Chapter 164
Chapter 164
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 164
Chapter Title: War of the Gods
-----------------------------------------------------------------
It was a high-level confrontation. No half-hearted expression like that could properly describe the scene the hunters were witnessing right now.
It was like a war of the gods. The old man facing off against Yoo Chan-seok unleashed phenomena so bizarre they defied belief. The ground shattered, lightning struck out of nowhere, and flowers bloomed from all directions, swirling in a frenzy.
It was hard to believe even seeing it with their own eyes that one man could achieve all this with a single swing of his sword.
A massive crater formed with a diameter so wide no one could approach, only to be restored in an instant.
And Yoo Chan-seok silently swept away all those unbelievable phenomena with a single spear. He didn't flip the world upside down or create strange occurrences with one swing like the old man.
But his spear endured every one of the old man's attacks, which seemed impossible to counter, and even attempted counterstrikes.
"Is that even human?"
One guy knew it wasn't human—it was a monster. If it were a monster doing this, at least it would make sense.
But Yoo Chan-seok was human. Just like the countless hunters watching this scene, he was made of flesh and bone, with red blood flowing through his veins.
The hunters stared blankly at the battle between Yoo Chan-seok and Su Min-tak.
— Yoo Chan-seok Hunter is currently unable to command. I'll take over temporarily. Everyone, snap out of it and do your jobs.
Han Sang-ah's calm instructions reached the hunters. Immediately, complaints poured in through the comms from the numerous hunters.
"But Hunter Han Sang-ah, are you saying we should just ignore this fight?"
Every hunter gathered here was skilled in their own right. They understood what it took to grow stronger.
This was a top-tier battle between two who had reached the pinnacle, unleashing their full power. They didn't want to miss a single moment. Just watching a fight like this provided tremendous insight.
Later, if they hit a massive wall and couldn't progress further, simply recalling this battle might hold the key to breaking through.
— We're in the middle of a war right now.
Of course, Han Sang-ah wanted to watch too. Her burning desire to grow stronger surpassed anyone else's here. But that was selfish greed.
— Our job isn't to spectate Yoo Chan-seok Hunter's fight with that monster. While he's handling it, we need to eliminate the rest.
On a battlefield, everyone had their role. At that moment, Jeong O-hun's voice came through the radio.
— Hey, you think sweet-talking's gonna work?
— I'm trying my best here. So what do you suggest?
Han Sang-ah shot back, and Jeong O-hun's shout immediately blasted across all channels to every hunter.
— Hey, you worthless shits! Does Yoo Chan-seok look like he's using you assholes as cannon fodder?! Move your asses now, or I'll put a bullet right in your foreheads!
As always, in urgent situations, threats worked better than persuasion. Especially when it was Jeong O-hun doing the threatening.
His reputation was infamous. A hunter who'd do anything for money. If he set his mind to it, he wouldn't hesitate to kill fellow hunters.
There was a time long ago when "Jeong O-mul" was a mocking nickname, but now with his proven skills, it was outright notoriety.
Jeong O-hun's threat had the power to make the other hunters obey commands instantly.
— Teams 4 and 7, head west. Team 10, fall back a bit.
Han Sang-ah was doing her utmost to command. But it felt a bit awkward compared to when Yoo Chan-seok led.
Even as a chaebol heiress and skilled hunter, that didn't guarantee command ability.
But Han Sang-ah judged it didn't matter.
If Yoo Chan-seok triumphed over that powerful monster, no matter how the command had gone before, victory was assured.
Conversely, if Yoo Chan-seok lost? No amount of good commanding would save them—all would die here.
No one could interfere in Yoo Chan-seok and the old man's fight anyway. Anyone entering within a 1km radius had their mana disrupted, vomiting blood, while corpses were shredded apart.
'Minimizing casualties is enough.'
She focused solely on preserving as much combat strength as possible. Han Sang-ah clung to that one goal, buying time.
Fortunately, the battle between Yoo Chan-seok and Su Min-tak was dragging on.
That was a sliver of comfort for Han Sang-ah and Jeong O-hun, who knew Yoo Chan-seok's fighting style well. Prolonged battles were his specialty.
"You... damn thing."
Su Min-tak swung his sword in frustration, unleashing dozens of beams of light that traced complex paths toward me. A single graze would obliterate the struck area.
But those beams never hit me.
"Hey, at your age, you should watch your language."
The fight was gradually tilting in my favor. The annoying part was that our skills were so evenly matched the difference was barely perceptible.
But slowly, bit by bit, the momentum was shifting to me. I was certain of it.
