Chapter 450: Flag Search (5)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 450: Flag Search (5)
Kang Hyun-woo checked the screen that appeared before him, a smile playing on his lips as he launched himself toward the beast.
「The Constellation, ‘Nightmare of Southern France,’ is enraged.」
「“How dare a mere human!!”」
—!!!
The Constellation’s howl echoed deep into the forest.
Its cry was filled with raw fury and killing intent.
Even if it was a lower-grade divinity, his opponent was a Constellation, a being whose status far surpassed that of a human.
Yet, even when faced with such an imposing presence, Kang Hyun-woo didn’t even blink.
Instead, a quiet, unfathomable fighting spirit flickered within his eyes.
Tiring—
「Activating ‘Incomplete Moon’s Eye’.」
「The target’s status is high, so the trait’s effect is halved.」
「It is the night of the new moon.」
「‘Incomplete Moon’s Eye’ is imbued with the moon’s energy.」
「Forcibly viewing the target’s information.」
「Modifier · Nightmare of Southern France」
「True Name · Beast of Gévaudan
An unidentified beast active in the southern region of France in the mid-1760s. It primarily killed people by tearing out their throats. A total of 210 people were attacked, of which 113 were eaten or killed. Body parts of 98 victims were missing, and 49 suffered fatal injuries.」
The Beast of Gévaudan?
Kang Hyun-woo tilted his head inwardly at the unfamiliar name.
It was a natural reaction.
The Tower was the final destination for Constellations and Players from countless worlds.
It was no surprise that myths and legends existed that he had never heard of.
Soon, Kang Hyun-woo reached the mountainside and squared up, staring down the ‘Nightmare of Southern France’—no, the Beast of Gévaudan.
“Grrrrrr...”
Was it always this big?
It looked to be at least four meters tall.
Its body length was nearly double that, and its grotesque appearance, a bizarre amalgamation of various animals, made him instinctively scowl.
“...Damn, you’re ugly.”
Thump—!
At that moment, the beast charged, swinging a massive forepaw at Kang Hyun-woo.
For a beast, it sure understood the insult perfectly.
“Kyaaaahk?!!!”
Kang Hyun-woo pulled Wi Ryeong-ah into his arms and leaped back.
CRASH!!
The claws slammed into the ground, leaving deep gouges.
A thick cloud of dust billowed up, obscuring his vision, but the beast had no intention of letting its prey escape.
—!!
A flash of light glinted from beyond the swirling dust.
Kang Hyun-woo reflexively twisted his head.
SWOOSH—!!
Claws carrying a murderous, sharp aura sliced through the dust cloud. If he had been a fraction of a second slower, his head would have been sent flying.
The Beast of Gévaudan didn’t stop there, opening its maw to snap at him.
This was the same attack that had literally torn Eumjin’s protective talisman to shreds. A clumsy attempt to block it would surely result in his head being ripped off.
Tap—!
Kang Hyun-woo kicked off the empty air as if it were a foothold, escaping the attack’s range.
Putting some distance between them, he carefully set Wi Ryeong-ah down near a suitable rock.
“Rest here for a moment. I’ll be right back.”
“S-Sir Kang?!!”
Kang Hyun-woo set up a simple barrier around Wi Ryeong-ah and then layered another one on top of it.
This should be enough to withstand at least two attacks if the Beast of Gévaudan decided to target her.
「The Constellation, ‘Nightmare of Southern France,’ is indignant.」
「“How dare a human turn his back on me!!”」
BOOM!!
Enraged by Kang Hyun-woo’s leisurely demeanor, the Beast of Gévaudan slammed its tail into the ground, launching massive rocks like shot puts.
As dozens of boulders rained down on him, Kang Hyun-woo charged straight ahead.
There was not a hint of hesitation.
He weaved through the large and small rocks, dodging by a paper-thin margin, his movements like flowing water.
「The Constellation, ‘Nightmare of Southern France,’ widens its eyes.」
The Beast of Gévaudan couldn’t help but be stunned.
It had expected him to dodge the attack, but his speed far exceeded its imagination.
In the blink of an eye, Kang Hyun-woo was right in front of it.
It was a strange thing for a Constellation to admit, but the movement was bizarre, as if he were possessed by a ghost.
Kiiiiing!!!
Red energy gathered in Kang Hyun-woo’s fist.
Sensing the ominous presence, the Beast of Gévaudan hastily tried to retreat, but Kang Hyun-woo was a step faster.
“Do you know how we deal with stray dogs that bite people back home?”
Crackle—!
Red electricity sparked violently from Kang Hyun-woo’s body.
The Crimson Cloud Thunder energy, seeming to burn everything around it, revealed its ferocious presence without restraint.
“A good beating.”
The moment his red eyes gleamed in the darkness—
Kang Hyun-woo threw his punch.
Crimson Cloud Thunder Art · Thunder-Shattering God Fist.
—!!!!!
The Red Lightning that erupted from his fist annihilated all terrain in its path.
Soon, a menacing flash of light dyed the entire area red.
The players who had been running through the forest searching for flags stopped in their tracks, lifting their heads to look at the mountain.
It was a truly bizarre sight.
Lightning wasn’t striking down from the sky; it was erupting from the ground and spreading in all directions.
And at the center of this surreal phenomenon, something even stranger was happening.
