Chapter 401 – Part 2 – Execution

Christopher furrowed his brow upon hearing the absurd words.

‘What? Execution? And saying he’s sufficient alone?’

He didn’t know exactly what the black mask’s skills were like.

But at least he didn’t think someone with 3 million combat power like himself would lose so helplessly.

‘Even Peter Fields with 4 million combat power couldn’t say such things in front of me.’

Christopher’s trait was Paladin.

A trait that doubled damage against undead, ghosts, and demons, it had no utility value in person-to-person combat.

‘But besides that, I can basically imbue weapons with holy power.’

Imbuing with holy power increased the weapon’s attack power by 20%.

‘Moreover, the basic passive reduces damage taken by 50%.’

If someone who was already a tanker could reduce damage taken by half?

‘Even Peter, who has 1 million higher combat power, wouldn’t find it easy to face me.’

It would truly feel like facing a giant tree.

“Was it you who killed my subordinates at the training facility?”

At Christopher’s question, Choi Seong-min didn’t deny it.

“Of course. Were their names Henry, Tyler, and Michael?”

Christopher was inwardly surprised that he even knew their names.

‘This guy’s information network is beyond ordinary.’

Surprised or not, Choi Seong-min spoke in a calm tone.

“Since the three of them were planning to attack Leader Ryu Jong-ik, I mercilessly slit their throats.”

“So you’re saying you cowardly ambushed them.”

Christopher could guess how his S-rank subordinates had died.

‘They must have let their guard down because it was a chaotic battle. The black mask, who had information beforehand, took advantage of that gap.’

Since it was an ambush based on information superiority, they would have been easily defeated.

‘Seeing he’s holding daggers, there’s a high possibility he’s an assassin.’

The peculiar thing was that he held daggers in both hands rather than one, but there was nothing to worry about.

Assassins were the easiest opponents for tankers.

‘No matter how high his damage is, he can’t break through my defense.’

He reduced 50% of damage with his trait and was fully armed with legendary sets and items suitable for tanking.

‘I’m the person who endured attacks from the strongest named boss, Karmygas. There’s no way I’d be pushed back by a mere assassin.’

One concerning point was that his opponent was also wearing legendary armor.

‘Is he acting like that trusting in his armor? Or because his combat power is high?’

Christopher expected the black mask to have skills equal to his own.

‘Otherwise, he couldn’t come out so confidently.’

He probably had combat power exceeding 3 million.

Judging by how he was thinking of facing him head-on.

‘For an assassin not to ambush but to induce a frontal confrontation…’

Veins bulged in Christopher’s temples.

‘I must be quite underestimated.’

His pride was hurt.

Although his combat power was in the middle ranks even among the 8 Heroes, he was still a tanker.

If a tanker had this level of combat power, it was safe to say no one could match his defensive abilities.

‘I’ll make you pay the price for underestimating me.’

Christopher was confident.

He believed he could turn the black mask into a bloody mess if he set his mind to it.

‘Assassins are nothing special. I just need to avoid getting caught from behind.’

The assassin’s signature combo of [Stealth-Shadow Step-Throat Slash] was something even he, a tanker, couldn’t ignore.

Because the passive skill Ruthless Heart ignored defense.

‘But it’s only once. If I can get past one attack, the rest won’t be a problem.’

Anyway, with the legendary helmet, he wouldn’t die even if hit by a death blow.

‘If I can somehow handle those squirrel-like movements, killing a mere assassin would be nothing.’

It wasn’t easy for him, a tanker, to hit an assassin with high agility.

‘But since their stamina is low, they’ll tire quickly.’

No matter how high their agility, it’s useless when exhausted.

Their movements would become noticeably slower.

‘If I just endure, an opportunity will come.’

The strategy was to endure until their stamina dropped, then counterattack.

As a tanker, he was more confident than anyone in enduring.

“Come at me, kid.”

Christopher held a golden hammer and red shield.

Ryu Jong-ik beside him gulped.

