Jubeom Han extended his hand, using a skill on ‘Dark Knight’ that slowed their movements.
“This is not someone to be taken lightly. Everyone, step forward.”
He intended to sacrifice his subordinates momentarily to gauge the opponent’s power, observe any skills they might use, and learn their patterns.
At his command, the elders stepped forward.
Nayeon Gi activated the skill ‘Supreme Arrival,’ enhancing her stats for a set time while reducing incoming damage by 90%.
—
Shinnoda felt the weight in his body increase.
His Agility stat had dropped to A-rank.
Considering that his actual stats were of SS-grade, it was a significant downfall.
“I am Nayeon Gi, an elder of the Hwasan Group. What is your name, swordsman?”
Nayeon Gi, known within the Hwasan Group for her intellectual contributions, showed a command of the Korean language that others lacked.
“This isn’t a duel of honor.”
‘Dark Knight’ spoke without inflection. This battle was merely a process of punishment, retribution for crimes committed in Korea and for challenging them.
“That is a disrespectful remark.”
Nayeon Gi furrowed her brow, understanding the implication. While minor Awakened Ones might not care, those of A-rank or higher generally held honor dear. To act as if they could defeat everyone present alone was outright insulting.
The Hwasan Group wasn’t among the top-tier organizations of the continent, but they certainly ranked in the middle.
‘Perhaps they came here with the confidence to do just that…’
Though briefly troubled, Nayeon Gi quickly shook his head and drew his sword. There was no point in starting the fight with fear, and victory against such an opponent would be meaningless. This man had come to destroy the Hwasan Group, and Nayeon Gi, as one of its core leaders, was resolved. Neither of them would see the sun tomorrow.
With this, Nayeon Gi charged toward ‘Dark Knight.’
—
“ROARR!”
“Die!”
Attacks from four Plum Blossom Swordsmen and two elders rained down on ‘Dark Knight.’ As their blades made contact, the two elders swiftly retreated, slashing behind them. They had understood the principle of ‘decapitation’ after observing their comrades.
Ting.
A clear sound echoed as the Dragon Sword clashed with Nayeon Gi’s blade. As expected, ‘Dark Knight’ had teleported behind the elders.
“I’ve faced a similar skill before.”
Nayeon Gi, confident from previous battles, maneuvered around ‘Dark Knight’s’ sword like a snake, closing in swiftly. Reaching within an inch of ‘Dark Knight,’ he slashed diagonally, severing their neck. Such agility was only possible due to the reduction in their Agility stat to A-rank.
But ‘Dark Knight’s’ form dissolved into mist, leaving Nayeon Gi’s sword to cut through empty air without causing any damage.
“This skill is extremely annoying…”
Muttering this, Nayeon Gi realized his best effort had been ineffective.
“Physical attacks seem ineffective. Everyone, use skills to attack.”
“That… those skills don’t work!”
The Plum Blossom Swordsmen replied to the elder’s command, baffled. Though the elders’ abilities were working normally, they suspected dark magic from their unknown opponent.
“Indeed, they came prepared.”
Nayeon Gi finally comprehended why the mysterious robed figure dared to come alone. A skill that nullified weaker abilities was unprecedented.
Meanwhile, another elder, Hong Yong, sought permission from Jubeom Han with a glance. Jubeom Han nodded.
His signature skill: ‘Gamma Ray Emission.’ Gamma rays, the most potent form of light, are thousands of times stronger than visible light. Though it drained immense mana, capable of only one thin burst of energy, it would suffice to finish the fight. Normally avoided due to collateral damage risks to allies, it was a deadly technique.
“It’s on you.”
Hong Yong extended his hand toward ‘Dark Knight,’ while around him, Plum Blossom Swordsmen continued to fall, one by one.
“Energy Release.”
Instantly, Shinnoda lost his balance and collapsed. His side, briefly exposed to the gamma rays, burned black. The affected skin melted and dripped like ice cream under gravity. His internal organs were fried, losing function and starting to bleed.
“Khhak.”
Spitting blood, Shinnoda knelt. Numbness spread through his body, and his mind spun, leaving him disoriented.
‘That radiation skill…’
Shinnoda recognized Hong Yong’s ability from information he’d purchased. Naturally, he had a countermeasure.
‘Yet, it hurts more than expected.’
From the fallen Plum Blossom Swordsman, a red aura emerged and flowed toward Shinnoda. The corpse became dessicated, reduced to a mummy-like state.
Receiving the red aura, ‘Dark Knight’ recovered; the wound on their side slowly healing. Though still affected by the radiation, it stabilized enough for movement.
“Impossible…”
“Could they be a beast that emerged from the Gate Collapse?!”
The Hwasan Grandmaster and remaining elders stared in horror. ‘Dark Knight’s’ appearance could easily be mistaken for a monster from a dark realm, and their regenerative abilities defied imagination.
“Cough… When…”
In the moment of shock and delay, the rest of the Plum Blossom Swordsmen were slaughtered. One was engulfed in blue flames, turning to ashes, while the others were drained of their energy by ‘Succession’ and ‘Lake of Desire.’
‘Dark Knight’ had fully recovered, unaffected by the radiation. They were back to peak condition.
“Hong Yong. If I recall, that skill can only be used once a day, right?”
Overwhelming dread. Could they defeat an S-rank entity with infinite regeneration?
The Hwasan officers wavered under the pressure.
“Brace yourselves! Follow my lead, elders. I’ll take the lead.”
Jubeom Han, seeking to control the morale, strode forward with bravado. The weapon he carried, Qinglong Ji, resembled a halberd and was retrieved from a dungeon, capable of both piercing and slashing.
With each step, a mysterious light emanated from his ring, encircling his body.
The ring was ‘Aegis,’ an S-rank artifact from an S-ranked dungeon, renowned for its absolute defense.
The mysterious light wrapped around Jubeom Han, gradually forming an armor similar to the Roman lorica segmentata. It radiated an elegant yet dignified golden hue, with molten-metal-like gold swirling around it.
“I and Aegis… we are invincible!”
In the vast lands of China, Jubeom Han wasn’t considered among the top S-rank figures, but since obtaining the ‘Aegis,’ he had never fallen in battle.
“Understood. Aegis, an S-rank defensive item. When I attack, the molten metal should move to either block my attack or grab my weapon.”
‘Dark Knight’ recited details they had gathered beforehand, mocking the item’s predictability. Jubeom Han frowned at the disparity in information. His opponent seemed to know him far better than he knew them.
“Knowing it changes nothing.”
As Jubeom Han finished his words, a geometrically-patterned spear shot toward him. It was the Gungnir, retrieved by Shinnoda from an alternate space and hurled at Jubeom Han.
Squirming, the liquid gold surrounding the Aegis moved faster than expected, enveloping and devouring the spear. However, upon ‘Dark Knight’s’ extension of their hand, the molten gold faltered, relinquishing its grip. The spear returned to ‘Dark Knight.’
“Haha! See? Doesn’t matter if you know about Aegis. Though that spear is somewhat special…”
“Remarkable.”
Shinnoda thought the armor could be useful for Park Hayeon, who lacked protection. This was a deviation from the original events, where they hadn’t encountered the ‘Aegis,’ but considering the gathered information, it performed admirably.
Typically, ‘Dark Knight’ was at a disadvantage: outnumbered three to one, with a virtually impenetrable S-rank armor against them, and A-rank Agility post-debuff, slower even than the elders.
‘Not all S-ranks are created equal.’
Yet, Shinnoda showed no signs of disturbance. They had foreseen this situation and prepared for the worst.
