Chapter 33
Chapter 33
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 33
Chapter Title: Bloody Battle with the Wraiths
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Na Youngho heard the sounds of the wraiths clashing with Dokgo Hyun from afar.
'Looks like the wraiths are following Oh Sua's dying words.'
Na Youngho could understand their feelings all too well, having once been brainwashed by Oh Sua himself.
The brainwashing had worn off, but they still wanted to believe her words.
It was a kind of cognitive dissonance—a refusal to accept that they'd been manipulated.
'If the wraiths feel the same way I do, does that mean they're on my side?'
Thinking of it as an alliance would be dangerous, but at least they shared a common front against Dokgo Hyun as their public enemy.
'Maybe I should go help the wraiths?'
But Na Youngho shook his head soon after.
With six Wraith Brands already stamped on him, he was in a severely weakened state right now.
Better to avoid direct combat.
Thud... thud...!
Instead of joining the fight, Na Youngho headed early to the poker room—the gym storage shed.
'Tight space. Just like I remember.'
As a member of the archery club, Na Youngho had been in the gym storage shed plenty of times.
It was a cramped pit of dust.
No windows at all, and the steel door sealed tight.
"Ho ho, you're early? Ditched the tardiness habit?"
The principal sounded impressed.
Na Youngho ignored him and approached the palm-sized vent.
It was caked in dust.
"Ho? What're you up to?"
The principal showed curiosity, but.
Sizzle!
Crackle...!
Na Youngho didn't answer.
Instead, he used the transparent cellophane tape he'd grabbed from the starting point equipment room to seal every gap in the vent.
The shed was so dark, it would be hard to notice it was taped over.
"Hmm? Wouldn't blue tape be sturdier?"
The principal asked.
This time, Na Youngho replied.
"Blue tape's too visible."
Dokgo Hyun's observation skills were above average, so the transparent tape would eventually be spotted.
But if it was discovered after he sat down, no problem.
Na Youngho asked.
"Principal. During poker, each phase is three minutes per person, right? And no getting up from your chair at will during the phases?"
"Yes. Only the run phase is an exception at ten minutes. Each phase in the poker room is three minutes—pretty leisurely, huh? And from the moment the ante's posted, through dealing, betting, and opening, you can't get up from your stool until it's all done."
"What if you allow it?"
"I'd permit it for a good reason... but asking that means you've got some trick up your sleeve."
"Of course."
"Heh heh. Then for this round, I'll apply the rules extra strictly..."
"Fine by me."
Na Youngho sealed the gaps even more thoroughly to prevent any air leakage.
The already windowless gym storage shed was now completely airtight.
Crash!
Dokgo Hyun leaped out a second-floor window.
He was already covered in blood before hurling himself out.
"Ngh!"
The clash with the wraiths had been tougher than expected.
'Four against one is no joke.'
Perhaps because Oh Sua was dead, the wraiths hated Dokgo Hyun even more.
Yet they fought coldly and rationally to kill him, without losing their heads.
'These wraith bastards. They're getting better at dividing roles.'
Dokgo Hyun fled toward the library building, replaying the recent fight.
Basically, Jeong Jinyoung with [Super Regeneration] fought him up close.
Jang Jihoon with [Instant Ignition] attacked from mid-range.
When Dokgo Hyun braced to take a hit and kill one first, Lee Woo-hyung with [Barrier Creation] and Han Se-kyung with [Space Tear] would attack him or protect their ally.
The four-man combo was eerily perfect, hard to exploit.
'These guys have died and revived as wraiths over and over, so they're syncing up bolder and better.'
Dokgo Hyun had baited stronger attacks by tanking hits on purpose.
But the wraiths didn't commit deeper, sticking to mid-range.
And then he realized.
'These bastards aren't trying to kill me right now. They're piling on brands.'
Turn him into a tardy poker room student with six brands total.
That would cut his stats by 60%, making him easy pickings in the next run phase.
'So this run phase, weakening me is the goal, not outright killing?'
That was the wraiths' scheme.
'When the goal's obvious, countermeasures come naturally.'
Whoosh!
Dokgo Hyun sprinted fast.
"Chase him!"
"Damn, he's insanely strong!"
"Three brands and he's still this tough?! Makes no sense?!"
The wraiths were the ones clicking their tongues at Dokgo Hyun.
Despite their skill barrages, he endured with his own skills.
Thanks to his extreme stamina and mana.
He'd dumped coins from killing others in the ice tag mission into stamina, and maxed mana from bonus wins.
Plus, plenty of healing potions.
Gulp gulp...!
"Ahh, hits the spot!"
Dokgo Hyun chugged potions mid-run without missing a breath.
"We'll tire out first at this rate!"
"No skills while chasing—just form a net and herd him!"
Hearing that, Dokgo Hyun grinned.
Whoosh!
He sharply veered his escape route.
Toward the school gate.
"Uwahu! What an idiot! Heading to the gate?"
"Yeah! No time to loop back to the main building that way!"
Main building and gate were directly opposite.
