Chapter 331

Chapter 331
## Chapter 331

—

It all came down to this specific benefit.

As long as I remained within this boundary, every one of my “resistances” received a significant boost. This meant that any incoming damage—whether from physical strikes, magical spells, or the myriad of other mystical forces—would be cut in half.

That alone was a staggering advantage, but there was more.

‘I possess a baseline for physical defense.’

Because of the **Primal Armor**, I benefited from a “Minimum Physical Resistance 50%” modifier. Essentially, it guaranteed that I wouldn’t perish or suffer catastrophic internal failure from raw kinetic force.

In the middle of my silent calculation, Priest Andrew spoke up with a visible tremor in his voice.

“Is it true… that you have shed the identity of **Randolph**?”

“…?”

“You don’t have to explain. I think I understand why.”

…What exactly did he think he understood? Did he assume I was hunkering down here simply because I was “terrified”? That I was just looking for a guaranteed safe zone?

While that was a logical assumption for an outsider, my reasons for staying put were entirely different. I cast my gaze toward the horizon and spoke.

“He has finally arrived.”

Far off in the distance, right at the celestial edge of the star.

“Hup…!”

Priest Andrew gasped, his face pale with dread as he spotted our visitor.

*Thud!*

*Ruuuumble!*

A massive, intimidating figure emerged, kicking up clouds of grit and debris.

《The **Giant of Ruin-Demolition** has entered the battlefield!》

He had come. And he had come alone, as if his presence by itself was an absolute conclusion to the conflict. I watched the **Giant of Ruin-Demolition** approach.

‘Just like I thought—he’s the type who only knows how to charge head-on.’

A thin smile played on my lips. Everything was unfolding precisely as I had mapped it out.

**Supreme Unique Grade.**

The **Giant of Ruin-Demolition**.

Having encountered him once back in **Kramdel**, I was certain of his temperament. A creature like him would undoubtedly storm this position without waiting for reinforcements. He had done the exact same thing when he was systematically dismantling **Ahram**, the King of the Dead. He was a monster who functioned like a living tactical warhead, dropping into the heart of an enemy formation and crushing everything beneath his feet. His raw power was the kind of thing that made your skin crawl just by being near it.

“I have no desire to draw blood against a Druid who has grasped the ultimate truth. If you submit now, this can end without further violence,” the **Giant of Ruin-Demolition** rumbled.

The fact that he had offered a peaceful resolution twice suggested a genuine reluctance to fight. However, it clearly hadn’t crossed his mind that *he* might be the one to yield. Then again, it was almost impossible to imagine a world where the **Giant of Ruin-Demolition**, the undisputed tyrant of the front lines, would ever surrender.

“You’re far too talkative.”

*Shing.*

I drew my twin blades with a sharp metallic ring.

【**Ru-Maria**】

【**Ultimate Transcendent Sword**】

**Ru-Maria** was a divine armament of the combination type, while the **Ultimate Transcendent Sword** was a growing weapon that had yet to reach its peak. The latter evolved by drinking the lifeblood of its foes. The more potent the blood it consumed, the more powerful the attributes it would unlock upon its final awakening. The blood of the **Giant of Ruin-Demolition** was, without question, a top-tier catalyst for that growth.

‘The **Path of Light** only triggers against true malice. It’s the wrong tool for a clash with the **Giant of Ruin-Demolition**.’

Among my gear was also the Unique-grade weapon I’d earned for my tournament victory—the **Path of Light**—but it wasn’t suited for this specific opponent. For this duel, these two swords would suffice.

“…Do not hold a grudge against me, O **Druid of the Golden Rule**.”

*Fwoosh.*

The **Giant of Ruin-Demolition** swung his massive club in a staggering lateral sweep.

Then—

*Kra-koooom!*

The weapon’s shaft elongated instantly, closing the gap until it was mere inches from my face.

*Chwa-reung!*

I attempted to parry the strike immediately, but—

‘Hup!’

The sheer momentum was overwhelming. Even for a being at the apex of strength, this was absurd. I couldn’t deflect it away.

*Ruuuumble!*

The earth beneath my boots shattered and sank, yet I managed to absorb the impact of the blow directly.

