Chapter 102
Chapter 102
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 102
Chapter Title: Only Two Teams Remain
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#102
"Hey, found you here?"
Seowoojin waved with a grin.
Five bands swayed.
Including the one on his own arm, that made six.
And what that signified was clear.
"Looks like it's just us left now."
Seowoojin's team: six.
Baek Siwoo's team: four.
The winner of this fight would be the final team standing.
"How about we just call a truce?"
The top three teams would get the prizes anyway.
With only two teams remaining, both were guaranteed entry into the Imperial Secret Annex.
No need to fight at all.
"What a joke, that old guy's got some nerve. Who said anything about a truce?"
The rude one—no, Seong Yura—scoffed with her signature arrogant sneer, looking down on Seowoojin's team.
"Hey, aren't you getting a bit too cocky just because you won once? Anyone would think you're actually stronger than Siwoo."
She snorted derisively.
She genuinely believed Baek Siwoo was far stronger.
No, she even thought she herself was stronger than Seowoojin.
Seowoojin was D-rank, after all, while she was SS-rank.
No matter how skilled he was, she was convinced the rank gap was insurmountable.
"Then let's fight."
Fine words invite fine answers.
Seowoojin, who had used polite speech with Baek Siwoo, spat blunt words at Seong Yura.
Did that rub her the wrong way?
Her brow furrowed.
"Prepare for battle."
At her command, her teammates drew up their mana.
'One SSS-rank, one SS-rank, three S-ranks. Then two A-ranks and three B-ranks...'
On paper, they were at a disadvantage.
Seowoojin's team didn't have a single S-rank or higher.
Plus, two non-combat classes and Kim Woo-ram, the utter deadweight.
Objectively, their forces were outmatched.
But Seowoojin wasn't worried.
He and his teammates weren't bound much by ranks.
Take Kim Dahye, for instance.
She was a C-rank 'Fire Mage,' but her strength was at least B-rank or better.
Part of it was her level, but mostly because she used her abilities so effectively in the right spots.
'It won't be easy, but...'
Still, he didn't think they'd lose.
Seowoojin ordered his team to prepare for battle as well.
As he did, he eyed Baek Siwoo.
Always so polite-looking, with a face that screamed good character.
And he really was a good guy.
But lately, Seowoojin couldn't shake the unease.
'Time to find out, once and for all.'
The true nature of the demonic energy he'd sensed from him.
Seowoojin drew 'Rune Dea.'
Tension spiked instantly.
Having bumped into each other head-on with no plans, neither side could move rashly.
Even Seong Yura, the hottest head among them, held back.
She focused on pouring buffs onto her friends instead of charging forward.
A powder keg waiting for a spark.
One trigger, and the taut string of tension would snap, igniting the fight.
Seowoojin, glaring silently at the enemy, gave a subtle signal backward.
To Kim Dahye.
She snapped out of her daze, noticed it, and nodded.
"Fire in the hole."
Her sharp voice shattered the silence.
A round grenade flew from her hand.
"Dodge!"
KABOOM-!
It exploded, sending razor-sharp mana shards flying everywhere.
RAT-TAT-TAT-!
The surrounding trees turned to Swiss cheese in an instant.
Far more powerful than any real grenade.
Of course, no one got hit.
Baek Siwoo's teammates were all top-tier heroes.
But the stalemate was broken.
"I'm going firstttttt!"
With a bizarre shout, Goo Dong-hwan charged ahead.
"Girls First Kiss Maximum Full Swing!"
His signature skill activated.
Goo Dong-hwan's 'magic wand' tore through the air in a blaze of brilliant light.
CLANG-!
"Hup!"
Diamond Warrior Park Jin-han blocked the massive hammer with his bare body.
The clash rang out like steel on steel.
"You..."
Their eyes locked in midair.
"Not bad."
"You're not bad yourself?"
Hellspawn recognizes hellspawn.
In that moment, they wore the faces of rivals they'd never meet again in this world.
"...What the hell is that?"
She felt like she'd seen something she shouldn't have and quickly looked away.
She had zero interest in watching buff muscular dudes share a bromance.
'Hmm...'
Lee Ji-ah swung her fists like a storm, blocked by Lim Tae-eun's dragon.
Gye Soo-ji flitted about, aiming to snap Seong Yura's neck.
BOOM-!
Jin Tae-seong and Kim Tae-jin's spells collided in a massive blast.
Yoo Hong-seol toyed with an A-rank hero using her dual blades, while Kang Byung-gyu struggled against another A-rank.
'Park Min-seong's in trouble.'
Unlike battle-hardened Kang Byung-gyu, Park Min-seong barely knew how to fight.
Instead, he hurled potions nonstop to keep the approaching B-rank hero at bay.
The real problem was Kim Woo-ram.
He was getting pushed back hard.
Even at the same B-rank, the skill gap was obvious.
