Missing (4)
‘Th-this is...’
Jin Bo-ram’s eyes widened as if they might tear apart. Just moments ago, Kim Jehyun had seemed beneath her. But in this instant, he loomed far larger than she did.
‘Ugh.’
She bit her lip hard, struggling to shake off the overwhelming presence crushing down on her. Then, suddenly, her face twisted as if struck by a massive shock to the head.
She recognized something familiar in this aura pressing upon her.
‘N-no way.’
An image flashed in her mind. For a split second, the Jehyun before her overlapped with that being.
‘What absurd thought is this?’
She shook her head. It was ridiculous. That one could erase someone like her with a mere flick of the hand, turning her to dust. Comparing Jehyun to such a great existence? It was laughable.
“Kuh, you think you can...?”
Resisting Jehyun’s aura, she growled with venom, as if she wanted to devour him. The very thought shamed and insulted her.
Dragon Fear has manifested.
The target's stats have been slightly reduced.
‘This much for now, I guess.’
Jehyun felt a twinge of regret. If it had stunned her even briefly, or slashed her stats drastically, she’d have been much easier to handle.
‘I’ll settle for this.’
It was encouraging enough that Dragon Fear worked on an S-rank superhuman. With her stats diminished, Jin Bo-ram suddenly felt manageable.
Perhaps sensing his underestimation, she let out a sudden roar.
“I’ll chop off a few of your limbs!”
Exuding murderous intent, she unleashed her ability. Shadows writhed behind Jehyun, erupting into purple thorns.
No matter how he looked at it, her power was blatantly overpowered. As long as a shadow existed, she could unleash endless tricky attacks.
‘Shield.’
Jehyun immediately cast the shield he’d prepared. At the same time, his spirits launched their assault on her.
In truth, from Jin Bo-ram’s perspective, Jehyun was a nightmare opponent. He debuffed her ability, cast attacks and defenses simultaneously. His circle was lower, but hardly negligible.
But in this moment, she was certain.
Her first strike had landed on Jehyun.
‘You idiot! You thought your puny shield could block my attack?’
She smirked viciously. At Jehyun’s level, no shield could withstand her Thorns of Agony. Even a 7th Circle mage’s barrier would shred before it, given the right conditions.
Though her power was weakened by whatever weird ability he’d used, it was still enough to pierce his shield.
Puuk.
Sure enough, the Thorns of Agony tore through Jehyun’s shield. It held tougher than expected, startling her slightly, but that was all.
‘Got it... Huh?’
Her eyes bulged wide. The thorns had pierced the shield—but not Jehyun’s body.
“Wha...!”
For the first time, genuine panic crossed Jin Bo-ram’s face. Up close, the thorns hadn’t even scratched his skin; they were blocked.
‘Did the attack weaken piercing the shield?’
That was her only thought.
‘Damn it.’
Dodging the pesky spirits’ attacks, she sought another opening. Jehyun’s summoned spirits were annoyingly persistent, especially the near-S-rank Thunder Bird—its strikes were no joke.
Damage was already accumulating, so this next attack had to succeed to seize control of the fight.
Pyuushuuuk!
Spotting her chance, she poured massive power into another Thorns of Agony. The shadows behind Jehyun surged again, more ferociously than before, hurtling toward him.
Yet again, they failed to pierce his body.
“Impossible!”
She screamed, nearly a howl. It couldn’t be. She had no idea what that mana membrane around his skin was.
Chills ran down her spine as she stared at Jehyun. His power went far beyond what met the eye.
Meanwhile, Jehyun’s eyes sparkled at the messages floating before him.
Dragon Scale proficiency has greatly increased.
Dragon Scale proficiency has greatly increased.
He’d panicked briefly when the shield broke so easily, but the follow-up messages brought a smile to his face.
‘Proficiency gains are pure honey.’
The Thorns of Agony couldn’t pierce his Dragon Scale, only feeding it massive proficiency. He could see it filling rapidly. A bit more combat like this, and it’d surpass 30%.
“What sorcery is this, you freak?!”
Finally, Jin Bo-ram concluded Jehyun was using some bizarre witchcraft. Her power was already weakened by his odd tricks, and now this incomprehensible defense. Facing an unknown force for the first time, witchcraft was the only explanation.
Pajijijizit.
“Kyaaak!”
In that brief opening, Thunder Bird’s lightning struck her body. The searing jolt snapped her back to reality.
‘At this rate, I’m done for.’
No more room for her initial leisure. She unleashed her full power, spamming Thorns of Agony while using Shadow Step to dart between shadows.
It drained immense mental energy, but she had no choice. Fail to kill this monster now, and everything was lost.
Sususuut.
Her Shadow Step proved highly effective. The spirits couldn’t keep up with her speed.
‘Now.’
Weaving through shadows, she spotted Jehyun’s gap.
“Die!”
Bursting from the shadow behind him, she thrust her dagger at his back.
Or tried to.
Chiiiing.
Her purple-energized dagger clashed against the mana scales erupting from his back. A metallic clang echoed.
“Wh-what?! It’s blocked?!”
