Chapter 211
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 211
Chapter Title: Lifespan on the Line
Having an activation phrase on a weapon naturally meant there was a good reason for it.
If it were a weapon you could swing around freely without any risk even in normal times, there'd be no need for that kind of bullshit.
"The environment's changed too."
It had been a dense jungle just moments ago, but now it was a sand desert. The coin he'd tossed still seemed to be working.
The bow in his hand was sucking something in from our esteemed senior. After a quick glance at its structure, I clicked my tongue.
"Lifespan."
It was a bow that devoured lifespan in exchange for power. The guy produced another coin.
"Last question. Do I get weaker as I age?"
The tossed coin predictably landed showing the white side. Even if it shaved off his lifespan, this was a trick to avoid fighting in a frail, aged state.
The moment I lunged forward, instead of picking up the coin, he drew back the string of his fully charged bow toward me.
When he released the string, no arrow came flying—instead, a massive tornado thrashed wildly toward me.
"What the fuck. Where do they even get shit like that?"
A curse slipped out naturally. Everything in the path of the oncoming whirlwind looked ready to be ground to dust.
Now I understood why the environment had shifted to a desert. That tornado was sucking up sand. It wasn't just wind whipping around.
The inhaled sand spun at insane speeds alongside it, acting like an abrasive. The moment I got caught, those tiny grains would shred my body into minced meat.
I had to dodge this. The coin wasn't the issue—dodging came first. The bastard was firing natural disasters from a goddamn bow. And that tornado wasn't even made with mana.
It was a pure natural phenomenon created by drawing and releasing the bowstring, with lifespan as the price. Burning off its kinetic energy would be pointless. I'd get swept up and shredded before I could burn any meaningful amount.
I swiftly raced across the ground to evade the incoming tornado. The aftermath where I'd stood was devastating.
Like someone had buzzed a highway straight down the middle of a person's scalp. The sea of sand had been cleaved clean in half.
"Raaaargh!"
While I dodged the rampaging tornado, our senior successfully flipped the coin he'd thrown. Now, no matter how much lifespan that bow consumed, he wouldn't age.
But when the lifespan ran out, he'd die.
"Time attack, huh."
In that case, I didn't need to fight directly. I could just wait for him to burn through his lifespan and drop dead.
Like a boss's desperation phase in a game. No need to attack—just survive long enough, and it was over.
"Think you can hold out?!"
Now fully prepped, he raised his bow.
"Smart head on those shoulders."
Getting killed by me here would render any remaining lifespan worthless, so he was burning it all to take me down instead.
As long as I didn't get caught in them directly. I eyed the tornadoes flying at me from all directions.
Given enough time, each one had the potential to effortlessly level a city.
"Ugh, save me."
I weaved through the wind currents created as the tornadoes sucked in air, moving as fast as I could.
Finding safe flows inside a natural blender like that was impossible, but riding the incoming air streams toward the tornadoes wasn't hard.
"Fuck this, hologram off!"
The suit's warnings were just getting in the way now. Threats everywhere. The hazard detection was turning my vision blood-red.
I shut it down immediately and grimaced at our senior, hovering in the air and relentlessly firing more tornadoes at me.
"Gonna have to tank this for about ten minutes, rough guess."
Easy to say ten minutes! The number of tornadoes that bastard could churn out in that time was insane.
And he wasn't firing blindly in rage or madness.
He targeted me with tornadoes while preemptively laying them like landmines along my predicted evasion paths.
Though calling them landmines was underselling—they were way too powerful and blatantly obvious!
"What a pain."
I let out a small sigh as I watched the sand-sucking whirlwinds rage around me.
At this rate, evasion space would run out soon.
"Can't even dive into the center."
Typhoons and tornadoes are different. A typhoon's eye is calm, but a tornado's core is the wildest part. Where the winds go most berserk.
"Is this the apocalypse?"
If this happened worldwide at once, yeah, end of days.
Dozens of tornadoes stretched spiraling funnels to the heavens, churning up the desert sands like massive tops.
Spectacular from afar, but not for me, sprinting madly between them.
"I'm losing my mind."
Each new tornado shrank my evasion options. Sure, the older ones dissipated over time, but...
They spawned faster. That's why they were piling up.
