Changing Gazes - 1
A lot had changed since the discovery of how to utilize the energy cores, but that didn't mean electricity itself had vanished. Fortunately, the Sword Demon's energy EMP had only stopped the equipment relying on energy cores, leaving the electrical facilities intact, so the surroundings weren't completely dark.
"Just hold on a bit! I'll send more dummies your way!"
"How long?!"
"Ten minutes! No, eight!"
That meant we had to hold off the Sword Demon for eight minutes—or take him down. Seeing the lab staff rush inside and bustle about, I turned to Yoo Choa and Cheon Suho.
"Think we can manage?"
"Uh... somehow, yeah."
Yoo Choa conjured mana orbs in both hands and took a slow breath. I cast Blessing of the Holy Spirit on her, then Diamond Protection on Cheon Suho.
"Here we go."
The moment the slowly aimed sword moved, the Sword Demon's body vanished.
-Ching!!
He reappeared beside Cheon Suho, his blade swinging at the tank's head before he could even raise his shield.
-Bang!!
The hidden double-barrel shotgun roared. But the Sword Demon tanked it with his body and swung anyway. Cheon Suho gritted his teeth and raised his arm.
"Think you're safe just 'cause you've got armor? I'm a sword..."
-Clang!!
"...demon...?"
Diamond Protection! Solid as hell!
Any other guy would've lost an arm to that strike, but Cheon Suho was a tank. With his natural durability plus top-tier gear, he blocked it with his arm alone.
"That hurts like hell!"
Of course it hurt. He grimaced and yelled, but didn't stop there. He swung the shield in his left hand, and the Sword Demon—surprised by the tank's skill—backpedaled to dodge.
-Boom!!
Followed by Yoo Choa's Mana Cannon. The devastating blast shattered the surroundings, sending the Sword Demon tumbling across the floor. He tilted his head.
"...Impressive. You're no mere freshmen."
That's 'cause of the Blessing of the Holy Spirit boost. Even against the Sword Demon, buffs made it doable. Perfect.
"Guys! Hit him!!"
"Yaaah!!"
"Take this!!"
At my shout, Cheon Suho charged with shield raised, Yoo Choa's support fire—no, bombardment—raining down behind him. The Sword Demon parried or slashed the mana cannons, but in that chaotic moment, a shield bash!
"...Weak strength for that defense."
Tch. Cooldowns kept me from rebuffing. But...
-Bang!!
Dripping water can pierce rock. Cheon Suho's double-barrel shotgun blasted the Sword Demon's gut from earlier, forcing him to grit his teeth and retreat again.
And then.
"Hup!!"
He swung his drawn sword in a wide arc. The basic skill for sword-affinity Awakeners: Crescent Slash.
"Cheon Suho! Block it!"
Buoyed by blocking the last hit, he'd lowered his shield to counterattack. He snapped it up at my yell.
-Ching!!
The crescent blade gouged his shield and shoved him sliding back.
"...What power."
"I'm more shocked. What are you made of...?"
Opening! I loosed an arrow at his head. He flinched, turned to dodge, then glared at me.
Haha. Scary eyes—what're you staring at?
"...These young heroes pack a punch. Fine. Then I'll get serious too..."
"Yaaah!!"
-Boom!! Boom!! Boom!! Boom!! Bang!!!
Five more shots while Cheon Suho kept him busy, cutting off his monologue again.
"You little—! I'm talking... guh!!"
"Sword Demon. Not gonna call you cowardly, but what's with the cool-guy speech? Don't you know we're in a fight?"
I nocked another arrow, aiming for the head again. Thanks to the archery gloves, it was easy to line up.
"Insolent whelps!!"
-Thud!!
His sword batted my arrow aside and slammed into the ground. Buffs expired simultaneously. I slapped Blessing of the Holy Spirit on Cheon Suho and Diamond Protection on Yoo Choa, whose defense was lower.
Dozens of sword qi erupted from the downward strike, sweeping the front. But as an AoE, its power was way less than Crescent Slash. Cheon Suho blocked it; Yoo Choa just got dinged a bit thanks to Diamond Protection.
And I...
"Guh...!!"
In the rear, I barely twisted to avoid a fatal hit, but couldn't dodge entirely. My right arm and left thigh burned with deep gashes. Forehead, shoulder, arms, legs—cuts everywhere. My weak heals and mental fortitude kept me conscious.
"Yohan!! You okay?!"
Yoo Choa paled seeing me hit, but no time for that!
"I'm fi—urk. Ow! It just stings like a bitch!! Feels like I'll pass out any second!! But I'm fine!!"
"You don't look fine?!"
One arm and leg half-useless, wounds everywhere, blood everywhere—still couldn't buff if I passed out. Hearing me, they pressed the Sword Demon.
-Bang! Bang!
