When winter passes, spring arrives.
Clang!
The clattering of chains echoed everywhere. Chains burst forth from the magic circle, swiftly filling the air and lunging with a menacing force towards the vagrant.
“What, what?”
Caught off guard by the sudden appearance of this power right in front of him, Jeonghan was bewildered. It was an ability he had never encountered before. His instincts screamed at him to dodge, but in the brief moment of hesitation, the chains had already wrapped around his entire body. Like a silkworm cocoon, the chains wound tightly around him, lifting the vagrant slowly into the air.
Watching the vagrant suspended in midair, Shin Sang-yong sat up, dazed. He had no other thoughts. The joy of finally summoning the beast and the fear of facing death were all forgotten in that moment.
There was only one thing on his mind: the desperate resolve to save the children. Driven by this singular determination, Shin Sang-yong shouted with all his might.
“Imprison!”
A fierce cry echoed, as if reflecting Shin Sang-yong’s inner turmoil. The chains tightened momentarily, then flowed like water, twisting and scouring the vagrant’s body.
Clang!
“Aaaaargh!”
A horrific scream erupted from within the cocoon of chains. The dark, magical chains tore through the vagrant’s body in an instant, unraveling to reveal the gruesome scene inside.
Thud!
A mangled, blood-soaked mass of flesh fell to the ground, barely recognizable as human.
“Jeonghan!”
“What the hell?!”
Finally noticing the strange occurrence, the other vagrants screamed in panic. Shin Sang-yong snapped his head up. He saw Ahn Hyun lying motionless and Lee Yoo-jung being pinned down, helpless. In that moment, his usually calm and serene eyes blazed with intensity.
With a fierce gesture, Shin Sang-yong commanded the chains.
Clang! Clang!
Dozens, no, nearly hundreds of chains split into three directions, surging forward with relentless force. The three vagrants gasped in horror as the rain of chains descended upon them.
The woman sitting atop Ahn Hyun tried to dodge, but it was a mistake. The chains adjusted their trajectory as if alive, encircling her body and leaving no room for escape.
“Ugh!”
As the chains tightened, her face flushed red.
The man observing the equipment fared no better. Standing upright, he instinctively deflected the chains coming from the front, but those attacking from all sides eventually caught him off guard. As the chains struck his ribs, he felt his bones shatter and immediately lost consciousness.
“What the hell is this?!”
The man pinning down Lee Yoo-jung swung his axe wildly, shouting. His skill was evident, but his movements grew increasingly erratic as he tried to fend off the chains.
At that moment, Shin Sang-yong clenched his open palm tightly. The chains, which had been attacking indiscriminately, began to change. Some wrapped around the axe, while others crossed to form a net.
The net of chains surged towards the man.
“Damn it!”
Realizing resistance was futile, the man dropped his axe with a curse. He tried to escape, but his body tilted unexpectedly. He looked down in shock. Lee Yoo-jung, with a fierce glare, had grabbed his ankle. Her grip was unyielding, and his eyes widened in disbelief.
“You crazy…!”
Before he could finish, Lee Yoo-jung yanked his ankle hard, and the net of chains struck him.
Thud!
“Aaagh!”
In an instant, the situation reversed.
As the man slipped, Lee Yoo-jung grabbed a nearby dagger. With cat-like agility, she leapt onto his abdomen. Her hand, holding the dagger, swung back.
“You bastard!”
“Spare me… urgh!”
Before he could finish, Lee Yoo-jung drove the dagger down without hesitation. Blood foamed at his mouth. But it didn’t end there. As if to repay all she had suffered, she repeatedly stabbed him with the dagger.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
With each flash of red, the man’s body convulsed.
After stabbing him a dozen times, even as his body went limp, the dagger showed no sign of stopping. Only when his face was unrecognizable did Lee Yoo-jung regain her senses. Nearby, the sound of chains and a mournful wail echoed.
Clang, clang!
Finally, the vagrants fighting the swordswoman turned their attention to the scene beside them. They all let out deep groans. The four vagrants who had charged in with such confidence now lay scattered on the ground, battered and broken.
The remaining vagrants, realizing their comrades were dead, turned their gaze to Shin Sang-yong. It was the first time he had received such attention.
In terms of raw ability, Shin Sang-yong was far from weak. A mage’s prowess was measured by their magical power. When he first met Kim Soo-hyun, his power was at 85 points, and after some growth, it had reached the mid-to-high range. By inheriting a rare class, he had gained new abilities and evolved.
Even if the element of surprise played a role, summoning the beast and dealing with four vagrants was no small feat. Shin Sang-yong was undoubtedly a ‘strong’ presence. While he couldn’t dominate the battlefield like Kim Soo-hyun, he could certainly influence smaller skirmishes.
“Huff… huff…”
Despite his labored breathing, Shin Sang-yong felt an unfamiliar sensation.
Thump. Thump.
His heart still raced, and his body trembled, but he felt oddly refreshed. It was as if a weight had been lifted from his chest. Though he had only summoned one beast, a new emotion, different from before, began to stir within him.
Slowly, he lowered his outstretched hand. The chains, obedient to his command, returned, coiling around him like a dense jungle. The beast, towering in the air, gazed down at the vagrants, ready to strike at any moment.
“What… what is that?”
Lee Kang-san muttered, taking a step back in disbelief. It was a staggering turn of events. The battle had been tilting in their favor, and they had almost secured victory. They hadn’t even considered the fledglings on the left, but one of them had suddenly become a force to be reckoned with.
It wasn’t entirely hopeless, but… Lee Kang-san glanced at the swordswoman. Though she was panting with exhaustion, her aura remained unyielding. If the two of them joined forces, the situation would undoubtedly become dire.
