide open.’

I exploited the gap immediately. The interval required to channel a blessing was the fatal flaw of any Paladin. By trying to be both a cleric and a warrior, they created a ‘latency’ whenever they switched roles. They were stuck in that transition right now.

“Aaaargh!”
“Guh……!”

Blades sang as waists were severed and heads spun into the air. Two men died before they could even finish their prayers. Neither their steel plate nor their half-finished blessings could stop me. This was their second great mistake. To buy time for their spells, they wore heavy, cumbersome armor that made them sluggish. Their defense was high, but their agility had been sacrificed.

“Get back!”

Finally, the man who had been standing at Aaron’s shoulder stepped into the fray. He had finished his own empowerment and looked at me with deep irritation.

“You… Hyun of Adrium? You have a talent for the blade, I’ll give you that. But answer me: how does a creature like you summon a Divine Shield?”

I simply shrugged. How indeed?

“Let’s just say the Goddess and I are on speaking terms.”

In reality, it was purely the Unbreakable Conviction boots, but there was no reason to educate him. His face twisted into a mask of fury at my response.

“I am Bartashu. I am the commander of these men, and I am the one who will send you to meet the Goddess for your judgment. Start repenting.”

At least he was polite enough to offer me heaven instead of hell. My supposed origin in the Holy City of Adrium probably earned me that much. Of course, Adrium wasn’t actually my home. But Bartashu?

‘Like the dog from that story?’

The name sounded like Patrasche. Looking at his gaunt face and deep-set eyes, the resemblance was actually a bit uncanny.

“Endurance, Penance, Deliverance, Zealotry, Hallowed Ground.”

With every word, a new high-tier blessing settled over him. A shimmering Sanctuary expanded around Bartashu—a zone of absolute purity where nothing unholy could survive. It was clear he was no ordinary knight.

“I tell you now: you will never reach me. And you will certainly never lay a finger on Aaron-nim—.”

*Fwhiriririk!*

His eyes erupted with light, mirroring the glow of his Sanctuary. He looked like a living conduit for the divine, an image that demanded submission. Then, he spoke the command:

“This is your end. Perish in your sins.”

The Divine Word.

It was the ultimate authority, a fragment of godhood that could shatter reality itself. Not even a High Priest was supposed to be able to resist its weight.

“……Hmm?”

I didn’t even flinch. For a second, he might have thought I’d been struck dead where I stood.

*Tap. Tap.*

I kept walking. Bartashu’s brow furrowed in shock. The Divine Word hadn’t just failed; it had been utterly nullified. And the strangeness didn’t stop there.

*Sli-ide.*
*Sli-ii-ide.*

“……What is this?”

He watched in horror as the golden floor of his ‘Sanctuary’ began to fade. Everywhere I stepped, the holy ground was erased as if it had never been there. He had never witnessed such a thing in his life. Or rather, he had only heard of one person capable of it.

The Pope. Only the supreme head of the faith was meant to have the authority to override the Goddess’s power like this.

*Pshhhhhhh……*

As the Sanctuary dissolved, ‘Zealotry’ was next to go. The holy light in his eyes flickered and died. The closer I got, the faster his powers unraveled. Deliverance, Penance, and Endurance all evaporated into the air. Every protection he relied on vanished, as if the Goddess’s power didn’t dare cross my path.

“You…… you are an agent of the Great Enemy……!”

Bartashu raised his sword in a panic. If his miracles failed, he would have to rely on raw steel. He took a desperate stance and swung at the “agent of evil” who was now standing directly in front of him.

*Slide.*

The world tilted. He saw the ground rushing up to meet him. His own head was tumbling away. In that final, fleeting moment, he looked up at the man standing over him. And there, looming above my head……

‘O Goddess……! Why!’

……He saw the radiant silhouettes of the two Goddesses.