Debuff Master-Chapter 1059

Chapter 1059
Wings held deep symbolic meaning for both angels and demons.
They were not only tools for flight, but also the manifestations of divine power and demonic energy, which were the very essence of angels and demons.
The density and amount of energy they possessed formed their wings, and that same energy was stored in those wings.
In other words, wings functioned much like mana halls for angels and demons, a critical organ that housed and regulated the very source of their power.
For this very reason, Lucifer had specifically targeted Michael's wings in the rebellion against the latter. In the end, he severed all of Michael's wings.
Zerachiel was no different.
The damage he suffered from losing a wing was tremendous. This made perfect sense, as this would be akin to losing a tenth of his mana hall if he were human.
“...Is this how you wanna do it, Big Brother?” Zerachiel asked.
Blood gushed out from the torn wing, soaking the pristine white feathers of his other remaining wings in red.
“I wanted to help you, yet this is how you treat me?”
“I’ve already told you to stop, Zerachiel. I don’t want to hurt you any more than this.”
“Shut up!” I-I wanted to help you, but you leave me with no choice, Big Brother...”
“Zerachiel—”
“I’m going to kill you in the most painful way possible.”
At those words, the wraiths rushed at Michael.
“Death... will give you... peace...”
“Worry will... leave you... once you die...”
“Come... with us...”
“Let go... and you will see...”
Hundreds of thousands of wraiths swarmed toward him.
But that was not all.
“Die!”
Using the wraiths to keep Michael busy, Zerachiel went on the offensive and unleashed a relentless barrage of attacks.
“Stop! Zerachiel!” Michael shouted.
The Archangel of Death’s attacks were so fierce that Michael was forced to abandon the idea of going after his wings. Zerachiel received a significant buff to his stats after going berserk, and he easily surpassed the combined buffs and debuffs cast by Chae Hyung-Seok and Siegfried.
The wraiths swarming Michael and the Scythe of Repose coming after him were a fearsome combo.
“
Argh!”
Michael was forced to defend once again after being pushed back by the barrage of attacks unleashed by Zerachiel.
The wraiths were one thing, but avoiding the Scythe of Repose was the real challenge. Even Michael would suffer tremendous damage from a single hit, regardless of whether he was the former Chief Archangel or not.
In other words, the tables have turned once again, and things weren't looking good for Michael.
‘
This is absolutely insane... Even Michael can’t beat him?’
Siegfried thought in shock.
Just then...
Flash!
A golden burst of light exploded from Michael, blasting back the wraiths and Zerachiel.
Then, he immediately rushed toward Siegfried and Chae Hyung-Seok.
“I don’t think I can fight anymore,” Michael said.
“
Huh?
But—” Siegfried muttered, tilting his head.
“I’m in bad shape,” Michael added, showing his side, revealing a long, deep gash.
“
Ah...
” Siegfried let out a low gasp after seeing the wound.
The clash between Michael and Zerachiel had been so fast that Siegfried had not even noticed it, but it was clear that he was struck by the Scythe of Repose.
“M-Michael!”
“I’ll be fine,” Michael said with a faint smile. Then, he added, “I’m the former Chief Archangel. I may have lost most of my power, but I can still resist this.”
He wrapped one of his wings around the gash on his side.
“...But I can’t keep fighting.”
“
Ah...
”
“We have to go.”
Michael pulled Siegfried and Chae Hyung-Seok close. Then, he took flight, weaving past the wraiths away from Angela.
A tactical retreat.
Unfortunately, they had no other choice but to run.
***
About an hour later,
they finally reached a safe location. Michael collapsed, falling unconscious.
“Save him! Do whatever you can!” Siegfried shouted.
“O-Okay!” Chae Hyung-Seok stammered in response before channeling all of his healing spells.
However, Michael did not regain consciousness, no matter how many spells were cast on him.
Of course, this was only natural.
