Part 1 Chapter 5 (10)

A sword of light plunged from the night sky to the ground. Was there any better way to describe this sight?

The only thing that would surprise people was that the sword of light was as massive as a building, and the one who plunged it into the ground was none other than Gwanggeom Heo Yun-hwan.

A massive earthquake resonated from the ground as the sword plunged in. Gwanggeom’s sword fell towards the epicenter of the earthquake.

5:30 AM. The time when those who had fallen into a deep sleep were tossing and turning, dreaming their last sweet dreams.

Aaaaaaaang——–!

A sharp enemy attack alert, piercing the ears, rang throughout New Seoul.

* * *

A sword of light shimmered underground. Its tip, like a sharp awl, pierced through the earth to reach me, intending to impale me.

That tip was pressed against the palm of my raised hand.

Kikigigik!

The sword of light was still pressing down on me with the force to grind everything to dust. But it couldn’t push back my palm even an inch.

A blue shield had formed on my hand. I was radiating all my mana upwards, pushing back the sword of light.

Kagagang!

In a tug-of-war between mana and mana, naturally, the one with more mana wins. I poured all my mana into my hand.

‘Starting big from the get-go, aren’t they?’

Though it was just a basic skill for them too, its prestige was on a different level from ordinary Heroes. I flicked my hand, slightly lifting the tip of the sword of light that was barely touching the top of my head.

About 5cm. It was a short distance, less than a handspan, but that distance was enough to break this sword.

The moment the balance broke, it was obvious which side would shatter.

Pajik, Pajijik!

Cracks appeared at the tip of the sword, distorting its shape. The golden light emitted by the sword was not from the natural world, but the color of mana possessing light properties.

Light dust fell from the sword of light. The lingering mana, detached from the sword’s body, scattered throughout the underground.

Hwareuk.

Azure Flame quickly ascended the sword’s core, rising to the surface. Like a lit fuse, the blue flame shook the mana’s foundation, destroying the sword’s body.

Suddenly, a ripple was felt from the sword’s core. The mana support that sustained the sword’s body.

“Bingo.”

I twisted it just like that. Azure Flame incinerated the sword’s core.

Pasaseu.

The sword blade, having lost its support, was pulverized into tiny particles. As its framework shattered, the light-attribute mana lost its cohesion and scattered into the atmosphere.

“It is quite pretty.”

I raised my smartwatch.

Chalkak.

It was a spectacular sight, like fireflies flitting about in the dead of night. Under the dreamlike halo of light, more beautiful than any light festival in the world, I spread my wings.

I looked up at the ceiling. Thanks to the sword of light piercing through, the cold night air had descended all the way to the underground.

“Is it about 30 meters…?”

The sword of light had already vanished completely. All that remained were the mana ripples that had shaken the atmosphere as the two mana clashed.

Jijik, Jijik.

An alarm was coming from my smartwatch, but the signal wasn’t reaching it. However, the clock hands kept turning.

5:33 AM. Soon, the sun would raise its head.

I folded my wings. I bent my knees. Before the sword of light could plunge into the ground again, I had to stand on the same ground as my opponent first.

“Hoo.”

A short deep breath. Even though my body didn’t sweat, my palms tingled and my throat felt parched.

The second strongest enemy among all those I had fought so far. The only Spirit Slayer in this world who had plunged a sword into a Spirit’s heart.

‘So, am I afraid?’

“Of course not!”

I spread my wings and soared vertically. The halo of light shimmered, trying to sharpen itself like a blade, but I flew up even faster, ascending to the surface.

He, Gwanggeom, stood with his sword plunged into the ground.

“…….”

Considering his usual neat attire, he must have rushed to Daejeon straight from bed. Silk pajamas and black-and-white three-stripe slippers. The beard that had grown overnight was messily tangled.

Tak. I folded my wings and set my feet on the ground.

“…….”

“…….Hehe.”

My gaze met Gwanggeom’s. His eyes were heavily bloodshot, as if he had just woken up.

I greeted him with an elegant gesture.

“Good morning, Father-nim.”

“The sun isn’t up yet. Who’s your Father-nim?”

His voice was full of irritation. Imagining how he must have gotten out of bed, I couldn’t help but laugh. I smiled broadly and spread my arms.

“But the sun is right here, isn’t it?”

“……I’ve never heard of you being someone who makes such trivial jokes.”

