episode_0158

Growth.

Awakening.

Evolution.

You can call it whatever you want.

Jin Soyeon has stepped into a completely different realm from the Jin Soyeon of just a few minutes ago.

The life-or-death battle with Yoo Dahee, the strongest villain in the world, has had a profound impact on Jin Soyeon’s growth.

It was an unbelievable situation where they both grew stronger by using each other as experience points.

And Jin Soyeon deliberately hid the fact that her skills were improving throughout the battle.

To catch Yoo Dahee off guard more effectively.

Isn’t it truly an incredible talent?

Yoo Dahee couldn’t help but let out a bitter laugh.

“Ah, haha. I knew your growth rate was abnormal, but I never expected you to grow this much in the middle of a fight like me.”

Yoo Dahee shook his head in disbelief.

“It’s like something out of a novel, isn’t it?”

Two almost evenly matched prodigious talents.

And a hero and a villain.

The two who could never coexist could only face each other silently, gripping their sword and fist tightly.

“This is truly… terrifying.”

Yoo Dahee spat out the blood in his mouth with a ‘thwip!’.

“If I had known this would happen, I would have killed you sooner.”

Now, Yoo Dahee was certain.

Jin Soyeon was not just a future threat, but a current enemy that might become unbearable if not eliminated immediately.

“Well, I never planned on letting you live anyway.”

Yoo Dahee loosened his wrists and ankles lightly.

“You’re the same, aren’t you? Right?”

“Everyone…”

Jin Soyeon glanced back cautiously while keeping her guard up, then licked her lips slowly.

“…back off. You too, Yurin.”

“Jin Soyeon… Are you really… planning to fight alone?”

“Everyone is badly injured. And…”

This time, she turned her head slightly to glance at Lee Jinhyuk.

“Since it seems like I’m the only one who can hold a sword against Yoo Dahee right now.”

“That’s…”

“Don’t worry, Jinhyuk.”

Jin Soyeon declared confidently.

“I’ll win.”

“Soyeon…”

“So, can you trust me?”

“Ha, really.”

Jinhyuk hesitated for a moment, looking troubled, then took a deep breath.

Honestly, Jin Soyeon didn’t need to fight Yoo Dahee one-on-one. There was another option available.

But if Jin Soyeon said so confidently, he had no choice but to trust her.

“Hey, aren’t you too overconfident?”

Yoo Dahee chuckled and shook his head.

“If you get beaten while being cocky, it’ll be quite embarrassing, won’t it?”

“You, of all people, Yoo Dahee.”

“Hm? Me? Ah, well. Who knows? Maybe I won’t be able to beat you even if you’ve grown.”

“Indeed, that might be true.”

Jin Soyeon nodded in agreement, acknowledging her own limits and Yoo Dahee’s strength.

Although the growth achieved in a short period of time was incredible, it could be said that she was still lacking to catch up to the current Yoo Dahee.

“But.”

Jin Soyeon scanned Yoo Dahee’s body and said pointedly.

“What can you do with that messed-up body of yours?”

In fact, Yoo Dahee’s body had been trembling slightly since earlier.

His body was not in a normal state right now.

His bones were fractured, his abdomen was slashed, there were countless minor wounds, and he was bleeding heavily.

To be honest, with Yoo Dahee’s body half destroyed, even moving would be difficult.

In the end, Yoo Dahee was just a human made of flesh and bone.

If he kept bleeding, he would eventually die.

“So don’t pretend to be tough, Yoo Dahee. I will win.”

“Hah.”

Yoo Dahee chuckled as if amused, brushing aside his hair, which was soaked in blood.

“Alright, fine.”

He clenched his fist tightly.

“Shall we stop talking and get going?”

“Let’s go.”

“In that case, don’t hold back.”

With a loud thud, Yoo Dahee used the Hyunhwanwi and threw a punch.

“Let’s finish this, Jin Soyeon!”

“Yoo Dahee!”

Two unprecedented geniuses in human history were now engaged in a life-threatening battle.

***

“Aaaah!”

“Aaah!”

Kooong!

Kwaaang!

Chaeaaeng!

The relentless exchange of punches and swords.

Mixing offense and defense endlessly.

The heroes could only watch in awe as they witnessed the fight.

They didn’t dare to intervene, knowing that stepping into the battle would mean certain death.

Like insects caught in a storm.

The battle between Jin Soyeon and Yoo Dahee was beyond the comprehension of ordinary heroes.

They revealed and improved each other’s skills, constantly clashing without pause.

A battle between two young geniuses that would never be seen again.

Yoo Dahee, who would grow into the world’s strongest villain, and Jin Soyeon, who would become the world’s greatest hero, poured everything they had into the fight.

“…Lee Jinhyuk.”

“What?”

“…Who do you think will win?”

“I’m not sure.”

Watching the two fighters intently, Baek Yurin hesitated, and Lee Jinhyuk scratched his chin.

“Jin Soyeon’s growth is impressive… but…”

Baek Yurin spoke in a calm voice.

“It will be difficult to defeat Yoo Dahee, who has already reached a different level…”

“Yeah. Well, that’s true.”

Lee Jinhyuk nodded.

It was logically challenging for Jin Soyeon, who was trailing behind Yoo Dahee, who had been running ahead for a long time, to catch up.

