Chapter 229
Chapter 229
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 229
Chapter Title: Bloody Battle with the Apostle (3)
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***
Now, having followed the presence deep into the forest.
The sensation Han Cheon-seong felt was utterly strange.
His assumption that the presence would become clearer as he closed the distance was completely wrong. More than anything, the biggest issue was that he couldn't even be certain an Apostle was there.
Because even after arriving, he felt nothing.
So, he first had to determine whether the Apostle had left or was still here.
“……”
He spread his energy out like a great bursting spiral, heightening his senses to their peak.
And only then could he feel it.
*It's here.*
The Apostle was here.
It existed cunningly between the ancient trees, in a space untouched by sunlight, hidden in a blind spot.
A presence that could never be perceived without intense focus.
Even as he continued to manifest his spiral energy in a wide burst, his heart sank. It felt as if the Apostle was holding its breath, waiting for the right moment.
*Sreuk!* His grip on the spear naturally tightened, but he couldn't risk a preemptive strike.
*Something's different.*
The "Madness of the Demonic Beasts" episode. This was completely different from the description of the Apostle in the story.
Originally, the first thing Leonhardt felt upon facing the Apostle in the story was ‘overwhelming power.’ It was described as having a truly overwhelming size, an Apostle in the form of a lion. But the Apostle before his eyes was not that.
Its build was that of a normal lion, but it was so dark it seemed to merge with the shadows. If he hadn't known beforehand, he wouldn't have been able to make out its shape at all.
*Rustle…!*
His eyes narrowed at the lion's mane, which rippled faintly in the darkness like a wave. Contrary to the colossal beast he'd expected, it had the agile form of an ordinary lion.
And the strength of its presence wasn't clearly palpable. Its form, its aura—everything seemed ambiguous.
*Could it be because there haven't been any victims yet?*
More than an hour had passed since the group lecture began. A great many cadets had spread out into the forest.
The Apostle's size might still be small because there were no sacrifices. The scene Leonhardt witnessed was of the Apostle devouring cadets, so it was a possibility.
*Sreuk.* He tightened his grip on the spear, his gaze calm and ready to react at any moment.
And in that instant.
■!
The darkness erupted.
As he kicked off the ground and thrust his spear, a chill filled his chest.
*Chaaeng!!*
The moment he felt his spear meet the shrouded Apostle's attack, a powerful repulsion sent him flying back.
It was the force he had expected, yet... he couldn't understand it.
Still, there was no time to think.
*Skrrk!*
He righted himself while sliding across the ground, preparing to thrust his spear again, but the erupted darkness had already vanished.
“...!”
Feeling the activated spiral energy throughout his body, he frantically scanned his surroundings.
The Apostle's presence was so faint he couldn't track it by its aura alone. Its previous movement was so fast that it would have been difficult to react to without anticipating it.
*Gulp.*
He swallowed hard as a sense of crisis and alarm swelled in his heart.
*This is….*
Too dangerous. Even if he could handle it for now, this was not the level of danger he had anticipated.
*Shwoong!*
His gaze was momentarily drawn to a fiercely swirling wind.
Glacia, who had already raised her sword, was brilliantly manifesting her trait at the center of the intense wind, as if entering a full combat stance.
“I... won't get in your way.”
He nodded at her calm voice.
He felt a sense of trust in Glacia, who had naturally given him the answer he wanted.
Furthermore, the power of the wind Glacia manifested was even more refined than before. And that mighty wind swirled only around her, which naturally inspired confidence.
*In terms of speed….*
Glacia could definitely react. If it was just to evade and protect herself, there would be no problem.
■!
As the darkness erupted again and shot through the air, he thrust his spear, manifesting his spiral even more powerfully than before.
And he had no intention of meeting it head-on with force like the first time.
*Jjaeng!*
He merely twisted the trajectory of his spearhead, deflecting the Apostle's charging form with the sensation of stabbing up from below.
*Puuuk!*
And he clearly felt the heavy resistance in his hand as the blade pierced hide and flesh.
*I hit it!*
He could also clearly see the Apostle's body react faintly.
*Thud!*
As he landed, he saw the Apostle quickly hide itself among the ancient trees again.
Maintaining the lingering spiral energy he'd spread through the air, he steeled his heart. Calmly, deliberately.
He couldn't afford to be hasty.
The more the Apostle aimed for an ambush, the calmer he needed to be.
***
■!
Darkness sprayed out, consuming the air as it shot across the space.
Countless trajectories appeared in Glacia's vision.
And at the same time, Han Cheon-seong, who was right in front of her, lunged forward, repeatedly thrusting his spear with fierce intensity.
---!!
Han Cheon-seong, his entire body now engulfed in a blue spiral that went beyond simply coating his spear, moved with a godlike speed that struck Glacia with a sense of wonder.
