novelraw Chapter 48 : Ma-in Attack (2)
Chapter 48 : Ma-in Attack (2)
There was a Ma-in called "Crusher."
The Ma-in's name was Lee Yong-ju.
He was a 2-meter giant who wielded a flail—a short iron chain with a metal mass attached to a long handle.
The flail wielded by his superhuman body was so powerful it could create winds approaching a storm.
And his agile body, mismatched with his strength, far exceeded his opponents' expectations.
"Young-jin, snap out of it!"
Gong Young-jin possessed the characteristic "Superhuman Strength," which could convert mana into tremendous physical power.
With the greatest raw strength in Class 1, he was overwhelmed in a test of strength and knocked unconscious after taking a flail hit to his abdomen.
Several other cadets had already been incapacitated by Lee Yong-ju's flail and fists.
"You little shits aren't playing around!"
The Ma-in who had effortlessly taken down several top cadets laughed triumphantly, exuding an oppressive aura.
But there were no cadets here weak enough to cower in fear from just that.
"Min-sun!"
"Leave it to me!"
The pile of asphalt Oh Min-sun fired enveloped Lee Yong-ju, who crushed it as if smashing a pile of tofu.
"Crazy! Impossible!"
But.
"So this is where!"
"We'll join the fight too!"
Cadets who had been scattered came rushing to the battle after hearing Kim Ho-su's message.
"Yu-jin! Seung-yeon, even Jeremy!"
"Damn. Have the kids been defeated already?"
"Yes. This Ma-in is on a completely different level from the ones we faced in practical lessons."
"Damn, my confidence is disappearing."
Jeremy McGarr, who had struggled against the One-Armed Trainer's whip, let out a sigh.
"It's okay. We have Yu-jin and A-yun, right?"
"That's true."
They had all witnessed how powerful Kim A-yun's lightning was when she went all out.
However.
"...Uugh."
Kim A-yun herself was barely mustering courage while trying to control her trembling legs.
'Where has Su-hyeon gone?'
Kim A-yun's gaze anxiously scanned around.
"Let's spread out and charge!"
Lee Yu-jin rushed forward and swung her sword.
Clang!
"A sword light as a feather!"
Even though she aimed for the handle rather than the metal, Lee Yu-jin was thrown back after just one exchange.
"Ugh!"
The difference in output was so overwhelming that neither sword energy nor mana penetration had any effect.
Lee Yu-jin looked at her slightly torn palm and hardened her expression.
'Impossible strength.'
"Everyone. Don't even think about competing in strength!"
Everyone's expressions hardened at Lee Yu-jin's look.
'To think even Yu-jin's sword energy isn't effective.'
'Then how are we supposed to fight?'
"Hmm, what's this? Feels tingly. How annoying."
Lee Yong-ju tilted his head as if finding it strange.
Apart from the difference in strength, Lee Yu-jin's characteristic of inflicting internal damage was excellent, but.
After being in such a state after just one exchange, she couldn't properly utilize that advantage.
"Look at you all hesitating."
Lee Yong-ju split his mouth into a grin.
"Charge together or separately as you wish—it's just meaningless struggling anyway!"
He rushed at Jeremy McGarr first, swinging the storm called a flail.
"Bastard!"
The flaming spear was no resistance at all against it.
"Damn it! He's too strong! How are we supposed to fight him?"
Kwon Seung-yeon shouted in frustration.
"Uhahaha! You think kids like you can face me? Don't say such childish things!"
The veins along Lee Yong-ju's muscles pulsed disgustingly with each laugh.
But just then.
"Everyone, duck!"
The asphalt fragments that Lee Yong-ju had smashed were fired like shells.
"Hmm!"
Lee Yong-ju deflected the barrage by swinging his flail as if it were a light staff, and his gaze turned in one direction.
"Jun-seong!"
"What, Seo Jun-seong?"
Lee Yong-ju's expression contorted.
"So you're the son of that damned Seo Dong-jin!"
Seo Dong-jin, a human hero and the Ma-in's nemesis.
The boy bearing the heavy name of his father descended slowly from the sky.
"...Despite being a weakling who couldn't say a word in front of my father, you sure run your mouth well."
Seo Jun-seong's expression was ice-cold.
Crack!
The invisible hand created by his powerful psychokinesis gripped Lee Yong-ju strongly, but when the Ma-in's muscles twitched once, it shattered completely.
