novelraw Chapter 166 : The Golden Insignia (4)
Chapter 166 : The Golden Insignia (4)
Kwak Hyeok-jung's assault continued to grow sharper.
Whish!
Iron chains constantly flying toward his arms, legs, and waist.
And whips flying alongside to tear flesh and crush bones.
'Each one attacks like a creature with its own will.'
It was rather difficult for Su-hyeon, using a fighting style different from his usual, to avoid all of them.
"Kuk!"
The moment he was finally caught, the iron chains immediately pulled Su-hyeon down to make him prostrate on the floor.
"Die."
A guillotine was summoned, aiming for his neck.
'This madman!'
In a situation where he would obviously be decapitated the moment the blade fell.
'Liberation.'
Thump!
Su-hyeon drew out explosive output to break the chains and shatter the guillotine, barely avoiding the blade.
"Hahaha, what excellent momentum! That too resembles that bastard I know!"
As Kwak Hyeok-jung clapped, a giant jar appeared in an area about 5m in radius around Su-hyeon.
Sizzle sizzle sizzle!
Boiling oil filled it.
'Damn!'
As the heat penetrated his shield and engulfed him, Su-hyeon hurriedly escaped from the jar.
"Hahaha, who said you could leave!"
Su-hyeon barely avoided Kwak Hyeok-jung's attack as he swung a spiked club, creating distance by forward-rolling away.
"......I've seen all sorts of strange abilities in my life. Is it a 'Creation' type characteristic?"
"Haha, is it fascinating?"
Su-hyeon inwardly sighed.
'It really is an unusual characteristic.'
Within the concept of torture, a cheat-like ability that could create anything from boiling oil to iron jars, whips, and chains.
'Compared to other abilities like fire, ice, strength enhancement, or lycanthrope transformation, it's closer to a conceptual ability.'
This was why Kwak Hyeok-jung was always a difficult opponent.
'Even in Kim Cheol-han's case, it was a draw only because Bounce is a defense-specialized ability, but in terms of offensive power, it's difficult to beat Kwak Hyeok-jung.'
"I'll pierce you in one go."
Kwak Hyeok-jung flicked his index finger upward.
Swoosh!
Without any warning, a giant stake shot up from the ground.
'Count Dracula's stake!'
The infamous punishment of impaling victims on stakes.
A thick stake about 3m in length grazed the hair of Su-hyeon as he hastily retreated.
"I'll flay your skin!"
Boiling oil above, iron stakes on both sides, and a bed of thorns below appeared to surround Su-hyeon.
'This goddamn bastard.'
But in that moment, Su-hyeon's sharp sense detected a group of strong mana approaching from somewhere.
'Are the security guards coming?'
If so, there was a way.
'Liberation.'
Thump!
Activating [Liberation] again, Su-hyeon created Mana Shields in mid-air, running across the sky to avoid all of Kwak Hyeok-jung's attacks.
Kwang!
"You, could it be?"
At that familiar sight, Kwak Hyeok-jung's eyes widened, and at that moment.
Bwoong bwoong bwoong bwoong!
Su-hyeon, who had rushed in a zigzag pattern by stepping on five different Mana Shields, delivered a powerful back kick from behind Kwak Hyeok-jung.
Kwang!
Blocking it with a shield covered in protrusions, Kwak Hyeok-jung was pushed back several meters.
"This bastard! Jeong Su-hyeon!"
When the enraged Kwak Hyeok-jung removed his shield, Su-hyeon was already gone.
"Did he jump down!"
Just as Kwak Hyeok-jung was about to chase after Su-hyeon.
"There he is!"
"Catch him!"
Security guards were gathering to capture the troublemakers who had fearlessly caused a commotion in the black market.
"Damn you bastards, don't interfere with me!"
Swoosh!
While he engaged in battle with the security guards, Su-hyeon was escaping, hiding himself among the crowd.
'That was almost disastrous.'
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"Stop right there!"
"Sto...... Kuhek!"
"Move aside!"
"Don't interfere!"
Kwon Seung-yeon and Ha Jin-su.
The two cloaked figures continued to chase after Kang Woojung.
'That one moves quite lightly. No, it's unusually so. He did a tumbling that high by just using one arm? Is his body weight about 10kg?'
Ha Jin-su thought, watching Kwon Seung-yeon's fight out of the corner of his eye, as he easily subdued security guards with just his fists, even without a sword.
'Anyway, this is troublesome. I need to catch him somehow.'
Ha Jin-su shouted at Kwon Seung-yeon.
"Hey there! How about we cooperate until we catch him!"
"?"
When Kwon Seung-yeon looked back, Ha Jin-su continued shouting.
"Let's split up and surround him! It's better than losing him like this!"
"......!"
Kwon Seung-yeon's deliberation was not long.
"Okay!"
The two began running across building rooftops, splitting left and right.
'Damn it!'
