Gourmet Gaming-Chapter 1289

Chapter 1289

After Philip became Minhyuk’s great-grandfather, he felt it was only right to give everything to the young man.

In the past, Philip had slaughtered all of the gods who had been ordered to eradicate mankind. The power that he used was the Pillar’s Pinnacle. And right now, he wanted to teach Minhyuk this power.

However, Philip’s enthusiasm was met with a bucket of cold water.

[This will break the balance.]

Even though Minhyuk was the Pillar of the Gourmands, the balance that supported the world did not allow him to learn such a power. And the reason was the same as before. It was because he was a foreigner whose level was still far too low.

“Unfortunately, I cannot teach you everything about the Pillar’s Pinnacle.”

Philip was the one who told Minhyuk that he would pass on a power that far surpassed Helenia’s Spark of White Flames and Obren’s Descent of the Evil God, so that he would no longer be jealous of them.

“Nevertheless, my promise remains the same.”

The Pillar’s Pinnacle was one of a kind and divided into several chapters.

“I can tell you one thing for sure. This is as powerful as Helenia’s Spark of White Flames and Obren’s Descent of the Evil God.”

In the end, this was still tipping the balance of the world.

“It all depends on your hard work and effort, Minhyuk.”

“Yes?” Minhyuk voiced his confusion.

All of the Pillar Disasters that existed were made by Philip’s hands. But now he said it depended on Minhyuk’s hard work and effort.

‘The balance will also be affected if one obtains strong power without paying any price.’

Philip's power could easily surpass any of the Eight Pillar Disasters in history. To obtain that power without paying any price was impossible. That was why it all depended on Minhyuk. Of course, another thing was needed in addition to hard work.

“Did you remember what I said before? If you can revive someone from my family with the Melong that Soothes Regret, I will help strengthen and supplement your Calamity?”

Philip could not freely and openly give the entirety of the Pillar’s Pinnacle to Minhyuk. However...

“Let’s just add the Pillar’s Pinnacle to your Calamity,” Philip said as he stood atop the fortress’s walls and swung his hands.

At that moment, Philip’s world slowly melted and disappeared, as if giving way to a new world filled with nothing but white.

“Time runs differently here. A second outside is equal to ten days in this world.”

Minhyuk and many other players had been to places like this several times. Many had voiced their curiosity and asked how this was possible in the game. After all, there were cases where a hundred days had passed within these spaces, but not even a day had passed in the game.

Joy Co. Ltd.’s response was as follows.

–This is because the virtual reality game Athenae is a dream. If a thousand days passed in your dreams, would you wake up a thousand days later?

Anyway, this proved that Athenae was a top-tier god game. Then, another question was posted.

–Yes, you’re dreaming. However, you might be unable to endure and bear it if you stay in your dreams for far too long. Of course, you don’t have to worry about that. The system will recognize if you have reached the limit of your mental strength and immediately initiate a forced logout.

With a sword in hand, Philip said, “Since you cannot learn the Pillar’s Pinnacle by itself, we have to integrate it into your Calamity. And for us to do that...”

Philip had always lived a life in hiding, invisible to everyone. In his eyes, the concept of time was distant. However, the fact that he had lived a very long life, a life that was far longer than Athenae's, would always remain. Voluntary or not, that was the truth.

“You might need to repeat it tens of thousands of times over. A line(/) will be engraved in this white space to represent each day that has passed. That will be the only thing that will tell you how much time has passed. Of course, your body will not suffer from exhaustion or fatigue. Only your mind and consciousness will suffer,” Philip explained, a bitter smile on his face. “Can you do it?”

This was the best that he could do for Minhyuk.

‘I have to do it... I can do it... I’m Minhyuk.’ Minhyuk wanted to say these things, but did not know how to say such sweet and comforting words. The only thing that he could say was, “I’ll do my best.”

At this moment, Philip wondered how far Minhyuk’s best would take him. Would it allow him to persist for a month? A hundred days? A thousand days? He did not know. For a moment, he wondered how long he would be able to endure if he had to repeat the same movements tens of thousands of times over.

Just like that, Minhyuk began the process of repetition. Philip stood in the same spot as Minhyuk started and finished the repetitive swinging of his sword.

“...”

The sight had left him speechless. Minhyuk’s calm gaze grew even more relaxed the longer he progressed. He finished the repetitions, helped develop the skill, and let it grow. The profound charisma, firm determination, and will hidden underneath his gentle gaze left Philip’s mouth dry.

“It’s done.”

Then, the following notifications rang in Minhyuk’s ears.

[You have reached the end of the growth of the combination of Calamity and the Pillar’s Pinnacle through this repetition.]

[No matter how many times you repeat this process, the skill will no longer be able to grow.]

