40. The Fifth Specialization. (1)

The sound of slashing, cutting, and piercing filled the air.

The fangs of the monstrous bat gripping me.

The jaws I was trampling.

Trembling violently.

Every time the shadow warrior swung its sword, every time blood and flesh splattered into the air, the monstrous bat shuddered.

And it screamed.

Kkieeek!

My eardrums shook.

It felt like electricity was buzzing in my ears.

Gulp.

Blood surged up from its throat, splashing all over me.

Chel-pang, and it covered me entirely.

The bat screamed again.

Kkieeek!

It was different.

Clearly different.

The sound, the trembling of its jaws, even the flapping of its wings.

It was in pain.

I smiled, drenched in the warm blood.

Feeling the pain in my chest, the unbearable pressure, and the claws piercing my abdomen.

I smiled.

Die.

Just die and disappear.

Puk!

I heard something snap.

The monstrous bat’s body convulsed violently.

And the sound of something being slashed at an incredible speed reached my ears.

The claws gripping me loosened.

Slurp.

I realized instinctively.

I’m falling.

I don’t know how high we were.

If I fall like this, I’ll die.

Reflexively, I grabbed the bat’s fur like a whip.

Slurp-.

The hind legs gripping me.

Loosened.

And its hind legs moved away.

They grew distant, falling below.

That’s right.

I had ordered it to be slashed.

Not the wings, but its waist.

The shadow warrior had slashed its waist dozens of times.

The monstrous bat’s eyes widened.

Kkieeek-.

It wasn’t a scream.

It was a moan.

I instinctively grabbed its fur and climbed up.

“Khwuk…!”

It hurt.

My chest felt like it was tearing apart.

My abdomen hurt.

But if I let go, I’d fall.

No.

I won’t die…!

The wings flailed helplessly, their strength slowly fading.

The massive wings fluttered wildly, shaking my body.

“Khwuk, heok!”

I clenched my teeth, enduring the pain and the overwhelming wind, and climbed up the bat’s body.

And reached its nape.

Kureurek, kererek.

It coughed up blood repeatedly.

With its waist severed and hind legs gone.

Puk, pashik!

Upon reaching the nape, I saw the shadow warrior still slashing it.

I extended my hand.

Return.

The shadow warrior looked back at me.

And leaped toward me, hand outstretched.

Taak!

The sword returned to my hand.

At the same time, the piercing pain in my chest surged up.

“Heoguk…!”

Something cracked.

The bat’s skull was sliced open, its brain nearly exposed, and its intestines spilled out below.

It slowly tilted downward.

The ground was visible.

…It’s like looking at Google Maps.

Crazy, how high were we?

The air was cold.

Even in summer.

“Heoguk, heoguk!”

It was hard to breathe.

The bat’s wings flapped in the wind, then folded back.

We were plummeting.

Falling straight down!

“Heok, heoguk, khwuk.”

Crazy.

What to do?

How to get out of this?

Looking around, there was nothing.

Just folded wings and fluttering fur.

…Right.

If I fall into water, maybe…!

I grabbed the fur and looked down.

The river was just a line in the distance.

…Landing accurately there was impossible.

Even if I did, surviving the fall from this height was unlikely.

All my acceleration was used up.

Even if I had acceleration left, it wouldn’t help in this situation.

I couldn’t even guess the speed I’d hit the ground at.

I’d be reduced to nothing but pulp.

The wind howled past me.

Or rather, I was tearing through the air.

The rice fields below grew larger and larger.

“Shib…”

A sound of something crumbling reached my ears.

Looking back instinctively, the monstrous boar was charging, smashing the building and rushing toward the runway.

Soldiers were running away in all directions.

Some were firing miniguns.

But it was no use.

The monstrous boar rammed the building again.

It crumbled.

The corner collapsed again.

It would come crashing down in an instant.

…But I still had no way to survive.

The wind was too strong to breathe.

The ground drew closer.

And I, in this hopeless situation, opened the status window, hoping for a miracle.

“…Status!”

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Chosen One

[Specialization – Shadow Warrior] [Level – Max.]

[Title – Omnipotent]

Status

[Strength – 100/100] [Perception – 100/100]

[Power – 100/100] [Agility – 12/12]

[Mind – 100/100] [Intelligence – N/A]

[Distribution Points – 3]

Skills

[Passive – Soul Tattoo Lv. 3]

[Passive – Recovery]

[Passive – Limit Break]

[Active – Lingering Shadow] (Auto-cast)

[Active – Precision] (Auto-cast)

[Active – Acceleration] (Auto-cast)

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…!

