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Chapter 56

The assimilation rate was essentially a measurement of how familiar the user was with that piece of equipment. To heroes, who sometimes even perceived their equipment as an extension of themself, it was a considerably important factor.

Since all skills are manifested through the physical body.

When a skill was activated while wearing gloves, it was normal to expect it to collide with the glove when it manifested from the hand inside. However, in practice, the skill manifested perfectly through the glove. Why? The reason was simple.

Heroes unconsciously considered the equipment they wielded as extensions of their bodies and thus manifested their skills like it wasn’t there.

But if it is not directly from the physical body, there’s a delay.

Although it was handled unconsciously, their brains were correcting their perception of their equipment at every moment and then manifesting their skills.

It was only a slight delay, but that slight pause was enough to determine life or death in the world of superhumans and heroes.

And so, since Se-Hoon prioritized efficiency in battles over everything else, he began researching ways to increase the assimilation rate because that would reduce the delay. Many years later, he was able to discover one fact.

If any piece of equipment reaches an assimilation rate of one hundred percent, then it will be permanently destroyed.

When a piece of equipment stopped being seen as an extension of the body and instead as part of the body, the wielder’s mana would start eroding the equipment, eventually completely ruining the mana circuit and rendering it unusable.

Although Se-Hoon had been frustrated that all those years of research only led to an even more inefficient conclusion, it had also led to an amazing discovery.

Creak-

He had figured out how to release the sheer amount of power a piece of equipment could exert after reaching an assimilation rate of one hundred percent.

Boom!!!

At one hundred percent, the equipment literally became a new body.

“Ugh...!”

Vollmond spat out blood with its eyes wide open after being kicked in the abdomen by Se-Hoon, who had charged toward it.

While the impacted area looked fine externally, Vollmond was forcibly relocating body tissues from its hands and feet to regenerate the damaged parts. Though the slightest shock could now force it to vomit blood, it was far more surprised by something else.

Whoosh!

Se-Hoon swung his sword toward its neck. The initial swinging speed seemed negligible enough that it could be easily avoided with its current condition, but that was just the beginning of the attack.

Crack-

Changing into a muscle-like form, Se-Hoon’s armor distorted, and soon, his swinging speed gradually accelerated.

His sword was now rushing toward Vollmond with a threatening speed.

Whoosh!

Its abdomen was split and its intestines ignited.

“You... what have you done...!”

Vollmond couldn’t believe that such power could come from that piece of scrap armor that should have already been out of commission.

Still unable to believe what it was experiencing, it quickly moved its body.

“Don’t you get cute with me!!!”

Clang!!

Sparks flew as its claw swung spasmodically and collided with the Five-Flame Sword.

“Ugh...!”

Unable to withstand the recoil, Se-Hoon’s arm was flung backward, leaving his chest unguarded and wide open for its claw to dig into.

Realizing the severity of his position, he immediately manipulated the Shadow Matter Armor that was connected to his mana circuit.

Creak!

The shadows inside the armor tightened, grasping his arm that was pushed back and forcibly swinging it forward.

Clang!!

The incoming claw was repelled, colliding with the Five-Flame Sword once again.

He had managed to parry successfully, but every muscle in his body felt like it was tearing apart. Trying his best to endure it, he grimaced and swung the sword again.

Clang!!

Within the cavity, an unbelievable scene unfolded: a D-rank hero and an A-rank monster were exchanging blows continuously. Even if one considered that he had regressed thirty-one years and that Vollmond was barely alive, its entire body in tatters, the battle had been prolonged for an incredible amount of time.

And the secret to it lay in Se-Hoon’s skill—Soul Honing.

Soul Honing allowed him to partition his body to create multiple mana circuits, which people would normally use to handle multiple types of elemental mana. But aside from that, Se-Hoon had developed another way to exploit the skill while researching assimilation rates.

[Soul Honing] 『S』

[The body is the most primal material that a blacksmith can forge and refine.