Kang Woojung, who had been constantly checking behind him, bit his lip.
'This won't work. I need to take one of them down first.'
They seemed quite strong, but.
Kang Woojung was also confident in his skills.
'First, I need to get a weapon.'
Kang Woojung's gaze sharply caught a weapon shop in the corner of the street.
'There!'
"He's moving!"
"After him!"
Kwon Seung-yeon and Ha Jin-su changed direction following Kang Woojung.
"W-what are you doing?"
"Shut up! I'm just going to grab a sword and go, so don't interfere!"
"You madman! Do you know where you are!"
Slash!
Drawing a one-handed sword that was on display, Kang Woojung swung it and stabbed the blacksmith's shoulder.
"Your neck is next."
"......You fucking bastard."
The blacksmith cursed and backed away.
"I'm taking one more."
Kang Woojung, holding swords in both hands, turned his head.
"Hey there! I'll catch that bastard for you, so throw me one!"
Ha Jin-su, who arrived before Kwon Seung-yeon, gestured to the blacksmith.
"Argh, business is over for today!"
The frustrated blacksmith picked up a longsword and threw it to Ha Jin-su.
Clack!
"Hmm, a longsword? Not bad."
Sring.
Ha Jin-su, who drew the sword and gauged its center of gravity, grinned.
"By the way, you're really unlucky. To think of fighting me with swords."
"Bullshit, do you think I could have survived this long if I didn't have luck?"
"Foolish bastard. Luck should be better at the end rather than the beginning."
"......This won't work."
Kwon Seung-yeon, who had been watching the standoff between the two, gave up on participating.
'This is not yet a battlefield I should enter.'
The mana she felt from the two now that they were facing off was at a level still difficult for her to approach.
'No need to push myself. I just need to make sure not to lose him. And if I do lose track, shoot a flare.'
With Su-hyeon's request, she decided to observe the fight for now.
'If I shoot the flare now, he'll run away.'
Inside her cloak, Kwon Seung-yeon's hand was fidgeting with the flare.
'Hmph, a shrewd one.'
Kang Woojung, who had observed Kwon Seung-yeon's behavior, felt relieved.
'Well, fine. The power I sense from that one seems much weaker compared to this guy in front of me.'
It meant he just needed to defeat this one to escape.
'Do they think I'll be caught here?'
Even the best-laid plans can go awry.
'I won't let anyone who blocks my path go unscathed.'
Kang Woojung's eyes grew menacing with killing intent.
"Let me warn you. It's better not to get cut by my sword."
"......The same goes for you."
"Haha, what are you doing? Come on in."
Ha Jin-su laughed leisurely.
Tadadak!
Kang Woojung charged, executing complex footwork.
Chachachachang!
Kang Woojung's swordplay, fluttering like a butterfly and striking with the swords in both hands, was quite flashy and fierce, but.
"Hahaha. It looks decent enough, but it lacks weight and sharpness."
To Ha Jin-su, who had seen the swords of the Sword Spirit, Lee Ho-seung, and Lee Cheong-myeong, it appeared as mere dance movements.
Chang!
Deflecting the left sword's thrust with the tip of his blade.
Then anticipating and blocking the trajectory of the right sword that followed.
'The rhythm is consistent. There's ultimately a pattern.'
Ha Jin-su, who dodged the third strike from the left sword by stepping back, swung his sword widely.
Kaang!
Kang Woojung's body staggered greatly as he blocked with both hands raised.
Chachachachang!
The offense and defense instantly reversed.
Ha Jin-su's sword cunningly targeted Kang Woojung like a snake, as sharp as a crane's kick.
"Wook!"
'This bastard is an incredible master!'
Desperation appeared on Kang Woojung's face as he lost his usual composure.
"Why don't you try to withstand 30 exchanges?"
Ha Jin-su sneered.
'Damn it!'
Kang Woojung's limbs became increasingly confused.
Pak!
Ha Jin-su, who had somehow stepped on and taken away the left sword, swung his sword forcefully and sent the right sword flying as well.
"Kuk!"
Ha Jin-su twisted his mouth, looking at Kang Woojung who had instantly lost his weapons.
"Now die."
At the moment the sword aiming for Kang Woojung's neck flew toward him.
'Damn it, I absolutely cannot die here!'
Kang Woojung performed Neryeotagon, avoiding the attack by rolling on the ground.
'What?'
While rolling on the ground, he recovered the sword that had been stepped on and detonated a smoke bomb he had hidden in his chest.
"This bastard, really!"
Tadadak!
Ha Jin-su, who had detected Kang Woojung's position through footsteps and sharp intuition even with his vision obscured, launched a flying strike, but.
Kaang!
With the sound of metal indicating the attack had failed, Kang Woojung disappeared into the distance.
"Your skill at running away is quite impressive, you slippery bastard!"
Ha Jin-su, infuriated to the extreme, belatedly chased after him.
