Chapter 72 of 100

Chapter 72

7 min read1,654 words

Chapter 71. Life +4 (2)

Whoosh!

A bright light appeared before her eyes, and Seohui's movements came to a stop.

Time had stopped. Her field of vision was fixed right behind Taehwanggakju, and a choice appeared before her eyes.

▶ Taehwanggakju

▷ Heubi

'What is this?'

Seohui, who had been preparing herself with a firm tension, was suddenly presented with these detailed options.

'You can choose a target?!'

As soon as she read it, she felt her senses come alive.

If this was a one-time opportunity to launch a surprise attack.

Wouldn't it be better to choose the opponent with a slight chance of winning over Taehwanggakju, who she couldn't possibly defeat?

And if she was lucky, she could turn the tide of the failed gamble.

Whoosh!

A pure white light spread before her eyes.

Based on past experiences, this was the signal that Seohui was about to enter the gap in time where everything had stopped.

'...?'

But then, something strange happened.

Before her presence was revealed, the objects around her began to slowly distort.

It was a vortex.

A current that had never been there before, now pouring towards Taehwanggakju and Heubi with her appearance.

As if trying to give her a favorable position.

"…What!"

"…Eh!"

And it really did happen that way.

Stagger!

Due to the sudden current, Taehwanggakju took a few steps back, and Heubi was almost pushed away.

Thud!

Finally, as Seohui stepped on the ground and was about to leap forward using the elasticity of the surface.

[A golden opportunity! You have found a weakness in Heubi. How will you respond?]

'Great!'

She was given the initiative. Just like when she had successfully ambushed the worst opponents she had ever faced.

▶ Attack.

▷ Approach the opponent.

The best opportunity was given to her. Seohui made her decision immediately.

'Since it's come to this.'

If she was going to fight anyway, this turn-based battle was actually advantageous.

Among the four choices, Seohui's gaze fell on the second option.

▶ Use a martial art.

Using a martial art. When the opponent's ability is overwhelmingly high or cannot be gauged.

In such cases, it is more efficient to decide the answer for yourself.

The only problem was the type of martial art.

▶ Ilwon So-ma-gong (Perfect)

▷ So-shin So-ma-gong (Intermediate)

▷ Choryeok Quan-ma-gong (Intermediate)

▷ Sadaeguk Ma-gong 'Wind' (Beginner)

'This time, there are four options.'

Unlike the battle with the private army commander, this time Seohui could use all of her internal energy.

With four options, Seohui pondered.

Which martial art would be the best choice?

'Choryeok Quan-ma-gong… not necessarily.'

There was no need to use a fist technique when she had a weapon. Excluding the fist technique, three remained.

In terms of power, Sadaeguk Ma-gong was the strongest.

But since she hadn't fully mastered it, she couldn't fully utilize its power.

'Then So-shin So-ma-gong?'

No. Although it seemed to have strong offensive power, its proficiency was still at the intermediate level.

There was no guarantee that it would inflict the same level of damage on the opponent.

Then, Ilwon So-ma-gong.

It might be slightly weaker in power, but it was the most perfectly mastered among her existing martial arts.

'I will choose the most certain attack!'

▶ Ilwon So-ma-gong (Perfect)

For this reason, Seohui chose Ilwon So-ma-gong.

Although she hadn't used it as her main technique for a while, according to her memory.

This martial art would exert a certain level of powerful force against any opponent.

Whoosh!

Her vision wavered slightly.

It wasn't because she had moved, but because the surroundings were distorting.

'This is the 9th form of Ilwon So-ma-gong?!'

When using a martial art in a turn-based battle, the form is chosen arbitrarily based on the situation.

Ilwon So-ma-gong has nine forms in total.

Among them, the 8th and 9th forms can be considered the strongest.

The 9th form, Hwan-yeong Bi-geom (Phantom Flying Sword).

Although it has the disadvantage of a large movement, it exerts strong internal energy, causing the surroundings to distort within a radius of about 10 feet.

And at this moment, it was proof that Seohui had unleashed it.

Whoosh.

Several phantom swords shot out from the tip of her sword, accompanied by a powerful aura.

"…Ugh!"

The intangible phantoms instantly scattered Heubi's attention, and as soon as her position was accurately pinpointed, the sword energy shot out.

Whoosh! Thud!

The attack hit perfectly.