Refining the body’s mana circuits can enhance physical abilities and strengthen the powers contained within.

*Mana Circuit ‘Shadow Matter Armor’: You can control the Shadow Matter Armor. ]

[Shadow Matter Armor] 『-』

[A temporary mana circuit that mimics the mana circuit of the equipment ‘Shadow Matter Armor’.

Coupling the mana circuits allows for even more of the equipment’s potential to be drawn out.]

He had figured out how to create temporary mana circuits that matched the circuits of the equipment and then how to forcibly connect them. It was a risky method that could cause both the body and the equipment to break down if handled incorrectly, but its effect was undeniable.

“Die!!”

Even with its head split in half, Vollmond still swung its claw again, demonstrating its monstrous regenerative power even in its weakened state. Seeing this, Se-Hoon was prompted to concentrate on operating the mana circuit.

Creak-

The only function of the Shadow Matter Armor was to transform according to the wearer’s body; in other words, it was solely for defense. However, it was a different story if the wearer was able to manually shape the armor.

Crack-

In an instant, muscles capable of deflecting the claws formed from the tip of his toes to his fingers that were wrapped around the Five-Flame Sword. As artificial muscles, they would collapse like a house of cards if even one was formed out of place, but he wasn’t worried about it at all.

I’m no inexperienced amateur...!

He had already mastered the structure of the human body long ago.

Clang!!

He perfectly deflected the claws, but severe pain swept throughout his body. But despite the pain, which felt like all his muscles were being simultaneously pulled by tens of thousands of pincers, he didn’t stop moving.

“Hmph...!”

Right now, there was no method more efficient at his disposal.

Clang!

This was his only opportunity to steal the artifact held by the opponent in front of him.

Rumble!

The cavity shook during the violent clash between Se-Hoon and Vollmond. But rather than being because of the fierce exchange between them, the shaking was because Eun-Ha was slowly beginning to break free from the seal.

No... if this continues...!

To ensure that it could escape in its current condition, it had to injure Se-Hoon to hold her down here. However, he was made painfully aware that Se-Hoon was far from being a shackle to bind Eun-Ha; he was a shackle to bind it instead.

Sensing the shadow of death inch closer, Vollmond steeled itself.

I’ll have to give up on limiting my strength.

It had hesitated all this time, fearing it might kill Se-Hoon, but continuing to think like that would only lead to its death. With that thought, its eyes flashed, believing that the vermin in front of it could withstand its next attack.

Whoosh!

Its heart pumped blood so vigorously that it seemed like it might burst. Filled with the fresh blood coursing through it, its finely tuned physique came under its complete control, despite being an artificial monster.

Embracing the seemingly omnipotence, it spread its arms wide, gathering all its strength.

Boom!!

Planting its legs on the ground, its chest became wide open and the muscles in its arms began swelling to 1.5 times their normal size, hinting at an imminent attack.

With full trust in its remarkable regenerative ability, it prepared a strike with all its might.

Upon seeing that, Se-Hoon quickly responded by sheathing the Five-Flame Sword in the Flaming Scabbard instead of taking the opportunity to swing at its exposed chest.

With the sword now sheathed, his attributed elemental mana, Scarlet Lotus, was amplified by the scabbard which heated the Five-Flame Sword. Not stopping there, the Shadow Matter Armor also abandoned its armor form for a more vivid muscular form.

Planning to pour all of his strength into his next attack as well, Se-Hoon had abandoned even a minimum level of defense. Seeming pleased by this, Vollmond smirked.

“Let’s see if you can block this!”

Whoosh!

Vollmond’s foot dug deeper into the ground, and soon, its tensely pulled muscles suddenly halted.

And at the moment when all that strength was aimed forward—

Crash-!

Ten sets of blades sprouted from its fingertips, tearing through everything in its way.

Responding to the terrifying strike that seemed capable of cutting through everything in its path, Se-Hoon finished preparing Untamed Fire, the equipment skill of the Flaming Scabbard that he had showcased during the entrance ceremony.

