Chapter 85
Chapter 85
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 85
Chapter Title: Sun vs Moon (2)
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“Such is the duel between true masters, huh?”
[I can’t even tell what’s going on!] Kim Jin-ah was about to say.
Shuuung!
An arrow shot out like lightning from the bushes, once again aiming for the space between Sun’s eyes.
It was fast enough to make one lose sight of it for a split second.
But.
“Fighting dirty, are we?”
Taaang!
Even that, Sun deflected with ease.
“Try it a hundred times. See if a sneak attack like this can even scratch me.”
It wasn’t mere bravado.
A calm tone.
The voice of someone who truly believed it.
“Do you know why?”
Whirlik!
Sun’s spear spun magnificently through the air before dropping to his lower left.
“Every moment of every life of mine has been a chain of assassinations.”
Once, a monster who had all of humanity as enemies.
“Countless hidden weapons, traps, and schemes flying at me from all directions, even when I couldn’t see ahead...”
“...”
“To me, who found, deflected, and dismantled them all, a surprise attack like this is just everyday routine.”
Taat!
Sun kicked off the ground toward the bushes.
“Hmm.”
Eldrin slowly nodded.
“Indeed, it must be so.”
Then, she gazed softly at the charging Sun.
“As tumultuous as the history of our forest kin... Sun Spear, yours must have been the same.”
“So let’s see who had it tougher. Who worked harder.”
“Fine by me. I won’t back down.”
Shuung! Tuk! Tudduduk!
Green arrows shot from Eldrin’s drawn bowstring in all directions.
“I’ve prepared my poison arrows laced with incantations.”
Fssshhh...
Fierce poison sprayed from the backs of the arrows embedded in various trees.
A gas that evoked thoughts of CS gas.
I, who had been worried about potential air pollution, soon raised an eyebrow.
‘Oh, the trees are fine?’
Ah.
So that incantation...
Was something like [This poison only affects Sun Spear]?
‘As expected of Eldrin.’
She knew just what to do without being told.
“Come on, Sun Spear. Care to come closer? Let’s see if you can reach me without a single scratch...”
“Adorable. If I could be felled by mere poison, I wouldn’t have even proposed this duel.”
Sun halted before the bushes and swung his spear.
A desert sandstorm.
‘Whirling Desert’ (Lv. 6).
Whoooosh!
The wind began to stir.
The temporarily conjured sandstorm enveloped the entire bushes, blowing away the poison.
“No, no. That’s exactly how you create an opening.”
Shushung!
An arrow shot through the gap in Sun’s armpit as he swung his spear.
A spot that would be a vital area on any living being.
“Huh?”
Sun twisted his body mid-skill activation, dodging the arrow.
If he’d been leisurely a moment ago, now there was a hint of urgency.
Kwaaaang!
The grazing arrow slammed into the ground behind Sun Spear, creating an explosion.
“I’ll admit it—that last ambush was decent.”
Sun muttered.
His expression wasn’t visible, but clearly.
He was enjoying it.
“Fun, this is fun. Looks like matching you without a scratch will be tough. Good—better this way!”
An adversary unlike any in the ancient desert.
In truth, he must have had worthy rivals in the past.
Even ones stronger than him, no doubt.
But.
He had ruled the desert empire.
Piercing the hearts of all who opposed him, all who stood in his way.
Enemies vanished one after another.
Then, the inevitable ennui that followed.
Perhaps.
Born a warrior, he was instinctively seeking something stronger?
Amplification of physical abilities.
‘Soulflare’ (Lv. 6).
Wuuung!
Sun’s soul ignited.
A technique that multiplied his physical prowess several times over for a brief period.
“...”
I couldn’t help but swallow hard at the majestic sight.
Kim Jin-ah, who’d been munching popcorn, stopped chewing.
“Found you.”
Swish.
Sun’s gaze locked precisely on Eldrin’s position.
“Closing in.”
Taat!
He kicked off the ground, soaring through the air.
“Thrust.”
Whooong!
He thrust his spear like a thrown javelin.
The entire sequence flowed seamlessly, like a single motion.
A skill that produced unbearable speed and destructive power through momentary amplification.
“Huh?”
Eldrin’s face flushed with surprise.
In the end, the tip of Sun’s spear grazed her shoulder.
Puk!
A slight crack in the bone.
“...!”
I clenched my fist watching it.
If it had been me up there instead of Eldrin, it would’ve ended at that level?
I’d probably have been half-forced to hand over my heart?
“I predicted your approach with Hundred Li Eyes, and it was still this close...! That was dangerous.”
Tuk!
Eldrin retreated to a nearby branch, muttering.
“How long do you plan to just run? Planning to keep your lord waiting all day?”
“No way. Look up with that thick skull of yours. See if those words still come then.”
“What?”
Sun tilted his head skyward from atop a thick branch.
And above him.
Moonlight arrows, carrying the glow of the moon, rained down like carpet bombing.
Ultimate Technique.
Moonlight Descent (Lv. 6)!
Crazy?
I was stunned.
When the hell did she fire that?
