Chapter 380
Chapter 380
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 380
>Chapter Title: The 31st Horse Overturns the Game Board
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Ptooey!
The sisters spat blood-mixed saliva from beneath their masks. Even after taking a punch from the Dark Shade, they moved their bodies as if unscathed.
“For a summoner, you’re pretty decent.”
“Yeah, caught me off guard.”
“The Curtain really invested in you.”
Ssssss...
Bellian and Belldre split off to either side.
The battle would continue.
Flash-!
Fwaaash-!
Now that I’d summoned the Dark Shade, I had freedom of movement. Yurin couldn’t join in yet, still reeling from blocking that last attack.
It was up to me and the Dark Shade to hold them off for the moment.
‘After Yurin, it’s my turn.’
Somehow, things had shaken out this way.
Yurin would steady her disrupted energy soon and jump back in. Then the momentum would shift our way.
‘If I can pull off the work of two.’
My first real fight.
My heart rate stayed steady.
But I could feel my blood heating up.
Fwaaash-!
“Hmm...”
The Dark Shade latched onto the older sister.
Despite its massive bulk, it moved with surprising agility—enough to feel like an iron wall from Belldre’s perspective.
‘The issue’s the younger one.’
I’d pegged her as lagging a bit, but with their differing sword styles, a straight comparison might not hold.
Whoooong-!
A vibrating sword.
For starters, the enemy didn’t know my strength, so this was a light probe swung tentatively.
‘In that case, me too...’
I needed to gauge her swordsmanship.
Whoosh...
I dropped my stance low and smacked the flat of the blade upward with my fist.
Claaaaang-!
‘Hit it dead-on, but...’
A solid strike, yet the sword’s vibration made the sound unsatisfying.
“...Martial arts?”
A summoner like me wading in bare-handed threw Bellian off too. Wonder if the face under that mask was truly shocked.
‘Like I care.’
My only weapon rivaling a sword’s reach was my legs. But I’d resolved to use them only at critical junctures this fight.
Lunging with hard-to-retrieve kicks against elite sword users could backfire badly.
- Only extend your legs when you’re certain.
Words from my other master, Toki.
Shrieeek-!
Shrieeeeek-!
At least the slashes were visible.
- Bare-handed against swordsmen, fear’s always there. You’re not fighting the blade—you’re fighting the fear.
He was right.
Swords cut sharp; human flesh yields soft.
One slash, and it’s fatal.
- But the human spirit’s tougher than steel. Believe it.
Gulp...
‘I believe. In myself.’
In the time I’ve poured in.
Whoooong...
Shrieeeeek-!
A vibrating slash sweeping diagonally.
Clever footwork cut off my line of movement.
‘Then...’
[Using Shadow Extension.]
[Moving to a position within one step.]
Short-range shift.
I could pull this stunt mid-fight only because I’d botched it over and over.
“Ho!”
But Bellian was a veteran swordswoman.
The instant I slipped her guard, she whipped the blade back in one fluid motion, palmed the hilt, and thrust straight ahead.
No dodging this.
A frontal stab.
Not blindingly fast, not packed with power.
Even so, a stab meant death.
That truth spawned grim visions.
Impaled on that humming blade—I die.
- Boy, you read flows. You know what matters most. Trust your heart’s call. Believe in yourself, if nothing else.
Grab it.
‘No...’
- Don’t dismiss your hard-earned time. Ride the flow.
‘Grab it!’
Baaaaam-!
“...What?”
“Got it!”
I clamped the sword tight between my palms.
Griiiind...
As Belldre strained to twist the blade free, I readied my follow-up.
I leaned my body and drew back my right leg.
Like priming a cannon.
Sliiiide...
‘When it’s certain...’
Picture motion defying air itself. Wings at my back.
I could do this.
‘Extend!’
Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaam-!
[Using Air Kick.]
[Target struck by Air Kick takes 20% increased damage from all sources for 3 minutes.]
Craaaackle...
“Arrrghhhh!”
Bellian let go of the sword and hurtled away.
Opportunity.
“Bellian!”
Kill her here, and capturing Belldre gets easy.
“Haaaah-!”
I lunged at her like a predator.
Beast-eyes behind the mask flashed with prey-fear.
But then her gaze flicked past me—backward.
