CHAPTER 22
The sacrificial fire of war, reignited by using a coin as an offering.
A fortress, a relic of war. War relics have a unique trait.
[Relic of War – (Grade C Fortress)]· The fortress of "Kakasha," the Eye of War. Once completely extinguished, its warfire now burns again, fueled by sacrifice.· Can use "Blossom of War" once. This war-blossom engulfs enemies in flames and burns through their protective barriers.
The ability to burn through the enemy's protective barriers with a single use.It can only be used once, but its effect is certain.Just witnessing the invincible barrier cloaking the hunter vanish in flame proves its potency.Kakasha let out a sigh of relief.
"[Phew, that was close. If it had been judged as direct intervention by the monarch, it could have been disastrous. Thankfully, it seems we avoided that.]"
Had it been a stronger fortress, it might have been deemed as the Eye's direct involvement.But the Relic of War is low-grade, and its effects are incomplete.It was judged as not a direct intervention.What's most important—
"[In any case, don't forget this, O Vowed One. You have six minutes.]"
The effect of the fortress is not unlimited.Kakasha whispered quietly:
"[That beast's shield is a trial set by the gods. It's fair to say divine power is partially imbued in it. My power can hold out for only six minutes.]"
"Plenty."
Six minutes was more than enough time to kill the hunter.Han Yuseong's fist tore through the air.
CRAAACK!
[Ugh, damn it!]
The Bloodhowl Berserker smashed into the hunter's chest.Flesh was torn apart, and dragon fangs sank into the hunter's shoulder, ripping it open.Han Yuseong stirred up a whirlwind and swept wide around the hunter.
Ssshhk! Thud!
A burst of sharp strikes erupted from Han Yuseong's fingertips.It was the sword technique of the Kingdom of Lucen. The dying Warfire slashed through the air, piercing through various parts of the hunter's body.The hunter screamed in pain.
[You lowly wretch, how dare you! GRAAARGH!]"Hoo...!"
The hunter roared and swung both arms wide.His greatswords crossed with immense force, aiming to cleave Han Yuseong in half.But Yuseong moved just a bit faster.As if he had predicted the attack, he dodged with the bare minimum of movement and launched a counterstrike.
BOOOOM!
[Kh… Damn…!]
Yeonmimeo Somajin's bloodstained beauty struck down the hunter's entire body.
The hunter's movement stopped for a moment. Han Yuseong, gripping the gradually fading flame of war, charged toward the hunter.
There was only one target.
The heel.
'I have to take away his mobility first.'
The guy's strength lies in his agility. While he's still dazed, his mobility needs to be taken.
That judgment was spot-on.
An unfamiliar blade stabbed deeply into the hunter's heel.
[Guhamamamama!]
The blade dug deep into the flesh, severing the Achilles tendon.
At the same time, the residual ghost flame on the blade scorched the wound.
The hunter had excellent regenerative powers. But this would prevent him from healing.
Han Yuseong took a deep breath.
Chakmamamak!
'This one too.'
Han Yuseong spun his body and slashed the opposite heel as well.
Then, without a moment of hesitation, he kicked off the ground and retreated.
A massive wave of sword energy swept over the spot he had just been standing on.
[Y-you… bastard…!]
The hunter's eyes, glinting with murderous intent, locked onto Han Yuseong.
In those eyes burned a deep, seething rage.
Aiming for the prey's Achilles tendon first — that was an unmistakably hunter-like move.An intelligent action to increase the success rate of the hunt.And that was what enraged the hunter.
[You lowly prey… You dare to hunt me?!]
Boom!Two greatswords slammed into the ground.A ferocious force gathered at the tips of the swords.That power burrowed into the earth and shot toward where Han Yuseong was standing.Crack!The sound of the ground splitting echoed—
KWAAMAAAAANG!
A massive explosion erupted beneath Han Yuseong's feet.A violent blast. Destructive energy surged from the cracks in the fractured earth.A storm of debris from the explosion came crashing down on him.He unfurled Bloodstorm Flow while simultaneously stepping into his footwork technique.
Whoosh!"Ha…!"
