Chapter 274
Chapter 274
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 274
Chapter Title: ACT.55 An Interruption for an Interruption (2)
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“It's been a while, Kim Se-hyeon.”
Himura, the captain of the ninja unit, Shirokage.
And Iwato, the vice-captain of the onmyoji unit, Shiranui.
The ones leading this large group of players bared their teeth and growled.
Han Hyeok-jun glanced at me as if asking what was going on, so I clicked my tongue with a 'tsk'.
“You said there were already signs of the disaster appearing. Do you really have time for this?”
“That's none of your business.”
They really have it out for me.
But not only are there no other units, the captain of the Shiranui is also nowhere to be seen, so this doesn't seem to be a decision made by the Yamato Guild.
“Are you acting on your own?”
“...”
There was no answer.
Silence is affirmation.
I gave up on getting an answer and raised my sword.
When words fail, it's time to let the swords do the talking.
“Han Hyeok-jun. How are you feeling?”
“I'm not in bad enough shape to struggle against the likes of them.”
*Fwoosh.*
Five swords of flame materialized behind Han Hyeok-jun's back.
It was a specialty of abilities that included the word 'Authority' in their names.
“We're not that outnumbered, so don't overdo it.”
[Activating 'Army of Darkness'.]
About 100 dark knights revealed themselves.
A greater number than when we clashed in Busan.
Besides, there was another crucial difference.
Alpha and Zeta.
Two captain-class entities were summoned at once, reliably flanking my sides.
“Even a Death Walker...?! You summoned two captain-class entities at once!? It should be impossible to have enough mana to do that at this point!”
Himura's eyes trembled violently.
His entire unit was wiped out, unable to overcome the single wall that was Tenebris One, and Himura himself had fled without landing a single decent hit on me.
And now, on top of that, I had summoned another captain-class entity.
‘So he doesn't know about the stat limit removal.’
Then what could it be?
The method used by that small handful of people who also seemed to have no stat limits.
‘Anyway.’
Himura's reaction to the performance I just showed was what you'd expect from a Progressor, and it was the normal reaction.
“Hmph, you think we'd start something without any preparation!”
Acting so brazenly without knowing one's place stems from ignorance.
“Everyone, activate the formation!”
“Stop, you idiot!”
Before Himura could stop him, the onmyoji all activated the same technique on Iwato's command.
[You are under the effect of the 'Grand Mana Suppression Formation'.]
The forms of the dark soldiers began to waver slightly.
Is it a technique that disrupts mana itself?
The range is quite wide.
And yet, they've cast a separate technique around themselves to remain exempt from its effects.
So their plan is to pressure us while being the only ones who can freely wield mana.
“It was a good try.”
*Crackle!!*
I saw it with my Extreme Eye, and with the Black Moon God Sword, I cut down its source, extinguishing it.
The 'Grand Mana Suppression Formation' that Iwato had activated like a trump card vanished faster than it had appeared.
“Shallow.”
The talismans that flew in with a slight delay were instantly incinerated by Han Hyeok-jun, who was beside me.
Through the falling ashes, the shocked faces of the onmyoji were visible.
Iwato, in particular, stood with his mouth agape, unable to close it.
“H-how... No, the mana is constantly scattering, it should be hard to even draw it up, so how on earth...”
“You don't necessarily need mana to cut mana. More importantly.”
I gave a slight smirk.
“I think I can take that as a preemptive strike.”
A big fight needs a justification.
The strong don't necessarily need one against the weak, but if the opponents are equals, or if the roles are reversed...
...it's nothing more than digging your own grave.
Himura knew that, which was why he tried to stop Iwato.
So they could just retreat.
But we've already been attacked first.
“Am I to take this as the will of the Yamato Guild?”
“N-no, that's...”
“If not, shall I inform the Yamato Guild that you, on your own authority, attacked me, who came here representing Korea's five major guilds?”
Iwato's face turned deathly pale.
He realized what a grave mistake he had made.
In the former case, the Yamato Guild would be saddled with the internal problem of the disaster and the external problem of a war with Korea.
In the latter case, it might end with just taking some losses... but the two of them would be unable to avoid disciplinary action and punishment.
“...What are you doing! Shut that bastard's mouth!”
“To think the answer you came up with after careful consideration is to kill me for my silence. A disappointing decision.”
“Shut up, Kim Se-hyeon!”
Himura vanished from sight.
Meanwhile, I felt my body become a little sluggish.
After restraining the opponent's movements with Shadow Bind, he uses Acceleration and Super Speed to increase his own speed to its limit.
It's the same method he used last time.
If he follows the pattern, he'll attack with hidden weapon techniques like 'Ten Thousand Flowers Filling the Sky' next.
Compared to last time, he hasn't improved much…….
*Poof!!*
The moment I maximized my senses and prepared to counter Himura's attack.
A massive amount of smoke erupted from all over, and in an instant, all those people vanished.
“...What?”
“They ran away.”
“Ran away? After talking like they were ready to fight to the death?”
“It was an act. I was fooled for a second, too.”
Ninjutsu - Escape Scroll.
Its considerable cost is a flaw, but it's the ultimate escape tool that allows one to flee from any situation.
When its proficiency is mastered, it gains the ability to transport allies within a certain range as well.
The thought that the entire unit had mastered it made me chuckle in disbelief.
“So what now? You're going to be in Japan until you kill Cromwell, right? Even if those guys ran away now, they'll probably keep interfering. They must have realized a direct confrontation won't work, so won't they resort to guerilla tactics?”
He wasn't my only target, but it wasn't an incorrect assessment either.
Nothing was unimportant.
It was just that there were too many important things.
It was also true that I would have to invest a significant amount of time to see to all of them.
