Chapter 13: Welcome (revised)

The fourth job advancement.

After months of struggle, the moment had finally arrived.

Despite my battered state, a laugh escaped me.

The pitiful Crusader, never truly called a Hero, would shed his old self today and be reborn as a true Hero.

[Would you like to begin the 4th Job Advancement?]

“…Yes.”

Shimmer…

A brilliant light erupted around me. The crimson glow formed the shape of a maple leaf, slowly seeping into my body.

That was it. For such a long-awaited advancement, it was simple and brief.

…But the power that surged within me was anything but light.

It felt like a force trapped in a well had burst free. My capabilities didn’t just rise one level—they leaped two, maybe more.

The knowledge and power of fourth-job skills naturally settled into me. It felt both unfamiliar and as if it had always been part of me.

Compared to my Crusader days, this was a different league. Like the difference between a child and an adult. That sums it up.

The only problem?

“Ugh, huff…”

My body was in no condition to be called normal. I nearly collapsed just now, barely catching myself.

F*ck, couldn’t they have let me advance sooner?

The aftereffects of taking two Genesis hits head-on were brutal. My vision blurred, flickering in and out.

“…?”

The intense light from my advancement drew the attention of the cheering soldiers.

“What’s that?”

“…Bishop, did you cast another Genesis?”

“Me?”

“Then… another Bishop?”

“Not me either.”

“It looked like Genesis… who was it?”

“Stop gawking and keep healing. There are still wounded.”

“Yeah, let’s finish him off. It’s not over yet, so stay sharp.”

They brimmed with confidence, likely from my sorry state.

Even I could tell I was in bad shape. It wouldn’t be surprising if I passed out right now. I was barely standing.

If this were a game, leveling up or advancing would heal me, but no such luck here.

“Enough. That demon’s still alive! Paladins, form ranks and approach. Stay alert.”

The fourth-job Paladin barked orders, leading the others closer.

“…Disgusting bastards.”

Forcing my unresponsive body to move, I steadied myself. I wiped the blood trickling from my mouth after coughing it up.

I raised my sword. As I aimed it at them, the approaching soldiers flinched.

“Don’t be scared! He’s already half-dead!”

The Paladin shouted. They resumed their approach.

I reactivated my expired buffs and triggered the new ones from my advancement.

Combo Attack. Spirit Blade. Scarring Sword. Enrage. Maple Warrior.

Each buff shifted my aura. My body briefly regained some vitality.

My condition: a wreck.

Mana: nearly gone.

Potions: none left.

Even so, I had to hold on. If I didn’t, there’d be no after.

The first to sense my changed aura was the fourth-job Paladin leading the charge.

“…Wait. This is…”

At that moment—

Tap—!

Without warning, I launched myself at them.

And then—

Clang—!

“Guh…! Urk!”

“You blocked that?”

I rushed the lead Paladin and swung. He blocked it.

I couldn’t hide my surprise. In that split second, he reacted.

His shield was shredded, his face contorted in pain, but he blocked it. A fourth-job Paladin for a reason.

That was all he had.

Slash—!

“Gah—!”

The next strike cut him in half, shield and all. A pitiful end for a fourth-job Paladin.

Blood and organs spilled from his bisected body. The Paladin behind him was drenched in it.

“Wha… what… AHHH—!”

A piercing scream echoed. The calmed atmosphere reignited.

“Damn it—! Archmages—!! Prepare Meteor now!”

“F*ck… Kalak got one-shotted…?”

“Don’t panic—! He’s almost done! Stay calm, and we can kill him!”

I looked at my sword. Even I was shocked. Normally, I couldn’t kill in one hit like that.

“…Cough, guh.”

I coughed up blood. My body wasn’t normal. I needed to end this fast.

My vision blurred again. Blood loss was slowing my circulation. But I steadied myself.

Raising my sword, I aimed at the chanting mages and exhaled slowly.

Time to use my new skill.

“Inhale… exhale…”

I bent my knees, focusing. Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes.

…Incising.

I swung downward with force.

Whoosh—

My sword ignited. A massive blade materialized in the air, like a blazing soul, its red flames roaring like the sun as it slashed downward like lightning.

Slash—!

The giant strike cut through incoming magic and the mages in its path.

[Level Up!]

One hit, and I leveled up.

“Kyaaa—!”

“What the hell was that?!”

“Gordon…! Bishop, BISHOP—! Heal him, quick!”

“He’s… he’s already dead…!”

Cries of shock erupted. I didn’t miss the chance, rushing forward into their chaos.

Now I understood. Incising’s mana cost was astronomical. With my mana nearly gone and no potions, using it again would be foolish.

Spirit Blade and Scarring Sword had about three minutes left. I had to end this before then. My body wouldn’t last longer.

