novelraw Chapter 151 : God of Storms - (1)
Chapter 151 : God of Storms - (1)
Chapter 151: God of Storms - (1)
Even after being hit by Sanghyun’s unexpected collision, Shin Taeri calmly used Shadow Grab.
What was important for an assassin was close distance. It could be checked from afar, but nothing beat having the target right in front of them.
Sssiiing.
The Shadow Grab made a strange sound as it approached Sanghyun, but he was already prepared.
Pop-pop!
A quick backstep.
He no longer used Recovery on the edge or performed excessive evasion like before.
He backstepped the moment the Shadow Grab activated and easily resisted it while airborne.
‘He dodged it too easily.’
She had a disappointed look on her face.
To see Shadow Grab—one of the skills she was most confident in—countered this effortlessly.
Her move had been nullified in vain.
[The Constellation ‘Black Shadow’ says the aura of a Constellation felt from that player is not just one.]
‘I figured as much.’
Shin Taeri’s expression hardened at the Constellation’s remark. Black Shadow’s words weren’t surprising at all.
It was because she thought Sanghyun definitely had the talent to be capable of that. Nothing strange about it.
‘I don’t want this to go to the end.’
She had proposed ten moves, but she didn’t want to win by going through all ten. She believed she could end it early.
What she chose was a skill she had recently obtained and trained intensively—Phantom Afterimage.
KWAHH!
The moment she used the skill, a deafening sound erupted from her, and countless afterimages burst out.
It was not something that could be classified by just a few.
At this level, it wouldn’t be wrong to describe it as an endless stream of afterimages.
Like popcorn popping, illusions were created and scattered in every direction.
Shin Taeri was hiding within one of those countless afterimages.
Unlike the swiftly moving illusions, she camouflaged herself by moving in an unnatural pattern.
“……”
Sanghyun’s gaze deepened.
Shin Taeri was also watching Sanghyun’s eyes through the gaps of the illusions.
He pretended to be calm, but Shin Taeri could see he was having trouble locating her.
‘He missed me.’
Sanghyun’s gaze swept over the illusions evenly, but stopped particularly at one spot.
It was an afterimage Shin Taeri had crafted to closely resemble herself.
Through countless video reviews, she identified her own habits and deliberately planted those into the afterimage.
Kagagaga!
In the storm whipped up by the illusions, Shin Taeri casually passed near Sanghyun and circled behind him.
She had completely hidden her killing intent and succeeded in positioning herself behind him.
Sanghyun’s gaze and lower body movement were pointed in the exact opposite direction. He had taken a false step!
‘No matter how good you are at reading your opponent’s moves, I too have several tricks up my sleeve!’
With full intent, Shin Taeri aimed for the back of Sanghyun’s neck.
Of course, it was just a sparring match, so she didn’t aim to kill, but her killing intent made it clear that she could if she wanted to.
“……!”
Finally reaching within one meter of Sanghyun, Shin Taeri reversed her grip on the practice dagger, going for a clean strike.
To prevent any injuries, she deliberately flipped the weapon around.
‘The moment Isolation deactivated, I realized you were behind me.’
But Sanghyun had already seen through Shin Taeri’s ploy.
That was because the effect of the title “True Duelist” had vanished at some point. It meant the target was no longer in sight.
So he instantly recognized that one of the afterimages had moved behind him, and that it was the real Shin Taeri.
Now all that was left was to counter the enemy who had approached deeply.
『Phantom Arbitration』
BOOM!
Sanghyun struck back in kind.
When the skill Phantom Arbitration was used, illusions bounced away from Sanghyun like a spring.
Its initial propulsion was faster than expected, and that was precisely what Sanghyun had aimed for in his evasion.
‘Arbitration.’
As the skill activated, Sanghyun moved to the location where the illusion had surged forward.
And in the spot where he had been originally, only an illusion with no substance remained.
Whoosh!
“Ah.”
Realizing her decisive strike had slashed through empty air, Shin Taeri let out a gasp. Her tactic had failed.
The problem was that failure didn’t simply end with failure. In high-level battles, failure was the biggest threat.
『Full Bash』
Just as Shin Taeri had predicted.
And just as Sanghyun had aimed for, the moment the evasion succeeded, he had already transitioned into offense.
Shiiik!
Before she knew it, Shin Taeri saw Sanghyun’s practice greatsword flying at her. It was already too late to dodge.
‘Damn it!’
『Black Shadow』
She bit her lip tightly.
It was a perfect evasion skill, but one that permanently consumed stats—something she never wanted to use.
But she had no choice but to use Black Shadow. It was a forced, unpleasant evasion brought on by Sanghyun.
‘Block and counter. Dodge and counter. Or charge head-on. There’s not even a trace of hesitation or retreat. He’s changed again.’
Shin Taeri’s gaze shook as she looked at Sanghyun.
When they had exchanged the first five moves, Sanghyun had been aggressive, yes, but there had been a bit of hesitation.
Like he wasn’t entirely sure—some slight uncertainty remained.
But now, that wasn’t the case.
He was brimming with confidence.
So much that even his opponent, Shin Taeri, could sense he believed this match was worth fighting.
‘I can’t hold back anymore.’
Shin Taeri ignited the fire within her heart, which she always kept as calm as a still lake.
