Chapter 219: I’ve Come to Support You (8)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 219: I’ve Come to Support You (8)
Han So-ye deflected Victoria’s attack, and Satomi lunged in from the flank, swinging her sword.
Even with her posture broken, Victoria ducked in the direction of the deflection, dodging the rapid blade while slamming her fist into the ground.
Boom!
Debris sprayed in all directions. As Kwon Ye-jin raised her shield to block the incoming shards, Victoria kicked her, sending her flying back, shield and all.
Hornet, flitting through the debris, took the rear and fired compressed air at the back of Victoria’s head. Victoria dodged it with a simple tilt of her head and raised her fist.
With a sound like the air itself was rupturing, her fist shot forward like a rocket.
The demonized Anna stepped in to block, but Victoria, wearing a wicked smirk, grabbed Anna’s guarding arm and pulled.
Thud!
Perhaps as payback for earlier, Victoria drove her knee into Anna’s abdomen. As Anna’s waist buckled and she floated into the air, Victoria blasted her away with a punch.
In the meantime, Hornet escaped and fired more compressed air while Yoon A-young unleashed a barrage of ice, but Victoria shattered it all with her bare fists.
Who was it? Who said we could go toe-to-toe with Silver Blood?
Which idiot did the power analysis so poorly?
Oh, right. It was me.
It seemed that no matter the world, America remained the strongest; Victoria was on an entirely different level.
We were only holding our own because she was alone. If she had been with the other members, Black Unicorn would have been slaughtered instantly.
“Do you still think you have a chance?!”
I narrowly dodged a swing from Victoria’s fist while repeatedly pulling the trigger.
Tentacles erupted from the ground to entwine her, but they were ripped like paper the moment she moved.
“You think you can catch me with these children’s toys? Where did all that confidence from earlier go?!”
Victoria chatted away loudly while effortlessly fending off the members’ attacks.
I must have really bruised her ego.
If we keep fighting, we win.
We were being pushed back, but we were constantly healing, and our stamina and mana were still sufficient.
Though we weren't landing many hits, the accumulated fatigue and minor wounds would eventually sink her.
Of course, it wasn't exactly something to brag about, considering we were ganging up on her eight-to-one with Han So-ye, who possessed high-efficiency anti-personnel skills.
However, we weren't in a position to keep fighting just because we could win.
There was a high probability that other villains would show up while Victoria kept us pinned down. If another Silver Blood member or that woman, Spinner, arrived, it would be game over.
“Formation D-2. Han So-ye, Yoon A-young to the frontline. Kwon Ye-jin, fall back. I’m borrowing this.”
I spoke as I drew Satomi’s second sword. She was currently down on one knee after taking a hit to the ribs.
“Master! It’s dangerous!”
“Do as I ordered. Lee Yu-na, heal Satomi and Kwon Ye-jin. Hornet, stay in the second line and focus on harassment. Don’t go in deep. Anna, release Demonization and provide cover.”
The black-haired Anna grimaced at the fact that she wasn't being helpful and deactivated her Demonization.
Returning to her original form with her beautiful blonde hair, Anna’s dazed eyes turned fierce as she pulled out her JP-12 and aimed at Victoria.
“Save that cowgirl roleplay for when you’re at home.”
“Kurwa, Americunt.”
Anna spat out the curse and pulled the trigger.
Light erupted from the muzzle, illuminating the surroundings. The moment Anna drew the JP-12, the other members, who had been keeping their senses closed, retreated and reformed the line.
“You still think these cheap tricks will work?”
Through the blinding white light, Victoria emerged with the face of a demon.
As if her vision were completely unaffected, she rushed toward me with wide eyes and reached out a hand.
Korean Sword: Whirlwind.
Before Victoria’s hand could reach me, a gale rose from the ground and swept over her.
It didn't push her back, but it broke her posture. I dodged her hand, slipped inside her guard, and swung the sword.
