Report
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Hestia]
[Proofreader - Kaya]
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Chapter 22
I instinctively held my breath as I looked at the Hunter who had just entered the office.
He had a purple halo above his head, shaped like a circle enclosing a square, symbolizing the Eastern concept of "Heaven is Round, Earth is Square"
His black hair flowed down to his waist without a single strand out of place, and his eyes shone like amethysts.
His gaze was infinitely clear, yet not quite human.
His small face, looking even younger than Wolha's, overflowed with youthful charm, and glimpses of toned muscles could be seen through his black hanbok embroidered with a sun and moon in gold thread.
[TL/N: Hanbok — traditional clothing of the Korean people.]
The stronger an Awakened was, the more beautiful their appearance and the more vibrant their aura.
From that perspective, this Deputy Sect Leader was at least S-Rank.
I knew him.
And at the same time, I didn't.
He was part of the group of self-proclaimed Regressors who had attacked me along with Cheong Siyeol, Lee Eunwoo, and Na Jeongwon.
But the reason I said I didn't know him was that he wasn't truly my disciple.
I wasn't sure, but he was probably an Awakened they had brought in from outside.
But one thing was certain.
I was screwed.
"...."
I immediately fired two Flame Arrows towards the window.
Crash!
The first shot shattered the window, and the second flew towards the sky.
Whoosh!
I intended to escape using 'Descent from the Crimson Flames.'
The Awakened with the purple halo clenched his fist in mid-air.
【Grasping the Void】
Crack!
The gesture of the martial arts Awakened, who had reached the pinnacle of his craft, caught and crushed the Flame Arrow flying through the sky.
I blinked in bewilderment.
What was that? That's scary.
The attendant who had accompanied the purple halo Awakened spoke into his walkie-talkie.
"The Deputy Sect Leader has made his move. We'll secure that guy in the lobby on the first floor. Stand by until we move."
The Awakened with the purple halo, the Deputy Sect Leader, spoke in a voice filled with the arrogance befitting a strong individual.
"I don't want to cause any trouble in these chaotic times. Please come with us quietly."
It took me a moment to realize he was talking to me.
I hesitated for a moment.
The Hunter industry was in a state of emergency.
The Rankers were probably meeting in secret, trying to figure out why I died.
In such a situation, a 'troublesome' variable like me in my current state appears?
If I'm lucky, I'll be imprisoned; if I'm unlucky, they'll silence me.
This wasn't a matter of efficiency or morality, but of emotion.
The world's strongest, their respected mentor, was killed by an unknown force for an unknown reason.
They didn't even know if the culprit was a Black Hole Awakened, a great demon from some Gate, a government agent wary of Awakened, or some transcendent being.
Everyone was already on edge, ready to explode at the slightest provocation.
If they heard that a C-Rank outsider was causing trouble at a time like this, even I would find it hard to react differently.
Of course, I had no intention of going with them quietly.
Even against an opponent presumed to be S-Rank, I could at least escape.
But if I did that, Wolha would surely die or suffer terribly.
"...."
There was no need for contemplation.
I am Baekya.
I haven't lived my life making countless sacrifices, nor do I want to.
But betrayal is something I haven't even considered in the past 15 years.
And it will remain that way.
In this situation, there was only one way to divert their attention.
"You said he's the Deputy Sect Leader of the Sun-Moon Divine Sect?"
I looked at the Deputy Sect Leader's face.
"Show some respect."
The attendant blocked my way.
As expected of a potential S-Rank talent, even the attendant had a dazzling halo, having been chosen by a Constellation.
"He may be your Deputy Sect Leader, but he's not mine."
I raised my wrist, where the Ghost Princess's Handkerchief was tied.
Most high-ranking Awakened possess the 'Appraisal' skill.
The Deputy Sect Leader's eyes narrowed, as if he realized this was meant to 'disguise' something.
His amethyst-like eyes met mine.
It was a gaze that seemed to pierce through my very soul.
If I weren't Baekya, I might have crumbled under that gaze alone.
【'Appraisal' has been used on you.】
A notification appeared before my eyes, foretelling the inevitable detection.
"Wait."
As expected, he stopped his subordinates.
The Deputy Sect Leader asked with an unreadable expression—
"Could you spare us a moment of your time?"
But I was certain.
I would be taken somewhere different from where they originally intended to take me.
* * *
The Sun-Moon Divine Sect's Deputy Sect Leader's private underground training ground.
The walls, reinforced with various barriers and surrounded by steel-reinforced concrete, boasted a strength that wouldn't budge even if a nuclear bomb exploded underground.
