Chapter 253
Chapter 253
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 253
Chapter Title: Berserker (1)
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Whoooosh!
A pleasant breeze brushed against my cheek.
Thud, thud!
The sound of hard-packed earth delighted my ears.
This place was none other than.
The true heart of Byeolcheonji: Peach Blossom Paradise.
I stood atop the training ground of Mugak, behind the city still under construction.
"Kahaha! Little bro, training all alone in a fancy spot like this? No wonder! There's always a good reason for such rapid growth!"
And then.
Thud, thud!
Across from me was someone slamming his fists and palms together, gearing up for a fight.
'Jang Dae-woong.'
There were too many ways to introduce him.
World ranking 20th—but now 17th.
Korea ranking 2nd—but now 3rd.
The one and only unaffiliated high ranker.
Building Breaker.
And his most famous moniker...
'Crazy bastard.'
But I'd gotten used to crazy bastards by now.
I'd run into them endlessly for half a year in the God of War Realm.
Compared to those guys, our Dae-woong hyung was downright gentle.
If it were them, he'd have already shoved a fist in my face—no "little bro!" chit-chat or polite request for a spar.
"Tsk tsk. Thought you'd take a break, but straight to training, huh?"
I'd summoned Old Man Do after a while.
Did ghosts feel fresh air too?
The old man, appearing after so long, spun lazily in midair.
'Not training, just playing around, old timer.'
I loosened up in a pose mirroring Jang Dae-woong's.
Whoosh, whoosh!
Short swings of fists and legs for stretching.
"Oh ho, little bro! That fistwork ain't amateur hour."
"You bet. Confident I won't lose to anyone with just my fists now."
"Huh? Little bro, that's a bold joke! Kahahaha!"
Jang Dae-woong bared his gleaming white teeth.
Fwoooosh!
Dust swirled around him in response.
"Daring to fist-fight me? Aren't skeletons your specialty, little bro? Even with your rank, better stay sharp. I've climbed by crushing nothing but top rankers."
Wind whipped up purely from his aura.
The standoff between me and Jang Dae-woong.
We backed off ten paces from each other, readying for battle.
More people than expected had gathered around.
Byeolcheonji members like Floa, Maxi, Kapu were a given.
"A fight between the Berserker and the Skeleton Emperor? Can't miss that."
Lee Seon-ah of the Black Sword, freshly ranked 360th, settled in one corner.
"Worha! No matter how busy guild stuff gets, can't skip a legendary scene like this. Right?"
Next to her, arms crossed, was the pig.
White Pig Yoo Sang-don had come to watch too.
And.
A Byeolcheonji member and one of Seoul's Five Stars.
Plus, the culprit behind another wave of national pride after entering high ranker status.
"Dong-hoon, fighting!"
World rank 95.
Dark Emperor Gi So-yul flashed a smile and cheered concisely.
"What."
White Pig snorted at the sight.
"Cheering for Joo Dong-hoon now that he's Byeolcheonji? Sold out Seoul Five Stars' brotherhood?"
"Both are precious connections to me, but somehow, today's vibe pulls me this way."
Gi So-yul lightly retorted, then fixed her gaze forward.
Eyes wide, she focused intently.
A duel between top rankers.
She couldn't bear to miss even a second of this fight—perfect study material for her growth.
* * *
The duel began.
The Berserker moved first.
"Fine, a necromancer raising fists means you see me as that much of a pushover. I'll show you."
He bent his knees slightly, then exploded forward.
"Why they call me a top ranker! Kahaha!"
I stood calmly, watching Jang Dae-woong charge.
Low stance, eyes locked on his alone.
No movement from me.
Yet between us raged a nerve war that parched the throat of any watcher.
True masters don't clash repeatedly.
They read, get read.
Process countless thoughts and senses in a blink, then act—results come faster than expected.
'Jang Dae-woong's fist.'
Instinct told me.
The intent packed into it.
That fist that once hovered in the sky, pulverizing buildings.
Far sharper and stronger than back then, it pierced toward me.
But.
'I can handle it.'
The apostles' fists were insanely fast and hard too.
I'd taken those for months.
Ssshh!
I stepped on the shadow.
Twisted my waist left, grazing the fist arcing for my forehead.
«Hit.»
Fwoom!
My left hand uppercut toward Jang Dae-woong's jaw underside.
But he sensed it, arched back.
My fist barely clipped the tip of his jaw.
So close.
0.5 cm more, and it'd have been fatal.
Fwoom, fwoom!
Then the real exchange kicked off.
Jang Dae-woong, briefly startled, swung for my lower gut.
Ssshh!
I shadow-stepped back.
Simultaneously.
«Hit.»
A kick, reaching farther than fists.
Waist twisting instinctively—my shin already nearing his jaw.
Pwoom!
"Huh?"
Jang Dae-woong's legs buckled from the snap kick to the jaw.
He fell on his butt, staring blankly.
"What, little bro? What kinda speed..."