"The problem is..."
The real issue was elsewhere. I could fight like this for months. But asking the other hunters on this battlefield to hold out until it ended was brutally harsh.
Beyond harsh—it was impossible. Once you gained the upper hand, you had to push relentlessly, no matter the cost.
"Getting impatient, are we?"
Veterans like us could sense even slight changes in fighting style.
Usually, opponents loved it when I tried to end fights quickly. They'd think dragging it out would wear me down, yet here I was charging in first.
It was like the defender of an ironclad fortress flinging open the gates to charge out.
"No need to drag it out further. It wasn't going your way anyway."
He swung his sword, and thick sword energy spread across the ground like thorny vines, hindering my movements.
The vines rose in unison, targeting my legs, while a massive mountain surged up directly in front of me. It pierced the heavens.
This mad old coot had somehow manifested a mountain of absurd scale with a sword swing.
"Fuck, if you're gonna do this, forget swordsmanship—take up painting."
Why draw with a blade? And he drew it damn well, which pissed me off more. Breaking through would be a nightmare.
It wasn't some slick painting. Every part of that towering mountain was meticulously built from sword energy layered with mana.
The old man, its master, naturally overlooked me from the summit.
And I had to climb it—but a mountain doesn't yield its peak easily to an intruder.
The sword-energy mountain before me was the old man's most powerful strike.
If I reached the top, that corpse would die by my hand once more.
"Fine, let's do this."
If people could avoid unpleasant tasks, why would anyone live such grueling lives? Life rolls like that by default.
"If I piled up everyone I've smashed, it'd dwarf the mountain you're standing on."
With a deep breath, ambient mana surged into my body. Channeling mana into my legs produced a slight creak.
The charge began. Explosive mana propelled me forward from each step. Every footprint scorched the earth, glowing blue from the expelled mana.
The old man on the peak swung his sword. The sword-energy mountain rippled with the motion, gunning for my life.
"No one has survived witnessing this technique."
Rightly proud. It poured every ounce of his vast mana into perfection. Its completion and power deserved the term "secret art."
"Ah, first clears are always a thrill."
There was this odd sense of accomplishment. I missed no thread of the flow. All threats flooding my senses had to be perceived.
Part of the mountain collapsed, triggering a landslide. Winds carrying sword energy whipped toward me. Sudden raindrops each packed the force of hundreds of pounds of metal.
Every pebble, every gust—meticulously arranged to kill me thoroughly. That was the realm the corpse atop reached.
"A sword that reveres the mountain."
I read the wind's grain, darting through gaps. I incinerated the landslide's momentum with Paradox Flame. For the rain, I layered blue trails in the air like a curtain to block them.
A few drops pierced through, slamming my body; un dodged winds left sword scars. Incomplete burns from Paradox Flame threw off my balance multiple times.
But I was climbing that mountain. No—not climbing. Overcoming everything the old man had built.
"If a mere dirt pile is what you revere, there's no great achievement to praise."
"You who claim to hone martial prowess feel and comprehend nothing with your heart, blind to a mountain's majesty, daring to call it a dirt pile."
The old man at the summit declared like he was interrogating me.
"Hone what? If you like that crap, go get a scaling at the dentist."
It's free once a year in Korea. Attacks intensified as I neared the top.
"You stubborn geezer. How many proper sword swings have you even landed?"
The rain stopped, eternal snow unfolding. Snowflakes riding fierce winds cut like blades.
White death scattered to slice my flesh, laced with brutal cold, refracting blinding sunlight to dazzle eyes and mind.
Step by step. Closer to the summit. There stood the old man, trembling from mana exhaustion.
Fail to reach, and I lose. Reach and sever his neck—that's touchdown.
Paradox Flame enveloping and scorching my body grew fiercer.
Before it was too late, I reined in the Paradox Flame greedily devouring surrounding momentum to bulk up.
Stronger Paradox Flame meant no damage to me—but uncontrollable.
"Our powers were evenly matched. No, I was stronger."
The old man muttered as I approached. The mountain I'd climbed melted away in seconds.
It was over.
"Does this mean my insights are still lacking? Answer me."
In the end, I stood before him. Covered in blood, one arm dangling, several ribs cracked. Blood from an unknown head wound trickled down, stinging my eyes.
"Why ask me?"
I don't know that stuff. Insights? Some person's name? Raising my spear, I slashed his throat and said,
"And don't order me around, you pathetic immortal bastard."
Returning the crap these types always spouted at me, I granted eternal mortality to the corpse that had strutted around preaching sword principles before my eyes.