Chapter 77: Song Gyujung - (4)
Whoosh!
As he launched an attack with his sword engulfed in flas, Song Gyujung, who was about to execute a slash, stepped back.
After all, fire was one of the most lethal elents to humans.
Since this small fla skill was sothing Song Gyujung had never seen when facing Sanghyun before, he had no choice but to be cautious.
If only his protector’s durability had been ahead, he wouldn’t have had to be this careful.
However, being at a disadvantage by double the score, Song Gyujung had to think things through multiple tis.
If he ended up losing to Sanghyun, there would be no room for excuses.
He just needed to win, no matter what.
Then, he could at least use the excuse that he had deliberately lost to let Sanghyun experience various situations.
The more he thought about it, the more pathetic the excuse sounded, but in any case, it was a way out.
‘He’s overwheld by the montum.’
Sanghyun laughed as he saw Song Gyujung montarily freeze.
Being a nad player didn’t an he was fearless.
In the end, he was human too. The fear of death or elimination was the sa.
Moreover, compared to Sanghyun, Song Gyujung had relatively more to lose. If he lost, the damage would be severe.
‘I haven’t drawn out the best card Song Gyujung can play yet. I need to bring that out to win.’
Sanghyun looked further ahead.
Song Gyujung had been holding back his most powerful skill.
He was probably saving it to exploit a mont of carelessness or an opening.
Whoosh!
『Rising Airflow』
Sanghyun used Rising Airflowt to press Song Gyujung.
Having already stepped back in fear of the small flas, he was now exposed to the attack from the most optimal distance.
“Tsk!”
Flash!
Clicking his tongue, Song Gyujung irritably swung his twin swords to disperse the current.
It was a wise response.
If one could strike the center of the current, it significantly reduced its power.
However, in that brief mont—
『Fragnted Illusion』
Sanghyun skillfully utilized his skill to create a clone in front of Song Gyujung.
It was a perfectly tid skill deploynt, exploiting the mont his vision was distorted while countering the current.
It was so natural that Song Gyujung didn’t realize the Sanghyun in front of him had been replaced by a clone.
Taking advantage of this, Sanghyun’s real body had already moved behind Song Gyujung, out of his line of sight.
『Step of Darkness』
Thanks to this skill, there was no sound of footsteps at all. It was a blind spot, undetectable even by hearing.
“……!”
Watching this unfold from the stands, Song Taejung almost shouted sothing but barely managed to cover his mouth.
Intervening in such a way wasn’t just an overstep—it was outright cheating that could lead to expulsion from the guild.
However, his expression was twisted as it seed his older brother was about to be toyed with by Sanghyun once again.
“He got completely caught off guard.”
Shin Taeri’s gaze deepened.
If Song Gyujung didn’t question the clone right in front of him, the outco was obvious.
She sincerely hoped he wouldn’t fall so easily.
“Haaap!”
But unfortunately, that was just wishful thinking.
Song Gyujung, using his Grand Crescent Slash once again, revealed his intention to completely crush Sanghyun.
Of course, at the very mont his Grand Crescent Slash was launched, a Crushing Airflow from the ‘real’ Sanghyun was already closing in from behind.
It was a silent hunt, with Song Gyujung completely unaware he had beco prey.
“Huh?”
However, despite the sword energy rushing toward him, Song Gyujung noticed Sanghyun simply smiling, and a question mark ford in his mind.
No matter how confident he was, there was no way Sanghyun could take the Grand Crescent Slash head-on with his bare body, right?
“Damn, don’t tell ….”
He tried to deny it.
No, he wanted to believe otherwise.
Was Sanghyun really trying to deceive him with a clone? Did he dare to pull such a bold trick on him?
Would a swordsman player even think of using a clone skill, sothing that was practically a lifeline for assassin players?
Everything he didn’t want to believe turned out to be true.
Crunch!
“Gah!”
From the mont his entire body was caught in Sanghyun’s Crushing Airflow and crushed, it beca clear.
The Sanghyun in front of him hadn’t moved at all, yet he was struck by a skill. That could only an one thing.
He had been struck by the real one.
Pssst.
And as if to mock him, Sanghyun's clone dispersed into a hazy cloud of smoke.
The image of the clone, which had been laughing just monts ago, overlapped in Song Gyujung’s mind, finally shattering his composure.
‘I can't take this!’
The unbearable rage escalated beyond the test dinsion, turning into a murderous intent to kill Sanghyun outright.
With superhuman strength, Song Gyujung rotated his body against the downward air currents pressing him down, his eyes flashing with light.
"Is it Gale Strike?"
Jo Jinho read the next move.
It was Song Gyujung’s last resort, a technique he only used when he needed a final blow—Gale Strike.
Gale Strike, which involved wrapping his body in a massive and heavy wind mass before charging forward, was sheer terror itself.
Just being caught in or pressed by that wind ant being crushed under imnse pressure.
Moreover, it was a peculiar technique where the heavy wind mass only affected his opponent, while presenting no obstacles to Song Gyujung himself.
With Gale Strike pinning the opponent down, he could shred them apart with his dual-sword techniques as much as he wanted.
"It’s over."
Shin Taeri declared.
The clever use of clones had been impressive, but ultimately, Song Gyujung’s final move was the issue.
Gale Strike was a skill that even Jo Jinho, specialized in defense, and Shin Taeri, an expert in evasive maneuvers, struggled against.
There was a reason Song Gyujung ranked second among Eden Guild’s swordsn.
Such a decisive skill clearly determined the hierarchy.
No matter how adaptable Sanghyun was, he couldn't overturn the selfish chanics of Gale Strike.
