Chapter 52
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: Gale Storm
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As the two energies collided, an enormous shockwave raged through, shaking the clock tower once more.
Rumble.
The half-destroyed clock tower finally crumbled entirely, collapsing slowly.
The footing left for them was less than three meters across, and even that was slipping away bit by bit.
Yet neither of them stopped.
They tangled fiercely without giving an inch.
Shh-shh-shk.
Cage's dagger flew relentlessly at Ruyan's vital points alone.
It targeted his brow, philtrum, throat, heart, and solar plexus without mercy.
But Ruyan's response was even more astonishing.
Papapap.
He parried every single attack with his longbow, showing no disadvantage whatsoever.
'He won't give me room to shoot.'
His opponent's intent was plain as day.
No distance or time to nock an arrow.
'Not a bad choice.'
Any ordinary archer would fail to bring their full power to bear and fall to ruin like this.
But there was one thing Cage didn't know.
The weapon that grew more advantageous in tight spaces wasn't the sword.
'It was the bow.'
Ruyan calmly defended against the incoming daggers while biding his time.
And the moment a dagger plunged toward his solar plexus, he counterattacked.
'Now!'
Ruyan released one hand from the bow, swinging the bowstave with the other to deflect the dagger.
Kwang!
Having let go with one hand, he was pushed back by the force, the bowstave yielding sharply.
A blazing sword aura rushed toward Ruyan's chest.
Undeniably perilous.
But Ruyan was faster.
His free hand spun in a full circle, and an arrow manifested on the string in an instant.
Twang.
He didn't even need to draw it fully.
The bow's stored tension from the deflection transferred perfectly to the arrow.
'This guy! What the hell?!'
Seeing an arrow nocked right before his eyes, Cage recoiled in shock and pulled back his dagger.
'A Sword Master pulling such a ridiculous gamble.'
Attempting a dangerous counter in such a frantic battle.
The mark of a divine archer!
A mystical bow technique Cage had never even imagined.
Fwaaah.
A fierce sword aura blazed from the tensed arrowhead aimed at Cage.
'I can't block it. Too dangerous!'
The distance was far too close.
Clashing head-on would be too risky.
Thwung.
In that instant, the arrow shot toward Cage's philtrum.
Cage kicked off the ground with all his might, retreating while instinctively twisting his body.
Shraaak.
The arrow tore a long gash across his cheek and veered aside.
A difference of a hair's breadth.
Even a fraction slower—or without that stroke of luck—and he would have been dead.
'That was truly dangerous. But...'
He had survived regardless. Moreover, he'd seen through Ruyan's hidden trump card.
'I know your game now. No more cheap tricks.'
The scar on his face might be permanent, but gaining insight into his foe's plan made it a worthy trade.
Cage smirked confidently and raised his dagger high.
'If that's all he's got, I can win. Close the distance again, and he's dead.'
Cage steadied his stance calmly, watching for an opening in Ruyan.
Something felt off, though.
Ruyan didn't seem the least bit regretful that his trump card had failed.
His expression remained impassive as he simply drew the bow again.
Twang.
The bow bent fiercely once more, unleashing an arrow at tremendous speed.
'He already knows he can't hit me.'
Ridiculous.
But Cage didn't let his guard down. He watched the arrow to the end before slipping aside.
Shiiik.
Then another arrow flew right where he'd dodged from.
Cage evaded that one effortlessly too and glared at Ruyan.
'Dodge one more, then close in.'
Cage's eyes burned fiercely as he sought Ruyan's gap.
His legs tensed, ready to charge at any moment.
Thwung.
The awaited arrow came flying.
But it wasn't just one.
'Two?'
Ruyan had nocked and loosed two arrows at once.
'What the—?!'
He didn't even need to dodge. The pair missed him entirely, flying harmlessly past on either side.
'A mistake?'
It was such a basic blunder it left him bewildered.
'Was that all he had?'
Either way, this chance wouldn't come again.
Cage swallowed a derisive laugh and lunged forward. Or tried to.
But in the end, he couldn't take a single step.
'What is this...'
Twelve arrows!
Arrows blazing with azure sword aura encircled him like will-o'-the-wisps.
Whoooosh.
Every arrow he'd dodged until now.
None had fallen—they'd been pursuing him all along.
Fwaaah.
The sword auras flaring from the arrows grew, heating the air around them.
'How are the arrows...'
Too late to dodge. And realizing it was already far too late.
Ruyan confirmed Cage's hesitation and lowered his bow lightly.
'He's finally caught on.'
A bow was never a simple weapon. It had feints too.
No one had ever ignored that and lived.
Divine Archer Ultimate Art
Gale Storm
"Explode."
With Ruyan's low murmur, the arrows launched all at once.
Shiiiiiik.
Fearsome momentum!
Finally outpacing even sound, twelve shooting stars poured down in majestic fury.
"Haaap!"
Cage summoned all his mana, blasting forth vigorous sword aura.
He whirled it rapidly, enveloping his body in a barrier of sword aura.
Sword Barrier!
A supreme defense technique, sturdier than protective aura and covering a far wider area.
Tatatang.
Shooting stars hammered mercilessly into the glowing blue barrier.
Kwarung!
The clash of energies unleashed a horrific roar.
