Reunion (2)

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Why is Hwang Seong-yeon here?

It didn’t take long to solve that question.

The Pearl Moonlight magic and the Lycans that infiltrated underground.

Enrichten said the owners of that magic were ‘Ludenack’.

In other words, it means members of the Ludenaak school either came to this dungeon or were here originally.

And the <Villain> clan has previously shown connections to the Ludenack school.

When we defeated the clan master Hwang Dong-yeon and confirmed through the [Rune Hunter], he definitely had a [Ludenack Spell] rune, and also my contractor Tyrbon’s previous form, the ‘Bone Dragon’, was an undead created by the Ludenack school.

In other words…

‘Hwang Seong-yeon is also in cahoots with Ludenack.’

The deduction became simple.

By some method, the Ludenack school entered this dungeon, and Hwang Seong-yeon accompanied them.

And the war between Clark and Baraten…

They’re involved in our dungeon conquest.

‘I never dreamed there would be beings stronger than the Transcendents.’

I couldn’t even imagine that existences from another world could directly move and live in this world.

And the main character is the evil Ludenack school.

I should inform the Holder Association and Park Ji-hwan as soon as possible, but there is no proper way right now.

Ssshhhing-

Kagagaang!!

Our swords clash with fierce force.

And Hwang Seong-yeon slightly raised the corner of his mouth.

“You seem to have a lot on your mind.”

When I first saw him, he looked like a cold-blooded person who wouldn’t bleed a drop if stabbed, but he’s been showing a lot of expressions since fighting me.

I expressed my displeasure at that unwelcome sight.

“I just ran into an unlucky bastard in a place I never expected.”

“Don’t get heated up. Your mental unease shows in your sword.”

“Don’t lecture me, you bastard.”

Kaang!!

Once again, our swords clash, sparking flames.

It may look like we’re just physically clashing swords, but intense magic is swirling within.

Black magic from Hwang Seong-yeon’s magic sword [Dine Sleep] flowed endlessly, and I poured magic into [Penitent’s Sword] without holding back.

So we could kill each other at any opportunity.

We fiercely watched for chances.

“…You’ve grown quite strong.”

Even amidst the chaos, Hwang Seong-yeon muttered.

His eyes seemed slightly surprised from clashing swords.

Is this guy wanting to fight or have a conversation standing?

I gritted my teeth and provoked him.

“I put in some effort to try to kill you.”

In fact, Hwang Seong-yeon wasn’t wrong.

I understood why he was surprised.

There was a stark difference between me during the <Villain> subjugation operation and me now.

The new combination of runes and superior runes I acquired, increased mastery of existing runes, knowledge gained from the Transcendents, and the ‘power of the dragon’…

There were various changes, but the biggest was definitely my ‘stats’.

My current stats show a change close to a reawakening.

Both my strength and speed exceeded 100, with speed at 95.

Even non-main stats were all in the 60s-70s.

But that’s just calculating raw stats – using pumping skills like [Berserk] and [Dragon Transformation] causes explosive increases.

My main stats reach 180, the rest around 100.

S-grade Holders have vastly differing stats, and stats aren’t that important… But still, I’ve exceeded the so-called ‘S-grade standard stats’ of 150.

“…Tremendous strength.”

The fact that I could clash swords evenly with the likely S-grade Holder Hwang Seong-yeon was reason enough for his surprise.

Kang! Kang!

Kagagaang!!

We clashed swords relentlessly.

The martial art I used was [Brave Eternal Wave].

A combination of [Wave Sword Technique ], [Water Sword Technique ], and [Ocean Sword Technique ].

It combined only the strengths of the three sword techniques, with the overarching force being the ‘power of the dragon’.

So in battle, my offense and defense were nearly perfectly harmonized.

Forcefully when I needed to attack swiftly.

Lightly when I needed to deflect fluidly.I moved with these gracefully while receiving Hwang Seong-yeon’s magic sword.

And inwardly, I continually sought a way to win.

‘The ultimate skill won’t work…’

[Sky-Shattering Heavenly Sword], [True Flowing Sword], [Distortion Shadow]…

I had already used most of my main attack skills when saving Kim Chae-eun.

All I had left were [Knife Rain], [Reverse Gravity], and the not yet officially registered [Falling Blossom Aesthetics].

None were suitable against Hwang Seong-yeon.

Or more accurately, using an ultimate skill against him wasn’t a good choice.

‘I need to find a fundamental solution.’

During the last subjugation operation, he took my strongest attack skill [Distortion Shadow] head-on and was unfazed.

He healed the struck area like ‘ultra-regeneration’, then actually pressured me.

That meant my ultimate skills couldn’t deal much damage to him.

So I needed to find a more fundamental solution.

“…Hm?”

Ssshhhing-!

And the fundamental solution I thought of.

It was divine power.

“Haaah…!!”

I poured all the divine power in my body into [Penitent’s Sword].

My current divine stat is 66.

Far lacking compared to A-grade or higher divine-type Holders, but not low for a direct combat-type to possess.

Added to that were the amplifying skills [Berserk] and [Dragon Transformation].

The stat became 114.

Further combined with the high innate divine attunement of [Penitent’s Sword] and the enhancing [Silver Moonshadow] rune.

The abilities I had were already optimized for divine support.

I was almost like a special combat-type ‘divine knight’.

‘Divine Slash!’

I used the innate skill [Divine Slash] of my weapon.

A skill that gathers mana imbued with divine power into a smiting strike.

Just before the brief exchange of blows, I had already infused my sword with magic power, so all I had to do was convert that magic power into divine power to prepare my skill.

Pop- Paaaat-

Kuu, Kwaaang–!!

A vast amount of divine power pours down like a torrential rain.

