Chapter 95
Chapter 95
Taebaek Mountains - 4
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“Ugh!”
Arrows rained down mercilessly, so relentless that Lexa couldn't even look towards their source.
She could only focus on raising her magical defenses against the blinding barrage of golden light.
Kwa-ga-ga-ga-ga-boom—!!!
A brutal, destructive attack.
In her long and eventful life, filled with countless battles, she had never experienced such overwhelming power.
No one had ever pushed her this far.
No, the very idea of being pushed was something she inflicted on others.
She could control an S-rank Hunter with a flick of her wrist—and subdue three without breaking a sweat.
She had never felt a sense of danger, and this current helplessness felt like a complete negation of her existence as the Azure Witch.
Unable to retaliate, only defend.
Against this onslaught of sharp, deadly arrows, where a single moment of vulnerability could mean a fatal wound, Lexa ignited her blue mana flames in her eyes, waiting for this brutal barrage to end.
She had never seen or heard of such an attack.
But mana was finite.
If she could just endure, an opportunity to counterattack would surely come.
However,
‘What the…!’
The attack wouldn’t stop.
And its power showed no sign of weakening.
An attack of this magnitude should have depleted his mana instantly.
Even for an S-rank Hunter or a Platinum-rank Holder.
Kwa-ga-boom—!!!
Whoosh-Whoosh-Whoosh—!!!
The sounds echoing through the clearing weren’t of arrows, but of anti-tank missiles exploding.
Lexa's feet, planted firmly on the ground, began to slide backward.
The hem of her elegant blue dress tore, and the wide-brimmed, baroque-style hat, its decorations ripped away by the mana wind, flapped precariously.
“Ugh… That insolent brat…!”
Lexa growled, gritting her teeth.
She was pushed back to the cave entrance, her vision obscured by the dust and debris kicked up by the mana wind.
She glanced behind her.
‘The barrier.’
She saw the crudely torn opening in the barrier.
Its mana structure was damaged, making it more of a mana wall than a barrier, but it should be enough to momentarily block this relentless attack.
‘Tsk.’
As a high-ranking executive of Illusion, a woman favored by God R’hell, the thought of retreating so ignominiously was repulsive, but this wasn’t the time for petty pride.
So,
‘Now!’
Seizing a minuscule opening, a fraction of a second, Lexa slipped through the gap in the barrier and into the cave.
Rustle!
And at that moment, the reason she was called the Azure Witch…
…began to spread through the cave.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Kwa-ga-ga-ga-boom—!!
The sheer power and speed of the attack weren’t just astonishing—they were almost terrifying.
The sight of dozens of golden arrows intertwining in mid-air, forming a massive, swirling stream of light, was breathtaking.
It was like a golden dragon, roaring fiercely, charging towards its prey.
‘He’s insane… What are his limits?’
Na-yeon gulped involuntarily.
The thought of intervening in that merciless barrage didn't even cross her mind.
Just watching it made her knees tremble.
Whoosh-Whoosh-Whoosh—!!!
Every shot from his magic bow unleashed a powerful gust of wind that made her ears ring.
HE could probably take down low-level villains with the wind pressure alone.
Na-yeon looked around.
Everyone wore the same expression of awe.
Hye-seo, Renia, Su-ah.
And,
The two unknown women also stared at Tae-jin, who was unleashing a seemingly endless stream of impossibly powerful mana arrows, as if they had seen a ghost.
Who were they?
Their familiarity with Tae-jin intrigued her, but for now, she had to focus on defeating the Azure Witch.
She gripped her sword and assumed a fighting stance.
Every human had a limit to their mana capacity.
Tae-jin seemed to have surpassed that limit, so she tensed her muscles, ready to jump in as soon as his attack ceased.
Then,
Whoosh…
The powerful gusts of wind subsided, and white smoke, like heat haze, rose from Tae-jin’s upper body.
Thud!
He planted the tip of his bow on the ground and knelt on one knee.
“Huff… Huff…”
He gasped for air.
Su-ah hurried to his side, casting [Recovery] and [Heal] to prevent him from collapsing and handed him a mana potion.
“Did you get her…!”
Renia’s excited exclamation hung in the air.
The Azure Witch had vanished without a trace.
Renia clenched her fists.
It was a display of power that hinted at incredible potential.
If it had been a mid-rank villain, they would have been vaporized.
But unfortunately,
“No. She escaped through the barrier.”
Tae-jin’s words, spoken as he used his bow as a staff to stand up, dashed everyone’s hopes.
Hye-seo nodded with a grim expression.
“Of course… It wouldn’t be that easy. She’s the Azure Witch, after all.”
“But she must have taken some damage. The fact that she retreated is a victory for us.”
