“Crazy! That was SS-rank!”
The staff wasn’t completely destroyed, but it cracked almost down the middle, and half of the cords snapped away. Even with SS-rank chains wrapped tight and poured‐in magic, it shattered so easily... Was the replica weak? Did that Chatterbox bastard give a defective piece?
Without a mont’s pause, the chains turned on . I hastily bound the remaining cords together and dove into the mist, drawing in every wisp as I cast my Stealth Skill.
‘...Honestly, there’s no answer.’
If his weapon were a blade or club, Grace could nullify it. But Hyunjae wielded chains that ensnared a target. Grace negates damage—it cannot stop being bound.
‘He only spared because he chose not to kill outright.’
Had he willed it, he could have choked without looking for Grace. Even hidden, I caught my breath. Clak-clak! The staff’s cords and golden chains strained against each other as boot-heels advanced. Through the mist I glimpsed his unemotional face. He raised his foot and—crunch—stomped on the head of my buried staff.
The staff sank into the earth like a candle in cake. I stared dumbly, then frantically tugged a cord. A slender tal staff appeared in Hyunjae’s hand, swatting aside the cord aiming at his leg.
Teleportation ant nothing. He pinched a cord underfoot—crack—and electricity sparked around his hand. He channeled it along the tal, blackening the scarlet cord until—snap—it severed. One by one, each cord dropped around like crushed ants.
“Too quiet.”
Crack! A flash of light and another cord snapped away. Few remained; the Searcher’s Chains had reclaid their master, circling him once more.
“Hiding there, are you just stalling for ti?”
His voice was low and even. Reddish cords, stunned by the current, fell lifelessly. Hyunjae raised his head, surveying the mist—our eyes t for a mont. Though surely he hadn’t truly seen , his shoulders tensed reflexively.
My nails bit into my palm as I clenched my fist.
‘...I’m cowering too much.’
It wasn’t my first fight with Hyunjae; yet I shrank back. No matter how many clashes, he was never easy—but I didn’t need to feel so weak.
I steeled myself and t his gaze. Smashing an SS-rank weapon must have drained much mana; yet he remained composed—until...
‘...Huh?’
Sothing felt off. One of Hyunjae’s arms shimred oddly, less distinct than the rest of him. His condition was far worse than I’d noticed. Had he been wounded fighting another Hunter? But by whom?
I drew my comm and used a sound-muffling item—an F-rank, single-use device that normally seals one’s breathing. No breath, no voice.
“An S-rank playing dirty against an F-rank!”
Hyunjae turned toward the insult. His eye caught the radio receiver strapped to a tree.
“What are you looking at? Never seen a talking tree before?”
He flipped the channel quickly, falling silent. At the sa instant—
Crack!
A flying chain shredded the receiver in the rock crevice. I’d been betrayed by my own radio. tal shards rained out, and Hyunjae reeled in his chain, a faint smile at his lips.
“Say more, if you will.”
“I was going to—”
A fine wave of charged air rippled out. His sensory acuity zeroed in on the unbroadcasted radio’s signal. Damn him! I hurled the comm aside and leapt to the side. Imdiately—
Shhrring—
A cord whipped my arm and slamd into the ground. Had I not cast Teacher Skill, I’d be bound already. Golden light flickered behind . Grace saved from electrocution, but my hair stood on end. Hyunjae retracted the chain and raised an eyebrow.
“Tricky.”
He’d detected my attempt to jam him, but I remained undiscovered. The mist had perfectly mimicked my mana signature. Even if he couldn’t find , I had no better plan—every ranged attack would be intercepted. Only one option remained.
“Lucky that Han Yujin gave a useful gift.”
He spread his arms, and to my horror, spun out hot-pink yarn from his palms.
‘How long has he been carrying that?!’
I never should have accepted it! The tough, endless yarn wove itself in every direction. If I touched it, he’d know instantly. Dungeon‐leftover bombs might survive, but I ground my teeth as Hyunjae casually draped yarn everywhere. Then—clatter—he broke it down into short lengths. Ten little chains darted about him.
“I like more than your voice, Yujin—I like your face too.”
He infused each strand with his magic. Serves you right, mirror! The sun-bright chains lunged at from all sides.
Crack! Bang!
Dirt flew, rocks cracked. Short chains impaled trees and twisted to scan their surroundings. I dodged both yarn and chain, weaving through the tangle. Yet the yarn proved denser than expected. In Delowes form, I might slip past—but I couldn’t fight in that shape. Instead, I rolled my die. It clattered across the ground as the chains closed in front, the yarn behind. At the die’s stop, I leapt backward.
Thunk! Seeds drifted as the yarn vanished—when I teleport with the die, only the wielder’s skills and weapons follow; non-items remain.
...My bombs and other gear stayed behind too, though.
I scrambled up—Hyunjae laughed. An ominous sound, for—
Koo-rung!
Lightning struck. Golden mana converged on the short chains underfoot; the tall grass at my waist blackened and ignited. Flas roared up, thick smoke choking . Dammit—using smoke to flush out like a rabbit.
Better than water, but this was a dry field. The blaze spread faster than I could run; escape into the smoke was impossible. But around Hyunjae, the grass had been cleared in a perfect circle by a ring of electric fire. He stood in that ring, awaiting .