She cried out in shock. Impossible. This was a full-power strike, deadlier than her thorns—yet it bounced off harmlessly.
“Damn it!”
No time for curses. Jehyun counterattacked instantly.
“Lightning Wave.”
Pajijizit!
Sparks exploded across her body. The chain lightning hammered her with brutal damage, staggering her.
“Kraaak!”
A agonized roar escaped her. Her mask and clothes burned, searing into her skin. Horrific pain overwhelmed her.
Clutching her fading consciousness, she hurled herself backward. But Jehyun didn’t let the momentum slip.
“It’s over.”
With those words, blue lightning gathered in his hand again. Resonating with the horn sprouting from his forehead, it unleashed a massive mana wave. A single bolt of devastating thunder lanced toward her.
And that wasn’t all. Thunder Bird unleashed its own lightning, Vulcan spewed hot flames, and Wisp summoned light swords from the air.
“...!”
Jin Bo-ram’s pupils trembled. In her current state, she couldn’t block the combined assault.
Her mana flow was disrupted from Jehyun’s last hit. Even Shadow Step was impossible now.
Her life flashed before her eyes like a panorama. Was this how it ended?
Pasusut.
The attacks hurtling toward her suddenly dispersed into thin air. Not blocked—decomposed at the mana particle level.
“...!”
Jehyun’s eyes widened at the shocking sight. Song Jiseok, who’d been rushing to rescue Jo Yeonho and the captives upon seeing Jehyun gain the upper hand, froze in place.
Before Jin Bo-ram stood a new masked man.
“Tch. About to lose to a kid like this? I’m disappointed.”
“L-Lord...”
Jin Bo-ram prostrated herself at his words.
“I showed an unsightly display due to my shortcomings. For this sin...”
“Third Commander. The fight’s not over yet?”
“I-I’ll correct it.”
At his words, she sprang up, resuming her battle stance. The sudden arrival twisted the battle’s flow.
‘That guy... a monster.’
Jehyun broke into cold sweat eyeing the newcomer.
‘Dragon Eye.’
Jehyun couldn’t read the man’s info. Proof of his overwhelming strength.
‘Stronger than the faction leaders.’
At least late 7th Circle. Even a healthy Jo In-hu couldn’t match him.
“Hmm. So you’re Kim Jehyun? Impressive indeed.”
Astonishingly, the man knew his name. Jehyun’s body tensed.
“Who... are you?”
“Guess?”
The man grinned at the question. Jehyun sensed the killing intent laced within.
Gulp.
His throat bobbed involuntarily.
“What’s the point in telling a dead man? Right?”
“...!”
As the words ended, he appeared before Jehyun as if folding space. His clenched fist slammed into Jehyun’s abdomen.
It happened in a blink. Too fast for Jehyun or his spirits to react.
Thud!
A deafening boom rang out. Jehyun rocketed backward from the gut punch.
“Kim Jehyun!”
Song Jiseok shouted in alarm. A hit that loud could’ve ruptured his organs.
His face paled.
“Hmm?”
But the man tilted his head at his fist.
‘Feels like I punched metal.’
Not the sensation of bursting flesh. He’d pulverized countless bodies before—he knew. Jehyun had blocked it somehow.
‘Not magic.’
With a dubious frown, he glanced where Jehyun had crashed. As expected, Jehyun shoved aside temple rubble and rose.
“Ugh.”
Jehyun shook his head, standing. The blow had dazed him, but the damage was lighter than feared.
‘Thanks to Dragon Scale.’
It had endured the strike solidly. And that attack boosted proficiency in one go.
Dragon Scale proficiency has exceeded 30%.
Dragon Scale authority enhancement is now available.
Authority enhancement can be performed at the location where this legacy was obtained.
‘Finally 30%.’
Jehyun’s eyes gleamed at the unexpected milestone.
“How did that bastard block Lord’s attack...!”
Jin Bo-ram gaped at his defense. She’d suspected since he shrugged off her thorns, but this defense was absurd for his circle.
“We must kill him here.”
She ground her teeth. Letting him live would haunt them forever.
“No. Secure the test subjects. We’re leaving now.”
But the mysterious man shook his head.
“...?”
She shot him a puzzled look. Sensing it, he spoke again.
“Before he arrives... Tch. Too late.”
He clicked his tongue briefly. The situation he’d dreaded had come.
Paaat.
The massive mana field sealing the area vanished. Mana condensed, splitting space with a crack.
Matapju emerged from the rift.
Thoom.
His arrival weighed down the air. Overwhelming mana, beyond comprehension and chillingly potent, dominated the area.
“Matapju!”
Song Jiseok cried out in relief. With Matapju here, it was over.
“This time, a bigger rat’s scurried in.”
Matapju scanned around, then flicked his hand.
‘Light Hammer.’
His favorite spell manifested. A massive light hammer formed in the air, plummeting toward the masked man and Jin Bo-ram.
Kuuuung!
Blinding light flooded the world.
Jehyun and Song Jiseok watched, certain the two couldn’t survive.
Then the light faded.
“...!”
Jehyun’s face filled with shock at the revealed scene.