As I executed a Dew Cut, the blade swung silently. Victoria, disregarding her pride, rolled across the ground to evade the strike.
As Victoria regained her stance, covered in dust, a thin red line appeared across her abdomen.
It was barely a scratch, but I had cut through her armor-like costume and nicked her skin.
“Seems to be working just fine, doesn't it?”
I rested the katana on my shoulder and sneered. Satomi, seeing me use a sword properly for the first time, stared with a dazed expression.
Victoria’s face contorted into something even more demonic as she charged at me with a terrifying look.
“Kwon Ye-jin, restore your shield. Lee Yu-na, support. Keep backing up. Han So-ye, don’t worry about the tactics, just focus on the villain. We’ll adjust to you.”
Han So-ye, Yoon A-young, and I stood at the rear, engaging Victoria as we retreated.
Yoon A-young provided support, and Han So-ye continuously deflected Victoria’s fierce onslaught.
After experiencing the cutting power of the Dew Cut once, Victoria moved cautiously, keeping a constant eye on me.
Taking advantage of her intense focus on me, I made a threatening move, allowing Yoon A-young to slip into her blind spot and attack.
Why does it feel like we’re fighting better now than when the whole team was attacking?
With Victoria tied down at the frontline, Hornet and Anna’s harassment began to land.
Lee Yu-na continuously drew her bow, alternating between attack and support, while Satomi and Kwon Ye-jin focused on recovery.
“Turn left.”
Lee Yu-na, at the front, immediately leaned against the corner and kept firing arrows upon my command, then retreated as we drew near.
“Master! Shield restoration complete!”
“Han So-ye, fall back and recover. Kwon Ye-jin, protect Yoon A-young.”
The frontline members swapped, and Kwon Ye-jin protected Yoon A-young as ordered.
Having experienced Victoria’s powerful fists once already, Kwon Ye-jin didn't try to block head-on but focused on deflecting.
Whenever Kwon Ye-jin blocked an attack, Yoon A-young would emit frost into the surroundings, and Lee Yu-na’s heat-infused arrows would fly toward us to neutralize the cold.
As the exposure to the frost lengthened, Victoria’s movements, which had been unchanging, began to grow slightly sluggish.
“Got you.”
Using my other hand like a sheath, I took a drawing stance and unleashed a Battōjutsu aimed at Victoria’s knees.
As my body twitched along with a killing intent as sharp as a blade, Victoria desperately pulled her legs back, even at the cost of breaking her posture.
“Idiot.”
Yoon A-young seized that opening, lunging in and pressing her mana-charged hand against Victoria’s abdomen.
Crrraaaaack!
With the sound of something snapping and twisting, ice erupted in all directions from Yoon A-young’s hand.
New pillars shot out like awls from the massive, branch-like ice structure. Victoria, taking the hit directly, was ruthlessly pushed back along with the ice.
Half-trapped in the ice, Victoria wore a pained expression as she smashed the ice with her free right hand.
“Did you really think I’d use a bare-handed Battōjutsu, a move that’s all style and no substance? You’re more naive than I thought.”
Having finally taken a solid hit, Victoria grit her teeth, her pride seemingly more wounded than her body.
Even as I flipped her the bird, we didn't stop moving, continuing our retreat.
Victoria stood up, swaying slightly, shook her head to clear it, and spat blood-stained saliva onto the ground.
“You’re late.”
At her words, goosebumps broke out across my back.
The aura she began to emit, as if there was no longer any need to hide it, etched fear onto the faces of the team members.
Hey… isn't this a bit much?
Behind the smirking Victoria, Spinner walked out with her predatory eyes.
“What took you so long?”
“They were so scattered, I had a hard time dealing with them.”
But all of Black Unicorn was right here.
“Dammit…”
Victoria realized too late what "scattered" meant and tried to swing her fist, but Spinner was faster, reaching out her hand.
