Suicide Before Defeating the Final Boss

Suicide Before Defeating the Final Boss – 90

EP.90 … Are These Fucking Kids Crazy?

The Heroes of the previous generation held two distinct meanings. The first referred to those who failed to fulfill their destiny before meeting their end. The second described those who achieved their purpose, vanquishing the Demon King before death claimed them.

The former were little more than remnants of a bygone potential. But the latter—those were the true legends. Their strength surpassed that of ordinary mortals, and they possessed unique abilities that made them unmatched.

Jeong-hyeon stared at the Hero standing silently before him. Though lifeless, the figure exuded an undeniable sense of power. The divine power radiating from his body was immense—on par with that of Bishop Lea, if not greater.

‘Even in death, he’s this strong.’

He couldn’t even guess how strong he was when he was alive.

For a moment, Jeong-hyeon observed the Hero in thoughtful silence. Then, with a calm gesture, he raised his hand, commanding the countless corpses strewn across the ground.

“Attack.”

[Divine Requiem] (Level 7)

The air pulsed with power as Jeong-hyeon’s skill, amplified by elixirs and relentless practice, surged to new heights. Divine power rippled outward, animating the dead into motion.

The reanimated corpses formed a disorganized but imposing army, each one wielding remnants of the skills they’d used in life. Chaos marked their movements, but that unpredictability worked to Jeong-hyeon’s advantage, creating a relentless wave of attacks.

Hundreds—no, thousands—of magic circles and sword auras ignited, converging on the Hero in a devastating onslaught.

Under ordinary circumstances, this barrage would have crushed even the strongest of foes.

But this was no ordinary enemy.

The Hero responded with an air of composure, as though such an attack was beneath him. Slowly, deliberately, he raised a hand and conjured a massive, intricate magic circle. The circle shield absorbed every attack, neutralizing them completely.

Jeong-hyeon’s lips curled into a smirk.

‘Strong.’

He murmured, his tone laced with a faint trace of excitement.

The stronger this Hero proved to be, the greater the value of his corpse. With a subordinate of this caliber under his command, Jeong-hyeon could expand his power exponentially.

‘An excellent opportunity.’

Divine power coiled around the sword like a living flame as Jeong-hyeon stepped forward.

‘Domain Declaration!’

A blinding white light erupted from the ground, spreading across the crimson battlefield. The light reshaped the terrain, establishing Jeong-hyeon’s domain—where his power reigned supreme.

The corpses under his command howled, their forms trembling as they lunged at the Hero. Meanwhile, the Hero tensed, recognizing the shift in the battle’s dynamics.

‘I’d love to replicate him if I could.’

Jeong-hyeon mused, studying his opponent.

But the rules of the trial wouldn’t allow it. Slaying the Hero would trigger the trial’s completion, robbing Jeong-hyeon of the chance to duplicate the Hero’s form.

‘Shame. But his body will suffice.’

He surged forward with incredible speed, his sword cleaving the air.

The Hero, though emotionless, staggered back as though driven by an instinctive fear.

Jeong-hyeon found the reaction amusing.

‘Even a corpse has the sense to fear me.’

With a flick of his wrist, he sent a wave of sword energy hurtling toward the Hero.

BOOM!

The ground trembled under the impact, dust and debris erupting into the air.

The Hero staggered, narrowly evading the full force of the strike, only to find himself ensnared within Jeong-hyeon’s domain.

Jeong-hyeon pushed the Domain’s power to its limits, flooding the area with overwhelming divine power. The Hero buckled under the pressure, his body pinned to the ground as if by an invisible hand.

Calmly, Jeong-hyeon approached, his steps measured.

The Hero struggled against the force, but it was futile.

Without hesitation, Jeong-hyeon drove his sword through the Hero’s chest, ending the fight with a decisive strike.

A faint sense of disappointment flickered through Jeong-hyeon’s mind.

‘I could’ve stayed longer, but there’s nothing more to gain.’

Lingering would yield no further growth. Knowing this, Jeong-hyeon chose to conclude the trial.

As he stepped back, a system message appeared before him.

[Congratulations! You have defeated all monsters!]