He and I entered the training ground alone.
His subordinates protested, but he silenced them with a single charismatic glance.
He was quite impressive.
At his age, I was struggling between politicians who didn't value Hunters' lives and sent us to the front lines, and disciples who didn't value their own lives and jumped into those situations.
He spoke.
"That's a halo I recognize."
"...."
I didn't expect this to be discovered, of all things.
My Constellation had always easily blocked Appraisal.
I thought he would only realize that I was hiding something.
I didn't expect him to figure out exactly what I was hiding.
Was I being too careless?
"That star must have chosen a new Awakened. He's dead, after all."
"...."
"I won't hold you accountable for what happened earlier. If you think about it, it was our fault, wasn't it? You and your brother will be able to return safely."
"Thank you very much for that."
"But, no, anyway. You'll have to spar with me once. That way, I can save face in front of my staff, or rather, my followers. You understand, right?"
The young Hunter looked at me as a high-ranking official of a large guild.
He's probably planning to beat me up under the guise of a spar.
I understand.
That way, he can cover up the humiliating situation of a Sun-Moon Divine Sect Hunter being defeated by an unknown outsider.
At the same time, it gives him an excuse to appease the other Sun-Moon Divine Sect Hunters who might try to kill me.
In any case, he seemed to think I was the contractor 'Sunny' chose after Baekya.
Friendly spars were common among high-ranking Awakened.
Having blown away a B-Rank Awakened, there was no way they would believe me if I said I was C-Rank and that it was all thanks to my traits.
So, I readily nodded.
"Alright, I'll be in your care."
In a way, this spar was also an opportunity for me.
Since he was also part of the self-proclaimed Regressor group, he was someone I would have to fight eventually.
Memorizing his skills and habits, which I couldn't focus on during the chaos before, would be a great help.
I had no intention of going easy on him.
I opened my inventory, took out the Champion's Sword, and held it in my right hand.
He put away his real sword and took out a wooden practice sword, holding it with both hands.
The next moment, a clear notification appeared before my eyes.
'Appraisal' had activated automatically, sensing the opponent's power.
But its content was a bit shocking.
Ding! Ding! Ding!
【Opponent's Trait: Heavenly Martial Body (Legendary) is active.】
【Main Title: Heavenly Demon (Legendary) is active.】
【The opponent is about to unleash the comprehensive skill Heavenly Demon Divine Art (S+). Be careful!】
Heavenly Demon?
A Legendary-grade class?
This is insane.
I activated Radiant Sword, causing the Champion's Sword to glow red like molten steel in a furnace.
My Constellation's voice echoed in my ears.
【"When I saw that frustrating scene earlier, I was speechless. Why did you let him use Appraisal on you?"】
【"Forget it. I knew you were like this. Now that you've started, show me victory."】
【Your Constellation will bear 25% of your mana consumption.】
Thank you.
My great star.
We were standing more than thirty steps apart.
Thump!
But in a single step, he closed the distance as if folding the ground beneath him.
A vivid purple aura blazed on the wooden sword he held.
【Dark Heaven Sword Qi】
The fearsome Dark Heaven Sword Qi swung down, threatening to cleave me in two.
It was a skill I was seeing for the first time, but its trajectory felt strangely familiar.
Swish!
Thanks to that familiarity, I was able to swing my right-hand sword and unleash Resonance Wave with my left hand simultaneously.
Clang!
But even with Resonance Wave added to Radiant Sword, I couldn't block the Dark Heaven Sword Qi.
Crack!
The Dark Heaven Sword Qi tore through the Resonance Wave and struck the Champion's Sword.
But by then, I had already fired a Flame Arrow into the air.
【Descent from the Crimson Flames】
Whoosh!
My vision blurred.
The next moment, I was behind him.
I swung my sword, aiming for the nape of his neck.
Swish!
If he made any big movements to dodge or block, I planned to throw the sword and engage in close combat.
【Black Maitreya Divine Art】
Thud!
But he effortlessly blocked it with a physical enhancement skill.
The impact reverberated up the Champion's Sword.
He turned fluidly and raised his wooden sword.
The Dark Heaven Sword Qi still surged majestically on the wooden sword.
【Thousand Slaying Strikes】
Slash! Slash! Slash! Slash! Slash!
The skill, capable of a thousand cuts in a single breath, was unleashed.
I strained my mental focus to the limit.
Miraculously, I could somehow see the sword's trajectory.
It was as if I already knew it.
I parried his sword strikes as if catching every grain of scattered rice with chopsticks.
"Uwaaaaaaaah—!"
