Chapter 032 - Blazing Peak (5)
The Black Flow Sword savagely cleaved through the Red Drake's neck.
It was his first time using sword aura to slash at an opponent.
The drake's skin split open like paper, revealing raw red flesh beneath.
Even so, Kim Sun-woo couldn't help but grimace with one eye.
'Missed.'
He'd aimed to sever the neck in one blow, but the beast's thrashing had been too violent.
Whether it instinctively sensed the sword aura and dodged, or not, the strike only carved away about a third of the neck.
Without sword aura, even that would have been impossible.
-Kieeeek!!!
The Red Drake twisted its body, letting out a scream that shook the heavens.
It seemed to know how close it had come to having its head lopped off, fueling its rage even further.
Thud!
In the end, even Robert had no choice but to yank out the spear embedded in its tail and fall back.
He knew a wounded beast was at its most ferocious.
"Sun-woo, how many more of those attacks can you pull off?"
The sword aura strike.
Its trajectory, honed to razor sharpness, had pierced the drake's tough hide and left a massive gash.
If they could just pin its legs, taking down the Red Drake wasn't impossible.
Kim Sun-woo, catching his ragged breath, wiped the sweat dripping from his forehead and replied.
"Two? Three if I push it."
"Then let's finish it within that."
Robert nodded and glanced back.
"Looks like they're ready over there too."
Shiiiik!
A streak of blue sliced through the air, striking the thrashing, wounded Red Drake dead-on.
Sizzle!
The spell that hit its nape emitted a bluish glow and began to freeze solid.
It was the freezing magic unleashed by the Knight Team's mage at full power.
At the same time, fully geared hunters charged in from both flanks.
"We're joining up!"
"Thanks for buying us time!"
—Kwaaaang!
Against the hunters' resistance, the drake—with its neck frozen—slammed the ground.
It intended to crush these puny humans with a body slam.
Thud!
Without a word, they kicked off hard, scattering in different directions.
Robert, meanwhile, leaped high from his spot, gripping the spear shaft tighter and swinging down at the oncoming Red Drake.
Bam! Bam! Bam!
The spear, wrapped in red aura, pierced the drake's skin repeatedly.
Maintaining armament while using aura was draining his mana in chunks.
That's why Robert aimed to poke and retreat, needling the drake's nerves.
Kwaaaang!
As the furious Red Drake went berserk, Robert dodged with fluid grace and signaled his teammates with his eyes.
Clank!
The hunters hurled long chains in unison.
Common sense said binding the drake's massive body completely was impossible.
The standard tactic was to tear its legs apart side to side and topple its balance.
"Pull!!!"
At Sub-Team Leader Sung Ha-rin's shout, the hunters yanked the chains with all their might.
Thud!
The chains binding its legs from different angles forced the drake's body to crumple.
"Now!"
Robert, holding the drake's head at bay from the front, yelled desperately.
At that moment, Kim Sun-woo—who'd been lurking quietly at the rear—burst forward with ferocious momentum.
Whoosh!
The Red Drake's yellow eyes locked onto Kim Sun-woo.
It shook off the ice freezing its neck and whipped its tail violently.
Even bound by the hunters, it had held back its tail to deal with the most annoying pest—Kim Sun-woo—in one go.
Splat!
The whip-like tail smashed through Kim Sun-woo's afterimage.
Of course, the real one was already at the drake's side.
'Never planned to use Flying Thunder Flash anyway.'
An elite monster like the Red Drake wouldn't fall for the same trick twice.
Kim Sun-woo had learned that fighting the black knight in the Cradle of the Broken Pilgrim.
So he stepped with Illusion Flow Step, vaulting through the air, white sword aura blooming from his blade tip as he slashed fiercely at the beast.
Absolute Shadow Chaos Flow
Shwick! Shwick! Shwick!
Countless sword auras shot toward the Red Drake.
Each one carried momentum incomparable to mere sword shadows.
Solidified sword auras stabbed into the drake's body like knives.
-Kyaaaak!!!
Its skin shredded, holes punched through.
His internal energy depleted faster than expected, but Absolute Shadow Chaos Flow's power was on another level.
"...Impressive."
Kim Sun-woo murmured in quiet admiration as he landed.
Baek Ryuk Geom had said unleashing the White Flow Sword Technique with sword aura would yield otherworldly might.
He wondered just what power sword gang—a higher realm—would bring.
Shwick!
Then the drake's tail whipped again, piercing where Kim Sun-woo had stood.
He barely dodged by kicking off the ground, frowning at the deep gouge left in the earth by the long tail.
'That thing's a pain.'
A graze would shear off half his body.
Without protective aura, his defense was far below a dedicated tank's.
No way he could tank it head-on like Yi Han-su.
"Hah!"
Robert didn't waste Kim Sun-woo's opening.
He swung his spear with even fiercer red aura, carving deep gashes into the drake from the front.
As it staggered without proper reaction, Robert pushed bolder.
He dove into its guard in an instant, slamming its undefended lower jaw with full force.
Crack!
Kim Sun-woo, gasping from the spent internal energy and stamina, reflexively charged.
Reaching the drake, his form melted into the air again, presence vanishing.
'...I'd love to go for the neck again.'
But the Red Drake pretended to fight Robert while constantly eyeing his side.
Saving the tail was for a decisive counter.
So Kim Sun-woo twisted his intent once more, striking at its blind spot.
Flying Moon Severing Shadow
The Black Flow Sword, infused with sword aura, swung in Flying Moon Severing Shadow's arc.