*With just a change in mana's properties….*
...to display this level of speed was an unbelievable application of power. For her, who wielded the wind in pursuit of greater speed, it was even harder to believe.
*Chwaaak!*
Immediately after, the Apostle's blood burst forth, scattering fine traces in the air, and her gaze went to it, stunned.
“……”
The gushing blood and Han Cheon-seong's form, twisting his spear powerfully as he charged. The true nature of his power was laid bare before her eyes.
His speed was even greater than when he had sparred with her.
And his application of power was masterful.
His form, moving like a scattering afterimage, was now so swift that it seemed to appear and disappear in an instant as he confronted the Apostle shrouded in darkness.
And in the midst of it all.
■!
When darkness suddenly erupted from beneath her feet, Glacia reacted instantly, throwing herself aside.
She couldn't just stand by and watch the battle between Han Cheon-seong and the Apostle. The darkness, presumed to be the Apostle, was occasionally unleashing bursts of shadow at her as well, as if she were also a target.
*Boom!*
The spot where she had been standing exploded in darkness, gouging out the ground, and her heart grew colder.
*This is the Apostle's power….*
Facing an Apostle for the first time, it felt overwhelmingly threatening.
Just being in the same space made it hard to breathe, and she hadn't been able to adapt to the strange, viscous sensation.
But. Not anymore.
As she watched Han Cheon-seong fight the Apostle, she gradually began to truly comprehend the Apostle's existence.
“...”
Gripping her sword tightly with both hands, she carefully watched the battle unfolding before her.
■!■!■!■!
Amidst the darkness erupting simultaneously from all directions, the Apostle's assault grew fiercer.
Reacting to it, Han Cheon-seong's movements, twisting and thrusting his spear moment by moment, were also clearly visible.
*Chaeng! Cha-cha-chaeng!*
Han Cheon-seong's movements, thrusting his spear with a completely emotionless face. Each time it met the darkness, the spiral enveloping his spear wavered violently, and even the shaft wobbled greatly.
The situation unfolding before her was strange. The one clearly taking damage was the Apostle.
Traces of the viscous blood scattered by the Apostle already decorated several areas, while Han Cheon-seong calmly reacted as if responding to its every move.
Taking it all in, one detail at a time... she caught her breath.
*It's okay.*
The situation was clearly urgent, and she saw no opening to help Han Cheon-seong.
But that's why she knew protecting herself was the best course of action. Watching him fight the Apostle, she prepared herself to react at any moment.
■!
And when the darkness, sent reeling by the spearhead, suddenly changed direction and charged at her, she immediately kicked off the ground.
*I can't face the Apostle head-on.*
Han Cheon-seong could meet its force with his spear because he could accurately read its trajectory.
And she knew that was impossible for her right now.
If she tried to meet it clumsily, she would be the one to get hurt. Therefore, she would evade.
--------!!
As the wind enveloping her body raged, as if showing her the way, her body naturally soared through the air, moving quickly.
As she threw herself aside to evade the darkness, she saw Han Cheon-seong rapidly pursuing it from behind.
It was the moment she had created a large gap.
“!”
A patch of darkness had suddenly appeared in the air, right in her path. As the darkness instantly swelled, a sense of crisis akin to death surged through her.
In response, she immediately thrust the sword held in both hands forward.
*Shwaaaaa---!!*
At the same time as a storm-like wind erupted from the blade…….
*Kwaaang!!*
A massive explosion rang out, striking her ears.
***
-I can't tell.
-I can't even understand.
And yet, I was steadily inflicting damage on the Apostle.
Knowing that this unprecedented power, something the Apostle I knew of didn't possess, was occasionally targeting Glacia, I launched an even fiercer offensive to focus its attention on me.
But….
The moment the Apostle, after meeting my attack, suddenly twisted its body and charged at Glacia.
“……”
For a moment, it felt like my breath had stopped.
Still, I felt a brief moment of relief seeing Glacia evade and move faster than I expected, and I quickly chased after the Apostle.
*Chichichik!!*
It was the instant my spearhead, locked with the darkness, reacted intensely, unleashing a spiral into the air.
*Kwaaang!!*
At the sudden explosion behind me, my gaze snapped back even as I swung my spear to push the Apostle away.
“Ah……”
I opened my mouth blankly, unable to understand.
Glacia had succeeded in evading the Apostle. And I had immediately pursued it to stop it from targeting her again.
But now.
My vision was filled with a scene beyond my expectations.
…….
Blood was decorating the air.
It wasn't the same dark blood I had drawn from the Apostle.
It was... a vivid crimson.
“Han Cheon-seong!”
Seeing Glacia, her face splattered with blood, crying out urgently, I found myself shaking my head unconsciously.
It wasn't... supposed to be like this.
“......”
As I stared blankly at the darkness rushing toward me…….
It felt as though my mind was coming undone.