NOVEL NEXT Chapter 182
Chapter 182: The Clash of Titans
KWAANG!
BANG!
KWAANG!
A series of deafening explosions echoed through the air, so loud it made my ears ring.
Fierce blasts leaped up as if trying to reach the sky, filling the atmosphere with a dense, acrid smoke.
The ground was left in ruins, as if it had faced concentrated bombardment.
The battle between Hyris and Hurein had completely decimated the surroundings.
To avoid getting caught up in it, we had no choice but to create some distance.
So, naturally, the remaining warriors ended up facing each other from a fair distance apart.
“Whew, this is no joke,” Mangjong murmured in awe.
Indeed, the fight over there was on a level seldom seen even by renowned powerhouses.
“Well, let’s not worry about that and wrap things up here,” I-gwi grumbled, thick neck cracking ominously as he spoke.
“Hehe, right. Let’s finish this,” Il-gwi twisted his lips into a nasty grin.
Rachel, who had been silently watching them, finally spoke up.
“I’m going out as well. Please handle the aftermath.”
She drew her weapon.
It was a lance that emitted a brilliant white light.
It wasn’t made of metal, but rather a pure concentration of divine power, known as the Holy Spear.
This astonishing and unique weapon was essentially the symbol of Rachel, the Divine Spear.
Seeing Rachel unveil her Holy Spear, the Leader quietly pulled out a dagger.
Mangjong and I-gwi, on our side, stared at him in wonder.
The leader of the Black Cross was such an enigmatic figure that no one knew her true abilities or what weapons she wielded.
That veil was about to be lifted.
“Do you think you can handle this alone?” I-gwi asked, his face showing a hint of doubt.
Her reputation was incredible, but it was natural to doubt since no one had ever witnessed her prowess firsthand.
“There’s no question about the Leader’s strength. She’s recognized by His Majesty, after all,” Seomjeon answered on her behalf.
The Emperor acknowledged her?
That settled the matter right there.
Anyone recognized by the Emperor was the real deal.
He acknowledged only an extremely small few, all of whom were monsters among monsters.
As I-gwi nodded, Rachel’s spear movement initiated first.
Reacting to that, the Leader moved as well.
Both at an incredibly fast speed.
Weapons clashed, and in an instant, only afterimages remained.
At the same time, another collision occurred far removed from those illusions.
It felt as if time flowed differently only in that spot.
But that was just the beginning.
Their speeds accelerated even further.
Soon, their exchanges unfolded so swiftly it was almost invisible to the eye.
CHING CHING CHING CHING!
The sharp sounds of their clashes echoed relentlessly.
To an observer, it appeared as if they were in one spot, continuously clashing weapons.
In truth, they were moving at a mad speed, fiercely exchanging blows.
“…This is insane,” I-gwi muttered in sheer disbelief.
No powerhouse could maintain such rapid, intense movement indefinitely.
Sure, they weren’t limitless in stamina.
Moreover, a life-or-death battle would deplete one’s energy even faster.
It wasn’t like they paused in between to regain their breath for no reason.
Yet they continued to clash their weapons at a terrifying speed, as if each breath was too precious to waste.
Their movements showed no signs of faltering even slightly.
‘This is bad news.’
Lee Si-hyun thought as he watched Rachel and the Leader’s fight.
True to the name of the Divine Spear, Rachel was incredibly powerful.
But the Leader’s strength felt equally formidable.
Had he not fortuitously gained Rachel’s assistance, the situation would have been much more dire.
Even without the Emperor directly intervening, their forces were beyond imagination.
They must have built up tremendous power during this time.
Si-hyun briefly glanced towards the ward where Choi Gang-hyuk was. If we added the Predator to that… Ugh, he didn’t even want to think about it.
At least it was a relief that there was no suspicious movement towards Choi Gang-hyuk in the ward—that meant they could focus on the battles in front of them without worry.
‘But…’
Si-hyun’s eyes darted quickly over to Mangjong, I-gwi, and Seomjeon.
Could those three truly match Hurein or the Leader?
That would be the worst scenario, but at least the vibes he was getting didn’t suggest that was the case.
