Chapter 31. Two Skills

The two skills that Jeonghyeon checked had very clear and concise effects.

Experience points weren't a concept that existed separately for awakeners. People familiar with games called the leveling up through quests or training "gaining experience," but there really wasn't a skill called "experience points."

But for Jeonghyeon, it existed clearly.

It was recorded plain as day in one corner of his status window under the name "Dominated Experience."

Jeonghyeon shifted his gaze to Philip. Then he opened his status window.

As expected. Sure enough, a new piece of information called "Awakening Level" had appeared.

Yeah. So that's how it is...!

Jeonghyeon fully understood the current system.

The Demon King's intent in fighting, what he wanted from Jeonghyeon.

A battle between kings.

The Demon King wanted to play an idle RPG with Jeonghyeon. Who could pick better talents, raise them optimally for the situation. And then pit those "mercenaries" against each other to see who claimed final victory.

Not just their own power, but using everything at their disposal in a head-on showdown.

"Okay. Let's give it a shot."

Accepting the proposal, Jeonghyeon transferred all 318 of his remaining experience points to Philip.

"Experience Transfer."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than Philip's left eye glowed red.

"Ugh! Krgh!"

Soon, Philip's status window began sharing with Jeonghyeon as well.

"Holy shit!"

Jeonghyeon shouted without ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠thinking, just like Philip might. A bright smile spread across his face for the first time.

"Double Strike! This is fucking huge!!"

No ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠"huge" had ever been this huge. That bastard Uldran really cherished Philip more than he'd thought?

Handing over these premium skills one after another.

"Double Strike? What's that? Why couldn't I get something cool like sword aura...?"

Philip muttered, tilting his head. He had no clue what skill he'd gotten. Jeonghyeon smacked the back of his head hard.

"You idiot! Get on your knees and pray to the heavens right now! Thank Uldran! Double Strike is an amazing skill!"

"Huh? Why? Is Double Strike that good...? Wait, before that—can you see my status window?"

Philip's eyes went wide as realization hit mid-sentence. Status windows were something only the awakener themselves could see. How the hell was Jeonghyeon reading it?

"I'll explain that later. But isn't Double Strike awesome?"

Philip was baffled. This was the most excited he'd ever seen Jeonghyeon.

Not something flashy like Hundred Blossom Fury, which struck a hundred vital points in one attack, or Aura Blade, which tore the air and shot mana blasts with every swing. What made Double Strike so great?

"Your name's kinda lame, and the skill description just says 'two strikes,' so ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it doesn't sound like much, right?"

"...! How did you know?"

"Knew it, you punk. Come here."

Bouncing with excitement like he was dancing, Jeonghyeon dragged Philip back toward the safe zone.

***

The field, now no different from a safe zone after the hunters waiting for the raid had sliced up all the nearby monsters.

Jeonghyeon drew his Harvesting Knife and took a combat stance in front of Philip.

"Get into combat stance."

"Huh? Oh, yes sir."

Knowing Jeonghyeon hated repeating himself, Philip quickly pulled out his mace.

"From now on, try to land even one hit on me."

Lowering his stance, Jeonghyeon crooked a finger at Philip without deactivating his Demon King's Eye.

A provocative "come at me" gesture.

"Yes... In that case, I won't hold back...!"

Whether he harbored some resentment at being treated like a grunt all this time or not, Philip charged straight at Jeonghyeon without hesitation.

Closing several meters in a blink, like folding the distance, Philip's body looked several times larger than usual.

Crazy. So this is how monsters see Philip?

For a brief moment, even Jeonghyeon felt overwhelmed. It made him feel just how much Philip had grown.

Whoosh-!

Philip swung his mace wildly, and Jeonghyeon dodged by a hair's breadth.

Boom!!

The ground shook. Unlike the first time he'd faced the mace, Jeonghyeon had perfectly evaded this time.

"I said hit me."

Jeonghyeon grinned and poked Philip's side with a finger.

"In a real fight, you'd be split in half and dead."

"Kh!"

His pride stung, Philip approached more cautiously this time, swinging his mace.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Attacks that would pulverize any average monster before they even noticed—but Jeonghyeon deliberately dodged by a fraction each time.

"This is gonna take all night."

"You haven't been training properly?"

"Want me to take a nap first? Hit me then?"

Jeonghyeon's taunts continued.

