Absolute Dweller-Chapter 197
Impact Burst.
It was a technique personally named by the Avatar.
By fusing black energy with protective qi, the Avatar could compress it to its limit within their fist before unleashing a devastating explosion.
It was an incredibly powerful technique, but its wide area of effect meant that its potency was diluted.
And because of that—
Some of the skeleton knights had managed to survive.
Clatter—
Strictly speaking, it wasn’t because they were tough enough to withstand Impact Burst.
To be precise—
“What the hell is that guy?”
The ones who survived had been positioned behind the Death Knight, who had blocked the Impact Burst head-on with his sword.
[According to the Absolute Ruler’s Eye, it’s labeled as a Death Knight.]
“...The kind I’m thinking of?”
Having read countless web novels, I didn’t need an explanation.
[Probably.]
“So you’re saying this whole mess is because of that guy?”
[Not exactly. It’s just a Level 50 monster.]
“Just Level 50?”
The Avatar activated clairvoyance, scanning the Death Knight in detail.
His longsword was wreathed in a sinister violet aura.
“...That’s some serious energy for something with a low level.”
[I agree.]
The violet aura surging from the Death Knight’s sword—
It carried divine essence.
Just as I was studying him closely, the Death Knight suddenly kicked off the ground, charging toward the Avatar at full speed.
The Avatar instantly pulled a spear from his inventory and hurled it straight at the enemy.
The Throwing skill, learned from Ha Dong-geon, activated—coating the spear in black energy as it shot toward the Death Knight.
Yet, for some absurd reason, the Death Knight didn’t dodge.
Instead, he raised his sword and swung it at the spear with full force.
And the moment the violet sword energy clashed with the spear tearing through the air—
KWAANG!
A massive explosion erupted, sending the Death Knight’s body hurtling backward.
Immediately after—
Shwoosh—
The Avatar teleported above the airborne Death Knight.
Wooong—
His fist glowed with dense, deep-blue energy, packed into a single point.
The moment he swung his fist, the condensed energy burst free, forming a gigantic phantom fist.
[2,100,000,000 won consumed.]
Unlike the previous Impact Burst, which swept across a broad area, this was a single-point concentrated version—a refined technique developed through combat experimentation.
BOOOOOOM!
The impact was devastating.
The Death Knight, armor and bones shattered, twitched violently on the ground.
Srrrrrk—
Moments later, his body stopped moving, disintegrating into nothingness, leaving behind a surge of experience points.
With the Death Knight eliminated, the remaining skeleton knights were swiftly eradicated by the Avatar.
The battlefield fell silent, and the Avatar muttered to himself.
“This is... ominous.”
Coincidentally, I was thinking the exact same thing.
[Northern Gate Unlocked.]
Ziiiiing—
The Avatar’s expression brightened slightly as the gate swung open.
“Finally, a break? I mean, I’ve been fighting for so long—”
Before he could finish his wishful thinking, I cut him off immediately.
[I’m sending Kellikan to you. Scout further north.]
“......”
Shortly after, Kellikan strode majestically through the Northern Gate.
—Keeeeeek!
However, the moment his eyes met the Avatar’s, he flinched and shut his mouth tight.
-........
He had excellent situational awareness.
[I'm counting on you.]
“Haa... Fine.”
***
Riding Kellikan northward, I confirmed that all of North Korea was overrun with assimilated corpses.
‘That’s an insane number.’
If there was ever a perfect way to describe an endless tide, this was it.
But I wasn’t afraid.
The Corpse Legion, despite their massive numbers, was being obliterated by constant artillery barrages.
Any stragglers that survived the bombardments were cleanly disposed of by the retainers and hunting teams, converting them into high-quality experience points.
And even if we were pushed back, it didn’t really matter.
We could simply retreat into the safe zone and continue the fight from there.
‘At that point, even ordinary civilians could be mobilized.’
In South Korea, the majority of adult men had at least basic firearm training.
Even without additional instruction, simply handing them guns would instantly bolster our ranks.
‘For now, the hunting teams are handling it well enough.’
From the Absolute Ruler’s Eye, I could see that our frontline formations were actually pushing forward.
The enhanced artillery firepower had turned the Corpse Legion into ragdolls, leaving barely any enemies to reach our front lines alive.
Even when a few managed to break through, they were swiftly cut down by the retainers.
Initially, many had been cautious of the corpse plague, but as they grew accustomed to combat, they became more aggressive.
As long as they avoided melee combat, the risk was minimal—making it a perfect battlefield for rifle-equipped hunting teams.
As a result, not a single assimilated corpse had made it near the safe zone.
‘If only this situation could last...’
But then—
The Death Knight my Avatar had just slain.
If more of those existed, it could become a serious problem.
‘A monster that wields a divinely infused power...’
It was the first time I had encountered something like this since the Vampire War.
This content is taken from freёnovelkiss.com.
In terms of raw combat ability, I had plenty of retainers strong enough to handle a Death Knight.
Retainers like Lee Joon-hyuk and Jang Seong-jun, who had already surpassed Level 60, could easily take them down solo.
If you are reading this translation anywhere other than Novelight.net or SilkRoadTL, it has been stolen.
