Ch.87Chapter 87 – The Lion King (4)

“Phew… I barely escaped. Is this the place?”

Kwak Tae-woo, having fled from the Death Knight, reached a building in the center of the city. His beloved sword Arondight was stained with the black, sticky blood of undead from the ghouls he had slashed through on his way. He picked up a newspaper rolling on the desolate road, wiped the filth from his blade, and stored Arondight in his subspace.

After cautiously checking his surroundings to confirm no monsters were present, he carefully entered the building. This hideout was marked on the map stored in his mobile device—the designated meeting place in case of emergency during the operation.

Inside, hunters were huddled around a faint light, taking count of personnel. Passing by recovery-type hunters treating the wounded and others consuming combat rations, Kwak Tae-woo sought out the platoon leader.

“Platoon leader?”

“Ah… You’re Mr. Kwak Tae-ho, correct?”

“…That’s right. I just arrived.”

“I’m glad you made it safely. It’s nightfall, and we were concerned because several people haven’t returned yet. We have no way of knowing if those missing are still on their way or have perished…”

The platoon leader sighed as he checked off “Kwak Tae-ho” on the participant list.

Even with the Sword Ghost guarding the rear, they couldn’t protect everyone. A single swordsman couldn’t handle an entire order of Death Knights, each comparable to a boss monster. The hunters had scattered and fought individually while fleeing to this location, but some were likely captured by Death Knights, while others probably lost their lives to undead lurking in the city.

The platoon leader grimly read through the names without check marks. Though they had prepared for casualties, it was still unsettling to lose comrades they’d fought alongside for so long. As he read through the names, his gaze suddenly halted. He quickly looked up.

“…But what about Shin Jae-hyuk?”

The S-rank hunter who had targeted the leader alongside this man called Kwak Tae-ho to buy time. He would have stayed behind with Kwak Tae-ho to face the monsters until the end. An ominous possibility crossed his mind. The platoon leader felt his lips go dry.

Why did Kwak Tae-ho come alone?

“…He was fighting the leader Death Knight until the end. He told me to escape first because I was getting in the way.”

“…!”

A boss that could challenge an S-rank? Though the platoon leader hadn’t fully witnessed Shin Jae-hyuk’s true capabilities, he could roughly estimate the hunter’s power from how easily he subdued Aoki, the Sword Ghost’s evaluation, and the lightning Shin Jae-hyuk had unleashed on the plane.

‘At minimum, Skyscraper-class. Considering the light bombardment that fell from the sky during the Incheon Disaster, his power probably rivals Zeus.’

This meant that his S-rank evaluation was neither false nor exaggerated. The platoon leader muttered gravely:

“Then his opponent must be an S-rank boss… Could that be the master of the Pyongyang Gate?”

“Hmm… I don’t think so. When this old man detected him, his magical power seemed too low to be an S-rank boss.”

The Sword Ghost interjected, refuting the platoon leader’s speculation. The platoon leader’s expression immediately brightened.

“Ah! Is that so? That’s a relief then. If it’s an A-rank boss, he should handle it without issue and return soon.”

“Don’t be too relieved. Though his magical power was low, he seemed quite formidable to face…”

“…That’s right. He was clearly an exceptional swordsman at first glance. And he possessed intelligence. When Shin Jae-hyuk challenged him to a duel, whether influenced by memories from when he was alive or acting on knightly instinct, he ordered his subordinates back and began a one-on-one contest with Shin Jae-hyuk.”

“Ah… I was wondering why the Death Knights suddenly stopped pursuing us during our retreat.”

In the chaos of their escape, there had been no time to question the Death Knights’ sudden change in behavior, but now the explanation made sense.

“So he’s not high-ranking as a boss, but a difficult opponent nonetheless… Shouldn’t we go rescue him then?”

“No.”