“…That guy.”

Akairum frowned. My aura had changed. An unfamiliar skill had torn through their ranks, instantly killing those caught in it.

What did he do?

Akairum kept firing powerful magic, but it had little effect. I was faster than before. How could a near-dead guy shift like that in moments?

“Don’t fear him! That demon’s at his limit!”

Someone shouted to boost morale. It wasn’t a lie—my killing pace had slowed. But I was still a threat.

…Still, it’ll end soon.

Akairum raised his wand, chanting again.

“Don’t come closer! DON’T—!”

Slash—!

I cut down an annoying Archmage.

“Huff… huff…!”

I was dizzy. Breathing was hard. How long had I held out? Definitely past three minutes. My buffs were long gone.

Each breath tasted like iron. My lungs were at their limit. My carefully rationed mana was gone. I could maybe use a first-job skill a few times.

“METEOR—!!”

“Paladins, fall back!”

F*ck…!

I thought I’d killed all the Archmages, but reinforcements had arrived. No matter how many I killed, they kept coming. Did they gather every mage in the area?

Clang—!

“Ugh… grrr…!”

I slashed a flaming meteor. Fire engulfed me. I was truly at my limit.

If my body were fine… if I had mana…!

Then—

“—!”

A chilling surge of energy came from my right. I turned urgently.

My eyes met Akairum’s.

“Crazy…!”

I gasped. He’d been hiding, but that wasn’t the issue.

A massive flow of mana.

In my state, I couldn’t survive that.

Tap—!

Thought and action were one. Despite stacked Slow debuffs, I rushed toward Akairum.

“…Gah!”

He visibly panicked. I closed in to strike—

…Something’s off.

A sudden unease hit me. He was completely defenseless.

That snake wouldn’t show up without a barrier.

This wasn’t the time for caution, but I couldn’t ignore the alarm in my head.

Tap—

I chose to fall back.

And then—

BOOM—!

A massive lightning bolt struck where I’d been.

“…How did you know?”

Akairum asked, genuinely curious. There’d been no warning.

No time or reason to answer. That lightning was my chance—he couldn’t fire another so soon.

As I moved to charge—

“…?”

Something was wrong.

My feet wouldn’t move.

Looking down, my toes were turning to stone.

“—!”

“F*ck…!”

“Pretty shocking, right?”

No matter how I struggled, my feet were stuck. The petrification crept up my lower body.

Akairum approached with a wicked grin.

“It’s understandable. First time with petrification, huh?”

I forgot. Petrification was one of his patterns.

This was bad. An All-Cure Potion could fix it, but I had none…

“How’s it feel? Your body slowly hardening?”

“Ugh…!”

“Stop struggling. Petrification doesn’t stop. You’ll turn to stone entirely.”

“…”

“Heh, don’t worry too much. I’ll undo it later. I’m not ready to kill you yet.”

Akairum cackled.

The petrification reached my neck. The soldiers, sensing the end, gathered.

“How’s it feel? Facing your enemy, powerless?”

“…”

“Now, take a nap.”

“…Phew—”

“…Hm?”

“Inhale—”

CRASH—!

“What…!”

Akairum’s eyes widened in shock.

The petrification broke.

How?

As it shattered, I spun, swinging my sword.

Slash—!

“Gah—!”

“Urk…!”

“AHHH!”

“Fall back! He’s still alive—!”

The soldiers who’d gathered were cut down. They scrambled back in panic.

“Huff… huff…!”

Will of the Warrior.

A new debuff-clearing skill from my fourth job.

I’d waited for their most careless moment. It used mana too.

Stagger—

“…Ugh.”

My vision spun, and I lurched forward. I stabbed my sword into the ground to stay upright.

I couldn’t hold on anymore.

…So, I’d bet everything now.

Tap—!

Forcing my unresponsive body, I reached Akairum in a blink.

He raised multiple barriers. I burned my last mana.

Magic Crash.

Shatter—!

“—!”

The purple orb burst, shattering his barriers instantly.

This is it…!

I squeezed out my final mana.

…Raging Blow—!

My sword ignited. In a flash, it struck Akairum multiple times.

“—!”

…But.

Akairum, who should’ve been sliced apart, was fine.

“…What?”

“Surprised?”

He smirked slyly.

I looked up, startled. The space around us was twisting. My strikes were warping too.

It was familiar…

Spatial Distortion.

“—Gah!”

My body twisted. The pain choked me.

F*ck, focus… focus…

Thud—!

“Ugh…”

No.

I couldn’t fall here.

Tana.

I hadn’t saved Tana.

Hold on.

I had to hold on.

“Blizzard!!”

“Meteor!”

“Genesis—!!”

F*ck.

BOOM—!

Everything went black.