Chapter 57 - Turning Point (4)
"Black Witch"
It was the moniker attached to Chae Eun-seo, who wielded black magic—the most alien branch among all schools of magic.
Unlike the conventional systems focused on curses or summons, her black magic took on a highly practical form suited for real combat.
She had caught the eye of Han Kang-seok and been scouted at a young age, reaching B-rank hunter in just five years since debuting. She had earned a solid reputation in the industry.
Rumors swirled that she'd hit A-rank soon, backed by her clear track record and exploits. Even among fellow B-rankers, the gap between them was immense.
'Ugh...!'
That was why she couldn't believe she'd been so effortlessly taken down from behind.
As the opponent's attack came rushing in again, Chae Eun-seo thrust out her hand, using spatial leap to widen the distance.
Shiak!
The Black Flow Sword sliced sharply through empty air, missing its mark.
Watching Kim Sun-woo slowly descend toward the ground, Chae Eun-seo clamped her mouth shut.
'That would have been dangerous in a real fight.'
It had looked like a casual strike, yet the barriers and blessings she'd layered around herself tore apart like paper.
She wasn't a B-rank by luck alone.
...Of course, that was Chae Eun-seo's misconception, born of ignorance about the White Flow Sword Technique.
The move that had sliced her back moments ago was the third form, Flying Moon Severing Shadow—the strongest technique in the White Flow Sword Technique that Kim Sun-woo could unleash, short of manifesting sword gang with Full Moon Night.
In other words, even though he'd put real effort into the attack, it had only left her with moderate injuries.
'He's not on Baek San-hu's level.'
Thud.
Kim Sun-woo landed on the ground, inwardly marveling to himself.
She'd underestimated him, so he'd gone for a surprise blow to end it in one strike.
Any ordinary mage would have been bisected on the spot.
But Chae Eun-seo had endured—and followed up with a flawless response.
"Fine. Now I'll get serious."
Her temper flaring, Chae Eun-seo crossed her hands.
Kim Sun-woo immediately bent his knees, readying himself to move.
He hadn't expected a massive hand to crash down from the sky to crush him.
He'd fought vampires before, but this was his first time against a black mage.
—Tzzzzz.
Suddenly, the clear sky began to darken.
The atmosphere grew eerily similar to that of Death's Land, where the vampire lurked.
Chae Eun-seo extended her hand into the void, drawing in black mana as she called down to Kim Sun-woo.
"I saw you in that video before—you're insanely fast. Think you can dodge lightning too?"
Flash!
Before he could answer, a pitch-black bolt of lightning crashed down from the heavens.
A beat later, a deafening roar pierced his eardrums. The barren wasteland shook like an earthquake, sending shockwaves rippling outward.
"......"
Kim Sun-woo instinctively kicked off the ground and barely evaded the bolt, clutching his tingling left arm.
'What the hell...'
No matter how swift Illusion Flow Step was, dodging a falling lightning strike was impossible.
And this wasn't ordinary lightning—merely grazing the aftermath had his left arm convulsing, squeezed by some invisible force.
Was this the level of a true-blue B-rank hunter?
Boom! Kwang! Boom!
Blackened bolts rained down relentlessly from the darkened sky.
Each one packed tremendous power, yet she could chain them off without pause.
'If that vampire had fought properly, it'd have been around this level too?'
Without the Parasa Flame it had mentioned, he surely would have struggled even in Death's Land...
'...Hold on.'
Kim Sun-woo, dashing across the wasteland with Illusion Flow Step, snapped his head up.
Vampires or black mages—they both ultimately wielded black magic, didn't they?
"No more places to run, huh?"
Still hovering midair, Chae Eun-seo looked down at Kim Sun-woo, who had stopped fleeing.
Initiation spars usually ended in overwhelming victory for the senior.
Experience mattered more the higher you climbed.
Beating Kim Sun-woo, freshly promoted to B-rank, was a given for her.
That was why, after eating a surprise hit early on, she'd resolved to crush him thoroughly.
"Come on."
The sun, precariously afloat amid the dark sky, began to drown in shadow.
At the same time, immense black mana swirled around Chae Eun-seo, whipping up a massive airflow that blanketed the area.
Shiiiaaak.
The spiraling black mana condensed to a single point under her guidance.
It was her original spell—the one that had one-shot the balrog, an elite monster from an A-rank dungeon, cementing her fame as the Black Witch.
"Eclipse."
—Fwaaaaaaaaah!!!
An overwhelming force, dwarfing the black lightning, plummeted down in a jet-black blaze.
The training ground groaned under the strain, unable to handle the sheer resource drain.
From the ground, it obliterated not just Kim Sun-woo staring up, but everything in existence.
'...Was that overkill?'
Watching the eclipse's aftermath flood the ground, a pang of needless embarrassment hit her.
Her competitive streak was the problem.
She'd planned a light spar with the new guy, but the unexpected ambush had gotten her blood up.
Did she really need to unleash her finisher and smash him flat?
'No. He's a genius handpicked by the Guild Master. Slack off, and I'd have been the one in trouble.'
This was her respect for the guy who'd landed a hit on her.
Sure, laced with a bit of petty revenge.