'Overall, it's even?'
No, honestly, they were losing ground.
With three people who couldn't fight properly, it was inevitable.
Considering that, they were holding up well.
'Should be fine for a bit.'
They were losing, but not decisively.
All they needed to do was hold out a little longer.
Until his fight with Baek Siwoo decided things...
After that, victory or defeat would be clear.
Seowoojin's gaze shifted to Baek Siwoo.
He was staring right back.
Sword of the Empire in hand.
'Let's see what you've got.'
Seowoojin wasn't too worried about fighting Baek Siwoo.
He'd won even against massive level gaps before.
Now they were both in the level 50s.
There might be a slight difference, but based on past fights, it was negligible.
If he'd won then, no way he'd lose now.
He slowly raised 'Rune Dea,' aiming at Baek Siwoo.
Mana flowed in, blue aura blazing brightly.
'Hold back on skills.'
Using them would make it an easy win.
But he had something to confirm, so he planned to drag the fight out.
Thud-
Weight on his toes, he pushed off, and his body shot forward.
The air compressed ahead like hitting a wall.
Seowoojin forced through it.
BOOOOOOM-!
He broke the sound barrier in a sonic boom.
At the same time, he swung 'Rune Dea' at Baek Siwoo.
Swooooosh-!
Speed and power incomparable to their sparring session.
Baek Siwoo's eyes widened in shock as he realized.
But instinctively, he raised his sword to block.
CLLLLLANG-!!
A massive shockwave swept the battlefield.
Regardless of rank or level, everyone clutched their ears.
The mana infused was too overwhelming to endure.
"...You've gotten even stronger."
Baek Siwoo marveled, swords locked.
He couldn't fathom how Seowoojin had improved so much since their spar.
"Just got lucky, I guess."
Surviving near-death and coming back stronger? Yeah, luck played a part.
"I haven't been slacking either."
Seowoojin saw Baek Siwoo bite his lip.
The usually composed man couldn't hide his anxiety.
Seowoojin didn't let it slide.
'Something's definitely changed.'
He still wasn't sure.
Decided to provoke a bit more.
"Curious about that."
He grinned, and Baek Siwoo's face stiffened.
"Flash Thunder."
His sword turned to lightning, lunging for Seowoojin's throat.
But he'd seen this skill once before.
Seowoojin calmly stepped back, dodging the blade.
ZZZAP-!
It grazed his neck, sending a stinging jolt.
Any other hero would've flinched.
But Seowoojin was used to pain.
He'd just endured agony like his body was being torn apart, so this was nothing—a laughable scratch.
He thrust 'Rune Dea' at the opening left by the passing sword.
Lightning-fast stab.
Baek Siwoo paled and activated another skill.
"Sword Barrier!"
Desperate voice, no room for poise.
A translucent shield formed around him.
SCREEEEECH-!
Incredibly, it blocked Seowoojin's aura-clad thrust.
It shattered with a ping, but Baek Siwoo had gained distance.
"What the hell happ—"
No time for questions—Seowoojin charged again, slashing down from above.
A vertical bisect with full momentum.
WHOOOOSH-!
More mana poured in, blooming an aura dwarfing the last.
"Heavenly Thunder!"
Realizing Sword Barrier wouldn't cut it?
Baek Siwoo unleashed a new skill.
A thousand bolts rained from the sky like lightning.
As if a thunder god had descended.
RUMBLECRACK-!
Deafening thunder roared.
Seowoojin grimaced.
Stronger than expected.
He couldn't block a thousand bolts with one sword, so he fell back.
'Swiftness.'
The evolved skill activated.
His form vanished like a streak of light.
Speed rivaling Grand Duke Briana and Gerald's space-folding.
He escaped the lightning zone in a flash, face more grim than ever.
Not because Baek Siwoo was strong.
Sure, 'Heavenly Thunder' exceeded expectations.
But it wasn't unstoppable.
He could've dodged easily with 'Swiftness' like just now, or shattered it outright with 'Sky Sword.'
So why the grim look?
One reason.
'Demonic energy.'
He felt it clearly this time.
Faint—like a seed.
But demonic energy was demonic energy.
'Baek Siwoo has demonic energy?'
Bad sign.
No idea how he got it, but when the Great War hit, anything could happen.
'Not that a Demon King like me should talk.'
Seowoojin's eyes darkened deeply.
"You."
No more polite speech.
This wasn't the time for courtesy.
"What's that in your body?"
Baek Siwoo, lips pressed tight at the question, furrowed his brow.
"What do you mean?"
He seemed genuinely confused.
'He doesn't know?'
If he knew about the demonic energy in him, he wouldn't react like that.
'Tch.'
Seowoojin clicked his tongue inwardly.
If he wasn't even aware, there was nothing he could do right now.
He'd have to find another way.
Thinking of the Grand Duke, Seowoojin decided to end the fight.