Chapter 77

〈 Chapter 77 〉 Part 1, Chapter 5 (10)

A blade of light pierced down from the night sky to the ground. Is there any better way to describe this scene?

Just that the blade of light is as massive as a building, and the one who plunged it into the earth is none other than Light Blade – Heo Yoon-hwan, which will surely shock people.

The mighty earthquake that resounded when the sword embedded itself into the ground. The tip of Light Blade’s sword descended towards the epicenter of the quake.

At 5:30 AM, the time when those deeply asleep are tossing and turning in their last sweet dreams.

Eeeeeeeeeeeng——–!

The sharp alarm of an enemy infiltration warning rang throughout New Seoul.

* * *

The blade of light glimmers underground. Its tip, like a sharp spear aiming to pierce through me, has tunneled through the earth to reach here.

Its point is pressed against my raised palm.

Kiki-gik!

The blade of light continues to press down on me with the intent to crush everything. But it cannot push back my palm even a bit.

The blue protective barrier formed on my hand. I’m radiating all my magic power upward to repel the blade of light.

Kaga-kang!

In a tug-of-war between magic powers, naturally the side with more magic wins. I poured all the magic power in my hand.

‘Starting off with such a big move, huh.’

Anyway, that technique is basic for them, but its status is on a different level compared to ordinary Heroes. I slightly lifted the tip of the blade of light reaching just above my head with a flick of my hand.

About 5 cm. A distance shorter than a span, but it’s enough to shatter this blade.

When the balance collapses, it’s obvious which side will break.

Pajik, pajijik!

Cracks appear at the tip of the sword as its form begins to distort. The golden light emitted by the sword isn’t a natural phenomenon but the color of magic power possessing light-speed properties.

Light particles fall from the blade of light. The residual magic scattered from the sword body sprinkles everywhere underground.

Hwareok.

Chang-yeom ascends rapidly along the center of the blade toward the ground. Like a fuse catching fire, the blue flame shakes the foundation of the magic while breaking the sword body.

Suddenly, a vibration is felt from the center of the blade. The magic support holding up the sword.

“Bingo.”

I simply twisted that. Chang-yeom burned the central axis of the sword.

Pasus.

The blade lost its support and was pulverized into tiny particles. With the framework shattered, the light-speed magic power lost its cohesion and dispersed into the air.

“Pretty, isn’t it?”

I raised my smartwatch.

Click.

It’s a magnificent sight, like fireflies flying around at night. Under the dreamlike lights, more beautiful than any light festival in the world, I spread my wings.

I looked up at the ceiling. Thanks to the blade of light piercing through, the cool night air has reached underground.

“Is it about 30 meters…?”

The blade of light has already disappeared. All that remains is the magical ripple caused by the collision of two magical powers.

Jijik, jijik.

An alarm comes from the smartwatch, but the signal doesn’t reach. However, the clock keeps ticking.

5:33 AM. Soon the sun will rise.

I fold my wings, bend my knees. Before the blade of light plunges underground again, I must stand on the same ground as my opponent.

“Hoo.”

A short deep breath. Even though sweat doesn’t come out of my body, my palms itch and my throat is parched dry.

The second strongest enemy I’ve fought so far. The only person in this world who stabbed a Spirit’s heart with a sword, the Spirit Slayer.

‘So, are you afraid?’

“There’s no way!”

Spreading my wings, I ascend vertically. As the light particles shimmer and try to sharpen their edges like blades, I fly upward faster and emerge onto the ground.

He, Light Blade, stands there with his sword planted in the ground.

“…….”

Considering his usually neat attire, he must have rushed to battle straight from bed. Silk pajamas and black-and-white striped slippers. The stubble grown overnight is tangled messily.

Tak. Folding my wings, I step onto the ground.

“…….”

“…….Hmph.”

Our gazes meet. His eyes are bloodshot as if he’d just woken up.

I elegantly greet him.

“Father, good morning.”

“It’s still before sunrise. Who’s your father?”

His voice is full of irritation. Imagining how he got out of bed makes me laugh involuntarily. Smiling broadly, I spread my arms wide.

“The sun is here, isn’t it?”

“……I’ve never heard of someone making such pointless jokes.”

The man draws his sword from its sheath. A longsword polished with dozens of A-Rank cores, Moonlight (월광). Golden magic power flows through the blade gleaming under the moonlight.

Battle begins. Wrapping flames around both fists, I complain.

“You haven’t even introduced yourself yet.”

“What do I care? Monsters are killed, villains are arrested. And….”

Light Blade grips the hilt with both hands and charges forward.

“Monsters like you, I’ll exterminate!”

“Not even an introduction first!!”

“Shut up!”

“Romance, romance!”

Fist and sword clash.

* * *

At dawn, as Chief Yu Yinghuo was about to go to bed, he woke up after lying down for only ten minutes and rushed to the situation room.

“What’s happening?!”

Bursting in and opening the door, but there’s no one. Chief Yu Yinghuo was the first to enter the situation room.

“At this hour, everyone’s asleep…!”

Yu Yinghuo, unaware that his circadian rhythm is much ahead of others’, grumbles while operating the screen.

“Not a monster alert?”

Yu Yinghuo bites his lips.

What kind of event could trigger an alarm this severe if it’s not a monster alert?

Piiiiii—

An alarm sounds from the smartwatch, a different decibel from the infiltration alert, signaling an emergency disaster message. Yu Yinghuo quickly checks the message.

[Emergency] On May 2nd at 5:30 AM, a magnitude 2.0 earthquake occurred 2 km inland northeast of Yusung District, Daejeon City.

[Emergency] On May 2nd at 5:32 AM, a magnitude 3.2 earthquake occurred 2 km inland northeast of Yusung District, Daejeon City.

“…Just a simple earthquake?”

No way. The Commander’s sharp instincts confirm that the current situation is not a natural phenomenon.