The man drew his sword from its sheath. A longsword forged by grinding dozens of A-grade Cores, Moonlight. Golden mana settled on the blade, reflecting the moonlight.

Combat initiated. I wrapped flames around my two fists and complained.

“I haven’t even introduced myself yet?”

“What do I care? I just kill monsters and arrest Villains. And…”

Gwanggeom gripped the hilt with both hands and charged.

“Monstrous humans, I kill them!”

“No, introduce yourself first!!”

“Shut up!”

“No romance, no romance!”

Fist and blade clashed.

* * *

Dawn. The time when Praetor Yoo Young-ho was just about to go to bed. He had barely lain down for 10 minutes before he got up again and rushed to the command center.

“What’s going on?!”

He burst through the door, but no one was there. Yoo Young-ho was the first person to enter the command center.

“Everyone’s asleep at this hour…!”

Yoo Young-ho, who hadn’t realized that his biological rhythm was far ahead of others, grumbled as he operated the screen.

“It’s not a monster alert?”

Yoo Young-ho bit his lip.

What could possibly trigger an alert of this magnitude if it wasn’t a monster alert?

Piiiii–

An alarm rang on his smartwatch. An emergency disaster text message, ringing at a different decibel than the enemy attack alert. Yoo Young-ho quickly checked the message.

[Emergency] May 2nd, 05:30, a magnitude 2.0 earthquake occurred 2km inland northeast of Yuseong-gu, Daejeon.

[Emergency] May 2nd, 05:32, a magnitude 3.2 earthquake occurred 2km inland northeast of Yuseong-gu, Daejeon.

“…Just an earthquake?”

That couldn’t be. The commander’s sharp intuition confirmed that the current situation was not a natural phenomenon.

Bbeep. A satellite image appeared on the command center monitor. Yoo Young-ho quickly manipulated the screen to zoom in on the image.

North of Daejeon, the Core Research Institute. The entire area was covered in mana ripples. Yoo Young-ho covered his mouth with the back of his hand.

“My God….”

In the midst of the battle, Gwanggeom’s sword was shining. Gwanggeom’s unique mana color glittered amidst the dust.

Gwanggeom was fighting in Daejeon right now. Yoo Young-ho urgently pressed his smartwatch.

“Kang Soyeon! Kang Soyeon! Answer me quickly!”

He urgently called his adjutant, but Kang Soyeon didn’t answer. When the call wouldn’t connect no matter how long he waited, Yoo Young-ho irritably lowered the screen.

“Damn it, damn it!”

Yoo Young-ho grabbed any microphone hanging on the wall and poured mana into it. One by one, people, roughly dressed, rushed into the command center.

“The Praetor announces! Enemy attack! Emergency S! Gwanggeom is engaging! All personnel, assemble at your designated positions as soon as you are ready for combat!”

* * *

Light flashed. Gwanggeom’s sword, flickering countless times without ceasing, was a vicious means to obstruct the opponent’s vision.

Hwareuk. I sprayed flames forward. I threw the shield, which spread like a cloak, forward and jumped back, retreating significantly.

Seogeok! The shield was sliced diagonally. Gwanggeom charged straight at me, raising his sword diagonally again to cut. Gwanggeom was faster than my retreat. It was too late to dodge.

So I simply wrapped flames around my hand.

Disregarding defense.

“?!”

Gwanggeom was momentarily flustered, but the hand wielding the sword continued to rise diagonally. The sword of light sliced from my right thigh up to above my left abdomen.

I didn’t dodge. I deliberately didn’t dodge.

Pabat. Red blood splattered. Gwanggeom, who hadn’t expected me to allow the attack so easily, was covered in my blood.

Marking.

Now, I wouldn’t miss. The flames from my right hand shot straight towards Gwanggeom.

Beonjjeok! Gwanggeom once again hid himself within the halo of light. If there were sunlight, I could hide myself in the same way, but there was still time until the sun rose.

Gwanggeom, hidden in the moonlight, couldn’t be tracked by sight or by mana.

“Seueup.”

Then I’d track him by scent. My fireball wandered for a moment before immediately pursuing the enemy and flying off.

The fireball, following the scent of blood, arrived atop a street tree. The fireball reached Gwanggeom, who had hidden himself on a branch 5m high, and exploded. Gwanggeom quickly jumped down from the tree, performing a breakfall.

Kwaang! The tree, which must have grown for decades, burned down with the explosion. The flames didn’t spread to the surroundings but fell directly, engulfing Gwanggeom.

