206 – Lightning Ability is Generally Strong #2
Han Ju-ryeon’s secretary, Oh Eun-hee, anxiously stared at her phone, waiting for news about Han Ju-ryeon.
“This time, Ju-ryeon has to come in first, no matter what…!”
Oh Eun-hee thought of herself as someone who went all in on the stock or coin named ‘Han Ju-ryeon.’ If Han Ju-ryeon succeeded, as her secretary, she would also benefit from the crumbs.
Being who she was, Oh Eun-hee knew Han Ju-ryeon’s strengths and weaknesses better than anyone.
“Honestly, if we just look at firepower, not many can surpass the ‘Elemental Team’ among A-Rankers. It’s definitely possible to aim for victory. This time is really for going S-Rank!”
Oh Eun-hee diligently tried to think positive thoughts in her mind. However, she was an extremely materialistic person, and such people often imagined the worst-case scenarios.
“She can’t fight with Haildo! Ju-ryeon can handle it as long as she doesn’t fight with Haildo! Ju-ryeon’s weakness is so clear that she can’t beat Haildo…!”
The reason Han Ju-ryeon tried to recruit Haildo before the match began was because she knew her own weaknesses well. They were weaknesses that could not be fixed, no matter how hard she tried.
The reason Han Ju-ryeon had remained at A-Rank until now was closely linked to those weaknesses.
Of course, the ‘Team’ to compensate for this was the ‘Elemental’ team.
Oh Eun-hee clasped her hands tightly together, fervently hoping that the team members would cover for Ju-ryeon’s weaknesses and take down Haildo.
# # #
Clink-clang.
I felt someone continually stepping on the glass shards I had scattered on the ground.
The person was quite hefty.
“Ugh, damn. What a bothersome thing.”
Annoyance was evident in the voice that came from the hallway.
I could easily recognize who the man approaching through the fog was.
“Is that you? Kang Jung-yeol!”
The ignite-type ability user, Kang Jung-yeol.
Ignition abilities were generally simple yet powerful forces. They fell within the category of creating flames, showing clear effects.
Even the fourth-year student, Kang Jung-yeol, was like that.
A promising figure in the ignition ability line since Seo Ye-rim’s time.
Clearly defined strengths, but also clear weaknesses.
“Haildo! I see you’re hiding! Stop muttering and come out! Are you scared? Are you scared, huh?!”
Flames burst out in all directions with a whoosh!
I felt the heat coming from the flames Kang Jung-yeol was emitting.
As far as I knew, Kang Jung-yeol expelled or controlled these flames through ‘breath,’ right?
“You idiot! Just because I say come out, do you think I will? You don’t even know such basics. Go back to the training center and learn again! Pathetic! Sea anemone! Dolt!”
I deliberately provoked Kang Jung-yeol.
The weakness of ignite-type users was their inability to manage their anger easily.
Since I often clashed with Seo Ye-rim, I was confidently aware of this clear weakness. I could hear Kang Jung-yeol scoffing from beyond the fog.
“Haildo, your intentions are obvious. Ignite users are susceptible to provocation—what are you trying to do with such a pathetic rumor? It won’t work.”
Such an obvious strategy?
It was a bit awkward to say, but I was relatively confident in dueling with ignite-type users.
Having spent considerable time imagining “defeating Seo Ye-rim” in my head during times of boredom.
You know, during reckless times, people think about what they would do if they gained special powers like teleportation.
For me, it was imagining “Haildo suddenly awakening superpowers and defeating Seo Ye-rim.”
In other words, I had a plethora of simulations stored away in my mind regarding fighting ignite-type users.
In my mind, ‘provocation’ was the most effective and certain technique when fighting ignite-type users. But maybe it was too obvious of a weakness to exploit?
“You think you can provoke me by messing with my nerves? Dolt, sea anemone, do you think I’m going to fall for such petty insults…? Huh!? Do you think such petty tricks will lure me out…!?”
Whoosh!
I felt the air in the surrounding area boiling intensely.
“How trivial do you think I am to do something like that…? I’m asking out of genuine curiosity…!!! How dare you ignore me…!!! Haildo, I won’t let you off lightly if I catch you!!!”
What the hell?
That worked surprisingly well.
It seemed my simulations were accurate.
According to my theory, ignite-type users would see a vertical rise in firepower when excited, but conversely, their situational judgment abilities would vertically drop.
I decided to capitalize on the gap while my opponent was excited.
“Kkungkkungi, you have to do well.”
Hwooooosh…!
After hiding Kkungkkungi, I deployed him.
Sssss—.