[Calamity and Pillar’s Pinnacle have met and created a new name.]

[The name is... Calamity Slayer.]

Philip looked around when he saw Minhyuk turn around. In this white world, countless lines marred every inch of surface available.

***

Of course, the battle in Ebeia and Ares’ mindless slaughter was broadcast live, and the commentators’ reactions changed with every passing minute.

[The moment Herakel said, “Unseal!” an immense and overwhelming power spread out from deep within him!]

[The Herakel right now can be said to be on par with the Absolute Gods.]

[Herakel’s club is bashing Ares!]

[Ares has wet his pants. This is an... unbelievable sight!]

[Oh no...! It seems like Herakel’s Unseal’s duration is over!]

[From what we had inferred, Herakel and Ares had not seen each other for a long time. During that time, Ares had grown much stronger and had even gained a power that allowed him to help his soldiers recover.]

[Does this even make sense?! Then... this will definitely be the end for this game...!]

[Ares is laughing maniacally.]

Of course, it was not just them. Even the viewers’ comments changed by the minute. After all, they had all watched the broadcast from beginning to end.

[Don’t you think Ares and his army are too strong?]

[Woah... The level of the Gaia Continent is really... they’re too strong... How can the average level of their ordinary soldiers be higher than the level of the Luvien Empire’s army?]

[I was hoping that they could at least barely get through, but now that Ares has personally stepped forward, things have... come to a mess.]

[Did you see that? The rankers are being cut down so easily.]

[Hey. Where’s the Pillar of the Gourmands?]

[He’s probably eating right now?]

[Lololol. Fck. Minhyuk’s superhero landing again.]

[It’s the same every time. Lmao. Minhyuk’s superhero landing. lolololol.]

[This time, I’m betting on ‘Minhyuk’s late because he’s eating.’]

[Even though Herakel’s going against the odds, the rankers are still being cut down easily.]

[Hey. What difference does it make if Minhyuk comes...?]

[Tbh, I really like Minhyuk. Regardless, things are different this time. I think it’s hard to come out of this, no...? Ares has millions of men under his command. What difference will Minhyuk make if he comes here? I heard that Minhyuk got his own Eight Pillar Disaster, but wouldn’t that power be related to the Pillar of the Gourmands?]

[Yep. Besides his hero entrance, Minhyuk is very strong... huh?]

Everyone on the community site was shocked. Unlike his usual superhero landing, Minhyuk had appeared quite early.

“You know, the people always say something about Minhyuk’s superhero landing. I don’t want to hear something like that again, so I came earlier this time.”

[Wow... that’s considerable progress.]

[Wait... are you saying that Minhyuk did not eat and came here early? What difference does it make? No. What can he even do against millions of soldiers?]

Minhyuk, who was slowly falling from the sky, glared coldly at Ares.

He had seen the vassals of the Beyond the Heavens Empire gathered in one place and drowning in their blood. Many of their high-rankers also seemed to have already been forced to log out. Even the state of the Luvien Empire was unusual. Both Duke Vakkaman and Duke Laghman were left gasping for breath.

Minhyuk had arrived. However, unlike before, the pupils of NPCs and players alike were shaking with anxiety. When he saw this, he thought they needed something to bolster their faith and trust and help them overcome their fear.

“I gained some new powers. Do you want to see?” Minhyuk spoke arrogantly.

Everyone looked at him in confusion.

“The power of the Pillar of the Gourmands?”

They expected an overwhelmingly high buff effect to drop, but what appeared in front of them was completely different.

[Calamity Slayer.]

[You have triggered an Eight Pillar Disaster.]

[Warning.]

[Warning.]

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[Warning.]

Only a few players had experienced a warning notification in person. Usually, warning notifications would ring when an NPC or a monster that the system recognized as extremely powerful appeared. For the first time, this warning notification was triggered by a player. And Minhyuk stood at the center of it all.

[White sword lights with a number that corresponds to the number of people recognized as your enemies will be created.]

[A total of 3,315,013 white sword lights with 100% hit rate will be created!]

Everyone cried out when they saw millions of sword lights in the sky above them. Then, the sword lights began to fall.

Fwoosh!

The sword lights disappeared only to appear in front of Ares’ soldiers. By the time their eyes caught the sword lights the second time, the soldiers were already cut down.

[Every successful hit of the white sword light will inflict an additional 2,900% damage.]

Every single Athenae player knew about the Spark of White Flames. It was a skill that could inflict 2,400% additional damage for two seconds. This was something beyond that.

Herakel’s Ten Thousand Ton Club had already weakened the millions of soldiers. The blow alone had forced their HP to drop below 20%. Even if Ares’ power helped them recover 10% of their HP, this powerful force was enough to wipe them away. Just like that, Ares’ army began to turn into ashes.

