Chapter 39 of 100
Chapter 39
8 min read2,019 words
Chapter 38. Final Combat Type (1)
Heukgu, despite his somewhat gaunt face, had an elegant and handsome appearance that exuded a noble air.
However, his piercing gaze, which did not match his appearance, was particularly noticeable.
‘This time, I can finally see it clearly.’
Seohui felt a sense of joy.
Wasn’t this an opportunity to gauge his own level?
And there was no retaliation even when he gave it his all.
“Shall we begin?”
Seohui asked Gonma, who was standing to one side.
And Heukgu’s response was a nod of his hand.
‘Let’s start with the turn-based system.’
Combat Type: Turn-Based
Click.
After confirming the combat type, Seohui drew his Danbyeong sword.
This was an incredibly exciting moment.
Just how powerful would a 9.8 million stat ability be?
How much damage could he inflict with a full-scale offensive?
Swish.
Heukgu still stood with his arms crossed, looking at Seohui.
Even as Seohui raised his sword and glared, Heukgu’s expression and actions remained unchanged.
His confidence was so overbearing that it was almost uncomfortable.
[A Golden Opportunity! Seohui has spotted a weakness in Heukgu. How will you respond?]
▶ Attack
▷ Use a martial art
▷ Use an item
▷ Move closer to the opponent
‘Attacking seems meaningless.’
Even if he rewound time by three seconds, the outcome would be the same.
Seohui chose to use a martial art.
▶ Lesser Water Demon Art
▷ Equal Demon Art
▷ Supreme Demon Art
‘What?’
He was puzzled.
The Lesser Water Demon Art and the recently learned Supreme Demon Art were not on the list of martial arts.
‘What’s going on?’
While the absence of the Lesser Water Demon Art could be explained by the presence of the more advanced Lesser Water Demon Art, the absence of the Supreme Demon Art was unexpected.
Perhaps it was because he was still at a beginner level, but he couldn’t be sure.
‘Let’s choose the Lesser Water Demon Art first.’
<You have chosen ‘Lesser Water Demon Art’.>
As soon as Seohui made his choice, his body shot up into the air, and his hand extended.
Surprisingly, it was not his right hand holding the sword that moved.
It was as if to show that this was a perfect opportunity, he extended his left palm towards Heukgu.
And then he witnessed a strange scene.
Zzzzz!
The Lesser Water Demon Art, which he expected to burst from his fingertips, defied common sense.
As soon as Seohui extended his left hand, sharp icicles shot up from the ground where Heukgu was standing.
‘I’ve won!’
Seohui thought he had subdued him instantly.
He saw dozens of ice blades piercing Heukgu’s entire body.
Of course, that’s what he thought at the time.
Bang!
A single kick.
When Heukgu stomped the ground, the ice blades that were about to pierce his body shattered instantly.
Moreover, the blades that were about to penetrate his body melted away like snow.
They evaporated the moment they touched Heukgu’s body.
Heukgu [Silver Shadow Sect Leader]
Realm: Supreme
Health: 4,000,000 (↓1) / 4,000,000
Internal Energy: 2,700,000 (↓1) / 2,700,000
Combat Power: 9,800,000
“Ahh…”
All he could do was let out a sigh of disappointment.
To see his highest-level martial art so easily countered without any damage dealt.
[A Golden Opportunity! Seohui has spotted a weakness in Heukgu. How will you respond?]
▷ Attack
▷ Use a martial art
▷ Use an item
▶ Move closer to the opponent
The weakness window appeared again.
Seohui chose to move closer to the opponent this time.
<You have chosen ‘Move closer to the opponent.’ [North][South][East][West] Which direction will you move to?>
Heukgu’s back was to the north.
It was the most vulnerable spot.
<You have chosen ‘North direction.’ Proceeding immediately.>
It felt like time had moved forward.
As soon as he made his choice, Seohui was behind Heukgu, and it seemed the opponent had not noticed his presence.
Swoosh!
Seohui swung his sword with all his might.
And this time, he was certain he would inflict some damage.
“…Huh!”
Thud.
The scene that followed made Seohui doubt his own eyes.
The sword he swung was caught between two fingers.
Heukgu, without turning around, had caught Seohui’s sword with just his fingers.
“Are you playing with me?”
“Gah!”
Seohui let go of his sword.
As expected, the weakness window appeared as soon as he let go.
[A Golden Opportunity! Seohui has spotted a weakness in Heukgu. How will you respond?]
This time, he didn’t hesitate.
▷ Lesser Water Demon Art
▶ Equal Demon Art
▷ Supreme Demon Art
The opponent was off guard.
Moreover, being this close, the Equal Demon Art, which was optimal for close combat, was the best choice.
<Using Equal Demon Art.>
Zzzzz!
This time, the opponent wouldn’t be able to avoid it.
Not only because of the distance, but also because Heukgu was looking at him with his fingers raised.
Zzzzz!
His prediction was correct.
A grayish aura followed the punch Seohui threw, and a fierce shockwave traveled from his fingertips the moment it hit Heukgu’s chest.
<Perfect hit! Seohui has inflicted 1 damage on Heukgu.>
“No way!”
Seohui exclaimed reflexively.
For the first time, he doubted the information window in front of him.
It was the Equal Demon Art, after all.
And to take a full-powered attack and only receive 1 damage? Could he really believe it?
At that moment.
Smack!
“Ouch!”
Seohui’s head snapped back and he fell to the ground.
Heukgu had slapped him across the face.
“Guh…”
Seohui rolled on the ground and quickly got up, holding his nose.
Heukgu still stood in the same spot.
“Fourth Disciple. Why do you insist on including such an incompetent person in the Silver Shadow Sect…?”
Heukgu asked Gonma, not even turning to look at him.