As Spinner extended her hand, Victoria froze in place, and her body began to contort.
Though she looked to be in agony, Victoria couldn't even scream. She was forced to watch helplessly as her own body was twisted.
As if determined to inflict maximum pain, Spinner left the neck for last, starting with the hands and feet. Victoria’s body began to snap and fold with sickening crunches.
Han So-ye grimaced and averted her eyes from the brutal sight. Victoria died with a face full of terror, leaking tears and blood.
When Spinner withdrew her hand without even a glance, Victoria was discarded on the floor like a broken toy.
Even if we had drained her stamina, wasn't that a bit too easy?
As I wore a bitter smile, Spinner looked at me with interest.
“You’re different from the others. Those bitches next to you are all pissing themselves, but your eyes have actually turned colder. You’re more of a woman than they are.”
As if she had found a fun toy, Spinner licked her lips while scanning me up and down.
“I wonder what kind of face you’ll make before you die.”
“I’m curious too. I wonder what kind of face a person who enjoys killing others through pain will make when they kick the bucket.”
“Interesting. Has no one ever told you that your mouth is a problem?”
“I haven't heard it, but I feel it often. Is that Spatial Fixation?”
When I asked, Spinner narrowed her eyes and glared at me.
“No one’s ever recognized it at a glance before. Impressive.”
“My eyes have always been sharp.”
“But that mouth is the problem. You definitely have to die.”
“As if you had any other intention.”
I sneered and fired toward the ceiling.
The ceiling collapsed, and as massive boulders fell, we retreated.
“Yoon A-young, fall back to the second line. Everyone, retreat!”
Spinner began to run toward us, fixing the falling boulders in mid-air.
I unleashed a barrage of mana-infused bullets from Astra, but they stopped dead in front of Spinner, losing their kinetic energy and dropping to the floor.
“Confirmed skill range: 1-meter cube. Activation distance: 3 meters. Don’t get reckless, keep up the harassment!”
Hornet, Yoon A-young, and Lee Yu-na did their best with long-range attacks.
However, the storm of attacks they unleashed was all momentarily fixed in the air before falling to the ground, just like my bullets.
Seeing her compressed air vanish into nothingness, Hornet clicked her tongue and compressed air in both hands as she moved forward.
“Stop! Don’t come forward until I order it. Just keep harassing her.”
When I stopped her, Hornet, who had been about to fire an Air Blast, grimaced and retreated again.
Despite our relentless long-range attacks, Spinner charged toward us without hindrance.
“Kwon Ye-jin, behind me. Support me.”
The moment she caught up, I lowered my sword and faced Spinner.
Even when I fired mana from the blade, the Spatial Fixation seemed to catch the mana itself; the crescent-shaped energy froze in the air like a museum exhibit.
Once she passed it, the mana began to move again, but with no target left, it merely slammed into a wall.
As I tried to swing my sword at the close-range Spinner, I felt mana gathering around me.
Snap—
I desperately threw myself backward. Spinner smirked.
“You felt it? You’re getting more interesting by the second. Oh, and my activation distance is actually up to 4 meters.”
My retreating arm had narrowly brushed against that range.
The sensation of a fixed arm was bizarre.
It was just empty air, but no matter how much strength I used, my trapped hand wouldn't budge an inch.
As the space itself began to rotate and my hand started to twist, I performed a somersault to keep my arm from snapping.
“Ahahaha! This feels like when I used to put a hamster in a wheel as a kid. Keep spinning!”
“Don’t get close!”
I shouted as the other members tried to rush in to help me.
Clack—
I held the shotgun in one hand and fired into the fixed space.
The buckshot from the shotgun was fixed in space just as it began to spread, and the mana within it flared.
But magic itself isn't fixed, is it?
Magic erupted from the pellets sprayed in all directions. I pulled my hand out of the space and retreated.
Phew—it worked.
If that hadn't worked, I might have had to cut my own hand off.
“How… did you do that?”
