Chapter 349
Chapter 349
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 349
Chapter Title: Scarlet Eyes Above
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Above Vulcanus, Hailz's scarlet eyes were visible.
The air grew scorching hot. With the dragon's roar, Ebony Wing materialized above Hailz's head.
Hot mana blazed fiercely. Looking up at her, Jin Do-ha drew upon his energy.
Jin Do-ha showed no fear at the archmage's appearance. With his sole resolve to kill the Heavenly Demon, he swung his sword—there was no reason for an archmage to intimidate him.
Kaat—
Jin Do-ha's sword moved.
A vivid blue line sliced through the reddening, heated air. Like cleaving the crimson space, his sword energy flew slowly and softly toward Vulcanus.
Whoosh—
The trajectory of the flying sword energy bent. It was a phenomenon created by Hailz, who had thrust her staff forward.
The sword energy shot up into the sky. With a whoosh, the clouds parted neatly, as if the heavens themselves were splitting open.
Jin Do-ha wasn't surprised.
He hadn't expected a casual swing like that to fell the archmage's dragon.
At that moment, a crimson-flamed dragon appeared behind Jin Do-ha and swallowed his body whole. It happened in the blink of an eye.
As the dragon chewed like food in its mouth...
Piiit— Cross-shaped sword energy slashed the flame dragon apart.
Fwoosh—
The flame dragon lost its power and dissipated. Slicing intangible flames was effortless for him. This was the prowess of Jin Do-ha, called the War God.
Blue sword energy blazed from the azure blade that had felled the dragon. As Jin Do-ha's eyes flashed blue, Hailz raised her staff, preparing her magic.
The instant the two were about to clash in earnest...
"Let's withdraw."
The heated air cooled. Kim Il-su, gripping Jin Do-ha's arm, shook his head.
"It'd be best to stop here."
"Are you saying we run?"
"The fight hasn't even started yet. Run? Hardly."
At that moment, Hailz's scoff echoed.
"You're just scared and running away, aren't you?"
"That's what she says."
Jin Do-ha drew up his fighting spirit again. Kim Il-su felt the sharp, imminent blade-like intent from the arm he held.
Fortunately for Kim Il-su, Siwoo wanted to end the fight too.
"If we kill more, it'll get messy. It's already headache enough."
Hailz pouted at Siwoo's persuasion.
"I could do it without a trace."
"No corpses left behind, sure. But your magic is too flashy."
A fight here would inevitably leave traces. Assassination was Ye-ryeong's specialty, not Hailz's.
Their goal was vengeance for their dying comrades and restoring honor.
They had already caused plenty of issues.
The commotion at Blue House, the Poison King's death. Some still eyed Siwoo and Ye-ryeong suspiciously.
The old conspiracy that Blue Eyes betrayed Lee Soo-hyuk. And Hwang Gyu-seong allying with demons to raid the counterattack battle.
Whoosh—
As Hailz withdrew her mana, the scorching heat vanished like a lie.
Jin Do-ha, who had glared at her briefly, sheathed his sword as well.
Jin Do-ha turned sharply and walked away. Kim Il-su followed behind him.
"We'll meet again soon."
As he descended the mountain, Siwoo called out.
"Tremble in fear until then. Like the rat you are."
Kim Il-su's steps halted briefly at the sneer and mockery before resuming. He could be seen scoffing.
"He still thinks we're pushovers. He's laughing."
Hailz, wearing her oversized hat tilted atop her head, floated above Siwoo's.
"Nah, the opposite."
"Opposite?"
"That guy's not the type to scoff dismissively. If he truly found it laughable, he'd at least pretend to be scared. Thinking back, he's been good at feigning since then."
Hailz, whose heat had cooled, snorted and asked.
"If you're not gonna kill them, why bother showing up?"
"Even with your help, I wanted to see them at least once."
"Why?"
"To feel what it's like meeting that guy. Would it be gladness, anger, or fear?"
"Just to feel some mood?"
"Thanks to borrowing the archmage's prestige. Without you, those two wouldn't have backed off. Appreciate it."
By striking first with thanks, Hailz couldn't press further.
And she was curious too.
What would his mood be like reuniting with the friend who killed comrades like family?
"So, which was it? Reunion with an old friend turned enemy."
"None of the three."
"Then?"
"Just..."
Kim Il-su's back was visible, descending the mountain a few steps behind Jin Do-ha. It had been so long since they'd met, yet there was no regret in his receding figure.
"Poor bastard."
Kim Il-su and Jin Do-ha descended Tianshan at a breakneck pace.
