Chapter 98
Chapter 98
Translation: godtl
"......"
"......"
A heavy silence hung over the training grounds.
Rankers and prospects alike all wore expressions of shock, but—
'Was that a bit too much?'
The center of the controversy, Si-mun, merely blinked nonchalantly.
Soon after—
'No, that was just right.'
Si-mun gazed with satisfaction at Kang Hwa-wi, who was sprawled on the ground.
Indeed.
"Kuh... Keuheok!"
Though he writhed like a crushed insect,
Kang Hwa-wi was slowly pushing himself up, groaning in pain.
'To pierce through an S-rank Trait like Flesh Armor, that much force was necessary.'
S-rank Trait: Flesh Armor.
The unique ability that had made Kang Hwa-wi a top prospect of the Continent Guild—the fatter he got, the tougher his flesh became.
'No wonder he was mocked for his "Flesh Armor" even after becoming a Ranker.'
Kang Hwa-wi, infamous for his vile personality.
Even as a Ranker, he had been ridiculed endlessly for his appearance and the name of his trait.
'We used to call him the Flesh Armor Bug.'
Especially because he had excessively oppressed Korean exiles,
he had earned himself an upgraded nickname among Koreans: the Flesh Armor Bug.
Of course, this only made his persecution of Koreans even harsher.
But what could be done?
'It's all his own karma.'
The karma Kang Hwa-wi himself had accumulated.
"Kuh... Ugh..."
Trembling, Kang Hwa-wi struggled to his feet.
To an outsider, the damage he had taken seemed immense,
but the true shock he had suffered was more psychological than physical.
And for good reason.
'How did he neutralize my Heart-Piercing Palm?'
When Kang Hwa-wi had struck Si-mun's chest with his Heart-Piercing Palm, he had felt it clearly.
'He completely nullified my Aura.'
His Aura, which had burrowed in to rupture Si-mun's organs, had scattered into nothingness.
At the same time—
'Not only that, he reversed my Heart-Piercing Palm against me.'
This was no illusion.
Si-mun's hand, pressing into Kang Hwa-wi's chest,
had carried the very essence of the Heart-Piercing Palm's penetrating technique.
Hadn't he felt it firsthand with his own body?
Burning with that very question—
"You bastard! How did you use the Heart-Piercing Palm?!"
Kang Hwa-wi spat out the words along with an unidentified yellow fluid.
It was a revolting sight, but—
"Hmm. I just did it, and it worked?"
Si-mun merely shrugged.
"You—! You're toying with me till the end!"
Kang Hwa-wi roared in fury, but Si-mun's demeanor remained unchanged.
Naturally.
'In my past life, the Heart-Piercing Palm was already a widely known technique.'
The Heart-Piercing Palm.
Though it was Kang Hwa-wi's signature move,
it was nothing more than a technique he had honed—one originally developed by a first-generation Ranker of the Continent Guild.
The combination of Flesh Armor's formidable defense and the Heart-Piercing Palm's ability to inflict internal damage was practically a cheat.
But since it was a technique devised in the first generation,
various counters to the Heart-Piercing Palm had naturally emerged.
Someone had even dissected the principles behind the technique and disseminated it as public knowledge among martial artists.
And among the martial arts that someone had mastered—
'With the Heavenly Demon Divine Art in my arsenal, it'd be weird if I couldn't replicate it.'
Since Si-mun also practiced the Heavenly Demon Divine Art, executing the Heart-Piercing Palm was child's play.
From the start, the Heavenly Demon Divine Art—a martial art belonging to a higher-ranking Constellation—had the effect of making it easy to comprehend lower-tier techniques.
'Mal-suk used to call this something like "returning to the origin," didn't she?'
Si-mun glanced toward the edge of the training grounds,
where Go Mal-suk stood frozen, her face utterly dumbstruck.
The very woman who had devised and spread the Heart-Piercing Palm technique across the world—from the Continent Guild's perspective, she was the most notorious bitch and madwoman of all time.