This battle wasn’t supposed to be evenly matched.
She wasn’t facing a named player like Do Kyungsoo, who was over level 500.
She was still facing Sanghyun, who was growing under the title of a promising rookie.
She had to win.
Only then would the balance be maintained.
Now it was a matter of pride.
FWWOOOSH!
Murderous intent, soaked in madness, burst forth, and Shin Taeri’s hair scattered as if swept up in a violent wind.
Her eyes turned red.
There was no longer any purity in that place, now filled with killing intent and devoid of reason.
And then—
Kkakang! Kkang! Kkang!
With her lightning-like charge, a fiery melee erupted.
One minute later.
“Ha... Hahaha. That last one was really just my luck. Hahaha.”
“In the end, again.”
As if frozen in a single moment, Sanghyun and Shin Taeri stood facing each other.
Result: a draw.
An intense exchange filled with seven moves had unfolded in an instant.
They had used so many skills that neither Sanghyun nor Shin Taeri could keep count.
What was certain was that both had clenched their teeth and fought with the mindset that they could die if this had been a real battle.
And that Sanghyun had blocked Shin Taeri’s final strike, unleashed with her full power, just in front of his left chest.
To be honest, even Sanghyun wasn’t sure how he managed to block her last tenth move.
Of course, there was a basis for his actions that couldn’t be written off as pure luck, but still, the result had been uncertain.
“Does winning or losing really matter? I truly think it doesn’t.”
“That’s your thought, Sanghyun.”
“I still think I’m constantly learning from you, Taeri-nim. Really. You’re the one who keeps pushing me to study and improve.”
Sanghyun spoke honestly and plainly.
It wasn’t flattery, nor was it consolation after a draw—practically a victory for Sanghyun.
“To speak frankly, in the past, the ones I always tried to figure out how to defeat were monsters.”
“I usually set imaginary sparring partners as monsters too. The tricky ones.”
“But these days, the target has changed completely. I rack my brain to find a way to beat you, Sanghyun-ssi.”
“A way to beat me, huh.”
Those words made Sanghyun’s heart tremble more than a love confession or news of a lottery win.
It felt like the perfect time to use the phrase “deeply moved.”
She, who had once felt like a star in the sky he could never reach in his past life.
But now she was studying and worrying about how to deal with him? He was beyond happy.
“Let’s not do it like this anymore.”
“Hmm?”
“Let’s have regular sparring matches once a week. I think we can continue to create great synergy. What do you think?”
Shin Taeri made an assertive suggestion.
In fact, after losing to Sanghyun in a previous spar, she had promised to be his training partner anytime.
But that promise had merely sat like a trophy, something that felt awkward to use by actively asking for time.
However, Shin Taeri’s words proposed turning such matches into a scheduled routine, a way to constantly complement each other.
Not just one-time duels.
If they could repeat sparring regularly with varied scenarios and conditions?
Sanghyun believed he could grow another step beyond his current self. She was worth that much.
“Alright. Let’s make it official. It’s an honor for me.”
“I will definitely break through your ironclad defense, Sanghyun-ssi.”
“I’ll keep putting in my full effort and study hard too.”
“I’m learning a lot, even today.”
“Same here.”
Sanghyun gripped Shin Taeri’s hand tightly, as she had extended it for a handshake first.
Her hand, rougher and more calloused than his, was undoubtedly the result of countless painful efforts.
‘I hope she continues to be a great source of motivation for me.’
Sanghyun thought to himself as he looked at Shin Taeri. She would become a good role model and training partner.
‘I’m becoming more and more interested in your potential, Shin Sanghyun. And in you, as a person.’
Shin Taeri also thought to herself.
As an assassin player, the 2% she always felt was missing—Sanghyun was the perfect source of stimulation to fill that gap.
After the sparring match with Shin Taeri.
As soon as Sanghyun returned home, he received a message from Han Hyunjeong.
It was regarding the Labyrinth of Serenity. The raid would proceed the next afternoon, and her as the confirmed partner.
Sanghyun replied with a confirmation and got ready to sleep by lying down in bed.
The labyrinth was more complex than expected, so there was a good chance it wouldn’t be completed in a single day.
Turning on the TV before sleeping was one of Sanghyun’s old habits, so he turned on the player-related news today as well.
As always, the day’s major issues were being reported in the mechanical voice of the anchor.
[Here is today’s quest-related news.
In the notoriously difficult Challenge Quest, tentatively called the Blood Tower Quest, 15 more casualties occurred today.
No domestic players were among them.
However, many Chinese players who ambitiously challenged it this time were among the victims.
The Chinese Player Union expressed their condolences and posted a tribute video honoring their courageous fight.]
“It’s definitely a quest that can bring about the most dramatic change for players below level 200.”
Blood Tower was a quest Sanghyun had kept in mind for a long time.
It was the textbook definition of a high-risk, high-reward quest.
If you failed, it didn’t just end in failure—you would die, no questions asked.
That was why it had earned the infamous nickname Blood Tower instead of the official name, Challenge Quest.
[Meanwhile, today, Germany’s rising player, Valentin Schneider, announced his intent to challenge it.]
“What...?”
A name that suddenly popped up.
But a name so familiar and important that Sanghyun instantly sprang up from the bed.