‘The intimidation is tremendous.’

An intimidating presence as if an iron fortress stood before him.

If even a third party felt this way, how would the black mask directly facing him feel?

With such thoughts, he looked at the black mask, who was just standing with daggers hanging down without any battle stance.

‘Even facing 3 million combat power, there’s not even the slightest tremor.’

He couldn’t easily guess what he was thinking since his expression couldn’t be read.

‘Unable to read any emotion, he’s like a shadow.’

Christopher felt the same way.

‘This guy… the atmosphere itself is different from Frank, who’s the same assassin.’

Frank Larson, a Great Hero with 3.6 million combat power.

He thought he’d be similar to that guy who was called the top among assassins, but the atmosphere was quite different.

‘Frank is a rough and crude wild horse style, while this guy appears relaxed yet calm.’

A different feeling from all the assassins he’d faced before.

That didn’t make him tense though.

‘Nothing will change just because he’s putting on airs.’

Because an assassin’s attack patterns were obvious.

‘I just need to be careful of the first strike. Just the first strike.’

The moment Christopher glared while holding his shield.

Swoosh-

The black mask’s figure disappeared.

He had used stealth.

But he couldn’t detect where he was.

‘His combat power is higher than mine?’

Christopher wasn’t flustered by that fact.

Even so, it probably wouldn’t be much different.

Even a difference of just 1 would make detection impossible with stealth.

‘He’ll definitely come from behind.’

Stealth was a skill with a long cooldown.

That’s why there was only one chance to use it during battle.

Assassins could use stealth both for attacks and as an escape skill.

‘Using it from the start means…’

He intended to finish it in one go with an offensive use.

‘He’ll probably use Shadow Step followed by Throat Slash combo.’

Expecting him to use what was called the national combo, Christopher turned around.

‘Unwavering Will!’

Instantly, Christopher’s body was surrounded by golden light.

A tanker buff that blocked 50% of all damage as well as debuffs for 6 seconds activated.

‘With this, I can block it even if my defense is penetrated.’

That’s what he expected.

Stab-

A dagger pierced Christopher’s shoulder blade.

The black mask’s dagger had penetrated through his armor.

“Urk…!”

As soon as the pain transmitted.

Slice-!

The arm holding the hammer fell to the floor.

Thud-!

“Urk, uraaahhh!”

Burning pain transmitted from around his shoulder.

‘Damn… what happened? I couldn’t block the first strike…!’

He had expected that an attack after stealth would ignore defense.

But he hadn’t expected damage severe enough to cut off his arm.

‘With passive 50%, buff 50%, multiplicative calculation should have blocked a total of 75% damage…’

While he was flustered by the unexpected damage, the black mask looked at him.

It was infuriating to see him looking leisurely without attacking immediately.

‘Damn bastard. Look how he’s still so relaxed?’

Since his arm was cut, the match could already be considered over, but Christopher thought differently.

‘It’s not over yet. I can defend with the shield and then attack.’

Even tankers had one or two attack skills.

If he endured with his shield arm and counterattacked with the Shield Pressure skill when the guy’s stamina dropped?

A reversal was definitely possible.

‘Anyway, the black mask has already used stealth. He can’t use defense-ignoring attacks like before anymore.’

It would take considerable time to use stealth again, so he just needed to focus on defense until then.

Christopher crouched like a turtle while raising his shield.

Seeing this, Choi Seong-min laughed behind his mask.

“You’re planning to focus on defense and look for an opportunity. Are you aiming for when I get tired and slow down?”

“……”

Christopher’s facial muscles twitched when hit right on target.

“Can you manage with one arm? You’re already bleeding too.”

“I can endure this much pain easily. This is the good thing about having high stamina stats. And you don’t seem to know how sturdy this shield is, it’s an item that came from killing a named boss called Karmygas.”

“The Red Dragon’s Crimson Shield.”

Christopher’s eyes widened.

This was the first time someone other than Great Heroes who participated in raids recognized the shield.