For now, his gut feeling was sticking with him.
Si-hyun’s gaze shifted to his allies, Seung-hoon and Ha-rin.
Seung-hoon held a spear, while Ha-rin wielded a sword.
A spearman and a swordsman.
At least they wouldn’t show weakness in close combat.
It seemed better than having a wizard on their side.
Hyris had never shown any weakness in close quarters, but that was because she was extraordinary.
Typically, wizards would be disadvantaged if engaged at such range.
Especially now, with the numbers on the enemy side greater than their own, the probability of mishaps would only increase.
Thus, Si-hyun thought the current arrangement was preferable.
“Hey! Shouldn’t we also start making our moves?” I-gwi’s remark ignited the previously tense atmosphere.
“Haha, of course!” I-gwi flexed his body, puffing out his shoulders. With his already large frame, he looked even bigger.
Seomjeon also readied his weapon—a thin, specialized thrusting sword.
Si-hyun observed it closely.
Although he hadn’t caught the name of the enemy, one glimpse at that weapon allowed him to form a general idea of its wielder’s abilities.
That slender sword would be weak in direct clashes.
Thus, it suggested the user had confidence in overwhelming his opponent without clashing head-on.
He likely had tremendous speed.
“Hehe, it’s finally time to showcase these nearly perfect creations,” Mangjong said with a chuckle.
Si-hyun’s gaze shifted to Mangjong. He had no idea what kind of power the old man possessed.
But he sensed a greater danger was the golem standing in front of him.
He remembered Hyris labeling it as the World Tree Golem and declaring it a remarkable item.
For her to say such a thing showed it must surely be an exceptional golem.
Even without that, the two golems emitted an unsettling aura.
Caution was required.
Si-hyun’s eyes finally landed on I-gwi and Il-gwi.
Inwardly, he murmured, ‘The first target will be… one of those two.’
He had already reached his decision.
He had no idea that I-gwi and Il-gwi were masters of paired techniques.
But he had deduced they were brothers.
And it felt like they shared a strong bond.
That was why he aimed for the two of them first.
If he could eliminate one brother quickly, the remaining one would undoubtedly suffer a severe psychological blow and falter.
Then taking down the last brother would be much more manageable.
This calculated move was definitely sound.
What made the I-gwi brothers frightening was their synergy when executing their paired techniques.
Should that be interrupted, their effectiveness would be greatly diminished.
However, until now, no one had successfully pulled that off, with everyone else ending up as lost souls.
Now Si-hyun intended to attempt the impossible.
“Huh, huh…”
Beside him, Ha-rin was taking quick, tense breaths.
Seung-hoon too showed clear signs of anxiety.
Learning who their enemies were only heightened their tension.
Though they were formidable knights famed in their own world, these foes were infamous across the continent.
Had the Swordmaster not been present, they likely would have crumbled under the mental strain.
Si-hyun realized he needed to step forward decisively.
He had to take down the enemies first to boost morale.
“Draw their attention for me, please.”
As Si-hyun took a step towards I-gwi and Il-gwi, he spoke.
Though they might not measure up to the foes, Seung-hoon and Ha-rin were undoubtedly S-Class warriors as well.
If they focused on defense, they wouldn’t fall immediately.
“Uh? A-aye…,”
“…Understood.”
Understanding that Si-hyun intended to engage the brothers first, they tightened their grips on their weapons, preparing to support him against Seomjeon and Mangjong.
As Si-hyun advanced towards I-gwi and Il-gwi, he recalled how Hyris had behaved.
They assumed he was on the same level as Hyris.
Thus, he felt he could boldly approach just like she had.
With Acureruts lowered defensively, he strode confidently toward the I-gwi brothers.
Who he would attack and how had already been meticulously planned in his mind.
“You two think you can mock us together?” I-gwi snarled.
Il-gwi’s eyes flashed dangerously.
Having already been provoked by Hyris, their pride was clearly stung.
Yet, despite their emotions, they didn’t rush in.
After all, the Swordmaster was right before them.
They couldn’t afford to act recklessly.
That could easily separate life from death.
Maintaining utmost composure, they needed to bide their time for the right opportunity.
