Nightmare
A strange feeling washed over me. Back in the first round, before we managed to defeat Horrence, the melee fighters had suffered countless injuries. While the ranged attackers dealt damage from afar, we had to hold the line up close. It got so bad that when the second expedition was organized, those who survived the first swore they’d never take on melee roles again. We even had to call in users from other allied cities.
Horrence was infamous, a nightmare in every sense of the word, and here I was, standing at the forefront, facing him head-on. Not only was I drawing his attention, but I was also dealing damage, playing the dual role of dealer and tank that every swordsman dreams of. I had him firmly in my grasp, and the others were unleashing their attacks with glee.
Whoosh.
A fierce wind howled. A dark blade, dripping with shadows, came crashing down, aiming to split my head. But I easily parried it with my longsword, infused with magic. The black sword rebounded with a heavy thud, and I quickly countered. Horrence tried to retreat calmly, but unfortunately for him, this wasn’t a one-on-one fight.
As the surrounding darkness pushed against my sword path, a flash of light erupted from above. In the blink of an eye, a barrage of linked spells rained down on Horrence like a storm. I could see eight ice spears piercing deep into his body.
“Broken!”
With Ha-yeon’s clear voice, the ice spears shattered, tearing the darkness apart. A guttural sound echoed through the air, and An-hyun and Lee Yoo-jung swiftly charged in from either side. They were reading the flow of battle for the first time, making clever decisions.
The battle strategy was simple. When I forced Horrence back, the ranged users would immediately provide powerful support. As soon as the linked spells incapacitated him, we would rush in to deal damage. (Yoo-jung, in particular, was mercilessly targeting the same spot over and over.) We would strike, retreat, and I would finish him off. It wasn’t a textbook boss raid, but with Vivian and me, it was an efficient strategy.
One wielded a spear, the other a dagger, stabbing relentlessly until Horrence’s body twitched slightly. They quickly withdrew their weapons and retreated. I adjusted my grip on my longsword like a baseball bat and delivered a powerful swing. Since Horrence was a mix of physical and spiritual, I figured spreading the impact with the flat of the blade would be more effective in reducing his regeneration.
Horrence flew in a wide arc. As he floated in the air, dark thorns erupted from the shadows on the ground, skewering him like a kebab.
”…”
The thorns receded, and a tattered piece of cloth fell from the air. The fragments gathered the scattered darkness, slowly reassembling themselves. But this time, countless shadows swarmed over, tearing at the darkness and hindering the restoration. It was almost pitiful to watch.
Despite the ongoing restoration, the process had noticeably slowed. What had once been a rapid reformation was now sluggish, signaling the end was near.
An-hyun and Lee Yoo-jung, watching the restoration up close, shook their heads in disbelief.
“How many times has it been now?”
“I lost count after ten.”
As their voices reached me, Horrence, having barely reformed, rose again. He shook off the clinging shadows with a violent shake. No longer charging recklessly, he hesitated, his red eyes fixed on me. I could sense the murderous rage in his gaze.
Horrence wasn’t weak. If I were in his position, I’d be furious too. His anger was directed solely at me. He needed to get past me to deal with the other users, but instead, he was being pushed back. Ignoring me wasn’t an option either, as I’d just drag him back down. In this battle, which was more like a child’s taunt, he must have felt cornered.
“Grrrr…”
Horrence raised his head to the sky and let out a long howl. The darkness around him began to thrash wildly. Hmm. It seemed like he was about to start something. I took a few calm steps back, watching him closely. The others, sensing something amiss, huddled close to me.
My prediction soon came true. The red glow in his eyes vanished, replaced by a deep black, yet I could still feel his gaze. The darkness around him deepened, and the murderous intent in the air made my skin prickle.
<Roaaar!>
What had been mere howls before now became a deafening roar that shook the entire room. A shadow rose from the darkness at my feet, revealing a figure with ash-gray hair. She tapped my shoulder and spoke. It was none other than user Go Yeon-ju.
“User Kim Soo-hyun.”
“Yes.”
“It seems we won’t be able to provide magical support for a while.”
“Hmm.”
I let out a low hum, staring ahead. The darkness rippled like waves in response to Horrence’s fury. Go Yeon-ju, watching the change, frowned slightly, looking troubled. She knew, as did I, that some monsters grew abnormally strong when facing death.
Turning my head, I saw Ha-yeon leaning heavily on Vivian. The other users seemed to have some energy left, but Ha-yeon looked exhausted. Opting for linked spells to damage Horrence wasn’t a bad choice, given that regular magic was ineffective. However, linking spells placed a significant burden on the user responsible for the final blow, so it was standard to take turns.
But Ha-yeon had handled not only the final blow but also the coordination and targeting, so it was impressive she lasted over ten rounds. As I looked back, she tried to stand but wavered. I signaled her to rest a bit and turned my attention back to the battle.
I could feel the eyes of Go Yeon-ju and the others on me, but they said nothing. I had given them free rein, so I intended to watch for now. And since Ha-yeon had contributed significantly, she had long surpassed the passing mark.
Having completed his internal transformation, Horrence began to close the distance between us. I matched his pace, moving forward slowly. I sensed Go Yeon-ju and the others spreading out, but I didn’t mind. With Ha-yeon out, magical support was unlikely. If they were smart, Shin Sang-yong or Ahn Sol would assist the remaining two.
