Episode 216: Nidhogg (3)
[This is the first.]
Chaeng-Geurang!
Jaehyun’s eyebrows narrowed as he heard the harsh explosion that accompanied the voice.
Then, the thread of magical power extending from his hand cuts the boundary of the field into pieces and divides it into several sections.
A skill that intervenes in the enemy’s magic and returns it to nothingness. This was one of Jaehyun’s specialties.
―Active skill «Absolute Calculation».
The shards of broken magic scatter like glass, and Jaehyun’s hair blows.
A silence fell over the black hair that sat down gently.
“ha… … .”
Jaehyun took a deep breath and reflected on his situation.
‘With this, absolute arithmetic can no longer be used. Magic power is limited.’
Nidhogg’s breath was much stronger than the first encounter. Thanks to this, his reappearance was in a situation where he had to revise some of his plans.
The breath that Nidhogg fired first was the power of the 2nd stage of Divine Liberation.
However, the one that flew into him a while ago possessed the power equivalent to a whopping 3rd level.
Jaehyun felt his hands tremble from magic of power he had never experienced before.
Now, inevitably, in the remaining two attacks, Jaehyun had to use his wits.
It is impossible to block his attacks with only physical defense. From now on, it would be difficult if he did not find the best move he could and engage in battle.
[The first one was blocked in a standard way. But you’d better not rely too much on that skill.]
Nidhogg said excitedly, clutching his huge claws. He had an expression that he couldn’t stand the current battle because he was happy.
Jaehyun frowned and asked.
“What do you mean?”
[Your absolute arithmetic is magic that forcibly dissipates magic. Because of this, there is a major drawback in that it consumes too much mana.
Just like you are now.]
‘… … Did you notice it too?’
Nidhogg had already figured out that Jaehyun couldn’t use absolute arithmetic anymore.
he was
[Remember. Absolute arithmetic may be effective against weak opponents, but it is not very effective in fighting against mythical beings.
Even if it’s Odin, the magical power that one being can use is limited.]
Nidhogg prepared his breath once again. A second attack that leaves no gap.
This was again an even stronger force.
he laughed.
[Then, the second.]
The same breath as the first time came out of Nidhogg’s mouth.
However, the situation was clearly different from the moment before the surprise attack.
before the next attack. Jaehyun had plenty of time to think.
Also, he was already thinking about how to block the next attack.
Fire!
The poisonous breath mixed with impurities rapidly reduces the distance between Jaehyun and him.
Jaehyun immediately aroused magic. He prepared to block the enemy’s breath by operating magic close to the limit he could draw out.
[How stupid! It’s too much magic for you to stop!]
“It’s something you have to know.”
Jaehyun laughed at that.
Gying!
It was then.
With the sudden birth of huge magical energy, the ground around Hvergelmir began to vibrate.
at the same time.
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa!
The water surface of the spring was distorted, and a column of water of enormous water pressure gushed out from the depths. They collided with each other and created a rough whirlwind.
―Activate the effect of the artifact 《Essence of the Sea》.
The whirlpool that was created before I knew it gradually grew in size and gathered in one place.
Particles of water condensed in front of the representation’s eyes. It was building a defensive line in a circle, as if to protect the representation.
[this… … !]
Nidhogg let out a sigh.
Then, the whirlpool and the dragon’s breath collided.
Quaang!
A huge roar erupted.
Shaaaaaa!
By the time the sound of the explosion had died down, the plume of water that had risen to the ceiling was falling like rain. Visibility is slightly obscured by steam.
Nidhogg looked at Jaehyun with a shocked expression.
‘The adversary. Did you intend to use the lake’s water from the start? Knowing that water property attacks are highly effective against poison property breaths?’
It reads the information of the field in a short moment and implements it as magic.
This is difficult for anyone.
However, the adversary in front did a great job.
Calmly without being afraid of his own breath, which is the third stage of divine liberation.
Nidhogg became more and more interested in him and prepared for a final breath.
His two eyes wake up with a sense of selfishness, and they burn fiercely towards the opponent in front of them.
At that moment, Jaehyun smiled.
“Is there only one left?”