[Critical hit! You have inflicted 1 million critical damage to 'Heubi'.]

Heubi [Taehwanggakju's retainer]

Health 3.5 million (↓1.5 million)/7 million

"Ugh!"

Heubi's health had already been reduced by 2 million due to being pierced in the chest by Taehwanggakju.

With Seohui's attack, her health dropped to half almost instantly.

And as soon as the attack succeeded, the 'turn-based' system found another weakness in Heubi.

[A golden opportunity! You have found a weakness in Heubi. How will you respond?]

[Warning! Taehwanggakju has found a weakness in you. How will you respond?]

'…!'

Although she had another chance due to the freezing effect, her luck had run out.

Because of Taehwanggakju's intervention.

8… 7…

Seohui surveyed her surroundings.

In front, about five steps away, was Heubi.

And Taehwanggakju was more than three zhang (about 9 meters) away from her.

'She's definitely a high-level expert who has reached the peak of martial arts.'

Even though the distance was more than four times that of Heubi, and without any preparatory movements, a weakness had appeared.

If she continued like this, she would be attacked and suffer critical damage.

But Seohui didn't want to let go of the opportunity she had luckily obtained.

Combat mode <Simulation>

She quickly changed her combat mode.

The turn-based list disappeared, and text filled her vision.

...

And then, a scene she had never seen before.

▶ Taehwanggakju

▷ Heubi

'So this is also a choice?'

Simulation is a combat mode that deals with the enemy in the optimal path.

The three phantoms that appeared before her each demanded a decision from Seohui in their own way.

'This is it.'

▶ Inflict a critical hit on Heubi while taking 90% damage.

Seohui made a bold choice.

From the moment she intervened in the fight, her goal was to kill Heubi at all costs.

There was a reason for this.

'Life +4.'

Whether it was an order or something else, she had tormented Taesong in a way that was almost like hunting.

So, as a reward for that, she had to take this, even if she died.

Two figures disappeared, and the last one remained standing.

Whoosh-

And in an instant.

A pitch-black darkness enveloped her vision.

'What is this?'

Seohui's gaze fixed on one spot.

In the pitch-black darkness, the only place that was illuminated was the falling leaf beside the ginkgo tree where Taesong was.

'A leaf?'

The leaf was falling much slower than usual, which was a bit unusual.

Whoosh-

And the surroundings brightened again. When the darkness returned, only Heubi was visible.

'She's in a defensive stance.'

She was momentarily twisting her body to defend. Her movements were as slow as the falling leaf.

'Does this mean she's slowed down?'

And the darkness returned.

When it brightened again, Taehwanggakju was detected behind Seohui, about three zhang (9 meters) away.

'…What?'

But the speed of Taehwanggakju, who had been moving, was abnormal.

Like a cheetah that had spotted its prey, she was moving too fast in contrast to Heubi's slow movements.

And when the distance between Seohui and Taehwanggakju narrowed to about one zhang.

Swish.

The virtual figure that had been in Seohui's form finally moved.

'Huh?'

But he was looking behind, not in front.

Moreover, even after witnessing Taehwanggakju drawing out her flame martial art, which was her forte, he didn't counter with a form.

The only action the virtual figure took was to extend his sword to shoulder height.

'Is this… Chak-sik (Grasping Technique)?!'

Seohui was amazed by what she saw.

This was one of the techniques in swordsmanship, a method to snatch the opponent's sword.

It was so basic that it was almost embarrassing to call it a martial art, but it was something she had heard about from Chanyangso, who had entered the demonic sect.

Saryang Balcheongun (Four Ounces to Move a Thousand Pounds).

When learning basic sword techniques like Chak-sik, the instructor had mentioned that mastering this technique would allow one to use Saryang Balcheongun.

She didn't know why it appeared here, but the answer to the simulation was this.

'How am I supposed to follow this…'

Saryang Balcheongun was one thing, but receiving the heat from the flame martial art and deflecting part of the attack's aftermath.

Precision was key.

If her body wavered even for a moment due to the pain or if she missed the split-second timing, the attack would fail, and she could die pointlessly.

Moreover, there was the flow of time.

The perceived time from the leaf to Heubi and then to Taehwanggakju would be at least ten times faster.

But there was no other way.

'I will do it. Somehow!'

Starting now.

Since it had come to this, she had to accurately implement it.

To avoid a meaningless death.