Episode 49: Elf Fortress (2)
The Radiance guild members looked uneasy.
Understandable.
Solo-clearing Floor 100 of the ‘Tower of Strife’.
Ranking first in the ‘Twilight Arena’.
A figure like me, with no prior connection, approaching them casually was bound to feel odd.
The only link was that Son Tae-yeon from Radiance and Ascend Management’s rep are siblings.
“First proper greeting, Unknown Adventurer.”
Radiance Guild Master Yoon Hae-joon approached, extending a hand.
“I heard from Son Tae-yeon you’re joining us today. Looking forward to working together.”
“I’m grateful you’re letting me join. I wasn’t sure if it’s okay to jump in now, especially after the Tower of Strife incident…”
“It’s fine. We couldn’t guarantee we’d clear in time anyway. So, what’s your plan?”
I’d already strategized.
The Elf Fortress.
It seems like new content, but it’s familiar to me.
Digging deep into Legend Seven’s sub-stories, you encounter this fortress.
Back then, it was a defense mission on the elves’ side, unlike now.
The fortress’s structure hasn’t changed much, giving me plenty to work with.
‘The Elf Fortress has three sections.’
First: the entrance.
Literally the outer walls and gate, where you fight elf soldiers in a siege.
Second: the Spirit Sanctuary.
Elves are closely tied to spirits, so their fortresses always have a sanctuary.
This is where you battle various spirit types.
Korea’s team has reached this second section.
Third: the Altar of Radiance.
Light-attribute monsters are rare in Legend Seven, but elves wield light-based summons.
This altar summons them, making it ideal for dark-attribute summons—like ‘King of Afterimages Azas’.
“I’ll lead the way.”
“Are you sure? We can take point, preserve your strength…”
“No, I need to draw their attention.”
“Understood. We’ll follow.”
I stepped ahead of Radiance and summoned my forces one by one.
《Summoning ‘Verdant Shadow’.》
《Summoning ‘Preacher of Atonement Carmela’.》
Murmurs rippled through the crowd.
This combo looks underwhelming.
‘Preacher of Atonement Carmela’ is a new summon, transferring ally debuffs to enemies.
Her utility is so niche that she’s poorly rated.
No one would think this deck belongs to someone who cleared Floor 100 and topped the Twilight Arena.
《Summoning Black Priestess Meril.》
“Oh…”
“What kind of combo is this…?”
Sighs of betrayal.
Expected.
Black Priestess Meril is seen as equally limited.
But will they say the same about this?
《Summoning King of Afterimages Azas.》
The air froze.
“…Huh?”
“What’s that?”
“Isn’t that the Tower of Strife Floor 100 boss?”
“No way, you can contract a tower boss?”
“Wait, is that why Floor 100 vanished…?”
As predicted.
But no time to bask in their awe.
I was dying to see Azas’s power firsthand.
New summons, new deck possibilities—I want to keep building.
“Move, Azas.”
The King of Afterimages drew his mistblade.
Its shimmering energy flowed like smoke as he charged toward the Altar of Radiance, into the battlefield’s darkness.
***
Calebrin, master of the Altar of Radiance, glared at the black beast entering, his eyes blazing.
“How dare you bring darkness to this sacred ground! Soldiers of Radiance, never let them take the altar!”
“Yes!”
《Radiance Devotee summons ‘Wisp of Light’.》
《Radiance Priest summons ‘Wisp of Radiance’.》
《Radiance Guardian summons ‘Radiance Butterfly Miliar’.》
As the altar’s elves summoned their forces, Hyun-woo smiled.
“Iris!”
The fastest, Iris, acted first.
《Shadow of Verdure Iris uses Verdant Acceleration.》
《All allies’ speed increases by 20%.》
Iris’s buff secured the next turn for Meril.
“Meril!”
《Black Priestess Meril uses Sacrifice of Sin.》
“Servants of light, bestow greater punishment upon this sinful one!”
《Sacrifice of Sin triggers Focused Taunt on Radiance Devotee.》
《Sacrifice of Sin triggers Focused Taunt on Wisp of Light.》
…
《Sacrifice of Sin triggers Focused Taunt on Radiance Butterfly Miliar.》
《Black Priestess Meril gains Immortal status.》
Meril’s magic circle applied debuffs to all elves and their summons.
