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Chapter 99

Each assassin on the ground around him was completely cloaked in black fabric from head to toe. He had thought they were somewhat small at first, but having personally killed them, he realized that it was because their bodies were abnormally thin.

Deformed bodies with exceptional stealth abilities... Is it Tuner’s doing?

Tuner—one of the Ten Evils—was notorious for haphazardly modifying the bodies of living creatures. And they were someone Se-Hoon was especially wary of since it had been Tuner who had collaborated with Watchers to create the Destroyer of Swords, one of the Six Harbingers of Destruction.

It was Puppeteer last time, and now it’s Tuner? Seems like I’ve become quite the sensation.

In hindsight, even if they did things differently, both Puppeteer and Tuner used human or demon bodies as main materials, so it wasn’t strange that he had been targeted by them consecutively.

Still, upon realizing he had been marked by two of the Ten Evils, Se-Hoon was left speechless.

Swoosh-

Catching his attention, a rustling noise came from nearby.

It seemed the remaining assassins were still searching for opportunities, calm even though their leader had been quickly dealt with. It was a sign of being well-trained regardless of their modifications.

Kwang-Soo’s still nowhere to be seen.... It looks like a fish bigger than expected has shown up.

He lacked information about how the situation was unfolding, but he needed to ensure the safety of Park Jin-Hwan in the workshop and, more importantly, Sung-Ha, who had vanished somewhere, first.

Decided on his next action, he infused his mana into the Eternal Nocturne’s Phalanx embedded within his index finger, which was etched with tiny letters, and activated one of its skills.

“Call of the Dead.”

At his call, a black ripple of mana immediately spread from the tip of the finger, forming eye-like patterns on the corpses around him before slowly beginning to wrap around them.

Eventually, all of the eerie patterns turned into thin lines and burrowed inside the corpses.

Swish-

In the blink of an eye, the corpses disappeared, replaced by eight shadows that appeared above where they originally were. The shadows of the assassins, which should have been still, rose in place of their dead masters.

Se-Hoon’s brows furrowed slightly at the sight.

A resurrection skill, huh? I wonder if these resurrected guys are as weak as I’ve heard.

Call of the Dead was a resurrection-type necromantic spell that created undead from corpses. However, while it may have looked impressive, the risen undead were weaker than their originals and consumed significant amounts of mana, making it an outdated method.

However, with no time to consider alternatives, he promptly ordered the undead to protect him and ran towards the workshop.

Whoosh!

Acting the moment he started moving, the remaining assassins pounced all at once, their shadow weapons thrown from all directions. Observing that the assassins were using even their own lives as tools, he gripped his Five-Flame Sword tightly.

Slice-

However, before he could retaliate, the undead cut down the assassins.

Crackle!

The bodies of the undead assassins stretched out like shadows, lashing out like whips, silently cutting down everything threatening their master.

Far from being weaker like he thought, the undead had retained their shadow-like characteristics and had also been enhanced to B-rank in terms of strength.

It left Se-Hoon’s mouth agape.

From a single finger bone, of all things...

Whether it was back then or now, it was near impossible to gauge just how monstrous Perfect Ones were.

Shaking off his surprise, Se-Hoon quickly finished his assessment of their abilities and broke through the encirclement to continue rushing toward the workshop.

Boom!

“Wha—what’s going on?!” Park Jin-Hwan exclaimed in shock, seeing Se-Hoon kicking open the door.

Quickly scanning Park Jin-Hwan, Se-Hoon became relieved upon seeing the man perfectly fine, apart from his slightly swollen eyes.

With one person’s safety confirmed, he quickly asked about the second, “We’re under attack right now, and I can’t seem to find Sung-Ha. Is there any place he might go when he’s upset?”

Park Jin-Hwan’s eyes widened and he quickly responded, “The waterfall! If you go northwest from here, there’s a waterfall that the first sect master often visited!”

“Got it. I’ll leave some of these guys behind, so take care of yourself!”

Leaving four undead assassins as guards, Se-Hoon rushed out of the workshop and ran towards the forest, where he had thrown his black spear.

There were no other assassins around, making it seem likely that they had planned to finish things in the village with that one ambush.

With no assassins, Se-Hoon rapidly arrived in the forest strewn with rocks and promptly activated Eye of the Boundary with the Eternal Nocturne’s Phalanx.

