Chapter 326
Chapter 326
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 326
Chapter Title: Defense
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"Are these the ones?"
A man entered and looked at us while speaking to the association staff member.
Since he spoke in Chinese rather than Korean, none of the hunters except me and the association staff understood him.
The reason I could understand Chinese was because I'd entered the Taeguk Supremacy worldview. I'd naturally picked up the language back then.
"Yes. These ten are the hunters here to assist with evacuating the residents of Wuzhu Village."
"Thank you for your help. Come stand next to me. We don't have much time, so let's move quickly."
The association staff translated his words for us. We grabbed our gear and approached the Chinese man.
This must be China's A-rank spatial transfer ability user.
I sized up the Chinese man.
His clothes were filthy, and he had dark circles under his eyes. It made sense—China was under a level 5 monster disaster alert, so he probably hadn't slept properly while working nonstop.
A spatial transfer ability user. And one who can move to other countries? That's extremely rare.
Looking at his face, like he could collapse any second, I didn't feel the least bit envious.
"Hoo... We're transferring now."
He spoke and channeled his mana. The moment I felt our bodies waver, we were in China's Wuzhu Village. Around twenty people who looked like Chinese hunters stood nearby.
"Cough. Cough! Cough!"
The one coughing was the Chinese man who'd transferred us. His pale face made him look like he was in terrible condition, on the verge of collapsing.
"...I'll head out now. There's still so much left to do..."
He muttered like he was lamenting, then vanished using his ability.
Whew. They must be working him to the bone.
Spatial transfer users possess a rare and powerful ability, so they receive far better treatment than average hunters. However, due to concerns about misuse, they can't use their powers freely.
Transfers to villages or cities of a certain size require permission from the association or government. That's why people compare spatial transfer users to dogs on a leash.
"Hey!"
A man drew our attention. He was a thirty-something with short hair and glasses.
"I'm Ji Woo-jin from Festio Guild. Does anyone here speak Chinese?"
Festio Guild.
A guild name I'd never heard before. And if I didn't know it, there was a 70% chance it was insignificant.
"I do."
I raised my hand. Han Ha-rin next to me gave me a suspicious look, but I was confident.
"Looks like there's someone besides you who speaks Chinese too. Nice to meet you."
Ji Woo-jin approached me for a handshake, speaking in Chinese. It seemed like he was testing if I really spoke it.
"Yes. Nice to meet you. I'm Sung Yu-jin."
As we shook hands, someone approached us.
"Hey. Korean hunters. This isn't the time to leisurely chat, is it? You haven't forgotten our mission, have you?"
He was a man in his mid-thirties wearing martial arts robes. With a long black beard reaching his chest, he carried a massive cleaver sword on his back.
"Of course not. There's a saying that the more urgent it is, the more you should go around. I figured we still had some time. And who might you be?"
"I'm Gong Gon, disciple of the Overlord Blade Sect. More importantly, shouldn't we reassure the residents waiting for us?"
Gong Gon pointed in one direction. People who looked like villagers were watching us warily.
"Ah... You're right, Gong Gon. Residents of Wuzhu Village! We're hunters from Korea here to support you!"
???
After that, we gathered to plan our strategy and decided to evacuate to Lanzhou City at noon tomorrow.
And now, I was on the roof of the tallest building in the village, looking down below. More precisely, at one woman.
She was a Chinese-side hunter.
With her long black hair tied back in a ponytail and snow-white skin, she was a rare beauty even by Korean standards. Like Gong Gon, she wore martial arts robes and carried a massive cleaver sword on her back. I'd seen Gong Gon treat her deferentially several times.
Similar robes, similar weapon. The answer's obvious. Same guild. Overlord Blade Sect, was it? The woman outranks Gong Gon.
China refers to themselves less as guilds and more as sects. And unlike guilds in other countries, Chinese guilds are closer to the sects from wuxia novels.
Was I staring too openly?
She looked back at me. I didn't avert my gaze.
Hoo. Up close like this, she's even prettier. Her skills seem about on par with mine... and this is reality. Better go for seduction. But how do I pull it off?
Her face twisted in a frown. She didn't look pleased at all.
She charged toward me. Her footwork leaping across rooftops was as light as a bird taking flight.
Lightness skill.
It took less than five minutes for her to reach me. She must have trained in martial arts since she was very young.
"Why have you been watching me since earlier?"
"Watching? That's harsh. I was just looking. Beauties like you aren't common."
"Nonsense... You've been staring since this afternoon. You think I wouldn't notice?"
"I told you, because you're pretty."
"......"
Even after I called her pretty, her icy demeanor didn't thaw. Suspicion filled her eyes as she looked at me.
"I know you're from Korea. Reveal your identity."
"Sung Yu-jin, E-rank hunter."
"That's not the identity I meant, as you know. ...Wait, E-rank? An E-rank on this mission?"
"The association recognizes my skills as C-rank. I can show you my temporary hunter license. And I'm not in a guild, so there's nothing else to reveal. Well, Yeongcheon-ryu maybe?"
"Yeongcheon-ryu...? You're from Yeongcheon-ryu?!"
I nodded at her flushed reaction. Apparently, Yeongcheon-ryu was famous in China too.
"I've revealed mine. Your turn."
"Liu Ziying of the Overlord Blade Sect. To think we'd meet like this. Perfect. Sung Yu-jin of Yeongcheon-ryu. I challenge you to a duel."
Liu Ziying effortlessly drew the cleaver sword from her back with her right hand. No matter how long she'd trained, her stance was flawless.