Just as Tianshan's peak vanished behind clouds, Kim Il-su asked.
"What did you think? Impressions of clashing with the archmage."
Jin Do-ha, leading the way, stopped and turned.
"I've clashed with her plenty."
"Over five years ago, right? Before she earned the archmage title."
"Archmage, my ass."
Jin Do-ha scoffed. His gaze flicked toward Tianshan's summit and back.
"That woman's not even fit to lick the Heavenly Demon's toes."
He said it flatly, but Kim Il-su knew. Mentioning the Heavenly Demon as a benchmark meant he acknowledged Hailz to that extent.
"And you? You alright?"
"Do I look alright?"
Kim Il-su didn't hide his bitter feelings. The unlikely duo shared a deep bond, contrary to public perception.
"I hoped he was dead. He was a friend once; killing him twice stings."
"Is that really why?"
Poke—something stabbed at his chest. Kim Il-su had felt this sensation often lately.
He smiled habitually. Eyes deadpan, mouth smiling—it was his tic when at a loss for words.
"Thanks for the help today, elder."
Dodging with courtesy, Kim Il-su passed Jin Do-ha and walked ahead.
His broad back, once world-bearing, looked pathetic today.
"Our era might not have much time left."
Siwoo and Hailz returned only by evening.
Soo-hyuk, having slept a full day, had finished eating with Jin-un and was sipping tea.
Seeing the late arrivals, Soo-hyuk asked.
"Where've you been?"
"Met up with Kim Il-su."
She answered as if visiting a daily friend, making it seem mundane.
Perhaps that's why Soo-hyuk's eyes lit up a beat late.
"Who?"
"Kim Il-su. Got a sudden message. Wanted to meet."
"You two still talk?"
"Cutting ties doesn't erase contacts from kits. You're the exception, dying and reviving."
Despite the unexpected news, Soo-hyuk showed no special reaction. Just an "I see."
"Not mad?"
"Mad? Why?"
"Met him without telling you. And let him go alive."
"Nah, good call."
"...?"
Siwoo looked puzzled. Far from anger, praise?
Something had changed. What?
It didn't take long to realize Soo-hyuk's shift.
He's got leeway now.
The Soo-hyuk from their first reunion seemed precarious—lost, impatient.
But reuniting, saving Hyo-min, awakening her—he'd regained his old composure.
Yet this felt different.
This was the ease of the powerful. The absolute aura of the original Soo-hyuk.
Soo-hyuk didn't dwell on Kim Il-su's name.
"Now that you're back, help me train. Solo's hitting limits."
"Ye-ryeong? Hyo-min?"
"They passed out earlier."
Jin-un, sipping tea quietly, answered. His glance at Soo-hyuk was exasperated.
"This guy's a total monster now."
The next day, an announcement went up on Soo-hyuk's broadcast station.
Lee Soo-hyuk's streams would pause indefinitely.
A shocking decision for Baehae Entertainment and avid viewers alike.
Lee Soo-hyuk was the hottest streamer lately. Plenty of incidents, but that fueled his explosive popularity.
Sudden hiatus amid this?
No easy choice. He wouldn't fade soon, but it'd hurt.
John Tail visited Unhyang personally. They met at a small teahouse in the Murim World, facing each other.
Unusually skipping sweets, sipping tea, John Tail asked worriedly.
"It's really fine, right?"
Unlike his deep concern, Unhyang sipped leisurely.
"Don't worry."
"Knew you had a plan."
John Tail's face brightened.
"What's the comeback strategy?"
"Show him as is."
"As is? That's the usual."
Soo-hyuk's streams had always been raw—no scripts, just one player's growth story.
Business as usual.
"No."
Unhyang shook her head.
"Never done that before."
"What do you mean?"
"Remember what I asked? What if the real Lee Soo-hyuk streamed?"
"What? Obviously it'd explode. Problem is, that'll never..."
John Tail's eyes widened mid-sentence.
Asking for comeback plans—now about the real Soo-hyuk streaming?
A hypothesis flashed in his mind.
"...No way? For real?"
Instead of confirming, Unhyang sipped tea, gazing out the window.
Birds wheeled around a tree outside. A serene, peaceful scene—yet somewhere, butterfly wings beat for a storm.
What it'd sweep was unknown. Time to prepare against the coming gale.
Time flew.
One day, two, ten...
A month, two.
Some now said Lee Soo-hyuk had quit streaming for good.
His world-shaking presence faded with the long break.
Meanwhile, Kim Il-su resumed smoking, smashed bottles while drinking alone.
Time flowed on.
And again, the counterattack battle day approached.