I can’t tell how strong Jong-eon really is.
But from what I’ve felt from her actions so far…
My senses tell me I will never catch up to her movements.
Jong-eon is faster than any opponent I’ve faced until now. She has a speed that goes beyond just being fast.
So, I won’t rely on my senses.
Just like when I faced Sirin, I trust my instincts.
The top priority is to dodge the vital spots and adapt to Jong-eon’s movements.
I’ll leave the rest to my senses.
Ppudeuk- I gripped Frey’s hilt tightly. I held my breath, stirring up the energy within me. Blood Aura flickered around my body, wrapping me in a warm glow, boosting my strength like a substitute for my Blood Aura.
Then, I enveloped the energy around Frey.
A sharper, harder Sword Qi was enveloped around the Great Sword than before.
I expanded my senses. To draw the edges of the world completely. Instead of black feathers, the images of my senses conveyed all the information around me into my mind.
I exhaled the breath I had been holding.
Jong-eon, who was gazing at me, stomped her foot with a kuung-!
At the same time—Kwaaaang! I also charged at Jong-eon. There’s no need to think about the distance. I raised Frey and swung it straight up.
Jong-eon’s Great Sword is lifted. Diagonally. I twisted the hand gripping Frey. The twisted trajectory of Frey swung, Kaang—! and ricocheted off Jong-eon’s Great Sword.
A rough backlash spread through my arm, engulfing my entire body. I forced the trajectory to change, minimizing the impact, but this is about it. I never expected to reach her with my first strike. Yet, from that first strike, I realized Jong-eon is much stronger than me.
Still, nothing will change. I’ll just bring out the full power I can muster. So, I discard all distractions.
I clenched my teeth until they felt like they might crack.
I gathered strength in my numb arms and threw my body towards the sky with Frey. As a result, my body spun bingel- at a rapid speed, with Frey following suit. I added force back into my previously relaxed grip. I kicked the ground to stop the rotation. Following the recoil, Frey shot out amidst the rising dust.
Jong-eon’s left hand, which had been quietly observing, reached out lightly.
Kwa-jik.
The casually extended fist struck Frey’s blade.
It didn’t bounce back. It was as if an unknown force caught it, keeping Frey suspended in mid-air. As I registered this, I grabbed Frey in reverse. I twisted my waist and added force downward.
But Jong-eon didn’t remain still.
She spread her fingers. That left hand firmly grasped my Great Sword. Then, she straightened her waist. Her feet moved smoothly as if gliding.
Her actions flowed as naturally as water. Jong-eon’s right hand, which had been holding the Great Sword, now gripped a fist instead. Jong-eon pulled that fist back.
A primal instinct pierced through my neck, making my body react reflexively. I released Frey. The senses dimmed, but my intuition screamed. Following that cry, I twisted my upper body. Simultaneously.
Kwa-reul-lung—!
The sound of roaring thunder swept past my ears. Sticky blood ran down my jaw and dripped onto my collarbone. Immediately, I summoned Frey and gripped it tightly. I didn’t take a pose. I merely swung wildly to create distance and threw my body back.
The swung Frey burst through the air. The released wind sent my body flying even farther. After that, my senses gradually started to unfold.
The ground churned along the trajectory of the extending fist. Space warped, and the landscape seemed shattered as if time itself had twisted.
Above that…
Jong-eon, with golden eyes glistening, stood.
She extended her hand. The Great Sword was grasped.
The energy that rose like a mirage painted the world in gloomy shades. A darkness deeper than the black sun, an unimaginable power, enveloped Jong-eon’s body. The long, flowing darkness draped over her shoulders, rippling like a cape.
The ripples stopped. Jong-eon lifted the Great Sword.
The distance is far, but that strike will reach me.
Whether dodged or blocked, it will inevitably reach me.
I instinctively realized that and held my breath. I gripped the hilt in reverse. I laid it diagonally and placed my hand on the blade.
Finally, Jong-eon’s breath was slowly released.
“Yusoo?”
I relaxed my waist and gently bowed. I discarded all unnecessary information and focused all my senses on the cutting strike swinging before me.
“Yeah. Give it a shot.”
The Great Sword descends. No, the sheer force is so massive it feels like the sky itself is falling toward me.
My mind screams as it accepts that through my senses. My whole body trembles, cold sweat drenching me. Therefore, I pushed my feet down harder. I raised the Great Sword sharply at an angle, gripping it firmly with both hands.
Thus, the moment the Great Sword and Jong-eon’s strike collided.
“Hu—uh!”
I twisted my waist.
―――!!
A sound so loud it felt like my mind was spinning echoed through the world.