“Come forth! Imprison! O iron binder of the 49th legion!”
Vivian’s clear voice rang out, and chains surged toward Horrence. I thought the timing was off, but Vivian must have sensed the change in him and was testing the waters. And at that moment.
<Roar!>
Clang! Clang! Clang!
As Horrence roared, dozens of dark tendrils shot out from the shadows around him. The chains, meant to bind him, tangled with the tendrils and vanished. I heard a low groan from someone, but I adjusted my stance, angling my sword diagonally. With Horrence finally revealing his true power, I was ready to face him seriously.
As I resolved to fight, the temptation to use the power of Hwa-jeong surged within me. If I had used it, I could have defeated him long ago, without having to knock him down over ten times. But I quickly shook my head, dismissing the thought. I had decided to refrain from overusing it, so I needed to hold back for now.
Doing my best means pushing myself to the limits of my current abilities, not relying on some overwhelming power to take the easy way out. Sure, I might use a burst of energy against a Lich, whose body is already gone, but to take down a boss monster like Horrence, I’d need power several times greater.
Clearing my mind of hesitation, I focused, and a serene calm enveloped me. As I closed the distance, I suddenly lunged forward with the technique of “弓身彈影”—a swift, arrow-like movement.
As I sprang forward, Horrence raised his sword in response. Just before our blades clashed, I shifted my sword, angling it to meet the flat of his black blade. The moment our swords connected, a heavy force surged through, and I twisted my blade slightly.
Deflect. His black sword grazed past my earlobe. But as his redirected strike came back at me, I twisted my sword again, this time with more force. This maneuver lifted not just his sword but his entire right arm.
Back in my early days, I often worried about my lack of strength compared to top-tier users. How could I possibly win against them? After countless trials and research, I discovered a method: using the opponent’s strength against them.
I possess an ability to harness and control the impact that penetrates my body. This principle, inspired by the concept of “四兩撥千斤”—using four ounces to move a thousand pounds—evolved into a unique ability. Initially, I developed it to mitigate overwhelming impacts, but I later integrated it with the principle of “柔能制剛”—the soft overcoming the hard—into my swordsmanship.
With his black sword lifted, Horrence’s left chest was exposed. Without hesitation, I thrust my sword into that opening. My blade sank deep with a satisfying sound, and I followed up with a powerful kick to his torso.
Thud!
The impact echoed as his body bent backward, sliding away. Yet, even as he was pushed back, he quickly planted his black sword into the ground to halt his retreat and charged at me again.
Now, it wasn’t just his sword. Like the chains that had once bound Vivian, the darkness swirling around him rose fiercely, aiming for my life. I quickly assessed the possible paths of his sword and moved my feet swiftly. Once more, I deflected his blade, spinning my body forward. The encroaching darkness narrowly grazed my abdomen, but I managed to avoid serious harm.
But then, a chilling sensation crept up the back of my neck. The darkness that had passed me seemed to curve back in a U-shape, targeting me again. Just as I was deciding whether to advance or retreat, a whisper brushed past my ear.
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
Hello, this is Royujin.
Ah, today’s update is a bit late. I went to the library early in the morning to work on an assignment, and finishing one took longer than expected. I still have two more to go, but completing one is quite encouraging. ㅜ.ㅠ
I thought today’s update might be difficult, but after reading your comments, I realized I couldn’t let you down (…….) So, I’ll be diving into writing the midnight update now. Are you all having a good weekend?! :)
PS. I saw the survey… and noticed there were votes in the 50s male and female categories. Could it be my parents… ㅜ.ㅠ
『 Reader Comments 』
Kuroshion: Congratulations on being first! I have a feeling you might dominate the first comment spot for a while, just like Saraminseong did. You’re on a roll lately. Keep it up. Haha. :)
SaularabiHunterT: How did your certification exam go today? It’s such a damp and sticky day, why did the exam have to be today of all days? ㅜ.ㅠ I hope you get good results.
Off2Love19: Ahem. I, I take it back. Please, just hold back on the puns.
CheongeopHyeolSinCheonMujon: Haha. It’s a bit much to do
Hwanggeol: Thank you for the coupon. Please look forward to when I open the remaining Chaos Mimic!
Hwiya: I’m trembling right now. I can’t even ask because I’m so nervous… ㅜ.ㅠ
A_Sedraphim_L + MonsterSlayer: In the long run, Hwajeong is a power that could be detrimental to Suhyeon. That’s why it was described as
GradeRown: GradeRown, that sounds like a great idea. An inexhaustible stamina! Hmm. Should I include a priestess in the future settings? Just kidding. :)
Dunak: I see. Thank you for the valuable advice. We plan to move to larger cities, so more fitting adversaries will appear. Please look forward to it. (__)
BrokenFan: Haha. Correct. I wonder how the kids will evaluate Suhyeon after the battle with Horrence. Will they still be called kids, or users? I’m quite curious myself. Though I’ve already decided on the outcome. ㅋㅁㅋ
Gahanna: We have one more. I hope the female readers weren’t too shocked. This novel does have a strong male-oriented vibe…
Saraminseong: Tsk. No spamming. Doom Knight > Death Knight > > > > > Abyss Knight in order.
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I’ll take my leave for today.
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