Receiving my magical energy, Kkungkkungi seemed to disappear somewhere and finally played a ringing sound.
Kkungkkungi played an instrument.
“Is that you!”
KWA-A-A-AH-!
I felt Kang Jung-yeol unleash flames toward the location where Kkungkkungi was hiding.
Not missing that timing, I forcefully threw Ahn Ahn towards where Kang Jung-yeol was.
“Go, Kkungkkungi!”
Grrrr—!
Kkungkkungi made a sound as if he was very angry.
And then, along with a thud, I heard Kang Jung-yeol scream.
“What’s this! Something bit my leg! Get away! Get away, you bastard! You rat! You rat bastard! You piece of garbage!”
Grrrr—!!!
Kkungkkungi roared angrily from beyond the fog.
Being a squirrel, Kkungkkungi hated being called a ‘rat’ the most. It was a grave insult to the top squirrel, Kkungkkungi, and those who uttered such an insult would have to face Kkungkkungi’s wrath.
I now sent out the Emperor Ant, Ahn Ahn, into the fog.
“Ahn Ahn! Go and cut off Kang Jung-yeol’s ‘jji’!”
Jji—!
Jji.
It meant various things depending on the situation.
In this context, it referred to a very significant meaning—ensure the victory.
Jji—!
Soon, Ahn Ahn quietly disappeared into the fog, and Kang Jung-yeol let out a death scream and ultimately breathed his last.
“AAH~”
As I pushed through the humid fog, I saw Kkungkkungi biting Kang Jung-yeol’s leg, pulling him here and there.
Grrrr—!
Kang Jung-yeol, with his bronzed skin, was bubbling with foam in his mouth.
He must have been hit by Ahn Ahn’s ‘cutting jji.’
“Kang Jung-yeol, if there’s one thing I’ll beat you at, it’s that I, Haildo, am more confident than anyone in battling ignite-type users. In the end, I won.”
Swoosh—.
I snatched the watch strapped to Kang Jung-yeol’s wrist.
It was my complete victory.
“Did you see? This is my skill…! Muahahaha…!”
# # #
“…What is it, that bastard Kang Jung-yeol, he failed…!?”
Oh Deok-soo quickly assessed the situation after hearing Kang Jung-yeol’s screams from somewhere. When he looked at his smartwatch, he saw the number of survivors decrease by one.
The implications of this situation were clear.
It meant Kang Jung-yeol’s elimination.
It also meant that Oh Deok-soo and Han Ju-ryeon were starting to be cornered.
“Ugh, he’s so unhelpful every time it’s critical. This is why ignite users are useless. Ju-ryeon, what do we do? It’s disadvantageous for us like this.”
Sssss—.
The mist curtain that Oh Deok-soo and Kang Jung-yeol had created by combining their powers was gradually dissipating. If visibility opened up, Kim Yu-mi, who was hiding somewhere in this power plant, would start sniping again.
Then, it was clear that Oh Deok-soo and Han Ju-ryeon would have to defend unilaterally.
‘In such a situation, we must create a variable.’
Oh Deok-soo had a decent amount of knowledge about survival games.
In order for a team in a defensive predicament to turn the situation around, they needed to raise a ‘variable’ that could change the dynamics of the situation.
You could call it a gamble.
Of course, the very fact that his team had to take a gamble was something Oh Deok-soo didn’t like.
“Damn it, if only Kang Jung-yeol didn’t act on his own…!”
The fact that they had to drag out what should have been an overwhelmingly advantageous game was disheartening to Oh Deok-soo.
However, without a sharp plan, Oh Deok-soo absentmindedly wiped his fogged-up glasses with his sleeve.
At that moment, Han Ju-ryeon asked him.
“What are you planning to do now?”
Oh Deok-soo was the brain of the ‘Elemental Team.’ At least, he thought so. Ultimately, it wouldn’t be Kang Jung-yeol’s firepower displaying the impact, but his own strategies during a crisis.
“After all, I can only trust myself!”
Suddenly, Oh Deok-soo remembered the saying, ‘in crisis lies opportunity.’
This great crisis for the team could become a huge opportunity for Oh Deok-soo’s life.
‘If I navigate through this dilemma well, my value will rise even more! What if that scene gets edited and aired? I could rise to greater heights while reviewing that footage…!’
It was well known that the viewership ratings for this A-Rank battle would be high.
The content where ranking battle participants reacted while watching edited broadcast footage saying, “Ah, it was really tough at that moment,” would surely thrive.
Oh Deok-soo envisioned himself shining magnificently and was eventually enveloped with immense confidence.
