Chapter 186: The Downfall of Golden Lion
Chapter 186: The Downfall of Golden Lion
Cha Seunghyun and Ban Dahee were both third-year Users. His comrade, with whom he had shared life and death for three years, had just been murdered. The bond between Yoo Hyuna, Cha Seunghyun, and Ban Dahee had been famous even back in the first playthrough. He was clearly trying his best to remain calm, but his comrade had been brazenly killed right before his eyes. Given his reputation as a guardian deity for his allies, there was no way he would stand by and do nothing.
My clan members and I stopped in our tracks, just as we were about to leave the entrance, and turned to look at Cha Seunghyun. Behind him, I could see Yoo Hyuna staring at Ban Dahee’s corpse with a vacant expression. Her mouth opened and closed silently from time to time; she seemed to be in a state of profound shock. I, too, felt a strange sense of unease. Of course, this Ban Dahee had yet to develop her full potential. Still, remembering the godlike prowess she had displayed in my past life, rampaging across battlefields like a madwoman, I found it hard to believe she had been killed so easily.
Shing.
Something long and slender was aimed at me. I pushed aside my thoughts and looked up to see a short spear in Cha Seunghyun’s right hand. There was nothing particularly special about it. It was a common short spear with a sharp tip and a short shaft. However, the chilling sharpness flowing from its point was impossible to ignore. As expected of the man who would one day earn the title of Martial God, he already had the presence of a one-man army.
“Are you aware of the meaning behind your actions right now?”
“You bastard. Shut your mouth.”
“Put the spear away. I do not wish to escalate this matter any further.”
“You start the trouble, and now you don’t want to escalate it? Cut the crap. You’re really showing the pinnacle of hypocrisy.”
Cha Seunghyun’s voice was low, but his words, thick with killing intent, pierced our ears. He had switched to informal speech. I considered dropping the formalities myself, but decided against it. Even in the smallest things, I could secure a sliver of justification. So, I spoke in a calm voice.
“It seems you’ve forgotten who started this. Hypocrisy? Don’t be ridiculous.”
“So you’re saying Dahee was completely in the wrong? Is that why you killed her?”
“I would ask you not to muddy the waters with such clumsy arguments. This is the Hall Plain. Regardless of who was right or wrong, it was a situation where killing each other was a perfectly valid outcome. If we must assign blame, she was the one who directly caused this.”
“Even if Dahee attacked first, there’s such a thing as basic human decency! You killed a person—my sister—just because she annoyed you, and you expect me to understand and just watch? All we needed to do was each take one step back!”
Basic human decency. To me, that sounded like complete bullshit. I could clearly feel the difference between the people they were in the first playthrough and who they were now. It was a little hard to believe, but they were still closer to being people than Users.
“Couldn’t you have held back just that little bit? We were in a position where we could have compromised! To think I was relieved for even a moment, that I thought you weren’t a completely unreasonable bastard—I was wrong!”
If there was one more disappointing thing about Yoo Hyuna’s group, it was the lack of a strategist. In a situation like this, they should have been trying to turn it to their advantage, but instead, they were letting their emotions run wild. It was a miracle they had survived for three years under Yoo Hyuna’s leadership.
I tilted my head slightly and opened my mouth.
“Did I not offer a compromise?”
“…”
Cha Seunghyun couldn’t answer right away. He opened his mouth but hesitated, seemingly at a loss for words. His face began to flush red, then pale. I decided to press my advantage.
“I didn’t ask her to kneel, nor did I demand any other action. All I wanted was a single, sincere word. And what did she say in response?”
“Ghk…”
“I gave her a chance. She was the one who threw it away.”
“Still!”
For the first time, Cha Seunghyun shouted. It wasn’t just a raised voice; the resounding cry caused Yoo Hyuna, who had been staring blankly at the corpse, to slowly turn her head. She didn’t seem to have come to her senses, though. Her eyes were vacant, as if she still hadn’t escaped the shock.
“Still? So the compromise you wanted was for us to yield unconditionally? Your group, members of a representative clan, threatened the lives of 0-year rookies and deliberately provoked one of the Ten Strong—no, you actually attacked her. Then you spat in my face when I suggested we not escalate things and cursed that you would kill me. Taking all that into account, were we supposed to be the ones to back down?”
“We tried! We tried to stop Dahee too.”
“I also stopped Ko Yeonju once. To be precise, ‘controlled’ would be a more accurate word. Which means you failed to control your own clan member.”
“…”
I could feel him starting to take the bait. It was true that, under the circumstances, we could have resolved this peacefully without killing her. But as Cha Seunghyun himself said, that was merely a matter of decency. When you broke it down piece by piece, the justification was on our side. His chest must have been filled with a suffocating frustration. It must be infuriating. He had lost a cherished comrade and couldn't even get a single proper word in.
I could hear the sound of him grinding his teeth. The corners of his eyes were turned up, and his once-gentle features were contorted with rage. Despite this, he managed to take a deep breath before forcing out his words.
“Don’t… exaggerate. It’s true we threatened them, but… Dahee probably didn’t intend to kill those kids.”
That was the best he could come up with? I let out a derisive sneer. Seeing my expression, his face, which he had just managed to compose, crumpled once more. I glanced to the side and saw Ko Yeonju yawning as if the conversation was boring her. Of course, she was just acting. She caught on instantly, and having understood my intentions with just a look, she seemed especially beautiful today.
