Chapter 111
Chapter 111
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 111
Chapter Title: Belated Revenge (3)
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'No way.'
The doppelganger in Kwak Dong-su's form shook its head.
That was absolutely impossible.
No, it had to be impossible—for its own sake and for the future of the doppelganger clan.
It absolutely could not be allowed to happen.
'I'll kill that bastard right here, no matter what.'
That was the only way the doppelganger clan could survive.
'Uwaaaah!'
Jet-black demonic energy began pouring out of the doppelganger's body in Kwak Dong-su's form, strand by strand.
It had given up on hiding its demonic energy and resolved to go all out to eliminate the enemy before its eyes.
Until now, the doppelgangers had refrained from using demonic energy to avoid leaving any traces, even at the cost of their own lives.
Doppelgangers were part of the demon race.
They could only unleash their true power by using demonic energy.
But if they used demonic energy?
It left undeniable traces.
And if traces were left, word of the demon invasion was bound to spread.
That was why they hadn't used it until now.
But.
'The situation has changed.'
Letting word of the demon invasion spread.
Was better than.
'Letting the secret of our clan's identity be exposed.'
Kwaaaang! Kwaaaang!
The doppelganger in Kwak Dong-su's form, enveloped in demonic energy, unleashed a ferocious barrage of attacks.
Kang Hyun-soo calmly blocked them.
'It's getting desperate.'
He hadn't expected it to resort to demonic energy.
Once it started using demonic energy, the doppelganger's power rose a full level.
Kang Hyun-soo's pure skill level was actually lower than the doppelganger had estimated.
He was still far from reaching the level of a player with a divine-grade title.
However.
His pure skill had risen to the level of a player with an imperial title.
On top of that, he had the EX-Rank weapon Devouring Sword, the EX-Rank armor set Dragonscale Armor, the EX-Rank accessories Ice King's Necklace, Guardian Ring, Ring of Vitality, Ring of Nightmares.
'Gear really boosts power.'
The leader of the doppelgangers was a demon noble.
As such, Kang Hyun-soo had come to the Terra Kingdom fully prepared.
Naturally, that preparation included retrieving the Ice King's Necklace he'd stored in the north.
'The Ice Shield cooldown still has plenty of time left.'
The Ice Shield could be activated manually.
But it also activated automatically if the wearer was in danger of fatal injury.
It had a 30-minute duration and a 3-day cooldown.
The cooldown was quite long.
'But with Ice Shield, it's practically half-invincibility.'
The Ice Shield skill absorbed all damage inflicted on the wearer during its duration.
In other words.
'Uwaaaah!'
The demonic energy the doppelganger in Kwak Dong-su's form was blasting out.
Kwaaaaang!
Dealt no damage to Kang Hyun-soo whatsoever.
Moreover.
'You crazy bastard!'
Kwaang! Kwaang! Kwaang!
He could abandon defense entirely and go full offense.
The downside was that.
The more damage he took.
The shorter the Ice Shield's duration became.
'But I can handle it.'
The generously remaining Ice Shield duration shrank to about 10 seconds.
But thanks to that.
Slash!
He severed one of the doppelganger's arms in Kwak Dong-su's form.
'Eek!'
The doppelganger in Kwak Dong-su's form was quite flustered.
It had thought it could win easily.
But no.
It was being overwhelmingly outmatched from the start.
Even after unleashing its hidden demonic energy.
It hadn't even scratched a single hair on Kang Hyun-soo's head.
Pajik!
At that moment, the Ice Shield duration ended.
The bluish ice fragments covering Kang Hyun-soo's body all melted away.
'There's still hope.'
The skill protecting the opponent's body had ended.
In that case.
'I can still kill him.'
The doppelganger in Kwak Dong-su's form charged at Kang Hyun-soo again.
But.
'What is this?'
Kang Hyun-soo still abandoned defense and went full offense.
'Could it activate again?'
He'd never heard of such a skill.
'No way.'
The doppelganger gathered all its mana and thrust its sword toward Kang Hyun-soo's heart.
At that instant.
Puuuung!
A massive explosion rang out, and the arm of the attacking doppelganger in Kwak Dong-su's form burst apart.
Its own attack had been reflected back perfectly.
'Why do you have such poor learning ability?'
Kang Hyun-soo asked with a pathetic look.
The Ice Shield duration had ended, and its 3-day cooldown was still in effect.
But Kang Hyun-soo had the defensive skills embedded in the Guardian Ring.
All EX-Rank.
Not as powerful or long-lasting as Ice Shield.
'But each one is a 1-second invincibility that could be called overwhelming defense.'
Whether they originated as F-Rank or E-Rank.
The defensive skills stored in the Guardian Ring had all been upgraded to EX-Rank.
And naturally, they possessed defense befitting EX-Rank.
'Just die already.'
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa!
Kang Hyun-soo swung his sword wrapped in blood-red aura.
Slash!
The doppelganger's body in Kwak Dong-su's form split in two.
And vanished completely.
[You have achieved the unbelievable feat of defeating a top-tier demon doppelganger.]
[The title Demon Hunter A-Rank has grown to SS-Rank.]
[You have achieved the unbelievable feat of defeating a top-tier demon doppelganger.]
[The title Demon Devourer B-Rank has been granted.]
'A new title.'
Demon Hunter had reached SS-Rank, and he'd gained a new B-Rank achievement: Demon Devourer.
If he kept hunting demons like before?
'Demon Hunter and Demon Devourer will upgrade further, and I'll get Demon Slayer and Demon Butcher achievements too.'
But at this moment, more than those achievements.
'Dong-su hyung, I was too late. Sorry.'