But my physical limits were reached, and at that moment, without hesitation, I used the next skill.
Swish!
Intentionally letting my arm and chest get slightly grazed...
【Explosive Recovery】
Boom!
I unleashed a fan-shaped explosion forward.
The opponent blocked it once again with physical enhancement.
【Black Maitreya Divine Art】
Whoosh!
The white flames that erupted like a fountain couldn't even singe the opponent's clothes and fizzled out.
It was truly the spirit of a Heavenly Demon.
If I had such a powerful body strengthening skill, I would have fought like that too.
I was grateful.
I had prepared my next move, anticipating such a reaction, but I didn't expect him to actually react that way.
【Hellfire】
I channeled the inextinguishable flames into the Wall of Fire and detonated it.
Boom!
The opponent, who had stood firm to block 'Explosive Recovery,' couldn't avoid the flames erupting from beneath his feet.
He was engulfed in crimson flames.
But even while covered in flames, he raised his sword.
His purple eyes blazed with the determination to never give up.
"Ha!"
His spirit reminded me of myself at that age.
【Dark Heaven Sword Qi: External Release】
The Dark Heaven Sword Qi shot out from his sword.
Swoosh!
The crescent-shaped aura, thrusting forward vertically, felt like a death sentence.
This time, I couldn't use Resonance Wave.
I laid the Champion's Sword flat to try and parry it.
Crack!
The Champion's Sword snapped in half instantly.
The 'Radiant Sword' skill was canceled, and mana backflowed.
I widened his eyes in surprise, but my life was already hanging by a thread.
It couldn't be helped.
I used the mana that had backflowed from the cancellation of Radiant Sword.
【Law of Light】
Squeezing mana from my heart, I blocked the dark purple sword aura.
I stretched both arms forward with all my might.
Bang!
White flames tinged with crimson clashed against purple energy streaked with black, creating a dazzling explosion of sparks.
Screech!
The Heavenly Demon's aura, said to subdue all things, and the Law of Light, which returned everything to nothingness, collided and screeched against each other.
My arms trembled.
It seemed that a straightforward approach still wouldn't work, even now.
Just as I felt myself being pushed back, I muttered—
"Now."
【"Understood."】
【Your Constellation 'Sunny' takes out the Certificate of Pardon (Master).】
【The Proposition-type debuff, 'Heavenly Demon Returns, All Demons Submit,' of the trait 'Heavenly Demon' has been lifted.】
The balance shifted.
Fwaaaaaah—!
The Dark Heaven Sword Qi scattered into a white aura.
The guy in front of me raised his eyebrows.
His youthful face was filled with curiosity and admiration befitting his age.
He looked just like how Cheong Siyeol used to.
'My idol, my hero, my sun.'
Damn it.
I closed my eyes briefly, then opened them, banishing the sentimental thoughts.
I spoke as calmly as I could.
"I'd like to stop here. I'm at my mana limit."
But as I calmed down, he seemed to become more emotional.
"Just a moment, please."
His eyes gleamed with heightened fervor.
This time, I braced myself to be thoroughly beaten.
He called the attendant who was waiting outside and said—
"Please treat his brother in the coffee shop to a meal. Somewhere nice. I need to talk a bit more."
"S-Sorry?"
"Do I need to repeat myself?"
"No, sir."
The attendant went upstairs with a confused expression.
Clatter.
At that moment, he seemed to drop his wooden sword.
"Senior?"
"Huh?"
He took a step closer.
The dim lighting now illuminated his entire face.
Only then could I see his face clearly.
A face filled with joy, as if he had met a deceased loved one, and guilt, as if he was the reason for that loved one's death.
A different kind of chill ran down my spine.
"I think you have the wrong person."
"Don't lie, Senior."
"Deputy Sect Leader."
"It's... it's me, Heavenly Demon Ryu Haneul!"
He rushed towards me, gliding as if using some strange footwork, and embraced me tightly.
If he had attacked me like this just now, I would have been killed instantly.
The scent of orchids from his slightly pointed ears was so strong it made my head ache.
I tried to push him away, but I had exhausted all my mana.
The physical difference between an S-Rank and a C-Rank was incomparable.
"I thought you were really dead. Do you know how worried I've been? I really thought I had killed you, Senior."
He buried his face in my shoulder.
The weight of his tearful voice was heavy.
I didn't know what this was all about, but one thing was certain.
I was alive.
"Alright, Haneul. Let's just do one thing for now."
"You still call me that... Yes, I'll do anything for you!"
"Let go of me. We've just met."
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Hestia
[Proofreader - Kaya]
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