The notification lingered in the air, the faint glow casting soft shadows on Jeong-hyeon’s face.

With calm precision, he accessed his status window to assess the results of his efforts.

*-*

[Status Window: Lee Jeong-hyeon]

Level: 3 (Level-up pending upon exiting the Trial Room)

[Stats]

Strength: 97

Agility: 89

Stamina: 95

Magic: 9

Divinity: ???

[Traits]

Unrealistic Genius

Unrealistic Luck

Blood-soaked Berserker

Amplification’s Rosary

Malevolent Spirit

[Skills]

Master Swordsmanship Lv:7

Master Sword Aura Lv:4

Master Hardened Skin MAX

Advanced Divine Efficiency Lv:7

Domain Proclamation Lv:9

Divine Requiem Lv:7

*-*

Jeong-hyeon scanned the status window with a cool gaze, noting his stats had nearly reached their cap of 100.

‘Strength and stamina are practically maxed out. Agility’s lacking, but it’s good enough.’

It wasn’t as if his slightly lower agility had ever caused any real trouble. Even during tougher times, his capabilities had been more than sufficient. Satisfied, he dismissed the window with a wave of his hand.

“Alright then, time to leave.”

Glancing at the lifeless Hero’s body, Jeong-hyeon began collecting the corpses strewn across the battlefield, storing them carefully within his subspace. With everything gathered, he made his way to the glowing portal marking the trial’s exit.

***

At the Royal dormitory .

Meanwhile, outside the Academy’s royal dormitory, the Cardinal stood with an air of authority, watching as the Paladin silently drew his sword.

The dormitory was an opulent structure, so grand that it seemed out of place even within the Academy’s esteemed grounds.

The Cardinal turned to the group of holy knights accompanying him. His voice rang clear with calculated commands.

“Half of you will secure the perimeter. The rest will follow the Paladin inside.”

The knights complied without question, moving swiftly to execute his orders.

The Paladin, observing this in silence, let his divine power surge like a tidal wave, his presence a beacon of unshakable might. Without another word, he strode forward, signaling his intent to take the lead.

The Cardinal watched him go, his lips curling into a sly smile.

‘Perfect. If this operation succeeds, the rewards coming my way will be boundless.’

By sheer luck, Bishop Lea’s inability to handle this situation had provided the Cardinal with an invaluable opportunity to prove his worth.

Dealing with the Hero alone would’ve been impossible. But with the Paladin—a living symbol of power—by his side, victory seemed all but guaranteed.

However, as they neared the dormitory, a complication arose.

“…You cannot pass beyond this point.”

A single figure stood in their way: the Saintess.

Though her influence within the church had dwindled to the point where she was mocked as a “discarded Saintess,” her title still carried weight. No ordinary knight would dare lay hands on her, no matter how powerless she seemed.

Even the Paladin hesitated.

For all his strength, the Saintess was a symbol of the Church. Striking her down, especially in front of so many witnesses, would be an action fraught with consequences.

The Cardinal stepped forward, his expression calm yet tinged with annoyance.

‘She’ll need a reason—something undeniable—for her defiance to be swept aside.’

With a smooth smile, he greeted her.

“Saintess, it’s been some time. I trust you’ve been well?”

Her gaze burned with defiance as she glared at him.

“Cardinal.”

“You seem healthy,” he continued, ignoring her hostility. “But let’s set pleasantries aside. Why are you blocking the entrance to the dormitory?”

The Saintess bit her lip, unable to respond.

She had no justification to offer, no argument to support her stance. After all, the doctrine of the Church demanded transparency and obedience from its followers, especially in matters concerning its hierarchy.

The Saintess’s silence only deepened the tension. The Cardinal’s expression softened, but his sharp eyes betrayed his true intent.

“If you have no reason to stand in our way,” he said, his voice dripping with mock courtesy, “I suggest you step aside. You wouldn’t want to cause unnecessary trouble for yourself, would you?”

Her fists clenched at his words, but she didn’t move.

The Paladin, still holding his sword at the ready, glanced at the Cardinal. The unspoken question hung in the air: Do we proceed by force?