"Raaah!!"

Unable to take it, Philip charged with Shout.

"Sorry, but that doesn't even tickle my ears."

Jeonghyeon had trained Shout to its limits too. No matter how much Philip's level had risen via transfer, it couldn't compare. To Jeonghyeon, who'd mastered Shout's ultimate form—whispering to make monsters kneel—this was just a grunt.

"Again."

Jeonghyeon poked with his fingers at every opening, dodging annoyingly.

Not only dodging by a hair and running, but hitting vital spots like the neck, solar plexus, and down there(?). All critical points.

He'd already died a dozen times over in spirit.

Philip's pride as a hunter was crumbling.

"Enough."

After dodging the last attack, Jeonghyeon called it—but Philip, half out of his mind, swung desperately to land one hit.

"I said stop, you fucker."

Not knowing when to quit. Jeonghyeon precisely struck Philip's temple with the hilt of his Harvesting Knife.

Crack! Philip's massive frame comically tumbled to the ground.

"Urgh!"

Finally snapping out of it, Philip sat up, wincing.

"Sword users get Aura Blade, rapier or spear users get Hundred Blossom Fury to multiply strike points. Useful stuff."

Jeonghyeon offered a hand and pulled him up.

"But you're using a mace. Slow from the start."

Drawing his Harvesting Knife, Jeonghyeon swung it effortlessly in front of Philip.

No effort, yet twice Philip's attack speed—fluid and elegant.

"Got it? Your speed looks fast only to low-level monsters. Against Kingdom guild members, let alone me, your swings are obvious."

"Ahem... So?"

"So what. What'd you say before? Maces' advantage. The power of blunt weapons."

"Unblockable... No, even if blocked, it doesn't feel blocked... right."

"Exactly."

Jeonghyeon backed up again and crooked his finger invitingly.

"This time, imagine putting your full power into one strike. Enough that even if I dodge, the shockwave hits."

Philip nodded that he understood.

"Yes. Here goes...!"

He poured all his mana into his right arm.

Muscles bulged, Uldran's gray mana rippling around it.

This punk didn't even go this hard on monsters...?

Jeonghyeon's spine tingled watching the buildup.

Did I push him too far?

Maybe tell him to hold back a bit.

Too late. Philip's arm exploded forward with massive power.

Thud-BOOM!!!

Like a partial activation of Soul of the Mountain, the mace slammed into the ground.

Jeonghyeon had kept his distance and dodged, but...

"!!!"

The fan-shaped area under his feet warped and shattered.

Caught off-guard by the absurd range, Jeonghyeon tumbled down with a thud.

Not that he'd let his guard down, but ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠amplified by Attribute Domination, it was even more explosive than expected.

"See? Like that..."

Poke.

As Jeonghyeon tried to stand, Philip's finger tapped his forehead.

"If it'd been the mace, you'd probably be dead."

"You little shit..."

Philip flinched at Jeonghyeon's slightly trembling voice.

"I like it. Yeah. Even once would've killed me."

Jeonghyeon grinned instead, praising him.

"Now use Double Strike. And put everything into that one attack, like before."

He immediately resumed his stance.

"Yes! Here I go!"

Philip activated the skill and poured Uldran's mana into his right arm again.

Jeonghyeon swallowed, visibly tense.

"Coming!!"

Another massive explosion, the mace plunging vertically.

Jeonghyeon leaped to the farthest safe spot.

As he landed, he let slip an admiring curse.

"This is insane."

Thud-BOOM!! Kwang-KABOOM!!!

Two thunderous roars in succession. Same range as before, but the ground collapsed into a small cliff.

"Wha... What...?"

Even Philip, who'd swung it, stared blankly at the crater and Jeonghyeon.

"What... is this?"

"What else? Proof you're beyond expectations."

Jeonghyeon should've answered, but another voice cut in. A sharp woman's voice pierced Philip's ear like a whisper. He whipped around.

"Who are... Oh."

Thanks to Attribute Domination, Philip could glimpse Jeonghyeon's thoughts and instantly guessed her identity.

Even without it, anyone could've guessed. Dozens of guild members behind her, Kingdom guild marks on their pauldrons.

At the center, a woman with golden eyes contrasting her black bob.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Han Serin. What's your name?"

Han Serin herself, having come to the eastern field to find Jeonghyeon and Philip.