The Heavenly Demon of her past life had been the nightmare of every combat-oriented fighter who used martial arts.
And simultaneously, their teacher.
Thanks to her, countless advanced techniques of major guilds had been scattered into the public domain.
'The help from my past life is still influencing things even now. Thank you, Mal-suk.'
Si-mun's lips curled up on their own.
Meeting his gaze, Go Mal-suk's cheeks flushed slightly before she hurriedly averted her eyes.
"You bastard, you're mocking me to the very end!"
Kang Hwa-wi's eyes grew fierce as he witnessed the exchange.
He took it as yet another slight against him.
"Let's see just how long you can keep laughing!"
His eyes, buried deep within his fleshy face, narrowed even further.
At the same time, a crimson hue flickered across his pupils.
"I'll smash that damn face of yours first!"
With a rough roar, Kang Hwa-wi's body shot forward explosively.
Whether it was due to his massive bulk or the fact that he was now moving far faster than before—
BAM!
Accompanied by a shockwave unlike anything before, Kang Hwa-wi closed the distance to Si-mun in an instant.
"Wh-what kind of pig moves that fast?!"
Go Mal-suk's shout rang out from the sidelines.
And along with it—
"Drop dead!"
Kang Hwa-wi's arms rained down like a torrential storm.
BAM-BAM-BAM-BAM!
His thick arms moved so fast they became a blur.
What's more, each strike carried the essence of the Heart-Piercing Palm—meaning even a glancing blow could inflict severe internal injuries.
But—
Kiiing.
The activated Odin's Eye.
Its brilliant golden pupils reduced the relentless onslaught to nothing more than slow-motion footage.
Si-mun strolled leisurely through the slowed-down barrage of Heart-Piercing Palms.
However—
'Wait.'
Just like when Kang Hwa-wi had suddenly accelerated earlier,
viewing him through the activated Odin's Eye made one thing unmistakably clear.
'This energy... it's Dragon Power, isn't it?'
The Dragon Power explosively surging through Kang Hwa-wi's entire body, to be precise.
'At this level, it might as well be Dragon Blood rather than just Dragon Power.'
Like blood coursing through veins at an accelerated rate,
the crimson Dragon Power ceaselessly raced through Kang Hwa-wi's thick frame.
Figuring out the cause wasn't difficult.
'Seems like he's received something that enhances his abilities, just like Uncle did.'
After all, he'd witnessed the same phenomenon before with his uncle, Kim Mu-yeol.
"All you do is scurry around like a damn rat!"
Kang Hwa-wi's mocking voice seeped through the relentless barrage of Heart-Piercing Palms.
But Si-mun ignored it cleanly, instead glancing at Seo Wi-ryong, who was fidgeting nervously outside the training grounds.
Unlike Kang Hwa-wi,
not even a speck of Dragon Power was visible in him.
'So not every member of the Continent Guild possesses Dragon Power?'
Yet both his uncle Kim Mu-yeol and Kang Hwa-wi had it.
If he considered their connections, the answer was obvious.
'Right. Only those with ties to Jong-ri Chu have been granted Dragon Power.'
Having quickly grasped the situation, Si-mun flexed his fingers.
'Since he has Dragon Power, I could easily deal with him using the Death Eye...'
But killing Kang Hwa-wi wasn't an option here.
Besides, using the Death Eye would only unnecessarily alert their enemies.
Worse, word might even reach the Dragonkin.
'That can't happen.'
Princess Ashaz of the Naga had warned him—any Dragonkin who saw the Death Eye must be killed.
He had no intention of revealing his trump card to the enemy.
Of course—
'There's no need to waste the Death Eye on trash like this anyway.'
Snap.
Amid the ceaseless shockwaves, a crisp sound rang out.
As if responding to it, the ground immediately trembled violently—
Crrrrack!
