Chapter 110
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 110
Chapter Title: 108. Ice Empress (2)
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Cha Ji-eun stared back and forth between me and the axe in my hand with a look of utter disbelief.
"No way... You think you can break it with that?"
She had no idea. This axe was made from my scales, too.
The scales of the evil dragon Azidahaka boasted invincible defense.
That was why I'd strutted around China in a nun's habit, pulling aggro left and right without a care.
From here on out, the Ice Empress would be hard-pressed just to defend herself.
"To be fair, Ice Empress—you're the kind of powerhouse even Japan, with all its elemental mages, couldn't handle."
Japan might not have Korea's fame, but it was still Asia's second-strongest hunter nation after us.
They had hunters wielding all sorts of attributes, including ice. But compared to Cha Ji-eun, Japan's ice mages were a joke.
"Exactly. So surrender."
"In your dreams."
"What? Even after seeing my power, you wanna keep fighting?"
Of course. I never planned to throw the match in the first place.
Besides, this woman had a subtle arrogance about her. She tended to get cocky with her own strength.
Not that she was wrong. She was strong, no question. By the time the previous story wrapped up, she was one of the hunters propping up Korea.
The only ones she never got arrogant with were Yoo Jin-seok and Seo Ji-yeon, who could straight-up erase her ice.
"That's why I pulled out the axe. And more than that, I've never once thought I'd lose to you."
"What the—"
"Once I set my sights on a woman, I don't let go until I've had my way with her."
"Insolent fool. [Ice Prison]"
[Ice Prison]
Cha Ji-eun clenched her fist aimed straight at me.
In an instant, icy bars rose from the frozen field around me, converging to form a prison.
She even used building debris to craft an ice ceiling for it.
"My heroines might struggle to break this, sure."
But I'm different.
Shiiiik—clang!
"Told you it's pointless. Huh?"
One swing of the axe cracked the ice bars.
Shiiiik—crack!
The second shattered them completely.
"See? Impressed? Why do you think your unbreakable ice just broke?"
Cha Ji-eun's ice, famed for being indestructible, had shattered.
Even Yoo Jin-seok couldn't break it easily, so her eyes twitched visibly in shock.
But she was a seasoned hunter. She quickly composed herself and launched another ice attack.
"[Tidal Wave]"
[Tidal Wave]
Kwarrr rumble!
The area, turned to ice by her powers, surged like ocean waves, building into a massive tidal wave.
It pulverized every surrounding building into icy debris.
And that colossal wave—like a grain of sand in the desert to someone like me—finally crashed down on me.
"Nice, thanks for the cleanup."
Now I could rebuild without all that rubble in the way.
But first, block this thing.
I condensed my demonic energy and detonated it.
Fwoooosh—boom!
Azidahaka's demonic explosion defied imagination.
The tidal wave engulfing me got swept away, obliterated everywhere except right around me.
Still, I was trapped in it.
Only the space I could move in remained amid the blast.
Tch, what a hassle. Not bad. But using Baekyeom would blow my Yoo Eun-ha cover. Well, melting a bit of ice wouldn't be impossible...
"How should I win this?"
To keep up the act, I had to pretend to barely beat her here.
Attribute matchups aside, she had the edge on me.
Chaos Seed didn't work, and smashing ice with the axe was pure grind.
Stamina-wise, she looked favored.
Beating the Ice Empress while sandbagging? Magic was my only play.
Drain her mana until she's depleted, let mine dip just enough so even in "victory," she gets a "good fight" nod.
I'd love a draw, but hey—opportunity like this? Gotta score.
That tidal wave probably burned a ton of her mana.
One or two more at best? She panicked seeing her ice break and blew her ultimate early.
"What an idiot. What if you'd died?!"
"Ah."
They're already talking like I'm dead out there. Can't let that slide.
Miner's not my style, but oh well.
Axe Proficiency Level 1 baby mode: time to smash ice like crazy.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Tough, sure, but it snapped like toffee.
Of course. Could ice from Azidahaka's scales lose?
But smashing like this would take forever.
What if I pour tons of mana into one swing?
I gripped the axe with both hands and raised it high.
Kwaaang!
The tidal wave exploded.
Cracks spread from the breach, and soon it crumbled like glass from a single stone.
"Wait, something's off, right?"
"Impossible... She survived that attack?"
Shocked voices from Choi Cheol-sik and Cha Ji-eun echoed in my ears.
Time to act exhausted. I burst out of the ice, shrugging my shoulders.
"Heroes always survive with unyielding will. That was tough, though. Shall I get serious now?"
Heh heh, the Black Flame Dragon in my right hand...
I smoothed my hair and regripped the axe.
Cha Ji-eun was done now.
She only lost to Yoo Jin-seok before. Time to cure that arrogance.