“Ki, kieeeek...!”
Drip, splat—
To put it simply, the Beast of Gévaudan was not dead. Even with half of its body blown away, it was still alive.
Its survivability was truly like that of a cockroach.
What a pain.
Kang Hyun-woo’s eyes grew cold.
Crackle—
It was a bit of a stretch to call the Crimson Cloud Thunder Art an orthodox martial art.
Its nature was so rough and violent that it wouldn’t have been out of place to call it a demonic art.
As such, it was highly responsive to the user’s emotions.
Now that Kang Hyun-woo’s mind was steeped in thick killing intent, menacing red lightning crackled ceaselessly around him.
Perhaps his appearance was too threatening.
“Kya, kyaaaak!!!”
As Kang Hyun-woo closed the distance, the Beast of Gévaudan reflexively stumbled back, howling.
But that lasted only a moment.
The instant it realized it was afraid of its prey, something hot and passionate began to boil deep within its chest.
Snap—
At the same time, something broke.
Its reason.
「The Constellation, ‘Nightmare of Southern France,’ retracts its authority.」
「The Mark of the Hunt disappears.」
With the message, the black fog that had been obstructing Kang Hyun-woo’s vision vanished completely.
The same happened for the other participants.
Wi Ryeong-ah, her sight restored, shed a tear of overwhelming emotion, but Kang Hyun-woo’s guard was now raised even higher.
‘...A significant amount of my stamina and magic power has been drained. Was the mark for more than just tracking my location and applying a debuff?’
Swoooosh—
As the Beast of Gévaudan retracted its mark, an unidentifiable, ominous energy began to converge on it.
Instantly sensing the sinister atmosphere, Kang Hyun-woo charged toward the beast.
He had no intention of waiting for its transformation to finish.
Vicious red lightning wrapped around his fist, forming a red fist aura.
He didn't need to hold back.
Controlling the lightning so it wouldn't leak outwards, he focused all his power into a single point.
In that instant, its destructive force soared to its absolute limit.
Crimson Cloud Thunder Art · Heaven-Shattering Fist.
KRRRRRRRUMBLE!!!!!
A thunderous roar that threatened the very heavens spread in all directions.
As the single punch, with power rivaling the Thunder-Shattering God Fist, struck the beast, Kang Hyun-woo was certain he had finally ended it.
But that certainty was short-lived.
“...Tsk.”
Kang Hyun-woo’s face twisted.
A sudden gust of wind blew away the thick dust, revealing the scene beyond.
Kagagagak—!!!
An opaque barrier surrounding the Beast of Gévaudan generated a powerful repulsive force, completely blocking Kang Hyun-woo’s strike.
If it had been a normal barrier, he could have dismantled it with reverse calculation, but this was the authority of a Constellation.
It couldn't be broken through ordinary means.
‘...Some kind of recovery capsule?’
Through the opaque barrier, he could faintly see the beast rapidly healing its wounds.
Moreover, its body had grown about one and a half times larger than before, suggesting it wasn't just for healing but also for enhancement.
He could destroy it right now using Lucifer’s authority, the Black Flame, but it was still too soon to use it in front of other Constellations.
Tiring—
「The Constellation, ‘Saintess of Uruk,’ objects to the excessive difficulty of the test.」
「The System has deemed this reasonable.」
「The Administrator is intervening.」
—!!!!
At that moment, an unfamiliar wave of energy spread out.
He soon felt a distortion in space.
Instinctively stepping back, Kang Hyun-woo slowly raised his head.
Where his gaze fell, a rift, warped like a black hole, was forming.
Soon, the Administrator slowly emerged from beyond the rift.
The two had clearly met before, but the Administrator didn’t even glance at Kang Hyun-woo.
“Haa... Constellation. I believe I’ve told you repeatedly, haven’t I? You are only permitted to use one authority in this test.”
「The Constellation, ‘Nightmare of Southern France,’ is indignant.」
「“So you expect me, a Constellation, to be insulted by a mere player?!!”」
“Did you not accept the proposal after considering all the conditions?”
Despite the Constellation’s fierce protest, the Administrator’s voice was ice-cold.
Although the Administrator was using honorifics, the power dynamic between them was clear for all to see.
“This test ends here. The fault lies with you, Constellation, so the debt forgiveness is off the table.”
「The Constellation, ‘Nightmare of Southern France,’ glares.」
「“Don’t give me that bullshit!!”」
BANG!!
At the Administrator’s words, the Beast of Gévaudan, which had been healing its wounds, pounded on the barrier in a fit of rage.
Its bloodshot eyes looked like those of a rabid dog.
But the Administrator paid it no mind.
As if completely unconcerned, he moved to stop the test immediately.
“Wait a minute.”
At that moment, Kang Hyun-woo blocked the Administrator’s path.
His unexpected action drew the attention of not only the Administrator but also all the watching Constellations.
“What is it, Player Kang Hyun-woo?”
“Who gave you the right to end the test?”
“...What?”
Tiring—
「Hunt Reversal – Subjugation
You are the prey.
However, a hunter must always be prepared to be hunted.
Let your opponent know that the roles have been reversed.
Condition: Subjugate the avatar of the ‘Nightmare of Southern France’
Success: 10,000 WP, a gift from a Constellation
Failure: -」
“The test isn’t over yet.”