Chapter 216. The Greatest Hero (5)
I had inherited more than one trillion Origin Power from the Count of Monte Cristo.
I also possessed the weapons the Count had strengthened by investing Origin Power into them, along with legendary weapons such as the Ruyi Jingu Bang.
And through my desperate battle with the Count, I had completed a fighting style of my own.
At this point, my combat ability should have placed me among the upper tier of S-rank Constellations in the Spirit Realm.
But none of that mattered in front of Heracles.
“A Constellation shouldn’t be weaker than his own Contractor, right?”
"...!"
Along with Heracles’s cold voice, a fist like a cannonball came flying at me.
It was far too fast for my agility to evade.
The blow struck me cleanly and sent me flying backward.
“Hm?”
But Heracles frowned.
Because even after taking his punch...
I got back up without a scratch.
“A barrier.”
“You’re using tricks.”
That was right.
I was wearing defensive equipment that I had specially ordered from Number 49.
It wasn’t merely armor that increased my defense.
It automatically deployed a defensive barrier to block incoming attacks.
I had commissioned it so I wouldn’t be helpless if I ever encountered another enemy capable of long-range sniping like the Count.
Apparently, it was useful against Heracles’s divine-speed punches too.
“Then... let’s see how long it lasts.”
"...!"
Heracles moved again.
Watching that enormous body charge toward me was like seeing a rhinoceros coming straight at me.
Then a barrage of attacks followed.
Thud! Boom! KABOOM!
The impacts were powerful enough to shake the entire space.
Any single one of those blows would probably be fatal if it landed directly.
Merlin had placed a barrier around this area, which meant I couldn’t return to the Spirit Realm if I fell here.
In other words...
if Heracles beat me to death here, I would simply perish.
“You’re too passive!”
“Ghk...!”
Heracles’s side kick came for my shoulder.
The barrier deployed in time and blocked it, but the impact still twisted my body and forced me several steps backward.
“Can’t you even launch a proper counterattack?!”
Anger began creeping into Heracles’s voice.
“You’re worse than your own Contractor! Barely any muscle, weak little bastard...!”
“Well, obviously I have less muscle than you two...!”
I lowered my body as much as possible while answering.
Heracles was tall.
That meant most of his attacks started from a relatively high position.
So I tried to evade by staying low.
“Useless!”
But Heracles adjusted immediately.
He shortened the movement of his leg and kicked me.
The blow struck the barrier.
The impact still reached my body, and I rolled across the ground.
“Ghk...!”
I could feel the barrier weakening slightly.
A few more hits and it might collapse completely.
“Not much left now...!”
Heracles charged while shouting.
Then he leaped as though intending to crush me beneath both feet.
I desperately rolled aside.
His attack missed me and shattered the ground like an earthquake instead.
No wonder he’s Heracles.
I couldn’t help admiring him internally.
He really was absurdly strong.
I had seen countless powerful fighters, including Kang Yujin.
But Heracles was truly outside the norm.
"..."
Merlin had apparently left everything to Heracles.
He simply stood there watching.
It didn’t seem like he had any intention of supporting Heracles with magic.
That’s fortunate.
If Merlin joined in too, there would truly be no answer.
I wouldn’t last more than a few seconds.
But right now...
only Heracles was attacking me.
Which meant an opportunity existed.
“Hm?”
Heracles raised his eyebrows when he saw me.
Because I had drawn the sword from my waist.
“So you finally brought out a weapon.”
“Looks like you’ve decided to try fighting back.”
"..."
“But can a blade that thin really wound me?”
“Who knows.”
The Ruyi Jingu Bang was inside the front pocket of my shirt.
But drawing it in front of Heracles would be suicide.
With his monstrous strength, he could probably rip it straight out of my hands.
And Heracles was already famous for wielding clubs.
If he got his hands on the Ruyi Jingu Bang, the greatest blunt weapon in the world...
he might become an invincible monster capable of beating even gods to death.
“I’ll give it a try.”
“I was hoping you’d show some fighting spirit like your Contractor.”
“I’m not fighting for your entertainment.”
“Are you trying to provoke me?”
“Who knows.”
"..."
Heracles’s expression began changing.
It looked almost as though he were saying:
Fine. If that’s how you want to talk, I’ll take the bait.
BOOOOM!
The sound of him kicking off the ground was too loud to believe it came from a human body.
Heracles charged at me like a mad beast.
To block the rush, I forcibly concentrated the defensive barrier in one place.
PAAANG!
The barrier shattered completely.
My body was launched into the air.
I saw Heracles drawing his fist back for the next attack.
So I threw the sword in my hand.
“Useless!”
Heracles swung his arm and knocked the blade away.
But at that exact moment...
BANG!
A gunshot rang out.
I had used the thrown sword to distract him for an instant, then pulled the trigger on the pistol I had prepared in advance.
"..."
After firing, I landed nearby.
Then I raised my head and checked Heracles.
He was...
bleeding.
Of course, it wasn’t a serious wound.
The bullet had only grazed his ear, and blood was dripping from his earlobe.
But Heracles stood completely still without even wiping it away.
“You were waiting the whole time for the right moment to attack?”
"..."
“You kept pretending to do nothing but defend while observing my movements.”
Heracles’s voice had become low and calm.
“That’s unfortunate.”
“If you had hit me directly in the head, you might have defeated me.”
“I’m not so sure.”
“You look like you’d survive even if I shot you right between the eyes.”
If I had managed to shoot him in the eyeball, maybe I would’ve had a chance.
But there was no way I could make a shot that precise while airborne in an unstable position.
Inheriting the Count’s legacy didn’t mean I inherited his marksmanship too.
“Either way, that was unfortunate.”
"..."
Something like steam began rising from Heracles’s body.
Was his body temperature rising enough to produce actual vapor?
Or was his tremendous fighting spirit simply becoming visible?