Lexa had escaped into the cave, beyond the barrier.
Tae-jin wasn’t worried.
Lexa had entered the cave earlier and come back out.
This meant she hadn’t found Han Chang-ho’s inheritance, or for some reason, couldn’t access it.
So, there was no reason to rush.
And the Azure Witch was known for her cunning and trickery.
Rushing in blindly would be like a fly walking into a spiderweb.
They needed to regroup and strategize.
First,
Tae-jin looked at the two women who were watching him.
He needed to learn more about them before entering the cave.
It would increase their chances of success.
The fact that they had come to this remote, seemingly insignificant location and confronted Illusion meant they were connected to Han Chang-ho or had a history with Illusion.
Thankfully, he didn’t sense any hostility or malice from them.
But he couldn't shake the feeling…
‘…Are they looking at me with… admiration? Am I imagining things?’
Their gazes felt unusual.
Their faces seemed familiar.
He couldn’t place them, though.
Renia and Na-yeon stood beside Tae-jin, and he began the introductions.
He decided to avoid mentioning Han Chang-ho’s inheritance until he knew more about them.
“We’re cadets on a training trip, accompanied by our Hunter and Holder support. May I ask who you are?”
A polite inquiry.
But the response was a cryptic murmur from the older woman.
“Hohoho… Ten years is a long time.”
“Excuse me…?”
“Well, it’s natural that your memories are hazy. You were so young back then.”
Mi-hwa smiled warmly at Tae-jin.
Time was of the essence, but surely a brief moment of sentimentality was permissible for a family reunion after ten years.
Mi-hwa placed her hand on Yu-ra’s shoulder and looked at the four women standing beside Tae-jin.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you all. Although, this isn’t exactly the ideal time for introductions.”
“Hello.”
Yu-ra bowed politely, her hands clasped in front of her.
“Oh, I forgot to introduce her. This is my daughter, Han Yu-ra.”
The two women’s open and sincere greetings were met with suspicion from the others.
Only Tae-jin remained wary, his eyes fixed on them.
“Oh, I should have introduced myself first. Please forgive my rudeness.”
“It’s fine.”
Tae-jin replied stiffly, with a hint of hostility in his voice.
Unwarranted familiarity from strangers often triggered his suspicion.
He tightened his grip on Heaven’s Edge and tensed his muscles.
“My name is Baek Mi-hwa. It’s a bit embarrassing, but I used to be known as the ‘Plum Blossom Archer.’”
The moment those words left her lips, a wave of shock rippled through the group.
Na-yeon was the first to react.
“T-the Plum Blossom Archer?”
“Please, don’t make such a fuss. It’s embarrassing.”
Su-ah, Hye-seo, and even Tae-jin’s eyes widened in recognition.
Only Renia remained unaffected.
“What? What? Who’s the Plum Blossom Archer? Su-ah? Unnie? Is she famous? Am I the only one who doesn’t know? Am I an idiot?”
Renia’s innocent questions went unanswered.
Everyone seemed too stunned by the name to respond.
Plum Blossom Archer
The nickname stemmed from the similarity between the archer’s name and the plum blossom motif embroidered on her bow, as well as the plum blossom petals that scattered with every skill she used.
Of course, people also called her that because of her overwhelming skill, unparalleled fighting style, and beauty that rivaled a plum blossom in full bloom.
Unlike other high-ranking Hunters who sought fame and recognition in the media, she had never once stepped into the spotlight.
That’s why the name “Plum Blossom Archer” was so well-known.
In her prime, she was one of the top S-rank Hunters, revered worldwide for her archery skills.
But then,
One day, she announced her retirement and vanished without a trace.
Countless media outlets and followers tried to find her, but their efforts were in vain.
It took a full ten years for the fervor to die down, and the name “Plum Blossom Archer” became a legend.
And now,
She had appeared in this remote corner of the Taebaek Mountains.
And,
“Hmm…You all seem more surprised than I expected. I thought my name would be forgotten by now.”
“Um… Please don’t be too surprised. Before being the Plum Blossom Archer, I’m Tae-jin’s mother.”
With that additional introduction, the shockwave turned into a tsunami, crashing over them.
A tsunami of shock.
Silence descended upon the clearing, as if the world had been submerged in a deep ocean.
All eyes turned towards Tae-jin.
But Tae-jin, facing the unexpected appearance of his mother and sister, who had never been mentioned in the original story, was utterly bewildered.
—Whoosh—
A desolate wind blew through the clearing.
A moment later,
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mother!”
Renia’s quick-witted(?) greeting broke the silence.
“It’s nice to meet you, Miss!”
It was a solid two-hit combo to seal the deal.