Chapter 102
Chapter 102
14. The Sky Hole, Tearing Out the Roots -5
Riiiiiiip──!!
A sound like vinyl being torn apart rang out. At the same time, as if some invisible giant monster had swung its claws—countless plants split apart in a single instant.
Elijah's Heaven-Roaming Net had swept through a full half of the plant army.
Even those merely grazed by the net in the sky lost at least a root, and the monsters caught along the centerline of its trajectory were completely diced like cube steak. Enhanced or not, the cutting was indiscriminate.
A momentary silence fell over the entire battlefield. And then, soon after.
Plop, splatter! Squirt!
A clamorous noise erupted. Translucent bodily fluids sprayed in every direction. They had no mouths to scream with, so those sounds were as good as the plants' screams. Serves them right.
"M-Monster army. Half annihilated! One of the 『Roses』 was torn apart as well!"
[Elijah : (¯▿¯)]
The observer's shocked voice came through the radio fixed in my pocket. Along with Elijah's smug-looking emoticon.
Kugung!
"⋯⋯⋯⋯"
Chinese Milk Vetch Elf's throne had half of it sheared off, and it slumped askew to one side. The bastard furrowed his brow deeply, but he still did not rise from the tilted throne.
How do you like that, you piece of shit⋯⋯ I wanted to gloat, but.
This situation—was actually only half a success.
Originally, the Heaven-Roaming Net's range was more than enough to cover the entire plant legion. That was why we had pushed ourselves to stop the drone destruction and collapse their formation. But now, only half had been cut down.
Glint. Glint.
From the sky, wires cut at irregular intervals fluttered down. In that split second, half the net had been severed by a sharp slash.
Shurururuk──
The 『Rose』 beside the throne rose to its feet. Its thorns were small enough not to protrude from the stem's surface, but its flower bud was bizarrely large.
And those petals⋯⋯ the edges of the broad red petals rippled with a cold light tinged with a metallic sheen. I knew it instinctively. That thing was an individual that had absorbed a 『Skill』. It had torn the net.
But.
It didn't matter.
Tadat-!
Even while the Heaven-Roaming Net was grinding through the plant army, I had not stopped running. While everyone's eyes were fixed on the sky—I had pushed the 『Glass Sword』's function to its limit, wrapped my entire body in optical camouflage, and closed in.
And now—I was directly beneath the throne.
Up until just now, Elijah had been the main attacker while I blurred the enemy's vision. Now, I had taken the baton as the main attacker, and Elijah was support. The operation had been designed for this from the start.
If the elf bastard survived being caught in the net in the sky, then I would drive the final dagger into his heart!
Wooong-
I drew up my skill.
Without breaking my running momentum, I kicked off the ground and leaped onto the collapsed, tilted throne in one bound. The face of the elf bastard, still keeping his ass planted in the chair, came clearly into view.
I aligned the swirling power in my grip and finished preparing to fire. Like throwing a grenade with the safety pin already pulled, the timing was precise.
"Tch, like a dull beast."
"Synthesis—"
Pajik, pajikpajik!
What I was mixing was three and one more. A spiral twisting around the Lightning Wick as its central axis. The most powerful attack I could cast, and a finishing technique that gained temporary power amplification through forced unification.
Die──
"I am an 『Elf』. Do you truly not understand the implication of that word?"
"『Wind-Wave Golden Lightning (風浪金雷)』-!"
Bajijijijik──!!
Blink.
Time slowed. The instant stretched out very long.
A chill ran down my spine in an instant. As if a switch had been flicked off, a sudden cold sensation spread through my entire body. The thought came instinctively. Had I missed something?
From then on, everything flowed slowly with my vision tinted gray. It was a state I sometimes fell into when exerting extreme focus. An awakened state where one second split into dozens of segments, and I could feel every flow distinctly.
Refined lightning shot from my fingertips in a straight trajectory. The wind-surging bolt extended little by little toward Chinese Milk Vetch Elf's heart.
