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Chapter 162
[The stats of the enemies are partially decreasing.]
The influence of the Guardian Field was a part of Hyukjin’s calculations.
‘It’s true that the Fire Giants’ flames are of a higher grade than the fire ki I possess.’
The grade itself was higher, but the Guardian Tower’s influence lowered the flames’ potency as a whole. It was kind of like turning an adult tiger into a baby tiger. The fact that it was a savage beast was unchanged, but the stats themselves were lowered.
‘And so…’
He was able to take advantage of that. The way forward had been obscured by darkness, but he was beginning to see the path.
‘If I manipulate the fire ki inside me like this…’
No one taught him how. Hyukjin manipulated the fire ki with pure instinct, as he had always done. The moment he saw a Fire Giant for the first time, he could tell that the monster had different senses from humans. Humans saw the world with their ‘eyes’, but Fire Giants saw the world with their own unique ‘sense’.
‘If I manipulate the fire ki inside me…’
He could create a result like the one he was seeing now. The three Fire Giants reached out eagerly towards him at the same time, like hunting dogs excited by delicious prey. Their blazing arms collided with each other.
‘Delicious prey is in front of you guys, so try and eat me if you can.’
He could change how he appeared to the Fire Giants depending on how he handled his inner fire ki. To them, Hyukjin appeared to be inviting them with a wagging tail to eat him. He wasn’t actually moving at all, just staring quietly at the Fire Giants with his legs planted firmly in the ground.
Whuumpf–!
One of the Fire Giants swung its arm again. Hyukjin still didn’t move. The arm never reached him. The palm of the Fire Giant slammed into another Fire Giant’s palm as if to trap a rat inside.
From afar, the magician who absorbed the Vulcan Body Tome and possessed a peerless ‘talent for fire’, Choi Sung-gu, could read the gist of what Hyukjin was doing.
‘He’s manipulating fire ki… to create the illusion that their prey is moving around.’
Could he, Sung-gu, do the same?
‘Fuck, I can’t do it.’
He could see it, but he couldn’t replicate it. Seeing and doing were two entirely different things. It wasn’t something he learned, and he didn’t even know how to go about doing it. But Kim Hyukjin was doing it with perfect calm.
‘And with three Fire Giants in front of him, even.’
Because Sung-gu had absorbed the Vulcan Body Tome, he was familiar with the instinctive fear and terror that arose when faced with flames of a higher grade. That was evidenced by the uncontrollable shaking of Sung-gu’s body right now. He was simply staying put by squashing down his fear with logic and willpower, but he could feel his body screaming in fear.
‘And those movements…’
The movement of fire ki, an energy that had no physical form, was an excellent guide and textbook for Choi Sung-gu. He filled his eyes with Kim Hyukjin. He couldn’t manipulate energy like that right at this moment, but just watching would surely be a big help to him. And the more he watched, the more convinced he became of a certain fact.
‘There’s no doubt. He’s a crazy bastard.’
They began Playing at the same time; Sung-gu was sure of that. And yet, Hyukjin was always at least one step ahead of him. And in an ability related to the fire element, no less.
Just then, a Fire Giant’s arm smashed yet again into another giant’s arm. By finely handling the fire ki, Hyukjin made their paths collide.
A Fire Giant slapped another Fire Giant’s cheek in anger.
Whuumpf–!
The air whistled loudly, and the pungent smell of gunpowder filled the air.
The slapped Fire Giant staggered, but quickly regained its balance. Its flames blazed up even redder than before, and the two Fire Giants began to fight.
Sweat dripped down Hyukjin’s forehead.
‘I did it.’
He pulled it off. Hunting Fire Giants on his own was ridiculous. Even with Seohye’s barrier and the help of the Guardian Tower, an impossible feat was impossible. Hyukjin knew exactly where his limits were.
[The ‘Nameless Observer’ is observing.]
[The ‘Whispering Devil’ is having fun.]
[The ‘Conductor of Sound’ is impressed by your scheme.]
[The ‘Courageous Lion King’ is disappointed.]
[The ‘White Hunter’ is watching.]
The Guardians sent Hyukjin messages tailored to their individual personalities. Notably, the White Hunter only said they were ‘watching’. That meant the scene wasn’t much to their liking.
