Ch.118EP.29 – King Kong and the Hybrid Clash (6)

As the flames of the fire magic engulfed them, countless prisoners suffered burns, and amid the chaos, many became entangled with each other and fell.

Others might have cried out in pain from such flames and burns, but unfortunately, these were no ordinary humans.

“I-I’ll kill you!”

These were humans fundamentally injected with hatred and rage toward the Pendragon.

Moreover, they were prisoners who had committed murder and fierce survivors who had competed against the Worms.

So instead of feeling pain from the attacks engulfing them, they grew angry, their instinct driving them to seek revenge against whoever had hurt them.

And so…

“There he is!!”

“After him!!”

The prisoners who escaped the flames rushed like rabid hunting dogs to kill the Pendragon knight.

“…We’ll pursue him too.”

The man who had also taken a hit from him rose to his feet, clutching his nose which was bleeding like a waterfall.

His bloodshot eyes were filled with murderous intent.

“Lord of the Four Apostles, are you alright?”

“I’m fine. More importantly, let’s pursue him quickly. I’ll recover briefly and follow.”

“…Understood.”

Whoosh!

With the sound of wind, the black-clothed figures disappeared, and the man called the Four Apostles caught his breath.

“So he knows about the Black Moon…”

He gritted his teeth, recalling the knight who had been investigating the Black Moon.

There was one more reason why he absolutely couldn’t let him live.

“I don’t know who you are, but I will certainly kill you.”

[[Krrr….]]

Even if it meant sacrificing him and everyone else!

This wasn’t about feeling humiliated after being thrown down so disgracefully—it was for the greater cause…!

…Drip.

The blood still hadn’t stopped flowing.

*

*

*

─The pressure of the Hundred Step Divine Fist struck the group rushing toward them.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

“Aaaagh!”

“Kuhuk!?”

“?!!”

Not knowing what had hit them, they tumbled to the ground.

For those experiencing the Hundred Step Divine Fist technique for the first time, they might have even hallucinated that a ghost had struck them.

Indeed, it was enough to make one think it was the work of spirits.

“I-invisible hands!”

“H-how, from such a distance…!?”

“The Pendragon knight commands ghosts!!”

Freely controlling distances of thirty to fifty paces and accurately landing pressure strikes on opponents was truly like the touch of a ghost.

As this unexpected terror gripped the prisoners and they began to hesitate, Ihan would—

Thwack!!

—not hesitate to kick their faces or break their legs when they faltered.

For him, the more people who were shocked or frightened, the better.

It meant it would be easier to break through.

But…

Boom!

“Don’t be afraid, just charge! We have the numbers!”

“Knight or knight’s grandfather, they all die when stabbed! Stab them-!!”

“Maintain formation! Don’t scatter, you idiots!!”

Not everyone was intimidated.

Proving that many were accustomed to real combat, some charged forward fearlessly despite the unfamiliar technique of the Hundred Step Divine Fist.

Some seemed to have command experience, gradually trying to pressure him, while others charged boldly.

Of course, for such people…

Crack!

“Move.”

Crunch!

He mercilessly shattered them with swift hand movements.

In an instant, his fist moved brilliantly, striking the opponent’s philtrum and center of the chest.

After easily neutralizing them by hitting vital points, his knife-hand struck their side like a harpoon and then-!

Crack!!

Bones crushed as he grabbed and tore at them.

The shattered ribs pierced internal organs, and prisoners fell one after another.

Even if they survived, they would be left with lifelong disabilities.

Some might call these brutal methods, but Ihan had no hesitation.

‘The stench of rot is overwhelming.’

The putrid smell coming from these people.

Think it’s just the stench of unwashed bodies?

No.

This was a stench that his experience-honed senses detected.

The kind of rot that emanates from spell casters commonly known as illegal mages, or illegal slave traders.

Those who feel no guilt whatsoever, who find pleasure and thrill in harming others rather than reflecting on their crimes—cancers of society.

The stench typical of such people permeated the air, and Ihan felt no need to hold back against them.

‘I don’t have time to waste emotions on garbage that serves no purpose alive.’

Ihan’s eyes grew cold and emotionless like pebbles.

He wasn’t seeing them as people, but as vermin to be exterminated.

As Ihan broke through, he didn’t hesitate to strike and crush those who opposed him.

If they blocked his path, he shattered them; if they resisted, he made them pay an even greater price.

Continuing forward with this principle-!

Crack!!

“I-Instructor, I think we’ve made it out now?”

“……”

“Instructor…?”

“…I feel like I lost consciousness for a moment.”

“Th-that was intense focus. Frighteningly so….”

“Whew….”

…At some point, there was no one left blocking his path.

Derrick swallowed hard.

The level of focus Ihan had just displayed and the resulting force was truly…

‘Even a Terminator would be less frightening than that.’

Movements like a machine removing inanimate objects.

As soon as he confirmed his opponents were criminals, all mercy vanished from his movements, which became increasingly precise and powerful.

It was overwhelming to the point that if the Grim Reaper existed, it would probably look like that.