"Are you kidding me right now!"
'Indeed, with this level of spec difference, subduing him with psychokinetic output alone is impossible.'
Seo Jun-seong's hand fluttered like a conductor's, and debris whirled around like shells crashing into Lee Yong-ju.
"Annoying bastard, I'll turn your head to mush first!"
Lee Yong-ju charged with blood rushing to his head, but Seo Jun-seong floated himself into the air and easily escaped.
"Ah, this bastard."
The Ma-in, thinking there was no answer at this rate, twisted his mouth.
"Then stay there. I'll crush all your friends' heads first."
"I won't let that happen."
Just as Seo Jun-seong's psychokinesis was about to envelop the cadets.
'From behind!'
The Ma-in's superhuman instinct sounded a warning.
Clang!
Su-hyeon's hwando, appearing instantly from behind, stopped right in front of Lee Yong-ju's forehead.
"And who are you?"
"Su-hyeon!"
Lee Yu-jin, recognizing the face revealed above the mask, shouted.
"Where do these nobodies keep coming from!"
Before Lee Yong-ju could exert force to repel Su-hyeon, Su-hyeon jumped backward, stepping on the spear shaft.
"Seo Jun-seong!"
Su-hyeon's gaze turned to Seo Jun-seong.
"Leave this to me and go to where Class 2 is!"
"Class 2?"
"Yes! You need to go there!"
"...!"
On what grounds? So suddenly? What about here?
All sorts of questions flashed quickly through his mind, but Seo Jun-seong quickly understood that he shouldn't be quibbling over such peripheral issues right now.
'He's not one to speak empty words.'
He trusted his own judgment.
"Hey, what are you guys doing?"
The Ma-in, blatantly ignored, let out a hollow laugh.
Regardless, Seo Jun-seong dropped a heavy word.
"I'll trust you for now."
"Thanks."
"Sure."
Boom!
After firing debris to cover the Ma-in, Seo Jun-seong's form disappeared into the distance.
"Well, well."
Lee Yong-ju let out a hollow laugh.
He had been watching, thinking the psychokinesis user wasn't a good match for him anyway.
But his eyes bulged as he looked at the brazen kid who had interfered.
"Do you think your heads will still be attached to your bodies if you go from here to there?"
"No reason why not."
Su-hyeon made eye contact with Oh Min-sun, and she, having synchronized with him once before, understood his intention.
"A-yun!"
"Yes!"
While the asphalt pile and lightning fired by the two engulfed Lee Yong-ju, Su-hyeon approached between Lee Yu-jin and Kwon Seung-yeon.
"We just need to hold out for 30 minutes. About 25 minutes left now."
"Can we hold out?"
"Definitely."
Su-hyeon quickly relayed tactical guidelines to Lee Yu-jin that would allow them to endure even without confidence.
"...Do you understand?"
"Yes. But what about Su-hyeon?"
Lee Yu-jin's eyes trembled with slight anxiety.
"...I'm sorry, but you can hold out. I need to go somewhere more dangerous."
Su-hyeon tried to quietly disappear while his comrades distracted Lee Yong-ju's attention.
"Stop dancing around and come at me, damn it!"
Lee Yong-ju, annoyed as he deflected attacks fired from afar by Oh Min-sun and Kim A-yun, decided to pick them off one by one.
"First, I'll crack open the head of that spear-wielding bastard."
"Shit! Why me again!"
Just as Jeremy McGarr was clutching his spear indignantly.
"You bastard! So you were still playing around here!"
A skinhead giant covered in bizarre tattoos appeared from somewhere and stomped the ground hard.
Bwaaaang!
With one stomp, the earth shook and vibrated, drawing everyone's attention to him.
'Battle-crazed Jang Su-il!'
Su-hyeon's brow furrowed with tension and concern.
An executive of the 'Sword of Belphegor' and one of their top fighters.
He was an enemy with such an overwhelming difference in power that if he got even slightly serious, he could kill everyone here in an instant.
'Has he caught the scent of battle?'
This was the only development that deviated from Su-hyeon's expectations.
Jang Su-il had such an unpredictable personality that even his comrades couldn't understand how extremely impulsively he acted.
'He must have a different target.'
Su-hyeon clicked his tongue, knowing who that target was.
'Still, this isn't an entirely unexpected situation.'
"W-w-what is that?"
The cadets who had been facing Lee Yong-ju without losing courage.
