Chapter 306
Chapter 306
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 306
Chapter Title: Star Demon War (5)
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“That guy. He’s got quite the look in his eyes.”
It was the first thing the elder said, arms crossed as he watched the duel from behind me.
“It feels just like seeing you when we first met.”
Hmm, does it?
Tilting my head, I looked at the Grand Elder before me, Cainad.
‘That’s a gaze full of venom.’
Even after taking a hit and his body being a total mess. As expected… that glare was still alive.
Sharp and piercing, like a supreme master of the martial world.
‘Well.’
It was impressive.
A normal person would’ve surrendered after one hit, but here he was asking not to go easy and to come at him properly again.
“Charging ahead even when you know you can’t win. Isn’t that exactly what you used to do? For that kid, it’s not a bad thing. He’s met someone who can shatter the wall he’s been stuck at, and it’s not a life-or-death situation. He should be thrilled.”
I’m his fated encounter, huh.
So, what should I do about it?
Help him? Ignore him?
Hmm.
“You said not to hold back, right?”
I asked Cainad.
He slowly nodded, gripping his staff tightly.
With eyes brimming with refined venom.
‘Got it.’
I nodded back.
Alright, let’s help him out.
We’re allies with the Magic Tower, and I’ve received plenty of help from Sophia too.
Plus, if it’s just beating him without mercy, that’s fine by me.
It’s easy, after all.
And as the head of Star Heaven, don’t I owe the spectators a flashy show?
“Hmph, not even your own power, fighting with item advantages, and now you’re pretending to be a magic teacher?”
The old man behind me sneered, reading my thoughts, but I just shook my head lightly.
Why wouldn’t this be my own power?
It’s my items, so it’s my power.
‘More than that, though.’
I liked Cainad himself.
That gaze so similar to mine.
An attitude different from the other elders.
People like him succeed no matter what they do.
‘World ranking 13th already means he’s successful, but.’
I know.
How many dangerous and terrifying things lurk beyond this universe.
With all those countless beings out there, you can’t get complacent in reality.
You have to refine yourself more, work harder, grow stronger.
Earth is just a well, and we’re still frogs in it.
Who knows?
Maybe the absurd dangers Delaila worries about really will come to Earth.
Just look at the Earth Dragon—it was a massive disaster.
That’s why I genuinely wanted to cheer on Cainad’s growth.
It was for the greater good, but also my personal feelings.
Back when I was weak.
Just like Gi So-yul helped me, and Seoul’s Five Stars showed me kindness.
Can’t I meddle a bit for a promising young talent?
“Then I’ll get right to it.”
Woooong!
I drew up my mana again.
* * *
‘Ahh.’
The moment he sensed my mana, Cainad shivered.
‘What…’
What is this person?
He could see every flow of the casting mana.
- Grow Stem.
- Grow Hold.
- Water Bomb.
- Sand Storm.
Two wood-element spells, one water-element spell, and one earth-element spell.
All basic basics that any Magic Tower mage could handle.
‘But.’
What’s with this insane mana vortex?
Is that really a basic spell?
Kuduk, kwaduduk!
Stems sprouted from the ground and whipped toward him like lashes.
Not just one.
Over ten stems were bursting forth.
“Hup!”
Startled, Cainad quickly threw up a shield in front and dodged to the side.
The sudden movement twisted his muscles all over.
“Hmm?”
I tilted my head.
“You said not to hold back, but you’re just dodging? Grow Hold!”
“Huurp!”
The follow-up to Grow Stem unfolded.
The extending stems lunged all at once to bind Cainad.
‘This.’
I need to burn it with a fire-attribute spell.
A mid-tier one at least.
‘But.’
Seeing the water surging chaaruruk! ahead, his motivation vanished.
‘Crazy.’
Cainad bit his lip hard.
That’s a Water Bomb?
That?
Looking at the orb of water forming above me like a Spirit Ball, no answers came to mind.
If this kept up, he’d be dragged along like a prisoner and defeated helplessly.
‘This is… a mismatch, isn’t it? He’s Magic Tower Lord level.’