But just as he was about to draw his sword to counterattack—

Crack-

The two arms swinging towards him split in half.

Creak!

The straightforward attacks were now gone, replaced by four arms that were rushing in from all directions and encircling him. Such a thing was only possible because Vollmond’s body was artificially made.

Facing the surprise irregular attack that could not be countered with just his two arms and a single sword, he froze.

Seeing that, Vollmond let out a cry of joy.

I finally got you...!

It was essentially akin to being suddenly attacked by another person when he was already busy fighting one. It was a move that perfectly utilized its ability to transform its body.

And to anyone unaware of it, it would have been a fatal blow.

I was wondering when you’d use this.

But it just so happened that Se-Hoon, a regressor from thirty-one years into the past, was his opponent.

Crack!!!

Hundreds of shadow spikes pierced upward from the ground.

Having been waiting for this moment, he immediately activated Shadow Hedgehog, the equipment skill of the Shadow Matter Armor, and spikes pierced through Vollmond’s entire body.

“Argh-!”

For Se-Hoon’s move to work on Vollmond, several factors had come into play. Firstly, Vollmond had arrogantly thrown itself into the fight, overly reliant on its regenerative abilities. Secondly, it had poured all of its strength into its attack, leaving it vulnerable and unable to dodge in that short moment. Thirdly, Se-Hoon had been able to swiftly activate the skill due to the assimilation rate being at one hundred percent. Lastly, Se-Hoon simply just had the upper hand, possessing full knowledge of everything about Vollmond.

“Aaaah!!”

Though it desperately continued to swing its claws even with its body fully pierced, the initial acceleration of its attack did not return.

With a sharp glint in his eye, Se-Hoon stared at Vollmond’s hand, specifically the left index finger that pointed at Eun-Ha, and drew the sword at his waist with all of his might.

Click- Boom-!!!

A storm of colorful flames burst forth alongside the draw and engulfed Vollmond, burning its entire body and lighting up the cavity as if it were broad daylight.

Rumble!

Unable to withstand the aftermath of the explosion, the cavity trembled. After swinging the Five-Flame Sword with all of his might, Se-Hoon exhaled the breath he had been holding.

“Phew...”

His mana and physical strength had been completely depleted. With the fight over, his body began to feel heavy, his muscles and joints screaming from the impact of the strike.

Additionally, the Shadow Matter Armor had begun to crumble due to the complete erosion of its magic circuit.

I basically traded top-quality Hero-tier armor for one A-rank monster that’s on its final breaths...

The eroded armor was now far beyond recyclable, rendering it essentially worthless, but he wasn’t too concerned about it.

After all, he had only borrowed it from Eun-Ha, and the rewards that he would gain from this endeavor would be immense.

In the now silent cavity, moonlight poured in through the hole in the dome’s center. And in the midst of it, Se-Hoon noticed a small shadow soaring high into the air before beginning to fall.

“Hm...”

Managing to catch it before it hit the ground, Se-Hoon felt an unfamiliar yet somehow familiar sensation inside his fist. Deciding to see, he slowly opened his hand and looked at the item he had caught.

There, in his hand, was a finger bone with tiny characters engraved around each joint like a ring. Though one might mistake it for Vollmond’s severed index finger, it couldn’t actually be it because it was far too small and slender to be the finger of a three-meter-tall Lycanthrope. But the most important giveaway was that it was a human’s bone rather than a beast’s.

Just as I thought.

This was the artifact lost by Wurgen Kruger, one of the few Perfect Ones.

Though details of it were only mentioned briefly in interviews, he was aware of how it roughly looked, allowing him to be certain that this was indeed the artifact.

It was one of Wurgen Kruger’s body parts that had been scattered across the world thirteen years ago—when he was sliced apart by a group of demons.

[You have acquired the item ‘Eternal Nocturne’s Phalanx’.]

And Se-Hoon had just acquired one of the pieces.