“It seems your reputation isn’t just empty talk,” the **Giant of Ruin-Demolition** remarked, his eyes widening slightly in surprise.

I was equally stunned.

‘He has armor penetration.’

Between my 50% minimum physical resistance and the additional 50% universal resistance from the **Star of the Beginning**, I should have been virtually untouchable by physical force. But the protection wasn’t absolute. My palms were buzzing with needles of pain, and my muscle fibers felt like they were under extreme tension. He clearly possessed a high tier of physical penetration.

‘Roughly 20%.’

Even with only 20% of the force getting through, it felt like my skeletal structure was on the verge of splintering. I had withstood the first hit, but a rapid succession of such blows would be a disaster.

“Priest Andrew.”

I shifted my gaze slightly toward him. He was staring at me, his eyes wide with terror. To the man who was currently paralyzed with shock, I gave a simple command.

“**Revere** me.”

“…!!!”

Andrew’s eyes bulged. A look of deep hesitation clouded his features.

“I-I am a fallen soul… I have lost the divine grace of the goddess…”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“But…!”

“I told you, it’s fine.”

“…”

Priest Andrew squeezed his eyes shut. The reason for his fall was likely tied to **Elder Aruwen**, whose fate remained a mystery thanks to the **Dark Elves**. The second he had allowed thoughts of vengeance to take root, he had been severed from the goddess’s light. What weight could the “reverence” of a disgraced priest possibly carry? A fallen cleric was essentially an outcast. In exchange for the dark power he had grasped, he could no longer walk the holy path or find solace in the goddess’s embrace.

‘Now… he wants me to speak the prayer of devotion?’

A sudden wave of familiarity washed over Andrew. He remembered a previous encounter where he had offered the **Prayer of Reverence** to **Randolph**. It was an act of total self-abnegation, a rite reserved for the highest echelons of the clergy who could commune with the divine. Normally, praising the goddess carried no price, but directing that level of devotion toward a mortal turned the prayer into a sacrificial pact. To ask a High Priest to revere anyone other than the deity was practically a death sentence. The risk of expiration was even higher if the subject was unworthy.

Yet, he had revered **Randolph** once and had been “redeemed” by the act, despite the inherent sin of the gesture. Of course, things were different now—he was already fallen, and the man before him wasn’t **Randolph**. Furthermore, a fallen priest’s reverence could easily manifest as a lethal curse.

Regardless, Priest Andrew took a shaky, deep breath.

“O Goddess of infinite grace, O Holy Spirit of eternal glory, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be…”

He locked his fingers together and began the incantation. He did so with every ounce of fervor he possessed, channeling the heart of the devoted servant he used to be.

Suddenly—

‘Ah…!’

A pillar of radiance erupted from Andrew’s chest. It was a surge of pure, hallowed energy—the power of a Saint, a gift he believed was gone forever. The light was even more blinding and intense than it had been during their first meeting.

“H-how is this possible…”

His hands shook. Even while witnessing it, he couldn’t process the reality of the situation. It wasn’t just the return of his holy power that stunned him. It was the vision of **Park Hyunmyeong** standing before him.

It was even more profound than when he had offered his devotion to **Randolph**.

“**Lea**? Lady **Pina**?”

The forms of the two goddesses manifested with such clarity that even the **Giant of Ruin-Demolition** stumbled back in shock. They appeared behind my shoulders like a pair of ethereal wings. As the prayer reached its crescendo, the two deities leaned in and pressed a kiss to my cheeks.

The **Giant of Ruin-Demolition** flinched, his composure breaking.

“…How can a Druid carry the **Blessing of Creation**?”

**Creation.**

That was a title bestowed only upon an individual recognized by both goddesses who shaped the firmament and the soil. Such a blessing was restricted to a single soul. The bearer of this mark was the designated heir to the “Divine Will,” meaning that anyone who acted in the goddesses’ names could never raise a hand against him. Those who drew their strength from the twin deities were fundamentally barred from hostility. It was the **Blessing of the 0th Rule**, placing the bearer on a functional level equal to the goddesses themselves.

