Leveling Up Alone

Chapter 159: A Miracle Occurs (3)

[Mariam.]

[Han-Yeol-nim? Why are you here?]

Since both of them were positioned in different places, it was rare for them to bump into each other during battle.

[Come here for a second.]

Kwachik!

‘Enhance!’

Han-Yeol crushed a mana stone once again and used Enhance on Mariam since she was the one currently using the most mana.

Despite not being a combatant that dealt one-hit attacks like Tayarana, Mujahid, or Han-Yeol, Mariam was using a significant amount of mana. The culprit behind her fast mana drain was none other than the Brain Network she used, on top of dishing out mental attacks on the monsters.

‘Mana Pouch.’?Han-Yeol took out all of the mana he had been saving and gave it to Mariam.

Woooong…

A warm blue light enveloped Mariam as Han-Yeol’s mana seeped into her. She then gave a slight bow and said, [Thank you.]

[No need for thanks. We require our main control tower to be strong in order to enhance our fighting capabilities.]

[I will do my best.]

[Alright, good luck!]

Tak!

Han-Yeol swiftly returned to his position to engage in combat against the Thousand Armed Bodhisattva.

The telepathic network, which had been disrupted due to mana depletion, was successfully re-established, and everyone's consciousness was once again interconnected through Mariam.

[Focus, everyone. We are going to prepare for the final blow now, so get a safe distance away from the Thousand Armed Bodhisattva and wait for the signal. You need to get away from the boss monster or else you could be swept away by the attack. I will personally chase you to the ends of hell if you die.]

[Hahaha!]

[Please do not laugh, Mujahid-nim.]

[Haha, sorry…]

‘Haha…’

Han-Yeol and the rest of the Hunters chuckled inwardly at the banter between the unofficial lovebirds. This lighthearted atmosphere proved to be a significant boost for the raid party, considering that all of them were physically and mentally drained from the prolonged battles.

[WE ARE NOT A COUPLE!]

Mariam let out a scream upon reading Han-Yeol's thoughts, but her outburst went unnoticed by the others. Whether they were a couple or not was of little importance to the rest of the group, as they unanimously agreed that watching their dynamic was highly entertaining. The focus was not on their romantic feelings but rather on the intriguing connection between them.

[Haa… Anyway, we will now commence the final attack. Please stay alert, everyone.]

Mariam stopped reacting since she knew that everyone was just joking around.

[Yes, ma’am!]

[Okay.]

[Roger.]

[Sure.]

‘Mana Explosion!’

Kwaaaang!

Han-Yeol skillfully launched a grenade directly at the face of the Thousand Armed Bodhisattva, causing an explosion that enveloped the boss monster's vision in a thick cloud of smoke.

Taking advantage of the momentary blindness, the Egyptian Hunters swiftly retreated to a safe distance.

Tak!

The three Egyptian Hunters who had used their enhancement abilities on Han-Yeol a while ago combined their strength once again.

[I will leave it to you, Vice Leader-nim.]

[Please avenge our comrades.]

[Han-Yeol-nim…]

Each member of the raid party had their own motivations, but they were all determined to push their limits in order to defeat the boss monster. They recognized Han-Yeol as a versatile individual who had the ability to inspire others to unlock their full potential. His adaptability aligned perfectly with the Horus raid party.

Among the three Hunters, they possessed both enhancement and combat abilities. However, they channeled all their mana into their enhancement abilities, as they excelled in that particular aspect. They believed in capitalizing on their strengths to contribute effectively to the battle.

[Don’t worry, I’ll make sure to defeat that thing. Pour out your enhancement abilities on me.]

[Haha! You don’t have to worry about that.]

[Our enhancement abilities might not be as good as yours, but they will still be quite helpful.]

[Alright, I’ll make sure this won’t go to waste.]

Han-Yeol used Sword Breath.

Fwaaaaaa!

The flames burned with unprecedented intensity, surpassing their previous manifestations. The three Egyptian Hunters concentrated their mana even further, channeling it solely toward Han-Yeol, recognizing that it was their only recourse in the current situation.

[Power Up!]

[Mana Recharge!]

[Reinforced Mana!]

Woooooong!