The fact that he hadn't died instantly upon getting hit by the Scythe of Repose was already a miracle in itself. If Michael hadn't been the former Chief Archangel, then he would have already died.
In other words, the fact that he was still alive was astounding in itself.
“Damn it...” Siegfried cursed under his breath.
Spotting a rundown shack nearby, he hurriedly ran over to it and used Inzaghi’s Door Handle to open a warp gate leading to the Proatine Empire.
“Let’s go.”
“O-Okay.”
Once the warp gate was open, Siegfried took Chae Hyung-Seok and Michael, who was unconscious, and crossed over to the Proatine Empire.
“Call Saintess Janette! Tell her it’s an emergency!” Siegfried commanded.
The servants replied in unison, “Yes, Your Imperial Majesty!”
Siegfried rushed Michael into the imperial infirmary while waiting for the saintess to arrive.
‘
Damn it...!’
Siegfried examined Michael’s condition, and it was worse than he had feared.
Michael’s lips were turning blue, his skin was ghastly pale, and his eyes were deep. Just from his appearance, he looked like he would die at any moment.
‘
He was struck by the Scythe of Repose but resisted death and continued fighting...’
Siegfried understood why Michael was in such a condition. Unfortunately, the only thing he could do right now was to wait for the Saintess to arrive.
While waiting, another thought crossed his mind.
‘
I’m still too weak.’
Just how much stronger did he have to become? This was the first time he faced an opponent that he had no hopes of winning against, even after transforming into the Demon Lord of Greed and Betrayal.
Archangels and Demon Lords were in a league of their own, so there was no guarantee Siegfried would win against every single one of them. Some of the higher-ranking ones had accumulated experience worth hundreds of thousands of years, so it was impossible for him to overpower them by transforming.
‘
I have to ascend to the realm of Grandmaster as quickly as possible,’
Siegfried resolved.
His enemies were becoming stronger, and a disaster was looming on the horizon, yet he couldn’t help but feel that he was walking in place. No matter how much stronger he became, his enemies always seemed to be stronger than he was.
Of course, facing stronger enemies was the sole reason he had been pushing himself to grow rather than be content with the power he wielded right now.
Saintess Janette finally arrived, and she immediately took a look at Michael.
“It is not looking good for him. And I'm afraid that this is no longer in the realm of healing,” Janette said.
“What’s wrong with him?” Siegfried asked.
“His soul is trying to leave his body. He is barely suppressing it with his mental fortitude alone, but even that is...”
“
Ah...
”
Siegfried was surprised after hearing that Michael was in a worse state than he thought.
Suffering from physical wounds would be a lot better than what Michael was suffering from right now.
Why?
It was all because physical wounds could be healed through some means, but that was not the case for this kind of wound.
“To be honest... there is nothing I can do for him,” Saintess Janette said.
“
Ah...
”
“Even I cannot do anything to keep his soul in his body.”
In the end, Saintess Janette gave up on patching up Michael. Even if she did not want to give up on him, there was nothing she could do, as she had no idea how to cure him.
Thus, she did what she could and simply healed his external wounds. Unfortunately, this was the extent of what she could do for him.
‘
No. I won’t let this happen,’
Siegfried thought.
He did not want to give up on Michael. The former Chief Archangel was one of the key allies Siegfried could depend on to stop the invasion of the angels, so he was not going to just sit around and do nothing.
‘
I guess I have no other choice...’
Siegfried suddenly turned on his heel and headed to Deus’ fishing spot.
“What brings you here?” Deus asked.
Just as always, he was spending his time fishing at the lake. Beside him were the God of Blacksmiths, the First Red Dragon, Vulcanus, and the Demon King Baal.
Ironically, Baal was currently acting as Deus’ personal
shuttle.
[1]
The Demon King, Baal, dropped by the Middle Realm to attend Siegfried’s coronation, only to be caught and enslaved by Deus.
‘
Whoa... He’s even enslaved the Demon King...’