‘The [Vajra Warrior] trait seems to have gone berserk…’

Among Ihan’s seven—no, probably eight or nine traits by now.

Among them, Vajra Warrior, which boasts the highest level, is presumably a ‘good-aligned’ trait.

This means it’s sensitive to humans who have committed sins.

In other words, it exerts more power when facing evil people.

Additionally, if it receives synergy effects from his sensory traits, the Vajra Warrior trait would demonstrate even more formidable power.

That was the advantage of trait combination effects.

‘If the Spell Slayer trait also connected and amplified the trait’s power… Instructor would demonstrate the greatest potential among those of the same level.’

As just confirmed…

Shudder!

Derrick suddenly felt fortunate to be on the same side.

The way Ihan dealt with the prisoners was so intense it inspired fear.

“I’d like to see Instructor’s status window again. I wonder how much it’s changed…”

“Traits… Really now, this isn’t even a game.”

“Haha, I’ll write down your stats and show you later.”

“Looks like your skill cooldown is reset?”

“Haha…”

Derrick didn’t particularly hide it.

As said, his [Status Analysis] skill was now available.

Moreover…

‘Now I can use it five consecutive times.’

Thanks to his efforts and experience gained, his skills had generally improved, and he was reaping the benefits.

Happily, not only could he use Status Analysis five consecutive times, but the cooldown had also been reduced from three months to just two weeks, which pleased him greatly.

Therefore…

“If I can check your traits, I’ll be able to see your new growth tree. Traits are potential, after all.”

“Sigh, I feel like I’ve become a game character…”

Ihan wore a disgruntled expression, but soon accepted it since it would help determine his direction for growth.

Whether he was treated like a game character or not, he was excited about discovering potential he himself didn’t know about.

Ihan was looking forward to it.

…Of course.

“That’s assuming we escape safely.”

“What?”

“…Something terrifying seems to be coming.”

“Instructor…?”

“Prepare to run. Something formidable is approaching.”

“!?”

Ihan’s expression rapidly hardened.

He could sense a powerful presence creeping into his awareness.

It was incomparable to Number 4.

“As expected, there wasn’t just that amateur.”

“……”

Derrick had never seen him raise his guard like this before.

‘W-what is it? Who’s coming?’

Derrick instinctively activated his [Danger Detection] skill.

Wondering what was approaching.

Shortly after…

[Beeeeeeeep!!]

“!!!?”

Derrick was shocked and collapsed.

An enormous warning sound struck his mind, making his head spin.

“Ugh…!”

“I told you to prepare to run, not do something strange.”

“I-Instructor! S-something incredible is coming. A m-maximum of Lv.8…!!”

Derrick was astonished.

First, at Ihan’s senses that detected it despite being about 10km away.

Second, at an enemy whose presence could be felt from 10km away.

Finally…

‘Insane!? It’s falling down!’

The enemy was currently breaking through the tunnel floor as it descended, rapidly closing the distance between them.

It meant the opponent had also noticed their presence and was coming for them.

Derrick was shocked and tried to quickly evade, but.

“-Too late.”

Ihan sensed it.

The opponent would strike them precisely whether they dodged or not.

And they couldn’t easily shake off someone of that caliber.

In that case.

Boom!!

‘If we can’t shake it off, we’ll just crush it.’

Ihan clenched his fist and concentrated all his body’s strength into it.

Gyeong (勁).

The means of using all “force” from the body’s muscles, bones, tendons, weight, and more.

As the sole creator of Gyeong in this world, Ihan’s mastery was on a different level—no, a different class—from the cadets.

Crackle!

This world’s one and only master of Gyeong not only gathered the power from every corner of his body into one point but layered that power.

Woooong!

Since there was still time before the opponent arrived, he had the luxury to gather even more power.

Ihan raised his veins and gathered power to the limit, until finally.

Boom!

Boooom!

Explosive sounds from inside his body.

He was preparing to unleash power, a simple, brute force chain explosion rather than any particular technique.

A method that would have torn apart anyone else’s body long ago, but Ihan endured the pain and gradually prepared to extend his fist.

A technique he used believing in his physical capabilities, even to land just one hit on Baltar.

If it needed a name…

– Layered Force (重疊勁).

It was the maximum strike Ihan could currently unleash, and just as this strike was completed.

CRASH!

The ceiling collapsed as the figure appeared.

[Uwahahahaha!!!]

Appearing with a crazed laugh, the opponent had known of Ihan’s presence for some time, just as Ihan had known of his, and had long been ready to attack.

With a formidable pressure matching Ihan’s aura, the enemy extended his fist toward Ihan.

Crack!

Boom!

The moment the two men’s auras and energies collided, the surrounding area was already devastated, leaving nowhere to escape.

As the two men were about to clash, their eyes met, and they directed hostility toward each other…

“Huh?”

“Hmm?”

…It was a familiar face.

Clearly…

‘Maximus?’

—BOOM!!

A fist containing volcanic explosive power collided with a fist like lightning falling from the sky, and the clash of the two men finally…

RUMBLE!!

—caused an earthquake.