I forced a wry smile and stepped forward. In this tight space, even hidden in mist, I wouldn’t last long.
“How much is left?”
“If you an what Chatterbox gave us—only the Mana Inscription remains.”
“That’s your possession, Yujin.”
I unconsciously reached to stroke the back of my neck.
“Originally, I... could not have used it.”
“Your mana interference is distasteful—but the one who risked his life to earn it is also Han Yujin.”
Of course. I straightened. Sparks and acrid smoke stung my ears and nose. I felt exposed at his words: only my true power remained. Yet that was always the case.
Shhrring— A long chain flew at . Instead of resisting, I reached out. It coiled around my arm and yanked. My body jerked forward; Grace barely kept upright.
Ssshhrr—
I drew the Sovereign’s Blade. Hyunjae’s subtle dodge registered in my enhanced senses—Battle Precognition and Teacher Skill clashed. My head threatened to split, but I held firm. He could not fully avoid the blow.
Kah-kng!
Sparks flew. Scarlet embers dripped onto the Searcher’s Chains like blood. I gripped the sword with both hands and drove forward. Past the barrier of chains, golden eyes curved in a smile.
“This too is Han Yujin’s.”
“It’s... borrowed.”
True, I’d accepted and nurtured it—but my palm and back stung. Clink— the chain groaned under the blow. I felt a flurry of attacks coming; even as I glimpsed a boot at my neck—
Thunk! Hyunjae hooked my leg, careful not to let Grace block it. I staggered, but instead of falling, I spun the sword against the chains. Clang! tal rang as the cords sared onto the black blade, the poison-laced fla licking up.
Not true Black Blood Fla—but surely venomous. The poison sizzled as part of Hyunjae’s glove lted. Yet he did not release the chain; rather, he reached for , golden eyes as if reflected in onyx.
And I found myself smiling.
Chains tugged, the entangled sword pulled, and my body rose. Hyunjae’s hand clamped around my throat; my hand closed on his wrist.
“I have... one more of yours.”
I felt his mana under my palm. The power in my arm surged toward his. His eyes flickered. I was smiling clearly. Our arms, fused by the sa magic, intertwined as if one—until, in that mont of perfect unity...
I abandoned my arm. Following the force as it twisted, flesh tore and blood spurted. The white coat flared crimson.
“Aaaah!”
A scream burst forth. Hyunjae too let out a strangled moan; both bodies staggered as though to collapse.
“That... was—“
I’d wanted to answer, but only ragged breaths escaped. Years ago, with help from a Changeling, I’d transferred so of Hyunjae’s own power into the crystal in my arm—his mana, effectively.
“Identical... huff... mana...”
By rging our magic in close contact, my arm and his beca indistinguishable. Teacher Skill further masked the intrusion, so Precognition did not detect it.
Next ca a form of self-harm: I could not sever another’s mana easily, but I could tear my own. Grace could not stop it, so I ended up like this.
With my ruined arm, I drew the Sovereign’s Blade in my other hand. If we’d each lost an arm, he would still hold the advantage, yet—
“That arm of yours isn’t really intact.”
The one that looked fine was a wreck. With his mana flow so compromised, wielding the Searcher’s Chains would be nearly impossible.
“Take better care of your limbs!”
I kicked off and charged. My face, pale as I’d never seed so eager, wore a bright grin. Even if my arms were crippled, in his eyes my movents must appear lethargic—and my legs were fine.
But Hyunjae did not budge. A chain lunged at my neck, squeezing tight—yet Grace held. I swung the sword. Flas flickered, ruffling my faded hair. Hyunjae’s tall form spun, boot lashing hard.
Clank!
I skidded across the ground, blood spraying from my barely staunched arm.
“Cough! Gah!”
I severed the choking chain with the Sovereign’s Blade, but in that mont a boot aid at my throat descends—
Crack!
It crashed into my shoulder instead. My half-raised torso crashed back to earth. As ashes drifted from the burned grass, I swung my blade. Hyunjae, ever ready, sidestepped lightly, and the chains replaced themselves, ensnaring once more.
“Even if I lose at this point—“
“Shut up, huff—gah!”
I whipped toward the nearest chain, studiously basing my blade on the ground as though waiting. Among the ash rolled my die. I slamd it down with the sword. Shatter! The die broke, and as the world snapped back to the forest, I frantically triggered every bomb in my inventory with my body.
Kwa-gwah-gwang! Kwaang!!
Flas roared from all sides. Bombs and items alike exploded with terrible noise. My body was battered; though I escaped death, I bounced like popcorn, skidding across the clearing.
Smoke thickened. Nothing in sight looked intact. Slowly, through the settling dust, I saw Hyunjae—astonishingly unhurt for such a blast. Yet not entirely unhard: his mana was clearly drained, and dark blood trickled from his half-torn arm. I’d mixed poison in—so it seeped directly and overca his resistance gear.
“You must have an antidote.”
I hauled myself upright and awkwardly lifted the Sovereign’s Blade. His golden eyes t mine—too clear, too bright.
“I doubt I’ll find ti to use it.”
“Don’t you dare fiddle with its cap—your neck would be next.”
With only one arm each, neither of us had ease. I gritted my teeth and lunged again.
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