I listened perfectly to his words.
No mercy at all.
Just swinging the staff with an expressionless face.
“Last one’s Sand Storm.”
Kwagagagagaga!
Sand whirlwinds bloomed from all directions, flying toward Cainad.
“Krhaaa!”
He poured everything into his shield, but it wasn’t enough.
The incoming Grow Hold wrapped tightly around his limbs.
His whole body bound tight, and to make matters worse, the prepared Water Bomb closed in.
A water orb compressed to inflict excruciating pain on impact.
On top of that, the Sand Storm already beside him battered his entire body.
‘Ahh.’
Does this make sense?
He knew he was strong, that’s why he challenged again, but this overwhelming?
“Keheok!”
The force hitting his body felt like his muscles were exploding.
Blood boiled inside, and a fishy metallic tang filled his nose.
Jureuk.
Blood trickled from his mouth.
‘This is…’
Magic?
Honestly, it was beautiful.
If you trained for hundreds of millions of years to perfect your magic, it’d probably look just like this.
‘What have I been doing all this time?’
Cainad’s body trembled.
How hard he’d worked.
Mornings started with mana training for basics, lunch was devouring translated books.
Before bed, organizing what he read in his mind and practicing.
Day after day.
No vacations or rest for Cainad.
His hunter life was magic, and magic was him.
‘Yet.’
Now it felt like magic was rejecting him.
Like the magic he’d chased was fake.
Doubt.
As the weight of negative emotions began crushing him.
“Healing.”
With my whisper, the bindings released.
Pure energy mended his torn muscles and calmed his rampaging mana.
“Keheuk.”
Only then did his choked breath ease.
He could breathe, he felt alive.
“What’s that?”
He asked.
“…”
“Where’d that gutsy spirit from ‘don’t hold back’ go? Broken by mere basic magic?”
I taunted.
But he had no retort.
He wanted to argue what kind of basic magic is that, but he couldn’t.
It really was basic magic.
“Phew, then why ask for a rematch…?”
Powerless.
He felt worthless, unable to respond even to that mutter.
“Cainad.”
I said.
With a disappointed look.
“If you want to get stronger, grab the chance when you face someone even stronger. Shame. I thought you knew that…”
“…”
It was weird.
From someone much younger.
Someone he’d just clashed with for the first time.
Yet he felt like a master.
‘Why?’
His words dissected into sharp spears, stabbing his heart.
“You worked hard, I know. I can feel how tough your efforts were. Because I did the same.”
“…”
“But you know, there are tons of strong people out there. Too many to count. You gonna give up every time you meet one? Get swept away by that gloomy crap?”
Buddle buddle.
His body shook.
Healed, but the aftereffects lingered.
His shocked muscles wouldn’t obey.
But.
Cainad painfully raised his staff.
He felt he had to.
‘If I give up here…’
Blocked by that massive wall, he’d never break through.
The gap between us would widen.
Eventually, he wouldn’t even dare touch it.
This defeat would become trauma, hindering his growth, suppressing him.
“I absolutely won’t! Hraaap!”
Hwaruruk!
Flames bloomed again from the Grand Elder’s staff.
Fire Blaster (S-rank).
Boiling flames shot toward me like bullets.
Much faster and stronger than the elder’s attempt before.
But.
“You’re rushing.”
Without a twitch, I doused the fire with chaaruruk! Water Bomb.
And simultaneously.
Hwarururuk!
A Fireball unlike any before surged forth.
Kwaaaaang!
Another explosion rocked the arena.
- Wh-what is this…? Am I seeing this right? It’s like… a teacher educating a student!
The caster panicked.
- Th-this looks like no contest.
- In my eyes, the match ended already. This isn’t a duel. Duels need matched levels, right? Look at Joo Dong-hoon. He hasn’t allowed even one hit.
- The problem is the opponent’s the Grand Elder. The second-best mage in the world.
- …Amazing. Yeah, feels like a dream to me too.
The commentators clicked their tongues at the absurd scene.
The issue was.
Even after victory was decided, the match continued.
“Wha?! Th-the Grand Elder’s standing!”