The paradox was that the recipient was a Druid. Even if he was the **Druid of the Golden Rule** and the warden of the **World Tree**, that specific grace…

‘A blessing even I have never been granted…’

As a **Star Guardian** tasked with protecting the goddess and her celestial domain, the **Giant of Ruin-Demolition** had only been granted the **Blessing of the 1st Rule**. While that was the highest honor a Guardian could typically hope for, it paled in comparison to this. No one believed the **Blessing of Creation** had actually been passed down. It was thought to be a myth.

Yet here it was, held by a Druid instead of a Guardian.

‘The **0th Rule**. He is bound by no laws, yet he commands all the authority and privilege.’

Every **Star Guardian** receives a divine mark. The number associated with the rule dictates the strict conditions one must follow to maintain that “blessing.” The **Blessing of the 1st Rule** held by the Giant meant his power remained only so long as he adhered to one absolute commandment.

That commandment was:

‘…The 1st Rule: To eradicate all evil.’

This was what had forged him into the **Giant of Ruin-Demolition**. He had spent his existence crushing every “evil” in his path, yet his reward was an authority that couldn’t touch the **Blessing of Creation**.

And so…

“This is fascinating.”

A grim curiosity took hold of him. He wanted to test the limits of a Druid who carried such a divine mandate. Crucially, the **Giant of Ruin-Demolition** hadn’t become powerful because of a title; he had been a force of nature from the very start. He was capable of striking me down without a second thought.

*Fwoooosh—*

The Giant swung his club once more.

*KUUUU-AAAAAAANG!*

The force was monumental, far exceeding his previous attempts.

The moment the aura of reverence settled over me, my holy blade, **Ru-Maria**, began to glow with a blinding intensity.

《Inspired by the Saint-tier reverence, **Ru-Maria** radiates brilliant light.》

《The weapon has evolved into **Brilliant Ru-Maria (Unique Grade)**.》

《The “Brilliant” prefix on **Ru-Maria** provides a temporary surge to all holy power.》

《All resistances have been boosted by 10%, and total penetration has risen by 5%.》

《**Natural Regeneration** has been amplified by 1.2x.》

《**Natural Regeneration** has exceeded a threshold of 25,000%.》

《You have unlocked the singularity: **Ultra Regeneration**.》

I had become significantly more durable, and my wounds were now knitting together at an impossible speed.

‘This is winnable.’

The soreness and fatigue from the earlier strike had already vanished. It was exactly as described—a recovery speed that transcended common logic. I didn’t actually need to kill him or even force a surrender. I had one goal.

‘…I just have to stall.’

I only needed to hold him here until my allies had finished their “conquest” of the other stars and the remaining **Star Guardians** were neutralized. If I could simply keep him occupied, the victory would be mine.

The longer the battle raged, the more the clashes intensified. The **Giant of Ruin-Demolition** found his frustration growing.

‘His offensive output isn’t the problem…’

The real issue was the Druid’s defense and his absurd rate of healing. No matter how many punishing blows landed, the man simply took them and repaired himself. The Giant had never encountered an opponent who could weather his assault with such stubbornness. Even with the **Star of the Beginning** active, this was abnormal. The Giant possessed his own penetration attributes to bypass defenses, yet it felt like his strikes weren’t reaching their full potential.

‘I can’t seem to push the damage past a certain limit.’

It was baffling. Moreover, as the minutes ticked by, it was the **Giant of Ruin-Demolition** who began to accumulate more visible injuries. At this rate, a decisive victory would take days, and the incremental damage he was suffering was starting to outweigh what he was dealing. It was like being incessantly jabbed by a needle. Meanwhile, his opponent could have an arm snapped and see it reset to perfection within three seconds. Unless he could completely vaporize the Druid, that regeneration was an insurmountable wall. He had never seen anything like it.

“…Umm!”

The growing number of nicks and scratches on his hide felt like a deliberate insult. The Giant’s temper began to simmer. He lost track of time, consumed by the singular drive to shatter the **Druid of the Golden Rule**.

‘He’s gaining the upper hand.’

Suddenly, the **Giant of Ruin-Demolition** realized that *he* was the one being pushed back. The reason became clear as the system alerts echoed:

《The **Knight Order of the Golden Rule** has completed the conquest of the **Field of Stars**.》

《The Knight Order’s passive effects have doubled.》

《HP regeneration and physical penetration have increased by 200%.》

《200 stat points have been randomly assigned and permanently increased.》