“How do you know that…?”

“Because I’ve owned it before.”

“Where do you get off talking such nonsense…!”

“So, you think you can endure?”

Swoosh-

Choi Seong-min’s figure disappeared into the darkness.

A voice came from the air.

“Let’s see you try to endure.”

“……”

Christopher’s expression was a sight to behold.

‘How, how is this possible? Didn’t he use stealth just before?’

He clearly saw him use stealth, but to use it again after just a few seconds…

‘Could it be stealth without cooldown?’

There was no time to be surprised.

Because a dagger stabbed in from somewhere.

Stab- Stab!

“Urk…!”

Christopher, with daggers embedded in his thigh and side, swung his shield.

Whoosh-!

A clean miss.

With his low agility, he couldn’t even graze the black mask’s sleeve.

‘Damn, since he’s using stealth, I need to predict where the attack will come from…’

But it was insufficient to block with the shield either.

The daggers penetrated equipment like paper.

‘Crazy… Since he uses stealth infinitely, defensive gear is useless!’

His prediction that stealth had no cooldown was correct.

The black mask showed ghostly movements, ostentatiously repeating stealth and attacks.

‘How am I supposed to beat that!’

Flickering and flashing, it felt like facing a phantom.

Stab- Stab-

Wounds increased on Christopher’s body.

Since the tanker’s pride, his defense, became useless, collapse was only a matter of time.

Moreover, the damage was so severe that even what looked like normal attacks hurt as if hit by skills.

‘4 million… no, at least over 5 million in skill level.’

Now he understood why the black mask had been leisurely.

But there was one thing he couldn’t understand.

‘This bastard, why isn’t he killing me right away? Is he planning to play around and then kill me?’

For some reason, his opponent was attacking while avoiding vital points.

‘Since all attacks ignore defense anyway, he could easily cut my throat, so why?’

He didn’t know the reason, but Christopher saw this as an opportunity.

‘I might be able to save my life.’

Christopher, with dagger marks all over his body, turned his gaze.

None other than to Ryu Jong-ik, who was quietly watching from one corner.

‘I’ll attack that bastard to divert the black mask’s attention for a moment.’

The plan was to quickly escape using Shield Charge in that gap.

‘Shield Boomerang!’

Whoooong-!

The red shield spun fiercely and flew toward Ryu Jong-ik.

A desperate attack that could blow off his head if it hit properly.

Surprised by this ambush, Ryu Jong-ik couldn’t even think of responding.

‘Now’s my chance! I need to escape quickly in this gap…!’

He didn’t know where he was, but the black mask must have turned his attention toward Ryu Jong-ik.

If he didn’t move now, there would be no chance to escape.

Christopher took a step forward, enduring the pain.

Even though his whole body was covered in wounds, he stepped forward with the will to live.

That’s when it happened.

Ting-!

At the sound of something bouncing away, Christopher involuntarily turned his head.

And he couldn’t help but be surprised.

Somehow his shield was stuck in the floor while Ryu Jong-ik was fine as before.

‘What? My attack was blocked?’

Even though he was a tanker, his combat power exceeded 3 million.

It wasn’t an attack that a mere newly S-rank with just 1 million combat power could block.

Of course, Christopher didn’t know.

That the black mask, who had read his thoughts and predicted the attack, had cast Guardian’s Authority buff on Ryu Jong-ik.

‘Oh no, I don’t have time to be doing this…’

“Where do you think you’re going.”

Christopher felt the touch of metal on his neck.

He had given his back to the black mask.

“To involve another person in a one-on-one duel. I was thinking of playing around a bit more, but it’s too dangerous. Let’s finish this slowly.”

It was a complete defeat.

Christopher didn’t pathetically beg for his life.

Because he didn’t seem like someone who would spare him.

However, whether it was his own misconception.

“I’ll spare you if you want to live.”

Unexpected words came from the black mask’s mouth.

“If you tell me who the spy is.”