I could use this awakened state to refine my attack more elegantly, but no. This was not the time. I had to trace the source of this chill.
Judgment. My judgment should have been correct.
Elves were originally hunters. Traitors to the System. In Joero's case, we had prevented his completion through a surprise attack, but originally, he would have been a monster wielding the power of a 『Hunter』 on top of an elf's power.
So the possibility that this Chinese Milk Vetch Elf had another power was a highly likely guess. But still. Think about what we had been through so far.
[Northeast Branch C-rank Artificial Gate]
The volume the Gate had poured out was abnormal. Even after digging large-scale traps and pouring firepower unilaterally, we had to fight for five hours.
The elf had an infuriating power to fuse and enhance plants, and the main force had two 『Roses』 mixed in.
One of them seemed to possess a 『Skill』 like the boss Monstera we had faced before, and the other Rose had probably also been absorbing skill fragments—it just hadn't shown because it had been hit by Elijah's surprise attack.
Wasn't this more than enough difficulty? If our preparations had been even slightly more careless, forget the East Sea—the entire Republic of Korea would have been overturned.
Also.
He had been lazing on his throne from the start instead of taking the field himself.
Even the one who blocked Elijah's Heaven-Roaming Net was the 『Rose』 behind him.
So, even if he possessed a 『Hunter』's power in addition to his elf power⋯⋯ he would still be manageable. That was what I had thought.
Kugugugugugu──
Had I been wrong⋯⋯?
Whoosh—green spread out. Weeds sprouted around Chinese Milk Vetch Elf in an instant. At the same time, an immense energy gathered in the Chinese Milk Vetch's fan. A purple close to pink.
The elf's plant-enhancement ability seemed to work on himself as well. The Chinese Milk Vetch quickly took his stance even within slowed time. A damnably clear, thick smell of death. The bastard moved.
This was. A hypothesis coming too late, but.
The [C-rank artificial Gate] had not been C-rank including the elf and the plant army together, as I had thought.
Separate from the C-rank plant army, this single elf individual was also a C-rank hunter—
"『Purple Cloud Fan Art (紫雲扇功)』."
Kwajajajajak!
I saw the fan crushing through Wind-Wave Golden Lightning head-on and driving in. To survive the thrust flying at me with the force to split my heart, I desperately twisted my entire body.
And then.
Kwaang──!!
My consciousness cut out for a moment.
Blink.
"Keuk, grrk, uweeeek⋯⋯!!"
I had to vomit blood just to breathe. Even after throwing up for a long while, something kept coming out. The hacking cough wouldn't stop. I had nearly drowned before the internal bleeding could kill me.
Fuck.
I pushed myself up with trembling hands against the ground. The distance to Chinese Milk Vetch Elf was considerable. Just how far had I been sent flying? Me.
I blinked rapidly three or four times to clear the red from my vision. It was slightly blurry, but my sight opened up. I looked straight ahead.
The elf bastard⋯⋯ instead of flying over to grab and finish me, he was fiddling with his fan as if puzzled, ruminating over the previous moment.
"⋯⋯What was that just now? You. That was not an attack you could have survived."
"Cough, cough⋯⋯"
"I am asking how you withstood my attack."
What do you mean how. I saw it with my eyes, moved my whole body somehow to preserve my life, twisted to take it at an angle, and fortunately survived because my efforts paid off. That's all.
I still needed time to catch my breath. To the bastard who genuinely seemed curious, I moved my lips as if about to speak—then charged in while shouting meaningless words.
"⋯⋯I saw it and dodged, you piece of shit⋯⋯!"
Even if Chinese Milk Vetch Elf was stronger than I had imagined, the die was cast.
I couldn't flee now, and if this bastard started tearing through the hunter main force, the casualties would be horrific. Then there would be no one left to stop the plant army. In the end, going around and around, I would die anyway.
So I had to fight now. Let's think positively—the conclusion that this fight was won if I took the elf's head was still valid!
As I signaled my intent to attack, Chinese Milk Vetch Elf's brow furrowed. Enraged, he poured strength into the hand gripping his fan. Once again, purple energy gathered.