‘Defense test? Don’t make laugh. I’ll end this.’
While everyone foresaw his defeat, only Sanghyun himself envisioned a completely different future.
『Brave Charge』
Rather than being overwheld, Sanghyun utilized a charge skill to et the attack head-on.
"Do you really think that will work?"
Song Gyujung sneered as he lunged like a giant, rampaging rhino.
Kuwaaang!
The massive wind mass created by Gale Strike continued to grow, fully prepared to swallow Sanghyun whole.
‘If it’s not system-guaranteed invincibility, then there’s no skill in this world that can’t be broken through.’
Sanghyun was certain.
『Acceleration』
He added acceleration to his charge, increasing his speed. Adjusting for the remaining distance, he launched another Valiant Charge.
Kwaaak!
Then, gripping the Greatsword of Fighting Spirit once more, he infused strength into its slightly loosened blade.
‘I’m not breaking Song Gyujung—I’m breaking the uncertain future looming over .’
Sanghyun gave aning to his gambit. It was filled with solemn and resolute determination.
"……"
Watching, Kim Miso unconsciously clasped her hands together as if in prayer.
anwhile, Shin Taeri and Jo Jinho, keeping a rational perspective, had already shifted their gaze toward the durability gauge on the massive monitor.
They knew that once Sanghyun got caught in Gale Strike and was shredded apart, his durability would plumt instantly.
Kuwaaaaang!
The force of Gale Strike, like a massive tornado, approached Sanghyun’s face.
Within that storm, Song Gyujung’s wind-swept figure resembled a scene straight out of a martial arts movie.
It was quite the spectacle.
‘Got you.’
At that mont, Sanghyun spotted the weak point in Gale Strike, centered around Song Gyujung’s body.
It was the sa logic that Song Gyujung had used earlier when countering Sanghyun’s Rising Airlfow with his dual-sword techniques.
Of course, everyone in the training ground, including Song Gyujung himself, was convinced that Sanghyun couldn’t possibly break through Gale Strike.
Because it was an impossibility—unless one possessed near-perfect understanding of the skill.
‘I didn’t waste thirty years as a Player.’
Ti does not lie.
If one hadn’t lived aninglessly,
Then the experiences and mories accumulated over ti would inevitably bring wisdom and inspiration.
And more than that—hadn’t he regressed?
He only looked young on the outside!
Inside, he was ard with the cunning and experience of a seasoned veteran.
"……"
Standing amidst the overwhelming gusts of wind, Sanghyun remained silent.
Like a helpless human on the verge of being swept away by the force of nature’s storm.
"Ah…!"
Kim Miso tightly shut her eyes.
Sanghyun was wearing a protector, but he thought he might look unsightly.
Right at that mont.
The very end!
Sanghyun, who had been holding his breath until the fierce energy of Gale Strike swirled around his hair, had his eyes glisten.
『Crushing Blade』
The mont he unleashed the Crushing Blade, a finishing move that consud 90% of his mana.
[Out of a critical hit range of at least 130% to a maximum of 650%, a 639% critical damage has been activated!]
A critical damage close to the maximum value had struck.
Usually, in most cases, critical hit damage was closer to the minimum than the maximum.
However, perhaps thanks to his steady investnt in the Luck stat, his potential had exploded at a crucial mont.
Fwoosh!
The Crushing Blade that Sanghyun thrust precisely pierced the center of the swirling wind mass of Gale Strike.
Like the air valve of a rubber ball, he had accurately struck that one vital point.
Boom!
At that mont, the gust that was nothing but pure ferocious energy scattered powerlessly like dandelion seeds.
Because he had pierced the exact point without a margin of error, Gale Strike was instantly nullified.
"S- Shit..."
Song Gyujung's voice burst out, so flustered that he couldn’t even finish his curse.
It wasn’t just Song Gyujung whose jaw had dropped in shock.
Everyone watching from the audience was astonished.
No one had expected him to shatter Gale Strike completely, rather than just dodging or blocking it.
Even if they had considered a one-in-ten-million chance variable, they would have never imagined this outco.
If such a thing had been possible, Jo Jinho or Shin Taeri would have tried it already.
It was sothing they had given up on because it was impossible, but for Sanghyun, it had worked—perfectly!
"...Damn."
Only now did Song Gyujung finally complete the curse he had been unable to finish.
Was this what it felt like to be stripped completely naked in front of soone?
What appeared in front of Song Gyujung, after Gale Strike was obliterated, was Sanghyun approaching, having finished his Full Charge.
At such close range and angle, there was no counterasure left to take.
To Song Gyujung, Gale Strike had been the ultimate, decisive move, a divine strategy ant to ensure an overwhelming victory.
But now, all of his plans had gone up in smoke.
Fwoosh!
Sanghyun's sword pierced heavily into Song Gyujung's left chest.
Had this been a real battle, his heart would have been torn apart instantly.
Beep! Beep!
As the protector’s durability dropped below 100, a loud alarm rang throughout the training ground.
A signal that was the most intuitive and definitive declaration of victory for Sanghyun and defeat for Song Gyujung.
"My brother... my brother lost..."
Song Taejung, who had been sitting stiff with tension, slumped down, letting out a sigh deep enough to sink the ground.
Even though this was supposed to be a test, everyone had been genuinely serious about the battle.
But Song Gyujung had lost.
The second-ranked swordsman of Eden Guild hadn’t lost to the first ranker or the third, but to an outsider of the guild.
Moreover, to a swordsman who was far too low-level to even be ranked!
A great upheaval had taken place.
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