Swoosh-

Scouring the black outlines marking the boundaries of objects that appeared in his view, he soon spotted a long line and immediately extended his left hand toward it.

Whoosh!

When his left index finger, embedded with the Eternal Nocturne’s Phalanx, touched the line, a gap in space opened and the black spear he threw earlier fell out.

The enemy... did they kill themselves?

Realizing they had been completely outmatched, the enemy completely destroyed any trace of themselves, from their body to their clothing. It seemed Tuner had planted a device that destroyed any evidence within their bodies.

This is why I hate assassins, Se-Hoon thought, clicking his tongue at their meticulous actions.

He then retrieved the black spear and examined its condition, gazing at the black veins along the entire spear shaft; it had quite an ominous appearance. He opened the information message.

[Nocturne Piercer]

[Tier: Hero] [Quality: Below Average]

[A spear corrupted by shadows.

It can absorb the life force of those it makes contact with, converting it into darkness mana.

By using the created mana, one can manipulate the boundaries of reality; however, excessive use can lead to erosion, decreasing the overall performance.

*Can absorb life force and convert it into darkness mana

*Enables the use of the skill ‘Stealth Shadow’

*Skill ‘Shadow Projection’ is not usable

*Internal erosion has limited the performance]

Is Shadow Projection blocked?

The weapon skill Shadow Projection allowed mana to be stored inside the spear and manifested later. It was thanks to this skill that Se-Hoon had been able to remotely use Eye of the Boundary, yet the spear had eroded with just one use, diminishing its functionality.

I can still use Stealth Shadow, so it’s not completely useless yet. What’s left is...

Turning his head northwest, where the waterfall was said to be, he quickly spotted some traces.

Right before his eyes were plainly marked footprints, clear with no attempt to hide them. Following those would likely lead him to Sung-Ha.

Just be alive!

Even if Sung-Ha had lost a few limbs, Se-Hoon swore to himself that he would find a way to help. With that thought in mind, he rushed deeper into the mountains.

***

Swoosh-

A small waterfall cascaded down over the creek, splashing water droplets that reflected the sunlight and sparkled beautifully in all directions. The sight completely contrasted Sung-Ha’s gaze which grew gloomier and gloomier.

Finding solace in memories... Looking down at Sun Shooter in his hand, Sung-Ha recalled the harsh words he had spat at Park Jin-Hwan.

Sun Shooter was the weapon his master had wielded on countless battlefields that dated back to before Sung-Ha was even born. It wasn’t like he had seen it in action, but the traces left on the spear spoke of its past glory. They allowed him to naturally envision how his master had wielded the spear and the tremendous power and valor that characterized those moments.

Like I’m different...

Watching his master grow weaker with each passing day was painful, and the fear of eventually not being able to see him at all drove him to flee to the past. Grimacing due to realizing his own pitiful actions, Sung-Ha gazed at his distorted face, reflected in the creek.

Am I really fit to become the next sect master?

He pondered over becoming the sect master, the path his master intended. It was a goal that had never changed, yet he had his doubts.

Could he truly lead the Flame Sect like his master? Could he really carry forward the legacy of the Inferno Ring?

Becoming a sect master and becoming a sect master worthy of his master’s fame were two completely different things.

“Get lost. I have nothing for the likes of you.”

Upon remembering Se-Hoon’s cold glare and the disappointment in those eyes, his grip on Sun Shooter instinctively tightened.

“I am...”

He would have usually dismissed such thoughts without even considering them, but for some reason, they weren’t being so easily erased today.

Lost in his thoughts, he stared blankly at his reflection for a while until a voice awoke him.

“Is that Sun Shooter?”

The voice coming from the other side of the creek was full of provocation.

“To think such an outdated piece of equipment still exists. Park Jin-Hwan, that old fool, truly is pathetic.”

With a crimson crescent moon glaive slung over his shoulder, a middle-aged man approached from the opposite side. Instantly recognizing him, Sung-Ha’s eyes widened in shock.

“An Gil-Hyun...”

In the past, a former disciple of the Flame Sect had been expelled for attempting to destroy the evidence of him murdering his mentor during a mission in a Danger Zone.

And now, An Gil-Hyun—that very disciple—had suddenly appeared after several years, prompting a tense expression on Sung-Ha’s face.

“You should address me as ‘mentor.’ Seems like you still lack discipline.”

“There’s no reason I should call someone who has been expelled a mentor.”

