Chapter 160
Chapter 160
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 160
Chapter Title: Cornered Evasion
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Chapter 160
Chapter 160
Jeong-hyeon’s specialty of evasion had now flipped into a symbol of being driven into a corner.
Pung-
“What kind of sword clashing with the ground makes a sound like that?”
No special attributes had even been imbued on it.
Jeong-hyeon clicked his tongue as he glanced at the debris left by the claymore.
The ground was cratered as if a bomb had dropped.
Ashurek now seemed to be swinging his sword with roughly double his initial strength and speed.
Dodging was starting to feel burdensome.
At some point, a sense of crisis he hadn’t felt in ages began to overwhelm Jeong-hyeon.
He’d always had confidence in avoiding attacks, so no matter the strong foe, he believed he could survive.
That confidence was now under threat.
Hwik-
Jeong-hyeon pulled back to catch his breath for a moment.
His instantaneous movement speed still held the advantage.
Then he drew three more daggers and threw them.
“Not many daggers left now…”
He swallowed his regret.
It might sound absurd in a life-or-death battle, but combat was ultimately a mutual agreement of sorts.
If the opponent aimed for an arm, you blocked it; if you targeted a leg, they guarded it.
Of course, it wasn’t a contract on paper, but instinctively, every action to protect or take a life felt like part of a series of tacit agreements.
For example, when Jeong-hyeon threw three daggers, Ashurek would block one and take the other two with his body.
That was the unspoken pattern of their offense and defense.
But as always, change came when someone broke the agreement.
“What?”
Peobeobeok-
Unlike before, Ashurek ignored defense and charged at Jeong-hyeon.
The three daggers embedded in his side, chest, and nape.
Each was a vital spot that could prove fatal, but he didn’t care.
It stemmed from confidence.
Confidence that wounds like these wouldn’t kill him.
Jeong-hyeon urgently swung his pickaxe.
Kang-
It bounced off lightly.
At this point, he couldn’t hope to endure a direct clash of raw power.
“A mistake—”
Should he have dodged without looking back?
Was it a mistake?
That doubt in Jeong-hyeon’s mind was instantly wiped blank.
Ppeok-
Ashurek’s fist slammed fiercely into Jeong-hyeon’s side.
Even wearing the Cursed Armor, renowned for its defense, there was a limit to the impacts it could fully block.
Especially direct blows like this.
“Keoheup!”
Jeong-hyeon flew back, rolling several times across the ground before finally stopping.
Ashurek didn’t give him time to stand.
He dropped his sword back and rushed toward Jeong-hyeon.
He was still breathing, but that punch alone had surely caused severe internal injuries.
A sound like a drum bursting had echoed from his abdomen, where organs clustered.
Not reassured, Ashurek aimed to finish him completely.
But an unexpected interruption foiled Ashurek’s plan.
Hwarureuk-
The wall of fire—the very thing that had cornered him before his awakening to nature’s power.
It now blocked between Jeong-hyeon and Ashurek once more.
Naturally, it was Ji-hee’s magic.
Ashurek paused, staring silently at her.
Unlike before, Jeong-hyeon was still out of it beyond the flames.
In other words, no follow-up attack would link with her magic this time.
As a warrior, his fighting spirit had kept him focused on Jeong-hyeon until now, but Ji-hee had constantly needled Ashurek’s nerves.
Enough that he’d decided to prioritize eliminating her at the first opportunity.
And he saw this as that moment.
Pabat-
“!”
Ashurek glared briefly at the wall of fire where Jeong-hyeon lay, then turned and charged toward Ji-hee.
Her ability to harass him effectively so far had been entirely thanks to Jeong-hyeon.
He’d bought her time to cast spells up front.
Without Jeong-hyeon, Ji-hee was just a human who could use magic—nothing more, nothing less.
Seukak-
In an instant, Ashurek closed in on Ji-hee and her party members, swinging his sword.
Ji-hee stared blankly, not even thinking to dodge.
No—she’d known he was coming for her, but up to the moment his sword moved, she hadn’t registered it moving.
“Am I going to die?”
She only instinctively sensed death’s shadow looming over her.
The fire blazing in her heart flickered as if about to extinguish.
Kwang-
But what Ji-hee heard wasn’t the sound of her frail flesh being sliced.
An unexpected roar assaulted her ears.
“Kwaaaak!”
Park Su-chan tumbled to the ground, his right arm twisted at an unnatural angle.
Just before the strike hit Ji-hee, he’d instinctively jumped in.
Even with his A-Rank strength enhancement trait, he was only level 3.
And unlike Jeong-hyeon’s skillful deflection, he’d tried tanking that monstrous power head-on—small wonder his arm snapped.
“Quick… get away…”
Su-chan stammered through groans.
It was true Ji-hee hadn’t contributed much since Jeong-hyeon went down, but if she fell, even a recovered Jeong-hyeon would have no sharp way to counter Ashurek.