Unlike Flying Thunder Flash or Absolute Shadow Chaos Flow, this was stealthier—no flashing lightning or raging storm, just all focus at the blade tip, presence concealed.
Slice—!
A light swing, and the cut followed.
A mystical sensation he'd never felt before.
As Kim Sun-woo etched it into his senses and opened his eyes.
-Kyaaaaaaaak!!!!
The Red Drake thrashed in even greater fury.
Its severed tail stump sprayed green fluid, rolling across the ground.
Evidently, tails didn't regenerate instantly—blood fountained from the wound, staining everything green.
Krunch!
The Red Drake's eyes rolled back.
Ignoring the hunters pulling chains on its legs or Robert smashing its face, it spun toward Kim Sun-woo and charged wildly.
'Damn.'
Right after Flying Moon Severing Shadow, profound fatigue soaked him.
His body felt like waterlogged cotton; he couldn't move.
All Kim Sun-woo could do was brace, curling up for impact.
Kwaaaang!
It felt like a car crash.
The Red Drake slammed into him at tremendous speed, sending him tumbling far down the peak.
"......"
They said extreme pain silenced even groans.
Kim Sun-woo's lips twitched as he vomited bright red blood.
His ribs felt shattered.
Breathing hurt, vision blurred, ears rang.
'Su-ah...'
He needed to find her.
This was critical; without recovery, he was done.
Without him, the others...
"......"
Kim Sun-woo's eyes snapped open.
Pain sharpened his mind like cold water dumped over his head.
'...Since when do I rely on others?'
Call for help just because it hurt?
For ten years, he'd endured pain and hardship silently, doing his duty.
When breath failed, that was fate.
Pay off debts, awaken talent, gain fame—had success gone to his head?
'Too complacent.'
His life ended ten years ago.
This was just an extension.
Vomiting blood, Kim Sun-woo struggled up, rummaging his waist pouch.
From the impact, most emergency potions were shattered; he found one intact.
He bit off the cap and chugged it.
Lungs stabbed like knives, searing pain raced his spine—but he didn't stop.
Clink.
He tossed the empty vial and wiped his mouth, rising slowly.
"......"
His insides boiled.
The potion mended his internals, restoring him.
Good thing he'd splurged on a high-grade one.
Still, shattered bones wouldn't heal instantly; movement was stiff.
Crack.
He picked up the Black Flow Sword, tumbled nearby, and trudged back.
"Pull! Don't let go!"
"If we give, the team leader's in danger!! Pull with everything you've got!"
Atop the peak, the battle raged on.
More hunters down, all battered, desperately suppressing the Red Drake.
...What drives them to fight this hard?
Breathing ragged, Kim Sun-woo eyed Robert battling solo up front.
Crack.
His red armor and shield cracked everywhere.
Pale face signaled limits near.
Yet he swung silently, drawing the drake's gaze to protect others.
Drip, drip...
Hunters gripped chains to shield Robert, palms torn, blood streaming.
Frankly, Kim Sun-woo—who'd entered hunting for debt—couldn't comprehend.
Why fight so desperately?
Dangerous? Hard? Just run.
Why this much...
"Sun-woo!!!!!!"
A sharp cry pierced the air.
He looked up; Robert, blocking the drake's charge, yelled at him.
"I leave it to you!!!"
In his grim eyes, a spark of hope gleamed.
Expecting him?
A mere F-rank until recently.
Absurd.
...But against his thoughts, Kim Sun-woo's body moved.
Eyes fixed on the drake, mind racing for victory.
Injured body, scant internal energy, teammates on the brink.
Staggering into the fray, he kicked off suddenly, charging.
Now it was momentum and willpower.
The drake—neck, tail, body gashed—was cornered too.
Dragging the chain-pullers, it headed for the lava pile.
"...Guh!"
Unfortunately, hunters hit limits first.
Palms shredded, chains slipped; the drake broke free.
It head-smashed Robert into the ground.
"...Gah!"
Shield shattered, armor broke; Robert buried deep.
"Aaaagh!"
"Team leader!"
Hunters screamed.
Too late to regrasp; the drake sauntered to the lava vein beside, dunking its head to guzzle greedily.
"...Ah."
A hunter muttered blankly.
Breath in this state...
All stared despondently as—
Thud!
Someone streaked across the field.
Kim Sun-woo, burning internal energy on full Dark Flow Step, closed in instantly.
-......!
The sated drake whipped around, glaring sharply.
Mouth gaping for flame breath—Kim Sun-woo kicked hard, soaring airborne.
The drake's head tracked him inevitably.
Hunters escaped the trajectory, but Kim Sun-woo hung isolated midair.
—Fwooooosh!
The wounded Red Drake's final breath reversed through the volcanic zone, flooding skyward.
Even Robert, limbs crushed underground, saw it clearly.
"S-Sun-woo..."
Flames died; only the Black Flow Sword spun, aflame, masterless—falling futilely...
Thud.
Before it hit, someone landed atop the gaping Red Drake's head.
Sizzle.
Shoe soles melted from the recent breath, scorching feet—but
Kim Sun-woo ignored it, launching from its crown.
-......!
Stunned that the "dead" human perched atop its head, unarmed, defenseless.
It reared to smash him like Robert—then
Grab.
Kim Sun-woo planted firm before its eyes, reached for one, and murmured low.
"Flying Thunder Finger."
Flying Thunder Finger
—Flash!!!
White lightning from his fingertip shredded the thick eyelid, piercing the Red Drake's eyeball.