“What? He’s an essential asset. Without him, our gate conquest rate will significantly decrease…”

“The guild members’ injuries haven’t healed yet. The same goes for your subordinates, doesn’t it? Besides, it’s night now. While undead who sense human vitality aren’t affected, our vision is limited. This is a city occupied by monsters, and we don’t know what dangerous creatures might be lurking in this darkness. We might encounter a boss monster and be annihilated. It’s too risky for a rescue operation.”

Surprisingly, the battle-loving Sword Ghost opposed the idea. However, his reasoning was so rational that the platoon leader had to accept it. Kwak Tae-woo reassured the platoon leader, recalling the scroll he had given Shin Jae-hyuk.

“Don’t worry. He has means to retreat if necessary. The fact that he hasn’t returned yet means the battle is still evenly matched, and he’s still fighting. I guarantee it.”

“…Understood. I’ll trust your judgment. Then we’ll focus on recovery until sunrise and wait for Hunter Shin Jae-hyuk to join us.”

Though he had made the best decision possible, the platoon leader still looked anxious. The ominous possibilities beginning with “what if” amplified his unease. With his years of experience, Takahashi detected this.

‘So that young man Shin Jae-hyuk must indeed be the second S-rank that President Park Ju-gwan is hiding. That explains why the platoon leader is so anxious.’

A mere platoon leader allowing the President’s S-rank to die? Even if everything ended well, he wouldn’t escape responsibility. And as the sole person in charge of this operation, he would bear the full brunt of Park Ju-gwan’s anger.

The Sword Ghost considered the situation. If Shin Jae-hyuk died, he himself couldn’t be held responsible. If someone asked why they didn’t immediately go to rescue Shin Jae-hyuk, he could answer that they needed at least one S-rank for the subsequent gate operation and couldn’t risk it. There was no need for the Sword Ghost to take unnecessary risks for a young man from another country…

‘Still.’

Before making his final decision, he considered his position—as an S-rank hunter of Japan, as the leader of the Sword First Guild, and as the Sword Ghost himself. After reaching his conclusion, Takahashi smiled as he fastened his sword at his waist.

“If you’re that worried, this old man will go look for him. I should repay the debt for teaching Aoki a lesson, shouldn’t I? I’m also curious to see how well that boss creature wields a sword… Heh heh.”

***

KWANG-! BANG!

Two silhouettes cut through the darkness of night as they crossed paths. One emitted a brilliant golden radiance, while the other, wrapped in an ominous red light, charged forward aggressively.

Vast demonic energy and holy power collided repeatedly, and the electromagnetic disturbance caused by these magical waves made the street lights flicker violently, alternately revealing and concealing the two combatants breaking the night’s silence.

Yet the participants in this fierce battle seemed unbothered by the painfully flickering lights, swinging their weapons relentlessly without hesitation. Kyle, the Death Knight, could sense life force, while Shin Jae-hyuk could illuminate his opponent with the subtle glow of holy power, so neither was hindered by darkness.

As the two superhumans exchanged blows, loud clashing sounds—JJEONG-! JJENG-!—disturbed the city. Despite the commotion, the city occupied by death’s minions drew no spectators. Occasionally, undead attracted by the noise would appear, but Kyle, as a higher undead, commanded them not to interfere with the duel.

Though his concentration should have been divided by sending mental commands while fighting, the black knight’s sword technique never faltered. With his cataract-clouded eyes flashing with killing intent, Kyle unleashed vicious flames.

The defensive barrier surrounding Shin Jae-hyuk rippled as it blocked the sword, but after a strenuous resistance, it cracked open, allowing the blade to penetrate.

‘Even the Celestial Barrier…! A spell that withstood Beelzebub’s demonic energy!’

Kyle was weaker than the Four Heavenly Kings. His regeneration, demonic energy, and cunning were all inferior, but his sword’s destructive power was second to none. The demonic energy densely packed into his meter-long blade had unparalleled cutting power per cross-section.

The sharp tip grazed Shin Jae-hyuk’s cheek, creating a shallow cut. Shin Jae-hyuk tried to summon holy power, but residual demonic energy like static electricity slowed his regeneration.

