Temple of Time: The Rebel's End and the Orbs' Awakening

Kaya's agility stat was a measly 22. With my own agility buffed to 38, catching up to her should've been a breeze. Considering how each tens digit marked a whole new tier, that meant she was realistically less than half my speed.

But this wasn't a normal situation. Gerard wasn't paying any attention to the likes of Kaya—he was obsessed with killing me.

- Chaeng!!

"Damn it! Let's kill that bitch first! She's been lobbing spells at us nonstop!"

"Heh heh heh! Seeing you suffer like this just makes me want to ignore her even more."

"You thieving thum-thum bastard!"

"...Stop calling me thum-thum!! That name 'Gerard' means a lot to us revolutionaries!!"

"Seeing you suffer like this just makes me want to ignore her even more."

- Wrrawk!

I threw his exact words back at him without missing a beat, and Gerard's ugly mug twisted in rage. Was this the famous "rules for thee but not for me" hypocrisy?

No time for stray thoughts. The cooldown must've ended—another fireball was hurtling our way.

- Kwaaang!

"Nngh!!"

For a superhuman attuned to mana and presence, predicting a fireball's path was child's play. The flame conjured by her ability screamed 'I'm right here!' without needing to be seen. But its power was nothing to scoff at. Must be thanks to her standout intelligence stat.

'How the hell does she cast over ten fireballs without burning through her mana? Total cheat skill.'

Kaya's mana stat topped out below 130. No skill that mana-hungry could've spammed like this.

- Tat-tat-tat!!

The game of tag kept chaining endlessly. I'd slow down to stick my blade in Kaya's back, only for Gerard to swing at me. In that gap, Kaya kept fleeing.

'Damn... this direction!'

She was heading straight for the Temple of Time. No clue why. If that was really her destination... it was a sealed building. No escape once inside.

Expecting rational thinking from Kaya was a stretch anyway. Combatants were brute-force idiots by nature, and she was way past reason right now.

- Kaaang!!

I'd clashed head-on with Gerard's brute strength multiple times. My palms were shredded and bloody long ago. I had to dodge as much as possible, but chasing Kaya made that impossible. Still, I didn't want to pump my strength stat to 40. This was a freak situation—if we fought fair, my current stats could take him. No way I'd burn ten thousand karma on a little palm scrape.

- Tat-tat-tat!!

A rocky hill came into view. As expected, Kaya bolted for the crevice leading to the Temple of Time. Gerard and I followed hot on her heels.

"What... is this?"

I heard Gerard's bewildered voice upon seeing the temple, but I ignored it, laser-focused on Kaya. I'd finish her soon.

"..."

Kaya had stopped inside the temple. Not turning tail this time—she faced me head-on. No interest in chatting. I just coolly pointed out her blunder and charged without breaking stride. To ram my blade into that slender neck.

- Taak!

"Chased into a dead end on your own? Finally ready to give up on life?"

"Hngh!"

- Taak!

Kaya charged right at me. Then rolled past my side, trying to dodge the blade. Her attempt to exploit my attack's blind spot, turning her earlier panic into a bold evasion. Caught me off guard, sure.

But... the gap in our base reflexes and agility was insurmountable.

- Peok!!

"Gheok...!!"

- Kudangtang!!

Kaya flew back, my Iljeonggwon fist buried in her side. My swing wasn't stable mid-slash, but the punch's power was undeniable. Felt familiar in my knuckles. Four or five ribs cracked, easy.

"Gheuk... Keup... Pfu...! *Cough*...!"

"What, you had that kind of guts after all? Should've shown it an hour ago."

Her desperate maneuver read like an open book; she gasped against the temple wall. I closed in with blade raised to end it. Gerard would be back soon.

"Kahaha! Leaving me out of the fun?"

But Gerard showed faster than expected. Damn—I figured he'd gawk at the temple longer.

- Whiiik!

I slipped his blade effortlessly. No obstacles now; his swings couldn't touch me.

"*Cough*, rok...! Ngh...!"

Kaya could barely move, let alone breathe. Even if she fired a fireball, I'd sense the mana flow blind. She wouldn't interfere.

"Can't ignore your begging. I'll kill you first, thum-thum."

"...We'll see how long that mouth of yours lasts...!"

- Taak!!

Saneomgak.

"What...?!"

I'm stronger with fists than swords. But no fists for Gerard today—someone else was due. Besides, I'm no slouch with a blade.

- Seukeuk!

"Gaaak?!..."

My mana-charged arm slashed deep into Gerard's left arm. Shame it missed the bone. Human bones should've parted like butter.

"You... bastard...!!"

"I'd love to reminisce about seven years ago with a gut punch, but tonight I'm in the mood to hit someone else."

"Hngh!!"

- Taak!!

Gerard leaped at me again. I evaded with another saneomgak. His side was wide open. I thrust.

- Kang!!

"Oh? Blocked this time?"

"Not falling for it twi— *Kheuk*!"

- Paak!!

My heel smashed toward his temple like a skull-crusher. Spinning, I drove my knee-folded leg out— a hwullyeo chagi, heel and sole slamming his face. Superior physique and long limbs let me recreate Earth's martial arts beautifully.