So I charged at the Ice Empress.
Shiiiik—clang!
Oh, she blocked it?
"Ngh."
"Nice ice you whipped up while I was busy."
But that's it. Unlike before, its defense was crap.
She'd burned mana. A little pressure, and it shattered.
Cha Ji-eun retreated, erecting ice walls nonstop. I pushed like Han Su-ji on an axe murderer rampage.
Quick reflexes, sure. But the ice was weakening.
She'd probably dumped most of her mana into that wave.
Seeing me smash her ice, she pegged me as an irregular and went all-in to end it.
Instinctual threat response.
It wasn't easy. Smaller scale than a full barrier, but compressed to crush just me? Terrifying.
Come to think of it, she really tried to kill me full-force.
A little pissed now.
"Come on, what's the holdup? Block this! Huh? I said block it!"
Kwajik—pzzt—boom!
Ice walls—one, two, three, four. Smashed every last one.
Dodging every which way was her best bet.
"What're you doing? Is this it? The Ice Empress, master of Emperor Guild? This weak? Wow, pathetic!"
"Shut up! [Icicle]"
[Icicle]
Massive icicles rained down on me.
Unlike before, these had real power.
She'd invested mana heavily.
Now laced with killing intent—like malice infused in every spike.
And they poured toward my body.
Shishishiii!
Perfect timing for some divine intervention acting.
"How... the... hell... do... you... block... this... many... damn... skills?!"
I waited for the icicles to enter hand-axe range, infused it with demonic energy, and slashed with all my might.
Kwajijik!
That was Cha Ji-eun's fatal flaw.
Run low on mana, and ice strength drops. Since it's mana-forged, one crack shatters the whole thing.
"Impossible... All my attacks... crumbling like this..."
"Huff... huff... That was rough. Ice Empress. Ready to end this?"
I staggered toward her, raising the axe at her head.
Terror flooded her eyes. She sensed death. Somehow, she'd collapsed to her knees, drained.
So I flashed a seductive smile to scare her more.
Tok.
What I actually did was lightly tap her forehead with the axe handle.
Gently. Even ice-cold skin was still a woman's—wouldn't want to bruise it. Flipped the axe to use just the handle.
Caught off guard, her eyes went wide.
"What... Pitying the loser?"
"Nah, what're you talking about? Forgot the bet already?"
No dementia at her age, right? Did she think I was bluffing?
"You were serious?"
"Yep."
Serious as can be. I'm Yoyong—I keep my word once given.
Her face twisted at my answer.
Pity from a villain sting that much? Or something else?
I fought hard just to rub up on her.
If no rub, I'd bail. For real.
"Without that bet, I wouldn't bother. Dodging's easy. Guild alliance would've pulled back before more damage, too."
"Totally fell for it. This is humiliating."
No need for humiliation. Chosen by an evil dragon, no less. This Yoyong picked you.
"Not humiliating at all. Be happy. You're such a tempting bitch, you caught my eye. That's victory enough."
"Not thrilled hearing that from a villain."
"A promise is a promise. When? I could do now. You wouldn't back out after agreeing, right?"
Winner gets to ravage the loser.
Winner earns the right to toy with the loser's bitch however they please.
Right now, by winner's rights, I wanted her under me, rolling as I liked.
Gulp.
"Who said I'd break it? Just... not here."
She caught my lecherous gaze, covered her chest, and backed away.
Shocking. She'd resist Yoo Jin-seok at first then spread for him, but with me? Total tsundere.
Fine, push-pull's the game. Forcing it now with drones filming? Better tease lightly.
"That's enough."
A new figure stepped behind the mana-drained Cha Ji-eun.
Bald. Shiny bald. I'd met him as Yoo Eun-ha, but first as Baekhwa.
Choi Cheol-sik himself.
"Baldie, huh."
"Baekhwa, I've seen enough of your strength. We're pulling out."
Smart move.
I worried if I "beat" Cha Ji-eun, the alliance might swarm in revenge.
That'd leave me no force for the Sins, ruining my plans.
"Surprising. Isn't President Ha Jeong-seok buddies with Sun Warrior?"
"Self-inflicted. I opposed this expedition from the start."
"Oh?"
"But killing all Ha Jeong-seok's hunters... Not that I should preach as a villain, but it's bad for the country."
He doesn't get it yet.
"Brainwashed from birth. Better dead than slaving like machines under him forever. Plus, this collars Ha Jeong-seok like a dog."
Useless allies are worse than none.
Choi Cheol-sik can't use Blue House hunters unless Ha Jeong-seok bends.
They're for his dictatorship anyway—better prune now before they grow.
"Heh, you saw that far. You know Seoul well."
"I visit often."
"One question."
The bald guy's vibe shifted. Serious eyes probing my intent.
No killing intent, but definitely gauging me.