The floor took on the shape of fists and thorns before erupting like bamboo shoots after rain.
"Tch!"
But Kang Hwa-wi proved why he was considered a promising prospect.
Clicking his tongue, he twisted his body away.
"Typical sneaky tricks from a small-country bastard!"
He used the rising fists and thorns as footholds to push forward instead.
"Just die quietly already!"
Had he forgotten this was supposed to be a spar?
Without hesitation, Kang Hwa-wi spoke of death as he swung his thick palm.
A vicious smile curled at the corners of his mouth.
'Though I didn't get DS yet, with just Dragon Serum, I'm the strongest among my peers!'
The ability-enhancing Dragon Serum.
Though it had to concede to DS, the trait-enhancing serum.
'If I take down this bastard here, maybe the Tyrant Emperor will grant me DS too.'
Kang Hwa-wi hadn't suffered a single defeat since taking Dragon Serum.
Just how much stronger would he become if he obtained DS now?
Greed shimmered in Kang Hwa-wi's eyes, sunk deep into his flesh.
'I'll finish you off with full power!'
Whooosh.
Kang Hwa-wi gathered the Dragon Serum energy coursing through his entire body, concentrating it into his palm.
This would slow his movements, but...
Having already locked onto his target and built momentum, he didn't need any more speed.
However.
Swish.
Si-mun simply stared indifferently at Kang Hwa-wi, fist clenched.
"Kuhah! Given up on running already? Now that's a manly decision!"
Kang Hwa-wi cheered and unleashed a powerful strike.
"Let me make that damn face properly manly too—"
The moment Kang Hwa-wi's palm met Si-mun's fist.
Heavenly Demon Divine Art.
Strike: Tyrant Emperor Break.
Creeeaak.
An ear-splitting noise exploded.
Then.
Like a water balloon filled to bursting.
Kang Hwa-wi's entire body rippled sequentially from the point of impact.
Crunch.
With a ghastly bone-cracking sound.
Craaack!
The protective suit barely containing Kang Hwa-wi's body shattered.
Kang Hwa-wi flew through the air, eyes rolled back without even time to scream.
Everyone froze at the shocking sight of even his protective suit exploding into fragments, but—
"Senior!"
"R-right!"
True to their status as top-tier players.
Kim Si-hyeok and Park Jin-uk were the first to regain their senses, immediately rushing onto the sparring ground.
Swooosh.
Dark shadows poured from beneath Park Jin-uk's feet.
"Got him!"
The shadows caught Kang Hwa-wi's massive body gently, like a soft mattress.
Then.
"Everyone, stay still!"
At Kim Si-hyeok's gesture, swords of unknown origin shot up into the air simultaneously.
Clang-clang-clang!
The deafening sound of steel clashing erupted from all directions.
It was inevitable.
The impact had shattered the protective suit and caused fractures.
The fragments carrying that force could only be deadly.
As the situation stabilized—
"Brother Gang!"
Seo Wi-ryong, having regained his senses, desperately ran toward Kang Hwa-wi.
"W-we need treatment right away!"
Perhaps because they were in a foreign country?
As Seo Wi-ryong panicked, unsure how to respond, a delicate hand grasped his shoulder.
"Mr. Seo Wi-ryong, calm down."
"S-Saintess!"
It was Lee Yu-jeong, the Iron Wall Saintess.
"Please! You must help Brother Gang!"
"That was already my intention. Please step back."
Though famous for her monstrous strength.
True to her Saintess title, Lee Yu-jeong's healing magic was top-tier.
Huuuum.
She healed Kang Hwa-wi with divine magic that put even Diamond-rank Support Classes to shame.
"Full-body fractures and considerable internal injuries. I'll stabilize him, but returning to China immediately would be impossible."
She skillfully continued checking Kang Hwa-wi's condition.
"Keep him hospitalized in Korea for a few days. Just in case, have him undergo an Awakened-specific examination too."
"Th-thank you! Thank you so much!"