[Pillar’s Pinnacle.]

[You have used Calamity Slayer. Your level will drop by three per the conditions for use.]

The penalty for use was heavy, but it allowed Minhyuk to kill more than three million people all at once! And they were even the soldiers of the Gaia Continent!

[You have leveled up.]

[You have leveled up.]

[You have leveled up.]

[You have leveled up.]

In just a single breath, Minhyuk’s level increased by four. Then, an even more shocking notification resonated all over the world.

[You have wiped out Ares’ army.]

At that moment, Minhyuk landed on the ground.

[Wait. He did not get a Pillar of the Gourmand’s Disaster...?]

[Wow. That’s crazy... Are you saying he got something more potent than the Spark of White Flames?]

[Omg...]

[As expected of a Pillar!]

The commentators also made a lot of noise.

[It’s too powerful. I’m speechless.]

[In fact, we can say that Player Minhyuk is standing there as a representative of the entire continent.]

Minhyuk, who had received more than a hundred whispers after leaving Philip’s World, had immediately understood the situation.

The only survivor left was none other than Ares.

Fwoosh!

Minhyuk moved swiftly toward Ares, who stood there among the fluttering ashes of his army.

***

“Duke Laghman! Duke Vakkaman!” Alec shouted when he felt the breathing of both dukes slowly turn faint.

When Alec, a Swords of the Gods member, saw their intermittently twitching bodies, he realized that they might just lose two of the Luvien Empire’s most brilliant stars here.

Ares had broken all of Duke Laghman’s bones while he split Duke Vakkaman’s veins. It wouldn’t be that big of a deal usually. Unfortunately, Ares had made it so they would not be able to use any kind of potion. The worst part? Ares seemed to have planted some sort of deadly poison in their bodies.

Duke Laghman was not only suffering from crushed bones; there was the excruciating pain of his insides rotting from the deadly poison slowly extending to his heart. And with the rotten stench coming off of Duke Vakkaman, it seemed the same was true for him.

Alec looked back at the vassals of the Beyond the Heavens Empire.

‘They’re... not yet going to die...’

Ares did not kill the people of the Beyond the Heavens Empire right away to lure Hephaestus and Herakel. In their condition, they could recover once they safely returned to their empire. Alas, that was not the case for either of the dukes. If they survived, they would only be able to live the life of a cripple.

At that moment, he watched Minhyuk walk toward Ares.

‘We cannot kill Ares...’

Everyone here knew what Herakel had already known. The moment they killed Ares, a great disaster would fall upon them. What Minhyuk did next left them utterly shocked.

Shwaa!

Minhyuk used the Sword of Carnage and cut the already exhausted Ares like mad. Despite the blood dripping down the god’s body, Minhyuk did not stop. He triggered Frenzied Blade and stabbed Ares’ vital points.

“S-Stooooooop!” Ares screamed as his face and body grew more miserable by the second.

Nonetheless, Minhyuk did not stop. He even stabbed Ares in the chest.

“N-no...”

“Minhyuk! What are you doing...!”

“Beyond the Heavens’ emperor...! What are you doing?!”

Screams of shock rang all over the place. Was he doing this because his vassals and his high rankers were injured and killed? Or was he doing this to punish Ares for mocking them?

“This! You fool...!” Alec shouted. He could not understand why Minhyuk did such a thing.

How could someone who was easily swayed by his emotions be an emperor?! Were the rumors about him being special and unique all false?

Swoosh!

Minhyuk twisted the sword that was already embedded deeply into Ares’ chest. Every time the sword was twisted, Ares’ body would convulse. From the looks of it, Ares had already lost consciousness and would fall at any given second. Minhyuk still did not stop. He gripped the sword with both hands and drove in the final wedge.

“This is crazy!!! STOP!!!” Alec cried out.

At this rate, it would no longer just be a matter of the deaths of Duke Laghman and Duke Vakkaman. This could just very well kill everyone here.

Then, at that moment...

[Olympus’ Greatest God, Zeus, manifests his power.]

Rumble!

A lightning bolt large enough to cover the entire world struck down. It tried to force Minhyuk down on his knees.

[The Eight Pillars’ member does not yield to anyone!]

Minhyuk did not yield.

Then, thousands of lightning bolts fell from the sky and struck Minhyuk.

“Absolute Defense.”

A barrier that not even a god at Level 1,600 could pierce through appeared and wrapped around Minhyuk’s entire being. Minhyuk stood underneath the rain of lightning. He tightened his hold on the hilt of his sword and tried to twist it one final time.

[Stop! What do you want?!]

Zeus’ voice resonated all over the battlefield.

The moment that Minhyuk had been waiting for, the very moment that he tried to induce, had finally arrived.