They complemented each other’s weaknesses.
Hearing Su-chan, Ji-hee stumbled back.
She knew she should flee as he said, but her legs wouldn’t obey.
Even if they did, could she outrun this monster?
She hadn’t even properly seen his sword swings before?
Ashurek glanced at Su-chan rolling on the ground, then swung at Ji-hee again.
Seugek-
Ji-hee still couldn’t track the sword properly.
Mages weren’t meant to face close-range boss monsters up close.
“Kyaaak!”
But Ji-hee survived again.
She floated into the air unaware, then crashed back to the ground.
Her back throbbed from the rough impact.
Blood sprayed up.
Yeon-hee stood before her, having embraced and leaped to shield her—taking a deep gash across the back in the process.
“Kereu…”
Ashurek let out a displeased grunt.
His target had escaped death twice thanks to others—not a satisfying feeling.
But now, no party members remained to save Ji-hee.
The healer Yun-ho was there, but he just blinked dazedly, lost.
Ashurek strode toward Ji-hee.
She’d shifted back a few times trying to escape, but that was a distance he could cover in one step.
Peok-
Then, a solid impact struck Ashurek’s back.
A dagger.
“I’m still alive, and you touch our honorary priest? Lizard!”
Jeong-hyeon charged from behind Ashurek.
Still gripping that black pickaxe.
“Keeee!”
Now fully enraged, Ashurek spun and rushed at Jeong-hyeon.
This puny human—whatever trick he’d pulled, others would’ve died by now, yet he brazenly clung to life.
Kwang-
Jeong-hyeon’s pickaxe clashed against Ashurek’s claymore, erupting in a roar and sparks.
Kwang- kwang- kwang-
Their weapons met and parted repeatedly in quick succession.
Despite the immense strain on their bodies, Jeong-hyeon still had the stamina to clash directly—Ashurek was incredulous.
Of course, even that miraculous power couldn’t shift the scales; they tilted endlessly toward Ashurek.
“Nature’s power or whatever—no duration limit?!”
Jeong-hyeon gritted his teeth.
Otherwise, he’d drop the pickaxe any second.
Since that fist to his side, his organs felt misplaced throughout his body.
Even with constant F-rank healing, it wasn’t an injury that’d heal so easily.
And even without that, he had more than enough wounds to deal with.
Behind Ashurek’s massive frame, Ji-hee staggered to her feet.
Her attacks might not land now, but he had no choice but to try.
But something was off about Ji-hee rising.
Not off, exactly—
“Why’s it falling like that? No way…”
It had returned to normal.
* * *
Two people were hurt because of her.
No—might even die.
Because of her.
Her hand, pressing the ground to rise, came away sticky with blood.
Yeon-hee’s blood from the deep gash on her back.
She needed healing now, but Yun-ho, who should do it, was out of it.
Ji-hee looked around.
No need to turn her head; the sights filled her vision.
The ground soaked red, the forest shattered, felled, and burned into ruin, smoke rising everywhere, the sky stained gray.
And people risking their lives to protect her.
She’d seen this scene before.
13 years ago, the day the gates opened.
The day her metropolis crumbled in an instant to look just like this.
Not just her city—the whole world.
- Kraaaak!
Monsters straight out of nightmares.
- Ji-hee, run—hurry!
Her mom, letting go of her young hand and staying behind.
[You have awakened.]
[Your trait is 「Fire Sovereign」(S, Lv.1).]
A notification window full of incomprehensible words.
Hwarureuk-
A small but definite ember igniting in her chest.
- Do you want to save that person?
A voice from somewhere.
Everything was a first.
Not just for young Ji-hee—the whole world was experiencing it.
Kwang-
The four-legged monster pursuing Ji-hee and her mother finally smashed its tail into her mom.
Spitting blood, her mother—who’d sent her daughter ahead first—fell back just steps away.
- Hurry, go—now!
Despite the agony, she kept shouting from the ground.
But her daughter only teared up, rooted in place.
- Ji-hee, if you go, Mom will…
Tears welled in her eyes too.
So much undone, so much unsaid.
Then, the massive four-legged beast stomped her back viciously.
-Kak!
She couldn’t even scream.
After gazing at her daughter a moment, she lost consciousness.
A mystical voice reached Ji-hee’s ears again.
Warm, light.
- She’s not dead yet. Do you want to save her?
How could she save Mom from that monster? It didn’t make sense.
She couldn’t see the voice’s owner, but it didn’t seem as big or strong.
- If you wish, you can not only save her but kill that monster too.
- Kill?
Kill.
Ji-hee reacted to the word.
Dad had saved her and Mom, but that monster came back relentlessly.
Saving Mom now might not be enough.
As if reading her desire, the voice rephrased.
- Do you want to kill that monster?
- Yes. I want to kill it!
- As you wish.