Chapter 100

Chapter 100: Unstoppable Growth - (5)

From the moment Sanghyun entered combat in a state of Frenzy, his target had always been Grabber's right arm.

The left arm was specialized solely for using the Grab skill, making it half-useless.

In the end, to deal with a forcibly pulled-in target, utilizing the blade of the right arm was essential.

So if the right arm could be neutralized, even if a forced summon occurred, there would be no way for Grabber to attack.

‘I can see why so many players succumb to the temptation of drugs.’

He realized it through the Frenzy skill.

The pleasure of becoming more focused and heightened in senses while intoxicated was overwhelming.

Even though time shouldn't have slowed down, the entire world's flow of time felt endlessly sluggish.

In the battle against Grabber, his own sweat and blood droplets fell and scattered like slow-motion footage.

Even when Grabber extended his arm to use the Grab skill, Sanghyun could see it breaking down frame by frame.

That made dodging possible.

The Grab skill fundamentally targeted objects in a straight horizontal direction.

But by narrowly slipping out of the linear boundary, Sanghyun managed to evade the Grab multiple times.

If he had taken his chance, it was only fair for his opponent to receive a turn as well.

Grabber’s failure led to Sanghyun’s counterattacks, and in exchange, Grabber’s right arm had to endure several hits.

At first, his right arm and shoulder endured Sanghyun’s heavy attacks.

However, as the relentless attacks continued for more than five minutes, unusual signs began to appear.

At the point where his Over Psychedelic state had three minutes left.

Slash! Tear! Slash! Tear!

As the saying goes, even a tree that is struck ten times will fall—Sanghyun’s unwavering focus on a single point finally paid off.

The cracks on Grabber’s tough outer shell widened, and eventually, the greatsword pierced through.

Thanks to a well-timed critical damage strike, the fourth attack severed half of the shoulder.

White bone was exposed, and the torn muscles and veins appeared gruesome in the deep wound.

Kwaaaah!

At that moment, Sanghyun sensed the presence of Lee Sehwa’s magic skill flying in from behind, perfectly timed.

Normally, one would at least glance backward or defensively dodge in preparation.

“…….”

Sanghyun, however, estimated the skill’s location purely by judging the distance of the sound.

Meanwhile, at the same moment.

Lee Sehwa was targeting Grabber, not in an arched trajectory, but in a straight-line strike.

‘Please.’

Watching the skill she had unleashed with all her might, Lee Sehwa clenched her teeth.

Honestly, she had never attempted an attack like this before.

Trusting that someone would sense the skill’s position and dodge without looking back?

It was impossible.

The biggest issue with this strategy was that failure meant the worst outcome—not hitting the enemy but an ally instead.

Theoretically possible, but never applied in actual combat.

There had never been a swordsman player capable of handling such a situation.

But Sanghyun was different.

Having continuously fought, he had already assessed the nature of her skill and timed everything perfectly.

He had even intentionally held Grabber in place right before impact, predicting the skill’s arrival and hit timing.

The same was happening now.

Amidst the fierce battle with Grabber, Sanghyun moved his left hand behind his waist, showing a thumbs-up as a signal.

It was a predetermined cue, asking her to trust him and use her strongest skill.

‘Calm, yet utterly insane.’

That was how Lee Sehwa wanted to describe Sanghyun at this moment.

From the outside, his expression was ice-cold, showing no emotional turbulence.

Yet as a player, he was displaying movements that seemed to transcend human limits.

Just evading the Grab skill alone—Lee Sehwa had counted at least seven times with her own eyes.

Earlier, when she had been pulled in by mistake, she had only one thought while witnessing Grabber’s Grab skill.

It was unavoidable, even if one saw it coming.

It was that difficult to react to, making dodging utterly impossible.

But the moment the crimson aura enveloped Sanghyun, that certainty crumbled. He had evaded it!

At that moment.

With almost no exaggeration, the instant Lee Sehwa’s skill was about to hit Sanghyun’s back within 50 cm.

Flash!

Sanghyun accelerated and used a backstep, instantly escaping from his position in another direction.

If his reaction had been just 0.01 seconds slower, he would have taken the full brunt of the skill without mercy.

Boom!

Lee Sehwa’s skill, infused with her pride and passion, struck dead center on Grabber’s chest.

A direct hit.

Blazing red flames erupted violently, creating a searing pit of heat in the middle of Grabber’s torso.

Grabber screamed in agony.

“Huff. Huff.”

Lee Sehwa clutched her throbbing head, staggering as her legs gave out.

“Are you okay?”

“Are you alright?”

A familiar voice reached her ears.

Looking back, Jo Jinho, Shin Taeri, and Kim Miso had arrived.

Having resolved some of the other battles on different fronts, they had come to aid her and Sanghyun.

“Rather than me…….”

Lee Sehwa pointed forward.

Truthfully, in the fight against Grabber, she had enjoyed the luxury of making safe attacks.