I’ve maxed out the Shadow Warrior specialization!

Probably because I sprayed the monstrous boar with bullets!

Clutching the thick fur of the falling bat, I pressed the Shadow Warrior.

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– Time Adjuster (Max.)

– Survival Expert (Max.)

– Wild Hunter (Max.)

– Shadow Warrior (Max.)

1. Spatial Explorer

2. ??? (Not Selectable)

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Spatial Explorer.

I chose number 1 without hesitation.

The wind was too strong.

It was hard to keep my eyes open.

I wasn’t sure if I pressed it properly.

A message window appeared before my eyes.

[Acquired new specialization.]

[Acquired new skill.]

Whatever, I get it.

“…Status!”

Skills.

New skill!

[Active – Spatial Claw]

What, Spatial Claw?!

Wait, why isn’t this an auto-cast?!

Not that it matters now!

I pressed Spatial Claw.

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Active – Spatial Claw

Grabs a desired space within a certain range.

Moves to that space.

Immune to impact during movement.

Agility – 5

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…What?

Move through space?!

…Immune to impact?!

I looked down at the ground.

It was rushing up at an alarming speed.

Only a few seconds left.

How?

How do I use it?!

How?!

Krururung!

A crumbling sound echoed.

Instinctively, I turned to see the monstrous boar smashing the building and charging toward me.

No time to waste!

Acting on instinct.

I reached out.

Toward the boar’s back, just below me.

Only a few dozen meters away.

In the blink of an eye.

I clenched my fist.

Please!

In the next moment, the boar’s back expanded like lightning.

Under my feet, knees, and fists.

I felt something touch me.

And everything went black.

Woo-.

My ears rang.

I couldn’t see or hear anything.

I had no idea what happened.

Only a warmth spread through my body.

Slowly, I opened my eyes.

Something shimmered faintly in the light.

…Blood and muscle.

And the numerous skulls surrounding me.

Twisted in pain.

Screaming expressions.

I gasped and lifted my head.

…It’s bright!

Sunlight was shining from above.

And I realized.

I had pierced through the monstrous boar’s…

…Skeletal frame.

Looking around again.

It was as if a bomb had exploded.

Everything around me was shattered, torn apart, and gutted, as if I had burst out from the inside.

Jiruk, jiruk.

Blood, flesh, and intestines flowed around me.

And it was silent.

“-Hoon! Seong-hoon!”

A voice was heard.

A woman’s voice.

…Ga-yeon?

…The voice brought me back to reality.

Smoke.

It was rising from my body.

Like when I damaged the sword, white smoke was rising from me.

I stood up.

My feet felt sticky.

My chest hurt.

My abdomen hurt.

But they were healing.

Slowly.

Noticeably.

The torn shirt revealed wounds that were slowly closing and returning to normal.

Susu-.

I exhaled heavily, smoke rising from my body.

…This is it.

The tattoo on my body.

What the Soul Tattoo gave me.

And…

I slowly raised my hand, palm down.

…What happened?

I shouldn’t be alive.

Surviving that fall, even with abilities, is a cheat for a living being.

…Spatial Claw.

…This is the ability of the Spatial Explorer.

The power to grab space and move there.

“…Phew.”

I lay in the sunlight filtering through, inside the monstrous boar’s body, which reeked of blood.

And slowly lifted my head.

…My sword.

Where did it go?

Did I drop it mid-air?

…No idea.

At least I’m alive.

I pulled out the sword.

Slurp-.

“Seong-hoon! Seong-hoon!”

…Loud, Ga-yeon.

Stop shouting.

“Haa…”

I swung the sword, slashing the flesh, skulls, and hide before me.

And I emerged from the monstrous boar’s body.

Sunlight.

So bright.

With blood and viscous substances covering my entire body.

Exhaling white smoke, I stepped out of the boar’s body.

“Haa, haa.”

I gasped for breath, lifting my head.

People were staring at me.

Their expressions were unreadable.

I couldn’t guess what their faces meant.

“Seong-hoon!”

Ga-yeon ran toward me.

Yes, right.

Come and support me.

But I couldn’t hold on, and my vision began to fade.

My legs gave out.

Damn.

How embarrassing.

Thud.

Someone caught me.

…Soft hands.

Probably Ga-yeon.

I slowly bowed my head.

Don’t know, just need to rest.

Someone muttered in a trembling voice.

“…Jesus christ.”

Whatever, man.

Don’t speak English.