“Kuk!”

Gwanggeom rolled his body, dodging the flames falling like rain. In that brief moment, I kicked off the ground and rushed towards Gwanggeom.

Gwanggeom was still covered in my blood. I held flames in both fists and first threw my right fist towards Gwanggeom. Gwanggeom hastily raised his sword.

Pa-ang!

Gwanggeom met my fist with the flat of his sword. Mana and mana clashed, creating a shockwave around them. As the wind scattered, Gwanggeom’s exposed eyes swept over me and my abdomen.

Blood poured from the stab wound due to excessive movement. Blood was already flowing from various parts of my body where the blade and halo of light had grazed me.

But I endured the pain and thrust my left fist directly below the sword.

An uppercut, surging from below. Mana clashed again, and a shockwave recurred, but it was distinctly different from the previous one.

If the first strike was the contact between the sword’s flat and my fist, this second strike’s contact was between the blade and my fist. The sword slightly lifted upwards.

Naturally, Gwanggeom’s lower body was exposed.

“Kueuk?!”

Gwanggeom tried to pull out his sword, but it was too late. Gwanggeom probably didn’t have much experience in close combat where an opponent would inflict potentially fatal wounds on themselves to launch an attack.

It was like a suicidal attack, giving up bone to take flesh, completely disregarding one’s own body.

I then planted my left foot on the ground, extended my right foot back,

Sae-aek! I kicked upwards vertically with great force. Gwanggeom extended his arm as far as possible from the sword and pulled his body back. The tip of my foot grazed Gwanggeom’s forehead.

The attack failed. Gwanggeom retrieved his sword and tried to thrust it straight. I stomped my foot down.

Puk. Gwanggeom stabbed my left shoulder blade with his sword, and

Kwang! My foot heavily crushed Gwanggeom’s left shoulder.

A stab wound and a bruise. It was hard to say which was more painful. Gwanggeom had damaged my body, but I had shattered the protective aura surrounding Gwanggeom’s body.

Ssiiik. I couldn’t help but laugh. Gwanggeom was momentarily lost in thought over the act of having ‘stabbed’ his enemy. In a battle where victory and defeat are decided in seconds, such carelessness meant immediate defeat.

Hwareuk. Flames erupted from the heel of my right foot, which was pressing down on Gwanggeom’s shoulder. Gwanggeom snapped back to his senses from the heat and tried to retreat hastily, but he couldn’t move back.

I prevented him from escaping. The sword blade that had pierced my shoulder was already gripped in both my hands.

Puk!

Gwanggeom tried to pull out his sword by any means, and I prevented him from retrieving it by any means. Mana and blood streamed from the wound on my shoulder, but Gwanggeom couldn’t pull out the sword when he wanted to.

“Kuk!”

Ultimately, Gwanggeom let go of the sword hilt and retreated significantly. He put enough distance between us that it would take ten steps to cover. I grabbed the blade and pulled out the sword embedded in my shoulder.

Jjaenggeurang. The quite long sword rolled across the asphalt ground.

I took a moment to catch my breath and scanned my surroundings.

A sea of blood. Blood that had flowed from my entire body was splattered everywhere. I shoved my left hand into my pocket, raised my right hand, and snapped my fingers.

Tta-ak. With a crisp sound, Azure Flame erupted. Gwanggeom flinched at the Azure Flame that blazed from my body’s wounds and blood.

As mana blazed, my wounds healed.

“Heheung.”

I touched my shoulder. The hole pierced by the sword had disappeared, and my flesh had filled the void. All the scattered blood had turned into mana and evaporated.

Only the traces of battle remained here. All the wounds on my body had been restored.

In contrast, the shield Gwanggeom had wrapped around his body was broken. He could put it back on, but that much mana had been consumed.

If it was a simple war of attrition, I had a much greater advantage.

“…….”

Gwanggeom straightened his posture. Was he shocked that all his previous attacks had been in vain? Or was he preparing to attack again, even after losing his sword?

Gwanggeom could fight even bare-handed. No, he was even more terrifying without a sword.

However, it didn’t matter either way. I picked up Gwanggeom’s sword.

I gripped the hilt with both hands and held it vertically, covering half of my face. Half of my face was reflected on the blade, and Gwanggeom was visible on the other side.

“Moonlight Sword, huh. Don’t you think that’s too grand a name for you?”

“……What are you doing?”