Meaning Dokgo Hyun should've run the other way.
But.
'Still abandoned, huh.'
The principal's SUV from the sniper mission.
"Ah!"
"No way!"
The wraiths caught on.
"[Instant Acceleration]!"
Boom!
Dokgo Hyun accelerated hard, yanked open the SUV door.
Click!
He hopped in swiftly, having driven it once before.
Keys were in his inventory.
'Better start first try.'
Vroom!
It did.
Fwoosh!
He flipped on the lights.
Semi off-road SUV lights blazed bright.
Plus, sudden night lights blinded the wraiths momentarily.
"Ngh?!"
The instant they flinched.
"Alright, here we go!!"
Slam!
Dokgo Hyun floored the accelerator.
Vroooom...!!
Roaring engine, tires spun then shot straight.
"Damn it!"
Jeong Jinyoung charged head-on, but.
"Jinyoung! Don't get close! Me, Woo-hyung, and Se-kyung got this!"
Rushing in risked getting run over.
So Han Se-kyung's [Space Tear] and Jang Jihoon's [Instant Ignition] from range made sense.
"Se-kyung! Rip space to slow it! Then Woo-hyung—wall it up, even briefly! I'll finish with [Instant Ignition]!"
Complex plan, but as wraiths, they synced minds and unleashed skills fast.
Han Se-kyung focused on the SUV's front.
Ripping air with both hands, she activated.
"[Space Tear]!!"
Riiip!
Space tore successfully ahead.
The warp slowed and wobbled the SUV.
Screech!
"My turn! Hah!"
Lee Woo-hyung blocked with [Barrier Creation].
Thin wall, rushed as it was.
Bam!
SUV smashed through, but already battered, speed dropped sharply.
"[Instant Ignition]!!"
Jang Jihoon timed it, targeting the engine.
Kaboom!!!
Roooar of flames...!!
SUV turned funeral pyre, rolling sputtering to a halt.
"Got it!"
"Success!"
"We killed Dokgo Hyun!!"
Han Se-kyung, Lee Woo-hyung, Jang Jihoon cheered together.
All but one: Jeong Jinyoung.
"Jinyoung?"
They turned to the silent Jeong Jinyoung, but she was already dead.
"Gurk...!"
Venom Knife buried in her nape.
Shunk...!!
Dokgo Hyun pulled it out.
He'd stabbed her nape amid the SUV explosion noise.
"Wha...!"
"Lit the lights, then bailed."
Dokgo Hyun explained.
Boarded SUV, started it, lights on.
Night lights blinded wraiths; he used backlighting as cover to leap out, rewinding just the accelerator pedal time.
Pedal rewound, floored, accelerated.
'Lucky the thing's already trashed.'
Passenger door long gone, easy escape.
While the trio wrecked the SUV, he circled wide and backstabbed Jeong Jinyoung.
Even with regen, Venom Knife to the nape was instant death.
"Out of you four, true tank's just Jeong Jinyoung, right?"
Dokgo Hyun smirked.
Only she had [Super Regeneration]; the rest mid-range controllers.
"You first."
Whoosh!
Dokgo Hyun charged Han Se-kyung head-on.
She flinched, off-guard.
"Danger!"
Left-side Lee Woo-hyung blocked with [Barrier Creation].
"Heh."
Dokgo Hyun swung his knife hand sideways at Lee Woo-hyung.
"[Instant Acceleration]."
Whoosh!!!
Thrown Venom Knife doubled speed.
Thuk!!
"Gah...!"
"Your weakness: can't make multiple big barriers at once. Right?"
Dokgo Hyun had analyzed their skills in the 4v1.
"And."
Whoosh!
He sent an afterimage at Han Se-kyung, real body at Jang Jihoon.
"Ngh?! Stay back!!"
"Your flame skill packs power, but too close and you burn yourself, yeah?"
Dokgo Hyun questioned as he uppercut.
Crack!!
Jang Jihoon's head snapped up.
Out cold standing.
Han Se-kyung dealt with the afterimage, tried ripping Dokgo Hyun's back space.
"Die...!"
Whoosh!
Dokgo Hyun ducked behind Jang Jihoon.
"Whoa there."
Lifted him puppet-like.
"Ah...!"
"Human shield complete."
Dokgo Hyun strode forward holding Jang Jihoon.
"Last, you. [Space Tear] needs 'line of sight' locked, and that ripping hand motion to activate, right?"
"Ah...!"
"Hiding behind Jihoon blocks your view—no skill. [Instant Acceleration]!!"
Fwoosh!!
Accelerated Jang Jihoon, hurled him.
"Kyaa!"
Han Se-kyung dodged.
Snap!
Dokgo Hyun followed the path, shoulder-tackled her.
Thud!!
Dokgo Hyun and Han Se-kyung tumbled to the field.
Thump!
Snap!
Jang Jihoon flew far, neck broken first.
"Tricky combo, but break the chain and it's over."
With that, Dokgo Hyun moved to finish Han Se-kyung.
That's when she spoke.