But not perfect. My goal wasn't just a pressure point— I wanted his skull caved. With mana-infused leg power and flawless form, it was doable. My inexperience spared him. Though his brain rattled; he crumpled repeatedly, failing to rise.

"Didn't say no feet. Right?"

- Swiik... Teolkeuk!

Seuwiik... Teolkeuk!

"Ngu... Uh..."

Gerard gave up standing, glaring from the floor. Bloodshot eyes turned his whites crimson.

"*Cough*, luk...! Ngh...! Park... Chan...!!"

- Tat-tat-tat!!

He hadn't quit on killing me. Legs useless, he crawled beast-like on hands and feet. His bear-hide made him look the part. His final desperate charge was fiercer than ever... and easier to read.

"Ngu...! Park... Chaaan...! Dieee!!!"

- Tat-tat-tat-tat!!

... Seokeuk!

"Gaaaaak!!"

Gerard's severed left arm tumbled. Propped on all fours, losing one meant collapse. Time to grant his end.

"Ngh...! Kreuk...! Damn...!"

I approached the writhing fool slowly as he scraped the floor with his stump, trying to rise. Pinned his waist underfoot. He couldn't ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠budge it.

- Puuk.

"Euk... Ngh... Hnng..."

No hesitation. No last words needed. His rebels would follow soon enough. Gerard met the same fate as the original: blade through the back. Spine pierced, heart sliced. His struggles under my sole faded second by second.

Baek Hamin, son of the hero. Instructor Gerard's successor... my third kill in this life.

The rebel leader, revolutionary Gerard, was dead.

"Your turn next, Kaya. Time to learn what 'no take-backs' means in this world. Last farewells."

Blade still lodged in Gerard's back. Kaya didn't warrant it anyway.

- Teobeok.Teobeok.

"*Cough*, luk... I originally... came here thinking..."

- Teobeok.Teobeok.

"I wanted to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠live... but now it seems I won't."

"Last words?"

"Pfhuhu... No."

- Shake, shake.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Kaya shook her head with a bitter smile, like shedding a heavy load. Why? Something about that expression felt off. My superhuman instincts screamed warning. I accelerated toward her.

"...What the hell?"

- Tat-tat-tat!!

"Chanyoung-ssi. Let's die together. Be my companion on the way."

- Wooong!!

"This is insane!"

A basketball-sized fireball materialized in midair. I'd seen that size plenty— one of the ones I'd dodged chasing her here. But instinct screamed this was different.

'Damn! The mana inside...!'

Unsettling ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠mana. And it was still building, pouring in as she focused. The fireball skill description I'd read mentioned power and duration scaled with mana spent.

No limit to that mana expenditure? The more she poured, the stronger it got?

'Sealed space...! That's why the ruins! To trap me so I can't dodge! Enough power to engulf the whole temple...?'

All her prior fireballs matched in power, so I'd assumed that was the skill's cap.

Break her focus first. If it powered up more, we might be screwed.

- Peok!

"Kheuk...! *Cough*, luk...! Kek..."

Her concentration snapped; mana flow halted. I scrambled for survival. How to evade the blast?

Got it.

- Taak!

"Where you going! Die with me! It won't hurt a bit!"

- Kwaaaak!!

Kaya clung on, but that was irrelevant. Fireball could pop any second. Kill her slow later—my survival first. No time to shake her; I launched toward the central altar. Right hand already from inventory, pendant gripped.

"Hngh!!"

- Whiiik!!!

"Die with me!!"

Instincts blared. Stretched max to slap the pendant on the altar's engraving—

-

I lived.

"Hahk... Hahk..."

- Kudangtang!

"Kheuk... Kek... Wh-where...? What... happened...?"

Kaya rolled across the floor, flung off when I lunged. Massive explosion below, yet no sound up here. Second floor of a temple, no less.

"Did I... fail?"

"..."

- Tat-tat-tat!

No answer. Charged her to end that tenacious life.

"...Head's foggy, maybe from the cold. No clue what's what. Squeezed my last mana into that fireball. Please, just take it and die."

- Hwarak!

Mid-charge, a fireball flew at me.

"Kaya!! Damn it!!"

Dodging was easy as ever. But not the issue. Behind me... thousands of white orbs.

What happens if they hit a fireball? No one knew.

But I couldn't tank it either. Had to dodge.

- Puuung!!

Massive mana ripple from behind. Fierce wave scattered the orbs.

- Hwoook!!!

Bad news. The pitch-black second floor flooded with blinding light. Dozens of times brighter than when I'd used the orbs.

- Woong! Woong!! Woongwoong!!

"Kyak?! This light?!"

"N-no way? All the white orbs...?!"

Eyelids shut, yet white everywhere. Thick mana choked nose and throat. Hard to breathe.

Endless chimes tickled my ears. I waited in darkness for the light to fade.

...

Silence all around. Snapped my eyes open, scanned.

- Duriban.Duriban.

"Kaya...?"

Gone. Every last white orb, vanished. Only thousands of elven skeletons and me remained on the temple's second floor.