Just witnessing this being made their spines wet with cold sweat.
'We're going to die.'
A thick, sticky smell of death enveloped them.
"This is my assignment! You shouldn't take it away!"
When Lee Yong-ju grumbled resentfully, Jang Su-il laughed loudly.
"I got it, you bastard. I just came because it looked fun, okay?"
Even as he said that, fighting spirit glistened in his eyes.
"Just one is enough. Isn't there anyone who can entertain me a little!"
Crash!
As he took one step forward, all the glass windows of the buildings shattered simultaneously.
"Oh, come on!"
"Shut up. If you're upset, go whine to your boss."
The sight of Lee Yong-ju, who had been rampaging like he would dominate the world, now whimpering like a small dog before a lion, made the cadets feel an immense sense of insignificance.
"Kids, just one of you come out. I really won't use much strength, okay? I have manners too."
He gestured with an OK sign made with his thumb and index finger.
"But I don't have patience. It's not good if you think too long."
'If that bastard joins in, everyone here will be massacred.'
Though he was playfully setting such conditions now.
Su-hyeon knew well that if no one stepped forward, his mercurial personality would soon change, and he would kill everyone without hesitation.
The only difference was whether he'd crush ants to death or play with them before killing them.
Therefore, Su-hyeon intended to play along and buy time.
"At least one of you has some spirit."
Jang Su-il brightened as he saw Su-hyeon walking forward.
"Let's move locations."
Su-hyeon said with a stiff face.
"Haha, doesn't matter to me."
'I don't need long either.'
Su-hyeon thought.
If he could hold out for just 3 minutes, the situation could change.
But.
To do that, he had to risk his life here.
❀⋆｡°✿☆❀✿°｡⋆❀
By this time.
The flare fired by Su-hyeon had definitely fulfilled its role.
"Are you certain! A flare went off inside the academy!"
"Yes, all communications within the academy were cut off right before that! It must be an urgent situation!"
"Vice Principal, you need to make a decision!"
"Damn it. What a disgrace this is!"
Vice Principal Gong Gi-jeong's face contorted.
"First, order all cadets to stand by, and gather instructors who can return. Request the nearest Execution Force to join."
"Understood!"
"I authorize participation under my authority. If the enemy is a Red Ma-in, don't hesitate to eliminate them."
"Yes!"
"I thought the recent activities of those bastards were unusual, but I didn't expect them to be this bold."
The vice principal's expression, usually cold and chilly, showed extreme anger and contempt.
"If our cadets and instructors bleed, I swear I will make those bastards regret it to their bones."
The 30 minutes of time bought by the small flare Su-hyeon fired.
It was becoming an exquisite dagger fundamentally shaking the Ma-in's plans.
❀⋆｡°✿☆❀✿°｡⋆❀
Red Ma-in.
It refers to Ma-in who are allowed to be killed because their ferocity and strength are recognized as "too difficult to capture through suppression."
In this attack, three executive-level Ma-in were designated as Red Ma-in.
One of them, "Rusty Sword" Ha Jin-su, had a particularly annoying characteristic.
'Incurable Wounds.'
The ability to create wounds that cannot be healed where he cuts or stabs.
Because of this, personnel who were attacked by him, even if they survived, suffered from continuous injuries or, in severe cases, had to amputate the wounded area.
'What makes this bastard even more fucked up is that he fights with a rusty sword that looks perfect for tetanus to maximize that effect.'
To Execution Force members who walked the path of the sword, Ha Jin-su was instinctively repulsive.
Therefore, Lee Ho-seung, who had ordered the instructors to move back to face him, had an unusual anger faintly appearing on his face.
"Disgusting bastard. Even your sword energy is disgusting."
"Isn't that better than having a disgusting face?"
Ha Jin-su, with a boyish face unsuited to his age, snickered.
"My brother owed you one. As his brother, I wanted to deal with you, but unfortunately, your bastard stupidly got injured and retired, which I found disappointing."
"Which brother are you talking about?"
Lee Ho-seung smirked.
"He was such a weakling I don't even remember."
"Watch your mouth, you bastard."
Ha Jin-su's face contorted.
"Not in your prime anymore, there wouldn't even be fun in slicing you to death now—what makes you so cocky?"
"That's a long way of saying you were too scared to face me back then."
"Hahaha."
The Ma-in's smile twisted.
"You know well. For a wounded lion, only a miserable death is fitting."