Three minutes. In three, I wouldn't be able to dodge anymore. No space left. I'd have to burn as much kinetic energy as possible with Paradox Flame and tank the rest with my body.
Tank time: between one and one-and-a-half minutes.
At latest, one minute thirty after evasion became impossible, that wind god wannabe up there would run out of lifespan.
"Ha, die... or live, I guess."
I didn't want to tap the tattoo's power here if possible.
Only six or seven seconds left anyway. Save it for assaulting the Sandai Club.
If it came to dying, I'd have no choice, but for now, just endure. Can't claim Great Eight clearance if I can't handle this?
Ridiculous. If I couldn't break through something like this, better head back to Korea, eat shit from the backlash, and plant an apple tree.
"No place left to run now!"
Our senior yelled from high in the sky, bowstring drawn.
"I know, asshole."
Time was up, and my predicted scenario hit right on schedule. Time for unavoidable suffering.
"That thing—when I get back alive, gotta confess to her."
Ah, no girlfriend. Dumb thought as I scraped together max mana and ignited the strongest Paradox Flame I could muster right then.
Suit's barrier would shatter first, then the suit itself would shred. After that, raw mana-reinforced body to tank.
I took a deep breath, steadied my mind. Maxing Paradox Flame was like filling a cup to the brim.
Not just full—bulging slightly over the rim, pushed to the absolute limit.
"That's the only way."
Temptation versus control. One more drop? Maybe it won't spill?
Then stop at the perfect moment. Once it spills, no recovering—like water from an overflowing cup. Paradox Flame out of control would incinerate every concept, grow uncontrollably, and devour the world.
"Yeah, knew this shit was coming."
A vicious impulse flooded my head. Maxed Paradox Flame thrashed, knowing one push would break free.
Like a feather tipping perfectly balanced scales.
'Where you gonna run.'
Buddy, we've been together forever. Lifelong partners. You little shit.
Barrier shattered. Amid the dizzying wind pressure of the onslaught, sand whipped up to tear my suit to ribbons.
"Damn it, I love Paradox Flame too much."
Gonna mix it with rice, shower in it, hug it to sleep. Never letting go.
The impulses from rampaging Paradox Flame were intense.
A bit harder than holding your breath till you pass out.
Tried that once out of necessity—similar vibe.
"Hurts like hell..."
And bonus: full-body sandstorm ready to grind me down.
Suit holding for now, but how long?
Once it cracked, airborne sand would start flaying my flesh.
"Die! This spot's your grave—no one will remember you once time passes!"
A shout from afar. Eyes closed, I muttered through gritted teeth.
"Show-off."
I've endured worse. This ain't my grave—it's yours.
And your time's almost up.
This absurd desperation phase was nearing its end.
Suit fraying, ragged. Razor winds and sand now directly scraping mana-reinforced skin.
Starts with dozens of tiny cuts. Sand and wind invade the wounds. They gape wider, more sand and wind pour in.
Blood flows, epidermis rips, dermis exposes. Meanwhile, suit's materials grant slight regen amid the devastation.
Damn, even lava shabu-shabu might hurt less.
"..."
The bow glowing far in the sky lost its light. No lifespan left to sustain it. Winds and sands grinding me like a dentist's drill slowed.
"Ow, fuck. Bones showing, Senior. This how you treat a junior?"
I muttered, legs trembling. Fighting like this sucked. Anyway, he'd succeeded with the coin, so no frailty till lifespan hit zero.
Minutes left at most, but he could still fight. He aimed his bow at me.
Innumerable arrows flew my way. Damn, blocking those with this battered body? Gonna catch something.
"What the hell's going on?"
A metallic clang—arrows aimed at me all bounced off.
Han Sang-ah. She'd returned first. Good, no catching ills.
"Hey, always glad to see you, but extra glad today."
"Healing later."
She drew her sword and stood before me. Our senior spoke.
"You know me, yet you raise your blade?"
Han Sang-ah nodded, bowed slightly without dropping guard.
"An honor to meet you, Senior. But that uniform and bow belong to the Sandai Club leader."
And she knew what that meant. Lightning crackled sharply around her sword.
"I'll eliminate the Sandai Club. Don't interfere."
Anger simmered in her voice. No idea what she'd faced, but it had clearly pissed her off good.