"If I catch you, I really won't let you off!"
Ha Jin-su gritted his teeth, saying he would hand him over to Kwak Hyeok-jung to make him suffer all kinds of torture before killing him.
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Kang Woojung, who had successfully eluded Ha Jin-su with his momentary wit, sighed in relief as he wiped his chilled heart.
'Who the hell is that bastard? He's incredibly skilled!'
He seemed to be a Ma-in, but.
He was clearly much stronger than Ko Kyeong-ho whom he met on that train.
'Damn, this is so humiliating. I've never really been outclassed by someone in terms of skill before.'
But that man's sword was on a different level.
'Still, my neck is still attached. Hehehe, I'm destined for success after all.'
It was just then.
Swish! Pop!
Startled by the sound of a flare behind him, Kang Woojung turned around.
"That bastard!"
It was Kwon Seung-yeon, who had been watching from a distance, sticking with him and shooting a flare.
"You must be desperate to die!"
A serious situation if reinforcements arrived.
"Die, you bastard!"
Kang Woojung threw his sword like a boomerang, filled with mana, toward Kwon Seung-yeon.
Spin!
The sword, spinning like a propeller, flew to shred Kwon Seung-yeon.
'No!'
Unfortunately for Kwon Seung-yeon, who had jumped to cross a building, it was an attack she had no way to avoid.
'Ah, here......'
Just as Kwon Seung-yeon tightly closed her eyes.
Tatatatatatadak!
Su-hyeon, who had flown through the sky at an insane speed, grabbed Kwon Seung-yeon's shoulder and, using his Eye Power, caught the handle of the flying sword.
"!!!"
"Su-hyeon!"
Kwon Seung-yeon exclaimed happily at the sight of Su-hyeon who appeared at the critical moment.
"I'm glad I wasn't too late."
Su-hyeon said.
"......Thank you."
Kwon Seung-yeon lowered her head in embarrassment.
"Don't mention it."
Su-hyeon said as he put down Kwon Seung-yeon.
"Thank you too. I was just in need of a sword."
"Huhehehe."
As his decisive attack came to nothing, Kang Woojung laughed like he had attained enlightenment, scratching his head vigorously.
"Ah, fuck. Today is seriously getting fucked up."
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"Aaaaah!"
"Kuaaaah!"
Kwak Hyeok-jung, who had swept away the security guards with ruthless attacks, vented his anger.
"Jeong Su-hyeon, that bastard! Where did he go!"
Just as he was looking around with bloodshot eyes.
"Enough."
Along with an icy cold voice, a terrifying pressure pushed down on him.
"......!"
His head lifted up.
There was the Vampire Queen, slowly descending from the sky.
"You even made me step in. What should I do with you?"
"......Did you come to interfere with me."
"Interfere?"
The Queen twisted her mouth.
Swoosh!
As she raised her nails and swung.
Four slashes that tore through space cut through Kwak Hyeok-jung's shield and body in one go.
"Kuhek!"
"Interfere? Me with you?"
A blood stake that suddenly sprouted pierced through Kwak Hyeok-jung's limbs.
"Kuhek!"
"Tone down your arrogance."
The Queen said.
"This place has deep connections with me too. There's a limit to how much I can overlook your rampaging."
She looked down at Kwak Hyeok-jung, who was suffering without being able to resist at all.
"You've acted on your own twice already. Not only did you fail to produce results, but you also caused unnecessary disturbances. Why are you making such a fuss in the black market again?"
"......."
"Don't make me stain my hands with the blood of my own kind, Kwak Hyeok-jung."
Anger, humiliation, a sense of disgrace, and fear.
The Queen gazed coldly at the emotions appearing on Kwak Hyeok-jung's face.
"Have you calmed down? If you've calmed down, nod."
"......Yes."
Kwak Hyeok-jung nodded.
"Good. Then let's wrap this up here. Punishment will follow later."
"Where are you going?"
"I need to bring Ha Jin-su too. He might listen to reason somewhat."
As the Queen waved her hand, the two were enveloped in a swarm of bats and disappeared from that place.
'Jeong Su-hyeon.'
The Queen closed her eyes and watched Su-hyeon confronting Kang Woojung through the vision of her familiar.
'Jeong Su-hyeon, Jeong Su-hyeon. It's you again.'
A flush and fever rose to her face.
'If you had died in that train, I would have been quite disappointed.'
But that wasn't the case.
Even on the day of the attack on the academy.
Even in the face of the predetermined tragedy on that island.
Even at the Blood Plaza.
Even inside the train.
Su-hyeon had survived and continued to grow rapidly, showing results that exceeded her expectations.
'Raising, raising, raising. Watching, watching, watching.'
I will kill you when you become most delectable and sink my fangs into your nape.
The Vampire Queen smiled as she caressed her arm with her hand.
'Indeed. Only I can kill you, only I should kill you.'