* * *
‘I will put more power into the final breath, and somehow make the opponent feel frustrated! Lethargy in front of overwhelming power!’
Nidhogg looked at Jaehyun thinking so. It is because he himself became feverish at the shocking response of his adversary a moment ago.
By the way, the reason he was trying to keep Jaehyun in check was simple.
‘Because everyone needs defeat and setbacks in order to grow further.’
Nidhogg wanted to give the adversary a new ordeal.
When he thinks, Jaehyun has been stepping on the Silk Road so far. He thought that he had become stronger by clearing only certain quests.
Of course, this was a great misunderstanding.
As Nidhogg, he didn’t know how much bloody life Jaehyun had lived, so it was a quick decision.
He was surprisingly naive, which made him sometimes not believe in anything he hadn’t seen with his own eyes.
because. After a minor misunderstanding, Nidhogg decided to test the adversary.
The condition of the quest that Idun gave to the opponent was his own recognition.
According to the original promise, during the second stage of Divinity Liberation, the power should not be released anymore. It was because it had been talked about like that with Idun and the other half Aesir priestesses from the beginning.
However, when he met the adversary in person, he changed his mind. He was burned by the battle with him, and he wanted to see with his own eyes the worth of his opponent.
‘Experience defeat. If you do that, you will be able to know the opponent’s vessel.’
That was Nidhogg’s conclusion.
Meanwhile, Jaehyun was still calm.
In order to block the last breath, it was necessary to think enough from now on.
The difference between humans and dragons is heaven and earth.
No matter how long Jaehyun flew, there was no way he could compete head-to-head.
Also, if so.
‘Find another way to block it. That’s all.’
[This is the final attack. Are you nervous?]
“a little.”
After saying that, Jaehyun took a deep breath. Fortunately, it wasn’t a surprise attack until the last attack.
However, Nidhogg was only preparing a breath that was stronger than before.
“… … I’ve felt it before, but… … Your breath is getting stronger.
I didn’t hear anything like that when I first bet.”
[Okay. It seems that you are worried that I will be tired.]
Nidhogg made a silly joke at a crucial moment. He realized that his gag was insignificant only when he saw Jaehyun’s brow furrowed.
[…] big hmm Anyway, it’s the end, so bear with it. Note that.]
Nidhogg spoke appropriately and was ready to unleash his breath.
That moment. The essence of the sea that Jaehyun used suddenly lost its light.
Then, the water in the lake began to not be properly controlled as if it were under a ban.
Nidhogg suppressed the mana and scattered it.
Nidhogg laughed.
[I won’t fall for the same trick twice. Water is no longer available.
How about it, are you going to give up right now?]
“no. I didn’t think the same trick would work twice from the beginning.”
Fire!
Right then. The dragon’s mouth opened wide.
Finally, the final breath flared up and flew towards Jaehyun.
But what could it be?
Jaehyun didn’t even think about avoiding it and just watched the breath being fired.
Even at this moment, he continued to think fiercely.
‘Nidhogg’s breath is strong. Attack of the 3rd level of divine liberation. I can’t stop it with my current skills.’
But it has to be stopped.
‘How can I stop his attack?’
The magic Nidhogg showed was already surpassing anything he had ever seen.
Jaehyun calmed his breathing and looked at the purple flames that slowly erupted.
-caution! It is an excessively high-level magic compared to the user’s level.
―Leave the battle immediately!
Nidhogg’s magic. This boasted overwhelming inaction to the extent that even the system warned.
Quite different destructive power from the time of Fafnir, which lost much of its status.
However.
‘You have to find it. How to block the breath. Even Nidhogg wouldn’t have given me an ordeal I couldn’t overcome.
There is always an answer. It’s just that I haven’t found it yet.’
Kreung!
“Jaehyun-kun!”
The urgent voices of Papi and Hella were heard, but Jaehyun did not reach them.
at that time. Jaehyun’s thoughts accelerated to the limit, and everything around him began to flow slowly as if it had stopped.
The flames soared from the dragon’s open mouth, and it slowly flew towards itself, burning away all the magic around it.
slow and sharp.