Seo Wi-ryong repeatedly clasped his hands together and bowed his head over and over.
From behind him came a clear, distinct voice.
"Yu-jeong, how's Kang Hwa-wi? Is he alright?"
Si-mun had approached, having already removed his protective suit.
"He'll be fine. Though he has full-body fractures, none of his organs were pierced..."
Lee Yu-jeong, who had stood up while dusting off her clothes, glanced at the prone Kang Hwa-wi and said,
"You did hold back somewhat, didn't you?"
"You noticed?"
"I am a Ranker too, you know."
"Haha! Now that you mention it, I suppose you are."
Si-mun let out a soft chuckle.
Hearing their exchange, Seo Wi-ryong's mouth fell open involuntarily.
'This... was him holding back?'
The S-rank Trait, Iron Shell.
Its defensive capabilities had been proven not just among Continent Guild's many Rising Stars, but worldwide.
'Even I can't easily break through Gang hyung's Iron Shell...'
Yet Si-mun had shattered Kang Hwa-wi's Iron Shell in a single strike.
No—
Not just shattered it, but completely destroyed the protective suit along with it.
Causing full-body fractures and internal injuries—and this was him holding back?
Moreover—
'Isn't Player Kim Si-mun supposed to be Magic Class?'
It was common knowledge that Si-mun was skilled in close combat, but—
'He didn't even use that absurdly powerful Lightning Spear or Flame Sword...'
He hadn't even employed his real means of attack.
And yet this was the result?
"Ha..."
A hollow laugh escaped him.
'Kim Si-mun... this man is truly...'
Wasn't there a saying about heavens beyond heavens?
It felt like personally experiencing a greater sky beyond the one he knew.
And the fact that both those skies belonged to one person made Seo Wi-ryong feel utterly dazed.
"Player Seo Wi-ryong."
A clear, distinct voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
With effort, Seo Wi-ryong turned his head to look at Si-mun, who had called his name.
"Could you spare some time? There's something I'd like to discuss with you."
Another observation deck in the training arena.
"Whew. Looks like I just witnessed something incredible?"
There, a woman in black leather clothes sat with her legs crossed and chin propped on her hand, her shining eyes fixed on the training arena.
To be precise—
"To think he could one-shot that boulder of a wild boar. Hehe, what a satisfying sight."
She curled her lips upward as she watched Kang Hwa-wi being carried out on a stretcher.
"So? Yuto, aren't you shocked too? Didn't your sword get stuck in that meat shield before and you got all—"
Riko's words cut off.
When she turned around with a smirk, her face immediately fell.
"Yuto, no."
Her tone was short and firm.
Yet—
Thud.
The neatly dressed male student's gaze remained fixed on Si-mun.
Yuto's footsteps didn't stop.
Riko quickly moved to block his path, but—
With his hand gripping the hilt of his sword, Yuto recited flatly,
"Move."
"Move where?! Have you lost your mind?"
All traces of her usual easygoing demeanor were gone as she urgently continued,
"Even after seeing that tough wild boar get blown away in one hit, you still feel competitive? Especially when Kim Si-mun didn't even use magic!"
"I know."
"And knowing that, you're acting like this now? And even if you go, do you really think you can fight Kim Si-mun?"
Riko's sharp outcry.
Yet her words made sense.
"That was a conditional spar from the start! They won't even accept a challenge based purely on your competitive spirit!"
"I know."
Yuto maintained his indifferent expression as he answered.
Though his face remained calm, his pupils burned like those of an excited beast.
"You damn brat! Stop saying 'I know' like some broken macro or something!"
"I just need to propose suitable terms for the challenge."
"Suitable terms for the challenge?"
Riko blinked at Yuto's words.
Then—
"Hey!! Don't tell me—?!"
Had she guessed something?
"No way! The guild recruitment slot is absolutely off-limits!"
Riko shrieked as she pulled out a handful of hidden weapons.