“Trade secret.”
I gave a thin smile and fired the shotgun at the ground.
Stone walls rose to block the passage, and we ran.
Crash!
The stone wall was pierced in an instant, and Spinner pursued us with murderous eyes.
As she drew close enough to overtake us, we scattered to avoid her skill and launched long-range attacks from all sides.
“Don’t forget the 5 meters!”
“Too late.”
Spinner gave a short laugh, fixed Kwon Ye-jin in place, and began to pummel her with her fists.
Kwon Ye-jin’s face was being pulverized with every ruthless blow, but since she was fixed, she couldn't even resist; she just had to take it.
Bang!
The bullets were fixed in the air before they could reach her. Yoon A-young and Anna charged in, but Spinner kicked them both away.
Snatching one of Lee Yu-na’s arrows out of the air, Spinner plunged it into Kwon Ye-jin’s shoulder.
“Stop it!”
Satomi rushed in and swung her sword, but the blade stopped midway, forcing her to let go.
Spinner plunged a dagger into the defenseless Satomi’s abdomen and immediately fixed the space.
I fired the shotgun toward Satomi and lunged at Spinner, swinging my sword.
The space froze, but the mana I had imbued into the sword flared, momentarily breaking the technique.
However, it was only for a split second, and the sword was immediately fixed again.
Feeling the mana swarming around me, I twisted my body to escape before the skill could complete and fired the shotgun at Kwon Ye-jin while lying on the ground.
“Guaaaah…”
Only then did Kwon Ye-jin, finally able to express her pain, begin to collapse. Hornet caught her and quickly retreated using aerial maneuvers. Spinner drove her fist toward me as I lay on the floor.
Crackle—
Ice rising from the ground moved like water, enveloping me and sliding me toward Yoon A-young.
The fist that pierced through the ice slammed into the spot where my head had just been. I tried to regroup, but Spinner continued to harass and attack us with her skill.
“Whew… It’s been a while since I’ve had a good workout. You guys are weak, but you hold on surprisingly well.”
We, unable to even properly treat our wounds, stood battered and bruised, warily watching Spinner as she slowly approached.
Kwon Ye-jin, her face a mess and unable to even open one eye properly, stood in front of me with her shield to protect me. Satomi and Anna, though limping, aimed their weapons at Spinner.
Only Lee Yu-na, who had provided support and fire from the rear, was relatively unscathed. No one else in Black Unicorn had the strength left to fight.
Everyone sensed their impending death, but they grit their teeth and glared at Spinner.
“Yu-na Unnie.”
Yoon A-young, blood dripping from her head, called out to Lee Yu-na behind her.
The meaning must have been clear just from the name, as Lee Yu-na’s expression darkened.
“If you’re thinking of only saving me, forget it. We all survive together. Anna, if you move, I’ll kill you.”
Anna, who had been stealthily moving to ambush me, flinched and looked around guiltily.
“How touching. I think I’ll hang you all on the wall and watch you die one by one.”
Spinner wore a cruel smile, taking her time.
Sssssss—
In that desperate moment, static crackled through the communicator.
The heavens hadn't abandoned us yet.
“It’s our victory.”
I checked the device measuring the coordinates and smiled.
“Have you lost your mind? You’re still holding onto hope?”
“I’ll admit you’re strong. We can’t beat you yet. Operator, sending coordinates.”
“Static— Coor… static— confirmed… sending— static—”
Ryu Ji-hye’s voice came through broken.
As Spinner’s brow furrowed, mana gathered in front of us, and a blue shimmer appeared.
“So, I called someone who can win.”
A gate opened within the shimmer, and a person stepped out.
“Did you call for support?”
The small woman, wearing her usual blunt expression, ignored Spinner and looked at me.
“Yes. Welcome. And please, give her a good beating.”
“That’s my specialty.”
Hwa-ryeon’s lips curled into a smirk, and I smiled back at her.