“Hehe, should I send one of my exquisite creations to assist you?” Mangjong asked, petting the World Tree Golem.
“That won’t be necessary,” I-gwi replied curtly.
Their paired techniques had been invincible thus far.
They’ve never faced defeat.
And while they had yet to meet a foe as strong as the Swordmaster, it didn’t matter; their pride stemmed from having trampled countless strong opponents.
In truth, they had a subconscious belief they wouldn’t lose even against the Ten Greats of the continent.
Finally, the chance to clash with one of them had arrived.
What a splendid opportunity to further elevate the I-gwi brothers’ reputation.
I-gwi gathered his spear’s energy.
The visible intensity of his blazing qi showcased just how high his level was.
Il-gwi brandished one of his best lethal weapons.
The Blood Moon Dagger.
It was coated in a deadly crimson toxin.
Just brushing against it was enough to make someone bleed out and die.
Moreover, simply launching it wasn’t the end.
It returned to strike like a boomerang, aiming for the enemy’s back.
There had been many who met their end due to the unpredictable trajectory of the Blood Moon Dagger.
Whether they realized it or not, as Si-hyun stepped back, he surveyed the distance, standing calmly, facing the I-gwi brothers.
“Come at me.”
That was an overt provocation.
“You little punk….”
I-gwi’s brows twitched angrily.
Il-gwi radiated palpable killing intent.
But they didn’t charge in, responding to the challenge.
Confronted with their lifelong rival, they maintained calculated composure.
“Not coming? Then I guess I’ll have to make the first move,” Si-hyun raised Acureruts high toward I-gwi.
But the moment he said ‘have to,’ there was already a movement from I-gwi’s hand.
A pair of Blood Moon Daggers sliced through the air at Si-hyun with terrifying speed.
However, Il-gwi remained still.
This wasn’t the time for him to move.
The Swordmaster needed to evade the daggers first. Only when they flew back around would he strike.
That way, the enemy’s focus would be split, and they would find themselves in a dangerous position, unable to handle both attacks from the front and back.
Il-gwi was perfectly poised to spring forward the moment the opportunity arose.
Yet, the Swordmaster’s actions completely deviated from his expectations.
He didn’t dodge.
Nor did he draw his sword.
The Swordmaster executed something utterly unexpected.
He cast magic right from the get-go.
“Hellfire.”
Si-hyun whispered the incantation softly.
The thought to chant the Hellfire incantation had been in his mind since he lifted Acureruts toward I-gwi.
That decision saved his life.
Had he been a moment late in voicing the incantation, he surely would have perished to the Blood Moon Daggers.
FLARURURUR!
Infernal flames surged toward I-gwi.
The Blood Moon Daggers collided with that power, ricocheting ineffectively.
…What the hell, the Swordmaster started with magic?!
I-gwi cursed internally, incredulous.
Who was the Swordmaster?
He was one of the top three swordsmen in the continent!
Thus, anyone would naturally think of a sword when they thought of him.
It was well-known that Acureruts was inscribed with the Hellfire spell, but it was unheard of for the Swordmaster to wield magic.
It was only natural.
With such superior swordsmanship, who would use magic?
But here was the Swordmaster using magic right from the start?
Rather than feeling caught off guard, it felt like he had been completely played.
Seomjeon, Mangjong, as well as allies Seung-hoon and Ha-rin, all wore expressions of shock.
That was how impactful Si-hyun’s actions were to everyone.
Il-gwi turned pale as he hastily dodged to the side.
He had been mere moments away from being engulfed by the Hellfire.
Utilizing that moment, Si-hyun surged toward I-gwi.
At this very moment, the one-on-one scenario that Si-hyun had desired presented itself.
I-gwi seemed to think Si-hyun’s actions were mockery, his face reddening with rage.
“Swordmaster Il-noo! I swear, I will kill you!”
The energy pooled into his spear intensified, reflecting his fury.
If they collided like this…
‘Of course I’d die.’
Si-hyun smiled coldly.
In this battle, he had no choice but to use it.
The secret technique of Po-ahim.
In a chilling voice, Si-hyun proclaimed, “You are a prisoner.”