The fact that he'd avenged Kwak Dong-su, killed by the doppelganger, weighed heavier on him.
'But I got revenge, so rest easy there.'
However.
'Kill them!'
'Those bastards are running!'
Kang Hyun-soo didn't even have the leisure to mourn Kwak Dong-su properly.
With the death of their top-tier doppelganger leader.
The monsters lost their controller and went berserk.
And the surviving doppelgangers scattered in all directions to escape.
'Legion Summon.'
Kang Hyun-soo summoned his summons in places out of the players' sight, forming a wide encirclement.
'Kill all but one.'
Following Kang Hyun-soo's orders.
Kwajik! Slash!
The summons mercilessly eliminated the doppelgangers who thought they'd escaped successfully.
He'd spared one doppelganger.
To attach a summon as a tail and track down the others.
-How's it going over there?
Kang Hyun-soo asked Song Hana and the Fist Emperor.
-We took out some doppelgangers mixed in with Goryeo Guild players and mid-sized guild players. The surviving monsters and doppelgangers are fleeing.
-They dragged it out forever, then suddenly bolt.
The ones attacking Song Hana and the Fist Emperor had apparently been under orders from the top-tier doppelganger Kang Hyun-soo had killed.
-I'll send summons. In the meantime, block them from escaping as much as possible.
-No need for summons.
-We're overwhelmingly in control here.
'Fair enough.'
The Balhae Guild side hadn't gotten proper help from Kang Hyun-soo, who was tied up with the top-tier doppelganger.
Whereas the Goryeo Guild side?
'Song Hana and the Fist Emperor must have gone wild.'
They had no titles.
But their skills had reached top named player level.
With those two unleashing their power without restraint.
'It must've been one-sided.'
The situations were different.
-Got it. Handle cleanup then. Call if anything comes up.
-Will do.
-We'll wrap it up perfectly, so don't worry.
Ending the call, Kang Hyun-soo quickly eliminated the monsters and doppelgangers.
The battle ended soon after.
'We should've caught the escapees.'
'No helping it.'
The players regretted not catching the fleeing doppelgangers.
Kang Hyun-soo's summons had cleaned up all but one of the escapees.
But the players didn't know that.
'Thank you for the help.'
One Balhae Guild player thanked Kang Hyun-soo.
'Who would've thought Dong-su hyung was a doppelganger.'
'Right? All that nice guy act was fake?'
'Scary stuff.'
The Balhae Guild players seemed deeply shocked that their party leader Kwak Dong-su had been a doppelganger.
But.
'You can't treat Dong-su hyung like a doppelganger.'
Kwak Dong-su had been a victim, murdered by the doppelganger.
He hadn't been a doppelganger in disguise from the start.
'The real Kwak Dong-su Player was killed by the doppelganger. Then it impersonated him.'
At Kang Hyun-soo's words.
'Ah!'
'Yeah, some of us have been with Dong-su hyung since the tutorial. Couldn't have been a doppelganger from the beginning.'
The Balhae Guild players finally grasped the situation.
But.
'If Dong-su hyung got taken out, maybe others too?'
'Very possible.'
A wave of strong unease washed over them.
A guildmate they'd eaten meals with, drunk tea and booze with until yesterday.
A friend they'd trusted with their back through life and death.
Could be a demon doppelganger?
From the players' perspective.
It was horrifying just to imagine.
'If we do a full sweep, we can root out the doppelgangers infiltrating Balhae Guild. Regular checks will make further intrusions harder.'
At Kang Hyun-soo's words, the Balhae Guild players finally looked relieved.
Then their expressions darkened suddenly.
'Then the guildmates the doppelgangers were impersonating...'
'Were probably already killed by the doppelgangers.'
Doppelgangers generally didn't leave their impersonation targets alive.
The exceptions.
'Were for bigger sowing of discord.'
For example, if a doppelganger in a Balhae Guild executive's form attacked Goryeo Guild or picked a fight?
Goryeo Guild would demand an explanation.
The executive in question would deny it vehemently, claiming Goryeo Guild was picking fights without evidence.
If that kept happening?
Balhae and Goryeo Guilds would become bitter enemies.
'And plenty more.'
Sowing discord among guildmates.
Making players and nobles hold grudges against each other.
'Even cases of merchants taking usury loans.'
Doppelgangers did anything to sow chaos in human society.
If the method to detect doppelgangers had been discovered later in his previous life?
'It wouldn't have ended with just Terra Kingdom's fall.'
Nearby kingdoms would likely have collapsed in chain reaction.
Conversely, if the detection method spread faster?
'It could save countless lives lost to pointless infighting.'
And preserve Terra Kingdom forces and player strength intact.
'We should head back as fast as possible.'
Kang Hyun-soo nodded at the Balhae Guild player's words.
Night had fully fallen, limiting visibility.
They'd hunted all day, fought intense battles back-to-back, nearly depleting stamina and mana.
They hadn't eaten properly, and hunger was setting in.
If attacked again in this state?
They'd take heavy losses.
'Let's go.'
Kang Hyun-soo followed the Balhae Guild player.
In the meantime.
'Legion Commander's Eye.'
Kang Hyun-soo activated a skill.
The souls of those killed in the recent battles came into view.
The souls were dispersing.
The pale spirits were also fading.
'Legion Formation.'
The moment Kang Hyun-soo used his class skill.
Shaaaaak!
The doppelgangers killed in the battles.
Krunch! Krunch!
Gained bodies of mana and revived.
And among them.
Was the most powerful top-tier doppelganger.
But.
The players, focused on returning.
Didn't notice at all.