But one hit wouldn't end it.
He rolled back, regained stance—eyes bulging.
"Kahaha! You're different now, little bro! No comparing to before! You've got the skills to back it up!"
"No need to say, hyung."
The exchange restarted.
In about 3 seconds, ten fists and feet flew.
In the end, Jang Dae-woong yielded a step each time.
Dodging attacks, steadying himself—but from the moment he ate one, momentum was mine.
* * *
Jang Dae-woong.
The man with Earth's strongest fists.
But maybe time to drop that title.
'What the hell.'
He didn't voice it.
But Jang Dae-woong kept reeling inwardly.
Joo Dong-hoon's fists and feet surpassed imagination in speed and power.
Not just raw speed and strength.
Even tanking that was tough.
His battle sense—range, motion, reactions.
Smelled like a veteran of thousands of bouts.
Sure, Jang Dae-woong had fought plenty, but peers like this? Countable on one hand.
Meanwhile, Joo Dong-hoon had gone all-night deathmatches against superior apostles.
A situation where even Jang Dae-woong had to rate him high.
'Crazy, this.'
But Jang Dae-woong didn't cower.
He was thrilled.
A guy close enough to take his all-out assault head-on? How not to rejoice!
"Hraaap!"
When skill falters, trust raw grit.
The Berserker roared.
Kwaang! Kwoong!
All his power into slamming fists groundward.
'Can't aim straight for Joo Dong-hoon.'
That'd ruin the game.
Better smash the floor, splash damage.
No dodging flying debris, however fast.
Plus, dust cloud blocks vision—solid play.
And.
"Hmm."
Jang Dae-woong's lip twisted.
Joo Dong-hoon's move wasn't what he predicted.
No dodge.
He charged straight through the dust.
'And that'll be his downfall.'
If his fist landed true, no high ranker hyper would walk away unscathed. He was sure.
Jang Dae-woong focused.
Lowered stance, channeled boiling energy from dantian to fist.
Screeeee!
He launched toward Joo Dong-hoon's approach.
But.
'What...'
His eyebrow twitched.
Toward his victory-assured fist flew Joo Dong-hoon's identical one.
Matching power, even form.
'No way, that fist?'
Kwaaaaaang!
Clash boomed like dynamite across the training ground.
Impact alone shredded skin, throbbed bones!
Kwagagaga!
Pushed back several steps, they eyed each other.
Eerie silence blanketed the arena.
"Wow."
"Insane, what did I just see?"
"This is heavenly realm combat?"
Byeolcheonji rankers murmured in awe.
And.
Toward Joo Dong-hoon resetting stance.
"Little bro, that fist."
He murmured quietly.
"Did you learn it from someone?"
* * *
Meanwhile.
Vroom!
Without Joo Dong-hoon's orders, Kim Jin-ah drove toward somewhere.
Her destination: Uiwang City, Gyeonggi Province.
To buy land there.
Uiwang's appeal: vast tracts still purchasable, usable.
Seoul and suburbs mostly gobbled by corps, individuals, guilds.
Uiwang remained viable.
'Compared to its location, totally overshadowed by Seongnam, Gwacheon, Suwon, Yongin.'
Her land criteria: three points.
1. Reasonably close to Seoul.
2. Large plot available.
3. Suburban, low population.
Uiwang checked all.
Byeolcheonji development happens in Peach Blossom Paradise anyway.
What she needed now: massive castle to hide the portal.
Plus, global showroom and shop for "Demir Workshop."
'Of course.'
Word of Byeolcheonji buying land could shift markets unpredictably.
That news alone might let Uiwang devour neighbors.
So, Kim Jin-ah contacted the mayor direct.
Mayor scrambled, set a schedule.
'A fight between Berserker and guild master.'
Truth be told, Kim Jin-ah wanted to see that rare clash too.
Non-ranker or not, she was a hunter.
And any hunter's heart races at high ranker duels.
'But.'
Byeolcheonji came first.
Collapsed "Demir Workshop," returning Demir.
Backlog piled sky-high.
"Hahaha, vice guild master. Long time. Sometimes you're dearer than the boss himself."
Riding shotgun in Kim Jin-ah's car: Demir.
Dwarf form via polymorph, shortstack.
Kim Jin-ah chuckled.
"You know how much I missed you?"
"Music to my ears! Haha, nothing beats being needed and sought."
"Necklace safe?"
"Aye."
Demir wore the 'Delaila Dungeon Artifact.'
Back under his management, like old times.
She could, but Demir was better.
Joo Dong-hoon could summon him anytime.
"Whew, maintenance urgent. Been slacking too long."
"Hahaha, no worries. Know how itchy I've been? Half year idle."
"Yes, time to grind hard."
"Heard you nearly got in danger? Felt it this time—expect big. Teaming with Eldrin for top-security masterpiece."
Demir fist-pumping from shotgun.
Made Kim Jin-ah feel utterly secure.