At Sung-Ha’s sharp retort, An Gil-Hyun stopped walking along the creek and clicked his tongue sharply.

“Tsk, tsk. To think someone aspiring to be the next sect master is so clueless... don’t you understand the meaning of my appearance here?” An Gil-Hyun said disdainfully, slowly lowering the crescent moon glaive on his shoulder.

“Unlike the rigid previous sect masters, our fourth sect master has acknowledged my grievances.”

Understanding that the fourth sect master, Lee Won-Ryong, promised An Gil-Hyun a return, Sung-Ha fell silent for a moment.

“I see. So, you were already in league with Lee Won-Ryong since your expulsion.”

“Well, the person I killed back then was the much anticipated next sect master.”

Krr-

Dragging his crescent moon glaive along the ground, An Gil-Hyun looked at Sung-Ha while twisting his lips.

“Just like you right now!”

“...!”

Boom!

The two stomped the ground simultaneously, their crimson spear blades colliding above the creek.

Bang!!

Following the collision, a succession of explosions burst forth immediately. The resulting flames intertwined, trying to devour each other, before soon receding, prompting the two to swing their spears engulfed in flames again.

Fwoosh!

The fundamental combat technique of the Inferno Ring involved dominating the space before the user with the spear first and then subduing the opponent with the following residual flames. As a result, it was normal for intense situations to often arise, but when the same Inferno Ring technique was pitted against one other, the result changed slightly.

Clang!

The spear blades, fighting to occupy the space, clashed tightly and bounced off each other, followed by the explosions of the residual flames which were on a much smaller scale.

Boom! Clang!

Each took advantage of the recoil of the explosions to unpredictably twist the trajectory of their spear blades or obscure the other’s view with flames to create openings.

And in such a fierce exchange to seize the flow of the attack, it was naturally Sung-Ha who was gradually being pushed back.

“Your reaction is slow...” An Gil-Hyun taunted.

Clang!

“Ugh...”

Retreating, Sung-Ha desperately deflected An Gil-Hyun’s crescent moon glaive, which was gaining dominance over the space, and thus more power.

But that was natural. After all, An Gil-Hyun was once an active A-rank hero, having reached the position of a mentor and the state of Seven Rings over ten years ago. However, there was another reason for the disparity in their strength besides his upper hand in experience and strength.

This bastard... did he commit more than one murder...?

The know-how and experience of killing another user of the same Inferno Ring technique were etched into the tip of his spear, tearing apart Sung-Ha’s spear technique by the fundamentals.

Crack!

Experiencing An Gil-Hyun’s skillful repeated targeting of his vital spots with his dispelling technique, Sung-Ha finally fully grasped who he was fighting against.

A long-time hound of Lee Won-Ryong’s who eliminated any obstacles within the Flame Sect—that was who An Gil-Hyung was.

“Your spear technique is the same as Yeom Jin-Hyun’s, just like what I heard! Well, that makes sense considering you’ve learned from him. But you should drop that outdated technique and show me the twin spear technique you displayed to Sect Master!” An Gil-Hyun taunted, perfectly countering Sung-Ha’s spear technique.

Hearing An Gil-Hyun’s taunts, Sung-Ha experienced a whirlwind of emotions. The thought that he might have lasted longer if he had used the twin spear technique and his belief that his own spear technique—his master’s technique—couldn’t possibly be outdated, clashed within him.

Trying to endure the conflicting emotions, Sung-Ha gritted his teeth and infused his mana into the core of Sun Shooter, causing a gigantic flame to erupt from the spear blade.

The weapon skill Flame Demon, which his master Yeom Jin-Hyun used to pierce through numerous monsters and demons, had been brought back to life by his hands.

Whoosh!

Unfortunately, before Sung-Ha could do anything, An Gil-Hyun’s crescent moon glaive slashed his body.

Rip!

It felt as if his chest had been scorched by flames where the spear grazed him. However, Sung-Ha barely even felt the pain. His eyes were fixed on Sun Shooter.

“...”

The spear had been split in half.

Sung-Ha’s eyes widened in shock as he stared at the lifeless Sun Shooter. It seemed it was truly dead, seeing as how the spear blade was dull and refusing to respond no matter how much mana was infused; it was a sign of a problem with the internal mana circuit.

Contrary to Sung-Ha, An Gil-Hyun gazed at it calmly and clicked his tongue.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk. I was just trying to split the spear into two for you, yet it broke from just that.... It’s just as weak as its owner.”

