Chapter 384
Chapter 384
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 384
Chapter Title: Forest Ambushes
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Soo-hyuk left, and Mukan sat on the ground, wrapping bandages around his body.
His subordinates were stunned as they tended to his wounds. What they thought were minor injuries turned out to include several broken bones and a massive burn right in the center of his chest.
"When did this happen to you, sir?"
All they had seen was a brief flash in their vision.
"I don't know. If I did, it wouldn't have happened."
"Pardon?"
"I wasn't a match for him from the start. That's why I asked, right? Why didn't he finish me off sooner?"
"We thought you were just being humble."
"I'm not the type to play humble."
His subordinates nodded involuntarily at his words. Regardless of their respect for him, Mukan was far from humble.
He gazed off into the distance, in the direction Soo-hyuk had vanished.
Having ended the fight, he had truly left them behind. He hadn't touched the subordinates or even cut off Mukan's lifeline.
Mukan recalled the words Soo-hyuk had left behind at the very end.
"There's going to come a time when we need people like you."
"A time when they need people like me..."
He wasn't sure what it meant that people like him would be needed.
But that 'time' mentioned afterward—he had a clear idea what it was.
"I've forgotten about it for so long."
The event that would one day begin.
Mukan had heard the warning about that day too.
But like most people, he had gradually let it slip from his mind as time passed. Would that day really come? And if it did, what would it be? Vague thoughts like that.
Thud-.
Even as those thoughts crossed his mind, the turtle kept plodding along the path.
"At least that's a relief."
One of the subordinates spoke while looking at the long road ahead.
"If Lee Soo-hyuk had decided to block the road, we would've been done for right from the start. That would've been truly humiliating."
"Shut that loose mouth of yours."
"Pardon?"
The subordinate looked puzzled at Mukan's sudden rebuke.
Mukan, who had just finished wrapping his bandages, stood up. His subordinates tried to stop him as he gripped the heavy greatsword lying on the ground.
"You can't move yet!"
"You've got several broken bones. You need to recover first..."
Mukan strode forward again.
"Enemies."
No sooner had the word left his mouth than the forest stirred.
Shrrrr-.
The branches of massive trees writhed, enveloping the surroundings. The startled subordinates swung their swords and axes to chop the branches, but new ones regenerated from the severed stumps.
It was as if the forest itself was alive and moving.
Mukan pierced through exactly who was behind this with his gaze.
"Come out, Ripley. Emily."
Two women emerged from between the leaves he was glaring at.
They were the high rankers representing Elfrado. Beings who could dominate this forest and make it move like a living thing if they so desired.
Enemies who demanded the utmost caution in the forest. Ones he had hoped most to avoid encountering.
"What rotten luck."
With those words, Mukan kicked off the ground.
Whoosh-.
As if to prove he was still a beast despite his wounds, a storm erupted from Mukan's greatsword once more.
It wasn't Ripley or Emily facing Mukan. Trees blocked his path.
He slashed through trees with his greatsword, again and again. Branches coiled around his body, leaves shot like daggers.
It felt like the forest had come alive as an enemy.
Even with a natural disaster right before him, Mukan did not retreat.
"Help Mukan-nim!"
"Cut down the trees! All of them!"
Mukan's subordinates began to move as well. The fight with Soo-hyuk had been a agreed-upon one-on-one, so they couldn't intervene, but this attack was different.
Winning wasn't even on their minds.
They had one goal.
To buy just a little more time. That way, the turtle could take at least one more step forward.
But then.
Shrrrr-.
The forest trees writhed, blocking the turtle's path. Branches wrapped around its massive body, obstructing its way.
Kroooaaah-!
The turtle's agonized cry echoed through the forest.
Mukan muttered in a weary voice.
"Looks like we're screwed this year too."
At the same time, rankers from another world were yelling with veins bulging in their necks.
"Which bastard is it?!"
"Quit the cheap tricks and show yourself! I'll gouge your eyes out!"
"Damn it! If you're just gonna yap, figure out how to deal with that goddamn ice first!"
"It's Kim Si-woo! Has to be that guy!"
"I said quit yapping!"
Their view was completely covered in white ice. The road was frozen solid, making it hard for the turtle to move, naturally slowing their progress.
That was enough.
There were ways to eliminate competitors besides fighting.
"Then what am I supposed to do?"
Ye-ryeong pouted as she traveled with Si-woo.
They were moving together, but she had nothing to do. Si-woo was using every bit of ice he saw to block paths.
That was plenty. Their goal wasn't total annihilation anyway. Thanks to that, the two could hinder multiple competitors at high speed.
"Then you try blocking that turtle."
"Me? That thing?"
Kroooaaah-.
Ye-ryeong made a troubled face at the turtle's cry echoing through the forest.
"Killing that would take forever."
For Ye-ryeong, the most troublesome enemies were always ones that huge.
Humans could be finished with a stab to the heart or a slash to the throat, but massive creatures like that didn't die easily.
"No time to tussle with those guys."