Clang!
As if sharing the same thought, Shin Sang-yong’s chains clattered loudly once more.
The vagrants quickly retreated, wary, but the chains bypassed them, heading straight for the swordswoman, Ahn Hyun, and Lee Yoo-jung. As the chains wrapped around them, the three were lifted into the air, soaring upwards. Lee Kang-san’s eyes widened in shock.
“Stop them!”
”───. ───. ───. Ice Lance!”
One of the vagrants launched an ice spear at the airborne swordswoman.
But then…
”───. ───. ───. Hold!”
Just before the ice spear could pierce the swordswoman, a white light enveloped it. The spear froze in midair, then fell to the ground, powerless. The three soared through the air, tracing a graceful arc.
“This can’t be happening!”
The vagrant who had cast the spell shouted in disbelief at the impossible sight before him.
Each mage had a unique magical wavelength, and their powers couldn’t mix. When different magics collided, an explosion was the expected outcome.
In this case, the ice spear should have pierced through the hold. Or rather, the hold should have had no effect at all.
However, the hold spell cast by Shin Sang-yong remained unbroken. This was thanks to his unique ability, the “Magic Square of Harmony.” By activating this power, Shin Sang-yong synchronized his magical wavelength with that of his opponent, maintaining the hold’s influence.
“Phew.”
Lowering his staff, Shin Sang-yong let out a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding. He had worried that the “Magic Bullet” might delay him, but his prior preparation had been the right call.
Watching as the swordswoman landed safely within the chains, Lee Kang-san ground his teeth.
“Take that bastard down first!”
Determined to capitalize on their current advantage, Lee Kang-san barked the order and charged forward like the wind. It wasn’t that he thought they would lose; rather, he was frustrated at having let the swordswoman slip through his fingers.
As the ruffians charged with menacing intent, Shin Sang-yong activated his latent ability.
“Fortify the magic stronghold!”
A hum resonated as a square of light formed around Shin Sang-yong, with four magical arrays glowing brightly at each corner. This marked the beginning of the second round between the users and the ruffians.
Clang, clang!
With a flick of his hand, Shin Sang-yong commanded half of the chains to form a protective barrier while the other half weaved through the advancing ruffians. But this time, the ruffians were not so easily caught off guard. Prepared for the assault, they cut and deflected the chains, scattering in all directions.
Yet Shin Sang-yong remained unfazed. He knew that the element of surprise was gone, and that was why he had deliberately drawn the swordswoman into the fray. If he could create openings and space, she would undoubtedly shine.
With this in mind, Shin Sang-yong planned to support her with defensive maneuvers.
The ensuing battle unfolded just as Lee Kang-san feared and Shin Sang-yong had calculated.
Using the information from the “Magic Stronghold,” Shin Sang-yong swung the chains in all directions, hindering the approaching enemies. Instead of confronting them head-on, he targeted their flanks, tripping them up and disrupting their balance. He deflected incoming spells with the chains, and when a clear opportunity arose, he didn’t hesitate to ensnare a ruffian’s neck.
Shin Sang-yong was in a state of flow, wielding his imprisonment magic with every ounce of strength he had. The “Magic Bullet” was no longer an obstacle. His mana surged through the circuits, which were now glowing hot from the strain.
Amidst this chaos, the one who seemed to be enjoying herself the most was the swordswoman. Initially driven by anger, she had regretted losing her composure when cornered. But with the support of a rare class, she found her rhythm and began to showcase her true skills.
In contrast, the ruffians were having a rough time. While a single chain posed little threat, the relentless assault of multiple chains was maddening. And if they managed to break through, they were met with the piercing gaze of the swordswoman amidst a forest of chains.
Even though they had a slight edge in the skirmish, they had never been able to easily subdue the swordswoman, even when she was alone. Now, they couldn’t afford to focus solely on her, let alone engage in a prolonged battle.
Moreover, it wasn’t just the two of them. Yoo Jung, who was guarding Shin Sang-yong and waiting for the right moment to strike, was also a thorn in the ruffians’ side.
“Aaargh!”
The first scream echoed from somewhere, and Lee Kang-san realized that if they continued to play defense, the battle would drag on longer than expected.
And perhaps, they might even lose.
Regret crept into Lee Kang-san’s heart. If only they had a solid strategy instead of charging in recklessly… But there was no time for that now. Recognizing the futility of a drawn-out fight, he shouted a new order.
“Damn it! Fall back for now!”
The ruffians, sensing the sudden shift in the battle’s difficulty, immediately stopped their assault and retreated.
“What now? This isn’t going well,” one of the ruffians panted, catching his breath after putting some distance between them.
Lee Kang-san responded with a grunt. Dragging this out would do them no good. Their relations with the continent had soured due to Simon’s manipulations, and the eastern reinforcements were due to arrive any moment. Losing the swordswoman they’d been hunting was a bitter pill to swallow, but lingering any longer risked capture.
Despite his decision, Lee Kang-san couldn’t help but cast a lingering glance at the swordswoman. She stood tall among the chains, her eyes fixed on the retreating ruffians.
“Time is of the essence,” the ruffian urged again.
”…”
Lee Kang-san remained silent, but his silence spoke volumes.
Suddenly, he turned his head sharply, his face contorting with urgency.
“Shit! Have they noticed? Everyone, retreat! We’re leaving the battlefield now!”
As the ruffians began their retreat, Shin Sang-yong watched them go with a sigh of relief.
The swordswoman tilted her head slightly, puzzled.
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
Stay tuned for the next chapter!