“...!”

With bloodshot eyes, Sung-Ha glared at An Gil-Hyun, who smirked in response.

“What? I’m not entirely wrong, right? An old man who could die any day and a now broken-in-half spear that had previously been abandoned in a workshop. Like owner, like spear, right?”

“Shut up...”

“Why are you so stubborn... ah, right. Let me tell you a story you probably don’t know.”

Observing Sung-Ha’s disheveled state, An Gil-Hyun smirked.

“The truth is, Sun Shooter was a weapon passed down through generations until the third sect master. Even Yeom Jin-Hyun, who was in better shape back then, taught its spear techniques, intending to pass them on.”

“Shut up!!!”

Easily dodging Sung-Ha, who had kicked off the ground and swung the broken spear at him, An Gil-Hyun kicked him in the ribs.

Thud!

“Agh...!”

“Just listen to the end. Anyway, when the fourth sect master, Lee Won-Ryong, took office, this tradition disappeared, and Sun Shooter ended up in the workshop as trash. Ever wonder why?”

Grinning wickedly, An Gil-Hyun approached Sung-Ha, who was collapsed by the creek.

“Because Yeom Jin-Hyun failed to control Sun Shooter.”

“...What?”

“He couldn’t control its flames in a demonstration and was swept up in them, severely injuring himself.”

“That can’t be true...”

“The scars on his right arm and chest. You would have seen them being with Yeom Jin-Hyun, right?”

At his response, Sung-Ha’s eyes widened. The largest scar on his master’s body, which he had assumed was from a battlefield, had actually been from such an accident.

“Yeom Jin-Hyun also gave up too late. He would have been healthier if he had just stayed put... yet he was caught up in the past and that devoured his body.”

Hearing those words, memories of what his master once told him surged within Sung-Ha.

“Both the strength and time to wield the spear have already passed by.”

Sung-Ha had taken that statement as his master letting go of the past, but it turned out to be a story about his master himself, who was left with nothing but ashes, unable to ignite once again.

“...”

Taking in that Park Jin-Hwan, himself, and even his master were all bound by the past, he felt as if he were sinking into a deep mire.

Was becoming the next sect master for his master really the right path?

I’m...

For the first time, Sung-Ha’s steadfast eyes wavered. Taking advantage of that moment, An Gil-Hyun delivered his final words, “And now, because of the nonsense of a son adopted in his later years, he’s likely to die alongside him.”

“...!”

“Well, if he cooperated well at the end... the Sect Master might have shown mercy. Isn’t that so?”

Staying silent, Sung-Ha’s hand tightened around Sun Shooter once again, but soon, his grip began to weaken, his will to resist fading.

It was a sight that made An Gil-Hyun smirk with satisfaction.

“Wise decision,” he commented, approaching the now-slumped Sung-Ha and looking down at him.

To him, murdering someone was a simple act—just a matter of slashing their throat or piercing their heart—but what he did care about was the process leading up to it.

In that respect, he was thoroughly satisfied with the current Sung-Ha.

It’s a bit regrettable that I didn’t get to see the twin spear technique, but whatever.

He truly believed that if Sung-Ha had used the twin spear technique, as he did in his duel with the Sect Master, with Sun Shooter and another, he might have lasted longer.

However, An Gil-Hyun soon suppressed his regret.

I must kill him when I can.

He hadn’t shown it, but he had been surprised when Sung-Ha immediately recognized his dispelling technique and prepared to counter it. If he didn’t kill Sung-Ha now, he was sure Sung-Ha would become a threat later.

With that judgment, he slowly raised his spear. But at that moment, he suddenly noticed an attack.

Swish-

Nocturne Piercer was silently shooting toward An Gil-Hyun’s head.

“...?!”

Though surprised by the spear that had managed to hide from his senses, An Gil-Hyun still managed to swing his crescent moon glaive to block. It had been shot with perfect timing, but it was slow enough.

Fully confident there was no issue, he prepared to counterattack. But then suddenly—

“Stealth Shadow.”

The tip of the Nocturne Piercer blurred, subtly shifting in position.

Whoosh-

Like a shadow, the spear passed right through the crescent moon glaive, causing An Gil-Hyun’s eyes to widen in shock.

Shank-

And the spear pierced through his right eye before he could even blink.