Pat pat.
Shaking out her hands, Chae Eun-seo exhaled and looked up.
That should've vaporized him ages ago—he'd respawn at the training ground entrance by now.
As she moved to reset the panels...
—Fwaaah!
Suddenly, a single flame erupted through the eclipse's storm on the ground.
A vivid, radiant blaze unlike any other.
If only it had ended there.
As if someone had tossed a match into spilled gasoline.
The flames surged, spreading over the eclipse, devouring the black mana voraciously like a living thing, swelling in size until the ground became a crimson inferno.
"Wha—what...?"
Chae Eun-seo reached out in panic, her face paling.
In five years, her magic had never backfired like this.
She frantically tried to manipulate the eclipse mana to push back the flames, but even that burned away, slipping from her control.
Thud.
And in the center of it all.
Kim Sun-woo emerged slowly, gripping the Black Flow Sword wreathed in scarlet flames.
"...How."
Chae Eun-seo's mind went blank.
Not a scratch? How?
Direct hit at the heart of the eclipse storm.
In reality, his body would've been atomized, his soul bound in endless curses until oblivion.
Even in the barrier, it'd knock him out cold.
Yet he stepped through the flames unchanged.
Swish.
Kim Sun-woo, looking up at her, vanished.
As realization dawned too late and she summoned black mana...
Clink.
The Black Flow Sword, cloaked in subtle flames, pressed against her throat.
—Psssh.
All her protective barriers and blessings split in half without activating, scattering like sand.
...What the hell was that flame?
Standing frozen, biting her lip, she finally sighed and raised both hands.
"...I lose. Ah, seriously. This is insane. How is any of this possible?"
"My power has great synergy against black magic. That said, you're impressive."
Kim Sun-woo didn't hold back his admiration.
Using the newly mastered Air Step essence, he'd stood on empty sky, gazing down.
From up here, he truly grasped the devastating might of Chae Eun-seo's black magic.
If he were an ordinary martial artist, he'd have been erased without a trace.
"...Opening!"
Chae Eun-seo, watching for an opening, thrust her hands sharply.
Black mana gathered into a potent curse—but
Slaaash—.
A sharp whoosh, and the world tilted.
"Huh?"
Her eyes widened at the unfamiliar sensation, consciousness sinking beneath the surface in an instant.
***
"Ahahahahaha!! You got wrecked!"
"Sneaky ambush and all. Looks like you met your match."
Back in the underground training ground lounge after the initiation spar with Chae Eun-seo, the other hunters were waiting.
They'd been training in the first room—both big names Kim Sun-woo knew well.
"Haven't seen an initiation loss in ages. I heard it was zero until like seven years ago."
"Same. What now, Eun-seo? This'll be guild legend."
"......"
Towel over her head, Chae Eun-seo huddled in the corner, slumped in gloom.
Even in training, getting your face "sliced" to death wasn't fun.
Kim Sun-woo, however, shrugged it off.
'Karma.'
She'd broken protocol with a preemptive strike while the match was still undecided.
Without hesitation, he'd swung—and the Parasa Flame cleaved through her.
It was an illusion field anyway; no mercy needed.
Even in real combat, a black mage wouldn't die from that.
"Anyway, initiation's done—you're basically family now. Nice to meet you. Gu Jin-uk."
"Kim Han-young. Looking forward to it."
Gu Jin-uk and Kim Han-young.
Both B-rankers in Mugung Guild's Main Assault Team.
People he couldn't even meet eyes with before—now exchanging greetings.
It really hit home that he was their equal in B-rank.
"Kim Sun-woo. Please take care of me."
He bowed politely.
Unlike with Chae Eun-seo, he needed to make a good impression here.
"So, you joining the assault team too, Sun-woo?"
"Ah, no. I'm in team leader training separately."
"Oh, team leader? Ambitious. Too much hassle for me."
"Watch your mouth. Who'd give the spot to a scatterbrain like you?"
"That's why team leaders delegate the annoying stuff. All you need is strength."
"Weaker than me?"
"Who was whining for a rematch just now?"
Bickering like that, they seemed close.
Unlike the burly, muscled Kim Han-young, Gu Jin-uk's sly vibe screamed magazine model.
He'd even guested on variety shows, blowing up with his quick wit.
Kim Sun-woo was a casual fan who'd tuned in.
"Initiation's wrapped. What's next?"
"Ah, planning some solid training today. Still on vacation."
"Nice. Join us? We were about to start proper anyway. I'll show you the panels too. Eun-seo, you in?"
"...No. Hell no. Me, join that sweaty mess?"
"Healthy body, healthy mind. I've told you mages need physical training. Lock yourself researching magic daily, and you'll turn into a hunched granny. Black Witch? More like Black Crone Witch."
"Pfft."
Sticking her tongue out at Gu Jin-uk, Chae Eun-seo glanced at Kim Sun-woo briefly.
As if to say something—then let out a short sigh and bowed lightly.
"Sorry about today. See you next time. I'll show you what I can do then."
Without waiting for a reply, she dissolved into smoke and vanished.
Gu Jin-uk whistled, eyes wide.
"She's really bummed. What the hell happened in there?"