As Han-Yeol's Enhance skill synergized with the multitude of enhancement and buff skills employed by the three Hunters, their combined energies began to intertwine. The result was the emergence of an incredibly potent mana current that surged around Han-Yeol.

The density of the mana was so substantial that even individuals without the ability to perceive mana would likely sense its presence if they were in close proximity. And in the midst of this intense mana envelopment, something truly remarkable occurred.

Ding!

A message popped up in front of Han-Yeol.

‘Huh?’

Ding!

[The rank of ‘Enhance’ has risen from (A) to (M).]

[‘Enhance’ has reached Master Rank.]

[A new sub-skill has been created: ‘Enhancement Aura’.]

‘Oh, it’s a new skill,’?Han-Yeol read the messages, but he did not check the new skill out.

His main priority right now was to finish the Thousand Armed Bodhisattva and not check his new skill.

‘This attack will determine whether the Horus raid party will survive this raid or not,’?he thought as he gritted his teeth.

Han-Yeol, Tayarana, and Mujahid were squeezing out every ounce of their mana to deal the final blow.

Throughout the raid, the party had managed to minimize the number of casualties by remaining vigilant and swiftly defending anyone targeted by the boss monster. However, they realized that if the Thousand Armed Bodhisattva managed to survive this final attack, they would no longer be able to protect everyone effectively. The stakes were high, and the outcome of this decisive assault would determine the fate of the raid party.

Kwaaaaaaang!

The first to step up was Mujahid. The large ember on his back started to burn brighter, and his fists were engulfed with blue flames.

Baaaam!

A powerful shockwave enveloped his body.

[Titan’s Fist!]

KWAAAANG!

A gigantic blue fist shot out from Mujahid’s fist and slammed into the Thousand Armed Bodhisattva’s chest.

Boooooom!

The boss monster was still standing after taking the punch, but it seemed to be in severe agony from the damage. The attack was truly fearsome, but it was unfortunately not enough to defeat the Master Rank raid monster.

It was not the type of monster to go down from an attack like this.

‘We’re not done yet!’?

Shwooooooosh!

Tayarana finished her preparation and descended from the skies with her sword drawn.

Shwak!

[Judgment of Horus!]

She had already depleted a significant portion of her mana, but she managed to unleash one last potent skill, thanks to her innate physique and Han-Yeol's abilities.

Awakening with an unusual physique unrelated to her own ability, she possessed a mana recovery rate five to ten times faster than other Hunters. This enabled her to replenish enough mana to execute her ultimate skill once again.

In a breathtaking display, thousands of sword auras materialized in the sky and showered down upon the Thousand Armed Bodhisattva.

Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!?

“Gwuooooooh!”

The boss monster let out a piercing cry of agony as the sword auras relentlessly assailed not only its body but also severed its remaining arms. Its sheer size worked against it, rendering it an easy target for this formidable ultimate ability. If it were smaller in stature, evading the onslaught of sword auras might have been a more viable option.

Thud…! Thud…!?

The boss monster was still moving even after getting hit by the full brunt of Judgment of Horus, and it seemed resolute not to go down like this.

[Han-Yeol!]

[Hyung-nim!]

Mujahid's embers were completely extinguished, and Tayarana descended from the sky, depleted of mana. At this critical moment, Han-Yeol remained the sole hope to defeat the Thousand Armed Bodhisattva. Failure on his part would result in the entire Horus raid party being annihilated. The stakes couldn't be higher as the fate of the team now rested squarely on Han-Yeol's shoulders.

“Phew…”?Han-Yeol let out a sigh before tapping Mavors on his belly.

“Let’s go, Mavros!”

“Kieeeeek!”

Chwak!

With incredible velocity, the black dragon soared toward the Thousand Armed Bodhisattva.

The boss monster seemed cognizant that its victory hinged on enduring Han-Yeol's assault and directed all its arms to strike him down.

However, this was all part of Han-Yeol's calculated plan. He deftly shifted his sword, its blade wreathed in Sword Breath, to his side.

Puuuuk!

Seuuuuuk!

“Gwuoooooh!”