‘As expected… the demonic energy is too dense, slowing my regeneration. If I take such an attack to a vital spot, I’ll be done for before I can regenerate.’

It was a fight that allowed no mistakes. Now that the Celestial Barrier—his final line of defense that had steadfastly protected him—had finally been breached, Shin Jae-hyuk had to fight with the feeling of being backed against a wall.

“Light! To my hand!”

Shin Jae-hyuk’s mouth never stopped moving. He was extremely grateful that his awakening now allowed him to abbreviate arias. The lightning he fired with shortened or silent incantations caught the black knight off guard, allowing him to match the black knight evenly despite his insufficient spear technique.

Recalling Longinus’s duel with Kyle, Shin Jae-hyuk desperately tried to identify Kyle’s swordsmanship, habits, and patterns. However, as the exchange continued, it was he who found his mind being read. When a fatal strike was about to land after all his moves had been predicted, Shin Jae-hyuk would emit a shockwave to repel Kyle, resetting the situation.

“Persistent!”

Kyle’s sword grew irritated as these borrowed shock waves repeatedly cost him victory at the last moment. What had once merely caused a momentary stagger in his human days now pushed his entire body back. Once might be understandable, but being repeatedly thwarted by the same technique heated Kyle’s temper.

The situation had reached a stalemate, with neither able to land a decisive blow.

To create a variable, Kyle began moving more aggressively. The black knight grabbed the bumper of a truck parked by the road and, displaying monstrous strength, hurled the two-ton vehicle.

Shin Jae-hyuk was startled by the flying truck, then, with a what-the-hell attitude, picked up a taxi and threw it back.

“Damn it! You think you’re the only one who can do that?”

KWADDEUK! PUEONG!

In the mid-air traffic accident, the taxi’s hood crumpled and its engine exploded. It was an absurd attack, but the explosion and the vehicle’s weight were not to be taken lightly. Shin Jae-hyuk responded in kind to the successive flying cars.

The repeated explosions, heat, and flashing lights disoriented Shin Jae-hyuk. In the moment he lost track of Kyle’s movements while throwing cars, Kyle hid behind flames and shadows to launch himself forward.

Sensing the approach through his ki, Shin Jae-hyuk hastily created a shockwave. Realizing his surprise attack had failed, Kyle grabbed a streetlight to resist being blown away. The wave of force pushing back the evil being was so powerful that the streetlight creaked and bent like taffy.

“Kugh! Once more!”

Shin Jae-hyuk chanted the aria for holy explosion again. But Kyle, like an orangutan leaping through trees, clung to streetlights and utility poles, enduring and gradually approaching Shin Jae-hyuk.

‘He’s withstanding this without being blown away?’

Shin Jae-hyuk was shocked by the black knight’s tenacity as he stubbornly advanced despite the shockwaves emitted every second. When all the utility poles were uprooted and blown away by the repeated borrowed power, Kyle stabbed his sword into the ground to brace himself, crawling forward to target Shin Jae-hyuk.

With his holy power rapidly depleting, Shin Jae-hyuk couldn’t keep this up forever. He looked around desperately for a way to overcome this difficult situation.

Kyle possessed a lethal attack method against Shin Jae-hyuk but couldn’t land a hit, while Shin Jae-hyuk could hit with holy spells but couldn’t deliver a decisive blow.

If he could blow off an arm or leg, the tide would definitely turn, but all the spells capable of inflicting such damage on a high-level undead had long arias. If Shin Jae-hyuk recited such spells, he would allow Kyle to approach during the incantation.

So what should he do?

“In that case… I must use my final strategy.”

“Strategy?”

Having caught Shin Jae-hyuk’s muttering while resisting the repulsive force, Kyle watched him with wary eyes. This was a man called Master Paladin who had defeated countless demons. He was not to be underestimated.

Shin Jae-hyuk calmly explained as he slung his mace over his shoulder:

“Yes… a tactic known as the thirty-sixth stratagem.”

As Kyle wondered what this strategy might be, Shin Jae-hyuk turned and fled without looking back.

“…What?”