“But why’s he clinging so stubbornly?”
“He gonna die like that?”
Sulreong sulreong.
Cheers faded, replaced by murmurs.
They couldn’t understand.
His actions.
But a few watching rankers’ eyes gleamed.
The Grand Elder’s dazed gaze.
They knew that look.
‘Selfless trance.’
Mind fully focused, forgetting even what you’re doing… the pinnacle of concentration.
A top-tier fated encounter every ranker experiences once.
Enter that state, and you gain something.
Growth, levels, ranks.
‘Ahh.’
‘Joo Dong-hoon, is he an angel?’
‘No magnanimity like that. Watching and helping an opponent he’d ignored grow? How big-hearted do you have to be?’
‘From now on, I genuinely respect him.’
The rankers looked moved.
Empathizing with the Grand Elder’s plight.
Few could leisurely guide in such a situation.
‘The Grand Elder’ll see Joo Dong-hoon as a lifelong benefactor.’
‘I’d quit the Magic Tower and join Star Heaven.’
Kwaang! Kwaang! Kwaang!
Three explosions rang out in succession.
The Grand Elder knelt again.
“…”
The crowd was speechless.
Shock at first, but now not even surprising.
“Makes sense why hyper rankers are called gods.”
“Yeah, exactly. Like a human challenging a god.”
“Grand Elder… so pitiful.”
These were people who bought expensive tickets.
Most discerning, knowing better than anyone how great the Grand Elder was.
No, discernment aside.
World ranking 13th.
Seeing that 13th toyed with like a child by Joo Dong-hoon… he didn’t seem human.
‘Yeah, right.’
Kuluk!
Spitting blood, Cainad raised his staff again.
Even unconsciously, he thought.
‘That guy’s not human.’
That’s why.
This challenge had meaning.
‘What is it?’
Ultimately, magic creates phenomena in the world through mana.
And human mana should all be the same.
How does magic like that emerge?
Even in his predicament, Cainad pondered endlessly.
‘Why can’t my magic produce that power?’
Honestly, he didn’t know.
But it didn’t matter.
That wasn’t important now.
‘Don’t give up.’
The man ahead had given him that homework.
Don’t try to win with magic, just endure.
Don’t let your spirit break, challenge on.
Kwaang!
Even if his body shattered.
Kwaaaang!
Even excruciating pain.
‘Just endure.’
The watching crowd, the waiting players, caster, commentators.
Now they watched his form with reverence.
Immersion.
How far do human limits go?
How long can a human endure?
But sadly, eternity isn’t possible.
Physics won’t allow it.
How much time passed?
Kwaaaaang!
A Fireball melting his shield slammed into Cainad’s front again.
“…!”
Cainad’s dazed eyes snapped wide.
Finally, his heart’s mana fully depleted.
Immersion broken, mind returned.
“Kke, kkeheok…!”
The Grand Elder screamed hoarsely and finally knelt.
Then, in fading consciousness, he urgently gazed at the being before him, Joo Dong-hoon.
‘Did I…’
Disappoint him?
Complete the homework he gave?
Fortunately.
An answer existed.
In his blurring vision, a deep smile bloomed on his lips.
Ahh.
Thank goodness.
An inexplicable relief washed over Cainad’s body.
Really, thank goodness.
Only then could the Grand Elder fully let go.
Seureuk!
As if all strength fled, he quietly lay on the ground.
Yes.
The Grand Elder’s complete defeat.
“…”
“…”
Yet the crowd couldn’t speak for a while.
Who could mock the Grand Elder’s loss!
No hunter here could endure like he did.
In that moment, the spectators felt their ticket money well spent.
A true ranker’s fight.
The Grand Elder’s will reminded them why rankers are rankers.
There’s reason he’s the 13th strongest out of 8 billion.
- Th-this match is a overwhelming victory for Skeleton Emperor Joo Dong-hoon!
Thus, the third match ended.
And only then.
“Waaaaaaah! Amazing!”
“Uwaaaaaah!”
Explosive cheers shook the entire Wuryung Do-won.