“…Gah!”
Seohui looked up.
He had to avenge this humiliation.
A hundredfold.
Combat Type
If he were to fight.
It would definitely be different this time.
<The AI is initiating the battle.>
He was the god of combat that the AI recognized.
* * *
My field of view gradually expanded and stopped at a point between Seohui and Heukgu, looking down at both of them.
The height was about three zhang.
The best position to observe the duel between the two men in detail.
‘How will the AI fight?’
I was curious.
It could unleash a crazy offensive, or it could react to the opponent’s movements.
But given that even my Equal Demon Art at close range didn’t work, a typical sword technique wouldn’t stand a chance.
The only possibility was that, unlike the turn-based system which allowed only three martial arts, the AI would actively use the Lesser Water Demon Art and the Supreme Demon Art.
-What, a fool like you. To see such a huge gap in skill and still hand the fight over to me?
‘Huh?’
I doubted my eyes.
The past me, AI-Seohui, was looking up at the present me.
Not only that, but his voice, though muttered, was heard clearly by me.
-You weakling, hiding in the crevices of the netherworld. Do you know what you lack the most?
‘He’s talking to me.’
It was surprising enough that he was looking at me, but he was openly addressing me.
He didn’t seem to be able to read my thoughts yet, but he continued with what he wanted to say.
-It’s the unending greed.
His voice was so clear, I almost thought he was using telepathy.
-That rotten mental strength is useless! You need to cling to your enemy viciously and tear them apart! You need to slice their body to pieces with a well-sharpened blade! Do you understand?!
His harsh voice left me speechless.
Actually, he wasn’t wrong.
The top students of the main school.
When they fight, most of them approach the battle with such a mindset.
Even the righteous sect members might strictly follow the law of the jungle.
Only the lower-ranking members, including myself, couldn’t act as viciously.
“Giving up?”
Heukgu, who had been watching silently, finally spoke.
His voice was tinged with irritation, perhaps because he had waited a bit.
-Learn well. The difference between you, who is so inadequate, and me.
Creak.
AI-Seohui’s gaze slowly shifted to Heukgu as he lifted his head.
He then raised his sword in a diagonal stance, ready to attack.
‘Just talk, huh.’
I was skeptical of the AI’s words.
The combat power difference was several times greater.
No matter how skilled he was, he wasn’t the type to speak so confidently.
Actually, just making Heukgu take a few steps back would be enough to earn my respect.
Zzzzz!
As AI-Seohui gathered his internal energy, a freezing aura began to gather on the blade of his sword.
It was the Lesser Water Demon Art.
Originally, it was used to make the body extremely hard by concentrating force at the fingertips, making it impervious to weapons.
Once mastered, it could be channeled through the sword hilt to the blade.
AI-Seohui took it a step further by controlling the Lesser Water Demon Art.
He concentrated the cold aura at the tip of the sword instead of spreading it.
“Hah!”
AI-Seohui finally leaped forward after holding his breath.
He closed the three-zhang distance in a single bound and immediately leaped into the air.
‘Pointless…’
This was a reckless move.
Although he had manifested the Lesser Water Demon Art with his hand, it didn’t seem much different from my previous attempt.
Pshh! Clang!
The first move was AI-Seohui’s lightning-fast diagonal slash.
However, it was easily blocked.
The reason was that Heukgu had caught the sword with two fingers, just like before.
‘…Huh?’
Then I witnessed a scene that defied my expectations.
Zzzzz!
A chilling blue light emerged from the tip of the sword caught between Heukgu’s index and middle fingers.
In an instant, the concentrated freezing aura exploded like fireworks, covering Heukgu’s entire body.
Zzzzz!
“…!”
However, Heukgu was the leader of the Silver Shadow Sect.
Although the freezing aura of the Lesser Water Demon Art covered his entire body, he quickly protected his face with both hands and melted the cold aura.
It was a protective aura.
A martial art that blocks everything that touches the body.
Not only that, but a repelling aura also emitted, completely nullifying AI-Seohui’s attack.
‘Ah!’
But I was surprised not because of Heukgu’s defense.
While Heukgu was protecting his face with both hands.
AI-Seohui, who had pulled his sword out, launched a series of attacks aimed at Heukgu’s abdomen.
And this time, it wasn’t freezing.
The moving sword tip was infused with the fiery aura of the Supreme Demon Art, a fierce stabbing attack.
‘No way!’
I watched with bated breath.
A perfect series of attacks.
A move that would definitely land a hit on an off-guard opponent.
However.
Sssss!
AI-Seohui’s sword, which seemed about to pierce Heukgu’s body, was stopped by something.
And at the point where it couldn’t penetrate further, Heukgu’s straight sword was diagonally positioned.
“Arrogant…”
Swish.
As Heukgu swung his sword, AI-Seohui’s body was sent flying three zhang away.
Or rather, it seemed that way.
Until I saw him perform another martial art while doing a mid-air somersault.
‘The Four Great Demon Arts!’
I recognized it at a glance.
A martial art not listed in the turn-based weakness window.
The wind current generated along the sword blade shot forward viciously.
“…!”
At that moment, I saw Heukgu’s slightly flustered expression.
It wasn’t just because the attack was fierce.
The direction of the sword wind was not straight ahead but towards his feet.
A position that was awkward to block or dodge.
Swish.
In the end, AI-Seohui succeeded in making Heukgu jump for the first time.
But that wasn’t the end.
The martial art AI-Seohui used against Heukgu, who was floating in the air, left me even more astonished.
[Using Wind God.]
‘What?’
The special skill of the Four Great Demon Arts.
Not only the direction but also the meaning was unclear, making it difficult to understand how to use it.
Yet, he used it so easily in this life-or-death situation.
Woooo!
He wielded it with ease.