Ch.657Chapter 25. Let it Unfold (7)

In truth, I’ve “gone easy” on many ability users until now.

After defeating villains, I had to worry about many things—the aftermath, the possibility of demonization, my remaining magical power, and maneuvering into advantageous positions.

But if I simply focused on “killing” someone faster than anyone else, I could have easily executed 99% of ability users long ago.

Already.

Even before facing the demon Dueoksini, I had developed abilities and tactics utilizing the Goblin’s agility faster than anyone else.

“Ugh!! Super-speed movement!!”

It’s similar.

A technique that moves at tremendous speed—there’s no need to explain the other ability-based techniques or fundamentals.

Moving fast enough to surpass even S-rank heroes’ perception speed.

That’s it.

Whether it’s dispersing particles for time acceleration or accelerating blood flow, such ability-based foundations work in complex ways, and the power of these abilities is being demonstrated right here in this Undercity stadium.

[Too slow.]

Thwack!

I lightly thrust my fist toward the awakening inscription embedded in the cradle.

I’m not actually hitting it hard—just enough to make them feel like they’ve “been hit.”

“Ah.”

Having their vital point—the cradle—attacked without even realizing it is enough to destroy their fighting spirit.

[Your senses aren’t keen enough. Always remember that an opponent can approach faster than your perception.]

“Eek…!”

Occasionally, despite being hit like that, some refuse to acknowledge defeat and try to charge at me with weapons—

[Persistence. An important attitude for a hero.]

I don’t dislike such persistence.

I rather like it.

If a hero gives up easily, can they really be called a hero?

Not at all.

[But right now, it would be better to quietly accept defeat.]

The hero’s attacks don’t reach me.

They throw a punch infused with magical power toward me, but I’ve already dodged and positioned myself behind them.

“An afterimage?!”

They stole my line.

I wanted to say “Where do you think you’re hitting?” but since they realized it first and stole my line, there’s no point in responding.

Thwack!

I swing my Goblin Club and lightly hit their back.

The startled hero stumbles forward, and I use the club’s matter creation ability to form a trip wire in front of their feet.

In a world where I move several or dozens of times faster than others, the matter creation ability also works in conjunction with my super-acceleration.

The hero trips on the suddenly appearing wire, unable to plant their foot forward, and falls face-first.

Crash!

They barely managed to stretch their arms forward to avoid landing on their face, but what fell wasn’t just their body.

“This…!”

[One more.]

Their pride.

The S-rank pride fell to the ground in less than a second.

[You should always watch your step.]

“That’s my line!”

While I stand still for a moment, targeting the fallen hero’s back, another hero shouts at me from behind.

[Not bad.]

I tilt my head back and step aside.

An arrow of light flies past right in front of my mask in slow motion, and I read its trajectory and run in that direction.

[Atalante. The hunter from Greek mythology.]

“Dodge this if you can!!”

Atalante releases the bowstring of her magically created bow.

Magical power explodes from the tip of the bow, and small mana arrowheads shower toward me like exploding claymores.

[Did you think I would dodge?]

More acceleration.

I feel massive mana draining from the lower part of my body, but I accelerate time further, making everything around me slower.

My body moves faster.

And my perception becomes that much quicker.

The world around me blurs, and only information that my brain can process in a very short time becomes visible and interpretable, but I can see every bit of magical power threatening my life without missing anything.

[Here’s the blind spot.]

Like navigating an obstacle course in survival training, I twist my body and walk forward through the gaps between the scattered mana arrows.

[Acceleration release.]

[Clock Over.]

Bang!

“H-how…?!”

[I dodged.]

“Y-you passed through?! Impossible! Not a single scratch, ugh!”

I lightly swing my Goblin Club forward and strike Atalante’s head.

Being hit by the Goblin Club doesn’t make her stagger and collapse, but I only lightly tapped her crown with a hollow sound.

“Ah….”

With just that single strike, Atalante’s legs gave out and she fell to her knees.

“Impossible….”

It’s not that her will was broken.

I didn’t inflict tremendous damage with magical power.

What made Atalante kneel was the shock of seeing her prized technique neutralized right before her eyes.

“How….”

[Well.]

If this were a life-or-death battle between a hero and villain, Atalante might have had her will shaken but wouldn’t have knelt.

But this is a match, a sparring session.

Like in fencing where points are awarded when the tip of the sword touches a valid target area, the hero acknowledged defeat simply by recognizing that her attack didn’t work and was allowed to hit.

[You scattered them with time intervals.]

“Ugh…!”

[Well then, next.]

I tried to distance myself from Atalante.

“Not yet, not yet!!”