Han-Yeol swiftly thrust his sword into the arm of the boss monster, maintaining a tight grip on the weapon. With determination, he kicked Mavros, the black dragon, urging it to accelerate even further.

Kwachiiiiiik!

He dragged the sword and cut the boss monster while Mavros was flying.

However, that was not the end of Han-Yeol’s plan. He flew around with Mavros and stabbed whenever he saw an opening, and he stabbed the boss monster in its chest, neck, and even face.

However, Mavros soon ran out of gas, and they were crashing into the ground.

Han-Yeol jumped off Mavros’ back and aimed his right hand at the Thousand Armed Bodhisattva before shouting, “Ex…PLOSION!”

“Gwuoh?!”

The Thousand Armed Bodhisattva sensed that something was wrong with its body.

“…”

Silence ensued.

Whoosh… KWAAAAANG!

Then, a massive explosion came from every wound Han-Yeol had inflicted on the boss monster’s body. There was not only one but numerous explosions all over the boss monster’s body.

The boss monster cried out in agony, but the sound of the explosions drowned its cries before swallowing its body whole.

‘Is it over?’?Han-Yeol nervously gulped while watching the explosion.

His mana reached rock bottom, and he could feel his body slipping out of his control. If he let his guard down even for a moment, he was certain that he would lose consciousness.

He fought against the overwhelming fatigue, determined to stay awake until he could confirm the boss monster's demise. There was no time to relax. Not yet.

Woooooong… Kwang!

The sound of something crumbling reverberated throughout the mountains, and then it was followed by a familiar sound.

Ding!

[You have successfully defeated the Raid Boss Monster: Thousand Armed Bodhisattva.]

[You have achieved an impossible victory.]

[Your level has risen.]

[Your level has risen.]

[Your level has risen.]

[Your level has risen.]

…

…

…

[Your level has risen.]

‘W-We won!”?Han-Yeol exclaimed inwardly after reading the string of messages.

Thud!

Despite his best efforts, Han-Yeol succumbed to exhaustion, collapsing to the ground. This battle was not like a game where his stamina would be automatically replenished through leveling up.

Tayarana and Mujahid, having regained some of their mana, hurried to his side. They combined their mana and infused it into Han-Yeol, preventing him from succumbing to mana exhaustion and ensuring he would not perish.

[Go and protect Vice Leader-nim!]

[Yes, ma’am!]

The Horus raid party's elation over their incredible triumph was short-lived, as they immediately shifted gears to evacuate Han-Yeol after his collapse from exhaustion. However, their focus was abruptly interrupted by another astonishing occurrence.

Woooong!

[W-What?!]

[Tayarana-nim!]

[What’s going on?]

Tayarana was suddenly enveloped by a bright golden light while the Horus raid party prepared to evacuate.

[Tayarana-nim!]

Mariam rushed to her side, but Tayarana stopped her from approaching and said, [Don’t come near me. It would be dangerous for you if I triggered an explosion.]

With a firm resolve, Tayarana was acutely aware of the potential consequences based on reports of similar incidents. While this knowledge was not widely known among ordinary Hunters, there existed a possibility that a Hunter's mana would run rampant if they pushed themselves beyond their limits. This unstable mana had the potential to trigger a catastrophic explosion, endangering not only the Hunter but also those in their vicinity. Even Master Rank Hunters had fallen victim to these unleashed mana.

Due to the destructive nature of such incidents, there was limited data available on the aftermath. The bodies of Hunters whose mana went out of control were often disintegrated by the resulting explosion. However, through meticulous analysis of numerous videos captured just moments before the explosion, scholars were able to deduce the underlying cause.

Being aware of this peril, Tayarana took preemptive measures to ensure that no one approached her, prioritizing the safety of those around her.

[What?!]

She was surprised by what was happening in her own body.

On the other hand, Mariam anxiously watched while blaming herself, ‘I should be the one to die instead of Tayarana-nim!’

Her sole purpose in this world was to safeguard Tayarana, and she had made a solemn vow to perish alongside her liege if the need arose. However, a sense of unease washed over her as she detected something peculiar about Tayarana's demeanor.

[W-What’s wrong, Tayarana-nim?!]

[My body… I can feel myself becoming stronger.]

[What?!]