Space itself warped and twisted.
The collapsing clock tower, trapped in the mana storm, couldn't even fall, shaking wildly.
A world for them alone!
Not even a whisper of wind dared intrude on Ruyan and Cage's clash.
"Hap! You think I'll fall?!"
Blood streamed from Cage's nose amid their fierce contest of power.
His eyes burned red.
Yet his mana blazed ever fiercer.
Pang!
His surging, rampaging mana flooded into the sword barrier.
The azure barrier glowed pure white, repelling the arrows.
A true Sword Master!
The reinforced barrier began pushing back the arrows one by one.
Tang.
Finally, even the last arrow was deflected by his dagger.
Whoooosh.
As Cage dispelled the barrier and lowered his dagger, white steam rose from his body.
"The Empire will not fall. Not to this!"
Having blocked even Ruyan's ultimate art, Cage lifted his chin arrogantly and roared.
'Hmm, far superior to expectations.'
Even Ruyan had to acknowledge it.
He'd feigned composure, but his own inner energy was starting to strain.
That ultimate art had been his best shot.
'No choice.'
If he hadn't committed from the start, maybe. But momentum was on his side now.
He couldn't back down.
This was a fight where he had to kill his foe, even at great cost.
Ruyan raised his hand, clenching the empty air with all his remaining inner energy poured forth.
And he intoned once more.
Divine Archer Ultimate Art
Gale Storm - Second Form
"Return."
The deflected arrows arced in a grand circle, reversing direction.
Fwoosh.
Igniting their sword auras anew, they converged on Cage.
Divine Bow's arrows!
They never missed. Impossible to dodge or block.
"Th-this mad..."
This time, even Cage couldn't hide his shock, spitting curses.
'The prophecy was true. The founding Emperor witnessed this!'
Despair flickered in Cage's fierce gaze for a moment.
But he couldn't just take it lying down. He had a mission he couldn't abandon even in death.
'If I can't block...'
Cage abandoned defense.
Instead, he channeled his innate vital energy—the primal force of life—into his dagger.
Fwaaaah.
The pure white sword aura surged over two meters high.
'We die together!'
Cage charged with everything he had.
Even as arrows targeted his heart, he never halted.
Shiiik.
A Sword Master's final, life-risking strike, mid-tier or not!
That dizzying sword aura cleaved space, hurtling toward Ruyan.
But Ruyan merely watched him calmly, expression unchanged.
'In the Central Plains...'
He never would have been cornered like this to begin with. But if Ha Cheol-hyeok had been in this spot, truly spent of inner energy, he'd have died to that mutual destruction.
Yet the Divine Bow of Sobles Continent was different now.
'That's far enough.'
No matter how mighty the strike, it meant nothing if it couldn't connect.
"Hold."
⟨ 3rd Circle Magic: Hold ⟩
Golden chains extended from Ruyan's hand, binding Cage's body with a clank.
A 3rd Circle spell to seal movement!
Normally useless against a Sword Master.
But Ruyan's magic was different.
Kududuk.
The mana of the world crushed down on Cage's shoulders.
It dragged at his feet, gripped his waist.
Not just restraining—it clenched with bone-shattering force.
Crack.
Having exhausted his own mana, Cage couldn't resist the overwhelming pressure.
"Guh! Magic?!"
The second master of the Black Lion Knights, who commanded darkness!
Those were Cage's final words.
Papapapak.
The twelve arrows riddled his body. They devoured Cage whole, without even a scream.
A period fell on the duel of absolute masters.
Kwaaaang!
Bombarded by sword aura, Cage vaporized completely, leaving no corpse.
After such audacity, Ruyan calmly turned away.
Alize, clinging to the crumbling clock tower, stared straight at him.
"Ruyan..."
Despite the world-shaking battle right beside her, not a thread of her clothing was amiss.
Of course, Alize had no leisure for such trivia now.
"I'm out of booze. Coming along?"
Ruyan shrugged, and the protective aura enveloping her gently dispersed.
About a kilometer from Tvante Village, on a low hill.
Ruyan tilted his bottle casually, gazing at the village.
'What a mess.'
The clock tower's collapse had plunged the village into chaos.
The area had caved in like an earthquake, and knights were struggling to contain the damage.
Yet the true culprit, Ruyan, impassively emptied his bottle without a change in expression.
"Alize, drinking too much isn't good."
Ruyan tossed the words without turning, and Alize scowled, setting her bottle down.
It was already empty.
"Hoo, when else would I drink if not on a day like this?"
Only then did Ruyan glance at her sidelong and shake his head.
Alize bore serious injuries.
He'd staunched the abdominal bleeding as best he could for now, but it was just first aid.
Not safe until Cloyang properly treated her.
'No helping it.'
Ruyan pulled out a fresh bottle and handed it to her, laboriously mustering his inner energy.
A pitiful trickle emerged from his depleted dantian.
Obviously, Ruyan needed rest too.
But he decided to indulge Alize, if only briefly.
'Tch. Some days are tough without a drink.'
As their hands brushed while passing the bottle, he infused his energy to forcefully suppress her wounds.
"Last bottle. That's it."
Ruyan spoke indifferently, but his eyes lingered on her with concern.
Her story carried that much pain.