“Yoo Dahee is strong. I admit that. But…”

Lee Jinhyuk replied with a hint of certainty.

“Soyeon will win.”

“Why?”

In response to Baek Yurin’s question about the basis for his confidence in victory, Lee Jinhyuk slowly brought forth a simple argument.

“Soyeon is the protagonist.”

“The protagonist?”

“Yes.”

The chosen one in this world.

The celestial figure with the destiny to defeat the strongest enemy, Yoo Dahee, and save the world from evil.

That was Jin Soyeon.

“So, it’s clear that Soyeon will…”

Thud!

Thunk!

“Gyah, ugh?!”

With a loud noise of flesh and bone, a short groan reached the ears of Lee Jinhyuk and Baek Yurin.

With a sense of disbelief, they quickly turned their heads and saw a girl clutching her stomach, blood dripping from her.

It was Jin Soyeon.

“Phew. Tough, really tough.”

“Haa, haa, ugh, cough, cough.”

Having taken a heavy blow, Jin Soyeon spat out blood and staggered back.

Her ribs were shattered from Yoo Dahee’s attack.

It seemed that her organs were also damaged.

If she didn’t have the defensive artifact, the Black Star Shield, her stomach might have been pierced. To pierce through the best defense of the Black Star Shield in one go, she truly was a monster.

“Ow, the wound got worse. Well, anyway, this is the end, Jin Soyeon.”

“Haa, haa, ugh.”

In the end, Jin Soyeon couldn’t keep up with Yoo Dahee’s growth.

She could chase after him, but catching up was still impossible.

Jin Soyeon wiped the blood from her lips with the back of her hand, threw her shield far away, and stood her sword upright.

“Sigh, indeed… strong… very strong.”

“Huff… What, you’re just realizing that now? How foolish.”

“But, like I said earlier… cough, I will win…”

With unwavering eyes, Yoo Dahee faced Jin Soyeon.

Yoo Dahee furrowed her brows slightly.

“What are you talking about. Everyone is dying here.”

What confidence does she have to talk about herself in a situation where it’s already difficult to breathe properly due to the allowed blows?

Of course, Yoo Dahee’s injuries were quite serious as well, but she was still holding up well enough.

However, that guy couldn’t find fear or hesitation even if he washed his eyes. He just stood there, facing her boldly. That firm gaze didn’t sit well with her.

“Because you’re alone.”

“What?”

“Not me, we will win, Yoo Dahee.”

“Hah. Is that so?”

Yoo Dahee clenched her fist again as if she didn’t need to hear any more.

“Stop the useless chatter and let’s settle this now.”

“Alright….”

Jin Soyeon glanced at Lee Jinhyuk for a moment.

Lee Jinhyuk hesitated for a moment, then nodded quietly with a face that showed trust.

Jin Soyeon smiled faintly.

“You’re smiling in this situation?”

“Well, I have to.”

With trembling hands, she raised the sword and assumed a stabbing position.

“Because there’s someone who believes we will win.”

“What have you been saying since earlier, seriously. It’s not going to work, just die.”

Yoo Dahee clenched her fist tightly, ready to attack Jin Soyeon with the intention of killing her with one blow.

With Jin Soyeon’s current condition, it would be difficult to properly defend against that attack.

But then again, she had no intention of defending.

“Soyeon!”

“I know, Jinhyuk.”

Jin Soyeon looked at Yoo Dahee, who was right in front of her, and cautiously licked her lips. Now is the time. This is the first and last chance.

“Curse of blood… Activate.”

Lee Jinhyuk had kept hidden until the very end a secret move that he had carefully concealed.

The second ability of the blood curse, chosen from among many relics to face Yoo Dahee.

“Kuk…?!”

Splat!

It was a moment.

Blood gushed out from among Yoo Dahee’s many wounds.

“What, what is this?” Yoo Dahee bit her lip tightly. Blood droplets flowed from various wounds.

It was all due to the effect of the blood curse.

After inflicting wounds with the blood curse, activating the blood curse would cause proportional damage to the opponent based on the wounds.

“This kind of trickery…!”

Suddenly, Yoo Dahee endured the damage from the blood curse with gritted teeth.

Blood dripped from numerous wounds, and internal organs were damaged, but she somehow managed to endure it.

“How can you think you can do anything to me with this kind of thing…?!”

But it didn’t matter.

“Yoo Dahee.”

From the beginning, Jin Soyeon’s goal was not to defeat Yoo Dahee with the blood curse, but to create a decisive opening.

“It’s my victory.”

At the moment when Jin Soyeon reached Yoo Dahee’s nose, a gap appeared.

It was a tiny gap that even the most skilled person would not be able to penetrate easily, given the extraordinary state of Yoo Dahee.

But it was not so for Jin Soyeon.

Only Jin Soyeon could exploit that gap.

Yoo Dahee quickly tried to evade, but it was already too late. Jin Soyeon had risked everything for this crucial opportunity.

And then.

Thud.

Jin Soyeon charged at Yoo Dahee like a black beast, piercing through her abdomen accurately.

“G-gasp?! J-J-Jin, So, Ye, Yeon?!”

“It’s over, all of it.”

In an instant, Jin Soyeon unleashed her magic, scorching Yoo Dahee’s insides.

“G-gahhh, ahhhh?!”

It was the end of the battle.