"Wait. A duel?! Not sparring?!"
Sparring and duels are different. I'd heard from Jin Se-young.
Sparring is like mutual training, while a duel is closer to a fight testing each other's martial arts.
Duels are brutal. If luck's bad, one side could lose their life.
"Yes. I heard about Yeongcheon-ryu's martial arts from my father. He said they were fast and ferocious. So I'll confirm it with my own eyes if it's as he said."
"A duel out of nowhere? What the..."
I started to refuse but shut my mouth.
My mind raced.
"Liu Ziying. You know what a duel entails, right?"
Her sharp eyebrows twitched.
"You think I'd challenge you without knowing what a duel means?"
"If you know that, you know you're being rude right now, don't you?"
"...I admit my rudeness. Sorry. But I can't withdraw my challenge."
"I know. And I'm willing to accept. If you agree to my condition."
"Condition?"
"The loser grants the winner any request."
"...Any request? I can't accept such a vague term. Be specific."
I smiled. Liu Ziying was surprisingly strict. My plan to take her after winning was probably out.
"Training. Whenever I want... about three times, help with my training."
"If that's it... fine. I accept."
I suppressed the lecherous grin threatening to emerge. I hadn't specified exactly what kind of training.
"Your turn now. If you win, what will you ask of me?"
"If I win the duel... It's fine. I was the rude one challenging you. I'm just curious about Yeongcheon-ryu. Even if I win, I won't request anything from you."
"O-okay."
"Now, the duel..."
"Wait, wait. You want to do it here?"
I pointed at the roof beneath my feet. We were standing on a rooftop. Fighting here would wreck the house.
"......"
Liu Ziying glanced around, sheathed her cleaver sword, and spoke.
"I spotted a good clearing behind the village earlier. Let's duel there."
"Sounds good."
???
💥 CLANG! 💥
I blocked the falling cleaver sword from above by angling Hwaryeon Sword to the side. Sparks flew, and my legs shook as I was pushed back.
Part of it was Liu Ziying's superior physical abilities, but her Overlord Blade Style lived up to its name—it was a combat style that overwhelmed with sheer power. Clashing head-on, I had no choice but to be repelled.
Incredible power. And despite looking brute-force, Overlord Blade Style isn't mindless at all. If it were truly that crude, I wouldn't be getting pushed like this.
I created distance and eyed the red sword aura rippling along Liu Ziying's cleaver sword. Some might call it blade aura since it emanates from a sword, but most just say sword aura regardless. They differentiate for spears or fists, though.
"Yeongcheon-ryu... Disappointing compared to what I heard."
"That's too hasty a judgment. I haven't even started yet."
Pzzt. Pzzzt.
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡
Acceleration
Maintains for 10 minutes. Remaining stacks: 4
Red lightning fiercely writhed along my sword, where blue sword aura flickered.
Liu Ziying's eyes widened in surprise, then she composed herself and adopted a more cautious stance than before.
Her previously attack-only posture shifted to defense.
Probing Yeongcheon-ryu first, huh. ...Fine. Probe away if you can.
Stepping Thunder Sound Step, I charged at Liu Ziying and swung my sword. She fully channeled her mana and swung her cleaver sword.
Got her.
⟨ Yeongcheon-ryu: Wall Stream ⟩
Liu Ziying's cleaver sword struck right beside me, in the wrong spot. Passing her by, I jabbed my fist into her slender side. I couldn't exactly slash her side with a sword.
But my fist stopped three centimeters from her body, blocked by something transparent.
"......!"
Whoosh!
Liu Ziying swung her cleaver sword widely. Caught off-guard by the massive wind pressure from it, I flew backward. I flipped in midair and landed, frowning.
"Liu Ziying. What was that?"
"My ability. Phase Defense. A barrier that automatically protects me."
"...To beat you, I have to break that barrier?"
"No. If you're stronger than me, I'll admit defeat without hesitation."
"Admirable attitude."
I charged at her again, using Wall Stream.
"That technique won't work anymore."
I'd anticipated it, so no panic. I feinted a sword swing at her, then swept low at her legs. But both were blocked. My sword by her cleaver, and her legs didn't budge even when tripped.
Liu Ziying vastly outclassed me in strength.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Boom!
Liu Ziying's attacks weren't fast. But they packed power. Even grazing one would cause massive damage from the shockwave.
Just around her now, the ground was wrecked. Craters, dust clouds, shattered rocks.
And her stamina's insane too. At this rate, I'll tire out first.
She was one tough woman.
I wondered if she'd be this tough in bed too.
Time to go all out. If not... I'll use Complete Recovery to win if I have to.
I summoned Crimson Thunder using all my mana.
"...That red lightning is dangerous."
"Want me to hold back on Crimson Thunder?"
"As if. Come at me."
Pzzt. Pzzzt.
Our weapons clashed. Crimson Thunder arced along her cleaver sword into her hand. Her barrier flashed, but some thunder penetrated into her body.
Liu Ziying gritted her teeth and swung her cleaver sword.
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡
Instant Flash
Remaining stacks: 3
I dodged sideways and struck her side with my sword hilt. Blocked by the barrier, but it didn't matter. My goal was to conduct electricity.
Whoosh!
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡
Instant Flash
Remaining stacks: 2
I slipped past her left swing into her guard.
Crackle. Crackle.
Electrified by Crimson Thunder, Liu Ziying's reactions were much slower than before. My sword aimed at her throat.
"Grgh... I lost."