What It Means to Be a Gatekeeper - 3
When I first clashed with him, I thought he was utterly ridiculous. I was already an existence that far transcended human standards. No matter how desperately he charged, he was a wall that could never be overcome. It was like an ant rushing at a human. Just looking at the ability users ahead answered that. Not long ago, they were fighting like heroes, but now that I appeared, they were whimpering like dogs in front of a dog seller. Unless it was an S-rank like Han Jiyun or a former powerhouse like Ma Hakjun, it was normal not to even meet eyes. That was how it should be.
'But this guy.'
Chaeng—! Sparks and mana flew in all directions, drawing blue flames. With each clash, a certainty was felt at the fingertips and in the mind.
'This guy is the real deal.'
The man before my eyes, the Silver rank examiner, Baek Seojin. I was certain. This man would one day surpass the wall. And one day, he would appear before me as an equal existence.
Kwaaang—! As Kwak Hyuk swung his spear roughly, Baek Seojin was pushed back sliding. Unlike him who didn't shed a single drop of sweat, his whole body was covered in blood. If left alone without avoiding combat, he'd collapse from excessive bleeding. But neither Baek Seojin nor Kwak Hyuk gave up the fight. Spear and sword entangled in the air, spewing flames once more.
“Keuk!”
Unlike the unscathed Kwak Hyuk, Baek Seojin let out a pained groan. One leg buckled, and he was driven until the other leg buckled too. Kwak Hyuk looked at his opponent and put strength into the hand holding the spear.
This can't be all you have. Come on, draw out more. Quickly, quickly!
“…!”
In an instant, a different light shone in Kwak Hyuk's eyes. Baek Seojin, who seemed to be losing in the power struggle, suddenly changed strategy. He took the spear head-on and aimed for a counter.
'Crazy bastard.'
Daring to think of receiving my spear? It was absurd. Even Hyun Sujin, who was also an Elder, and Han Jiyun, whom he'd clashed with several times, hadn't thought of that. Blocking, or dodging, and occasionally grazing was all they could do. If they knew the devastating impact of his spear, they couldn't do that. And this man had clearly been hit properly by his spear before. Though he survived and recovered quickly, it was a strike with full sincerity. So he should know better than anyone what would happen if faced head-on. A normal person would instinctively avoid that situation.
'Does this guy have no fear? No terror of death?'
His spear thrusting in, and the sword coming in reverse. If he didn't stop and thrust the spear, he could kill Baek Seojin. It was certain. Just thrusting it in like this would end everything.
'...But that would be a bit dangerous.'
The decision was quick, and the action even quicker. The spear that was clearly digging inside suddenly shot outward. A movement that ordinary ability users couldn't explain. It was right to see it as impossible. It didn't make sense with physical laws. But an Elder was an existence that made even that possible. Thanks to that, Baek Seojin's calculation aiming for the perfect counter timing turned to nothing. He had no choice but to roll his body to regain his broken balance. His already blood-soaked body got dirt and dust on it, making his appearance even more pitiful.
“Haa, haa….”
Kwak Hyuk, who stared at Baek Seojin for a moment, instantly closed the distance. And before he could react, he thrust the spear in.
Pook—!
“Keuk!”
Once again, a different light shone in Kwak Hyuk's eyes. It was clearly an attack aimed at the heart, but it missed by a hair's breadth. It wasn't his mistake. The opponent in front of him twisted his body in an instant to dodge.
“Ha.”
A dumbfounded exclamation escaped without him realizing. It was already nonsense that he read his move, but to even react to it. He hadn't imagined there would be such a guy. He was incomparable to when they first met.
'What the hell happened? Can someone get this strong in such a short time?'
When he pulled the spear out from the chest, red blood gushed forward. He had only barely avoided the heart, but the serious injury remained unchanged. There was no place unharmed. It was a state where it wouldn't be strange if he collapsed immediately. But for some reason, the man didn't fall. He still stood blocking Kwak Hyuk's path with his sword raised. A resolute will that he absolutely couldn't let him pass was felt.
“…What the hell are you.”
If at first meeting, it was absurd that a nobody blocked his way. Now it was a question spat out because it was absurd in a different sense. Clearly, he was much stronger. An opponent so shameful to even discuss victory or defeat. If he had mobilized mana, he would have already become a corpse rolling on the floor. But at the same time, something was slowly raising its head deep in Kwak Hyuk's heart. It was a prickly feeling. It felt strangely like irritation was rising. What exactly was this. What was it that made him feel this unfamiliar sensation.
Not long after, Kwak Hyuk soon realized what it was. The identity of that which had arisen without him knowing was 'anxiety'.