“Ju-ryeon, it seems like the opponent is trying to separate us and attack individually. How about we just go ahead with our original plan?”
“What?”
“If we just stay like this, the fog will clear, and we’ll be on the defensive. If so, we should separate and then reverse attack!”
Oh Deok-soo believed that the opposing team was likely to be separated as well.
Then it would naturally become a 1:1 matchup.
‘Since Kim Yu-mi is a sniper, she can’t join. Since Kang Jung-yeol got eliminated separately, it means someone faced Kang Jung-yeol… and that someone is likely Haildo.’
Given how easily Kang Jung-yeol got eliminated, it was highly likely that Haildo, who could control animals including squirrels, was on Kang Jung-yeol’s side.
Thus, the remaining person was naturally Lee Jin-A.
A-Rank, 29th place.
Lee Jin-A, who had just recently become an A-Rank, did not seem like a difficult opponent to Oh Deok-soo. He was overflowing with confidence that he could win against her in a 1:1 match since he had been in the A-Rank for a long time.
‘If I shine here, my value will at least double! Then, my popularity will soar! My standing and share within the team will also grow!’
After thinking through various angles, Oh Deok-soo arrived at the operation of being bait, luring Lee Jin-A out to capture or defeat her.
Sssss—.
He could see the steam starting to clear before his eyes.
Now that Kang Jung-yeol had made a major mistake, they would clearly be at a disadvantage if they continued to delay the situation.
Oh Deok-soo decided without hesitation that he needed to make a ‘super play.’
“Just trust me!”
“Hey, wait—!”
Han Ju-ryeon reached out towards Oh Deok-soo, but he was already off running somewhere.
Oh Deok-soo ran hard toward the hallway where he thought ‘Lee Jin-A’ might be and finally spotted her, gasping for breath.
“Found you!”
“What? You actually came here alone?”
Lee Jin-A seemed surprised.
However, as if she quickly collected her wits, she pointed at Oh Deok-soo and shouted.
“Bang—!”
“Oof!”
Oh Deok-soo felt something pierce his heart.
Did Kim Yu-mi snipe him unexpectedly? His chest seemed fine, and there were no traces of being hit by an arrow. So what exactly was happening?
Oh Deok-soo soon grasped the situation.
“Hope no…! No way, this is a technique to charm me like a succubus from Ero El! It’s a skill to lure me and maximize my affection level! Isn’t it…!?”
“…You know well. You won’t be able to withstand my charm. Especially for guys, it’ll be even harder. Even Haildo had a tough time with that skill; you, with those glasses, won’t be able to withstand it.”
Thud—.
Oh Deok-soo unexpectedly knelt down.
“How could I…! To fall for the charm of a girl who clearly loves to switch guys…! I can’t accept this…! As the fixed nick ‘Unicorn Grandpa’ in the Awakened Comics Gallery…! This is humiliating…!”
Oh Deok-soo’s ideal type was a demure, well-mannered, somewhat frail yet perfect, subtly alluring, and shy Japanese woman.
Of course, such a woman could never exist in reality, and Oh Deok-soo was someone who cited the heroine ‘Hina’ from idol anime as his favorite.
The fact that he was beginning to feel affection for a type he disliked the most, someone like ‘Yang A-hee,’ who had dyed her hair yellow and ruined his school days, was simply unbearable.
“Do you think just because I’m wearing glasses, and like anime, I’d give in to the seduction of girls because I’ve never had a girlfriend…!? Don’t kid me…!!!”
Oh Deok-soo shouted thunderously, pulling out a dagger.
Swish—!
With it, he slashed his own palm.
“0 and 1 are different—.”
With those words, Oh Deok-soo fainted.
Seeing that, Lee Jin-A was slightly taken aback.
“Did you go as far as to self-harm to resist my charm? That’s impressive, but come on, speak right. You say you like switching guys? I’m still a virgin, you know. Give me a break.”
Thud—!
Just to check, Lee Jin-A began to punch and kick the unconscious Oh Deok-soo.
Of course, Oh Deok-soo couldn’t come to his senses, and she rummaged through his pockets, taking his wallet, wristwatch, and other things.
“Easy.”
Saying that, Lee Jin-A plopped down.
“The ‘Arrow of Passion’ is a technique that drains energy more than I expected.”
If there was one fortunate aspect, it was that the only remaining member of Team Elemental was Han Ju-ryeon.
Of course, there was no room for relaxation.
Creep, creep—.
Every hair on Lee Jin-A’s body stood on end, a clear sign of danger.
Fizz, fizz—.
Intense sparks began to erupt from all objects in the vicinity.