Divine power alone can deal damage to the target, but if the target is of the cursed kind like an undead, then the effect is amplified twofold.

Hwang Seong-yeon, who wields magic swords and magic…For him, [Divine Slash] is one of the strongest attacks I can unleash.

‘Art of Weapon Exchange.’

Without a moment’s rest, I immediately switched weapons.

Although Hwang Seong-yeon was properly struck by the unexpected divine power strike, I can’t let my guard down with just this.

There’s no way a hit like this would make him fall, so to leave no room for a counterattack, I had to continue attacking relentlessly.

“Hide and throw.”

Ssaa-aaah–!!

Pop- Pabaht-

Pabahbaht–!!

The 21 blades I was holding soar into the sky…

And soon after, they come raining down at a fierce speed from above.

It’s the manifestation of the ultimate skill [Knife Rain] of the [Art of Hidden Throwing Knives].

Although I had just expended a vast amount of magic power and divine power using [Divine Slash], [Knife Rain] is a pure physical attack skill, so no separate preparation was needed.

‘At least I can tie him up.’

At first I thought I wouldn’t be able to land any hits so I ruled it out, but now the situation has changed again.

If I could just tie him up even a little bit.

I had to utilize whatever skills I had at my disposal.

Even if I kept pressing the attack like this, there was always the possibility of a counterattack from Hwang Seong-yeon.

To shake off that unease, I immediately prepared my third attack.

‘The finish…!!’

Just as I was about to switch back to my sword and deliver the final blow, that slight unease became reality.

“Drink the blood.”

The rapidly progressing battle was all for naught.

Hwang Seong-yeon managed to endure all my attacks and used his ultimate skill.

‘Damn it…’

Gritting my teeth, I watched the scene unfold before my eyes.

Hwang Seong-yeon’s battered body began to heal.

All the scratches and huge gashes instantly closed up, and his arm that was about to be severed naturally regenerated and reattached itself.

Especially the blood that had spilled from his body and surroundings…

The large amount of blood that had stained everything a bright red…

Began to be absorbed into his ‘magic sword’.A dissonance of dark energy and bloody magic power.

The incantation was recited, and the phenomenon occurred in less than a second.

Grasping the magic sword that had sorted out the whole situation,

Hwang Seong-yeon slowly approached me, head raised.

“Do Jae-hyun. More than just interesting, you’re an amazing guy.”

“…What are you talking about?”

“It means I acknowledge you far more than before. For you to have grown enough to corner me like that in such a short time… I can hardly believe it even seeing it myself.”

Shit.

Is this guy really suffering from brain damage?

Though all sorts of curses were running through my mind…

It was fortunate for me that I could buy some time.

In any case, I had used up almost everything I could use, and the one nearing death was me, not Hwang Seong-yeon.

“My main rune, the Hero Slayer, is a peculiar rune.”

And then, out of nowhere,

He started talking about his rune.

Hwang Seong-yeon’s main rune, [Hero Slayer], which had never been revealed in the Holder World before.

“The rune’s ability itself is designed to synergize with a specific item, and my ultimate skill Blood Master also has the power to assist that item.”

Hwang Seong-yeon slowly raised his magic sword toward me.

“In other words, the super-regeneration you just saw happen to me wasn’t my own ability, but an inherent ability of this magic sword Dine Slipher. When we fought before, I recovered right away, but today I would have been in danger if I hadn’t used my ultimate skill. Who would have thought you’d have the power of a divine knight too.”

Though his rambling on about his own power seemed idiotic, this was still high-level information.

Some of the special effects of [Dine Slipher].

Damage absorption and super-regeneration.

His ultimate skill enhances all the powers of the magic sword, including his own.

It was valuable information that could help in taking him down.

…If I could take him down, that is.

“So – we’re back to square one. Let’s fight again, Do Jae-hyun.”

Hwang Seong-yeon slightly raises the corner of his mouth toward me.

And he approaches me while raising his magic sword.

‘Shit…’

I gripped my sword tightly, swallowing a curse.

I had already expended too much stamina and magic power.

I could somehow fight again, but…

It was nearly impossible for me to corner Hwang Seong-yeon like before.

It was a do-or-die moment.

Everything I had built up until now would be for naught if this continued.

And then… at that moment.

“Do Jae-hyun! I’m ready–!!”

I heard the welcome voice I had been waiting for.

It was Enrichten’s voice, with whom I had discussed the plan.

Before Clark’s sudden attack began,

We had planned a second operation, ‘guarding the barracks’.

The contents of the operation were surprisingly simple.

It was to unleash a large amount of water-attribute magic in this area below the hill, where water could easily collect.

Sshwa, Sshwaaaa–!!

Kwa, Kwagaga–..

An enormous amount of water magic unleashed by both our water mages and Baraten’s mage corps began to spread over the battlefield.

-Wha, what is this!

-Damn. A large-scale water magic! Everyone evade for now!

-Those crazy Baraten bastards! They’re getting caught up in their own magic too…!!

In an instant, enough water to cover the entire battlefield poured forth, and confused voices from Clark’s forces erupted here and there.

I wanted to lend my power with [New Wave] as well, but…

In the current situation facing off against Hwang Seong-yeon, using skills was difficult.

Instead.

‘Call of the Contract.’

I used a much more efficient skill.

The magic power bursting from my fingertips.

The massive form that makes the ground beneath my feet float.

A giant beast large enough to cover this area transformed into a river.

-I am before the sworn ally of the great being.

The wyvern, Aspidochelon.

My contracted beast, most needed for this situation.

The start of the second battle, fighting alongside him.Access to all month’s chapter + 10/20 chapters ahead for 18$/32$ via Buymeacoffee

Schedule: 4 ch per wk @ [mon, wed, fri, sun]

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