Sanghyun had preemptively shut down Grabber’s tricky skills, and in the worst cases, had even taken the hit in her stead.

Did she have the right to be worried about someone else?

From her perspective, experiencing both the beginning and end of the battle, she didn’t think so. She was not the protagonist here.

At Lee Sehwa’s gesture, Kim Miso quickly located Sanghyun and shouted.

“Sanghyun oppa is over there!”

The next sequence of events had already begun.

With Lee Sehwa’s attack perfectly setting the stage, Sanghyun overwhelmed Grabber in a one-sided onslaught.

As if in a trance, Sanghyun’s greatsword swung ceaselessly, scattering blood like flower petals in its wake.

Encircling Grabber, his relentless attacks carved patterns like a Möbius strip, resembling a disassembly process more than a battle.

Wherever the greatsword sliced, the outer shell was torn, muscles ruptured, and flesh scattered.

The spurting blood was so natural that it no longer seemed surprising.

“…….”

“…….”

Jo Jinho and Shin Taeri remained silent.

Just by watching, one would shudder—Sanghyun had entered a state of rampage.

They could see it.

Sanghyun had far surpassed his limits and stepped into the realm of transcendence.

They already knew that Sanghyun had an awakening-type skill.

However, this far exceeded the awakening effect triggered by such a skill.

For example, it was a Grand Awakening.

A skill that amplifies the effect of an awakening even further.

The Grand Awakening skill was so rare that even Jo Jinho and Shin Taeri had yet to obtain it.

Of course, Frenzy wasn’t a Grand Awakening skill, but its effect was on a comparable level.

And as long as he maintained less than 10% of his stamina while having enough mana?

Theoretically, he could sustain an almost infinite Frenzy state. It was endless.

Jo Jinho spoke.

"Looks like there’s nothing for us to do."

Sanghyun was already destroying Grabber.

Grabber desperately flailed its right arm, slammed its body around, and tried to torment him.

But to Sanghyun, it was as if time itself did not exist—he gracefully dodged every attack.

Even Grabber’s humiliating cries echoed telepathically.

In the end, it was the most pitiful and disgraceful sight of a boss monster begging for its life.

‘Now I understand why Do Kyungsoo called Psychedelic a skill that makes blood look beautiful.’

Sanghyun laughed.

Just the fact that he had made a boss monster experience the abyss itself filled him with satisfaction and joy.

The moment Grabber lost its right arm, armed with razor-sharp blades, its fate was sealed.

It was as much of a critical loss as if Sanghyun had lost his greatsword.

Sanghyun’s remaining stamina was about 3%.

It was hardly a comfortable margin.

Had he allowed even a single hit from Grabber, he would have at least fallen into an exhausted state—a tightrope walk.

But in battle, there was no "what if."

Grabber failed to turn a "what if" into reality, and in the end, the only choice left was defeat.

Like reeds swaying in the wind, Grabber’s head wobbled helplessly from side to side.

Sliced deeply by Sanghyun’s relentless assault, its head was on the verge of separating from its body.

After reinforcing his skill with Sage’s Whisper, Sanghyun used a short Full Charge to target Grabber’s neck.

It was no longer a question of whether he could kill it, but how he would. A grand finale was in order.

Puhwaaaah!

A fountain of blood erupted sky-high from Grabber’s severed neck.

For the first time since his regression, Sanghyun found a blood fountain to be beautiful.

It felt like a celebratory firework for his victory. Surely, this was an emotion intoxicated by Frenzy’s madness.

‘What an incredible skill.’

The Frenzy skill.

Not only did it push him beyond his limits, but it also dulled pain and sensation.

It was so powerful that he wondered if he was even meant to acquire it at this stage.

In terms of sheer impact, Frenzy made him feel as if he were at least a level 300 player.

And under the condition that he managed his stamina perfectly, he could theoretically maintain it indefinitely.

"……Haha."

He felt a satisfaction so immense that no words were needed.

Several new Constellations had appeared, leaving messages.

That was undeniable proof of how much intrigue the battle with Grabber had stirred.

It had been that dramatic.

Constellations had no interest in dull fights or uninspired battle narratives.

Sanghyun asked.

"Was that alright?"

The question wasn’t directed at anyone in particular. It was more like he was talking to himself. The question mark just happened to be there.

"A Divine Throne-given title?"

There was no way to distinguish whether a title was granted by a Constellation or a Divine Throne.

However, logically speaking, if a Divine Throne provided a title infused with divine power, its effect would surely be extraordinary.

At that moment—

A notification appeared in Sanghyun’s title window, glowing not just gold but shimmering with an iridescent brilliance.

SS-rank title!

Just hearing the rank alone was enough to make his heart stop. It was an incredibly rare title.

Fierce battles and relentless struggles.

The spoils gained from a fight filled with undying tenacity and passion were sweeter than anything.