‘If the Conductor of Sound hadn’t sent anything, that would have meant they were disappointed in me.’
But because the Conductor of Sound was a crafty Guardian, they were maintaining a neutral stance with Hyukjin. That was how Hyukjin saw it, and this situation was within his calculations.
‘Striking a balance is important with Guardians.’
Even sugar would lose its sweetness if it was eaten every day. Scenarios and stories were fun when they had ups and downs. There had to be a good balance of sweet and bitter to extract the maximum profit from the Guardians.
‘As for the other one…’
While the two Fire Giants were busy fighting each other, Hyukjin closed in on the third giant.
‘My steps are light.’
His body felt as light as a feather.
[The ‘White Hunter’ looks forward to seeing your movements.]
Step by step, Hyukjin moved towards the Fire Giant. He himself was amazed—the effect of Courageous Hunter’s March was beyond all imagination. Even in the midst of his awe, he continued to manipulate his fire ki, creating slight deviation in the movements of his fire ki vs. his body. Because Fire Giants saw the world through fire ki, his actions created a small opening.
‘A very small opening.’
It was only the tiniest little gap, but it was more than enough.
‘Release the fire ki with a big burst.’
The Fire Giant hurled itself forward as if to snatch Hyukjin’s body. He just barely dodged it.
That moment, the two fighting Fire Giants turned simultaneously.
Fwoosh–!
Fwooooosh–!
They became excited at the same time.
‘They can’t bear to watch good prey be monopolized.’
These giants were neither allies nor friends. They existed independently of each other and competed against each other. If they aimed for the same prey, they would fight. Hyukjin had realized this from the video he got from Song Kiyeol earlier.
–A Fire Giant has passed the Sinchon area and is heading towards the DMC Riverview Xi. The other two are committing slaughter in the Gwanghwamun vicinity. I will send a video to your phone.
Two giants killed a man. One grasped the head, while the other took the legs. The footage was gruesome, but Hyukjin could make out the Fire Giants’ characteristics from it. His Observer’s Eye read their natures.
‘They’re monsters that will struggle to keep their prey from getting stolen by one another.’
This was the scene he predicted would play out if he called all three here and riled them up with some passable sleight of hand.
Hyukjin jumped back a few steps, just barely avoiding the palm of a Fire Giant.
[Using the special skill Flash Step.]
His greatly boosted movement speed from Courageous Hunter’s March extended its influence to Flash Step as well. For a moment, Hyukjin lost balance and stumbled. A shiver went down his spine.
‘That was close.’
What if he hadn’t had Courageous Hunter’s March? What if he hadn’t had Flash Step, or was just a hair slower?
‘I would have been crushed by that hand.’
He might have met an end not much different from the man he saw in the video. The Fire Giants were definitely strong. They weren’t an opponent he could face right now. All the hairs on his body stood on end.
‘The only thing I can do is harass them.’
Actually fighting them was out of the question. Even harassing them had the Reaper’s scythe at his neck. But for a situation like this one, harassment was the most effective strategy.
‘They’re well-matched in prowess.’
The giants were baring their teeth at each other, completely forgetting their original objective. Flame and flame collided, and fire ki rippled out in waves.
‘It doesn’t look all that flashy.’
Fire Giants were just a different race from humans, but they didn’t really have outstanding martial arts or anything. They simply had exceedingly overwhelming physical stats. If both sides had similar skills, the resulting match wouldn’t be very impactful or flashy. It was the same with sports. If the athletes were on the same level, the match would be uniform. Only when there was a slight difference in skill would the athlete with the greater skill shine.
‘It’s not flashy, but the strength between each and every blow is…’
The surrounding asphalt was melting. This place was quickly becoming hell on earth. If Hyukjin hadn’t had the Person of Fire title, he would have had a hard time just breathing.
Standing near the Guardian Tower, Yoohyun and Yeonseo ground their teeth.
“Hyungnim’s in such a dangerous place, but we…”
Can’t do anything. Yoohyun and Yeonseo weren’t given any real duties. The Fire Giants were simply too strong to fight directly.
Yeonseo was just as frustrated. “Seriously.”
She thought she had grown much stronger, but it still wasn’t enough. She had to become even stronger. Yeonseo slightly bit her lips.