"Heh. Tired already? Those blasts are weaker than before..."
-Bang!!
"...Guh."
He'd been dodging Kim Yeonha's barrages, but another shotgun slug to the gut. Seizing his grimace as he tried to tank it, I healed Yoo Choa. Not strong, but it'd help—ease the pain at least.
My turn. Right arm agony nearly breaking me, but I held. Instead...
I pulled the instant-recovery ampule from earlier. Urgent spots: leg or arm. Leg for escape, arm for one more shot. No choice.
I jammed the ampule into my arm; the wound began knitting. Pain lingered, but I gripped the bow again.
Situation? Blood obscured my vision. Wiped it with my hand, re-aimed.
Yoo Choa and Cheon Suho—buffed up—were slowly pushing him back. No way they'd lose.
Time for me to earn my keep. Scanned terrain, wind. Feet planted, chest open, core tight. Grip hand firm, draw hand back slow.
My shots wouldn't do much damage anyway. Aim for one moment.
Sword Demon parried dozens of swings from the pair, then raised his blade. That AoE again? Cheon Suho rushed to block, but the Demon sneered and brought it down.
Yeah. If not for my arrow, it would've landed.
-Twang!!
Hit! This one's for President Ryu Sena, Instructor Kim Yeonha who gave me the archery gloves, Elizabeth who trained me, and Jin Siyeon who picked this bow.
"Huh?!"
Arrow on the descending blade? Trajectory shifted a split-second. A Sword Demon could correct it easy, but in front were Academy runner-up and this world's protagonist—buffed. They wouldn't miss that gap.
And my cooldowns reset—Yoo Choa rebuffed.
"Haaaah!!"
Like combining her five prior shots? She'd hidden behind Cheon Suho, out of blast range, now up close.
-BOOM!!
"Grraaagh...!"
"Hoo..."
Hiding an ultimate like that. Risky up close for squishy Yoo Choa, but she pulled it off. Protagonist for a reason.
"...Did we get him?"
"Hey! Hey!"
"You idiot! Don't jinx it like that!"
Nah, Sword Demon was out cold—no twitch. Watching him, I collapsed.
"Holy shit. We caught a villain... Yohan?!"
"Hey! Heal your own wounds first—how's that help us?!"
"Ugh... These won't heal with my puny heals anyway."
That's why I saved them for you frontline fighters.
"...Could've at least buffed defense."
That'd have been better on Yoo Choa than me anyway.
"...Ugh..."
"You okay? What do we do! He's bleeding out! Yohan! Stay with us!"
"...Lost too much blood... Ugh... Hungry..."
"Here, at least this!"
She jabbed the spare recovery ampule into my thigh; it started healing. But minor cuts remained.
"Kids! You alright?!"
The researchers' shouts from behind. Their dummies were incoming.
"Haa... Thank god."
Fallen Sword Demon, my blood-soaked crew, conscious me. Seeing us all alive, Shin Haerang sighed in relief with the dummies.
And we knew—we'd won.
Treatment in the lab's recovery room finally eased things. Felt like I'd donated blood thrice—downed two Choco Pies at once.
"Heh. You three took down the Sword Demon? Impressive."
"Famous guy?"
"Kinda. Objectively, even you two would've struggled... Hm. Kim Yohan's buffs?"
"Yep."
"...Learn some humility."
"Facts, though. If Yohan hadn't blocked that last one, no opening."
"Fair. Good work anyway."
By the time we dropped him, they'd repelled the lab raiders. Missed the Death Witch, but nabbed a few villains. Plenty of cadets hurt too.
"Aigoo, I'm dying!"
"Ughhh..."
Not just me in recovery—familiar cadets groaned on slabs. They'd heal by tomorrow.
"Anyway, here. Take it."
Villain loot goes to the heroes who nabbed 'em. Spoils of war.
"Eh... Not as good as expected."
"Anything else?"
"Nah, junk."
Checked the haul—nothing special. Eyes on the Sword Demon's sword on the table.
Demonic sword forged by master smith Gwikokja. True to the bloodthirsty Gwikokja, it always hungered for blood.
Mental Strength -1
Strength +0.5
Skill: Moon Wave Slash usable
Penalty: Must commit at least one murder per day
"Total garbage!"
That AoE was probably Moon Wave Slash. Decent power and skill, but the penalty's insane. Mental drop's bad enough, but daily murder? Nuts...
"...Looks super dangerous."
"Creeps me out."
"If none of us want it, send to the Association? Could get an elixir. Or cash."
Better that way.
"Cash it clean, split three ways?"
"Nah. Elixir for you."
"For real?"
"Yeah. Honestly, we'd have lost without you."
Last-hitter Yoo Choa grinned, offering the sword.
"Just do me a favor later if I ask."
"Ooh, me too. Me too."
"You... guys..."
I'll gladly take it!!