‘Something’s wrong...’
A sudden chill prickled.
And the informant’s first suspicion resurfaced.
- Surprised Faces are sisters. Supposedly two. But... could be three. Not blood-related anyway.
Someone stood at my back now.
‘Danger...’
Instinct dropped my head; I rolled into a tumble.
[Lucia uses Bloodletting Sword.]
[Bloodletting Sword inflicts massive bleeding on wounds.]
Slaaaaaash-!
Luck held—I rolled clear, neck intact.
But the follow-up would shred me helpless.
‘No. I was ready too.’
Kaaaaang-!
Chiiiii...
Yurin parried the blade of this new Surprised Face.
“...Knew from the start?”
“Three’s just too underhanded.”
Crunch...
“Name’s Lucia. Everyone who learns it dies.”
Lucia...
Her name rang a faint bell too.
“Sis! Jump in sooner next time!”
“Just sizing up the Curtain fledgling’s crow claws.”
Drip...
Bellian shook herself off and rose.
“Now I’m switching foes! This drag’s killing me!”
Belldre vented, stalled by the Dark Shade.
At last, the three sisters filled out their formation.
That setup must’ve propelled them to Faces execs.
‘We’ve got three too, but...’
Dark Shade was fresh; no handling all three yet.
A year from now? Easy win. Time doesn’t wait, though.
Sliiiide...
The trio circled us at the center.
I whispered to Yurin.
“Split the three. You saw?”
“Yeah, that sword...”
The blade that ravaged Yurin’s energy.
No way three couldn’t wield what two had.
Exposed? Fatal wound now.
“Problem is... they’re thinking the same.”
“......”
The Dark Shade’s raw power meant it wouldn’t drop. But they weren’t after it.
They wanted us down.
So this fight’s key wasn’t me. Or the Dark Shade.
Yurin.
“Yurin, reverse last time. I stall; you bail me out.”
“...Me?”
“You got this?”
She’d follow my word blind.
Nod...
“Yeah! I’ll do it!”
Fwaaaah-!
The murder-ring whirled.
Lucia on Dark Shade, Bellian on Yurin, Belldre on me.
Swish...
‘Seasoned.’
Belldre outclassed Bellian in polish.
Beyond swings, she predicted counters and hid her own.
‘But... I see.’
Paaak-!
Her blade nicked the edge of my leather armor.
Kwaaaam...
The ground clashed headlong with her aura and burst apart.
Spreading sword.
Thrusts bore watching.
Pierce-power lagged the vibro-blade.
‘On thrusts...’
Swish...
Now.
Hit her now...
‘No!’
Belldre rocketed past in stab-pose. Counter-vulnerable spot.
‘...As if I could counter.’
Slaaaaaash-!
Opposite, Lucia whipped her blood-aura blade, unleashing a slash.
Switched foes.
Yurin’s flipped from Bellian to Belldre.
“Ugh...”
Different styles, builds, motions—they sowed chaos.
Full sprint frantic, reactions consumed me.
“Damn impressive. Praise-worthy. Faces fan?”
“Nope!”
“Love the steel.”
Piiiik-!
Blade kissed my cheek.
Blood surged; I smothered it with shadow.
“...So damn tempting.”
Didn’t train for enemy compliments. Trained to drop them.
Paaaang-!
Shrieeeeeek-!
......
Round and round.
They tag-teamed tormenting Yurin and me. Three styles at once—limbs tangling.
Senses ruled responses awhile now. Rotation squeezed contrary to plan.
‘Toki... what now...’
Toki’d coached every scenario.
- Think simple, boy.
Recalling, odd line intruded.
- Nothing left to teach cooking-wise. Proficiency handles the rest.
‘...Huh?’
- Haha, green. Moves solid.
‘...Toki say that? Ngh...’
Headache hit.
Wrong moment.
Recall it.
Toki’s lessons.
I held his words gold; verbatim recall.
- Master unbound your power to magic alone. Hence me. Right, question?
Chaotic fights? Enemy swarms?
- Boy, your edge: space-vision none match.
Flow.
Sight.
- Ride the wave—no shake. Senses sharp.
See it.
Battlefield.
Blood-bath arena, one slip away.
Top-down view: every life-breath here palpable.
Pababak-!
