chapter 206 – First Sight(2)


    -By processing parts of a great being, you’ve created the‘Root of Judgement,’ a tool that transformsthe future that has been set. Spiritual power has growntoSS-rank!


    -After a long period of effort, you havepleted a masterpiece.Metallurgy skill proficiency has increased to SS-rank. Strength has grown to SS-rank.


    -Synchronization has greatly elerated- current rate of 68.6%.


    The first thought that Kang Shin-hyuk had was, ‘SS-rank, finally!’ It hadbeen quite a while since his statuseshad grown, and now that he hadpleted the shackles, his strength andspiritual power had grown to SS-rank.


    ‘I can feel my muscles and soul growing stronger.’ The higher the rank,therger the actual growth was. Now, thanks to the soulconnector, Kang Shin-hyuk had amplified all his stats except Golden Dragon Fighterto SS+. Even as atop-ranker, he had achieved a level that wasn’t easily found.However, his thoughts were quickly wiped away.


    -Quooo!


    The giant’s foot fell onto the shackles, and the root roots wriggledand wrapped around his foot.


    -Kuo? Kuoo!


    The giant was trying to shake them off, but the tree roots were climbingup his body at an rming rate. They snakedaround its ankle and moved up onto its calf. Soon enough,the tree roots werewound around the giant’s knee then quickly moved onto itsupper thigh and hips. It then split apart to wraparound the other leg and its waist.


    -Quoooooooh!


    “Oh, hey…” The giant let out a resentment-filled screamas it was squeezed by the shackles. However, the giant’s roarhad no effect on the tree roots. Kang Shin-hyuk suddenly felt alittle terrified as he saw the roots climb the giant’sbody.


    “Where did I see something like this…”


    -D Drive’s Shinyoung high school’s monster ecology files for the entrance exam prep…


    “Shh.” How did the administrator know that? He had already disposed of all thosematerials! He rebuked the administrator and silently watched the scene. Meanwhile, the gianttried to cast haste again to crush the shackles, butit was toote. The tree roots were preventing him frommovingproperly.


    -Oh…! Kaaak!


    The tree roots had already covered its chest andwere moving up to his neck, pressing on his vocal cords to prevent him fromscreaming properly. It was the moment the voice of thegiant who had ughtered the fragile creatures of this worldwas finallystopped.


    “Wow, why haven’t you done this before?”


    -There was a condition that Halo couldn’t intervene directly. Jormungand was also unable tointervene excessively, so it borrowed power from the giant.


    He had roughly guessed that would be thesituation, but he didn’t think that the shackles would bring aboutsuch a reversal. He thought they wouldprevent the giant from moving or use those shackles to drawhim into Halo’s original world. But instead, it was this…


    ‘The shackles… they looked like simple tree roots, but it is bound tothe ground and restraining it.’ The essence of these shackles wasn’t to bindthe enemy but serve as roots that dug into the earth. The moment theywerepleted, they deeply rooted themselves into the earth to be suppliedwith an infinite source of energy.


    -Kh… ugh…!


    As Kang Shin-hyuk watched, the tree roots crawled intothe giant’s mouth and prevented him from speaking.They moved inside of him, turning him into a mummy made ofwood.


    “Halo, that’sscary…”


    [This isn’t my strength. I’m just lending thend my power.]


    And these shackles, the ‘Roots of Judgment,’ couldconverge and exert that energy.


    -…!


    Then, the giant fell. Thehuge shadow shook, and the earth vibrated, making it seem like thesky itself was copsing.He urgently hopped onto his bike and sped away witha frustratedsigh.


    “How can we ovee this by facing it head-on?”


    [Is it necessary to win that way?This is an overwhelming victory. Since the giant was caughtwith your shackles, what would it beif not yourvictory.]


    “But it is your power that’s killing him.”


    [I’m not sure about that.]


    Kang Shin-hyuk smiled and looked down at the giant. It wapletely immobilized on the ground.However, the roots were beginning as they covered him more tightly. Only nowdid the shackle’s true ability, Energy Drain, take effect.


    [The tree absorbs all the energy and storesit. In order to store it well, neither theroots nor the trunk can be weak. Lookclosely, Anvil. This is part of the secret to growing beyond the limit.]


    “Ah…” The shackles tightened around the giant and absorbed its energy. Itflowed back through the roots deeply embedded in the earth, spreading itout through the world that had lost its vitality. The worldepted the enormous vitality of the giant and sproutedanew, still weak, hope. It was the work of Halo to processit.


    “The giant is dryingout…”


    -It is a wee sight. This is apletevictory overJormungand.


    A being like the giant who could destroy the world wasnow being absorbed into the earth through the roots.All he could do was let out a sigh. Could hefight and beat the giant as he was now? Even if he extendedthe sword, it would be little more than a mosquito biteto him. He was saddened by the victory he hadagainst the artificial monster in Neorust as he considered it.


    ‘I can’t be satisfied with the SS-rank.’ Earth’s superhuman standards werejust like a child’s ygroundpared to the Hero Universe. As a cksmith, herealized he hadn’t yet reached the starting line as abat superhumanand feltdepressed.


    [It’s over.]


    How long had it been before Halo said those words ina satisfied voice? The giant’s body brokeinto powder, and a second after, so too did the tree roots, leaving nothing behind.


    “…What is this…?” As the enormous existence disappeared, it felt like his vision was opened inan instant. Kang Shin-hyuk opened his mouth, stunned, as Halo kindly exined.


    [Some have been received by me, and somehave been sowninto this world as new possibilities.]


    “…No traces left.”


    [No, there aresome.]


    At that moment, a message appeared before his eyes.


    –With an artifact containing the power of a great being, you havesuppressed one that is harmful to the order of things! Bonus based on membershiplevel! You received 555,000,000HP! As a VIP bonus, you receivedan additional HP equivalent to 50% of the reward, for a total of832,500,000HP!


    -You have brought an end to an evil and greatbeing. Indirectly affected by the enormous source of energy, yourstamina, and Golden Dragon willgrow toSS-rank.


    “…It really remains.” He didn’t know he would be treated like hehad killed it. The HP bonus was immense, but sotoo was his growth.


    ‘If I only increase my agility, all my stats will be SS-rank…’Although it took a tremendous amount of time and effort tobuild the shackles, it was already worth it. But it wasn’t over yet.


    [What are you talking about, Anvil? Those are thetraces Imeant.]


    Kang Shin-hyuk raised his head and looked carefully at where the giant had been.Looking very closely, there was something there about the sizeof a fist.


    It was a bright ochre-colored bead.