Other leaders from Seoul, like Yang Ha-young, Jung So-ra, Cha Hyeon-seung, and Lee Kang-hyun, were just as capable.
With their exceptional skills, they could defeat a Death Knight without too much difficulty.
‘Once the other retainers receive enhancements, they’ll be able to handle them too.’
But the real problem would arise if a Death Knight-level enemy broke through the frontlines.
None of the hunting teams had the firepower to stop one.
If any team encountered a Death Knight—they’d be wiped out instantly.
And yet—
That wasn’t even the biggest issue.
There was something far more concerning.
‘The real threat is that one of those bastards could infiltrate the safe zone by breaching the transparent barrier.’
Since the appearance of monsters and my awakening, the transparent barrier had only been breached twice.
‘Once by the Primordial Vampire.’
And—
‘The second time by a mere high-ranking vampire.’
The Primordial Vampire, who had been close to Level 60, punctured a small hole in the barrier before leaving. That, at least, was understandable.
But that female vampire, who wasn’t even Level 50, had done more than just create a hole—she had fully invaded the safe zone.
‘I took her out the moment she was detected, but still...’
The fact that the barrier had been breached was an issue I couldn’t ignore. I had spent a long time analyzing it afterward.
Why had the Primordial Vampire only created a small hole and then left?
Why had a significantly weaker high-ranking vampire been able to completely bypass the barrier afterward?
The conclusion was simple.
‘Divine-infused power can penetrate the transparent barrier.’
The Primordial Vampire had likely withdrawn because he wasn’t strong enough to fully enter the safe zone at the time.
That was before the ritual covering all of Ulsan had activated—meaning his power had been insufficient.
‘But that high-ranking vampire that came later—her body was shrouded in crimson energy.’
She had succeeded in breaching the transparent barrier and entering the safe zone.
Even though she harbored intense hostility toward me, she didn’t die immediately upon entering.
I was certain the secret lay in divinity.
And the violet energy emanating from the Death Knight’s sword just now—
It felt even more refined than what I had seen before.
‘This isn’t good.’
And at that moment—
Through the Absolute Ruler’s Eye, the ominous feeling took shape into something tangible.
Perched atop Kellikan, the Avatar muttered in disbelief.
“...What the hell is that?”
The jagged mountain ranges ended, giving way to open plains.
Though the exact location was uncertain, the sight of Mount Baekdu in the distance suggested that we had reached the border between North Korea and China.
And there—
Clank— Clank—
Tens of thousands—no, hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions.
An army so immense that its true scale was impossible to estimate, all marching in perfect formation.
Unlike the haphazard horde of monsters in the previous Corpse Legion, which had merely been a chaotic mix of undead creatures—
This was a highly organized force.
Spearmen, shield-bearers, and archers formed a properly structured elite unit.
The number of skeletal knights on horseback alone seemed to exceed tens of thousands.
And at the core of the formation—
An entire regiment of Death Knights.
‘...How many of them are there?’
Even with a rough estimate, their numbers easily exceeded several hundred.
「Death Knight (Lv. 56)」
「Death Knight (Lv. 53)」
「Death Knight (Lv. 57)」
「Death Knight (Lv. 54)」
「Death Knight (Lv. 56)」
And at the very center of the legion, two figures stood out—their presence alone suffocating.
One was clad in pitch-black full plate armor.
「Death Knight General (Lv. 64)」
Beside him stood a figure draped in a pure white robe.
「Lich (Lv. 67)」
Ssssshhh—
Even amidst the pouring rain, their presence remained unshaken.
Then—
The Lich in the white robe lifted his head.
Slowly, he raised his staff.
In an instant, fog-like energy began to billow from the staff, condensing before launching toward the Avatar with explosive speed.
Shwoosh—
The Avatar, already prepared, teleported away with Kellikan, avoiding the attack.
—KIEEEEEK!
—KYAAAH!
—AAARRRGH!
As the fog swept past, horrifying screams filled the air.
At first glance, it resembled mist—but its irregular shape betrayed something far more sinister.
Each wisp of it was shaped like a human face—
Faces twisted in unbearable agony.
And then—
—KYAAAAAH!
The fog suddenly reversed direction, charging straight at the Avatar from above.
Shwoosh—
The Avatar teleported again, narrowly dodging it—
But in that brief moment of distraction—
A massive figure emerged from behind him.
A grim silhouette, wielding a colossal scythe.
The sheer pressure of its presence was overwhelming.
And the moment its information appeared in the Absolute Ruler’s Eye—
「Reaper (Lv. 66)」
I shouted at full force.
[Dodge!]
But it was too fast—
Schlck!
The colossal scythe sliced through Kellikan’s body, cleaving him in two.
“Ugh!”
The Avatar, having already cloaked ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) himself in protective qi, barely survived—
But a long gash ran from his shoulder to his chest.
For the first time, the Avatar seemed genuinely shaken.
Because—
‘It pierced the divine-infused protective qi.’
The Avatar’s body had been coated in a deep-blue aura—yet the scythe still cut through it.
‘That means—’
Woooom—
As expected—
The Reaper’s scythe radiated a refined violet energy—
A divine-infused killing force.