Gwanggeom finally spoke. I chuckled and tossed the sword high into the sky.

Buung-!

The sword soared into the sky and then plunged into the ground. It landed right in front of Gwanggeom. Gwanggeom’s hand hesitated. I extended my hand forward, provoking him.

“What are you doing? Not picking it up.”

“…To be so relaxed with an enemy. Don’t you think this could be your downfall?”

Gwanggeom held light in his hand and gripped the hilt. There was no trap, but Gwanggeom still checked the sword’s condition before pulling it out of the ground.

I neatly tidied my clothes.

My secretary uniform, which I hadn’t changed out of yet, was frayed in several places.

“I don’t really think it’ll be my downfall. Ah, since it’s a rare occasion, I’ll introduce myself. I am Gaetcheongwang. Nice to meet you, Gwanggeom.”

“Don’t lie, Azure Flame. One Star among the Dark Legion’s executives. The Phoenix that devours stars. …Did you think I wouldn’t know?”

“…Ehehe.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. More than my introduction being cut off, I was happy that Gwanggeom had finally brought up the bait.

“Who did you hear that from, and where do they live?”

“…….”

Gwanggeom flinched and closed his mouth. Of course, I had no intention of letting that go.

“Even the Round Table wouldn’t know about the Dark Legion’s executives, so how would Gwanggeom-nim know that? Ah.”

I deliberately cut myself off.

“You stabbed the person who told you, didn’t you? Directly. In the heart.”

Kung! Gwanggeom kicked off the ground and charged at me. The sword was swung sideways, as if he intended a wide horizontal slash.

A speed on a different dimension from before. It was already too late to dodge. But there was no need to fight as I had earlier, deliberately inflicting wounds on myself.

I bent my knees. I brought my arms forward. I pumped the mana flowing through my entire body even more vigorously, boosting my physical abilities.

“The enemy who killed Rusalka!”

He couldn’t possibly hear me. He wouldn’t hear me. But I wanted to shout it out loud anyway.

“I have come for revenge!”

Though I had no such intention or thought, Gwanggeom’s face contorted. He had clearly lost his composure.

In that brief opening. I took my stance. As if boxing.

“What?!”

Gwanggeom’s eyes flashed. The shock of having seen something utterly unbelievable was clearly evident. I thrust my right fist towards the blade of the longsword swinging horizontally.

First Fist. A single punch blocked the longsword’s path. A wave of mana swept through the surroundings.

Then Second Fist. I pulled back the thrown punch and extended it again. With the additional strike, stinging like a bee, the blade embedded with Core dust shook violently.

Finally, Third Fist.

I pulled back my fist. This time, I stepped forward with my left foot, shifting my weight into the punch.

Kkaang! With the three punches, delivered as if to sever, the Core remnants within the blade boiled with intense heat. The finely powdered Core remnants, now inside the blade, were no longer a medium for mana transmission but miniature explosives.

“Tch!”

Gwanggeom quickly dropped his sword and retreated. A good judgment.

Pasasak! The sword shattered into pieces and broke apart. Azure Flame still remained in my clenched fist, melting the fragments of the blade.

Tuk. I shook my hand once and took my stance again. The light dust clinging to my sleeve fell weakly to the ground. Gwanggeom’s eyes, having lost his sword, trembled uncontrollably.

“You, that, Fire Fist’s….”

“Is there any reason for me to tell you?”

I raised my fist to eye level and curled the corners of my lips all the way up.

“If you’re curious, ask Rusalka, who’s waiting in hell!”

“You bastard!!!!”

Gwanggeom raised his hand in fury. The halo of light shimmered, and countless swords of light appeared in the air. Twin swords made of light formed in Gwanggeom’s hands.

Woong-! The swords aligned and flew towards me. I wrapped flames around my fist again and plunged it straight into the ground.

A pillar of blue flame, erupting like a volcano, swallowed the swords of light.

While the wall of fire blocked the throwing swords, I stood up and took my stance again.

Buung!

The pillar of fire split into an X-shape. Gwanggeom, holding his golden twin swords, moved to cut me down.

A rare orthodox swordsman among ability users. The driving force that elevated Gwanggeom to S-rank was not the glittering golden light, but the swordsmanship honed in real combat.

Of course, it was the same for me.

“Ha-ah!”

My fists shot out like bees, blocking the swords’ paths. A right punch for the right sword, a left punch for the left sword. Blue flames, like gauntlets, protected both my fists.