And what extended from that slender hand was, literally, martial art.
The flow of magic power was beautiful. It was as if he were giving form to drifting clouds as he shook it out, but it was on a different level from the techniques I had learned from that Sergios bastard. That was martial art from a tier above. The range of its variables, its power—there was no comparison.
The folded fan slashed down diagonally. I desperately raised my shield. Deflect it. Use the technique. Deflect it!
Kung──!!
[Impact Conversion : 71%]
"Keok⋯⋯!!"
Even after deflecting what seemed like thirty percent, one hit was still 71%⋯⋯!
Chinese Milk Vetch Elf dawdled again. As if fascinated that I had deflected his attack, he tilted his head several times while voicing his questions.
"As expected, that was not a force a wretch like you could withstand."
Then, suddenly.
The Chinese Milk Vetch's eyes lit up as if he had realized something.
"⋯⋯How peculiar. That talent. I see. Is it your eyes? For a mere D-rank, you possess eyes that pierce the heavens. Astonishing. I cannot even begin to guess how strong you could become if you learned proper ascension martial arts."
The name of that fire was jealousy. Though he spoke with an air of feigned magnanimity, jealousy and longing burned clearly beyond his pupils.
"Had it been in my lifetime, I would have taken you as a disciple—but now I serve the 『King of Plants』. For the sake of my elf comrades, I must bury you here."
"⋯⋯⋯⋯"
He was saying that because he couldn't stand the talent I possessed, he would definitely kill me.
He was coming now. Not toying with me like a cat playing with a mouse, but truly intending to use his body to catch and kill me. My spine tingled and my heart pounded like crazy.
I still had a few cards left. The 『Overgrowth』 I had torn from Joero, or 『Internalization』 which I used while offering up my entire body⋯⋯ But if I asked whether pouring all of that out would let me win, I felt doubtful.
What came to mind in this situation was 『White Lightning (白雷)』. I had to ask myself again. Was now the time? Should I use it now? Was using this the right judgment?
Jijik──
⋯⋯⋯⋯
No. Today was indeed the day to send White Lightning away, but not now. As if someone from a faraway place was whispering to me, I came to know it naturally. I had that premonition.
『I must save it a little longer』.
That lingering trace passed by like a dream. Like a dream that you certainly had in the night and that remained in your heart, but melted away with the morning sunlight and vanished beyond memory. It left only an intense premonition and was erased from my mind.
And so I was about to for⋯⋯get.
Crunch-!
In the haze, I bit my tongue.
My mouth was already full of blood from vomiting, so no additional metallic taste was added now. But the sharp pain jolted my mind awake with clarity. I seized the noise that was about to disappear.
The memory returned. When I had heard about Eve from Sergios, there had been this same unnatural prompting. But—the situation was too urgent to discuss that.
Whoever you are, sending these signals, and whatever this signal itself is—I won't ask now.
So just answer one thing clearly. Is it really right to save it? If this isn't actually a mental attack trying to deceive and kill me—then is the correct answer to somehow twist my body and take down that C-rank elf with only my own power⋯⋯?
Jijik──
⋯⋯And a familiar scent.
Yes. I would trust this scent. Because it was Eve's scent.
"If you're planning to kill me, stop posturing and come at me-!"
"Before I make you into nutrients, I'll pull out that tongue of yours first."
We clashed.
Kang-!
My shortsword, swung with magic power packed into it, collided with Chinese Milk Vetch Elf's fan. Whatever material that fan was made of, it rang with a metallic sound even when striking steel. And⋯⋯ as expected, I was being pushed back in strength!
My arm folded and my body was about to crumple, but I spun half a turn and retreated to disperse it. Then the fan swung through the opening. An obvious straight line, but the speed was different. I moved the shield pressed close to my body along the minimum path to block it.
Kung──
"Guk⋯⋯"
[Impact Conversion : 143%]
Blocking it wasn't really blocking it. If I took a few more hits like this, I would literally be driven into the ground. At times like this, I couldn't stop attacking. Sometimes attack functions as defense.