“Let’s do special training from tomorrow onwards, Yoohyun.”
Yoohyun nodded.
“If we survive this, that is.”
* * *
Reaper Scans
Translator - Lei
Proofreader - Ash
* * *
The Precognitive Dreamer Ham Sohyun sat down. She didn’t do it consciously. The woman pulled out a paper and pen from her Inventory as if someone were controlling her.
Without realizing it, she began to write.
One fire demon and another fire demon shall collide.
One fire demon and another fire demon shall collide once more, bringing the incomplete hunt to completion.
One fire demon and a fire demon shall bare their teeth at another in the end.
Her hand moved as if possessed, writing out the incomplete precognitive note.
At the crossroads of incantation and incantation and incantation---.
At the same time, Hyukjin could feel it.
‘They’ve gotten very tired.’
A group of three similarly strong opponents had exchanged blows. They were extremely tired right now.
‘We won’t have another chance like this.’
Right now, countless factors and conditions, including the influence of the Guardian Field, were in play. Carefully manipulating his heat ki, Hyukjin lured the Fire Giants to the Guardian Tower. They were so absorbed in fighting one another that they didn’t even realize how far they had walked.
[The Guardian Tower’s ‘Guardian Will’ is taking greater effect.]
The Fire Giants were tired as it was, and the Guardian Tower’s Guardian Will bore down on them even more.
Flinch.
The giants flinched. Something stirred within them, an instinctive signal that there might be something ‘dangerous’ here.
“Seohye. Now!”
At that moment, a voice that was not Seohye’s own came from Seohye’s lips. It was similar to when Hyukjin was uttering the Will Incantation, and the words themselves were the same ones Hyukjin had spoken when he used the Hand of Salvation.
“Trust is the truth of desires—”
“And the proof of what cannot be seen.”
Seohye closed her eyes. A red energy began to swell from her body, dying the world around her crimson. To be more exact, thousands of thin threads were sealing this world off, forming a circular dome over the Guardian Tower area.
Hyukjin heard the words very clearly.
‘That’s… the incantation I did.’
Seohye had learned it?
“One who trusts even without seeing shall die even in life.”
“Thy cry of agony and entreaty, I have heard.”
“Thus shall I sublimate thy lacerating suffering into eternal peace.”
He felt Seohye’s strong ‘will’. Etched deep with that will was trust in Hyukjin and the desire to protect the new world she had gotten.
‘But…’
Hyukjin had already experienced the Will Incantation. Because he’d experienced it, he knew. Something about Seohye’s incantation was off. It had been changed somewhere.
One who trusts even without seeing shall live even in death.
One who trusts even without seeing shall die even in life.
“Live even in death” was changed to “die even in life”, and—
Thus shall I sublimate thy lacerating suffering into peace and joy.
Thus shall I sublimate thy lacerating suffering into eternal peace.
“Peace and joy” was changed to “eternal peace”. At that moment, an ominous feeling gripped him. The red energy shimmering from Seohye’s body reminded him of a terminal flame burning all of its life force and bravely flaring out of existence.
“Seohye!”
Hyukjin realized what Seohye was trying to do. Red tears were dripping from her eyes.
[You who have killing intent.]
[I command thee. Return to thy eternal slumber.]
The Irregular Ahn Seohye’s summary steadily became visible to Hyukjin’s eyes.
Summary: Barrier Magician Resolved to Martyr
Martyr.
The act of sacrificing one’s life to protect one’s beliefs against all oppression and persecution.
Seohye’s eyes flashed open. After finishing the incantation, she uttered the final activation words.
“Nemesis Doom Barrier.”
The red threads that had covered the world began to descend on the Fire Giants. At the same time, Ham Sohyun continued to write down her final precognitive notes.
At the crossroads of incantation and incantation and incantation, fabrication and truth, distortion and insight, shall ravage one another.
There was one more future to be penned. She wrote two notes.
There, shall a powerful wish, the will to protect, and life be instilled.
There, shall one who pursues a wish predate as eyes of greed reign supreme.
And then, she fainted. She saw two futures, two completely contrasting futures. The unconscious Ham Sohyun mumbled, “The variable is… the Sovereign of Incantations.”
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