Did she anticipate Sun’s attack and pre-aim it at the sky?
“Yes! That’s more like it—should’ve come at me like this from the start.”
Sun didn’t dodge.
Instead, he raised his spear to counter.
“Do you know this?”
“What?”
“That moonlight can never outshine the sun. Eldrin, unfortunately, you lose in compatibility against me.”
Whoooong!
Light exploded from Sun’s spear.
A barrage so fast it could blind the eyes!
Ultimate Technique.
Solar Barrage (Lv. 6)!
Pabababang!
Sun’s spear moved frantically, like bursting flashes.
It deflected all the falling moonlight, struck back, and finally reached Eldrin’s body.
“We’ll see. Guess we’ll find out once we clash.”
Eldrin didn’t sit idle either.
She flew through the air, hands in constant motion.
Firing arrows infused with ‘qi’.
Kwarang! Kwagang!
Trees shattered in the clearing, rocks crumbled.
The ground cratered, dust billowing everywhere.
An exchange so fierce it seemed to upend the entire mountainside!
“...”
In their battle, I saw it.
Their vivid past bodies overlaid on the white bones.
Sun Spear and Eldrin’s forms, with muscles, veins, lungs.
Hooook, hoook.
They were surely breathing raggedly.
The moment after an intense clash, catching their breath.
“...Insane.”
Kim Jin-ah’s jaw dropped.
Yeah, I feel the same.
It was like watching a full action flick.
Just film this as is and it could win at Cannes, right?
That’s how vivid and cool the fight was.
‘The edge.’
As referee, I quietly calculated.
‘Slightly favors Sun?’
Truth be told, yes.
Eldrin excelled in ranged support and utility via incantations, not direct combat.
Sun was combat incarnate.
A battle maniac who’d lived solely to fight.
‘Plus.’
Eldrin’s shoulder bone was injured.
For an archer, the shoulder is life itself.
The momentum clearly tilted toward Sun.
He knew it. She knew it.
But.
“...”
Sun Spear silently lowered his spear.
“...”
Eldrin steadfastly nocked another arrow.
My condition was until one was obliterated.
They must have realized from watching me, their lord, that it wasn’t over until it was truly over.
“Come, Eldrin.”
Sun charged.
“Anytime.”
Eldrin leaped back, firing her bow.
The second fierce battle began.
* * *
Weekend.
Two men walked a mountain trail.
Dressed in neat hiking gear, as if it were their hobby, they were none other than reporters.
“Hey, Reporter Han. We’re supposed to hit Bukhansan today, so why this local back mountain?”
“Hey, Reporter Kim. Don’t underestimate the local back mountain?”
“Underestimate what...! Aren’t you just picking an easy course ‘cause you’re beat today? What, wife give you hell last night? Heh heh.”
“Huh, Reporter Kim... Seems like you’ve got some solid misunderstanding.”
The reporter surnamed Han looked at Kim.
“Mountains aren’t tough just because they’re tall.”
“Then?”
“Bukhansan has well-marked trails. This place? No trails at all. A raw, untouched mountain like few in Korea! Sure, not some grand Columbus expedition, but if you can savor the thrill of pioneering even a little, isn’t that great?”
“...But the elevation’s low?”
“Hey!”
Han glared.
“Don’t you have any reporter’s spirit?”
“Huh? What reporter spirit are we talking about here?”
Kim replied incredulously.
“Incidents like this always happen in secluded, hidden spots.”
“...”
I partly agreed.
But today was a holiday.
No matter how tough scoops are these days.
Shouldn’t you rest on rest days?
“How the hell did you even find out about this place...”
Kim advanced, swinging a handheld Gurkha knife.
Untrodden paths required clearing branches like this.
To avoid poison ivy or thorns.
“Reporter Kim, good day, good air—don’t complain, enjoy it. Enjoy.”
Lalala.
As he hummed and climbed, it happened.
Kururung!
“Wh-what?”
The ground shook.
“E-earthquake?”
The two reporters dropped to their knees, steadying themselves.
Then, Han’s eyes lit up.
“Not an earthquake!”
“Th-then?”
“This is a scoop! Can’t you smell it? The scent of a blockbuster exclusive?”
“Scent?”
What scent? The shaking’s making me nauseous.
“Wait a sec!”
Clack! Chaeak!
Han pulled something from his bag and assembled it.
A high-end portable camera.
“...?”
Kim’s mouth fell open.
“You brought that on a hike?”
“Hey, a reporter must always be prepared—don’t you know?”
“Im-impressive... But.”
Kim glanced toward the distant source of the vibrations.
Flash! Kwarang!
Something was still flashing.
“You’re heading there now? Shouldn’t we report it first...”
“Hey! Report what?”
Han bellowed.
“Gonna let someone steal the scoop?”
“...Crazy.”
“Follow if you want, run if you want. I’m going to check it out and film.”
“...”
If there were true journalists in this era.
Reporter Han was one.
“H-hey, wait! Let’s go together!”
In the end, Kim followed.
They were already deep in the woods, and two were better than one, whatever happened.