The surging bloodstorm repelled the incoming debris.But he couldn't block the explosion itself.The explosion, powered by that brutal force, swallowed him whole,and the powerful shock and destruction overwhelmed him.A sharp pain swept through his entire body.
"Haha!"
But that pain only made Han Yuseong's mind sharper.This was a life-or-death battle.Even a single small mistake could lead to death.And yet, this —This was the kind of situation Han Yuseong enjoyed the most.
He could feel his thoughts spinning faster than ever.
Should he retreat?
"There is no path backward."
The only choice was to charge forward.Han Yuseong shot forth like a raging wind.He couldn't afford to give the hunter any time.In an instant, he closed the distance between them and unleashed a flurry of strikes with both fists.His fists, dancing without pause, struck the hunter with the Bloodstorm Fist Technique.
[Kuhamamaaaah!]
KWAMAAANG!
But the hunter was not an easy opponent.The bastard read Han Yuseong's movement through the wind and intercepted his path.At the same time, piercing energy shot toward Han Yuseong's trajectory.He used his footwork technique to evade, but it wasn't enough to dodge completely.A deep wound carved itself into his body.
[You are, indeed, fast! But… that's all you've got!]
The hunter shouted as he unleashed a relentless barrage of attacks.His own body was starting to show the marks of wounds carved by the Bloodstorm,but it wasn't enough to be fatal.There wasn't enough decisive force.This alone wouldn't be enough to kill him.
In contrast, every attack the hunter threw carried deadly power.Failing to dodge even one of them could result in instant death.
[Speed, in the end, can be adapted to!]
The hunter roared and raised both of his greatswords high above his head.Seeing that motion, Han Yuseong, without the slightest hesitation, executed Yuunbo (Flowing Cloud Step).
[With those feeble fists of yours, you think you can hunt me?!]
KWARURURURUNG!
As the two greatswords slammed into the ground, sword energy erupted.Like a storm, the sword aura swept around the hunter, aiming to slash down everything that approached.The hunter let out a wild laugh as he watched Han Yuseong retreat.
[I am the hunter, human! You are the one being hunted—!]
A part of the storm-like sword energy struck Han Yuseong.Unable to fully dodge, it carved a deep wound into his body.Blood gushed.Han Yuseong caught his breath and once again unleashed his footwork technique.His figure shot toward the hunter like a bolt.
[Do you not realize how meaningless this is?!]
Blades and fists collided.This was the boundary line—One misstep, and it would be the edge of death.
Any other player might have frozen from the sheer pressure, unable to move in this life-or-death struggle.But not Han Yuseong.He felt a burning intensity.
[An opponent that cannot be overcome no matter what you try.]['Giant Killing' buff from the God of War is activating.][All stats +20. Fist damage +40%. Speed +20%.]
A message appeared before his eyes.A stat boost granted by the God of War's buff.Even in his weakened, starved state—barely at level 70—the buff was granting its full potential.
The hunter — Predator of the Night — was that powerful of an existence.And because of that, could he not be defeated?
'No way.'
If that were the case, this fight never would have begun.It's just that the firepower needed to kill the hunter… is still lacking.The monster known as the Predator of the Night is, for now, too much for the current Han Yuseong to handle.Which means—he had to create a way to handle it.Fortunately, such a way existed.
"Guh… urgh!"[You've slowed down. Your fists are wavering. Your legs… trembling!]
Blood soaked the ground.Blood spilled from both Han Yuseong and the hunter—A testament to the brutal battle between them.Of course, the one who had bled more was the hunter.
But the one who had taken the greater damage was Han Yuseong.It was a result of the absolute difference in their races.
[The harder the hunt, the sweeter the reward.]
The hunter was certain of his victory.Wounded prey never gets far.They try to run to survive, but they lose strength quickly and collapse.So would this human before him.
He had no strength left to throw a punch.No energy to move his legs swiftly.
Which meant there was only one thing left for him.
[Let the hunt… begin!]
Being hunted.
Han Yuseong exhaled heavily.A fierce roar split the air —The sound of two massive greatswords cutting through wind.Their target was clear: his head.There was no strength left to dodge.Death was closing in.
