Max Talent Player

n incantation?’

Despite being very short, the incantation manifested.

‘The length isn’t important.’

Hyukjin was struck with an enlightenment.
Schultz’s will was imbued in those words.
Pulling off an incantation may have seemed unlikely from the length, but those two lines were steeped in sincerity.

[The signature move of the boss monster ‘Four-Winged Angel Statue’ is being used.]

The System being so kind as to state it outright meant the attack coming their way was simply that strong.
Balance necessitated the warning.

The white feathers quivering with vicious bloodthirst began to embroider the sky, pouring down like a heavy rain, and the giant that had appeared behind Schultz expanded all at once to partially shield the Players.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Feathers crashed into the giant’s body in a flurry of sparks.
A good number of them were blocked by the giant.

Schultz expelled a mouthful of blood.

‘I… will protect them.’

It was then that Salvatore began to speak.
Without being taught, he realized for himself what an incantation was by seeing Schultz do it.
He spoke the words that came to his mind purely by instinct.

“Sing, my soldiers.”

For an incantation, it was terribly clumsy.

“Climb the castle ramparts and melt the biting northerly wind.”

But his incantation was real.
He took what he learned from Kim Hyukjn and Schultz to blow his will into being in his own way.

“I am your castle, your refuge, and shall become your indomitable spirit.”

That moment, white light radiated from Salvatore’s body.
Hyukjin recognized the words.
They were the lines Salvatore had always spoken when he used his exclusive skill, Opera of Castle.
In his past life, Hyukjin hadn’t known it was an incantation, but he knew now.

That was the Wargod’s legendary AOE buff that, when fighting with a Guardian Tower, rapidly boosted all Player abilities and maximized the Guardian Tower’s innate abilities.
It was an incredible ability that could raise the very grade of a Guardian Tower by one.
If the rain of feathers pouring down was the Four-Winged Angel Statue’s signature move, Opera of Castle was the Wargod’s first signature move.

Wordless singing began to ring out, and the Players were enveloped in white light.
Schultz, who had just been vomiting blood, felt the effects instantly.

‘My body’s been healed.’

The damage he had just done to his body while using the Guardian favor was healed, and the favor was strengthened even more.
The giant took on a slightly red tint to its originally black-and-white color, the armor it was donning becoming red.

‘It’s gotten stronger.’

The Guardian favor was undoubtedly boosted.

‘How in the world?’

It was definitely Chiellini’s ability.
The other Players felt it, too.
They knew Chiellini’s innate ability was shining in all its glory.

Hyukjin was focusing on a slightly different aspect.

‘Hymn.’

There was a strong sacred feel within that singing, which he could feel more keenly because he had Conductor’s Hymn.

‘This is a hymn.’

And—

‘This is the path a hymn should take.’

Salvatore showed him the future, helping him grasp the correct direction.
Hyukjin was left feeling as though he had learned something from the other sovereign.

 

* * *

Reaper Scans

Translator – Lei

Proofreader – Ash

 

* * *

 

On the other side, Salvatore felt goosebumps rise over his entire body, which was emanating miraculous light.

He suddenly recalled Itachi’s prophecy.

–If they meet as friends, so shall the hymn of heaven ring.

Right now, a hymn was ringing through the air.
He was able to use this ability because Kim Hyukjin was here, because Kim Hyukjin summoned a Guardian Tower.
And also, because Kim Hyukjin told him in advance to use this ability.

‘Itachi’s prophecy was right.’

The sensation of mana being sucked out of his body nearly made Salvatore stumble, but he held on tight to his consciousness.

‘What’s… that?’

The Guardian Tower’s red eye and the white light he had created came together before disappearing, leaving just the shell of the Guardian Tower.
In its place, a girl he’d never seen before was standing next to Kim Hyukjin.

‘A… girl?’

She looked young.
He couldn’t see her face properly because of all the white light around her.
Even her body wasn’t clearly visible.
All he could tell was that she was a woman enveloped in light.

“I’m back,” the girl said.

* * *

One of the red gems on the angel statue that had sided with the Ground shined brightly.

[You were the ones that betrayed me first.]

The angel statue’s aura became a level fiercer.
Its abilities were boosted by Salvatore’s sovereign buff.
As expected of Salvatore’s signature move, it buffed everyone or everything that was considered an ally.

And then, the betrayed angel statue spoke the words it had uttered to the Players in the past.

[Still, I did love you.]

That was what it said before betraying the Players and killing them.
Now, it said those words not to the Players, but to the Four-Winged Angel Statue.

Hyukjin heard a notice.

[The quest ‘Find the Dewinged Angel Statue’s Wings’ has been triggered.]

The Dewinged Angel Statue had chosen its stance once and for all.
Hyukjin took out the wings from his Inventory without hesitation.

“Here.”

The wings in Hyukjin’s hands instantly disappeared, reforming on the Dewinged Angel Statue.

[The quest ‘Find the Dewinged Angel Statue’s Wings’ has been cleared.]

[As the quest reward, the ‘Angel Statue’s Master’ title has been generated.]

The angel statue began to change.
Rubble fell to the ground, soon revealing an angel that looked like the others.

‘Four wings.’

But they weren’t perfect wings.
The angel flapped its ragged, torn wings and flew into the sky, a large, golden spear forming in its hands.

The two angel statues glared at each other in midair.

[Do you intend on opposing us at last?]

[You are the ones who discarded me first.]

Thanks to their conversation, the Players had a moment to catch their breaths.
Schultz was gasping for breath on the ground, and the Players who were struck by the Annihilating Rain of Ten Thousand Feathers downed pots to heal their wounds.
Thankfully, no one had died.

Kim Hyukjin heard a voice.

“I’m happy I can walk.”

It was the girl wreathed in light, Ahn Seohye.

“I’m happy I can breathe.”

He continued to hear her voice.

“I’m happy I can feel.”

She lightly grasped the hem of Hyukjin’s clothes.

“I’m happy to be alive.”

The simple statements continued.

“I want to eat tonkatsu.”

Hyukjin could tell that this was no ordinary greeting from the girl who had recovered her physical body, though only temporarily.

Above her head, the ‘Red Eye’ was gushing wicked light.

The Red Demon Ahn Seohye gave a sweet smile.

 

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