The Cardinal took a step closer to the Saintess, his smile growing colder.

‘A reason. I just need one valid reason to remove her.’

For now, however, the stalemate remained.

The Cardinal’s voice dripped with mockery as he continued his verbal assault on the Saintess, exploiting her vulnerability.

“Surely, you’re not hiding something inside?” he said with a feigned chuckle. “No, of course not. Even if they call you the ‘discarded Saintess,’ you’re still a Saintess. There’s no way you’d blatantly defy church doctrine.”

The Saintess stiffened at the insult, her lips pressing into a thin line. Her glare was sharp enough to pierce through steel, yet she remained silent.

‘Ah, so that’s your breaking point.’

The Cardinal noted with satisfaction. The title of “discarded Saintess” clearly hit a nerve.

He leaned in, pressing his advantage.

“Come now, Saintess. Step aside. If you don’t, we’ll have no choice but to use force.”

“…I won’t move.”

She replied firmly.

“Even if this is a direct order from His Holiness?”

Her eyes widened in shock. A command from the Pope was absolute. Disobeying it was tantamount to signing one’s death warrant.

The Cardinal smiled inwardly.

‘Perfect. With this, I have all the justification I need to act against her.’

“Saintess,” he continued, his tone dripping with mock pity, “if you insist on standing in our way, I’ll be forced to detain you for defying His Holiness. Knights, restrain her and secure the dormitory. Bring out the heretics.”

The knights hesitated but ultimately advanced, their swords drawn. The Saintess, clearly untrained in combat, tried feebly to push them away, but it was a hopeless effort. In moments, she was pinned to the ground.

“Aahh!”

She screamed in pain as she was forced down.

The Cardinal stepped closer, crouching to meet her tearful gaze. His voice dropped to a cruel whisper.

“No matter what you do, the people you’re trying to protect will be branded heretics. They’ll endure unspeakable torture before being executed.”

The Saintess’s face twisted in anguish as his words sunk in.

‘The truth hardly matters. They’re the Hero’s allies, and His Holiness will do anything to bring the Hero to his knees.’

“Just like before,” he added, twisting the knife, “when His Holiness wiped out all your precious friends for the sake of defeating the Demon King.”

The Saintess let out a guttural scream, thrashing against the knights holding her down.

“Never! I won’t let it happen again!”

Her defiant cry amused the Cardinal. He straightened, allowing himself a moment to savor her desperation.

But then she lunged, attempting to bite his ankle. Startled, he jerked his leg away and stomped down, pinning her head to the ground.

“Really now,” he sneered, “you’ve got some nerve.”

Before he could deliver another taunt, a new voice shattered the scene.

“Mommy… don’t hurt Mommy!”

A small child, no older than four, emerged from the dormitory and ran to the Saintess’s side. The girl clung to her limp body, sobbing uncontrollably.

The Cardinal froze, his brow furrowing.

“Mommy…?”

He muttered incredulously.

The child’s tiny hands tried to push his foot away from the Saintess’s head. The sight was almost laughable, but the Cardinal’s mind raced.

‘Why would this brat call her ‘Mommy’?’

Then it hit him. This child wasn’t just any ordinary girl—she could be a valuable bargaining chip.

‘An unplanned windfall. This kid is bound to be worth something.’

He bent down to grab the boy, intending to take him as a hostage.

But before his fingers could reach the child, the atmosphere shifted violently.

An overwhelming force crashed down upon the room.

A divine power unlike anything the Cardinal had ever felt enveloped the area, crushing everyone under its immense weight. Even the Paladin, renowned for his strength, collapsed to the ground.

“Gah!”

The Cardinal choked, writhing in agony as the pressure pinned him in place.

Through the haze of pain, he sensed a figure approaching.

The footsteps were slow, deliberate, and unnervingly calm.

A sword stabbed into the Cardinal’s shoulder, pinning him to the ground. The pain was blinding, but it was the voice that followed that truly sent shivers down his spine.

“…You’ve got to be out of your mind.”

The words were low and venomous, spoken with a chilling intensity.

Jeong-hyeon had arrived.