[You possess an unyielding will.][The Final Flame ignites. All stats greatly increase.]
A smile rose on Han Yuseong's lips.A fierce, beast-like grin.The hunter scowled when he saw it.Smiling… in this situation?Has he gone mad in the face of death?
The answer to that question came immediately.
[Wha—?!]
KWA-MAMAMANG!
Han Yuseong's body vanished.The greatswords, having lost their target, slammed into the empty earth.It was a blow strong enough to leave a massive crater — but utterly meaningless.The hunter hastily scanned his surroundings.
KWAAMAMANG!
[Khuh—ugh!]
A tremendous impact struck from behind.The Bloodstorm tore at his entire body, shredding flesh.Reeling, the hunter instinctively turned around in shock.
But it was already too late.Han Yuseong had vanished just moments before.And once again—another impact followed.
Crack! Crunch!
[K-Kuhh— What the—?!]
From all directions, fists rained down without pause.The power contained in those punches was no longer normal.Unbelievably, they were stronger than before.Han Yuseong's speed had also increased—to the point where even the hunter's eyes couldn't keep up.
[This… this is absurd… Kahak!]
The hunter's blood sprayed in every direction.Just a moment ago, the human had been on the brink of death—and now, he was striking with overwhelming power.It was impossible.
"Healing? No… that's not it. That human…"
He's dying.The hunter was certain of it.Though Han Yuseong was wielding an unnatural power, his physical body was clearly at death's door.All the hunter had to do was buy time—create an opportunity to escape, and let the human's body give out on its own.
And the hunter had a way to make that happen.
[KRAAAAAGHHHH!]
Clack!
The hunter's two greatswords combined into one.The merged weapon radiated a savage, brutal aura.With a roar filled with fury, the hunter swung the massive blade—as if to rip the very air apart.
In that moment, a hush fell over the battlefield.And then—
KWA-GWA-GWA-GWANG!
Countless sword auras erupted.They came from the single, combined greatsword.So densely packed and tightly layered that there was no room to slip through—and no chance to dodge.The hunter's arms, which had unleashed the attack, swelled grotesquely.His hands pressed against the ground.
'He's trying to buy time… to recover by running away.'
At the same time, he was likely waiting for Han Yuseong to collapse and die.Naturally—
[Krrr… huh?!]
Han Yuseong had no intention of letting that happen.He kicked off the ground.
With not even the slightest hesitation, he threw himself into the storm of energy blades—and the hunter's eyes widened in disbelief.
In those eyes—shock and confusion.
[Charging… into it? Why?!]
Han Yuseong was already at his limit.The effect of "Unyielding Will" only granted a massive stat boost when at the brink of death—but it didn't heal his body.If even one of those sword strikes hit him, he would die.
To charge into that storm of blades was no different from suicide.
WHAMAMAMAK!
The storm of sword energy crashed into Han Yuseong, who had charged into it of his own accord.The dark aura of the slashes tore through his armor, slicing into flesh and bone beneath.It should have—ripped out his life entirely.
KADADADADAK!
[...?!]
A harsh grinding sound echoed—like jagged metal scraping against solid steel.It was the sound of the sword energy colliding with Han Yuseong's armor.The countless blades of aura struck his armor—and vanished.
The hunter's eyes widened in disbelief at the incomprehensible sight.
[How…?]
It was the effect of Black-Iron Armor.For a very short time, it hardened to become even tougher than metal, nullifying enemy attacks.That's what had blocked the sword aura.
The distance closed.
"That was fun, Hunter. But now…"
Han Yuseong pulled both arms far back.In one hand—his sword.In the other—the swirling storm of Bloodwind.
In a flash, he closed the gap—and then drove both arms forward in a devastating strike.
"Prey."
PUUK!Pierce—
The Flame of War skewered the hunter's heart.At the same time, the unleashed Blood Dragon Fang tore into the base of his neck.A gurgled, choked scream—one that never fully left his lips—echoed out.
That was the end.
KUUUUUNG!
The hunter's massive, battered body collapsed to the ground.Just like prey hunted by a predator—it fell, limp and lifeless.