'At first, he couldn't even react. But at some point, though late, he reacted, though pushed back, he blocked. Though stabbed, he managed to avoid vital points.'
This was the first time they were properly entangled. Last time was just playing around. The examiner breathing roughly knew nothing about him. If stabbed, he should be stabbed, if swung, he should be hit, if trying to kill, he should die. But within that obvious principle, the opponent was gradually reacting. Growing in real time. Taking in with his eyes each time they clashed. Remembering what he took in his head, imprinting it on his body, and discussing the next. This anxiety was because of that. The winner today was definitely himself, and that guy couldn't win even if he died and came back to life. But what if it was tomorrow? Or even later? Would it still be the case then?
'No more.'
Yes, no more. The one who brought him humiliation, that crazy bitch was enough. Kill him. Kill and erase him. He couldn't taste that nightmare again. He'd had enough fun. This was more than enough playing around. Quickly erase that disgusting guy and not want to recall the past.
Sseuseuseu— Gray light gathered and coalesced around Kwak Hyuk's spear. The villains who witnessed that scene were startled and scattered. Because they knew better than anyone what that man was about to do now. A damp and sticky aura of death formed at the spear tip. The moment anything touched it, it would fall into a swamp of death from which it couldn't escape. Was this a technique? No, such a name didn't suit it. What Kwak Hyuk was showing now was solely a means for murder, nothing else. Hatred condensed and condensed to kill just one person, even willing to erase the world for that. The essence of killing intent that couldn't accept his own arrogance and instead condensed it. So it couldn't be called a technique. That was just a murderer's swing.
Woong— The spear filled with thick death rushed straight toward Baek Seojin. It couldn't be avoided. Literally, there was no one in the world who could avoid death. It was the end. So disappear now. The one who made him miserable, that crazy bitch was enough. Finally reaching the target, at the moment he was about to unleash the killing intent he held. Kwak Hyuk muttered someone's name without realizing.
“…Kang Minsung?”
Why, why on earth. Even though it wasn't him, why did his wind blow?
Jjeojeok— The answer to that question was given by Kwak Hyuk's broken spear instead.
*
'Damn it, damn it, damn it!'
A speed that could make cars look like nothing. Han Jiyun was running with all her might, biting her lips. The terrible catastrophe that occurred in Sokcho, Gangwon-do. Among the dead was a colleague she was close with. He wasn't the kind of guy to go so meaninglessly, he wasn't lacking as the best ability user. It wasn't a new dungeon, but annihilation in a dungeon subjugation they'd done several times. While she was hurriedly heading to Sokcho after hearing that news, another bolt from the blue fell.
“An ambush?”
“Yes! It's news that just came in, all students who went out for external support for practical training are under massive attack by villains!”
“The damage, is it big? Serious? What's the situation!”
“Fortunately, up to team 4 is okay. But the problem is team 5. For team 5 that went to Chungcheong-do… Uh, there was a captive's confession that an Elder followed them!”
Upon hearing that, Han Jiyun immediately changed her destination. She was sorry for her dead colleague, but the departed couldn't be helped. The living came first now. As a professor, the students were priority.
'Please, please!'
As Han Jiyun was rushing at full speed like that, she suddenly gritted her teeth at an aura that shouldn't be felt. She turned her body around. Right behind her, something black was following, gathering.
“Shit! No time to deal with you. Get lost!”
Han Jiyun's sword let out a resonant sound and poured out a single strike. That trajectory flying mercilessly cut the black thing in half. Then the remaining half sped up again and approached in front of Han Jiyun.
“….”
The Elder she had clashed with at the Academy before, Hyun Sujin. That was the identity of the shadow following behind.
“You, until the end!”
“Jiyun-ah.”
To Han Jiyun who was revealing killing intent, Hyun Sujin quietly spoke. Only then did Han Jiyun realize that Hyun Sujin had completely received her attack. She could have avoided it sufficiently. Even if not, she could have minimized the damage.
“I have no intention of fighting.”
“What?”
“I'm also heading to the exact same place as you.”
Hyun Sujin said that and flew her body exactly toward where Han Jiyun was heading. Han Jiyun, who was watching that scene, also urgently followed behind her.
“What are you thinking!”
“Nothing much.”
“What?”
“I don't have anything like thoughts either.”
There was no more conversation. The two women devoted themselves only to increasing speed. When the past comrade, current rival arrived at the destination like that.
Saaa—….
A single gust of wind lingered for a moment and disappeared.
“….”
Beneath it.
Elder, Kwak Hyuk was blankly looking down at his own chest. From the gaping wound, red blood was gushing out.