Gwanggeom opened his mouth.

“Don’t imitate me!”

Kwaang!

Gwanggeom swung his sword widely. A spinning slash, coming with a turn of his body. It would be difficult to block both the upper and lower sword paths simultaneously.

So, I concentrated mana in my right hand. The flame that erupted from my hand grew as large as a giant’s fist. Gwanggeom’s eyes also widened.

“You bastard!”

A fist larger than my upper body struck the twin swords. The twin swords of light shattered like branches hitting a rock.

And the shockwave exploded, striking Gwanggeom’s entire body. Gwanggeom hastily protected himself with mana.

“Kuk!”

Gwanggeom was flung back, rolling on the ground. I shook my hand, gathering the remaining mana once more. Gwanggeom got up with a breakfall.

Gwanggeom’s eyes were filled with disbelief and bewilderment.

“You, how do you know Fire Fist Hyung-nim’s techniques…?”

“Are you curious?”

I lowered my fist. The sunlight slowly began to peek over the mountain.

“But what to do? I don’t want to tell a scoundrel who killed someone else’s younger sister.”

Annoyance and sadness welled up in Gwanggeom’s eyes. I subtly checked the time and calmed my mana.

“If you want to know, come there.”

“…There?”

I pointed to my heart and smiled sarcastically.

“Where else would ‘there’ be but a ‘grave’?”

“……You, how much do you know? What exactly is your identity?”

“I’m telling you, if you want to know, come there. I’ll tell you the time later. Within a week, soon.”

“…I can’t do that!”

Gwanggeom’s left hand stretched towards the sky. Simultaneously, massive chains of light covered the sky.

“I’ll subdue you here and hear all the truth! How you know that fact, and what your relationship with Fire Fist Hyung-nim is!”

Gwanggeom’s mana blazed fiercely. I couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh at the chains of light covering the surrounding ground.

“…Wow, you’re using your Ultimate Skill here?”

It seemed Gwanggeom was more serious than I thought. An Ultimate Skill in the form of a Barrier, where threads of light intertwined to create a wide cage.

Once inside, there was only one way to escape.

Die, or kill. I raised my right hand, as if confronting Gwanggeom.

“I’m sorry, but our battlefield isn’t here.”

My body blazed from below. Gwanggeom was startled to see it.

“Spatial Transfer?!”

“Why, did you think only Rusalka could use it?”

Teleportation was a basic skill for an executive of an evil organization, as a Spirit. I glanced around at the light Barrier, which was nearing completion, and bowed in greeting.

“Then, farewell. Next time we meet, let’s both prepare properly and fight with all our might. Until death.”

Gwanggeom reached out his hand, trying to grab me. But my consciousness had already left the Barrier and departed from the battlefield.

My blurred vision sharpened again, and I regained my physical form.

Through the window, a familiar sight was visible. The entire northern view of the Han River, almost a ruin.

“…Puhuhuhu.”

I burned my tattered secretary uniform and changed into a gown. The sunlight was already peeking in, warming the bed.

Pulsseok. I lay down on the bed just like that.

“Is today the 19th day….?”

I had worked without a wink of sleep. I had obtained the Cube, muzzled the association’s spy, and provoked Gwanggeom.

All that remained was the final battle with Gwanggeom at that place.

The very place where the Spirit was murdered, where Gwanggeom had plunged his sword into Rusalka’s heart.

Haeundae.

Next to Rusalka’s grave, I would bury Gwanggeom.

“So, shall I get some sleep until then….?”

I calmed the mana boiling throughout my body. The fatigue of 19 days, during which my mind and body had been forcibly kept awake, rushed over me all at once.

Inside the bed, feeling the warm sunlight, I surrendered myself to slumber.

Kung kung kung. Someone was roughly knocking on the door.

“Hey, something big happened in New Seoul! Wake up!”

“…Sseup.”

It’s Jo Deokbae. Should I kill them?

No. Let’s ignore them. Because I’m in a very good mood today. I blocked my hearing with mana and became one with the soft bed.

To add to that, I couldn’t even sleep for 30 minutes in the end.

The Tentacle Woman who broke down the door wrapped me up in my blanket with her Tentacles and dragged me to the lounge.

Ultimately, after an hour-long interrogation that wasn’t really an interrogation, I confessed everything that had happened overnight.

It was unfair.

I had really worked hard, but instead, I just got scolded a lot.

Why?