Atalante didn’t give up.

Drawing lots of mana from the awakening inscription on her lower abdomen, she swung her hand at me instead of her bow.

“That mask, I’ll definitely—”

[Hmph.]

I deflect the mana-infused slash with my Goblin Club while stepping back.

Simultaneously, a spear thrusts toward where I was standing, and I twist my body toward the blonde woman—Jeanne—who looks disappointed—

Thwack!

I hit her shoulder with a roundhouse kick.

The impact bounces off her mana shield as it hits her shoulder, and I use her shoulder as support to leap into the air.

“He’s airborne!”

“Now’s our chance!”

As soon as I rise about 5 meters, attacks come flying from all directions.

For those specializing in ranged attacks, there’s no better target than someone rapidly moving through the air.

But even that plays into my strategy.

[Thousand-Pound Fall.]

Though I have the body of an ordinary man, my mass becomes like that giant who fell in the sea off Jeju Island.

I release magical power toward the ceiling, put weight into my Goblin Club, strengthen the mana in my clothes facing the ground, and willingly throw myself into the gravity pulling me down.

Crash!!

I landed on the floor before the heroes’ attacks could reach me.

Using breakfall techniques to minimize the impact on my body, I jumped far back to escape the traces of the barrage exploding above.

“I won’t let you escape!”

Did she think this was her timing?

Nadeshiko, who had been watching intently, caught up to me at high speed.

A physical enhancement ability user.

No matter how much of a “time acceleration” ability I have, I’m only making myself faster, not slowing down my opponents.

In other words.

“If I move quickly too, that’s all it takes!!”

If Nadeshiko is determined to chase me, it’s not impossible for her to catch up to me now that I’ve released my acceleration.

“Got you!”

Nadeshiko reached out and grabbed my mask.

It was a somewhat rough grasp, and tremendous magical power emanated from her hand, pulling at my mask.

However.

[I expected this.]

Click.

With a dropping sound, Nadeshiko awkwardly stopped in place.

At the same time, I created a large distance behind me, and the heroes who had launched ranged attacks stared at me with blank faces.

“My goodness….”

“What did he just…?”

Did they see my bare face?

No.

There’s still a mask on my face.

The same Goblin mask I usually wear.

[This kind of application is possible with mana skin.]

“…A double?”

In Nadeshiko’s hand was a mask identical to mine.

Unlike the mask on my face, that one was extremely thin, like a face mask.

[Like a lizard cutting off its tail, or removing a cloak in an emergency. You can apply such concepts here.]

I removed my mask.

“Face-changing magic…?”

[Not quite. Think of it as peeling off layers of masks stacked on top of each other. If I had to compare it to something, it’s like peeling an onion.]

And there was yet another mask underneath, causing the S-rank collaborators to swallow hard.

[So, if you apply this concept?]

“…….”

An ability user who created a full-body suit began forming new clothing over their chest and pelvis—

Pffft!!

[You need more practice. It’s not about releasing from within, but layering on top.]

“…….”

[It seems you’re all inadequate to catch me, but how will you defeat S-rank villains hiding in the World Cup stadium like this? I can’t have the women who claim to be patriotic with me suffering a 0-3 group stage elimination.]

I removed my mask again.

[So I’ll teach you. I may not know about attacking, but I’ll make sure you can at least protect your bodies.]

I flick the thin mask into the air, infusing it with magical power.

The Goblin’s omnipresence.

Come, “coaching spirits” dwelling in my body.

[I’ll assign each of you a personal mentor.]

“What… even the ability to create doppelgangers…?!”

They’re doppelgangers, but not quite.

They’re not organic and independent collectives like Laplace’s demon, nor are they like Baek Seol-hee’s duplicates that might as well be living beings.

[Is that mana skin? Your weapon creation is sending fabric flying too.]

[Even if you’re A-rank, if you’re wearing an S-rank badge, you should have dignity. Stand up. S-ranks don’t kneel.]

[Is creating a costume enough? Your suit is merely colorless. Add your own personality.]

For a single purpose, I split my consciousness.

[Don’t think of it as backseat coaching. These are all words that will become your blood and flesh for victory.]

“Um… excuse me, I have a question.”

[What is it?]

“Is this what they call the ’30 billion won hot one-night with Do Ji-hwan’?”

[Hmm.]

Let me be clear.

[This is ability consulting more valuable than 30 billion won. If you want things to get hotter.]

Romantic relationships fundamentally begin with attraction.

[I’m not a man who gives his body freely, even for business. So, make my heart flutter.]

I am not weak enough to submit to someone who can’t even knock me down.