"『Azure Wind Wanderer : Spear』⋯⋯!"
With my hand hidden behind the shield, I fired the wind spear. I was aiming for his shin, and I thought it was a reasonably covert surprise attack. But the Chinese Milk Vetch, without so much as twitching an eyebrow, stepped back with an ethereal footwork, gliding backward.
I lowered my eyes and observed. Grass. He was using the blades of grass sprouting from the ground like a moving walkway. In other words, it was a mass-produced version of Grass-Top Flight.
I thought I'd need to do some untimely weeding first to seal his mobility—but the Chinese Milk Vetch was already approaching to personally demonstrate that I didn't have even a fingernail's worth of leisure for that.
Just as he had retreated in an instant, he was in front of me in an instant.
"『Violet Radiance Presses the Mountain (紫輝壓山)』."
Light flashed and a fierce downward strike fell.
From above to below, at my head. I raised my shield with both arms and blocked. [Impact Conversion : 203%]. Crunch—my arm gave out. Unable to fully disperse that force, I staggered and my knees buckled.
Kung-!
Then, though the elf hadn't moved at all, additional vertical pressure was applied to the shield. It was heavy. Even though only a fan that might be a handspan wide was resting on it, it felt like a truck had climbed onto my raised shield.
True to the technique name of pressing the mountain, that bastard intended to crush me flat right here!
It was like holding up a collapsing sky. If I moved, I couldn't endure and would be crushed. Even if I didn't move, I couldn't hold out like this forever. And in the first place—
Unlike me, who had raised both arms to block the attack, the elf bastard now had one hand free!
"Die, you beast. 『Purple Cloud Piercer (紫雲貫)』."
A spear-hand thrust with five fingers held straight stabbed toward my empty torso, my body frozen with the shield. Focus. Focus. I lowered my right arm. I had to brace my core and somehow endure with one arm while blocking that.
How?
I couldn't deflect the trajectory. I had no shield.
With the shortsword? My swordsmanship wasn't at that level. Let's think calmly. Any skill would be too slow. Then—I'd rather use my arm as a shield. I had to give it up. Even so, I would protect my life!
I glared wide-eyed at the Chinese Milk Vetch's attack aimed at my heart. I read the trajectory, didn't fall for the feint that shifted as if it could spring out anywhere, and followed that straight line to offer up my arm⋯⋯
"Yap."
"⋯⋯⋯⋯?!"
Tuk-!
At that moment, someone shoved my body aside. Familiar swaying blonde hair filled my vision. The Chinese Milk Vetch, seemingly with no intention of retracting his attack, switched targets to the figure that had suddenly interposed.
Elijah.
She was trying to take the attack in my place.
That was not an attack Elijah could dare to block. It was a martial art that had pierced through even me, specialized in defense, after I failed to deflect it several times. As if she knew that herself⋯⋯ she didn't even try to dodge.
Kwajijik-!
The Chinese Milk Vetch's hand blade cut through Elijah's shoulder as if severing it. Her arm was cleanly sliced off and flew through the air.
And then.
"Noah-"
Hwiririk──!
Wires shot out in an instant, forcibly stitching the severed surface and pulling it back. The cut arm returned to her shoulder as if time were rewinding, and reattached in the blink of an eye.
And with that reattached arm, Elijah threw a punch at the flustered Chinese Milk Vetch's face.
Pak-!
"⋯⋯Kuk!"
It probably wasn't major damage. But at the bizarre sight of a severed arm reattaching itself, Chinese Milk Vetch Elf leaped backward and quickly widened the distance. His nosebleed streaming down was a satisfying sight.
Elijah turned to look at me with a smile, then set the 『Coffin』 down on the ground with a thud-! and spoke brightly.
"I'm not too late, right?"
"Elijah."
"Get up, Noah! Let's try just a little more, us!"
⋯⋯Yeah.
I grabbed hold of my creaking body and rose once more.