Me flurrying arms defense.
Kaaaang-!
“Ugh...”
Yurin riposting.
Long-rehearsed play swelling waves.
‘Flow...’
Feel it.
Moment to yank uniform flow our way.
Swish-!
Thrust!
Belldre thrust.
Whoooosh...
‘Now!’
Waist snapped back supine; leg lashed. Legs when sure.
Baaaaam-!
“Argh!”
Belldre rebounded; startled Lucia blew past Dark Shade to cross.
Jaaaak-!
[Using Black Flower.]
[Shadow Hand unleashes combo. Damage per strike matches Shadow Hand; same target gets 20% bonus damage per consecutive hit.]
......
Black flower bloomed on the Dark Shade’s thigh.
Kwarararararak-!
“Urgh...”
Backup foiled.
Not after Belldre.
“Yurin!”
“Yeah!”
Drilled formation ad nauseam.
Yurin pivoted right flank.
Charging me took left.
Crow’s port-starboard wings.
Routine.
Pabababak-!
“Aaaahk!”
Sword blocked—Shadow Hand swarmed her.
‘Success...’
Then.
Clapclap-!
Applause echoed behind.
[Lucia uses Linked Blood.]
[Summons nearby contracted ally to current position.]
Swish...
Bellian and Belldre blinked out.
“......”
Strike failed.
Foes no rookies.
“Fledgling crows tougher than looks.”
“Down the summon first?”
“Tanky. Rough.”
“Boy’s moves sharpening. Bad sign.”
“Girl’s the threat.”
Lucia nodded.
“Felt it? She’s mimicking our blades.”
“Street cat...”
My long-war confidence.
I acclimate; Yurin dissects moves.
Prolong, we win.
But danger-scent wafted from huddled Surprised Faces.
Fwaaash-!
Re-spin.
Wheel turning—then they converged sharp.
Target: Yurin.
Me, Dark Shade lagged.
[Bellian uses Vibrating Sword.]
[Sword vibrates, defense-hard.]
[Belldrey uses Spreading Sword.]
[Sword effect expands range gradually.]
[Lucia uses Bloodletting Sword.]
[Bloodletting Sword triggers massive bleeding on hit.]
......
Triple blades lunged; auras vortexed colors.
Yurin couldn’t block.
“No! Yurin!”
Zzzzzzz...
Cross-point: time froze, all slo-mo.
Headache crashed.
Forgotten truth dawned; choice popped.
[Yurin in peril. Abandon her: Dark Shade wipes foes instant. Proceed?]
1. Save Yurin.
2. Order Dark Shade to attack enemies.
......
‘What the hell...’
Bewildering—no adapt time.
I gripped the hilt.
Sacrifice Yurin for their deaths, or all-else-be-damned save.
Choose.
‘...Choose?’
One path from jump.
Clap-!
Frozen world splintered.
“Dark Shade!”
Baaaam-!
My yell—Dark Shade burst.
[Sacrificing Dark Shade creates thundercloud.]
[Thundercloud grants temporary shield scaled to Dark Shade’s vitality.]
Whooooong...
Craaaaaackle-!
Blades met cloud, nullified.
“Kyaaaak-!”
Scooping flung Yurin, I scowled.
“What now? Big lug’s gone—numbers off.”
Saw it.
Mask-sneer.
They’d forced the pick; balance tipped sour.
“ Sorry, Seol... my fault.”
Yurin apologized.
No—they’re stronger.
Step...
“Cry it out, crowlet. Caaaaw!”
Caw...
Caaaaaw...
“...What?”
Real cry.
Genuine caw.
All eyes on me—no mimic that perfect.
Yurin seized rigid.
“Caw... caw, Seol!”
Flutter...
Lone crow winged in, shouldered on Yurin.
Peck!
Peck!
“Ow...”
Beak hammered her scalp.
Scolding posture.
Lucia eyed the dark.
“Who?”
“Mark spotted. Impatience uncured.”
“......”
“Yurin.”
Black cloak.
Black hair, black eyes.
“Master!”
“Been a while, Yurin.”
Lucia queried Yurin’s approaching man.
“You the big crow?”
Big Crow.
Curtain’s strongest bar the boss.
Yurin’s master.
“I am Yoo Hyun.”