"Oh? Got a date or something?"
"Yeah."
Si-woo's blue eyes sparkled.
She didn't need him to say who. She knew who Si-woo was looking for here. No way she wouldn't.
He probably planned to settle things with Kim Il-su right here, no dragging it out.
'But he's used a ton of mana for that.'
Ye-ryeong looked at the forest frosted over in places.
Si-woo was half out of control. He seemed so calm, but once he started using mana, it was unstoppable.
Winter was coming to the forest. All changes wrought by Si-woo's mana.
They couldn't be unaware of it.
And sure enough.
Shhh-.
From the shadows of the forest, a sharp dagger appeared silently.
A dagger curved like a snake's tongue. Its target was Si-woo's neck.
Clang-!
Sparks flew from the dagger. Ye-ryeong's dagger, flying at nearly the same speed, had deflected the one from the shadows.
"Looks like someone's been waiting here ahead of us?"
A smile curled on Ye-ryeong's lips.
Her eyes caught another woman hidden in the darkness. She couldn't make out the face, but she could guess her identity.
"That girl who sticks to Il-su, right?"
"Jang Se-ri."
"I know the name."
Ye-ryeong's voice grew calm. Si-woo spoke while looking at her eyes peeking from the mask.
"That one's pretty skilled."
What would have happened if Ye-ryeong hadn't blocked it just now?
Could he have reacted? Even if he did, could he have blocked it with an ice barrier thrown up in haste?
The very fact that such doubts arose meant the opponent was no joke. Especially since she had approached this close without giving away her presence at all.
"Don't let your guard down."
"You still don't get me?"
Ye-ryeong's next words came from Si-woo's shadow.
-Letting your guard down is what gets you killed.
It was something she always said. Assassins weren't those who let their guard down—they were the ones who exploited it.
In that sense, Ye-ryeong knew nothing of letting her guard down. Even if an enemy was right in front of her, ripe for the kill, she always used stealth.
Especially against Kim Il-su's right-hand woman. No way she'd slip.
With that, the two vanished without a trace. Si-woo, who had stayed behind briefly, resumed walking.
Believing Ye-ryeong would handle Jang Se-ri and return soon.
Hiding in the shadowed darkness of the forest, Jang Se-ri suppressed her presence.
For the first time in ages, she felt free. Moving alone like this was truly rare.
This freedom was something she had asked Kim Il-su for.
"I have a request."
"A request? That's unusual. Tell me."
"Please let me move alone for a while."
Since the great battle began, Jang Se-ri had been watching Ye-ryeong.
For decades. And especially after hearing recently that Kim Ye-ryeong had killed the Poison King.
Jang Se-ri had been suppressing her desire to clash with Ye-ryeong once.
"It's about Ye-ryeong, huh."
"Yes."
"...Go ahead. And if possible... don't die."
The response wasn't straightforward. This was a first.
Not because he didn't trust her. It was because the enemies were that strong.
But if it was just one opponent.
And if that opponent was Kim Ye-ryeong.
Shhhh-.
She sensed someone climbing the trees.
Jang Se-ri's mask twitched. She smiled.
Sure enough, Kim Ye-ryeong had ditched Si-woo and come alone.
'You feel it too, don't you? That we're fated rivals who can't coexist.'
For a long time, Jang Se-ri had been aware of Kim Ye-ryeong. Not just because their abilities were like twins.
Kim Ye-ryeong lived in Lee Soo-hyuk's shadow. She lived in Kim Il-su's. That was the similarity between their lives.
Climbing to the top of the tallest tree, Jang Se-ri closed her eyes, sensing Ye-ryeong's presence. As she sharpened all her senses.
"Man, you've come a long way."
A voice came from behind. At the awaited voice, Jang Se-ri opened her eyes and turned.
Looking back, Ye-ryeong was hanging upside down from a branch, picking her ear.
"Was Si-woo that scary? No need to worry. He won't help me anyway."
"......"
"Si-woo's colder than he looks. Oh, you don't know his personality? Let me correct: he's as cold as he looks. A total block of ice."
Jang Se-ri frowned at Ye-ryeong's chattiness. Ye-ryeong grinned at the change in expression.
"What? Weird that I talk a lot?"
Jang Se-ri nodded.
In her view of assassins—and the pinnacle of them, Ye-ryeong—this was the opposite.
"Assassins need to be stealthy."
"Stealthy and quiet aren't the same. Only those who can't hide again after being spotted keep their mouths shut, right?"
For a moment, Jang Se-ri's eyes widened. As the words reached her, the direction of the voice had changed.
The Ye-ryeong who had been right in front was now speaking from behind. Once again, she had circled around.
It wasn't just fast. She had vanished right before her eyes.
As if to say, I can stealth even while chattering like this.
"Il-su didn't teach you? I'm not like third-rate hacks like you."
Gripping daggers of different lengths in each hand, Ye-ryeong's eyes gleamed.
"If he didn't teach you, big sis will. Learn well."