Next was Carmela’s turn.
《Preacher of Atonement Carmela uses Transfer of Sin.》
“Forgive Lady Meril’s sins and share her burden!”
《Transfer of Sin transfers Black Priestess Meril’s Focused Taunt to King of Afterimages Azas.》
Hyun-woo’s preparations were complete.
The deck performed exactly as planned, with speed settings perfectly aligned.
Now, it was time to witness Azas’s power firsthand.
《Radiance Devotee attacks King of Afterimages Azas.》
《King of Afterimages Azas evades the attack.》
《Due to King of Afterimages Azas’s skill effect, the first afterimage is created.》
Each evasion stacked an afterimage on Azas.
After dodging a few more attacks—
《Due to King of Afterimages Azas’s skill effect, the third afterimage is created.》
《Due to King of Afterimages Azas’s skill effect, Absolute Afterimage activates.》
Absolute Afterimage, boasting a 100% evasion rate for three attacks, triggered.
Then, on the fourth evasion—
《Radiance Guardian attacks King of Afterimages Azas.》
《King of Afterimages Azas evades the attack.》
《Due to King of Afterimages Azas’s skill effect, the fourth afterimage is created.》
《Illusion of Annihilation skill effect Thousand Shadows activates.》
“…What? He vanished?”
The elves at the altar panicked.
In an instant, Azas’s silhouette disappeared.
Then, four afterimages bloomed like smoke around them.
Shadows of illusion spread in all directions, moving so fast it was impossible to tell real from fake.
Slash!
The first elf devotee’s summon was cleaved in half.
《First afterimage defeats Wisp of Light.》
An invisible trajectory.
A single sword strike felled the devotee instantly.
“Everyone, focus! Cast protective—”
Swish swish swish!
Before the devotee could finish, the remaining afterimages struck simultaneously.
Not simultaneous hits or guided attacks—just identical strikes from different directions at the same moment.
The elves collapsed silently, one by one.
Fear was forbidden for a race fighting for their survival.
Yet Azas’s overwhelming strikes rekindled a long-forgotten emotion.
‘What the hell is this…?!’
They were cut, but no blood sprayed.
They felt the blade pass, yet couldn’t scream.
Azas’s swordsmanship severed vital points and disrupted movement with precision.
It wasn’t cruel—noble, calm, deliberate.
Still, the watching adventurers felt chills.
‘This… is what a single summon can do?’
At the center of overlapping afterimages, Azas reappeared through the black mist.
Raising his mistblade, he traced a final arc.
Whoosh!
A single wave sliced through the air, and the attacked elves and summons fell to their knees.
《Second afterimage defeats Radiance Devotee.》
…
《Fourth afterimage defeats Radiance Guardian.》
《King of Afterimages Azas defeats Radiance Butterfly Miliar.》
No bloody brawl, no explosive flash.
He simply vanished and reappeared.
But in that moment, five Radiance Altar devotees collapsed, as if time itself had stopped.
“…”
As Azas reemerged, silence blanketed the altar.
Someone swallowed hard, the sound echoing like thunder in the quiet battlefield.
The elves and summons that Radiance struggled against vanished in an instant.
All the guild could do was stare, speechless.
“Is that… the summon Azas…?”
A veteran guild member muttered.
“That deck makes no sense. How do Meril and Carmela create such synergy…?”
No one could argue.
Hearts pounded, fingertips tingled, bodies froze.
It wasn’t fear—it was awe.
When faced with an overwhelming gap, humans feel wonder before dread.
At the center stood the King of Afterimages Azas.
‘This is it.’
Hyun-woo’s heart felt like it would burst.
This thrill, this excitement.
A deck moving exactly as planned.
He was going crazy with how fun this was.
“Azas, keep advancing.”
Hiding the exhilaration coursing through him in a clenched fist, Hyun-woo moved from the altar entrance toward its center.
***
Inside the Elf Fortress’s Court of Nature, King Eldiran viewed humans as inferior.
Yet, for the first time, he felt tension facing one.
‘Why do those eyes feel so familiar?’
From this human from another dimension, Eldiran sensed a familiar dread.
‘Lucifer. Why does he come to mind now…?’