Siegfried was at a loss for words out of sheer disbelief for a second, but he immediately got back to his senses and bowed low to the ground at Deus’ feet.
“I greet my master!”
“Just stay there and wait a moment.”
“Yes, Master.”
Siegfried did not want to get beaten up again, so he stayed quiet until he was permitted to move.
About five minutes later...
“
Heave-ho!”
Deus exclaimed, pulling his rod.
Gwuuu Ooooh!
A massive Black Turtle Snake suddenly emerged from the lake, fished out by the rod.
Among the four guardian deities, the Blue Dragon, the White Tiger, the Red Phoenix, and the Black Tortoise Serpent, the Black Tortoise Serpent was the guardian deity of the north.
‘
W-Why the fuck is a Black Tortoise Serpent coming out from this lake?!’
Siegfried screamed inwardly in sheer disbelief.
How did it make sense that one of the four guardian deities could be fished out from the lake in the backyard of the Proatine Empire’s palace? Was this lake a blackhole or something?
“Hoho! If my mind chooses to see this lake as an ocean, then it will become an ocean. What’s the big deal about catching a tuna by then? I perceive this place as an abundant pool, filled with all sorts of fish, be they freshwater or saltwater fish!”
However, Siegfried remembered what Deus said last time and decided to just not be surprised anymore.
“
Tsk...
It’s not the haul I was hoping for,” Deus clicked his tongue in annoyance.
Then, he threw the Black Tortoise Serpent back into the lake before turning to Siegfried.
“So, what do you want, my disciple?” he asked.
“I have come seeking your teachings, Master,” Siegfried replied with another bow.
“My teachings... Sure, what is it you wish to learn?” Deus asked with a smile, seemingly content with the reason he was given. Deus had always been like that. He had a nasty temper, was violent, and was prone to verbally abusing Siegfried.
However, whenever Siegfried came seeking his teachings, he wouldn't hesitate to impart his wisdom.
Why?
It was all because no matter what, Siegfried was still his beloved disciple.
‘
As expected of Master,’
Siegfried thought with a smile.
Just as always, he felt a profound sense of admiration for the man in front of him.
***
Deus scanned Siegfried from head to toe before saying, “But it doesn’t seem like you have hit the wall yet, so why are you seeking my teachings? There is a bit left before you can reach that wall.”
As expected of Deus, he was able to grasp that Siegfried was yet to reach Level 449 in a single glance.
‘
I knew it. Master is really quite something,’
Siegfried thought, once again in awe of Deus’ keen insight.
“I have not come seeking your advice for surpassing that wall, Master,” Siegfried said with a bow.
“I see,” Deus muttered with a nod. Then, he added, “I was planning to test you personally once you have arrived at the doorsteps of becoming a Grandmaster.”
“
Huh?
You wanted to test me personally, Master?” Siegfried asked, doubting his ears.
“Yes,” Deus replied with a nod. Then, he continued, “It will take ages for you to attain the enlightenment required to become a Grandmaster. Even I, a genius, needed a decade to become one, so how long do you think you will take?”
“Whoa...” Siegfried muttered in disbelief after hearing how difficult it was to overcome the wall.
Ten years? Even a year was too long for him right now, so thinking about spending ten years just to surpass that wall sent chills down his spine.
“That’s why I wanted to test you. Do you understand now?”
“Yes, master. Your grace is as vast as the oceans,” Siegfried said with a bow.
“Do you think I’m doing this out of grace?”
“Pardon me?”
“My test won’t be that easy, my disciple. You will have to put everything you have in order to pass,” Deus warned.
Siegfried instinctively knew that Deus was not scaring him for the heck of it.
The test he would receive was, without a doubt, going to be so difficult that he would have to give it everything he had in order to pass it.
1. Shuttle is a word used by bullies in Korea. Whenever a bully asks a victim to bring them food, water, or bread, the victims will
gain
the moniker food shuttle, bread shuttle, or water shuttle. ☜