“She didn’t intend to kill them. Then what about provoking and attacking the Shadow Queen? I suppose she didn’t intend to kill her either?”
“…”
He didn’t answer. I could see the tip of his spear begin to tremble as he tightened his grip.
“That’s some high-level bullshit you’re spouting.”
“Bullshit?”
“Let me tell you why it’s bullshit. The truth is, we didn’t intend to kill the User named Ban Dahee either.”
I paused for a moment. Beside me, Ko Yeonju nodded once or twice in agreement and picked up where I left off.
“That’s right. I didn’t actually intend to kill that boar-like bitch. Of course, I did stab a dagger into her neck, but I absolutely had no intention of killing her. I was just trying to threaten her.”
“Kuaaargh!”
Ko Yeonju’s voice was smooth and mocking. I wanted to immediately add, “And that is the proof that what you said was bullshit,” but I had to hastily draw the Sun-Moon Sword instead. It seemed our last exchange was the final blow. The moment Ko Yeonju finished speaking, Cha Seunghyun let out a savage roar and thrust his spear forward. Before its tip could reach me, a blade radiating a cold, silver light flowed gracefully from my hip like water.
Clang!
I blocked the tip of the spear with the spine of my blade. A shock strong enough to numb my hand traveled up the Sun-Moon Sword. Blue mana coalesced on the edge of his spear.
“What is the meaning of this?”
“Shut up! What the hell do you know…! To say something like that after killing Dahee…!”
It was as if everything he had been suppressing had exploded at once. It felt a little strange, comparing this to the proud and stern man he was in the first playthrough. Still, if anyone could understand, it was me. Back then, he had already established his foundation and was one of the Ten Strong. Of course, a third-year User couldn't be called a novice, but compared to his future self, he was less mature, both physically and mentally. Especially if he had been under Yoo Hyuna all this time. In any case, I was in no position to judge. When I lost my brother and Han Soyoung, I had lived like a madman for months.
“Hah!”
As if his rage had completely consumed his reason, he let out an indignant cry and swung his spear horizontally. I intentionally let the wave of mana that poured from its tip wash over me. Naturally, I had someone I could count on.
“Shield of Reflection!”
As if in answer to my faith, Jung Hayeon’s spell immediately activated. I didn’t know the details, but she had clearly been prepared. I had been worried she might cast an offensive spell, so I was relieved when she used a defensive one. The fact that she defended rather than attacked would be a great help later when this incident was brought to light.
A brilliant golden barrier enveloped the clan members in front of me just as the mana Cha Seunghyun had unleashed slammed into the Shield of Reflection. As I watched the deflected waves of energy fly back toward him, I leaped forward. By receiving Cha Seunghyun’s preemptive strike, I now had the justification to kill him.
*
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
The sudden sound of clashing steel jolted Yoo Hyuna to her senses. She turned her head toward the noise and saw Kim Soohyun and Cha Seunghyun locked in combat. She couldn’t understand how this was happening. She tried to call out, but only a hoarse whisper escaped her lips. Her throat felt incredibly dry.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
A small fragment of a spear flew past, grazing Yoo Hyuna’s cheek. She flinched away and saw the cleanly severed piece lying on the ground. The air felt cool against the inside of her dry mouth, and she felt her throat tighten. She quickly swallowed and let out a trembling breath.
“Hah… hah…”
She didn’t know how long they had been fighting, but Cha Seunghyun was drenched in sweat. He was desperately swinging his spear, the top of which had been sheared off. Streams of mana bloomed from its tip as he launched a dazzling, multi-directional assault, but surprisingly, every one of his attacks was being nullified.
Kim Soohyun, the Lord of the Mercenary Clan. With every swing of his sword, Cha Seunghyun’s desperate offensive was mercilessly deflected. Her vision was slightly blurry, so she couldn’t see the details clearly, but it was obvious that Cha Seunghyun was at a disadvantage.
No. Seunghyeon… not Seunghyeon-oppa too.
Her mind was blank. The only thought that dominated her entire being was the need to stop this fight. A terrible premonition told her that if this continued, she would lose him as well. Yoo Hyuna desperately tried to move, but her exhausted body betrayed its master’s will. With a thud, she collapsed to the ground. The moment she pushed herself up with her hands, she witnessed a new scene unfold.
“Huaagh!”
Cha Seunghyun suddenly twisted his body and spun his spear ferociously. Kim Soohyun, who had closed the distance, failed to dodge in time. The sharp spearhead targeted Kim Soohyun’s blind spot and sliced cleanly through his body. Yoo Hyuna’s eyes widened. But…
“Ah…”
Kim Soohyun’s body had definitely been split in two, but there was no reaction from the wound. No blood, no spilling guts. A moment later, his body slowly dissolved into the air. Finally sensing something was wrong, Cha Seunghyun looked around with a bewildered expression. And then, Yoo Hyuna saw him. Kim Soohyun, who had appeared behind Cha Seunghyun, raising a sword that glowed with silver light.
“Ah… Ah… Aaaaaah!”
Yoo Hyuna’s voice finally broke free. As if reacting to her scream, Cha Seunghyun quickly tried to swing his spear behind him, but—
“Aaaargh!”
A scream of agony tore from Cha Seunghyun’s lips as an arm, still tightly gripping the spear, flew into the air. Then, as Cha Seunghyun staggered, a silver streak of light shot toward his neck. Watching that streak, Yoo Hyuna let out a heart-wrenching wail.