Amidst that, Jong-eon’s delightful laughter rang clearly. That laughter anchored my consciousness. Ignoring the pain that felt like my arms were being torn apart, I steadied my breath.
“Not bad.”
Jong-eon, who had stuck the Great Sword into the ground and was stroking the fur of the cape draped over her shoulders, laughed.
“But it wasn’t good either.”
Jjeojik- A noise emanated from Frey that shouldn’t be heard. I grit my teeth ppadeuk- and gripped it tightly with both hands.
In that moment, Jong-eon took a step forward.
Jajjak- With just one step, when that single step was completed…
My instincts screamed.
Instinctively, I raised Frey. Just as I would when deflecting an attack, I angled the blade in front of my heart. I put strength into my back leg and bent at the waist.
At the same time—Jjeoeeng! Jong-eon’s fist, shot forth like a bullet, struck Frey. Following that, a leg extended like a spear pierced into my abdomen. Udeuduk- My ribs crumbled. The breath I had been holding exploded along with my internal organs. Following that, blood burst from my eyes, nose, mouth, ears, and every part of my face.
Forcing down the blood surging back up my throat, I raised my knees. But Tep- Jong-eon’s palm weakly blocked my attempt.
Jong-eon seized my knees. Her grip was so tight it felt like it would crush my bones. I immediately thrust my knees down to escape that grip. As soon as my feet touched the ground, Jong-eon swung her Great Sword.
I let out a scream as if my life depended on it, twisting my waist. The pain from my crushed bones pierced through my organs, creating excruciating agony. Nevertheless, I moved my shoulders. I raised Frey and scattered Sword Qi.
Kwa ga ga gag—!
The sharp energy carried by the Sword Qi grazed Jong-eon’s wrist. Consequently, her Great Sword that had been swung toward me twisted out of shape. But the trajectory was still heading straight for my neck.
I relaxed my legs bearing the weight. I bent my knees. I leaned my back and head backward. With a sharp sound, strands of hair that couldn’t keep up with my body vanished without a trace.
Returning my waist from the bent position to an upright posture, I gathered my momentum and launched a counterattack. I slammed Frey down, which had been angled behind my head.
Kaang—!
A clear sound echoed. The Frey that had been swung down met Jong-eon’s Great Sword that was held diagonally, ricocheting away. Frey extended unyieldingly to the ground. Then Jong-eon bent her upper body again, pulling back her fist. That fist, taut and pulled back as if it were about to be shot at any moment.
If that extends…
I can’t dodge. I can’t block. I can’t even counter.
But I predicted it.
After using Yusoo, she can’t swing the Great Sword immediately. So, she would use her fists.
Just as I have done until now.
I released my left hand and twisted my right elbow outward. The path Frey was falling toward changed.
Instead of embedding into the ground, Frey skimmed the earth and floated into the air. I entrusted my weight to it. My body was about to retreat back, following Frey, but my extended left foot anchored me to the ground.
Finally, as Frey, pushed to its limits, lifted its left foot just before pulling away. With the left hand that I had been holding, I grabbed Frey. I seized the rebound. As Frey extended backward, it traced a semicircle and returned over my head.
Jong-eon’s fist extended. Malice converged. The darkness of the entire world focused in. The power of mortality bared its teeth, ready to crush its enemy.
I narrowed my breath, tracing that fist. My head felt like it might break, but I sharpened my senses even more. I added fuel to my already heating body.
When my heart thumped once like it might burst, the rebound of Frey was completely grasped.
When it thumped twice, the previously lifted right foot firmly hit the ground. Stronger than before.
When it thumped three times, the energy condensed to a level that could make Frey scream. Light burst forth from that spot. A light containing the power of Open Heaven over Reverse Heaven.
When it thumped four times. Frey, filled with all my strength, chasing Jong-eon’s speed, fell toward her neck.
Decapitation.
In that moment.
“Did you expect me to come out like this?”
Jong-eon’s voice, sounding astonished, reached my ears. It was a voice that shouldn’t be heard at such a moment. Yet, it was clear.
In an instant too short to find an answer to that.
Jong-eon’s empty hand lifted toward the Great Sword that was surging toward her neck. But if it were Frey now, it could even slice off her wrist.
She must have decided to sacrifice her wrist instead of her neck. I instantly visualized the next action to unfold.
However.
I had no choice but to discard all the plans I had drawn in my head.
Kaduk-
“But I anticipated it too.”
Jong-eon’s hand.
A hand clad in ancient dragon scales.
Gripped Frey’s blade.
“If it were you, if it were me, we’d do it this way.”
Tuung-
Jong-eon’s fist struck my chest.
“That’s unfortunate.”