Even so, Jaehyun did not stop and continued his thoughts.
Just like that, an instant of time passed like an arrow.
The breath was now only about 2m away from reaching Jaehyun’s torso.
Nidhogg, who was watching this, clicked his tongue.
‘Adversary… … Is that guy insane? No matter how much I adjusted my power, it was the third level of Divinity Liberation.
If I get hit by that, I won’t be able to wake up for at least three days… … .’
Isn’t it the breath that I decided to avoid from the beginning and fired it.
Jaehyun’s reaction he expected was to realize his powerlessness and run away. Nidhogg firmly believed that it would grow the opponent.
However, Jaehyun never moved the way he thought.
Just quietly, contemplating the burning flame as if it were beautiful.
In the midst of blinding the son-in-law with a bright flame.
Jaehyun, who had been silent, finally smiled.
‘I got it now. Magic is a continuous language system. It exerts its power in the flow.
Also, that means that if you break the chain of language itself, magic will be neutralized.’
Thinking about it, Jaehyun raised his head and put strength into the fangs of Nidhogg in his hand.
‘then.’
Time accelerated again.
My ears that had been blocked were opened, and the noise around me lingered in my ears.
Then, in an instant, the breath that flew to Jaehyun’s distance scatters angry magic and tries to devour him.
Hella’s eyes were filled with concern.
“Jaehyun-kun! Move now! If you avoid it now, somehow… … .”
Helena was speechless. A shocking sight was unfolding before her eyes.
“Eyes… … Did you wind it up?”
Instead of avoiding the attack, Jaehyun closed his eyes. He focused on the senses of the whole body.
‘I can clearly feel the movement of magic power. A huge movement that seemed to swallow me up at any moment.’
Magical power that attacks oneself like a tidal wave.
When Jaehyun feels this and opens his eyes again. His eyes were colored with brilliant gold.
Beyond the eyes that emit a much stronger light than before.
It was visible to Jaehyun.
That Nidhogg’s breath was connected by countless lines of magical power, like a tangled skein.
Also he saw
The minute gaps vaguely revealed between countless lines.
Jaehyun muttered as if he had realized.
‘… … Each of the runes that made up magic was a thread, and the magic that was activated by it was a thread.
Letters are intertwined to form a typed form. That’s magic.’
At the same time as the accident happened, Jaehyun recalled a memory from the past.
It was at the time of the mock dungeon.
He encountered Odin’s crow for the first time, and while dealing with it, he saw the ‘thread of magic’.
The thread that was connected to the Kobold Lord and continued to inject mana into it.
Jaehyun had a memory of stopping the regeneration of the kobold rod by cutting it off.
So he took up his sword.
‘I was mistaken. Magic can’t cut it. I thought so.
But it wasn’t. Magic is a continuous flow. That is, it is a thread. If you cut the knot, the magic will go back to nothing.’
While making a light, he grabbed the machete knife in his hand.
‘In that case, a sword is enough.’
Chwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
“I can bell.”
Nidhogg’s fangs cut from the lower left to the upper right, leaving a path so huge that it couldn’t be thought of as a dagger.
While everyone held their breath.
The first thing that burst out was Hella’s astonishment.
“what!”
With the dagger in his hand, Jaehyun accurately cut Nidhogg’s breath in two.
She muttered as if she couldn’t believe what had just happened.
“This is nonsense. Nidhogg’s Breath… … I said I cut it… … ?”
The breath that was shot to devour Jae-hyun splits into two stems and flies behind him and gets stuck in the wall.
Kwaaang!
A roar erupted, and Jaehyun smiled as he looked at the dagger he was holding in his slightly trembling hand.
Before I knew it, Nidhogg was looking down at me with a shocked expression.
[…] … you can’t… … Can you see the ‘grain of magic’?]
At his words, Jaehyun tilted his head.
“… … what? magic power? what is that?”
[Did you see this crazy bastard… … .]
The dragon’s curse echoed through Hvergelmir’s empty cavity.
At that moment, Jaehyun’s eyes narrowed at the voice message he heard.
―A new effect of the active skill 《Absolute Calculation》 is derived!