“We need to settle this.”
“Settle it?”
“Beat them until they lose any thought of messing with us.”
With that level of strength, they can't tie me down while I have Han Hyeok-jun with me.
On the other hand, as a small party of two, we can much more efficiently inflict cumulative damage on them with guerilla tactics.
That was exactly what I was aiming for.
“I'm going to keep inflicting one-sided damage until they decide they can't take it anymore.”
Last time, and this time.
I'll make it clear that I was the one who let them go, not the other way around.
Well, it's all the better since it also damages the Yamato Guild in the process.
“Kkyu!”
“Right?”
“...I've been wondering for a while, but what exactly is that... lizard?”
“It's a dragon. Though it's just a hatchling.”
“A dragon... I have no idea where you've been or what you've been doing. Every time I see you, you're stronger, and you keep showing me amazing things.”
Han Hyeok-jun clicked his tongue.
Well, from Han Hyeok-jun's perspective, my growth rate must seem absurd.
[Anyone would think so, not just Han Hyeok-jun...]
Besial muttered unenthusiastically.
Just like in America, Japan also has a different administrator, so the conditions wouldn't allow Besial to interfere.
The only difference is that the administrator for the Japan region is an intermediate-class devil, same as Besial.
‘He's such a lazy bastard, so there probably won't be any intervention, for better or worse.’
***
“Damn it, damn it!”
Iwato stomped the ground like an angry bull, fuming.
“What do we do now? Do we have to retreat again like this? Himura! You're the one who brought this up. Say something!”
“...Shut up, you moron. I'm thinking.”
“M-moron!?”
“You, a mere vice-captain, must know you have no right to speak to me like that.”
“Kgh...”
Iwato's face contorted.
The units were of equal standing, but as Himura said, there was a difference between a captain and a vice-captain.
Even though they were cooperating for the same purpose, in principle, Iwato was subordinate to Himura.
Himura, who had been thinking with his eyes closed, opened his mouth.
“As you said, I will finish this. But not right now.”
“Then?”
“Those guys must have come to Japan with a purpose. While they're moving to achieve it, we need to recover our losses and prepare various measures. But we also need to hinder them from achieving that purpose as much as possible to buy time. Additionally, we must stop them from going to the guild headquarters. You understand what I mean, right?”
“...Fine. Let's do that.”
Himura and Iwato moved in opposite directions.
And then, something hidden in the nearby darkness flashed its eyes before vanishing as if seeping into the air.
***
There was one more additional function that came with reaching 90 mana.
The ability to share the senses of my subordinate entities.
Therefore, it was possible for me to share exactly what Zeta saw and heard.
And with Zeta's abilities, tracking those who had fled with an Escape Scroll was an easy task.
“So that's how they're going to play it.”
“What happened?”
“Looks like they're going to back off for a bit while we pursue our objective. They've split their units.”
Normally, that would be the right call.
That is, if they were opponents of similar strength where a conclusion wouldn't be reached easily.
‘The matter with the Prophet and Cromwell is urgent, but as long as these guys are around, we'll keep being interrupted.’
Whether we're delayed by constant interruptions, or we invest time in dealing with them completely.
In my eyes, it was all the same.
It wouldn't take that long, after all.
“Let's go. I've confirmed they're heading towards Roppongi.”
“You said they're part of the Yamato Guild, so they might have some clues about Cromwell.”
“If we're lucky.”
Han Hyeok-jun's eyes flashed for a moment.
Since Han Hyeok-jun had followed me to Japan with the sole intention of catching and killing Cromwell, he would go along with anything that seemed related to him.
If the Prophet I'm going to meet is cooperative, I might be able to hear a prophecy about Cromwell, too.
Han Hyeok-jun might be in a slightly unstable state of mind, but he probably won't do anything rash at this point.
“Then let's split up and take them.”
“I was going to send my soldiers after the ninja unit. Do you really have to?”
“No. I have to go. I have a strong feeling that guy, Himura, knows something about Cromwell.”
Well, he wouldn't be completely ignorant.
He's a Progressor, and he seemed knowledgeable enough to identify the captain-class entities at a glance.
But that's not what Han Hyeok-jun meant.
[The trait 'Blood for Blood (A)' is active.]
A burning, intense desire for revenge.
It's a trait that can only be obtained when such conditions are met.
A half-hearted desire for revenge won't do.
'I cannot die until I kill that bastard.' Or, 'I will kill that bastard even if I have to sacrifice everything I have.'
As it's a trait that can't be obtained without that level of resolve, its effect is also simple and powerful.
‘Can intuitively track the traces of the target of revenge.’
In EOA, there was one NPC who had this trait at S-rank.
With no evidence whatsoever, he pinpointed the locations of eight targets, saying, 'They will be here,' and astonishingly got all eight correct.
In effect, it could be seen as having an absolute location tracking ability, limited only to the target of one's revenge.
“What an interesting conversation you're having.”
*Snap.* The sound of a folding fan closing.
Han Hyeok-jun instantly spun around and drew his sword.
Where the sound came from, there was a man with a peculiar aura.
“I didn't feel any presence at all. He's a formidable opponent.”
Han Hyeok-jun said in a stiff voice.
It was only natural.
Because this was an opponent who possessed a skill that could completely conceal their presence from anyone who wasn't a top-tier S-rank player.
“He heard our conversation. We have to catch him before he runs away...”
“No need. He's an ally.”
“An ally?”
Han Hyeok-jun narrowed one eye.
His expression seemed to ask when I had prepared an ally in Japan in advance.
“To be precise, someone who is scheduled to become an ally.”
I slowly closed the distance to the man.
He, too, watched me approach with a strange smile.